RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
WARNING: do not book a safari with this company!!
They are at best utterly incompetent and at worst a criminal organization! I agreed a safari tour with them for January and paid a $200 deposit into their account. After 2 weeks they informed me this money had not gone through and I should send it through a different link. I found this a little strange and asked for a reason why the original payment didn't work. I heard nothing back from them and since the money was back in my account I ended up booking with another company. Then having heard nothing for a month this dodgy 'representative' turned up the day before my safari asking when we would like to be picked up!!!Face to face he was apologetic and said not to worry and he understood. However once back home I found that somehow this money had been withdraws from my account without my permission.The representative has lied and been elusive since I found this out. I have all the email documentation that proves this and My bank confirmed it was an illegal transaction.However I suggest anyone steers clear of this company. There are many fantastic safari groups in Kenya but this is not the one! Keep away if you don't want to be cheated!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
....Refund done on 25th January 2018
..I had written a complain on a tour we booked with Day safari, we paid deposit and were never booked. The refund was sent back after a long wait and followup.
I would not book anything else with Day Safari, But the decision to book Safari with them depends ON YOU.Good Luck.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Based in Nairobi - so operates well within Kenya. SOL If you are planning to use them outside.
Where do I start? Here you go!
1. A/C did not work on any of the vehicles outside Kenya. Driver had windows lowered and with the muddy roads, there was dust everywhere.
2. One of the drivers (Charles) stole one of our smartphones and lied to us when we asked about it. Later we found that there was a social media account attempted to be opened under his name with this number.
3. We made the mistake of adding an unplanned point (Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwean side) to the trip. They not only charged us exorbitantly, but also charged us for services not rendered, and refuse refund the excess charge.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dishonest,Disorganized,Ripoff,Old Worn Out Tour Van .
Avoid SILVESTER at all costs . He is supposedly the SENIOR TOUR CONSULTANT at one of their Nairobi branches .He does not reply emails ,texts and when i confronted him he said he didn't receive any emails . Luckily we got a different Consultant Terry who booked us our safari to MasaiMara and Mombasa .Bonfire didn't honor the price quotes they had stated earlier and their reason was the prices have changed .The price quotes on their website are wrong . Hotel transfers from train station in Mombasa was a disaster .Anyway Terry did her best and she was warm and welcoming . Martin was our driver and tour guide . He was excellent in everyway . Its sad he works for such a disorganized company.Avoid this tour company if you want to enjoy your vacation .May be pay a little more elsewhere for your own comfort and peace of mind. SHAME ON YOU BONFIRE!
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nice but expensive to what we get
We paid a lot of money to this trip (around 4000$ for 2 people) and we got simple meals (especially breakfast) and sleeping in tents compared to other organized tours that you can sleep in lodges with better meals for almost the same cost.
we also had an issue with one operator in Serengeti that took us on a safari. the communication there was bad and even rude with the guides/drivers. they also asked to pay high tip at the end which was our choice whether we wanted to pay or no
In overall we enjoyed the trip with the company but we believe it can be much cheaper for getting such outdoor conditions
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Still owe us over £1200 over a year in and you don't think this is robbery?
Dreadful. See previous entries. Shocking admin, shocking ability to follow up complaints and still owe us over £1200. Admitted at start of December that they HAD had the money we sent in December 2016. Over a month later from their admission they have still to repay it. So they have now had our money for over a year... Am now looking at contacting police as cannot see any other way to get the money back. Let alone any thought of an apology, compensation for lost interest etc. Such a beautiful country and with many great people Unfortunately this is not a company to trust at all.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A bad organitzacion tour
It was a bad experience.
Every day they come to pick up late, the excursions were different that we read on the tour information. The last day they don't pick up us to take to the airport, we've got to take a taxi after waiting and calling them for more than 30 minutes.
The guides were so kindly and good, but the organitzacion was very bad.
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Do not book this company
We have booked Kenya/Tansania holidays with Absolute Holidays Safaris - a Kenya company. For the Tansania part SandLand Tours was responsible - the partner company of Absolute Holidays Safaris. Here a list of all issue we had with this company or to be more precise with Abraham, the head of this company:
1. We paid 2 day safari in the Ngorongoro creater. Abraham told us only one day is paid and we have to pay again 300$ if we want to go a second time. After we were back in Kenya, Absolute Holiday Safari confirmed that we have paid for two days and gave us back the 300$. Abraham lied as he told us he has checked with Absolute Holidays Safari and the second day was not paid.
2. we asked for a birthday cake as one of the group had his birthday. he wanted to have 40$ dollars for a small cake. we did not paid anything at the end as this was clearly a scam.
3. we paid for a nice lodge to have one day rest, on the day heading to the lodge we were informed that we will stay in another lodge, which was cheaper than the one we have chosen and paid for.
4. Camp sites were changed in last minute to save money as well.
5. the car we had in Tansania was not in service for years.
6. the tents were leaking
7. we had upgrade to bed and beddings, but just got tents and matrasses
I really recommend to not do any holidays with them. if you have booked via Kenya company, do not accepted any deviations from the plan in Tansania you have arranged with the Kenya company. Abraham (SandLand Tours) will try to save money whereever possible and even assert that not everything was paid in advance and the client has to pay again.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
DO NOT EVER USE THESE - THEY ARE FRAUDSTERS - YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR SAFARI HOLIDAY
They will happily take your money and then leave you with nothing!
Once they have your money you will not hear from them - they won’t respond to any calls, emails or messages.
They are known fraudsters in Kenya.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Scam Alert. Francis Otieno (Holgger) is a 1 person tour company with a fake website. He scammed me!
We just concluded a wonderful 7 days in Kenya. Its a beautiful country with amazing wild life - but I want to raise a scam alert in case you run into the same tour operator/rental agency. We chose to rent a 4x4 with driver in Nairobi to have a 6 day Safari to the Masaai Mara and Naivasha before returning to Nairobi and flying back to the USA. I worked via email and phone to book a Toyoto Land Cruiser from a guy named Francis Otieno (Holgger) from "Adventure Dragon Safaris". I later find out that "Holgger" (a 1 employee owner) also shows up in Trip Advisor as @holggeropondo faking to be a traveler!
But I took a look at the website below, and since there were no alerts I went ahead with the booking.
Here's what happened:
- Francis (Holgger) was proactive and (overly) friendly via email and whatsapp phone convincing me he was legitimate.
- He requested a 25% advance payment for the rental of a 4x4 on booking via PayPal (that I paid)
- When I landed in Nairobi, at the time of getting the 4x4 he revised his price and requested an extra day of payment AND also requested a $150 "insurance deposit" that he said he will pay me back on return of 4x4
- Being in a new country, I trusted him and paid up BOTH incremental $ requests.
When I finished the Safari, he conned me from paying back the $150 deposit. (He kept telling me that he had initiated deposit return via Pay Pal, but he was lying). He also lied about the 4x4 being a newer vehicle with AC. Infact, I later find out he doesnt even own any of the vehicles on his web site - that he rents the car and driver from a different company/3rd parties, fronting himself via a fake website.
Please BE AWARE.
I have benefitted so much from Trip Advisor that I feel obligated to inform my fellow travelers so you can be carful. Like I said, 99.9% of Kenyan are GREAT people - and I tried not to let this one bad seed spoil my wonderful vacation! I am also reaching out to the Kenyan travel association authorities to let them know so they can take appropriate action again Adventure Dragon Safaris and Francis Otieno (Holgger).
Good luck and Happy Safari'ing!