Shanjoy Tours Team
Shanjoy Tours and Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $250 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Amy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Worst experience ever, zero competent, zero respect to me, just for the money and tips
One star is for the animals! Don’t book with them, the worst tour guide ever!! The good reviews here are very short, most just says they are nice people, that’s not competent for a guide, you need an experienced guide to know where animals are. OMG where do I even start:
1> the tour guide Joseph, worst guide ever, he’s not even a descent human being. He’s constantly on the phone, talking to others, others calling him, and when we stop I take pictures of animals, he takes out his notebook, either writing down something or on the phone. First I thought he’s talking to others to know where animals are, so I asked him. He said no, he’s clearly doing something else on this side.
2> his knowledge for animal is just non-exist! He doesn’t know what the big 5s are, doesn’t know where cheetah is, he drives to the same area everyday. And you would expect a tour guide tell you a little history about the park, different animals, etc. NOPE, absolutely nothing, he drives quietly and when we see animals he stops, let me take pictures, go.
3> we would spend hours in the car just Joseph and I and there’s no talking at all! Can you believe it! And it’s becoming very awkward so one time I tried to make a conversation, so I asked him “hey what brand of phone people use here in Kenya?”, he goes, “oh you Americans use iPhone! You are rich!”, I was like errr no everyone uses iPhone it’s very common there, carriers give deals, you can get a 24 months contract for a phone. Do you know what he said, he goes "you should sign up for a new contract and give me your phone!" wow wordless… unbelievable. Another time, I told him I want to see cheetah, he goes “cheetah are hard to see, I want $100 tips if we see cheetah.” WOW after that I gave up, i dont want to talk to him at all.
4> and on the last day, his car broke. smoke came out of the engine, we wasted half day staying in a lodge fixing his car
4 days I spent in Kenya, didnt see much at all. last day, we finally found 2 cheetah, this guy refuse to stay longer because he wants to stay under the shade. and he doesnt want to move closer because he wants to stay under the shade.
I can go on, and on. this company and this tourguide ruined my Kenya experience. Please stay away! i will post the same review on other Safari platforms. I hope more people can see it. It’s not a cheap trip, please choose wisely!!
Reply from Shanjoy Tours and Safaris
Posted on Jun 24, 2024I do confirm that Amy booked a safari with us and I personally took her to the Mara and handed her to Joseph, one of our senior guides. We had a lot of communication before she came about her safari and choice of hotels, and since she was a solo traveller using high-end hotels that were very expensive, her safari cost was higher than normal.
Joseph spoke on the phone a lot; he admitted it, but some calls were necessary since her radio call was not working well.
Amy saw many animals, including a group of over 15 lions and two leopards, eating alone with no other vehicles nearby. This one is not mentioned anywhere. The reason she says Joseph was not going near Cheetah is because we have a 5-vehicle rule in Mara Triangle, and so the first vehicle had to leave and will go back when others have seen the animals. Joseph was going away to give others a chance, but she wanted to stay and not move.
It is normal to have car breakdowns or get stuck while on safari, and this is what happened. The car was fixed, but not for the half-day she mentioned.
She could tell me to change hotels for her, which was not possible at the time, saying there were no animals or saying she saw the same thing. She gave the two guides a difficult time during game drives, which was not good. We do game drives without expecting anything, as the wild does not guarantee sightings.
It is regrettable she felt that we ruined her safari. However, we must appreciate that the wild does not guarantee any animals to be sighted, and hotels cannot be changed at a minute's notice. Once an itinerary has been booked and the hotels paid, any changes come with additional costs, which the client must be prepared to incur. Amy did not want to incur the cost of changing the hotel, despite having recommended the hotel which we booked.
This is my first client to ever complain about us and I regret it. I wish to ensure that all our clients get the best from their safari.