US
Poor Communication and Follow up
We saved money for our South African vacation for over a year and a half and the part we were most looking forward to was our 2-day Safari in Pilanesberg. My husband even purchased a new camera for the game drives.
Shortly after we arrived at the Bakubung Lodge in Pilanesberg we were told by another guest that the evening game drive had been cancelled due to wildfires. The entire park had been closed for the first time in history. We were told that we would be informed of the status of our morning drive later that night. Had it not been for this individual we would not have been told of the cancellation- we did not hear anything from Go Safari.
We inquired on the status of the morning game drive several times that evening and nobody at the resort seemed to know anything. We went to bed disappointed but hopeful for a morning drive.
We awoke the next morning at 5AM to get ready just in case the drive was going to occur. We went to the lobby and, again, nobody had any information. Worse still....no word from Go Safari. After standing in the lobby for an hour exchanging awkward glances with the front desk staff we finally went back to the room assuming the drive was cancelled (we were literally the only guests standing in the lobby). Still...no word from Go Safari.
Our ride back to Joburg was not scheduled to pick us up until noon so we had 6 hours to sit there and do nothing. So, we sat on a bench outside and waiting for 6 hours to be picked up. As we sat there, we had hoped for word from Go Safari. Anything would have been nice. "We are sorry about the cancellations", "Would you like to try again another day?", "Can we provide a voucher for a future date?" But Go Safari did not reach out.
We understand that the wildfires were not anyone's fault and those things happen. We can tolerate disappointment. What we are upset about is the total lack of communication from Go Safari and the horrible customer service we have received.
We spent nearly $900USD on one night at a lodge with crappy food and poor service from the staff.
We had several more days to spend in Joburg and would have gladly paid for another driver to take us back after he park opened so we could even get one game drive in.
This was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime. Go Safari really messed this one up.
BR
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disappointing
Our car had an electric problem with the charger on the second day but the guide could drive it. On the third day of safari the guide left us at an information station at 10 am telling us that he would fix the car and disappeard for more than 4 hours, wasting our time and Safari. We were alone, not knowing what was happening and very scared. After asking for him to several other guides who were on site, we were able to locate our guide.
Then came the worst !!! We went in our car without repairing to the Lodge and soon to travel to the North Serengeti.
The guide drove like crazy, we saw several animals on the way, including a rhinoceros a few feet from our car, but he did not stop and said we would see lots of animals in Northern Serengeti in the following days !!! And got lost because he did not know the place !!! For five hours we were driving in circles and the guide didn't want to admit that he was lost. We arrived at the Lodge around 10:00 p.m. because we begged him to ask for information from a car from a local company that passed by our car, luckily ours. We have to remember that it is totally forbidden to do excursions or safari at night and we were very lucky to have seen the headlights of this car!
The next day, he didn't tell us that the car was broken and that we could not do the Safari. We communicated with the owner of Quest Horizon, who only then organized a new car and another guide. We missed the whole morning to go to Safari! The new guide only stayed with us that day and the other day another car was organized and a new guide arrived almost 2 hours late !! We lost almost 3 days of Safari and had lots of wear and stress.
The owner got us a flight to try to make up for so much lost time and we went to Lake Manyara which has practically no animal. It was the minimum that he could do!
We were very sad to lose so many days in such wonderful places in Central and North Serengeti.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The most leaders are asolutely unreliable + the company dont keep promises!Get hurt by a guide
- The wildlife was absolutely various and we saw a lot of things.
- The food was most of the time great
- The accommodation was always perfect
- And our first guide was nice
BUT then we get a new guide. Ok we didnt get him, because Dan never arrrived and we didnt get any information about this, even when the hotel called him a lot of times. So we couldnt do the boattrip. The next day, we get a new guide. He was so terrible and drove his car badly. We asked him four times to drive a lit slower and to watch the streets (not his phone). When we finished lunch, we had to wait for him, because he wanted to talk and wait for other drivers. The restaurant was empty then, all the groups left the restaurant before us, even that we were the first group who was arriving in the locals and had to wait after lunch a half our extra for him.
He had just a normal car, so that we get in stuck in the safari. After that he was so nervous, that when I started to get in, he started to drive. (With my open door) -> so I get hurt and was falling on the ground. He was not nice after this and didnt ask me how I feel.
After we had also an disappointment with the company and Dan. Our first guide promised us, that Dan will help us with our camera, which we lost at the airport. Yes but noone came. We told the company about this promise and they told us, they called Dan in this moment and he will come now. But Dan didnt know about anything and was not willing to come. We told the company but they dont care.
So when they hadnt change our guide, I would give 5 Stars, but after our first guide everything was bad..... And honestly, with every other company you will see the wildlife. Choose someone else!!!!!!!!
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Without a doubt the WORST tour operator ever
Ernest (the contact person) for Time 4 Afrika rarely, if ever answered his phone or responded to emails. Before arriving in Tanzania we were told that all hotel bookings and the itinerary were confirmed, yet upon arrival at our first hotel, no booking had been made. The next morning, we met with a sub-contracted tour operator of Time 4 Afrika who then explained to us that nothing in terms of hotel or itinerary had been booked. Consequently, we were not able to stay at any of the hotels are stated in the contract. Further, Ernest refused to forward payments to the safari tour operator in a timely manner. As such, we were LITERALLY kicked out of our Serengenti hotel one night, and had to spend the night in the park rangers office!! Ernest never came to meet us in either Arusha or Zanzibar, and still has yet to pay the hotel in Zanzibar!! On top of all of this, he has the audacity to ask for more money even though he has not honored a single term of the contract! I have been in contact with the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators, as well as other government departments to try to make sure that Ernest Mangela and Time 4 Afrika never operate another tour again! I advise you to PLEASE not use this tour operator under any circumstances.
NO
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fraud
I confirm what the latest reviews says, this is (or has at least lately become) a fraudulent tour operator. We paid a deposit to E Safaris a few months ago for a 20+ group safari in October. All e-mail addresses, website and phone numbers are closed, and apparently they are investigated by Kenya Tourism Board. Our money now appear to be lost, although I expect proper investigation to be done by Kenyan Tourism Authorities. I have reported/complained to KTB (Kenya Tourism Board) and KATO (The Kenya Board of Tour Operators), and I urge everyone else affected to do the same.
Fortunately E Safaris had at least reserved the rooms at Mara Serena Safari Lodge, and Serena has been very understanding and helpful and has in short time set up an new safari for us. And I would like to emphasise that the large majority of the Kenyan Tourism Industry are honest and hard working people who do their very best to give visitors a great holiday. That I can say from personal experience.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Infamous thieves in my opinion
I advise you to never, ever organize a safari with them! We paid in advance a part of the safari package, but they never showed up the day of the agreed meeting, leaving us in serious troubles. Just choose any other (licensed, they are not) safari tour operator!
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.