Introducing Africa Safaris Ltd

Scammed! Disappeared 5 days before departure

In January 2016 I wrote to several companies asking for quotes and given the good reviews here (which I am genuinely confused by!) as well as the reasonably professional looking website, and the proposed safari, we decided to book a 5 day 4 night safari with "Introducing Africa". The Safari for our group of 4 should have started on August 15th but Mataro disappeared about a week before departure and we have not heard anything since and lost our deposit of $2520.

While planning we sent a large number of emails back and forth to confirm details of exactly what we wanted to do and arranged to transfer a deposit of 60% of the fee with the rest to be paid in cash on meeting Mataro in Mwanza where we would start our tour. In these emails Mataro answered all our questions in a professional and detailed manner. A few weeks before our supposed departure, Mataro sent an email to inform us about the rise in VAT on safaris, which we would have to pay on arrival. I still don't understand why this email was sent, as it should have been clear that we would not be able to transfer it before arriving so nothing could be gained from it. I then tried calling by phone (I was already in Tanzania for work) to confirm exactly what additional amount needed to be paid and to arrange a pick up time from our hotel. The first few times nobody answered the phone then a day later it didn't even ring. I assumed Mataro must be on safari and so unreachable. Then as I was becoming more panicked at the fact that I could not reach Mataro, the website disappeared (which as of 1.9.2016) is still not back online. It seems that the company has run tours before as I have managed to contact reviewers on other sites but I worry that Mataro does not worry about taking people's money and running. It also appears that this is not the first time that this has happened. Upon searching specifically for fraud and the name of this company, I came across another person who experienced the same thing in 2009.

We managed to book a camping safari through somebody I had met while in Mwanza and had a fantastic time but lost quite a lot of money due to this scam of a company. STAY AWAY!!!