Reservations staff
Right Choice Tours & Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Member Of:
- ASTA, KATO & KWS
- Tour Types:
- Custom luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $130 to $345 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
DE
Email wik | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not professionel
We have booked 2 safaris, the first was planned with 4 nights and the 2nd with 5 nights (so it was in the mail and was also paid). The first safari went well, we have also seen many animals, the guide really tried hard. On the 2nd safari we were told after the 4th day that tomorrow is the last day. Astonished we said that according to the mail the safari lasts 5 nights and 6 days. Suddenly nobody wanted to know anything about that. After a phone call and SMS to George, he then admitted that there is probably a misunderstanding, he actually meant only 4 nights even if there are 5 nights! Astonished and annoyed, we tried to make it clear to him that we expect 5 nights at this price according to the mail. George does not want to know anything about it and there was also no compensation. The end of the safari was accordingly bad, as we desperately tried to get another accommodation at a reasonable price! Thus, we have now paid an extra night and also the full price - which was for 5 nights. From our point of view, this is pure rip-off. Who books here, must clarify beforehand how many days and nights are included in the booking to avoid nasty surprises. We do not recommend this tour operator
Email Jess | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Scammed out of $3000AUD
It pains me to leave such a negative review on what was actually an excellent tour. Myself and my husband took a 6 day luxury tour using right choice safaris in December/Jan and had an excellent time. While the tour was as hoped, all accommodations were excellent and the driver very good unfortunately I have to leave this company a negative review as we were scammed out of thousands of dollars when making payment to this company for our tour. On arrival we were informed we needed to settle final payment I advised that we had already made final payment and had emails from them and confirmation from the bank, they then informed us that their email had been hacked and the person I had been communicating with and who I had transferred money to was not them. Unfortunately they informed us they had suspicions that this may be the case and neglected to contact us using another form of communication to inform us of this suspicion knowing that this had happened to them before when their email was hacked on a prior occasion. We were forced to make another payment at the office of $3000AUD. While they attempted to contact the bank to make amends we have unfortunately not at this stage been able to get our money back and I have no idea whether their email really did get hacked or whether they were part of the scam. If using right choice safaris I advise make payment at the office on arrival not via bank transfer.
Reply from Right Choice Tours & Safaris
Posted on Jan 27, 2020Dear Jess,
I apologize on behalf of everyone at Right Choice safaris. Your review is very concerning to us.
Please know that your situation was an exception. As you can see on other reviews, we are known for taking ownership and caring deeply about our customers.
As it can happen anywhere all over the world, email accounts whether corporate, individual, state agencies, name it can get hacked. After realizing that our emails were hacked, we promptly shared this position with our incoming clients through our gmail account. I suspect this have happened after you had initiated the last wire transfer that ended up in the fraudulent account in South Africa.
This was unfortunate situation for all of us.
You made first payment to our correct account details and this was promptly acknowledged. Second payment, you paid to South Africa bank. This was unique.
In such circumstances, a polite advice to any one reading this response, please call the agency to seek clarifications. Matters regarding payment are sensitive. When there is a directive asking one to send money to a different account, before doing so, it's important to get clearest instruction.
Personally, I called the recipient bank in South Africa, fraud department and a case was opened. All the communications, are with you and you have the reference number. Your husband also called the bank and I believe the communication is on.
A case was opened on this matter. The time frame on which they will conclude their investigations is not something I cant precisely make a comment on. What I know for sure, the bank will always give a response towards any fraud case brought to their attention. My prayers is that you will get your money back. There is enough evidence to guarantee this position. And if that happens, I believe you will pull down this review too.
Calling Right choice safaris as scammers is not only appropriate but truly not realistic given all the commitments we have shown so far in this matter.
We can’t fix the past but you have my personal commitment to improve on our email security system. Until then, please accept my sincerest apologies on behalf of everyone on the team.
US
Email Shashank | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good operator, extremely rude drivers
Masai Mara & Nakuru: 30 July 2019; for short version, look below.
I am so conflicted giving this a 2 star rating because we (group of 9, with 7 visiting from the US) had a terrible experience largely due to one person (Julius - experienced but grumpy & rude tour guide who seems to hate his job/life), but the rest of everything else was great. However, Julius largely defined the experience for the group that he was driving, so I unfortunately cannot justify more than 2 stars. All 9 of us are avid travelers and visit 3-4 countries every year (4 of us are above the age of 60), with 2 who live and work in Kenya, and there was consensus that these were among the most disrespectful people we’ve met.
We are a large group and worked with George for a few months, during which we made multiple changes and George was absolutely fantastic, accommodating, and patient throughout, designing a customized trip for us - I had decided I would give this operator a 5 star rating even before the trip, but then, enter Julius. Right from day 1, he seemed a bit rude and on edge with his responses to any question. Since we were in a mindset of trying to have fun, and had planned this for months, we ignored it and tried to brush it off. We had 2 vehicles, and the other tour guide, Milton, seemed much friendlier until Julius turned him by day 3, so we had him acting snippy towards the end too. After a few incidents it became hard to ignore Julius’ rudeness (example - at one point when we said it was uncomfortable to have a large empty ice box in the car, as the water he brought had run out anyway, he responded with ’then you have to be uncomfortable’; not even a hint of empathy, or trying to find a solution). Oh and he also whipped out a large machete that was under the seat on at least a few occasions (pretending to clean it) possibly with the aim of intimidating everyone, and I guess it worked. Imagine being in a jungle at the mercy of someone like that (he even looks scary). Both drivers started acting very dictatorial, telling us what the new plan was (different from the itinerary), and not offering any options, or entertaining any suggestions. We finally got a different driver on day 3 (James) who was absolutely fabulous - and told us more about Mara and wildlife in one hour on the freeway, than Julius did in 2 days, but unfortunately he was there only to drive us back home, so we didn’t really get to do any Game drives with him.
TLDR: George - amazing guy, very easy to work with; tour guide Julius ruined the experience with his blunt rudeness; The other guide Milton was okay first couple of days, but also became rather rude after seeing Julius talk to the group with no respect and get away with it. James (who stood in for Julius on day 3 was absolutely fantastic, and well spoken, and the guide we all wished we had through the safari), so be super careful who you select as a tour guide/driver as it is critical in how your experience turns out.
Reply from Right Choice Tours & Safaris
Posted on Aug 8, 2019Dear Shashank ,
Thank you for posting a review and we’re sorry to hear that your experience was not of the quality you expected. We would like to take the opportunity to investigate your feedback further. Drivers are very instrumental in wrapping up the entire experience while on overland safari. It's a pity, Julius was rude.
I’m so sorry. We’re normally known for our exceptional attention to detail and we regret that we missed the mark.
We always aim to deliver a great experience. Thanks for taking the time to bring this to our attention. We will use the feedback to make us better and to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
US
Email Carl | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Bait-and-switch on lodging, haggling and hassle once arrived
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this operator. We were sold a package promising accommodation at Azure Mara Haven or comparable. What we got was Jambo Mara Safari Lodge - no WiFi, no pool, no spa, currently under construction and it books at about half the price of Azure. When I voiced my dissatisfaction, I was told that no bookings were available at the former, which a quick Internet search proved to be false. Owner George Oketch reimbursed me less than half of the difference between the room prices, which recovered one star. The other star is for his driver, Martin, who did a great job navigating the Mara and showed himself a kind and generous man with the Maasai who live there.
I learned a lot in this process. I should have stuck to my guns in holding back 10% until the end of the tour (he insisted on full payment in advance...before notifying me of the change in lodging). I should have read more reviews and done a FakeSpot review (using the TripAdvisor reviews they received a "D", https://www.fakespot.com/trip-business/right-choice-tours-safaris). I'll be more careful next time.
CA
Email Kristin | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
All good except Zanzibar
We did the 14 day safari, 3 camps in Kenya and 3 in Tanzania, finishing with 3 nights in Zanzibar. The accommodations were superb as were the jeeps. The Kenyan guides were great and made sure that we had opportunities to see all of the animals. The Tanzanian guides were very kind and did their best for us but unfortunately their English wasn’t great. This meant that our opportunities to ask questions and learn were limited.
Unfortunately things fell apart in Zanzibar. When we arrived at the resort we found that Right Choice had not paid for the accommodations. The resort obviously wanted to be paid so was unwilling to provide rooms until payment was made. That meant that one of our party had to provide a guarantee for payment while “negotiations” ensued with George for payment. Many promises and excuses were provided until finally payment came through some days after we’d checked out. Ultimately no one in our group was out any money but this left a sour taste. I would suggest that there’s a good chance that Right Choice is suffering from financial difficulties. With all the safari choices out there, it might be wise to go with someone else.
Reply from Right Choice Tours & Safaris
Posted on Oct 26, 2024Dear Kris,
I’m so sorry. We’re normally known for our exceptional attention to detail, and we regret that we missed the mark. This was a seamless journey for nearly over 12 days, Kenya and Tanzania combined wildlife safari. The final segment of about 4 nights beach relaxation in Zanzibar is where things started going to the south.
Your booking at the resort in Zanzibar was done through our affiliate ground operator in Zanzibar and this is a standard practice. My agent in Zanzibar had only partially paid the resort and this lead to the stalemate during the check inn time. The matter was brought to my attention during the long weekend and the Nyerere holiday in Tanzania thereon.
I pursued this matter with my agent who settled the payment later and there’s no dispute about full payments coming later. This left a sour taste to everyone. We're so glad you enjoyed your time during the safari.
Please know that your situation was an exception. As you can see on other reviews, we are known for taking ownership and caring deeply about our customers. We can’t fix the past but you have my personal commitment to improve on who to work with in Zanzibar. Until then, please accept my sincerest apologies on behalf of everyone here as a team.
CA
Email Anna | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Right Choice? Not really
TLDR:
-1 star for lack of transparency and poor communication
-1 star for 5 nights of downgraded lodgings but only 3 nights of upgrades later in the trip. Would have rather had 5 nights of better comfort.
We booked a 15 day safari trip in Kenya and Tanzania through Right Choice. Initially, George was very responsive and seemed very organized, and that was why we chose to book with him. We were not happy with the lodging but were mostly happy with the guide and driver we had.
For lodgings, we noticed that George stopped being responsive once we started asking for hotel confirmations to apply for the Kenya ETA. After a few weeks of following up, he finally sent us a confirmation for just the first night in Nairobi, and nothing for the remaining nights.
After we started the safari, the guide drove past the accommodation on our itinerary, and we were only informed of the lodging change at that point. There was zero communication from George himself, even though we had been in contact for other questions. The lodging in Amboseli was a significant downgrade (farther from the park and worse than most budget hostels in other parts of the world). The three of us were also stuffed into one tent even though we paid for 2 rooms. We tried to communicate with George and he just freaked out and shut down. The lodge manager was also pressuring us to stay even though we were clearly unhappy and wanted to move to a place that was equivalent to the place we were promised on the itinerary. George was no help there and dealing with him and the lodge manager cut into our game drive times.
When George finally responded again, we discovered that all of our lodgings in the Kenya portion were downgraded from the original itinerary. We had to be very forceful in our communication and even then, we only got 1 night of our original lodging back at Lake Naivasha. He then promised to upgrade us in Zanzibar to a 5 star all inclusive resort for 3 nights.
At this point, I started reaching out to the lodgings myself to confirm the bookings and found out that for the 3 nights in Masai Mara, the price difference was over $300 USD per person per night between what we were promised on the itinerary vs. where we actually stayed.
We had to confront George with all the information again and then he told us he was going to upgrade us for 2 nights in the Serengeti and 1 night in Tarangire, and that he was unable to upgrade in Zanzibar. However, based on the photos from Google reviews, I'm not sure how much the upgrade really was, but it was too exhausting to continue to deal with him. And at the end of the day, we would have rather just had the 5 nights of our original lodging for better comfort.
There may have been availability issues but George never told us anything. It also didn't seem like he was proactive with correcting the issues - we don't think that he would have upgraded us later if we hadn't called him out on the price differences. It was not fun to have to reach out to various lodgings while on safari drives to advocate for ourselves.
The guide & driver in Kenya were contracted out to a different company, but they were sociable and nice. The guide could have given more explanations for the animals we saw, and point out interesting things along the way like the guides we had later on. However, they did work hard to find animals inside the parks and gave us many great photo opportunities. Our guide helped us with communications when we had trouble reaching George, and was also nice enough to let us visit his home when we asked. We really enjoyed meeting his family and his wife gave a great tour of a traditional Maasai household (much better and thorough than the tourist trap that people get taken to).
The Tanzania portion of the trip was organized through different affiliate partners for the safari portion and Zanzibar portion. The Tanzania part of the trip went pretty well but I feel like most of the credit should be given to those respective companies. George didn't even give us the Zanzibar contact until we arrived at the airport.
Reply from Right Choice Tours & Safaris
Posted on Sep 2, 2024Dear Anna,
Thank you for your review. I’m so sorry. We’re normally known for our exceptional attention to detail, and we regret that we missed the mark. Let me start my remarks with the eTA online application requirements. One hotel confirmation voucher was just OK for this exercise. The issue of not having the confirmed vouchers was not in bad faith.
Yes, the Sungura camp in Amboseli. This camp is located outside the park just like other mid range outfits in Amboseli. I want to categorically say, there is no price difference between Kibo and this camp. Due to unavailability at Kibo camp, we managed securing two rooms at Sungura camp and fully PAID for two nights. The sleeping arrangements you got were frustrating and unacceptable. The camp manager was not helpful neither did he ever denied that Right choice never paid for two rooms.
I hope you will give them a befitting review too! I think this camp was overbooked as there were many tourist during your visit. To say it was worse more than most budget hostels in other parts of the world is an overstretch to the imagination of this online community.
The rest of your trip covered Lake Naivasha, Masai mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Zanzibar. Following the bad experience in Amboseli, I promised compensation by way of upgrades where possible.
Accommodation in Lake Naivasha was retained as per the itinerary (Lake Naivasha Sopa resort)
Accommodation in Masai Mara was moved to Talek Bush camp following unavailability at Zebra Plains. The two camp offers a various sizes of double & single tents. The Talek camps enjoys great location. In terms of cost, honestly there were some savings which I promised to throw into upgrades as the journey progresses.
In Serengeti, the itinerary accommodation was Heritage Serengeti. Upgrade to Suenos De Africa luxury camp.
Itinerary accommodation in Ngorongoro was retained at Ngorongoro Rhino lodge.
Itinerary accommodation in Tarangire was Tarangire Simba lodge. This was upgraded to 4 star lodge, the Tarangre sopa lodge.
Accommodation in Zanzibar was Nungwi Dreams By mantis and this was retained. I kept my promise on upgrades. On a balancing ratio, the accommodation cost difference in Mara was solved with upgrade in Tarangire. This response is open to my worthy players in the industry. So I have no room lie here.
After several WhatsApp messages reassuring you about the accommodation status, you still went a head to make direct calls to the said lodges which was not bad. I really sympathize with all the energy you spent on these calls which was not really necessary. I was equally overwhelmed with calls from the lodges/camp asking me what is going on with my clients.
That was the time I started going silent because I knew you will get what I had promised after the Amboseli incident. To be fair, that's exactly what you got Anna. Since you had trust issues, the best I could do was to remain calm and get vindicated at the end of the trip.
On the communication aspect of this review, I sincerely apologize. This was a very let down from my corner. I promise to improve and do more on this area. I missed on telling you small logistical information like this tour will be run by Right choice safaris in Kenya and our affiliate partner in Tanzania.
In Zanzibar you will be met by Mr. so & so and more importantly, the changes on accommodation should have been communicated to you in good time.
Take note, it's a standard practice tours covering Kenya and Tanzania or Uganda (the entire East Africa) are run by different operators. Kenya vehicles for example are not allowed to access the Tanzania national parks.
My representative in Zanzibar met your party upon arrival at the airport. All the transfers on arrival and departure days were done accordingly. We’re so glad that our diver guides met your needs and thank you for your kind words.
Please know that your situation was an exception. As you can see on other reviews, we are known for taking ownership and caring deeply about our customers. We can’t fix the past but you have my personal commitment to improve on the way we serve every customer. Until then, please accept my sincerest apologies on behalf of everyone here at Right choice safaris.
NZ
Email Enatha | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The contact were amazing, immediate replies all the time and they were so lovely in every step
not the best time for a safari... we didnt get to see a lot but our driver tried his best to hunt the animals down for us. really loved and appreciated his service
CA
Email Sushant | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Did work out at the end !
The company may be a good tour company but certainly can’t carter to luxury travellers. The communication was nonexistent but most things happened as they our itinerary stipulated. Safaris’s experience was rushed for later part of the trip but that’s because of wrong flights booked and so on.
Tanzania safari good, but...
I booked a 4 days safari in Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro with Right Choice.
On the day of the departure, I discovered:
1 The tour was to Tarangire and not Lake Manyara.
2 I had to travel with "Meru Slopes" and not with Right Choice.
3 The other travellers of my safari booked directly with Meru Slopes and had free pick up at the airport, hotel included...
So, if you travel in Tanzania, book with Meru Slopes directly!
8 nights safari in Uganda and Kenya
We booked an 8 night mid-luxury Uganda/Kenya safari with Right Choice.
Uganda part was handled by another tour operator (we found out this once we start our tour in Uganda) partnered with Right Choice. We stayed four nights in Uganda in three different locations therefore it was far more complex than Kenya which required arrangement of multiple bush planes and ground transportation. That tour operator did a remarkable job on timeliness and open communication.
The Kenya part of our travel started with a few hiccups but in the end George made it right for us. In general, George is very responsive and replied all my emails in a day before our trip. However, you have to ask for everything (the itinerary, the flight details, tour guide contact info, etc.). If you do prefer a hands-off approach (i.e. tour operator shares prior info such as on vaccination, visa requirements, etc) on your travel booking, you may feel slightly uncomfortable. This was not a big deal for us as we did our research and asked George for the parts we were not clear (i.e. luggage restrictions on bush planes).
The success and enjoyment from safari is highly dependent on the guide and safari vehicle. Our guide, Jacob, in Masai Mara did a fantastic job to ensure we had the best sightings and a great safari experience. He had in-depth knowledge on the flora, fauna and the region as well as close ties with the community there. Besides from the excellent sightings and life-time memories, we learned a lot from Jacob. He truly deserves a five star.
Our safari vehicle was a land cruiser but a bit outdated with broken suspensions (we found out this when we were driven on another land cruiser on the same terrain, it was way less bumpy), a non-functioning inverter (this is needed to power the outlets in the vehicle to charge electronic devices) and middle-row, back windows were almost impossible to open. Although it was two of us on a seven-seater vehicle with a pop-up roof, we needed to open windows for great photo shoots depending on the vehicle's position on specific sighthings. Jacob was kind enough to jump in the back and open them for us with excess force when needed.
I also would like to mention about our driver, Steve, in Nairobi. He was a thoughtful gentleman with a nice car drove us to the pharmacy due to my medical condition before our flight.
In summary, we enjoyed our 8 night safari and thanks to everyone (tour operators, drivers, guides and amazing people we met on the road) who made it possible for us.