35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beware. Possibly scamming your money
I contacted this company through this site. I am not sure even now if the company is real or a fake "brief case" operator that steals your money. When i contacted them through here their email address was different to what is now listed. It was ***@gmail.com, now i see the change im thinking they change it once they get bad reviews.
I contacted them a few months apart and was given a different price for the same tour each time, when i asked why the price difference for the same tour, was told prices had gone up but they would give me a discount to match the original quote. Originally my emails were answered by a Debby, who then put a formal name stamp on emails of Deborah Kanini. Eventually when i asked more questions the emails were simply signed, Regards. I asked at one stage who i was speaking to and the person replied Debrah, spelling her own name wrong !
I was given a bank account to make a deposit into and i said i was making a payment that week. Luckily i got held up and never got to bank to make payment because the day after i was meant to pay i received an email from them saying they had to close that account, please cancel deposit and make another payment into another account, they supplied a new account number. This sent alarm bells going, so i never made payment. When they worked out that i hadnt actually paid and didnt need to reverse any payment i was inundated with emails with many different reasons as to why they had to shut the account. Even got an email saying the money had gone through, please go ahead with planned tour, the rest of the money can be paid once you arrive in Kenya. Seem like a total scam company, their facebook page looks legit, but comments left are normally by "tourists" based in Africa. I have no idea why this happened, every now and again some of the reviews seem real, and they mention a Nancy, not the Deborah i seemed to strike. I did tours throughout Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa and never once saw a vehicle with either a Segein or a Serengeti adventure safari logo.
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible experience with no accountability - Never pay in advance
This is a perfect example of an operator who will not care about you, once the money is in his pocket. I booked a 3 day plan for Ngorongoro, manyara and Tarangire.
As part of the safari, my requirement was to take night shots and early morning shots at the crater rim of Ngorongoro crater. For which I was carrying a tripod and other equipment. I booked through Mercury and specifically asked them over email, whether there is night stay at the crater rim, to which he responded YES.
When I actually reached Arusha, I was told about some other contact person (apparently from a 'sister' company). The jeep i got in was a shared jeep & they told me there is no crater night stay and it is only for people who go INTO Serengeti. The contact person Mr Loy in Arusha just forced me to go saying that he will make sure he talks to the agency and gets this sorted. (i didn't really have a choice, given that i had already made half the payment in advance)
When i was in Tarangire on the first day, and trying to call / message, all i heard was Mr Loy in Arusha blaming Mr Ndamungu in Mercury and vice versa.
It was such a depressing situation for me as a tourist, that i finally gave up.
In case you decide to book with them, please be advised that even if they commit to something, it might not happen. And they will ask you to be "flexible"
RO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Scams
Well it seems that my experience with them was not that great, in fact it's still horrible. We booked with them the Kilimanjaro Trekking and Short Safari after that. Everything went just well until my boyfriend got diagnosed suddenly with pectoral angina and we were advised by the doctor to cancel the trip. So we did and more than one month in advance we contacted them to tell them the problem and if there is a way to get a refund of the money we already have paid. They said sure and no problem but they invoked the bank fees. So I suggested to pay the bank fees from our money and just send us the difference. After this they just stopped responding to phone calls, messages or e-mails. We can't reach them anymore even if we gave them an alternative and we agreed that we will pay the fees. They are just some african scams not trustable.
And Episode No #2:
They told me to post the medical documents on fb and safarbookings which of course I didn't do it because it's stupid and the documents are private. But I sent the documents to them by e-mail to prove that I'm not the one who lies in this story . The owner told me he will refund the money only if I erase the reviews on facebook and safaribookings which I did but more of curiosity to see how far can he go. Well what was already expected: since that (2 weeks ago) no sign from them again. So predictable I would say. It's not a big amount of money, maybe he feeds his family a week with that amount, honestly I don't even care. What I care about are the lies and the deep lack of respect. In conclusion I consider them scams not being able to assume a risk or facts not to mention to keep their word. I didn't go anywhere and neither I booked with someone else but how can you make understand someone who in fact has other interests?
BG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do not choose Global adventure safaris and do not trust to Edward Wilson Laiser
We have had a very bad experience with that company.
In Dec 2015 we contacted the company for a Machame route and 2 days safari for August 2016 and prepaid our safari tour based on their offer and invoice. In May 2016 we paid for another one person based on another invoice. So far, so good but the problems started in July 2016.
We informed Edward that one of the boys broke his leg and could not travel. It was 32days prior arrival and according to the company cancellation policy, he should give us 90% refund. Nevertheless he proposed 40% refund and said that they had changed their cancellation policy meanwhile. We have not received any refund yet.
In Aug 2016, 4 days prior our arrival in Tanzania, he informed us that we should pay an additional amount of 650USD and 250USD VAT, 900USD in total per person if we want to continue with our safari. His explanation was that we were included in a group with another 3 persons for the same tour package, for the same dates and they cancelled their trip the previous day.
During all that period we haven’t been informed that we were part of a group, what will be the price if the group collapse and what will be our options in that case. For me this provider offers safaris with misleading information with the purpose of fraud. The provider (if it is a real company) asked for an additional money in the last moment and rely on no chance of reaction from customer side.
After all our protests that he changed the initially approved condition in the last moment and that we didn’t know that we were part from a group, he promised to refund the full amount for 2 persons and 40% for the 3-rd person in 10-15 days. Now, 55 days later, we haven’t received anything.
Do not choose this fraud company, they will take your money and do not execute the promised safari.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Be careful! They tried to cheat us!
Our experience with Pega tours was terrible! We booked two safaris with them ( Hell's gate and Nakuru). We made the deal with Peter, and he charged us 50$ each for the driver and guide in Nakuru and another 50$ each for driving us to Hell's gate and hire a guide in there. The entrance fees and the bike rental were on us.
At Nakuru everything went all right , but when we arrived to Hell's gate they told us we had to pay for the guide. We called Peter and we explained him that we paid 100$ to him for the driving to Hell's gate but also for having a guide in there, and he just hung up the phone to us after saying the 100$ were just for the transportation. Even the guides from Hell's gate were shocked for what he was doing !!! Eventually, our driver, who was great, managed to talk to him and convince him to pay the guide, because we were already talking about coming back to Nakuru.
So my advice is: do not hire anything with them, or at least with Peter! He'll try to do the same!
Worst experience in Africa so far
We booked with Erick for a safari in the Masai Mara as Ugandan residents. First of all, the "guide" Isaac basically just functions as a driver without any explanations or insights about anything happening at the Mara.
Thinking that would be the worst of our problems, we arrive to Lake Nakuru for the last day with the surprise that for that specific park the fees for Ugandan residents don't apply and that we have to pay extra 60 USD if we want to visit the park. Of course Erick was not to be reached at this time (as probably he is working along the scam) and we were denied admission as we refused to pay the extra 120 USD, wasting our time and hard-earned money.
Erick and Tracks Berg Travel just excused themselves saying there was nothing to be done. This the worst experience I have had in Africa so far so I would recommend everyone to avoid Erick and Tracks Berg Travel if you want to avoid hidden charges and extra fees on the spot
HK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Stay away from this company. Still owed a refund
I travelled as a group of 4 and booked a trek and safari trip with Peter at Africa Flash McTours and paid in full before my vacation. He never showed up for the safari trip and I was left on my own to book another tour when I was in Africa. He promised to refund me my money (a couple thousand US dollars) and after 6 months, he still has not.
There has been mixed reviews on this company on safaribookings. Im sure Peter (who runs this company) has had some good tours in the past, but there are also many many poor reviews you need to be mindful of because they are in fact true. His company is NOT registered with the tourism board and he has a history of not showing up on time, changing itinerary and cheating people their money.
For the past 6 months he has continued to say he would send the refund that he owes my group. Every week he fails to do so. He has stolen over $2000 USD from my group.
Do NOT risk your vacation with this company. Do NOT put your trust in Peter. There are so many other safari tour companies you can go with.
TR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disaster !
We went to Amboseli and Masai Mara between 11-18 Septembre with Visit Mount Kenya Tours.
This was a terrible experience especially in Masai Mara as
- The company's minivan broke down on the first day as it was a very old and neglected car. They took us to Safari with a normal car where naturally it was impossible to enjoy savannah . The next day we refused to be in that car and we discussed with the driver and hardly found a land cruiser
- The driver (he told his name is Justus) never came to hotel to pick us up at agreed hours for the morning and afternoon safaris , he was always late 1-2 hours. The hotel management told us later that he was drunk on the first day he took us to the hotel
- Although we bought the tour by agreeing that we will stay in Sopa Lodges, the driver in Masai Mara tried to place us in a different hotel saying that Sopa Lodges is full , we discussed with him, He talked on the phone with company owner/manager Rufus then they accepted to take us to Sopa Lodge which was already what we agreed upon. If we did not object hardly, we would miss the opportunity of staying in a really very good hotel ( Sopa Lodge). The driver told us he would place us in a sister hotel !!?? of Sopa Lodge
- The last day in Masai Mara, the driver did not show up at all, we stayed in the hotel, we missed 2 safaris
- The last day when we were leaving the hotel, the hotel did not let us leave because Rufus (owner/manager of visit mount kenya) did not pay to hotel the money we had paid him a couple of weeks before our visit. so we argued with hotel management and they accepted that it was a problem between them and visit mount Kenya , and we left with another car hotel management found for us. We did not return to Nairobi with that driver of visit mount Kenya.
I wont write everything we experienced but my recommendation is that never use this agency!! We will make our officials complaints too.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do not use this company!
Our expectations were significantly higher due to the higher price and reviews. WE had a lot of problems:
1. Our pickup from our apartment was late and nobody contacted us. Instead, our emergency contacts were used, causing extreme distress when our family couldn't contact us in the park.
2. We were very disappointed that the tour was described as an open safari and we had a closed van that limited our views and ability to take photos.
3. To add to this, our van broke down in the beginning of the tour and we had to wait for 1.5 hours to have it fixed. The cars for the safari should be in good working order.
4. We paid for 2 cabins and were surprised to learn when we were checking in that we had only one. Because of this, our guide was kind enough and gave us his room, meaning he had to leave us by ourselves in the campsite. When we returned from the night safari our guide had left and we didnt have keys to our rooms or knew which rooms were ours. The keys were supposed to be left at reception but when we arrived it was closed and nobody knew what rooms were ours or who had our keys. After about 30 minutes of uncertainty, the guard was able to provide us keys to our rooms. We were exhausted and really did not want to have to go through this.
5. The next day we had a 5:20am pickup time that couldnt happen because our guide had not slept in the campsite and could not get into the park, of course no one told this to us, we were awake since 4:30am. We had woken up at 4:30am and were not picked up until 7:00am. Our emergency contacts were once again called in the middle of the night (6hrs time difference) causing a big worry to our parents again, as they thought something wrong had happened. We believe that we also missed the opportunity to see the sunrise and the animals waking up. We were the only ones left in the campsite by the time our guide arrived.
We we filed a claim and asked for a partial refund due to all our troubles, the company answered stating that they believed they had provided amazing service.
We do not recommend this company at all.
GR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The worst safari company.
Do not travel with unison. The owner was blackmailing us in the middle of the trip. He was asking for more money althought we payed everything in advance. At the end he abandoned us in the middle of serengeti park. The driver of the car was rude. We were scared about our lifes. The newspaper Guardian had our story in the front page on 27 august 2016. The owner ended up in jail for a few days. The owner offers good prices and then he asks for more money. It better to travel with ANY other company.