20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lost $3K USD to the company - I recommend you stay away like the plague
TLDR: In my opinion Amani is a professional liar and it shocks me as to how he has been given 5 star ratings on this page. He collects the full tour's payment upfront but fails to deliver parts of the tour and pockets the cash for himself. We have many instances of Amani confirming the money will be refunded for the parts of the tour that could not be arranged, however we have yet to see the refund come through. We have been scammed of $3k USD and have filed a police report and are in conversations with the regulatory bodies in Tanzania requesting for aid in recovering this money. I am writing this review to create awareness of this premeditated disgusting scam that all current and future travelers should stay away from. Screenshots attached.
Tour Details
Tour Operator: Amani
Company Name: Kipok Africa Adventures
Tour Dates: August 17 - August 23, 2024
Booking and Payment Summary
I paid 50% of the total package fee ($4,285 USD) prior to the start date, with the remaining 50% paid in cash on August 17.
We were asked to pay an additional $550 USD in cash for a night game drive and a visit to a Maasai village on August 17. These activities, however, were never delivered, and the hotels confirmed that night game drives were not possible. Amani definitely knew this and yet promised to deliver a night game drive, indicating a beginning of the scam.
Daily Itinerary & Incident Summary
August 17 - 19: Amani Mara Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya – No issues; services provided as agreed. However, the night game drive and Maasai village visit, for which we paid $550 USD, were not delivered.
August 19 - 22: Kubu Kubu Tented Luxury Lodge, Serengeti, Tanzania (Screenshots attached)
Before our arrival at Kubu Kubu, Mr. Laizer informed us of a payment issue on his end and requested that we pay the hotel directly for our three nights. He assured us we would be refunded at the end of the tour.
Despite repeated follow-ups, we have yet to receive this refund.
August 22 - 23: Neptune Lodge, Ngorongoro, Tanzania – No issues; payment covered as agreed.
Incident at Ngorongoro Park (screenshots attached)
Upon arrival at Ngorongoro, Mr. Laizer cited a “technical issue” with his payment to the park and instructed us to pay the park fees directly. We complied, incurring additional costs.
Between these incidents, the extra payments totaled $3,076 USD, revealing a consistent pattern of fraudulent requests for money. We had already paid the tour fee in full, and the additional payments were unjustified and based on false pretenses.
I am sharing this to alert other travelers to the fraudulent practices of Amani Laizer & Kipok Africa Adventures. Please be cautious and consider other, more reputable safari operators. I would be giving 0 stars if I could.
MX
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excelent Service
Our Safari trip was wonderful and amazing; the service that Face of Africa provided us at all times was of great quality. Their drivers and guides make you feel very safe, they are very attentive and kind; they are trained in everything related to the animals you see, they speak several languages, in my case I felt very comfortable because our driver spoke Spanish, the camps where we stayed have excellent rooms, food and service. Face of Africa makes you feel very welcome in Tanzania.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Able was incredibly hospitable, welcoming, joyful, and made whatever we wanted possible!
Las Vegas Tours and Travel was great to work with. We had a wonderful experience. The company heard our desires, which included time spent in a refugee camp and a safari, and they made it happen with a great attitude! Their biggest asset is their tour guide, Able, who gives the BEST Uganda welcome! Any request someone had he found a way to make it happen. He led us well, ensured we had an amazing experience (especially on our safari), helped us navigate the markets to make sure we got fair prices, and went above and beyond to show he cared for us. He helped me find a little dress for my daughter and gifted our team a special photo! I cannot recommend Able and Las Vegas Tours and Travel enough!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exceptional safari experience with outstanding guides and top-notch service!
We are so happy with our decision to use Serengeti Clarity to plan our trip and guide us on safari in Tanzania! With so many tour companies to choose from, the decision was overwhelming. We initially reached out to five companies for quotes, and Serengeti Clarity stood out immediately during the planning phase. They were incredibly responsive, accommodating to our requests, and quickly customized an itinerary that was perfect for us at a reasonable price.
Nearly every aspect of our trip exceeded our expectations. The jeep was very comfortable, the food delicious, and the accommodations were great. We saw SO many animals including the Big 5, zebras, giraffes and so much more. Highlights included staying at a tented camp in the Serengeti, our guided Kilimanjaro hike with Matthew, a walking safari in the Ngorongoro conservation area, unforgettable wildlife sightings, and, most importantly, our amazing safari guide and jeep driver, Johnson.
Johnson truly made our safari experience magical. He was warm and relaxed, a skilled driver, expert animal spotter, extremely knowledgeable, and fun to be around (which is important when you’re spending so much time with your guide!). We learned so much from him about the animals, parks, and local culture.
We also appreciated the support that Frank and Peter provided leading up to and during our trip. Their responses were always extremely quick and gracious.
We highly recommend Serengeti Clarity—especially our safari guide, Johnson, and our Kilimanjaro hike guide, Matthew!
HU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent organization, prompt response, very professional
We did an 11 day safari in Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia in October. The entire tour was organized by United Safari Travel. Maxwell did an amazing job, he responded to our requests always immediately, or let us know if he was not going to be able to answer in a couple od hours. He managed to fulfill all our requests, our tour was fully personalized and just amazing. Great organization, everything happened exactly as planned. Great value for money, our tour included soo many extras and it was very well worth it.
Very reliable, everything happened very smoothly and on time. Excellent, really. Great connections all over Southern Africa, so anything we requested Max could take care of in a matter of hours!
We are already planning our next trip with United Safari Travel.
SE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Exquisite
Our guide Pius was great, he showed us so many animals, including the lions and rhinos (which are nearly extinct). He provided us information about about each park, the history behind them and interesting facts about the animals.
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
DE
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
wonderful experience
Our trip in Tansania was a wonderful experience,. Our toruguide godfrey and the driver alfa were a perfect team . Their service, their kindness , their knowledge, their attention were perfect. In every moment you was pampered and felt great. The driving days were long and tiring, but the both made them so smooth, so you forgot the effort. Thank you both.
The trip from south to north was very good, but can be improved. The day in the Udzunga mountains should better be a day in Ruaha N.P. The Lodge there was great. Ansd its necessary to have one day for chilling.
ES
Very good experience
John was very good at spotting all animals at that made our experience a very authentic one.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Almighty Kilimanjaro is simply the best!
To say this company was fantastic is an understatement. This was a well oiled machine that got everyone in my group to the top safe and sound. All of the guides and porters have wonderful attitudes and all of the food was delicious. Their top priority was safety and they excelled. I highly recommend this company to anyone that is contemplating or planning to summit Mount Kilimanjaro