Afrik-Trek Holidays

Reply from Afrik-Trek Holidays

Dear Vijay,

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback about your experience with Afrik Trek Holidays. We genuinely value all customer insights and take every review seriously.
However, your review contains several inaccuracies and does not reflect the actual events as they transpired during your trip.
We would like to address the concerns you raised here, and everywhere else:

Airport Pickup and Fuel Request
We initially agreed that your itinerary would start with a pickup from your hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. However, you later requested Meshack to pick you up from the airport, assuring him you would cover the fuel costs. Your current complaint about being asked for fuel is inconsistent with the arrangement you made and the itinerary you booked.

Group vs. Private Trip
When planning your itinerary, we explained the differences between a group tour and a private trip. You explicitly chose the group tour and were informed that all clients must adhere to the agreed-upon schedule. Initially, you expressed excitement about joining the group and interacting with other travelers. However, you attempted to impose your own itinerary upon joining the group, which created tension. The other clients, who have also provided feedback, expressed frustration with your behavior during the trip.
After the Kenyan trip, you personally called Gava, expressing your satisfaction and mentioning that your only complaint was the initial delay in pickup and that you had understood it. You even praised Meshack for being a good person and making the trip enjoyable once it commenced.

Uganda Trip Concerns
Upon reaching Uganda, all arrangements were in place according to the itinerary, and you were expected to enjoy the trip without additional charges. During your stay at Bwindi, you approached the lodge staff about community activities, and they mentioned a Batwa experience costing $30. This led to confusion since the Batwa visit was already on us planned elsewhere, not at the lodge. Your claim that we asked for extra money is not accurate.
After the gorilla trekking, you requested a visit to see the long-horned cattle, which was not included in the itinerary. Despite being informed it would be challenging to make it back in time for the Batwa visit, you insisted on this detour. Consequently, you missed the Batwa visit, leading to further misunderstanding and loss of money we had paid for Batwa you missed.
When you expressed dissatisfaction about the missed Batwa visit, the guide explained the prior situation, but you denied the conversation. Tensions escalated, and you threatened him, which prompted the guide to involve Daniel, the trip handler, for everyone's safety. We take responsibility for Daniel's response, which was intended to de-escalate the situation but may not have been handled as professionally as desired.
When you later contacted Gava, we requested time to assess the situation, as there were conflicting statements from you and the guide. Your insistence on visiting either the Semuliki Batwa or Jinja, along with threats of a negative review if we didn't comply, was perceived as coercive. Despite this, we remained committed to resolving the matter amicably and offered alternatives, including a discounted trip to Jinja at a discount.

Wildebeest Migration and Arrival Complaints
You initially reported satisfaction with the Kenyan segment of the tour, later stating you missed the wildebeest migration. Upon further discussion, it emerged that you were disappointed not to witness a river crossing. We explained that while river crossings are part of the migration, they don't occur constantly.
Your dissatisfaction extended to the arrival time in Kampala, despite being informed about scheduled stopovers. You also requested the guide to delay reaching Kampala until midnight, which he accommodated at your insistence.
Upon arrival at the Kampala hotel, you persuaded the guide to stay overnight despite his completed task, and he obliged out of courtesy. The guide, whom you previously praised, is now the subject of your complaints.

Hotel Incidents and Billing Issues
During the trip, you entered the kitchen at a Fort Portal hotel, contrary to regulations, to procure food for the guide. This action resulted in an additional invoice, which we covered to avoid further issues. We chose not to inform you of this matter to preserve your dignity.
At the Kampala hotel, you requested we book accommodations on your behalf with the understanding you would cover the cost. Despite the agreed terms, you paid only half the amount and departed, leaving us with the outstanding balance due to the booking being under our company name.
We were perplexed by your insistence on an early pickup at 6 AM, contrary to the scheduled 7 AM time, which was later revealed to be an attempt to evade the hotel's outstanding balance.

Conclusion and Commitment
To our valued clients, we want to assure you that we prioritize your satisfaction and uphold the highest standards of service. We maintain discretion and client confidentiality, which is why we refrain from disclosing the extensive communications and efforts made to accommodate Vijay.
Mr. Vijay, you communicated with our team on numerous occasions, totaling 117 WhatsApp calls minus, emails, WhatsApp text messages and video calls. We responded promptly to 94 of these calls and returned an additional 12 against the missed ones. The remaining calls were left unanswered due to the persistent threats of negative reviews. Despite having access to multiple contact points, including Meshack's personal number, our Kenyan and Ugandan guides' numbers, and our company lines, you still claimed insufficient communication personnel.

Your final gesture of recommending us to your brothers for a trip with us further illustrates the contradictory nature of your claims, leading us to decline the offer based on previous treatment of our guides.

While this experience has challenged us professionally, it has provided valuable insights into managing complex client relationships. We are committed to learning from this and continually improving our services.
We extend our apologies to all clients affected by this review and assure you that your experiences remain our top priority.