US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
First class service with an incredible experience!
They took care of us the whole way and helped create a great trip. We had a couple changes that they were helpful with and the rest of the trip with RoadSide went off without a hitch. Would use them again if (or maybe when) I go back.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
When it went well it went well but when it didn't....
I know people rave about this company. And, I guess, if you didn't have any problems with them then they were good. But if you do experience a problem with them, they don't really want to hear from you with the what the issue was. I had a 6 day safari booked with them and it was good until I got to the Masai Mara and then things went off the rails. They gave me an incorrect park permit which the rangers would not honor. I contacted the person in the US who did my booking and she wanted to know why I was calling her about this. I mean, she did take my money for the trip so I thought she could quickly contact the Nairobi office for me and get this straightened out but no. After spending over an hour on a desolate air strip in the Masai Mara arguing with park officials and in order not to be sent back to Nairobi on the next plane, I had to pay the entrance fees again even though it was included in my safari payment. When I did speak with the head of customer service for Gamewatchers, she wouldn't confirm to me that I would be refunded for something I had paid for twice (ultimately about a week later I did get a refund). But then, because of this debacle at the park entrance, I missed a game drive which the hotel blames on me for not showing up for (because I couldn't get in to the park due the Gamewatchers giving me an incorrect permit) and neither the hotel, Mara Serena, or Gamewatchers will refund that. As a matter of fact on this issue, Gamewatchers has gone completely silent. So no, this is not a tour operator I would recommend.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Northern Circuit (short)
Tanzania Roadside did an excellent job, tailoring the safari to our specific needs. The service was faultless and met our expectations to the highest degree. The tour was very satisfying, although we could not see all the big five (but one cannot book a meeting with lions on demand). The driver/guide was very capable and informative. Also appreciated was the possibility to define timing and itinerary within the parks according to some requests.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Time ran too fast during this perfect organized safari. Highly recommended!
We (my friend and me) booked our one day Ngorongoro tour in Pauls office. He welcomed us and immediately we felt comfortable. Paul offered us different possibilities of safaris, but because of our lack of time we decided to have that one day safari to the Ngorongoro crater. During our communication there were no false promises of being sure to see the "big five" but the promise, that we will get a well educated and professonal guide. The next day our guide and driver Hezekiel picked us up from our hotel in Arusha and we went to Ngorongoro by our 4w rover. - A great car! I love it!!! On the way there we got many information and Hezekiel tried to answer all our quwstions patiently - and we had a lot of questions! Then we entered the National park, where we were already expected by 2 buffalos! A great starter! After a few 100 meters a huge giraffe stood on our way. Hezekiel said, that we had been really lucky and it would definitely be our day. :-) Going down into the crater and in the crater itself Hezekiel drove our car safely and professional! No rock, no stone, no pond or small river caused a problem for him. Hezekiel always asked us, what we would like to prefer, if we would like to have a break, or continue, stop here and there, if we finished taking pictures etc. He was very kind, friendly and always polite. Our car had a roof, that could be lifted, so that you can stand in the car all the time an look around all the plain in the crater. Amazing!! We saw huge herds of gnus, zebras, different gazells, buffalos, from time to time schakals and hyanes, a group of lions, crown cranes, ibises, flamingos, many hippopotamuses and when we left the park some elephants in the bushes and a group of baboons. As I wrote above, the time ran much too fast. We even didn't recognize, that we were a bit hungry. We had our picnic at a pond with hippos and cheeky birds. We were asked to stay in our car, because the birds are really bad here. They aren't afraid of men and would try to steal our meal right out of our hands. All in all a great safari, with a nice guide and breathtaking landscape. - On our way out of the National park and to Arusha we stopped at Grzimek's memorial, at a visitors' view point into the crater (there was a cute dikdik just 2m in front of us down in the bushes!) and at a view point into the Rift Valley. Phantastic!
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
DON'T TRUST THEM
In January I enquired Orongai AS for a 5 days safari for late July. Since the beginning, I required to book ONLY lodges from the Serena Hotel Chain with an HB meal plan and to buy the flight from Arusha to Zanzibar for which I already had a reservation. The proposed program for the safari was meeting all my expectations and therefore I paid 50% of the total bill to confirm the trip (with 6 months advance).
FIRST SURPRISE: in June, after my request of details about the baloon trip that was listed into the proposed plan, we discovered that this was actually not included in the price I agreed (and already paid) but was an extra, costing "only" 510 US$ per person!!! After many e-mails back and forth with Martha, where I also proposed to pay 50/50 their mistake, I finally end up talking with the owner of the company (Mr Asseri) and I accepted, to pay the extra 510 US$. After we arrived in Tanzania, we were transfered to the first hotel where the Orongai rapresentatives showed up with more than 2 hours delay to the agreed breefing.
SECOND SURPRISE: checking out from this hotel, I discoverd that the meal plan was not HB as per the plan accepted by me and I had to pay 25 US$ per person for the dinner.
THIRD SURPRISE: the off-road car for the safari was a 30 years old Toyota Land Cruiser (much older than any other car we meet during the safari) with (probably) a few MILLIONS miles story: fortunately we had no mechanical problems (and this is a real miracle, considering the treatment this veicles receive) but the level of confort of that car was really poor.
FOURTH SURPRISE: we started the tour and we discovered that the plan was shuffled and instead of the agreed Tarangire-Ngorongoro-Serengeti sequence we would follow a Ngorongoro-Serengeti-Tarangire schedule.
FIFTH SURPRISE: despite my cash paiment for the ballon trip, they didn't succeed in boking that experience.
SIXT SURPRISE: when we were in Serengeti, we discovered that our hotel for the next 2 nights would have been a tented camp (and not a lodge as agreed).
SEVENTH SURPRISE: on the last day we discovered that the flight we were booked on was not the 5:10 pm one I originally requested but a earlier one (3:15 pm).
Based on this, would anyone trust them??
PS1: looking at other feedbacks in this site, looks like I'm not the only one having had this kind of disturbing experience with Orongai AS: probably the blame is not to be put on me
PS2: the only good thing of this safari were the guide (Gabriel) and the driver (Francis). They exceeded all our expectations under every aspect: nice and polite, skilled and commited
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
LUESA Travel & Tours saved us with highest level of professionalism, we couldn't ask for more!..
State of the art quality service delivered beyond expectations.
IN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very exhilarating experience with knowledgeable and positive guides.
Best to start early in the morning, which gives you the best chance of spotting the Lions and Cheetahs, if lucky on hunt. Great experience, would like to do it again.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our second safari with Spot Kenya Safari.
Maurice is quick to reply, very professional and trustworthy . Our second safari with him. Our trip was fantastic! Our guide/ driver was Nelson and he was very knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. I would highly recommend Spot Kenya.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unique Safari Experience
We did a 4 day safari tour with Hekima, which was an amazing experience! We visited Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Lake Eyasi and discovered Arusha National Park at a walking safari.
We booked everything the day when we arrived in Hekima House, where the stuff is so friendly and welcoming that you don´´ t feel like being in a Hostel but at a friends place. Arranging the safari was really easygoing and they followed our wishes perfectly and gave good recommendation what suits best so that we had a really diversified tour with a lot of animals, haunting with the hadzabe and last but not least the walking tour, which is a great experience after sitting in the car for 3 days.
In the evening we always had a great dinner and our guide put much effort in us feeling comfortable. For example organizing a bonfire, show us the sundowner at the lake or just entertaining us;)
#GoHekima
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Race to the Bottom
73 days from Nairobi, Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa, Jan through Mar
Do you enjoy people not following rules that affect you directly?
Disregard of 10pm curfew, smoking and noise restrictions, or environmental welfare?
Recurring theft of your well-marked belongings (food, drinks, power cords, etc.)?
Repeat damages to your stuff due to negligence (sleeping bag, backpacks, etc.)?
Incessant juvenile jokes about farts, vomit, drunkenness, burps, sex, or making fun of others?
Constant loud music rather than enjoyment of nature?
Purposeful ignoring of guide’s requests to the extent that it may endanger you…
Person buying drugs in broad daylight and near cop – you could be made guilty by association
Person drinking while driving, guilty by association if open container found by authorities
Lack of food because some people abuse how much they take or stash away
Waiting for the people who are not prepared, not following the schedule or could care less that they are enjoying themselves while you WAIT – hey you paid the same price, but they enjoy while you WAIT
People not sharing the workload saying they have more important things to do like washing hair, downloading pictures, making phone calls. Once again you paid the same price, but they enjoy while you WORK
People who make you miss optional events you sign up for because they came back too late or crossed your name out of events you have signed up for replacing it with their own?
People claiming that they don’t have money to give tips (the way many survive in Africa) while they carry thousands of dollars of equipment, have money for drinks every night, buy drugs, give each other’s birthday gifts, etc. Embarrassing to be associated with these uncaring people. What bad reputation!
People pushing elder of a village out of the way to take picture? Others entering locals’ homes without asking? Clearly invading their privacy, acting as if these people don’t matter.
People refusing to share tents, storage areas, workload, space to take pictures, etc. The me, me, me syndrome leading to people being hurt due to pushing to be there first, etc.
Most of this could have been address by the guide but he chose not to be involved so it festered for 73 days, making the bullies get all they wanted and the non-bullies, second citizens – incredibly sad.
THANKFULLY, Africa, its people and nature are AMAZING, and you push that aside long enough to enjoy it until you return to the bus and face the sad reality of your tour cohorts.
Overall, this felt like a race to the bottom or the lowest common denominator instead of an uplifting experience.