20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outsourced to another operator that provided poor service; bad client service after paying money.
The review is a bit lengthy but please read in full. I booked a 3-day shared tour in Masai Mara from 10-12Aug with 7 other travellers. Tour is operated by Bencia Africa Adventure & Safaris (I wasn't informed of this whatsoever until boarding the van).
Pre-tour: agreed on 2-person tent on SMS with Roselyne who had a friendly tone.
Day 1: Was picked up at 8:30am as scheduled and arrived at office at 9am to get into an uncleaned safari van. Other travellers were told to arrive at the office at 8am, meaning they had to wait for 1 hour pointlessly due to tour operator's poor arrangement.
Arrived at Miti Mingi Eco Camp, waited for 10 minutes, no reception at all and of course no room plans. Had the evening drive and returned to the camp at 630pm. Had a 30-minute wait for dinner, during which the tour guide did not give information on room and meal arrangements until we searched for him around the Camp. After dinner, waited for 1 hour to ask for information ourselves by searching for Camp manager / tour guide / etc. At 9pm, Camp manager said the camp is overbooked and asked me and another male traveller to stay in a 4-person tent (with 2 other people), and said "will talk about other things the next days". The other 6 travellers (1 man 5 women) were driven for >15min to another lower-quality campsite.
Day 2: Tour guide gave minimal explanation of animals (total talking time <15min). Definitely not the best guide as Roselyne described, despite his ability to follow other vans to spot the big 5. Visit to Keekorok Lodge was great.
At the Camp, we found the Camp manager for refund arrangements given the inconvenience and no 2-person tent as agreed due to overbooking. He argued he delivered his services because we spent a night at his tent. He refused to provide refunds because he claimed only the tour operator (Bencia), not the travellers, are their customers. His attitude was poor despite we the customers kept calm.
That night, my roommate and I stayed in the same 4-person tent (with no other people). Note that 4-person tents has worse facility and sanity levels compared to 2-person tents that other travellers stayed in.
Day 3: Had an early morning drive. We weren't informed by the driver of when and where the van will stop for lunch during the drive back to Nairobi.
Went to Bencia's office to complain the above issues and asked for some refunds. Bencia said they need to discuss internally for 2 days and will inform me of the decision. No follow-up since then.
Messaged Roselyne to complain politely. She said "There is no refund! You never slept outside. You ate and used water in the camp." "We don't refund clients after they have done a safari and feel like they need their money back. This is fraud!". No reply on messages sent over various days afterwards.
Fraud or not, my fellow travellers, it's your decision.
ttdr: didn't understand the overwhelmingly good reviews of Hyrax Safari and Roselyne.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Disappointing experience
The Safai itself was quite well organized and very nice. I would also say that the price was fair, at least the initially planned price. That's where my disappointing experience kicks in:
The payment methods offered by the Red Chilli feel a bit like a rip-off. When I booked the tour, they insisted I would have to pay a 50%-deposit to confirm. They gave me some payment options, but without any information on which option has the lowest fees. As they all locked similar to me, I picked one randomly. This led to bank fees of 60 USD (more than 33% of the amount)! The management later said sorry for this, but refused to give me any form of compensation, even not a sign of good will (like a free night worth 12 USD for example, as proposed by me).
Furthermore, all cash payments in local currency at the hostel use an exchange rate that is 3,5% lower than the real one (there is also a 3,5% fee on card payments in the local currency) . Thus, you pay extra if you use the local currency! I obviously only found that out at the end of my stay.
Alltogether, it just didn't feel right. I would not recommand the Red Chilli, as there must be better options out there.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely poor coordination
i booked a safari from Bonfire on 8th September, guide and safari van was ok. the coordination and communication from my agent innocent was pathetic. She was not reachable two days before the safari. Driver and vehicle details were not shared until i made 20 calls to various numbers. finally number was shared on saturday 19.00 hrs for sunday morning safari and to my surprise, the mentioned driver never came instead send some other driver.
this is pathetic and frustrating for the monies paid. i will recommend not to choose bonfire because of very poor customer service.
Regards,
Nachiket
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible Vehicle - Great guide
We were extremely disappointed with our experience with Swala due to the dilapidated condition of the vehicle we were put in. The car was clearly greater than 20 yrs old, super high mileage and in terrible condition. It was very underpowered and clearly badly misaligned. To go straight, the steering wheel was at 4 o'clock. We were always the slowest on the road; our guide did not seem comfortable driving the vehicle at regular speed. 3 of 6 seat belts were nonfunctional, passenger doors couldn't be opened from inside and none of the seats had headrests. The "cooler" did not cool so drinks were always warm. We had several harrowing moments. Leaving the Serengeti, the car made a sparking noise and smoke came out the dash vents. Fortunately, after waiting a bit, it restarted and smoke stopped. Another time, while climbing out of Ngorongoro crater, transmission popped out of gear and the car made a bad smell and initially, would not go back in gear. We held our breaths the rest of the trip out of the crater. Also, the brakes started squeaking horribly and we needed to take the time to take it to a local mechanic because we had no faith that the car could be safely driven. Thank god for our outstanding guide, Sunday, who not only was extremely talented at picking out wildlife and providing a fountain of knowledge regarding animals and habitats but also possessed much needed mechanical skills. Throughout our 7 day safari, I did not see a single other vehicle in nearly as poor condition. Honestly, we felt very unsafe and several times seriously considered abandoning the rest of our trip out of safety concerns..
So if you are looking for a safari with an extra dose of discomfort and fear, Swala is for you. Otherwise, I'd stay away. Sunday our guide, however, was outstanding and I would go again with him (with a different company) anytime.
FYI: Our car did not resemble any of those in their pictures. My guess is they are too embarrassed to show it..
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Tours are not that organize when it comes to timings.
I was dissapointed as we were not able to see the crossing/migration due to time.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A great Safari marred by a VERY poor quality vehicles - no satisfaction in getting replacements
Uhuru Travel regarding the vehicles provided for our recent safari with that company.
The vehicles advertised by Uhuru Travel were not provided and very inferior old vehicles were used despite our requests for replacements. We expected a vehicle similar to that in the pictures sent to us in an email but were transported in the sub-standard vehicles.
Apart from the age of the vehicle (manufactured in 1999, hence 20 years old), it had many unsafe features, namely:-
1. We were unable to open the one passenger door from inside the cabin - see pic 4 - jammed up against the seat and difficult to use
2. The seatbelts were difficult to attach and impossible to tighten
3. There was no left-hand rearview mirror - see pic 9
4. The seals were in a poor state
5. The bull-bar was dragging and had to be tied up - see pic 10
6. The seats were extremely uncomfortable - the backs were leaning uncomfortably too far whilst the seats all sloped making for a VERY uncomfortable ride
7. There was only one panic handle with considering the uneven and very bumpy roads further exacerbated the uncomfortable ride
8. The driver had to push up and down his window which was unsafe
9. Limited visibility through the windows
Finally, we paid extra for an upgrade of a vehicle which was not forthcoming.
We were given several promises to replace the vehicle with a better version followed by a number of excuses as to why we had to wait another day for one to be sent. No replacement vehicle was provided. Quote from a director "You don't need a Ferrari for a Safari".
We feel that this company has not been honest with us and has made what should have been a holiday to remember with pleasure and amazement to one of disappointment. We also feel that they have let you (Safari Booking Company) down. We can hardly recommend you or them as reliable sources for safaris in the future.
You may have noted our comments regarding our safari experience on TripAdvisor. I hope the above confirms our poor rating as being far from unfair.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Did not deliver on promises despite our constant concerns
We have just returned from a safari in Kenya and Tanzania. The accommodation was as expected as we checked the lodges online prior to booking to check the level. However the vehicles in both countries weren’t even road/safety worthy and did not look like the picture we received from Abdallah, the owner, prior to booking. To add insult to injury, we paid extra to ensure we had a comfortable vehicle. In both countries we had by far the worst vehicle seen anywhere. One was over 20 years old with lots of safety and comfort issues. When we complained we were told lies after lies and were strung along. Eventually they said all they’re required to do is give us a vehicle that works! I would strongly suggest you do not deal with this company as they’re not trustworthy.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safari with problems
We did a 7 (8) day safari on Wild Root. The track and the accommodations were put together in advance by Wild Root and offered as a finished trip.
Overall, it was a nice safari, but there were three serious problems from my point of view.
1. Booking the accommodations for the wrong month
When we arrived after our first day of safari at the first TWC accomodation booked by Wild Root, we were told after a long wait that the accomodation was overbooked. All other accommodations on our safari belonging to the TWC group are booked for the wrong month. We were then taken that same evening to another (45 minutes) away TWC accommodation that was still vacant in the room. This of course was not the class of our booking and at the actual accommodation included morning guided hike to Lake Manyara we also could not attend. In addition, we did not know at this time if and how our safari goes on at all, which absolutely destroys a relaxing holiday! To top it off, there were problems with the Rangers the next morning because we were not registered for the passage to the property. After much discussion with our rangers about the ranger, we had to turn around and return to the accommodation, where we had to pay another 64 dollars out of our own pocket to drive the way. After over an hour, we finally went on with the safari. The $ 64 did not matter, I was much more annoyed by the renewed stress and lost time. We paid almost 1,000 a day for the safari, so I expect that such problems will not occur.
2. Planning error
Another of my serious and avoidable mistakes was planning the location of one of the accommodations. For two days of safari the Mara River Crossing was scheduled. For this one must necessarily drive north to the Mara River in the north of the Serengeti. Man then waits at the river for a possible crossing by the animals waiting on the other side. Unfortunately we had to leave our position early because our accommodation (Lobo Lodge) was 3 hours drive from the Mara River. So we went when others arrived. From our oncoming drivers, our driver was asked several times, why we leave the river already. The next day we have renounced a return trip to the Mara, because then a total of 6 hours drive to the relatively short time at the Mara are out of proportion. I do not understand why no accommodation was chosen near the Mara. In my view, a planning error that you could have avoided. In addition, the immigration had left the area Lobo and accordingly were found few animals.
3. Unreliability and dangerous ride to the airport
At the end of the safari actually (so it was planned from the beginning) a final meeting with the leader Phil in Arusha should be done. Since our jeep was no longer safe driving, because this lost brake fluid due to a defect, the car should be replaced for the trip to the airport (about 1 hour). Unfortunately, Phil did not show up at the rendezvous, as agreed with our driver and us. We waited about 30 minutes for Phil who did not show up, then had to go to the airport with the broken Jeep not to miss our flight. Not to appear to the meeting is one thing, not to put us a replacement car and so to force our driver to continue the ride on a train with braking problems is in my view an absolute "no-go"!
I will book another company for the next safari and in my experience would not recommend Wild - Root.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
What a disappointment!!!!
I booked through African Budget Safari and they contracted with Land and Lakes Safaris ( L&L) in Malawi. I had a good experience with African Budget Safari. I would use them again in a heartbeat. But I would never use Land and Lakes again.
We had one major issue occurred 3 days into our 7 day tour. We are seasoned travelers having visited over 140 countries and we often travel up to 4 months a year. The major issue we encountered was unique but strange things happen while traveling. We had driven from Malawi to Zambia and arrived at Thornicroft Lodge ( which is wonderful). After checking emails we received 2 of significance. One from African Budget Safari saying that our tour might get screwed up because of civil unrest and demonstrations which were expected to block flights out of Malawi the following week including the day of our departure. An email from the US State Department strongly suggested not flying in or out that week. This major event was beyond anyone’s control, which we understand, but what we don’t understand is why Land and Lakes did nothing to assist us in making alternative arrangements.
I asked our guide, Eric, to check into the situation at dinner that night. He was already aware of the situation but seemed nonplussed. I asked him to follow up with the L&L home office and get back to me after our game drive the next morning.
I also sent the email from the state department to the (L&L) home office saying we may need to change our itinerary to fly out of Lusaka, Zambia instead of Llongwe 4 days later ( airport closures were suppose to start the day before our departure). We were flying on to Uganda so we could not afford to be delayed 3 extra days.
When we got back from the game drive the next morning our guide had no suggestions for what to do, no alternatives, and the home office took until 12:30 to speak to me and say basically “ we know this is serious but you are on your own. You either follow the itinerary and see what happens or you lose what you have already paid plus all costs and inconveniences and changes in hotels, flights and transportation are your responsibility. File with your insurance.”
This was not about insurance! This was about being in a remote place with very spotty internet, trying to book lodges, book a new flight, change an existing flight and arrange transportation! Thank goodness for Thornicroft Lodge ( Nadia and Dylan). They could not accommodate us but they called another lodge and got us a room. They loaned me their phone to call South African Air. They helped me book a flight from the local airport to Lusaka. Are you getting the picture? They did everything over 5 hours that Land and Lakes,which had better phones and constant internet at the home office, should have done. We understand it was our financial responsibility and we will deal with the insurance when we get home but where was Land and Lakes, our tour company?
Why no suggestion such as stay one more night nearby and your guide will drive you to Lusaka and see sights along the way? It is no further than Lake Malawi. Or suggest another itinerary of sights within Zambia? Again Thornicroft got info on driving to Lusaka $80 US pp versus flying $300pp so all the options were provided by them and not Land and Lakes.
Our guide was not allowed to accompany us into the game park and he had meals with us but otherwise was unoccupied. After we reworked our schedule, he informed us he was going back to LLongwe.
I asked our guide what would have happen if we had followed the original itinerary and the airports did shut down - would his company have left us to our own devices? His answer was of course not. So why did they leave us to our own devices in a remote location ? Malawi has been experiencing turmoil since the election in May and I believe any responsible tour company would have an emergency plan in place to assist when problem occurs. If not, they have the resources and should have offered to rework our schedule, at our cost, and see us safely on out way,
As I am writing this it is still a day away from the planned demonstrations and for Malawi’s sake I hope they do not happen. But whatever occurs, safety is first and and L & L let us down on that
front.
SA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not recommended Safari organizer
I booked with this company based on the many positive reviews I read on this website. I arrived on the first day, the pick up was OK, I spent the whole day in Arusha as per the trip schedule. The second (trip first day) was generally OK. By end of day, however, our guide Malaki dropped me off at Kilimamoja lodge and immediately left, I went to the reception to check in, but the responsible person there advised there is no reservation in my name, I tried to contract Malaki but he did not answer, and it almost took 1 hour to check in, while all other guests of other companies checked in smoothly without any issues. Rhino response on WhatsApp is too slow.
The pick up time on the second day was set by Malaki at 7:00-7:30 AM. I waked up at 5:30 to be ready on time, he texted me at 7:17 AM saying that a couple from the same group who were on camping accommodation asked to buy some camping stuff, they also requested not to wake up early since they were on honeymoon. The driver eventually arrived for pick up on 10:40 AM although we had a long way driving to Serengeti.
At this point, I preferred not to continue the trip with this company, and I arranged for private Safari with Savannah Explorer & I was lucky to do so.
I met with other couple of the same group by coincidence at a lodge in Northern Serengeti, they advised that Rhino were just cheating, the couple who were on honeymoon never asked for buying stuff or waking up late & this was Malaki's arrangement. Similarly, Malaki informed this couple that the pick delay came at my request.
On other side, I contacted Malaki after withdrawal from the group trip to contact Danial to confirm the balance due to Rhino since I did not pay any of the due amount from the very beginning, Malaki told the group that I am in contact with him asking to re-join the group since no other company accepted to arrange a trip for me. In addition, he sent me a video on WhatsApp of 2 lions hunting a Wildebeest as if he took this video during the trip to show me that I missed a lot due to my leave, Malaki did not notice that the car hood that appeared in the video had a logo other than Rhino's logo, which is indicating that the video was not taken by him at all.
Finally, Daniel contacted me during my stay in Tanzania threatening me that he will refer to the governmental authorities in order not to let me go out of Tanzania until I pay his money although he asked to pay through the website & the website delayed in sending the payment link. I left Tanzania on 21.08.2019 and remained in contact with him to pay his money. I paid him on 26.08.2019 and had the option not to pay him at all, but I finally paid him $861 as per his request from a moral perspective only.