Pavillion Safaris and Tours

Reply from Pavillion Safaris and Tours

Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We are genuinely sorry that parts of your safari did not meet the level of organization and communication you expected. We appreciate your recognition of the incredible wildlife and destinations, while also taking your concerns seriously.

We would, however, like to provide some clarification on a few of the points raised, as there were operational reasons behind some of the arrangements that may not have been sufficiently explained to you at the time or misunderstood.

Regarding the vehicle on Day 5, the change was made primarily for logistical reasons. Hell’s Gate is different from the other national parks on the itinerary in that it is not primarily a traditional game-drive destination. The activities there are generally cycling, walking, and other optional community based experiences, which do not require the safari Land Cruiser. For this reason, regular transfer vehicles are sometimes used for this section of the itinerary rather than keeping the safari vehicle exclusively for activities where it is required.

On this particular occasion, the transfer vehicle was used for approximately two hours to connect your group with the rest of the safari group and the safari vehicle. We acknowledge, however, that the waiting period and the communication surrounding the transfer could have been handled much better. Even when logistical changes are necessary, guests should receive clear and timely information about what is happening and what to expect. We sincerely regret the frustration this caused.


Regarding seating, we operate joining safaris where guests may have booked through different agencies or directly with different partners. Occasionally, individual guests communicate specific requests to their booking company before or during the safari, maybe because of age, health reasons or an underlining issue. We agree that such arrangements should be managed by the guide professionally and communicated clearly to all guests, rather than allowing the situation to create unnecessary tension between passengers. We will take this feedback seriously with our operations and guiding team.

With regard to the optional activities, particularly the bicycle experience at Hell’s Gate, these are primarily community-based initiatives operated by local providers rather than activities directly owned or controlled by Pavillion Safaris. The rates can occasionally be changed by the local providers, sometimes without prior notification to us. This is what can result in a difference between the indicative rate communicated in advance and the amount requested locally. We understand, however, that from a guest’s perspective, this can understandably be confusing and frustrating. Going forward, we will make every effort to reconfirm such rates with the local providers before the activity and communicate any changes to guests as early as possible.

We are also sorry that you felt that your concerns were being redirected back to you. That was not our intention. Regarding the seat belts and vehicle condition, our position was simply that issues noticed during the safari should be reported to us as soon as possible so that we have the opportunity to address them immediately. We certainly do not want a guest to feel that raising a safety concern is being treated as their responsibility.

A joining budget safari inevitably involves shared vehicles, changing logistics, long transfer days, and coordination between different groups and operators. Nevertheless, being a budget safari should never mean that guests receive unclear communication or feel that arrangements are being made without proper coordination. That is an important distinction, and your feedback has highlighted areas where we can improve.

We sincerely appreciate you bringing these matters to our attention. While some of the changes you experienced were driven by genuine operational and logistical requirements, we acknowledge that we could have communicated those changes more clearly and managed certain situations better. We will use your feedback constructively to improve the coordination between our office, guides, drivers, local activity providers, and partner operators.

Thank you again for travelling with Pavillion Safaris, and we are pleased that despite these challenges, you were able to enjoy the wildlife and destinations that Kenya has to offer.