If it could go wrong it did
I booked a 3 day safari to Masaii Mara with Sun Splash at the last minute since I would be in Kenya for work. When I arrived there had been 3 days of protest in Narok a town on the way to Masaii Mara. In the morning after a prompt pick up we were on our way, though I had been told it would be a full van there were only 3 of us. The driver was on the phone constantly. As we got closer to Narok there were many cars and lorries pulled off to the side of the road,. when the driver was questioned he was rather evasive. We went to the very "front" of the line to find the road blocked. Kenya Police eventually arrived and as they cleared the road of rocks and burning tires we moved forward. Unfortunately the road would then close behind us with more rocks and burning tires. We ended up in the middle with tear gas and police beating people with batons. It was dangerous and totally uncalled for. Since I had been in transit I had no idea what was going on. There were only 2 other safari vans in sight, the rest must have been much smarter than this company. We did not make our evening safari drive in the Park. Next morning we found out the walkie talkie that every safari van relies on to find the animals was broken and had been broken for 3 days. We spent the entire day driving aimlessly while the driver stopped every van he could find to question where were the animals. Last day the driver borrowed shillings from me to buy an herbal remedy from the Masaii prior to leaving the park. On the way out he stopped at a small store to get himself a soda and surprise! someone jumped in the van for a ride to the next town. Great way to make a few shillings for the driver but not OK. I have been on safari in Kenya in the past and this was the most unprofessional disappointing company I have ever used. When I got back to Nairobi I sent an email to the company. Their response was not their problem about the protest and while I certainly agree they were not responsible for the protest they certainly had hours of warnings prior to our arrival in Narok. No response about the broken radio, This company contracted with kairi tours so they are most likely responsible for the radio and driver. No response to the email I sent to them
RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Must choose another company
I had 4 days safary (lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro).
"Pole-pole" you'll heard all the time (means slowly). Did you thought you'll start at 8:30 just because they told it? No way, pole-pole, you'll have to wait till 10 o'clock. Do you think the way from Arusha to Lake Manyara just 1,5 hours? Pole-pole and akuna matata (means no problem) 4 hours way.
In Tanzania they calls cooker "Stomach engineer", but they got stomach user. First, it's really small size of food (1 egg for breakfast isn't enought for me), second they prepare everything with bouillon cube. Soup with bouillon cubes, rice with cubes, potato with cubes. Remember, cooker and driver will eat first, the rest for you. "I'm so hungry" told driver after I saw him eating meat (by the way, there was no meat for us).
Better pay 100$ for better company. You don't go to Tanzania every day.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Valentine, Please pay us back the money you owed us when you deserted us half way through our trip.
Please be a man and pay up the money you took from us.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
dodgiest tour operator ever, do not book under any circumstances!!!!!
We were in a group of 7 so my review is the same as the other you will see posted here. Do not book with this man, he will ruin your African Safari Experience. We booked with Image Travel in March 2014 for a 10 day Masai/Serengeti Safari commencing Sep 2014. Paid for the tour in full prior to arriving. Mwanje, the owner, was great to deal with when booking but it all went horribly wrong on arrival. Our driver wasn't paid and we were stranded on the side of the road for 3 hours on the first day. We missed our afternoon game drive and lunch. We went for the 5 star option so for our group we paid over $30k USD for the whole trip. Our first night of accommodation was paid for but after that the next 9 nights had not been paid. The deposit was paid but the remaining amounts were all outstanding. We ended up having to report the matter to police and found that over $20k of the trip had to be paid for again. Our once in a lifetime trip was turned into an absolute nightmare by Mwanje and Image Travel. Mwanje would not respond to our calls or emails. Take my advice and go with another company.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
David and Goliath Tours - Beware of the Thief !!!!
I have just returned from a Kilimanjaro Trek booked with David and Goliath Tours.
We booked with David's company after a local recommendation as we liked the idea of our money going straight into the local economy.
We asked David to arrange an 8 day trek (usually 7 days) to give us an extra day to acclimatise (an additional US$150 each for the extra day).
We agreed an itinerary and paid US$350 deposit each into David's Bank account.
4 days before the trek, David advised us that in addition to the cash balance, we also needed to bring just over US$400 each for tips for the mountain team.
I became suspicious and even more so when David wouldn't give us a receipt for the balance we paid to him in cash when we arrived.
However, the hotel was fine and we were picked up the next day for the start of our trip.
At the National Park entrance, David dropped us off and then disappeared completely.
There was also a shortfall of US$10 for the park fees which I had no option but to pay on my credit card.
And when we signed in, we had to sign in for 7 days which we were told was the standard trek duration.
I was even more suspicious.
The trek itself was fantastic.
The mountain team of 15 people were brilliant and we had a great time.
But we could never get an answer about the extra day.
We did however all reach the summit which we were really thrilled about.
On our descent, this is where our suspicions became reality.
We found out from the mountain team that the trek WAS for 7 days and when we complained, they said David would make everything right (would this explain why some of the team were on their mobile phones a lot ???).
We reached the exit gate where David met us.
We told him straight away that we were a day short.
He didn't explain.
Back at the hotel, we asked for a meeting with David and politely asked for a refund of the US$150 each for the extra day we didn't get.
This is where David changed.
He became very aggressive, told lie after lie (he said we had told the guides we wanted to come off the mountain a day early and he had only been notified the night before), and refused to give us our money back.
As he became more angry we realised we weren't going to get our refund.
We felt we had no option but to pay the mountain team their tips who had now been waiting almost 2 hours in the hotel reception.
David then came back and had the cheek to ask us for more money.
We sent him packing.
Although we had a great time on the Trek, I would not recommend David and Goliath tours to anyone thinking of using this company to book a holiday.
David is far from honest, he is not trustworthy and I believe that, if given the chance, would not hesitate to take money from tourists and not deliver what has been paid for.
In future, we will never use a local company for any type of holiday.
It has left us with a bad impression of Tanzania.
US
20-35 years of age
Stay away!
I signed up for a 6 day Marangu trek. When I was on the mountain the guide told me they had only planned for 5 days, because of which I had terrible altitude sickness and could not summit. I had signed up for 6 days because I knew the risks associated with a 5 day trek and I can not believe that they risked my life for their profit. Do not use this company at any cost and go for a more reputable operator.
Both George and the guide were unorganized. I never got a free stay at the hotel as the itinerary stated. There was no debrief before or after the trip and at every point they tried to get more money from me where they could. I would go as far as saying that this company is a total sham.
PL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible!
It was terrbile experience. I missed my flight from Nairobii to Kilimanjaro. I was trying to contact anybody from AfriGalaxy on hotlines (and sms and e-mail), but nobody answered (other turist did not have any problems with their companies). There was no contact with the company, only few days later they... asked me where I am. I paid a deposit, but they did not want to return it. Do not travel with AfriGalaxy!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Avoid this company at all costs
I recently did a 4-day Safari with World Tours and Safari in the Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater. It was a once in a lifetime experience that this company continually tried to sabotage. I booked three months in advance to go to Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorogoro. When I arrived in Arusha, the manager Richard changed my itinerary so I never made it to Tarangire. Then, he tried to cut my Safari short by one day so we could drive a separate party to the airport. When confronted after the trip with these complaints, Richard was rude to myself and my family. He never even addressed our concerns as we attempted to talk to him in a calm manner. I later found out he suspended the driver for our trip, who was by far the highlight of the trip and pleasure to be around.
If you are looking to book a safari, just avoid this company. There are plenty of great companies out there operating similar safaris that there is no need to deal with Richard and the hassle of World Tours and Safaris.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Terrible
On the fourth day, when we came away from the masi mara I saw that the driver did not come out of the gate by which we entered, he made a very long ride in the mountains, at least three times the way he should have done, we lost a lot of time .
In the middle of the road told us if we could come up with the wife, we said that was fine.
At one point it was stopped at a checkpoint of the tickets, gave our ticket to the ranger and the driver did not wait for the ranger give back the ticket, he left very quickly.
After about 20 minutes by road stopped in a village and came down from the bus.
While we waited Jackson arrived a ranger and when jacksone back talked a bit with him, then the ranger climbed on the bus with us and made us go back to the point of checking tickets. I asked what the problem was and the ranger said he had to ask questions to Jackson.
the driver came down and it was a long time talking in the office.
While we waited, the ranger came up to me and my wife and asked us how many game drive we did.
I said the truth, 5 game drive, the ranger was surprised and asked me to explain when we made them. I explained what days we did the 5 gamedrive, the ranger asked me how many nights we slept all'Ashnil and I put 3 nights.
At this point, Jackson has returned very angry and menacing tone told me that I had not done as he had said, to say only one day.
I understood that the problem was in the park tickets and I put that I have paid for 3 nights and that was his problem.
The driver is back with the ranger's office and after a while came back and we left.
We lost a lot of time, my wife and I were very scared and did not know what to do. We had lost all faith in Jackson and we wanted to come down and let us return to Nairobi by a taxi.
We decided to continue because the driver was calmer, he drove very fast to recover the lost time.
At Lake Nakuru did his wife get off the bus and arrived at the park after 17.00
It 'was a very bad experience, my wife and I have had a lot of fear and we have lost all faith. We lost a day of safari. We had to get to lake nakuru for lunch and we arrived in the evening before sunset. There you have cheated and deceived.
ES
35-50 years of age
Unprofessional & Liars
We booked a 10-day safari tour of the North including the main National Parks and a trekking from Empakai to Lake Natron. The very first day our rusty 4x4 had to be fixed. Ok. No problem. That happens. It was going to be fixed the same day. Next day we departed very late cause it had not been repaired. We arrive to campsite. Rain. Water seeped into our tents so our sleeping bags, mattresses got soaked... We complained and they were not changed until the 4th night!!! Meanwhile, more delays... We complained to the big boss (Mr. Nasoro - sorry if the spelling is wrong) for the delays. He'll do his best to solve it blah blah blah... Next day we arrive to Serengeti NP. Driver says he has not enough money to pay the entrance. Ok. Call your boss to solve it. He says that we have to pay ourselves. Same happen with Ngorongoro entrance. We spent more than 1 hour for the Boss to solve the problem. We paid. Later we found that it was intentional cause we have arranged with him that we will pay a little amount at the end of the trip. As you can imagine, that amount was exactly the money that we paid at Serengeti & Ngorongoro. So the thing is that we complain about the delays and the following days he creates a new problem that make us waste even more time. We were really furious. As for the trek, it was so badly organized that we had to pay to rescue part of their own stuff (cook, cooking material, etc...). We missed Lake Natron (the driver that had to pick us up to take us there was delayed..). We used some local guides for the trek. Really nice people. They were not getting paid by our staff. We almost had a fight so they got paid. They found the money to pay them miraculously. We did not trust them since we knew they were all liars. That last day, the Big Boss did not appear. He said he was in Dar. We complained about the money that we paid: the rescue of the staff, food expenses since cook and food were in the middle of nowhere... obviously he refused to pay us back. Not a single apologize. Later, the same staff, ashamed, told us that he was at home...
As you can see, we can't recommend this company. They made our trip a nightmare. Everyday there were delays and one lie after the other... And the way they treated the local guides was degrading.