BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience
Amazing experience, thank you so much to my guide “good luck” and the kibokoland. Best experience in my life
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Complete lack of professionalism and unethical practices
My family and I had high hopes for our 12-Day Best of Tanzania and Kenya Safari (Mid-Range) tour, booked with Africa Marvel Tours from August 16 to August 27, 2024. After extensive research and saving up for this dream trip, we were excited to explore these incredible landscapes. Unfortunately, our experience was nothing short of a nightmare, largely due to the agency's complete lack of professionalism and failure to deliver on their promises.
We paid the full amount to the agency per their requirement, 30% at booking in January and 70% in July, three weeks prior to the trip, expecting everything to go smoothly. Instead, the agency repeatedly failed to pay park fees, accommodation costs, and even our driver’s wages on time. This led to multiple delays, forcing us to sit idle for hours, miss game drives, and even skip two parks altogether. In total, we wasted over 16 hours waiting on payments to be processed.
Here are the major issues we faced:
1. Border Delay: On Day 4, we were stuck at the Kenya-Tanzania border for 1.5 hours because the agency hadn’t paid for park tickets, gas, and driver fees. This caused us to miss the Lake Manyara game drive.
2. Ngorongoro Crater Issues: On Days 5 and 6, our schedule was delayed, and we were stranded for 5 hours waiting for the agency to cover Ngorongoro park fees. Due to these delays, we had to cancel our Serengeti stay and move to a camp near Ngorongoro, which was arranged at the very last minute after we had to argue with the agency.
3. Masai Mara Payment Problems: While our driver provided outstanding service during our Masai Mara visit, he later told us that Africa Marvel Tours hadn’t paid him. He had to cover the expenses from his own pocket. He is a freelance tour driver, hired by this company for our trip. The agency continuously promised him reimbursement, which never happened.
4. Accommodation Issues: On Days 10 and 11, we were held in the lobby for hours at different lodges due to unpaid balances by the agency.
5. Final Day Misery: On our last day, we spent a total of 7 hours waiting in a restaurant parking lot for the agency to deliver a meager $135 refund to me and to pay my driver. The agency representative claimed they have no money to pay the driver because they are experiencing some cash flow issue. He eventually signed an agreement to pay our driver 98800 Kenya Shillings =1, 035 Canadian Dollars by September 5, but to this day, no payment has been made. We missed our Nairobi Park visit as a result. We also missed Elephant Orphanage visit because the agency failed to book it in advance.
Our driver went above and beyond, often covering expenses himself to ensure our trip wasn’t completely ruined. He truly tried to salvage our experience, and it’s devastating to see him suffer such financial loss and disrespect from the agency.
I have reported Africa Marvel Tours to the following organizations. These organizations have the right to investigate them and make corrections. Despite all my frustration and stress during my trip, my biggest concern is whether our Driver can get his money back.
• Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO)
https://katokenya.org/consumer-protection/
• Kenya Tourism Board
https://ktb.go.ke/
• Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority
https://tra.go.ke/
Please carefully select your safari tour agency. No one should go through what we experienced.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Inspiring Vacations with Jenman African Safaris.
The tour guide Njabulo and the driver Cuthbert made the trip. With their local knowledge and experience was second to none.
They looked after everything and their sense of humour was infectious. We were well informed every part of the way.
Thank you so much guys.
NL
Several things didn’t went as promised, although we paid for it. We are not satisfied at all.
We got a very nice offer, that we accepted and paid all in advance. Tsavo East was skipped at the day of departure. Although that parkeer was paid. The lodge we paid for was, as they say, full. Allthough we booked in february, later us was told that in february that lodge wasn’t full, and we had to stay in another lodge, 18 km outside the park and very poor. Therefor we also missed the sunrise gamedrive. And our time in the park was also less. We had several times contact and asked for an explanation. And there were some more things. Untill now we didn’t get any compensation. We will never book at Jastro Safaris again.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Best Safari Ever! We saw everything we had hoped to see and more.
My friend and I recently had the pleasure of going on our very first safari at Mikumi National Park, and I must say, the experience was nothing short of incredible! From the moment we were picked up from our hotel on the morning of our trip, we felt extremely welcomed by the amazing team at Kihindo Tours and Safaris. Winnie, in particular, was so kind and attentive, ensuring that we felt comfortable and safe both to and from the adventure.
Once in the park, we were lucky to have Jackson as our driver. His skill behind the wheel and deep passion for his job were truly admirable. He seemed to have a sixth sense for finding wildlife and making sure we had the best views possible. Our Maasai guide, Saloniki, added special touch to the trip. His energy and enthusiasm were absolutely infectious, making the whole experience feel even more vibrant and exciting. We had an absolute blast, and would highly recommend Kihindo Tours and Safaris to anyone considering a safari in Tanzania. Whether it's your first time or you're a seasoned traveler, you won't be disappointed!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We had Jackson as our guide and he was so wonderful! So kind and good-natured
We had Jackson as our guide and he was so wonderful! So kind and good-natured , and also very knowledgeable about all the animals and great at spotting them, even from a far distance! It was informative, lots of native animals to see, can get close to falls. Worth your time.
HU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommended tour operator
I had the trip of my life, thank to Frena Adventures:) Fred, the owner, so patiently organized the tour as per my wish.
My tour guide, Ronnie, is very knowledgable and explained to me everything I needed to know either about the daily programs or about local particularities in Rwanda and Uganda.
I did golden monkey trekking in Rwanda, gorilla trekking in Uganda that was the experience of my life😍 it was also very useful that Ronnie explained me a night before how the trek will look like as on spot not all the information is clear. We did game drives in Queen Elisabeth national park, Ronnie managed to find leopard that luckily even passed by our car...I am still shocked from that experience too as it is quite hard to find leopards...and on top of that we saw lions, elephants, buffalos and monkeys🥰
The boat safari in Kazinga channel was even better than I expected, besides the beautiful scenery we saw many hippos, elephants and buffalos on riverside.
On my 5th day we went to chimoanzee trekking that was the cherry on top of my 5 day tour safari.
The lodges where we stayed were all dreamy, close to nature, some were inside the national parks with amazingly kind staff.
Words cant tell how greatful I am for this trip, a thousand thank you Frena Adventures to make my dream come true🫶🏻❤️
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bluerange Connect Limited: A Perfect Safari Experience
I had an amazing safari with Bluerange Connect. They planned a 10-day trip that was perfectly organized, taking me to incredible places like Maasai Mara, Amboseli, and Samburu. One of the best parts was flying between lodges, which gave me stunning views of the wildlife from above and saved a lot of time.
The lodges were beautiful, and the staff made me feel welcome everywhere I went. Bluerange Connect really listened to what I wanted and made sure my trip was exactly what I had imagined. If you're planning a safari, I highly recommend them. They truly made my experience unforgettable.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Experience of a lifetime!
We booked with this tour operator based on reviews we read online, and they did not disappoint!! From the moment I first reached out to the follow-up message after the safari I was extremely impressed with the quality or service. The safari was incredible, I only wish we had been able to book more time!! We made memories that will never be forgotten, thank you!! I would highly recommend this operator!!!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing 8 Day Safari - perfectly organized
We chose Kenya for our first safari because of the incredible diversity of wildlife. As complete novices, we thoroughly researched various agencies on safaribookings.com, reading numerous reviews. Morningstar stood out for its positive feedback, and now we know why. We had an unforgettable 8-day safari across Kenya, and we’re happy to add another 5-star review for our tour provider.
From the very start, Dennis made us feel like we were in great hands. He was always quick to respond, providing detailed and professional advice. He even sent us a comprehensive PDF with suggestions for our tour, including prices for each activity – an impressive level of transparency that we didn’t see from other agencies. Everything was extremely well-organized, from the accommodations to the overall logistics.
Our next stroke of luck was our tour guide, Rono. He was the perfect guide for us – incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and an excellent, safe driver in the Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4. During the game drives, he consistently found incredible wildlife and positioned us perfectly for photos. Thanks to him, we had an extraordinary experience, spotting all of the Big Five within just three days! Every day brought new highlights, making it hard to choose a single “best” moment.
We wholeheartedly recommend Morningstar for an unforgettable safari experience.
