African Polecat Safaris

Good in the First Half, but False Advertising and Poor After-Sales Service in the Second Half

I feel compelled to share my experience with this tour, as I believe it’s important for future travelers to be fully aware of potential issues before booking.

First, I want to acknowledge that the initial part of the tour, particularly the safari experience, was enjoyable. The guide was professional, enthusiastic, and made a real effort to ensure we had a great time. He tailored the experience to our preferences, actively seeking wildlife, and we ended up building a friendly rapport. This part of the tour was certainly a highlight.

However, the second half of the trip, specifically our time in Zanzibar, was far from satisfactory, and I believe it’s important to address these concerns.

Lack of Airport Pickup
Upon arriving in Zanzibar, we were extremely surprised and anxious to find that no one was there to meet us, despite the itinerary clearly stating there would be an airport pickup. Having traveled for over 8 hours that day, we were already exhausted, and arriving in a foreign place without any guidance only added to our stress. We had not prepared for transportation on our own, and we had no idea how to distinguish legitimate taxis from illegal ones. A staff member from Dreams Hotel kindly suggested we take a taxi to the hotel, telling us that the tour company would typically reimburse the $80 fare. However, we were then instructed by your agency to wait for over an hour for your driver to arrive. While we were trying to be understanding, our fatigue was mounting, and by the time we finally arrived at the hotel at nearly midnight, we were too tired to fully appreciate the start of our "vacation."
To make matters worse, when the tour company’s driver arrived, there was a heated argument between him and a legitimate taxi driver at the airport. The situation escalated quickly, and the driver of our tour company was heard using offensive language. This caused a standoff with the other taxi drivers, and security had to intervene. We were genuinely scared and felt unsafe. Why would the company employ a driver who made us feel so uncomfortable and unsafe? In hindsight, we regret not taking a taxi directly to the hotel. It would have been much less stressful and far safer.

Misleading Hotel Room Assignment
The major issue arose when we arrived at the Zanzibar hotel. The room we were given was drastically different from the ocean-view room we had seen in the promotional materials and the itinerary. We had specifically booked an ocean-view room, eager to enjoy the relaxing beach atmosphere, but instead, we were assigned a standard room. After several attempts to resolve the issue, including calls and emails with the agency, we were told that no changes could be made. This left us feeling extremely frustrated, especially given the lack of explanation for why the advertised rooms were unavailable. To make matters worse, when the hotel front desk offered us an upgrade to the ocean-view room for an additional $100, your agency flatly refused to honor the request, citing various excuses.
What frustrated me even more was the continuous stream of apologies from the agency. Apologies were not enough in this case. We didn’t need empty words; we needed action. It’s hard to understand why a $100 upgrade was such a big issue when the total cost of the tour was over $4,000 per person. At that price, a simple upgrade to the promised ocean-view room should have been a reasonable expectation. Instead, the agency’s reluctance to take responsibility and provide a solution only made the situation more aggravating. It felt like we were being misled, and as a result, we couldn’t fully relax and enjoy the beach vacation we had been looking forward to.

This review serves as a warning to those considering this tour. While the safari experience was positive, the lack of transparency regarding hotel accommodations, poor communication regarding airport transfers, and failure to deliver the services promised raise serious concerns. It’s crucial to be aware that the company may not always deliver what is advertised, and you might encounter significant inconvenience along the way.

I hope the company takes these issues seriously and makes the necessary improvements to ensure future customers don’t face the same frustrations. For anyone planning to book this tour, I strongly recommend that you double-check all details, particularly concerning transportation and accommodation, as you may encounter similar problems.

In conclusion, while the tour had its positive moments, the lack of professionalism, transparency, and accountability ultimately overshadowed the experience.