US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beware of Mathew Adams & Tropical Vacations
In my opinion you should NOT use tropical Vacations! Our money was wired in full almost a month prior to our safari. We paid the director, Matthew Adams, $1630 in total for our lodge accommodation, safari drives, and flight to the Masai Mara from Nairobi Wilson Airport.
We got to Wilson airport at 14:15 to check in with Air Kenya. When we checked in the lady informed me that there was a problem with our ticket, and she sent us to the reservations office. When we went to the reservation office, we were informed that our tickets had not been paid for. An agent, Mary Anne, helped us to attempt to communicate with Matthew.
Matthew said that he was waiting on the refund from Sarova, and said that we just need to pay for our plane tickets, total of $644 for Casey Parker, and myself, Caroline Wallace. He said, and I quote, that he would "sort us out tomorrow". We told him that we could not do that, we can't afford that. We asked him to give Mary Anne his credit card number. This is when he began hanging up on us, talking in circles, and he never gave us an answer.
We had to pay for our plane tickets, which was an additional $580, that we had already paid for well in advance. I am exteremely dissapoointed in the service I have recieved. Matthew Adams said that he would sort us out the next day, well unforunately that day has come and gone. He has turned off his phones, and has been dodging our calls and e-mails.
I do not want this to happen to anyone else. Please do not use Tropical Vacations!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Scammers- AVOID
We booked a car through Bencias office in Nairobi with Kennedy. The car was to take us from Nairobi to Amboseli and then to Emhali for a first class bus to Mombasa.
The car showed up on time in Nairobi and the ride to Amboseli was fine. We had to pay the driver 4000 Ksh to stay in the area for four days and then take us to the bus.
The day the driver was to appear he never did. A call to Ken and another car showed up about two hours later. These guys were locals in Amboseli and drive us to Emhali where we were supposed to get on the "First Class Bus". Of course when we got there they immediately started in on us about how Ken had ripped us off, was not paying them and the bus would not stop in Emhali. We awaited about two hours for the bus all the while listening to them tell us over and over how there was no bus. It was getting late and rather than have to spend the night in a very small and very scary town we agreed to let them drive us to Mtito which was about 90 minutes away at a cost of 9000Ksh. There was a local bus in Mtitto that took us to Mombasa at a cost of 1000 Ksh even though we had already paid Ken 7000 Ksh for a "First Class bus". We had no choice so went. We later found out the same bus stopped in Emhali earlier while we were arguing with the drivers
When we got back to Nairobi we visited Ken at the office and demanded a refund. We went back and forth and he agreed to a partial refund. If you have been keeping up we spent 4000 Ksh to keep the driver around, 7000 Ksh for the bus tickets we didn't use, 9000 Ksh to go to a different town and 2000 for the bus tickets we did use a total of 22,000 Ksh. We got a refund of 7000 Ksh.
These guys are scammers. They seem very nice but in the end they don't deliver.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrible!
DO NOT BOOK WITH VALENTINE!!!! He took our money and abandoned us half way through our trip. We had to pay for our own meals/ hotel/ safari and transport after having paid him the whole amount before we even got there. I've asked him for the vouchers before we left USA and he said he has everything and not to worry since he will be with us the whole time. WRONG! It was an 18 day trip and he was with us for only 7 days. We drove with him in the nastiest SUV I've ever been for 4 days and the other 3 days on different cabs. He didn't deliver all the tours he promised and made us pay some of the meals saying he'll pay us back once the bank opens again. I'd say he's not to be trusted. I find him a deceitful and a horrible person. We haven't heard from him since we left Africa on June 23 2014.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bunch of liars and fraudsters in my opinion. Never trust them!
Simply fraudsters if you ask me. We organized a 3 days safari one month before the departure, but after we paid them half of the bill in advance, they totally disappeared. We tried to call them multiple times but they never answered; by email they continued to say that everything was fine, but they didn't tell us any further detail about the transfer, they didn't book any room in the lodge in which we were supposed to stay and, furthermore, no one actually showed up on the agreed day of the meeting. In the end, in my opinion they are liars and I would advise you to never trust them (even if they offer you a convenient package! ) unless you want to have your holiday completely ruined by them.
IN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Scamsters & Fraudsters are the best we can describe this company
We had booked a 6 day tours with them for about USD 2800 from the 21st to 26th of July 2014. They never showed up at the pickup point and refused to take our calls, we were left for hours trying desperately to contact them. When we finally booked into a hotel and checked their website, that was shut down too. We had to cut short our trip and head back home, which cost us big additionally too. This was our worst nightmare come true. In my opinion, these guys deserve to go to jail for a long time.
SE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fraud
DO NOT BOOK Via this agent. They are currently under investigation by Kenya Tourism Board for fraud. We have almost lost all funds paid to them for a recent safari trip. They took the deposit and only paid deposit to parts of lodges. They never booked airline and failed to pay the lodges the remainder of the balance due.
Just a few days before the departure, we were informed by Serena Hotel when they knew that the another group who would stay in Serena Hotel were stranded by e Safaris.
We would believe that e Safaris had planned the fraud intentionally.
See also another warning at Tripadvisor here,
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294207-d5984096-Reviews-E_Safaris_Day_Tours-Nairobi.html
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fraud - Under investigation
This company is currently under investigation for fraud. It has taken client money made initial bookings and then cancelled bookings once they have received full payment. The Kenyan Tourist Police have blocked their website. If you have any contact details (other than those on this website) for the company please contact The Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO).
IN
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mr Valentine Gumpo makes empty promises and I find him UNTRUSTWORTHY
Mr Valentine Gumpo had advertised for a 15 day Wildlife tour to Zambia from Lusaka from 11 to 25 Nov 2014,essentially to cover the Bat Migration at the Kasanka National Park--Lusaka--Upper Luangwa River -- South Luangwa River -- Victoria Falls from Livingstone -- end of tour at Lusaka.
He had offered a discount of 15% on payment of full tour fees ( USD 2800 ) , if paid 6 months in advance. A sum of USD 2380 was therefore remitted to him through my bankers in India , on 6 May 2014-this was duly acknowledged by him , though after my repeated persistence to do so.
My troubles started after he had received the money in his account. He has not given me, todate , the finalised itinerary together with the hotel/lodge reservations and a formal letter saying that I ( ABL Gupta ) have formally been booked for a tour with him-- this is the letter which is mandatory for me to get the visa from the Embassy of Zambia in India.
I am getting to be 79 and have travelled to various wildlife destinations in Africa 4 times in the past 10 years--my impression was that one could trust the tour Operators in Africa on their advertised word on the Net , as invariably I have dealt directly with them ( and not through a tour operator in India ).
I am of the belief that a Code of Honour exists in all such transactions -- but in the present case with Mr Valentine Gumpo, I feel , it is being belied.
I have requested him for a refund , but , on persistent prodding , he simply says that the tour is on.
I would be grateful if Safari Bookings could help me recover my money from him.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Safari without animals
Serengeti park was absolutely empty, during our two days.
When I asked to change area the guide told us to be patient and that animals would have come. But when and where?!
He also told us that moving trough other areas was too far, but we had to spend 6 hours per day into the park, so too far for what.
I am sorry but I spent 600USD for nothing.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Short on Cash
We used Jesse Mfoi with Naenda Safaris for our safari. Jesse did not have enough cash to get us through some Massai road blocks and getting us checked out of a hotel. The last couple of days I loaned Jesse $450 USD so our safari could move forward with the promise of repayment. Jesse ducked out on this promise when he left us at the airport. I was left stranded in the middle of my vacation with no cash.
Addendum to original review:
Jesse did wire $500 (extra $50 for fees) 10 days later to my account after I started warning people online about my issues. I consider the issue resolved.