CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Be Careful with this tour operator
First of all Tanzania is a wonderful country, the people are great, and the animals are amazing.
About the tour operator. It appears that the owner Alpha made this great website offering tours but that's about as far as it goes. Alpha lives in Australia, not Tanzania, and wasn't there for the tour...
The motorcycles are old Honda 250's, the bike I was given was a 1991, twenty seven (27) years old. No horn, no speedo, but to Honda's credit the bike ran fine with only one break down in 7 days. When you're riding a motorcycle you need a horn, its dangerous not to have one. I complained, they fixed it but it stopped working a day later. The other bikes didn't appear to have horns either...
When we arrived Alpha was not there. We were met by his "associate" who picked us up at the airport and then dropped us off at the hotel saying someone would meet us there in the morning. The next morning we met Kalifa and David. There wasn't really any instruction or pre trip discussions about roads, hazards, hand signals, what to be careful of etc just hop on an go (David the lead rider, didn't speak english).
In retrospect the disaster that happened on the second day might have been avoided if the operators had talked a bit about the trip prior to setting off.
What happened is one of our party drove over a small road bump, wasn't paying attention and crashed at a low speed. He fell on his ankle and broke it, a freak accident but it ruined his trip. I know it was his fault but I think the operators should have emphasized to watch out for these sort of things. At least two other times we came over a rises in the road to find that the road was washed out. Numerous times there could have been horrible crashes. There was no warning from the lead rider David...
On that note, If you get hurt in this country you have a real problem. Seeing what happened to my friend with a broken leg opened our eyes to the level of medical attention in this area. In this area the hospitals are basically just clinics with limited resources.
If you are seriously hurt they have to get you on a plane to fly you out. Getting that plane can take hours... If you suffer an internal injury you could die waiting for medical attention. Subsequently you'd think that the operators would display a high level of safety... nope. If you take this tour make sure you bring pain pills in case you are hurt otherwise you will suffer as there is no pharmacy close by. (Tanzania for the most part is a third world county).
Having ridden motorcycles and dirt bikes (I'm 60 years old) for many years my understanding is the tour operator riding out front ( the lead rider) is responsible for leading the way and pointing out hazards to the clients. There was none of this.
Also the front rider tour operator constantly placed himself in front of me so that I was constantly covered with his dust. I complained twice but he just keep riding there, when I tried to pass he just accelerated. Finally I got him to back off and stop spraying me with his dust but I ended up with an eye and nose infection from the constant dust at the end of the trip.
We had 7 days riding and then got into a truck for a safari through the Serengeti. When we got to the park gates, the guy driving the truck (who had been subcontracted from Alpha) didn't have the money for the entrance fee, nor did the credit card that was given to him work. I had to pay the 475 dollar US fee.
They promised to pay me back when we got to town at the end of the trip, didn't happen. They promised to email me the payment by the end of the week, didn't happen. As of 7 weeks after the tour Alpha is paying me about 100 dollars every 2 weeks, and I am still owned a couple hundred dollars at this point. Having paid Alpha $4,800 US Dollars for this trip this is unacceptable.
I understand how things can happen, but when you make a mistake you should fix it and act responsibly. If I didn't harass this operator I don't believe he would have ever paid me anything.
The drivers, Mohammed, Kalifa and David were all nice, professional but I think they could use some feed back from the owner who is just absent. They should make the effort to stop every once in a while to explain to clients about the area and points of interest. I think these 3 guys did an ok job but the owner should give them more instruction, or the owner should be there...
Use caution with this operator
PT
No value for money
The experience was not good. We did 4 days ( Maasai and Nakuru)
The driver was not kind. He didn't listen to our requests. First day we wanted to go for a game drive and he wanted to rest, we were waiting for him. we were always the first car returning to the hotel.
He have few information about the animals and landscape and everytime we did a question he answered with sarcasm ( sometimes he even don't answer)
Finally, we drive 7 hours to Nakuru to do 1 hour game drive on the first day and on he second day again only one hour. We arrived very early in nairobi just for nothing.
Definitely it was not a good experience
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't book with this company, you'll be desappointed
We booked a group tour and paid for it a couple of months in advance. We aggreed with Tony on a particular itinerary that we carefuly planned out, including 4 safari NP, a walking safari, two tracks and a list of specific lodges we wanted.
When we started the tour it slowly became obvious that we were taken on one of the regular itineraries instead of the one we agreed on. Every day we had to argue about the schedule and make Tony change our route. After one such argument we got our walking safary, only to be taken to literaly a sheep-shit full field nowhere near the reservation. It took some more arguing and nerves for us to be taken on a "real" walking safari. Needless to say that most of the lodges were not the ones aggreed upon in advance, though it being the off season I have to say the lodges we stayed in were more or less on the same level. Still frustrating. Our driver guide was more of a driver than a guide, most of the time just driving us around in quiet. To top it all, the jeep was old and in horrific condition. The ceiling leeked water throughout the tour and we had no less than 6 flat tiers, the last 2 happening in the midst of the Serengeti NP with no spares and no cellphone connection. Luckily we were picked up by another tour group, but than spent the entire day at the hotel waiting for our driver guide to fix the car. No need to tell you how expencive a safari day is and how annoying it is to miss one like that. Got to say Tony paid us back half the price for the day, still waiting on the other half.
In short, very frustraiting. All that we agreed on in advance was completely meaningless as far as Tony was concerned. Don't book a tour with him.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unsasisfied client
I had booked and paid for accommodation in the Kruger Park at Bergendal through Afritrip Kruger.Com.On our arrival at Malelane Gate after travelling for 5 hours we were told that accommodation had been cancelled as they had not received payment from Afritrip. You can imagine our disbelief. On phoning the company in Cape Town they found accommodation outside the Kruger Park which was not what we wanted but had no choice and another 2.5 hours drive.Lucky for us we knew where we were going,but you can imagine the horror of foreigners who would be expecting to stay in the Kruger Park.On returning home I sent them emails and phoned the company and to date 11/05/17 have received no response.No letter of apology or anything,just completely ignored.I will never recommend booking through them
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Less than expected for a custom tour
Communications with the agency were prompt and polite and included the attractions I wanted to see but I paid for a custom tour (I was the only client), expecting a great guide to tell me all about the land, flora, fauna and people along the way of my 5 day trip. My "guide" was a driver, not a guide and on long stretches of driving (some up to 8-9 hours), he did not engage me unless I kept asking specific questions. They didn't have wildlife or bird guide books in my vehicle to help me make sense of what I was seeing. I also had issues with the rude guide they handed me off to in Bwindi to see the Batwa people, who tried to steer me to a Bachiga village instead of the Batwa one that I had specifically asked to go to.
The attractions themselves did not disappoint: Kibale for Chimpanzee tracking was great--I was dropped off at the park and a ranger took over from there. The Kazinga Channel boat tour was superb, the experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for gorilla trekking with their rangers was an incredible.
In all fairness I contacted Jackie at the main office and let her know my concerns and she was very apologetic, so I assume she has fixed the problem(s). Perhaps if it had been a group, I wouldn't have these issues, but as a solo traveller, I felt I had paid a lot for a lesser level of service.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Would not recommend for future bookings
I first worked with Bosco two years ago. He took me on a fantastic trip to see the gorillas, Queen Elizabeth, Fort Portal, and Hoima. Oftentimes, I refer to that road trip as life changing. However, I recommended him to my brother and his girlfriend who were here early January 2017. We had brief interactions about dates, itinerary, and pricing. At one point, I had to shorten the trip, and therefore I assumed that the price was going to decrease, at the very least, for less hotel night stays. However, he refused to change the price, as it had gone from 7 days to 4. Then, during the trip, instead of living up to his promise of finding a very nice place to stay, he actually chose a place infested with ants. My brother actually had to ask to be transferred to another hotel. Overall, I was very disappointed in Bosco's service and won't be recommending him any further.
JP
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Payment was very unconvinient
Guide and operator who take us to the safari actually was very friendly and excellent.
But conductor who manage our trip from Arkman Africa was problematic person.
I wished to pay VISA card, but he did not understand what I wanted to do and we waste time a half day. In addition, the day of the trip, he did not come despite he said he also will come to make sure the attendants. And he did not communicate the guide who will attend actually in the trip. We loss one our or more to make sure who will attend.
PT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Far away from my last safari
I would never choose Karibu again. Their priority is to fill all the seats and make money. They are not worried about our experience. Tree cars left the agency on the same day with 5, 6 and 7 persons. People in the cars with 6 and 7 persons said they could barely move inside, travel was very uncomfortable and take pictures was possible just for the ones at the windows. The cars are very old. The roads in the parks are very bumpy and for this reason you just think how important is to have a good car when you are there. One of my lens released 3 small screws with the vibration and at the end of the trip my back was like crap. It is essential to have a good Jeep.
I shared the car with 3 young girls that spent 6 days taking selfies, delaying all trips and looking for ostrich. I was deeply interested in photography (the big 5 obviously). I love meeting people but in this situation... no match. If possible, avoid shared safaris and look for companies that personalise the safari. Freedom inside the car is essential. Our driver Zak was very good: good character, good person, good sense of humour and a good driver (very aggressive driving though). The food was very good and the camping facilities was good. The 6th day of safari was in reality just 2 hours inside the park. After lunch we were back to Nairobi. They avoid paying another entrance in the park (valid for 24hs).
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A bit disappointing
2 of 3 activities were great but Falcon was terrible to book with
Activity 1 was operated by Falcon and was a guided tour on the Zimbabwe side. This was the biggest waste of money EVER. We paid $100 a head to have some one read us the signs at the front and hurry us along the whole way. What a waste of money!
Activity 2 was a Dinner cruise on the Zimbabwe side which was really nice but Falcon never gave us a booking receipt and so the operators tried to charge us an extra fee which we shouldn't have been charged
Activity 3 was the Livingstone Isalnd/Devil's Pool lunch tour. Amazing experience which we almost missed out on becuase again Falcon never gave us a booking receipt.
Recommend booking with literally anyone else!
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good Safari but improvable services
We were picked up at the hotel as agreed. However after cash payment we never received a receipt. Further they don´t accept dollar notes issued before 2006. This must be informed before.
The Safari itself went fine and we had luck and could see lots of animals in a short period of time. Actually the full day safari has been finished at 16:00, as there was nothing else to see. So we were left at the lodges until next day for the trip back.
The back journey was a bit stressed, as our schedule was very tight. They picked us 40 minutes too late in the morning. However the guide took time to do some shopping on the route (3 times, for fruits and even an alive chicken, for the chicken we had to wait in the car ca. 20 minutes). Then the car´s clutch was broken and we took lunch, while the other car was coming to pick us up. We were brought to a restaurant with the meals on a box. We were asked by the waiter to pay for a single juice 10.000 Shillings (10 USD) the guides instead of stop the cheating situation, just made fun of us and we had to complain by ourselves, so we got back 6 USD.
We changed the car and kept driving to Dar es Salaam. We were informed that the remained trip to Dar es Salaam was 1,5 hours, but it was 3 and really rushing (we almost crashed with another car in Dar). Finally and running we got the Ferry at the very last minute. I consider too much time has been wasted during the morning so we had this unneeded stress.
The lunch was both days the same, cold fried chips and chicken with a sausage and an boiled egg, all to the eaten with the hands.