under20 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Horrible
Horrible experience flight got delayed 9 hours zero communication before hand even send us a driver to the airport knowing our flight was cancelled DO NOT RECOMMENDED
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Soured our hard earned vacation
Fred and Eddie have managed to sour our hard earned trip to Rwanda and Uganda.
I booked the 5 day mid-range itinerary with Frena. I sent our tickets to Fred as soon as i booked it (a month ahead of our trip), he ignored our flight time and added chimp tracking, which we only got to know, was never possible after meeting Eddie, the tour guide. He refunded the money but was so vague and indirect and not sorry about this and rudely told me to research pricing of the chim tracking.
The car was a very uncomfortable van, making the long drives uncomfortable and unsafe! the front seat snapped back multiple times on my husband’s feet. Eddie never apologized, never did anything about it. Even the roof that was propped up for the game safari, came slamming down and thankfully we werent standing at that time, all because he forgot to engage the safety lock and again, never apologized.
Eddie had no interest in communicating the plan of the day, change in plans, any delays etc, we just had to figure it out. Day 2, i asked him about lunch enroute and he told me we will have late lunch at the lodge, we reached at 5pm, and due to his communication mishap, they had not prepared lunch. All he said was “why dont you have an early dinner by 6?” No apologies again.
The last day, he made us leave our lodge at 6:30 for a 6 hour drive, reaching the airport 5 hours before our flight (im sure he knew they dont even let you in) under the pretense that we may get traffic, when he actually wanted to get to Kampala sooner.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Dishonest tour operator who stole 965$ directly and indirectly
We paid 100% of the tour fees 2 months prior to arrival. We cleared customs at Entebbe airport at around 10:40 am. On that day, we had an activity scheduled with Silas (visiting the Rhino sanctuary). Silas claimed we were too late so we could not do the first activity. The aircraft was supposed to land at 9:05 am. Silas assured us that we will fit this activity in the coming 2 weeks. We left Uganda without seeing the Rhinos.
Silas made us pay for one of the hotels a second time because he attempted to pay with a check and the hotel refused. We told him we don’t have cash so he pushed us to use the credit card and promised to pay us back once in town. We never saw the money although we spent 7 days asking him to return owr money. He made numerous promises but they were all lies. He stole the money which effectively ruined half the vacation time.
Silas drove us around in an unsafe vehicle that broke down 3 times during the tour. The passenger window shattered when i tried to close the door and cut my hands in two places. The door inside handle was broken, the tires where each fixed with two bolts instead of 5. There was no AC in the vehicle contrary to his claims. We were stranded on two occasions where one time we waited at a gas station for 3 hours while he was getting the car fixed. Silas refused to get us a replacement to drive us to the hotel so we were really stranded.
Silas was always doing personal chores during our tour. He frequently provided transportation to locals on tour time which was fine the first two times but became unacceptable after that.
Silas downgraded some of the accommodations to maximise his profit at our expense. He assured us tgat the accommodations had AC and hot water. Only 2 out of 9 accommodations had AC. Hot water was a problem in 7 accommodations. He assured us that accommodations had window screens to allow us to open the windows, one 1 accommodation had. He lied about the accommodations and it was highly disappointing.
He found excuses not to do 5 of the activities defined in the itinerary such as night game drive, leopard tracking, rhinos visit and others. He charged us for extra fuel and he charged us extra for claims that he lost deposits on accommodations.
He lied all the time and was a cheat and dishonest.
His tourism license should be stripped from him.
I highly caution anyone who wants to do business with him. The worst ever tour in my 30 years travel
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Upsetting: 5 different guides and groups during our 10 day safari
My partner and I did a 10 day safari booked through Pride of Africa Adventures and Safaris in June 2022. It has taken some time to leave our review as we were pressured by the staff at this company not to leave any negative feedback for them. I would like to share my experience, as I would hate for someone else to have a dream safari trip to include as much stress and tears as ours did. My partner and I were so excited to go on our safari, it was a dream for both of us as we are passionate about wildlife. However, once we arrived in Nairobi we realised this trip was not what we expected. We were passed between different companies, and over the 10 days we were with 5 different tour guides and groups of travellers. We were not told that this would happen, we were only expecting two guides one in Kenya and the other in Tanzania. It caused a lot of stress and upset throughout our trip as we were left not knowing where or who we would be meeting next, and we were sad to leave our fellow travellers who we'd met. One of these groups included a tour of two cars with 14 students, when our booking ensured we would be only in a group of 8 people maximum. This part of our trip was in the Serengeti and due to the large group everything was delayed and we did not get to experience the Serengeti as we hoped due to the wasted time trying to organised the students who were not that interested in the safari as they had come to Africa to study micro finance on a gap year. Although some of our guides were great and put a huge amount of effort into their job, others did not put the same effort which was upsetting. The wildlife was incredible and we hope to return to Africa and have a much more positive memory. We will not be booking again with Pride of Africa Adventures and Safaris and would not be able to recommend them
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
DISAPPOINTING!
Embarked on a 4-day safari to Selous. On the way to the national park, the driver slammed into a curb. The impact injuring my wife’s lower back, hip and ribs. It was an unforced, self-accident and 100% fault of the driver. There were witnesses. He apologized profusely over and over again. My wife was in considerable pain and unable to continue the safari. We were forced to cancel the trip. I asked for a partial refund on the safari, but the tour operator refused, claiming it was not their fault and that he is out a lot of money! Not what you want to hear from your tour operator.
While accidents can happen on adventure trips, it’s how a company responds to such situations that separate the good ones from the bad ones. We did not feel safe with this company and are very disappointed.
In the end, no safari, no animals, no refund, just an injured wife and bad memories.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Sweet talking THIEF and CON MAN
We booked with Fortune over a year ago to travel with our children to Botswana and Zimbwabe. He was a good communicator the entire time, except upon arrival. No one was at the airport to grab us. We quickly learned that Fortune failed to pay for any of the bookings that we were promised in our itinerary and invoice. When we finally reached Fortune, he made on excuse after the other. Although we paid $11,000, we have only had him transfer $300 of that back to us as ordered by the Chief Inspector. My husband and I took time away from our vacation to press charges against. Fortune was prosecuted in Victoria Falls Courthouse and ordered to pay restitution. I am writing another review to warn others. A year later, Fortune continues to let us down despite promising the court to pay restitution to avoid more time in jail. I have photos of Fortune in handcuffs.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Scam. Fraud. Don't do business with A. and H. (from Barcelona). Run away asap.
Scam. Fraud. Don't do business with A. and H.. Run away asap.
A week before the travel they contacted to cancel the trip.
They try to impose the time to travel a few months later.
Then agreed to a refund.
The refund neve came.
The company don't have a moral compass. Their words are worth nothing.
Be aware of this scam. Try other more reliable options.
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Poor planning and communication
I spent three days doing a joint safari with this company and I'm very disappointed in their poor planning and bad communication. On my first day I ended up alone, pleasant surprise. I was however told that I would stay with the same car and driver all the three days. On my second day I was told we would meet some other people at a junction at 9-9.30. Then I was told they were a bit delayed. Then I was told that we would also swap cars and guide. When we arrived at the junction we found another group in a safari car and we swapped. I asked the other group what happened. They told me there was a problem with the car shaking. I asked the driver and he said "no, not a big problem". I was told the people who would join me were a bit late but they would join me in 30 min. I waited 1,5 hours at the junction. And when they told me 30 min the people still hadn't landed at Arusha airport which was more than an hour away. I was told they were delayed. The company lied.
I eventually reached the park in my shaking car at 12 o'clock. The park was less than an hour away from my accomodation. The shaking was not a small problem, it was a big problem. At the end of the day I had pain in my back.
On my third day new people arrived..this time they arrived on time. When we finished the safari I asked to be dropped off at my previous hostel since I had arranged a transfer to the airport a few hours later. In the same a car from the safari were a couple who were on a tight deadline to reach their flight on time. The safari company communicates with my hostel and asked them to send the taxi to meet us, so that we could go straight to the airport. I was never consulted. Due to the time pressure of the other people I felt obliged to jump into the car. I arrived at the airport four hours before my departure time and my plans to shower, charge my phone and relax at the hostel vanished. And the safari company 3wonders who charged the couple for the airport transfer conveniantely used my taxi to ship them of to the airport.
I was promised a nice accommodation but I got a very basic one. No hot water unless you told the staff to turn on a switch. No internet.
The guides/drivers did their best to compensate for their managers lack of planning and communication, but unfortunately it wasn't good enough.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This company is a SCAM!
I booked a trip with Splendor Holidays (Lucy) for June 2023. When I went to apply for my visa, I realized I had been scammed. Their website and email were no longer working. I contacted the hotels in my itinerary and they did not have any reservations under my name. I lost all my money from this trip, to include fees from airfare, vaccines, items for the safari. Do not trust Lucy N.!... That's if you can even get a hold of her. ;(
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Beware Primate Vacations investigated for online fraud
BE WARNED!
Interpol have now been informed about Primate Vacation's alleged online fraud activities in Uganda. In the meantime, I received another email from them promising faithfully that they will reimburse me in full, soonest, which of course is just another delay tactic as I have still received nothing from these fraudsters!! They have promised to refund me in full since 2021, and this is even documented in prior Trip Advisor reviews from me where they have responded to my reviews promising to do so.
DO NOT DEAL WITH PRIMATE VACATIONS. YOU WILL BE SCAMMED! GET THIS MESSAGE OUT THERE SO OTHERS ARE NOT CAUGHT LIKE THOSE OF US WHO WERE BEFORE.