Safari and Mountain Hiking
Glorious Tanzania Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2017)
- Tour Types:
- Budget camping tours that can start every day (clients assist with camp chores)
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $180 to $1,250 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Linda | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
BEWARE- Did not refund whole deposit for TZ after referring us to a tour operator in Kenya who scamm
Beware of the company and proceed with caution if you need help with major issues. I reached out to Glory around May of 2022 to start planning my trip. The trip was revolved around getting a stay at the Giraffe Manor.
She referred me to her partner in Kenya who she raved about. Lucy with Splendor Holidays, she seemed very responsive and provided a decent itinerary, price and promised she got the room for June 5, 2023. Glory planned her side, and I paid both deposits. There were three people going and I paid $10,477 for Kenya and $2850 for TZ USD.
Everything seemed fine and we kept in touch here and there and as the date inched closer, Lucy claimed in March that her sister passed. By the end of April I started chatting more frequently. On May 2, we were trying to fill out the visa when the website on Splendor Holidays was down. We found out that Lucy wasn’t being responsive or making up excuses. Glory went up to Kenya to have Lucy arrested and she documented everything. Glory provided a police number and the court documents, which was a little off. People on social media and a journalist had pointed out the number wasn’t right, but I gave the benefit of the doubt that there was no way Glory was involved.
Glory said she felt so terrible and that she wasn’t attentive to our tour. She said she had personal reasons and that she let us converse directly with Lucy. Normally, she would arrange things with Lucy (Splendor Holidays) and take the money. I asked her multiple times, why did she change protocol on us, and this happened?
Glory tried to suggest another tour guide to do driving and to pay nearly another $1000. When I reached out to the company, their website was down as well for “reconstruction.” Glory promised she was going to come meet us when we landed in Kenya and she didn’t. Glory did not reach out to us at any point during our Kenya trip, she was silent. We received help from strangers in Kenya.
Due to the complete change in itinerary, my friend and I had originally booked to fly from two different airports in TZ. There was no way to make it work and be able to fly home with a reasonable price. When I reached out to Glory, she only gave us 50% of the deposit back. When I asked why, she said last minute cancellations are very difficult. I asked her to provide the cancellation invoice to submit for my travel insurance or something. She then stated that she doesn’t have them, and it is very exhausting to get the evidence I need.
I told her if I can reach out to the hotels, I think anyone knowing I got scammed would make an exception. She said that her reputation is already ruined, and she will not give me access to the hotels and ruin it by reaching out to them. She also claimed that she respects the hotel’s time and policy. I got upset and said so you don’t respect me and the money I’ve lost. How I spent my dream vacation going to the police, embassy, and running around trying to get my money back from her “wonderful Kenyan partner.” Glory claims she had no idea that Lucy could do this and that she did what she could. She kept saying no one else would do this for me when she caught Lucy.
I finally called Glory out on the fact that she never checked in on me in Kenya and broke her promise of being there. She stated she was following me on social media and gave me space to deal with the embassy and that they would help. She said she had stuff back in TZ to manage and she lost money. I told her it costs $0 to check in.
I had been warned before that there was a chance Glory could be involved and I gave a benefit of a doubt because she was friends for so long with my best friend in the States. There is a chance she has nothing to do with it, but the way she handled it has been terrible and she will not give you back money. She said she’ll make me whole, but in November. It is very odd that she will pay out of her own pocket versus trying to reach out to the hotels to get the deposit back. There is another person on tripadvisor that left very similar feedback about her lack of help. She had mentioned this, and I thought she only had one bad review, but I do believe the validity at this point.
I can give the benefit of the doubt that she had no idea all these tour operators weren’t scammers as she claimed, but the way she responded was unacceptable and because I had questioned Pesapal, the payment platform why Glory required all my banking account including my SWIFT to give my deposit back, she blamed me for the delay. She sent emails calling me a liar, etc…gaslighting me.
Reply from Glorious Tanzania Tours
Posted on Aug 13, 2023Linda visited Kenya but did not come to the police station to confirm the information or write her statement about the case opened by Glorious Tours for demanding payment from the Kenyan operator. There is a high possibility that She could get their money back as the operator in Kenya and her family agreed to pay the fund by selling their family's land. Glorious Tours has used all its efforts to help and successfully put under custody the Operator in Kenya who used Linda's money to solve her family problems.
N:B
This particular client lost funds due to a booking with a tour operator based in Kenya. Due to the client’s unfortunate dealings with a Kenyan operator, the client decided to also cancel her Safari in Tanzania with Glorious Tours Ltd., a well-known and reputable Tour Operator which has serviced hundreds of satisfied customers over the last decade.
Despite the terms and conditions that govern late cancellations, as per industry standards, Glorious Tours was nevertheless willing and kind enough to refund over 75 % percent of the total booking fees and assist with the recovery of the funds lost to the Kenyan Operator.
We believe Glorious Tours to have handled the unfortunate situation to impeccable standards and confidently recommend this company to client’s worldwide wanting a five star Safari Experience.
It is unfortunate that this particular client has gone out of her way to actively damage and destroy the reputation of one of Tanzania’s most qualified tour operators
https://nairobinews.nation.africa/exclusive-how-american-vlogger-was-conned-sh1-7m-in-fake-maasai-mara-hotel-booking/
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Email Isabel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Possible scam
Possible scam! RUN AWAY from this company! Save your hard-earned money! Please don't be fooled by Glorious Tanzania Tours and Glory. Right before leaving for our trip, my friends and I found out Glory was part of a suspected ring of scammers. We feel scammed out of our trip to Kenya and Tanzania. We have invested thousands into this trip and it has been devastating. It has been taxing trying to get our money back after many failed promises from Glory. Instead of a trip, we were left with dealing with police reports and trying to get our money from our credit card company.
Reply from Glorious Tanzania Tours
Posted on Aug 19, 2023Dear Isabel, you and your friends Linda paid to Splendor holidays company in Kenya about10,000 dollars and she used to resolve her family problems which she confessed. I left my job and other personal responsibilities and went to report a case at police in Kenya, i did patrol with the police to arrest her. I paid my own money to cover hotels bills, i paid police expenses and all costs related to case. For Tanzania you and your three friends Linda paid $2850 to me for Tanzania Safari. I gave refund of $1800 which is the amount remain after made few reservations such as airline, hotels. Inirtial i promised to give a full refund but we had to follow last minute cancelation policy after realize nothing will make you and your friends to not damage reputation of Glorious Tours this is because before i processed another refund i found out Linda already sent various destructive emails to hotels to fade away my business reputation. for the case that i processed for splendor holiday company in kenya they accepted to sell family land and give back the money you paid her. Your two friends visited Kenya but did not visit the police station that i recorded their statements, this made all efforts i made to arrest Lucy Splendor holiday to end up pending. https://nairobinews.nation.africa/exclusive-how-american-vlogger-was-conned-sh1-7m-in-fake-maasai-mara-hotel-booking/
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Email Mollie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Glory is thoughtful, and helpful!
Glory did a great job planning our safaris in Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire Park. Our driver picked us up right at the airport and brought us to our hotel. He picked us up early the next day for safari and we had a blast! He was very knowledgeable and extremely kind. We saw so many animals and had really nice weather. This was a trip of a lifetime - thanks to Glory!
PL
Email Michal | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent experience
Gloria
NO
Email August | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful!
We had the most wonderful time both with Gloria and the Safari guide!
We spent two weeks travelling around Tanzania and we didn't have a lot of money for a safari, but we really wanted to go. We found Glorious Tanzania Tours, and we got a single day of safari for a reasonable price.
We went to Tarangire National Park and we saw SO MANY elephants!! And a lot of other animals as well, lions, giraffes, ostriches, antilopes, and so many more.
We were really happy with the safari so we booked a hike through a forest to a waterfall two days later. This was also a lot of fun.
We were even invited to Gloria's birthday party even though we hadn't met her yet when she invited us. Talk about hospitality!
Highly recommended!
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Email Kelly K. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Consistent 5 star service and experiences!
This is my 6th time coordinating my travel and excursions, and those of others, through Glorious Tours Tanzania. When you meet and get to know Glory, you know you have met a friend for life. She helped craft an amazing 12 day itinerary for my group of 4 and her personal suggestions for activities I haven’t done blew our minds away! Glory goes to extensive lengths to ensure each segment of your trip is smooth and exceeds your expectations. Her prices, care, and skilled team of drivers and guides (the people who make or break your trips) can’t be beat! We did the following on this trip: airport transfers, local transportation, guided shopping in the Maasai Market in Arusha, hotel arrangements, Tarangire and Ngorongoro Safaris, Materuni Waterfall hike and coffee tour, Chemka hot springs, Maalum Cave, Safari Blue, Spice Tour, and even a catered lunch for our local friends - ALL arranged through Glory. Our group of first-time travelers to Tanzania said “this was the best vacation they have ever had”. I can’t recommend Glorious Tours enough!
ES
Email Cristina Nuñez | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing!
I did a safari with Glorius. Everything was perfect. Safari was one of the best experience in my life and she did it better that I could even imagine.
I was traveling by myself and she made feel at home.
Also, if you want good quality and good prices, go with them.
I would repeat with the Glorious team.
SK
Email Roman L. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime safari experience
I did 4 day safari tour through Serengeti and Ngorongoro with Glorious Tours, which I can recommend to anybody who wants value for their money. Cannot forget about Glory, who is one of the nicest person I got to know in Tanzania.
IE
Email Attila | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Be careful to avoid a trip from a nightmare
Tl Dr: If you dare to book with Glory, confirm your exact itinerary, find out who delivers the services, whether she takes responsibility for anything at all from what she sells to you and then cross your fingers to not end up like me.
I was recommended Glory by the manager of the Shoki Shoki hostel in Zanzibar city as I was looking for a last minute safari. At first she had nothing available but a few days later she contacted me on WhatsApp with an offer to join two other travelers to Mikumi on a three day trip. She sent me a picture with an itinerary, the price and the starting date.
I gladly accepted, paid on her website after checking her reviews here and looked forward to the trip to Mikumi with a visit to a Masai village teh first evening, a full day game drive the second day, a dinner show the second night and a sunrise walk up a hill the third morning with private transfers between Dar and Mikumi and meals included.
My "guide" Joseph met me at the ferry in Stonetown and put me into a car with two other people in Dar waving me goodbye after exchanging only a few sentences on the ferry.
I felt that this was a bit weird but went with it, thinking that the other man in the car is my new guide.
Our driver dropped us at a bus station outside Dar. Ar this point I started asking questions and found out that we had no guide but rather Joseph gave some cash to my fellow traveler who happened to be a very nice local man to help me get to Mikumi and to cover my share of the safari car. The agent told him that another man will pick me up at the bus stop.
This was followed by a 7 hour drive on a local public bus.
Unfortunately there was nobody at the bus stop and Joseph was not answering the calls of my fellow traveler.
At this point I contacted Glory and asked her what is happening with the visit to the Masai village, why didn't I get a private transfer and why don't I have a guide?
She told me that she never saw the itinerary she sent me. She only forwarded that as she simply outsourced me to Joseph. She didn't organize my trip ( only took a cut) and told me that the itinerary I received was never achievable from the price I paid. At this point I was fuming.
She did not want to take responsibility as in her view Joseph was the one that owed me the services.
Eventually she organized to pay for my park entry fee and my packed lunch but I had to pay my second night of accommodation, organize another bus ride back to Dar, sit on a crowded, uncomfortable bus for another 7 hours, get my own transfer from the station outside Dar to the ferry and pay for my meals on the 2nd and third day.
At the end I got a 4hr game drive in a car from around 1980 and spent 2 full days traveling there and back on some horrendous buses, spent the whole time worrying about how will I make my way back, spent an extra $50-100 on top of what I paid up front and got a lower back pain that took me two weeks to get rid of.
And what was Glory's response? It wasn't her responsibility. She trusted the wrong people but that is not her fault.
What about the fact that I paid her, based on an itinerary that she never intended to fulfil? - you may ask. She thought that was not her fault either. "I should have known that this itinerary was not achievable. "
She reassured me that no matter how I feel about this trip God understands that she is a good person and thus all is good. Let's just say that I didn't quite agree.
Would I recommend Glory's glorious travel agency? Not this time. Thanks.
Similarly, I would not pay a penny to Joseph's wonderful agency, Jodari Expeditions either.
Stay away from these people if you can.
FR
Email Bertrand | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great
Used for driving services in Zanzibar.
Always on time. Clean car. Smooth driving