DK
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A warning regarding pricing transparency when comparing safari quotations
A warning regarding pricing transparency when comparing safari quotations
I am a seasoned traveller with a professional background in the airline, hotel, and travel industry.
After changing career, I became a business owner within hospitality, which has given me a deep understanding of service, customer expectations, and responsible business practices.
My approximately 400 TripAdvisor posts reflect my private travels, all of which I have personally planned and paid for. I consider TripAdvisor a valuable platform, and I am always mindful that my reviews concern real businesses and the people behind them. For that reason, I document my experiences with photos and aim to provide balanced and useful information for fellow travellers.
When planning my journeys, I research destinations, lodges, and experiences carefully, build my itineraries step by step, and use reputable local partners for practical arrangements. My purpose is always to share experiences and hopefully help and inspire like-minded travellers.
I am also familiar with the commercial structures behind travel pricing, including rack rates, net rates, and the commission arrangements between suppliers and agents.
My experience with Cheli & Peacock Safaris was therefore very disappointing. I had decided not to proceed with this company.
I had contacted another safari company through their website while researching options. Cheli & Peacock contacted me stating that they worked with this company. This was confusing, as they were not an agent I had selected or approached directly.
After receiving their proposal, I compared the quoted prices with the official published lodge rates, transfers, and domestic safari flights. I was genuinely alarmed by substantial additional mark-ups (between 60 and 100 per cent) on top of rates where agents would already normally receive commission.
I subsequently chose to work directly with Pollman’s Tours & Safaris for my Kenya journey. The itinerary created with Pollman’s is twice as long as the proposal from Cheli & Peacock, includes the same key experiences and additional elements, and is approximately USD 2,000 less expensive.
This incredible difference raises significant questions in my mind regarding the pricing structure presented by Cheli & Peacock.
Such pricing practices raise concerns regarding transparency and customer trust. They can make excellent lodges and safari partners appear significantly more expensive than they are, potentially affecting the reputation of the very suppliers that agents represent.
A premium safari experience is built on trust, professionalism, and clear communication. Clients should be able to understand what they are paying for and feel confident that pricing structures are presented fairly.
Coming from the EU, where consumer transparency, ethical business practices, and responsible commercial relationships are strongly emphasised, I found this experience disappointing and not in line with the standards I would expect from a high-end safari operator.
My concern is not about the quality of Kenya’s lodges or safari experiences — these are outstanding. My concern is about the importance of honesty, transparency, and respect in the relationship between agent, supplier, and client.
I hope Cheli & Peacock will reflect on how their pricing approach is perceived by informed travellers, as trust is one of the most valuable assets in luxury travel.
If you are seeking an agent, read above, I highly recommend the agent, I am using, I have breakdown pricing, double the nights in Kenya, and still saved USD 2,000. My trip is what you would call high-end lodges.
RO
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Vivid Adventure Safari is very good company, reliable company, offers quality services.
The accommodations are very good, the restaurants are well chosen.
The guy is responsible, constantly involved, correct, careful to thanks his clients. I am very pleased with the attention I was given.
I reccomend this reliable company.
I will definitely contact them for my next vacation. Thank you, Vivid Safaris from Uganda!
CN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience with the professional driver John
We spent a wonderful time with our driver and guide John. From six o’clock in the morning until six in the evening, he was very dedicated, taking us to discover all kinds of surprises during our safari trip. Everyone in our group is very satisfied with his service.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing!
We just got finished a 7-day safari with Zambezi Expeditions, and it was such a great experience. We got to see so much across Victoria Falls and through Botswana (Chobe, Elephant Sands, Nwetwe Pan, and the Okavango Delta. The wildlife sightings Chobe were the highlight of the trip and also seeing meerkats up close. While every trip has a few bumps in the road, I was impressed with how the Zambezi team handled things whenever we had a question or a minor issue. They were super responsive, easy to communicate with, and really made us feel taken care of throughout the whole week. Definitely happy to recommend them if you’re looking to explore Victoria Falls and Botswana!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly and helpful
We spent three days with Peter as our tour guide, and we had an amazing experience. Peter is very friendly, knowledgeable, and an excellent driver. He showed us all the best places, and thanks to his expertise, we were able to see the famous Big Five in a short amount of time. From the very beginning, he guided us through everything and made us feel comfortable throughout the trip.
I would highly recommend Peter to anyone looking for a memorable and adventurous first safari experience in the savannah. Thank you for making our trip so special!
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highly knowledgable guide, which made all the difference to the trip.
We appreciated the knowledge and experience of GoodLuck, our guide, which meant we had an exceptional wildlife viewing experience; including 5 different wildbeast crossings in Serengeti North (which is remarkable !). We also saw all mammal species of note with the exception of the black rhino (which is in any case extremely rare). On a less good note: 1. The jeep would require an upgrade; 2. The accomodations were of varying quality, although in general quite good.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nyanduma Hike. The guide was THE BESTTT!!
It exceeded my expectations!!. The sceneries were so beautiful 🤩 twas magical. A massive shoutout to Mike and Dennis the guides made the trails interactive and educational too.
I will be coming back!!!
Loved it lots!!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable game drives with Jeremy as our guide.
Booking our Tanzania itinerary with Suricata Safaris turned out to be an excellent decision. From the initial inquiry down to the last day in the field, the entire coordination was seamless. What made the whole journey truly stand out was our main driver and guide, Jeremy. He had an incredible eye for spotting wildlife hidden in the dense bush, and his understanding of animal behavior meant we were always in the right spot at the right time. Jeremy kept every drive engaging, answered all our questions with patience, and made sure we felt safe throughout the parks. The land cruiser was clean and well-maintained, and our lodge stays were comfortable. If you book with Suricata Safaris, definitely ask for Jeremy to guide your trip!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Holiday of a lifetime!!
Firstly, I just wanted to say I was a little worried at first to book my trip with Splendid Vacations directly rather than going through a local travel agent. I needn’t have worried! James Kilorit put together a fantastic trip for my wife and me! I couldn’t believe how well everything went. From the 1st pick up to the last day drop off, James was available to ensure everything went well. His cleverly planned itinerary felt very personal and his recommendations really made the trip special. Then we met James Muema, who was our guide for the safari element of our trip. We couldn’t have met a nicer person. He made sure we got to see all of the Big Five, as well as the Ugly Five. His knowledge was amazing and he always took time to make sure we knew the names of all the birds and animals we came across. He was a great laugh and we really felt our enjoyment came first. He was really like a family member or close friend and we still keep in touch with him. The last few days in Diani Beach were a welcome rest after a busy, exciting safari. I would definitely recommend Splendid Vacations for anyone looking to book a safari and just wanted to say a big thank you to James Kilorit and James Muema for making our time in Kenya truly memorable. We will be in touch to organise another trip into Tanzania in the very near future.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience and great communication
Great people, good food, nice guide. The communication was good