NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Scam
We booked with them based on a friend’s recommendation. We booked for 6 days, and we booked a balloon ride. Upon arrival we discussed the planning. However on the balloon trip it was weird they said we had to go to the balloon center when we got in the Serengeti. And make an appointment. Serengeti was day 3. So we visited some parks and upon arrival at the Serengeti it was already weird. We had to wait 2 hours for cash. So we go in the park and ask our driver to go the balloon centers. He confessed that everything was booked months in advance. Okay fine, but then we expect the money back as they didn’t book it. So on our ride back to the airport we would meet the owner. He stalls it, making us wait an hour and almost missing our flight. He didn’t want to pay/didn’t have the money. So we were scammed out 1000 usd. Before flying out of Tanzania I emailed the firm for a compensation. After some pressure from my end they agreed to pay in installments. 4 installments of 250$. The first 2 went fine, the 3rd took 4 months and the last one I am still awaiting. For over 6 months. They said they could not pay the last installment due to cash shortage but that was 6 months ago. Since then they are not replying on emails.
So DO NOT BOOK ANYTHING WITH THIS FIRM. THEY SCAM YOU AND ARE PROBABLY BANKRUPT.
NO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We have not received refund after cancelling
We had to cancel our safari in August due to ill health. We are very disappointed to still be waiting for a refund request made in June 2019 for transfers between Nairobi to Masai Mara booked with Collins at the Operations and Reservations office for Airports & Beyond.
Collins was very quick and diligent in following up with us for full payment for the transfers of US$1070, which we immediately paid. However, when we requested a refund we were told we would not receive a 100% refund, but instead a refund of US$ 620.
After 20+ emails and calls we are still waiting for our refund. We either don’t receive replies to our emails or calls are not answered. When we do manage to get Collins on the phone, we receive the usual response that he is working on our refund, he is waiting for his boss for authorisation, or he will process the refund shortly.
In November the manager Ken claimed that Collins left the company, but Ken promised to process the refund. After numerous emails and calls where Ken repeatedly has stated that the refund is on its way we have still not received the money.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
CRIMINALS
This tour operator doesn't exist, it is a fraud for receiving deposit for fake safari.
They pretend to receive all the money many weeks before departures: fortunately I've sent just half of the price.
Their presentation by mail looks good and professional: don't believe it!
The day before starting safari nobody called or wrote me: I tried many times to contact them but nobody answers to the phone, the mobile is a fake number and their address doesn't exist.
Only two hours before departure they send an email saying sorry but safari was canclled because of the weather: I was yet in Tanzania and the weather was good, indeed I did safari with another tour operator.
Now they don't want to give me back my money.
Please pay attention.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Ken stole our money and is lying about it to other customers
My boyfriend and I booked a 4-day Gorilla and Chimpanzee safari with Ken that was supposed to take place from November 10 – 13. We paid $2608USD upfront for the pair of us for this tour. You can find my boyfriend review about the tour, and the fact that Ken did not provide the services nor a refund below. I am writing this review to warn other travelers that Ken is lying about the facts surrounding the review. We have been contacted by numerous other travelers who told us when they questions Ken about those reviews that he had some sort of excuse that showed it was our fault. We have heard that we actually booked a Congo gorilla tour instead of Uganda, and refused to go to Congo when we arrived. We have also heard it was something to do with ebola. This is a lie. You can see the attached image where we have in writing Ken stating what we were supposed to receive, and what we did not get. We also have a video confession from Ken we are happy to share. Since posting our review we have heard of dozens of other people who are dealing with similar issues with us. DO NOT BOOK WITH THEM! They also have another safari company called Hakuna Matata Safaris.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Ken stole our money
Hakuna Matata Safaris is run by the same people who run Congo Discovery Safaris. A quick look at their recent reviews makes it evident that this is not a company or group of people you want to trust. Below is my review on Congo Discovery Safaris. I can tell you that I have had already multiple people reach out to me asking about my review because when they asked Ken about it Ken made up some sort of excuse. Ken told someone that I wrote a bad review because I originally booked a Congo Gorilla trek and then demanded it be changed to Uganda when we arrived. I have also heard it didn't happen because of ebola. Both of these are lies. If anyone wants evidence I am happy to share both my WhatsApp chat history and also a video confession from Ken that states what he did not provide us, as well as the money he owes us. You can contact me through my review of Congo Discovery Tours on Google or TripAdvisor
My girlfriend and I booked a 4-day Gorilla and Chimpanzee safari with Ken that was supposed to take place from November 10 – 13. We paid $2608USD upfront for the pair of us for this tour. Ken failed to deliver all aspects of this tour. We were supposed to receive a refund in person in Kigali on November 13, but Ken showed up with no money. He then promised to refund us by November 20, but there was nothing. On November 27 we were supposed to get a full refund, instead we received a partial refund of $570CAD (we live in Canada), about $430USD, but we are still owed $2178. We were then told December 6 that we would receive the rest of the money, but nothing came.
When we first met Ken in Kigali we had some questions about a few recent negative reviews he had written about his businesses. He had excuses for every one, and how the client was wrong and trying to slander him. We gave him the benefit of the doubt, and we were wrong. Do not book with Ken or any of his tour companies.
He stole money from us, he has waisted countless hours of our time, and he does not take responsibility for any of it - it is always somebody else's fault. Reports regarding Ken and Congo Discovery Safari Company Limited (incorporated in Kampala on September 19, 2018) are being filled with both the Rwandan and Ugandan Tourism boards in hopes that other travelers do not have to endure what we had to endue in dealing with Ken and his company.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrible Experience
Completely un-organized, a scammer. We booked 11 days with him many months in advance, we paid beforehead but still when we got there nothing was ready for us. We paid for 2 cars but we had one. Everything was done very last minute. Do not use!!!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Stay away from this company!!!!!!!
We booked a 10 day trip in 9 friends in Botwana. The trip included a program and services that were not respected in the least. There had to be 2 jeeps, 2 guides, a panoramic flight, instead we had only one Jeep, a totally incompetent guide who has never been able to answer. We were forced to find alternative solutions at our expense to alleviate the inconvenience caused by the bad organization. We didn’t enjoy the trip because every day we had to face unexpected and bad surprises.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stole our money - do not book with Ken Rwema or Barack Nari
Congo Discovery Tours / Ken is a con artist - do NOT book a tour with them or send them money. He stole $3,000 from us.
On June 30th, 2019, we sent Ken $3,000 for two gorilla trekking permits. We were nervous sending so much money to a tour operator in Africa but given his reviews we thought we'd be fine. On July 2, Ken assured us the permits had been attained.
When we arrived in Rwanda on August 31st, Ken met us at our hotel and explained that his company had gone bankrupt, that he didn't have our permits, and that he could drive us to the National Park but we'd have to buy permits a second time. Having flown half way around the world we didn't have a choice. He drove us to the National Park and we paid the park $3,000 directly.
Ken promised he would pay us back within 10 days and when the park rangers heard what had happened they made Ken agree to a contract (attached). Of course, we were skeptical. More than 3 months have passed and, unsurprisingly, Ken has not paid us back.
He has an excuse for everything and a new story every day about why he needs just one more day. But ultimately, he is a con man. As per the reviews below, we aren't the first he's stolen from. Do not book a tour with Congo Discovery Tour or Hakuna Matata Safaris - or any tour group Ken Rwema or Barack Nari is involved in (passport attached below).
Since he's the king of excuses - I've attached screenshots to my tripadvisor review of our Whatsapp dialogue, his passport and the 'contract' the Park Rangers at the National Park wrote up when they heard what had happened.
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Horrible safari
The safari was ok but the service was really bad!
For one day we did not have breakfast after we woke up at 6 a.m.- and it was written in the schedual that we suppose to have a full breakfast!
We went for the safari with a broken car and we had 3 flat tire!
So we spent half of the day just trying to fix it! And the guide was so relaxing and "hakuna matata", he did not apologise for us and he worked very slowly.
So in the end we fixed one of the flat tires!
It was really bad experience. When I came back from the safari so the manager asked "how was the safari" and I said "that it was not good and I want to talk with you" he just said ok and than he just gone and I could not talk with him!
Hope for you to take other company!
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Simply a crook
Clarence Enrico Goastoeb appears as a crook. Simply. We even had to submit a criminal complaint to the Namibian Police and to the Tourist Officie, involving Diplomatic Authorities and discovering he has several other cases pending. We have booked a 11 days safari with some friends, all experienced travellers in Botzwana and Namibia. We have faced several serious problems since the beginning: to make a long story short different service (or no service at all) from what booked, total lack of comunication. The most serious experience was the following: We were abandoned in the middle of the Jungle and we had to find an emergency place to survive and to book a private plane to escape from that mess. For what we understood Mr. Enrico's policy seems to be simple: to play with the good faith of his suppliers and clients and, at the end, to try to not pay them/not give to them the service booked....keeping the clients'money in his pockets. Moreover Mr. Enrico uses as guides freelances in order to claim him unresponsable for them and vice-versa. Therefore sometimes the suppliers abandon him and his clients. In our experiences Mr. Enrico just ignored the problems hoping that the clients will find a solution by theirselves and they will not prosecute him for relative small money. All is organization and way of doing business is based on that "philosofy". Stay away from him.