50-65 years of age
very unreliable company – payment Not Honored
A mob of scammers who send you bogus itineraries so when you pay invoice you turn up for flight or accommodation that do not exist. They never refund the money owing
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrible experience with Birchill Expeditions – we felt scammed and harassed!
Our two-day visit to Akagera National Park was extremely disappointing. Although the animals were seen on the game drive, the experience was not at all enjoyable. The canoe trip to Ihema Lake was not very exciting, and the animals had to be seen from a distance. The biggest problem was the misconduct of Birchill Expeditions—they forced us to pay extra money and harassed us in various ways throughout the trip. Their management was very poor, and the behavior of the guides was also immodest. Please do not book this company, or you may not get what you paid for.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They are broke…when you get cheated go KATO. They guarantee payment.
We loved the safari and driver on a Kenya safari that ended Jan 20. Natural World Safari’s is broke. We raised hell and got 7 days of our 11 paid…one day at a time. At the end we brought the Nairobi Tourist police and the operator was able to refund the last $4000 US by some shenanigans with a refund to our credit card. My guess is the best route for a refund of the safari cost (not your airfare and hassle) is through KATO, an organization that apparently guarantees operators nationally.
If you have the funds, my recommendation is you do the safari and pay yourself, as needed and then go to KATO.
If you haven’t booked with this company, I would advise don't.
IT
Caution When Booking – Unresolved Refund Issue
I had a disappointing experience with this operator. After booking a safari through Cate, the trip was canceled at the last minute, and I did not receive the promised refund. I have been waiting for a refund of $2,410 since August 2024, but despite my efforts, the issue remains unresolved.
I recommend that travelers exercise caution and verify all details before making any payments. I also noticed a similar complaint from another traveler in July 2024. I hope this matter is resolved soon, as transparency and trust are essential in the tourism industry.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely Disappointing Experience – Lack of Transparency and Poor Service
We felt fooled, tricked, lied and robbed by this company. It was an outrageous experince with disgrace. Our horrible story about the company ended up at consulates, police station, media. We seek for justice and conpensation for all the bad and massive inconvenience they caused us.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrible experience with this company
We paid Yotham for a safari. He paid another company who stole our money. Yotham paid us 1/5 the money owed to us and refuses to pay the rest.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Poor work ability and careless attitude
I had an unsatisfactory experience with this travel agency. The tour guide, Eric, did not meet our expectations, as he struggled to spot wildlife and seemed eager to end the safari early. Despite tipping $10 per person per day, he also requested additional tips for transportation.
The hotels arranged by the agency did not match the promised quality, with high room rates but average accommodations. We also had concerns about possible duplicate charges and requested invoices for clarification, but the agency did not provide them. Additionally, we were asked to pay a deposit to secure a room, but after payment, the hotel was changed, and the response from the agency felt dismissive.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Disappointing safari
Essentially we had a driver not a guide on our 6 day safari. Ben could not answer very basic questions. So our safari was very low information. By the end, our driver was barely talking to us. Tension bad on vacation.
The company also made changes without telling us in advance. And really did not plan or prepare well, though we booked 3+ weeks in advance. A disappointing trip which was quite pricey.
We travel all over the world. First time to experience such rudeness and unprofessionalism.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I do not recommend booking with then
I had a very disappointing experience with Dan and Denhum Holidays. My group and I paid over $35,000, but the services we were promised were not delivered, and we have not been able to recover our money. Despite this, the company continues to operate.
I strongly advise travelers to exercise caution and thoroughly research before booking with this company.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stole from us
We went on this tour with Ken and Barack in January. We sent them money for the Gorilla Deposits in advance and when we arrived they said the government had stolen our money. They story didn't add up, and they promised they would pay us back, but in the meantime we had to buy new permits. Having traveled so far, what else could we do?
In the end, they stole our deposit. I highly recommend finding a different operator with a longer history of reviews.
The gorilla trekking itself was incredible.
