US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Poor arrangements and Cheating
We took Safari thru them in Sept. We were group of 11 senior people. In Tanzania we ended up paying for three Park entrance fees and stay at one camp. We had to pay out of pocket more than $9,000. Despite repeated requests and phone calls we have not received any money from them. They had verbally and by e-mails agreed to pay this amount in full. SO BE CAREFUL !! The Safari itself was excellent and the drivers were very good. It's the front office that lacks communication and make promises that they do not keep.
IL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They behaved dishonorably
I signed a lease contract with Patrick for Nissan X-Trail from 5.09 to 25.09.17, I've paid him for rentingת and left him a deposit of 500 USD.
At 25.09.17 I've returned the car. Patrick examined her and then drove her to the parking lot. He said that he have to go to the bank to refund me a the 500 dollars. Patrick did not return with the money.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Complete rip off - terrible guide, horrible experience and now they won't respond to or refund us
Before we arrived in the country Safarihub were very attentive, but once we arrived in country the airport pick up was the only thing that met our expectations (or the promises made on their website). I have no idea how they have any good reviews as all the information about their 'fleet' of cars was untrue - we were in an old, noisy, uncomfortable vehicle with another company's logo on it. We also had the worst safari guide I have ever come across. I've been on about 9 safaris now in 5 different countries (including previously in Tanzania) and I have never had such a terrible experience - this guide couldn't even see! I actually think he was losing his sight. He wasn't able to spot any animals. The animals we spotted he scared away by driving fast straight at them. (Ironic as the majority of the time he drove unbelievably slowly so we didn't cover much ground). He had no radio contact with anyone so had no colleagues giving him information on where the leopords etc. were. I was apalled. When I confronted safarihub about it they admitted that he worked for another company (not their driver) and they'd never done any check of whether he was a good guide or not. Despite being very apologetic at first though, Safarihub stopped replying to us and now we are desperately trying to get any of our money back having spent thousands of pounds on a really disappointing safari. This was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime for us, but ended up full of stress and anger because of Safarihub. Steer well clear of these thieves.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
This company stole our deposit, made zero bookings, and now will not respond to emails
We have been scammed by this company (It Started in Africa) and cheated out of USD 3,300.
We have been thinking about an African safari for a long time. In July 2017 we started looking into safari companies and selected It Started in Africa based on excellent previous reviews. We contacted then, they sent us an itinerary. After several exchange of emails, we decided to go ahead with them, and wired them a deposit of about USD 3,300.
After this, things started going south. They did not initially send us any confirmations of any bookings at the lodges which we had requested. After many emails, they sent us pictures of lodge invoices, which all showed that the amounts were still payable to the lodges. We contacted each individual lodge, and each one said that they did not have any bookings with this safari company. They had previous bookings, which got cancelled as this company did not send them the advance payment out of the deposit that we had paid.
We also read about several other reviews that indicated that this company had scammed many others out of their money recently, and they had gone bankrupt.
Now we are in a state of panic as we seem to have lost our money, and we do not have any safari reservations at any lodge. Our emails to them are now going un-answered.
If any one has been able to get their money back, please post on this review board on how they went about it.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
THE WORST SAFARI COMPANY EVER!!
We pay to this company, Bush Baby Calls, for a safari of 13 days, 12 nights and it was the worst safari that we have never done (and already we have done several). We had many problems of logistics and his manager, Mogakolodi Serumola, never helped us. Only it worried about receiving the money. It took breakfasts from us, show restraint, you have dinner, housings in campsites foreseen, it made us pay income to park of our pocket, took us game drives... an authentic shame. Even one night his guide left wire drawing us in the middle of the bush because he was not finding the camp and we had to sleep in the huts of the local some. And the manager never faced the consequences. An authentic calamity of company. A misfortune could have happened for his pathetic management of the safari. An authentic swindle of company.
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A DISASTER OF SAFARI COMPANY!!
A sorrow punishes our safari in Bostwana. It is a wonderful country but this company, Bush Baby Calls, is an authentic disaster. A total incompetence beginning for his manager, Mogakolodi Serumola, who far from helping ourselves did that our experience was an almost a hell. It took breakfasts from us, show restraint, you have dinner, it changed the housings, some of them were lacking even water to have a shower. It made us pay income to parks in spite of having them full. It tried to take us one day in Chobe and the worse thing is that always he was hiding and it was never facing the consequences. For not saying that one day in the Okavango his guide was not finding the camp and we had to sleep in a few huts of a few villagers. In end, an authentic disaster and the manager the incompetent person.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
VERY BADLY SERVICE!! MANAGED BY AN INCOMPETENT MANAGER!!
Our dream began on October 23 but soon it turned into nightmare. We were a group of 6 persons to a safari of 13 days with this company and felt deeply defrauded specially for his manager, Mogakolodi Serumola, an authentic liar and swindler. I am sorry to say it this way, but it took us show restraint, it changed his camps, deprived us of games drives and it never faced the consequences. Always it was hiding and evading responsibilities. It is not possible to treat the people who pays of the form that this person did. This company should not be promoted without a supervision thoroughly. I have done already many safaris in Africa and it had never lived not equal at all. In a evening game drive safari we could not sleep in our camp because the guide was not finding it and ended up by sleeping six members of the group in a floor of a small boma of the local women without food or water and the manager was never facing the consequences he nor returned to us the money paid for the not received services in spite of the fact that he said to us that it would do it. One defrauds total.
ES
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
THE WORST SAFARI IN MY LIFE !!!
Hi,
last october a group of friends were in Bostwana for 2 weeks. We selected this company, Bush Baby Calls, because the price was good (Ultimately the cheap thing works out expensive) but our problems started in the first day in vic Falls when the manager of Bush Baby Calls received to us in the airport. He wanted only the rest of the money and then...he disapear!!
In short, we lost many breakfasts, lunches and dinner in spite of we pay for full board. Futhermore, the manager, Mogakolodi Serumola cheated on us several times: the land cruiser that we used was broken, he promise to us repair it however I didn´t it; we losed several games drives and he promised to us to do night games drives and we didn´t it, we pay to take shower inside the tent but he didn´t it, we had to apy the park fees in some parks and he told us that then he did the transfer to us but he didn´t it... The manager was terribe, a completely liar. Our safari was a full nightmare. I have done safaris in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and it had never suffered anything similar as with this company. His manager was a coward. He never help us. In spite of the fact that in Khwai his driver left wire drawing us in the middle of the bush in the middle of the night and one was because he was not finding the camp.
If you want to enjoy a safari do not contract with this company.
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Experiencing the wildest of Africa, best safari ever
We did a few tours with Wild Africa Safaris in October 2017 in Moremi near Third Bridge and in Chobe NP near Kasane including a sundowner cruise on the Chobe river. Rodgers brought us to amazing places and educated us on the wildlife and nature. For me the best safari I ever did and I have been a few times to Africa in the meantime. Rodgers has a background on nature and reads the environment to discover the wildlife, next to big five we also saw smaller wildlife like honey badgers and wild dogs, birds, reptiles and on all Rodgers has a good story. The vehicle is very luxurious clean and well maintained, I liked very much the comfort and the special closets to put your camera gear and protect it from dust. Being a photographer himself Rodgers understands what is needed to take good pictures, positioning the jeep in the best possible spot. Finally having someone who always wears a smile is certainly a plus as well. Rodgers...never change and until we meet again.
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Joyful in every way!
Rodgers was our guide for Moremi Game Reserve, Chobe NP and a sundowner on the Chobe River.
He is a very experienced guide and has excellent knowledge of wildlife and their behaviour.
He does not need a road map while driving his jeep, he knows even the smallest dirt roads by heart.
Rodgers has an open safari jeep that allows everybody to take nice pictures. The seats are very comfortable, and there is a secure space to store all your belongings far away from dust. You can even charge your cameras as his jeep is equipped with charging outlets. The fridge offers cool drinks that are very welcoming in the African heat. You can see Rodgers is very proud of his jeep as it is kept in a very prestine condition.
As he guided us around, you could feel that he will never stop loving his job. Surrounded by wildlife in picturesque Botswana, that is where Rodgers happiness lies. To have such an office must have been a dream come true!
Rodgers and his everlasting smile, we will never forget about him.
Keep up the good work Rodgers!
Wishing you a lot of adventurous tours in 2018!
If you are not sure about which guide to choose, you should definitely go for Rodgers!