EG
Does not fulfil promises
We believe we have been scammed. After being promised a full refund if we pay early, we did not get our full refund. Also, after being promised a reservation after payment, we checked with the hotel and no reservation was made.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Bait and switch
We are 3 weeks into a trip with Wayfairer. So far they have greatly disappointed us. We requested, had confirmed and paid for 5 star lodgings. The average price we paid is $3,500 per day. They have put us in primarily $200-300 a night hotels.
We have multiple times asked them to correct hotels. They have corrected 2 hotels after we pointed out the big discrepancy. They have done nothing proactively.
Today we are checking into a $200 a night hotel by the airport. We are staying over night in Johannesburg for no reason. Their lack of planning has us here needlessly. We are taking a shuttle to a distant hotel when there is a hotel at the airport.
I am with my pregnant wife and our two children. I could not even have imagined such a bad experience for our family.
We feel ripped off. They claim to be a luxury travel company and they demand full payment up front. Then they book you in cheap hotels.
We believe that we have been scammed. Be warned.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unprofessional
We were told we had to pay an additional $1600.00 per person once we arrived in Tanzania in order to get into the parks. Supposedly there was a change in government regulations the week before. We were told if we did not pay we would not be able to get into and out of the parks where we were on safari. The trip had just started so we paid as we were not going to turn around and go home.
Safari legacy (Pratik) promised us we would be refunded the money within a few days. None of us have received the refund and we are now having to fighty with our Credit Card companies to dispute the charges. Safari Legacy is fighting the claim saying we did go on safari so there should not be a charge. Pratik is now radio silent and obviously 3 months later has no intention of paying us back. Also the vehicles you will be traveling in on safari are very old and have no suspension. Very rough ride each and everyday.
Be careful of this company!
I would urge HIGH LEVEL of CAUTION interacting with the main point of contact, Erastus.
He was incredibly evasive when trying to get information regarding the tour from him, and did not provide any details of the itinerary at any point.
We had agreed to pay the remainder of the deposit at the start of our safari. However, within minutes of us arriving at our hotel the day before the safari, he sent someone to demand we pay the remainder of the deposit... very suspicious on how he would know where we were staying! As this information wasn't provided to him yet.
I had organised drop off at the airport with him for 40USD. On the last day, no one, whether that be Erastus or the driver told us how we would get to the airport. At one point, Erastus said we will get picked up by the clock tower in Arusha.... no one (including the driver) knew where the clock tower was. Eventually, a fellow traveler told us that we were getting dropped off at his hotel.
At this point, Erastus appears out of nowhere and says he will accompany us to the airport with the driver. Throughout this whole time, he was trying to intimidate us and eventually forced us to pay him 50USD for the trip.
I would highly recommend you consider another operator than mafie adventures.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nice safari, but the overall interaction with the company was terrible.
The safari was a great experience, however, the experience outside of that was horrendous. The tour operator that we dealt with was very inconsistent and unreliable, not keeping agreements that were made prior to travelling to Arusha. Following from that, there were certain shady behaviours that were displayed throughout the experience, such as never confirming transfers post-safari, demanding cash the night prior to the safari (rather than at the beginning of the safari - as agreed upon), intimidating us on the way to the airport, asking for a sum of cash for the transfer to the airport, even though it was agreed that this sum was apart of the lump value we paid prior to the safari. All these actions left a blight on what was a great safari, so if you can go with a better operator I would highly recommend that for a bit of peace of mind that it may go a bit smoother.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was not nice trip at all
The guides guy wasted time as much he could. He didn't pay attention to our question and
we didn't get a chance to find the male lion at the same day another car got this chance. We saw some animals from far destination coz of the bad coordinating with the others. He didn't make any effort to give us a nice tour . Finally he requested to get tip for the good job!!!
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Very Dishonest and Zero Empathy
This is a very dishonest business, under the guise of a professional one.
Background story : we booked a gorilla safari at the end of last year.
There were already some misunderstanding with "Alpha", our contact person, because of the way that the different hotel options were presented, which was confusing to say the least.
Due to a very serious family emergency, we had to cancel ten days before the beginning of the trip.
Having already paid a hefty deposit - 3,600 USD - we asked if at least part of it could be refunded.
We were told - several times! - that they would provide a refund of 800 USD by the third week of January...
It's now June and the refund is nowhere to be seen.
I am attaching a copy of most of my interactions with "Alpha", where he openly mentions that the refund will be processed.
We are hoping to go back to Rwanda next year. However, this will be most certainly not with Gecko Safaris.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Verry bad experience
This was my first time booking a safari from Focus In Africa but I didn't realize it would disappoint me so much. I have booked from many places before and they provided me very good service, their staff was very good. But the staff of Focus In Africa treated us very badly. When asked anything from them, they do not say anything, and behave excessively. I booked a 3 day safari. The first day was fine but the next two days made me even worse. Those who don't want to be scammed like me should not book Focus In Africa Safaris.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not honest
Marcus started off being honest until the USD came in to play. Beware.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do Not Use This Company!
In order to write this review, I had to put in a date of Travel, so I used May 2024, but July 2024 was the anticipated time of travel. But I have no tours booked with Honest Travel Experience for July 2024 at this time. That is because of the negative experiences I have had with them in the booking process. In short, I advance the money to book a day trip to Durban during my upcoming trip to South Africa. The trip was never booked, and I have yet to get my money back. This is despite several months of WhatsApp conversations with one of the owners of the company who is named Tye. He constantly makes promises to pay, and has yet to pay. We even had a date certain of April 19 when he was supposed to pay me and he let that day go by without payment. There was always an excuse for why the payment could not be made. Now he just ignores my WhatsApp messages, and I have yet to be paid. I have involved the South African, tourism government entity, and they have reached out to him as well, and he promised them that he would make the payment, but again has yet to pay me back. I have read many many mixed reviews on this company, and while some are good, this has been my experience with this company. So buyer beware. If you do book with this company, I would suggest doing it through a Travel site, with guaranteed free cancellation and refunds. Do not advance the money. They will just take it, and not book the trip that you planned, and leave you hanging. They will act like your friends, but they are not your friends. It is my belief that they are just out to take the money of unsuspecting tourists like myself. While my trip is still planned, this negative experience has definitely put a damper on it, and leads me to believe that no one in the South African tourism industry can be trusted. Also, beware of a former employee of theirs, whose name is Sean. He left the company under spurious circumstances, and now represents himself to be a tour guide under the name of Sky Travel and Tours. He also took my money upfront for tours and merchandise, and as basically disappeared on me. So if you see any advertisements for Tours by him or this so-called company, I would be extremely wary of that also. Good luck, fellow travelers…