20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
She (Keisha) was a good person though later things didn't go to our expectations.
Sentas tours and travel is good and glad that we traveled with them. But later we were asked to make more money transfers because the initial money hadn't reflected on their account and they promised us a refund when it finally reflects. After they received the initial payments, it was so hard for them to make the refund as it was supposed to be done, giving alot of reasons 😔😔. We feel cheated and scammed.
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
horrible experience with this company
I will detail here a lot of our horrible experience with this company but first of all do not book a safari trip from them they are not professional at all. Christian, who is the owner of the company we closed with, decided to do an experiment on us and group several people in one jeep from 3 other agencies, one of us even came only for one day on safari. And we booked a two-day trip. It started when at the entrance to the park we had to wait half an hour because he didn't pay for one of us to enter the park and after we entered around 12 noon we found out that they didn't take care of us for water. We realized that Christian doesn't know the "guide" at all after he promised that we would have someone professional who knows English and will give us information inside the park. A complete lie. He only brought us a driver who also drove like crazy (70 km/h inside the safari). When we were hungry, we opened the lunch boxes and discovered that Christian brought us meat after we asked for vegetarian food. So we were both hungry and thirsty. And the thing that broke us all and every traveler's nightmare came true. The jeep got stuck in the Safari, the clutch broke. Every time we had to help the jeep (to take pictures) the vehicle turned off and someone had to push us from behind. Needless to say, it was the worst experience of my life. We were only on safari for about two hours and we went to the garage to fix the jeep. When we met Christian he said sorry and did not take responsibility for anything. We asked for a refund and our requests were completely ignored. I would suggest you do yourself a favor and stay away from this company and Christian because everything he promised us was a lie.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Either the reviews are fake or I was the one very unlucky customer.
The 7 days Serengeti/Wildebeest migration/Ngorongoro crater/Foot of Kilimanjaro trip that never was.
It turned out to be a 5 day safari with game drives only, so I am short of 2 days of activities. During that time no communication from the company.
No accommodation was booked for me while in the Serengeti so it was 3 days of genuine stress wondering where I would sleep. The driver tried many times to be in contact with the company to no avail. I couldn’t join another group that actually wanted to see the famous crossing as I could not have bore the cost and could not be in contact with Ngekewa safaris anyway.
After initially denying any wrong doing on their part and being told I would have to pay for accommodation myself in the park, I was finally contacted one day after being dumped at a hotel in Arusha as my final destination. I had to arrange and pay for an extra night as my trip ended abruptly and before planned.
By the last communication, compensation was going to be offered but apparently only if we met in person. Which I find strange and couldn’t happen since I was not around. Now which compensation? I will never know. A refund? I doubt that. A voucher? …will I ever use them again? Nope.
Since then, not a peep. And zero communication from the company’s director either.
I am not going on a campaign against them and you can decide for yourself but as far as I am concerned, I have wasted a month’s salary, never saw what I paid for and did a very expensive bunch of game drives I could have paid for a fraction of the price in the neighbouring countries. A once in a lifetime experience they have totally ruined for me.
So maybe I was super unlucky but I certainly cannot recommend them.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Luxury Camp Became Ordinary Camp
Our contract says we stay in Matawi Serengeti Camp in Serengeti, however, when our driver took us to this hotel, the hotel manager said we did not book it. After 3 hours contacting the travel agency, we had to move to Kenzan Tented Camp at 9 p.m., which was horrible sitting in a car in a dark wilderness for an hour. Matawi Serengeti Camp is a very luxury camp, but Kenzan Tented Camp is just a 3-star camp. However, the travel agency said these hotels were the same and refused to compensate even if I showed the rating of the hotels.
Moreover, our car's brakes did not work and we hit a cow. Luckily we did not hurt, but we did not know about the cow because the driver did not stop.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The worst customer service and tour planers !!!
I have traveled more than 70 countries and I can confirm that this is one of the worst tour companies. We were in touch with someone named Rose and I believe she’s the MD of the company, she just doesn’t know how to plan the itinerary neither has the basic manners and work ethics.
I would still say our whole trip was good because of the drivers(guides), friendly people in Kenya and we felt safe in this country.
I traveled with my wife and 2 kids(5yrs and 3yrs old) and I had chosen 5-6days private safari in Kenya.
Everyday we had to ask for our lunch(except the two days when we had whole day game drive- the lunch was packed and taken from the camp) and was served after 3.30pm, due to the poor plan of the itinerary.
The first day they were supposed to pick us up by 9am and we had to wait an hour and finally they arrived by 10am to pick us up. Of course I didn’t say anything as these things happen. There were 3 ladies with the driver cum guide and they sounded really nice however the safari jeep was an old one and not so clean. I still didn’t say anything as I believe the condition of the jeep is what matters and I was also in a mindset that the safari jeeps in Kenya are like this! I paid them 4310USD for two adults and they had already told us that the kids won’t be charged in the private safari. The trip started off really well however we had to wait for more than an hour to enter Amboseli National Park. There was some serious confusion going on with the entrance ticket(first the driver asked me to pay as his card doesn’t work and then he said the ticket is with another driver etc). And the worst part is there’s no air conditioner in the jeep and we can’t leave the windows open due to the local vendors surrounding the jeep. Finally around an hour later we entered the park. By now we realised the jeep windows are mostly jammed with no clear vision(due to them being old), the roof top which is kept open for the game drive kept collapsing every now and then(I was fixing the collapsing bar so that it doesn’t fall on anyone’s head) and I could see on the road that the other safari jeeps were all new except ours. We came to know that Safariline defender is a small company with just 3-4 vehicles and they mostly hire 3rd party drivers who come with the rental vehicles. Well this has nothing to do with us as long as we get a good service. On the third day when this rooftop collapsed on my hand(no injuries or swelling as me and my wife quickly supported it) I decided to message Rose to do something about the vehicle. She agreed to send another jeep on the 4th day evening, before entering Masaimara, by then most of our long drives were finished. By the way in this 4 days the jeep had been to the workshop twice, once with us on board near a town in Amboseli and second time luckily after we were dropped in the hotel in Nakuru. The driver himself told us that after us he has another 2days trip and then this jeep has to go for a complete revamp.
We were still happy that we got a new jeep on the 4th day evening and another great driver cum guide.
On the way from Amboseli to Nakuru we were stuck in traffic for more than 30 minutes and the driver said he’s not allowed to use the expressway. It was just over 30 minutes so I didn’t say anything moreover I was tired of complaining!
Now with the new jeep and driver our trip was going well. On the last day on the way from Masaimara to Nairobi we were stuck in city traffic for more than an hour and this driver said the same thing that he’s not allowed to use the express way. When I saw other safari jeeps going through the express way I messaged Rose again and her reply was “yes I’ve not authorised the driver to use the express way“. The fact is they can’t take the monthly/yearly express entry pass as most of their vehicles are from 3rd party however even the one way pass is just a few dollars and they don’t even want to spend it. There was never any apology from her which was fine but now she was being rude in her messages. She even mentioned that she gave free for our 5yr old child and the fact is none of the private safari charges for kids of this age. By the way I have never asked her to give anything for free. These things were clear from the beginning. When my wife called her and was trying to explain she just hung up the phone!
I think they are afraid if we ask for monetary compensation so they are not open to feedback. But that was never my intention, there are many European tour companies however I specifically booked with a local company so the whole money goes to Kenya.
Extremely unprofessional behaviour, no respect for customer’s time and money.
I have all the proof such as photos and invoices of the facts I have mentioned above including the rude messages on WhatsApp. I’ll definitely raise a complaint in Kenya tourism website. Probably when they get a few complaints they will cancel the licence or at least a warning will be given.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A scandal
Does not realize half of the time of mokoro, 1L of water for 2 for a full day, you had to feed the guide and give him water and will not even say thank you
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Daniel worst rude, big liar
Worst and terrible experience. Daniel big liar. Do not stick with itenery. He told me that he will give professional guide but he lied to me. These people over charge and asking money for fuel. Most of the time no response. They did not pick me up and I was stuck in the middle of nowhere in mid night.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unreliable
I was not picked up at the Nairobi Airport as promised. They did not have me stay in proper lodgings as promised.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kevin is A con man,a liar and a thief
Kevin you should stop lying to people,return our money . Since you lied that you have canceled out Dubai visa which you never applied at all till now,no picking calls,no replies no communication. Have been begging for my own money till now. 32k is not small money you are joking with.
Till you refund my money,I will be here every day to update about your unprofessional behavior of lying and conning people. I demand that you refund my money immediately.
I would not recommend trying this agent, I feel I have been scammed,he has no legit locations,he acts nice before payment,once you pay..he will behave like a round about. No picking calls,he will claim to be travelling all day,he will be busy and far from his laptop if you ask for any evidence of your application.
I wish I could attach messages of evidence.
My advice is that you avoid him!!!!😭😭😭😭😭
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Worst , liar and asking money for fuel
I had worst and terrible experience with Mashack tour operator and guide. He is the liar and not trustworthy. He did not pick up at the airport and I was stuck in the middle of night outside of airport. He switch off his phone. They invite new clients to join groups to earn more money. Unnecessary drop off and pick up new clients waste time which impact a lot in game drive. They lied and asking money for fuel. I advise not to go with Mashack tour operator.