US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Pure Luck or chaotic safari?
I don't know where to start to be honest.. this will be long. I spoke to the tour organizer fiona through WhatsApp she sounded lovely and I felt very comfortable and that I can trust her since it was my first safari and my birthday celebration. We decided to pay extra to be with her even though we had different companies.
To start off, the person that had to pick us up was 4 hours late . So we had to go to lunch and immediately rushing to masai mara. The driver was driving very fast With good intentions that he wanted us to be able to see the park. Which resulted in a bad accident on day 1. My head banged against the windows of the van and the rocks on the floor. Van flipped completely on the floor due to the driver rushing [ not a great start for a first day]. I did speak to fiona and she offered to refund us the money and take me to the hospital. At this point I didn't have much of a choice because we were in the middle of a camp and I'd loose all the time that I planned for. so truly my only choice was to keep going unfortunately...As it was near impossible to find another safari on the spot. I was thankfully okay after a few days. I did ask for change of car and driver and that was granted. Besides that it was very Unorganized, moved randomly,rushed, incorrect information given. PDF given as decoration nothing is followed on that PDF she gives you. No proper communication. [ ] Where it says optional- not really optional someone changed their mind and they had nowhere to go so they were forced to pay.Different companies compiled in one car which caused plans to change and lost time = frustration
[ ] On day 3 said we would relax at hotel did it happen? No as I said random and disorganized. We lost time and I felt like i was constantly rushed which also caused the second driver to loose his excitement as it was frustration constantly instead of joy... you get what you pay for... did I see the big five? Yes thank God I didn't expect that at all. Am I disappointed absolutely. The tour coordinator didnt not want to take accountability for accident but later apologized for all the wrong things thay kept happening every single day. which I appreciated some things were not in her hands but there is definitely room for improving or maybe it's just pure bad luck for us? Side note; I did speak with someone else that we met and was dealing with inspired feet and they also complained of disorganized and communication issues.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Poor Quality of Vehicle
I wrote to Jolie about our very poor experience with my group of 8 traveling 5-7 hours every day in a vehicle that was unsafe and has issues every single day and she completely dismissed me, and even blamed me. She asked why I didn’t send her pictures and I told her because our guide was in communication with her everyday it had issues. I asked for a new vehicle three times but he just kept getting it fixed, stating he will let the company know about the poor condition of the vehicle. Every time we shut the door of different bolt or piece of the vehicle would fall off or fall apart. It was very laughable. The vehicle had to be taken in for servicing 4 times. It lost brake fluid, lost 4 wheel drive, was leaking a large amount of oil, broke down 3 times, had no AC, and my seat wasn’t even bolted down. She dismissed me and my complaints and told me there is nothing wrong with the vehicle. One of my guest had to fix the vehicle himself and he said it doesn’t look like the vehicle has been serviced in years and transmission and radiator was caked with mud and dirt and that’s why we kept overheating. It was sooooo uncomfortable being cramped in this vehicle for 8 days breathing in dust and pollution because the company was too cheap to give us air conditioning.
Here is the letter I wrote to Jolie that only came back pointing the finger back to me and completely dismissing and minimizing my concerns:
Jolie,
Thank you for planning my trip for my group to Rwanda and Uganda. Thank you for Joseph - he was wonderful and for picking really great accommodations!
The highlight was of course seeing the primates , which everyone loved. All the trekking excursion were awesome.
The biggest negative feedback is long drive times in a bad vehicle. I feel your company really needs to replace this vehicles. Guests cannot pay what they do and spend 8 days in this vehicle.
I am requesting some sort of refund for our poor experience with the vehicle over our 8 days. The vehicle had no air conditioning so my guests spent 8 days either extremely hot with the windows up or breathing in dust and exhaust with them down. The vehicle is in very bad condition and you really should not be using it for your customers. I am embarrassed and had to apologize multiple times to them. We lost several hours of our tour due to it breaking down. Everyday there was a new issue with the vehicle. I saw several other companies with nice, new, branded vehicles where the guests could have their windows up and enjoy a comfortable ride. I am not sure why your company could not provide the same comfortable experience for us. Being in this vehicle for 4-7 hours every day ( which I was unaware would be the case) made this trip difficult and not the experience I was looking to provide to my guests . I felt like I was going to pass out several different times due to sitting in the front and the heat of the engine on me with no AC. Often times, the vehicle was not safe( no 4 wheel drive, leaking oil, break fluid issue, my seat not bolted down, etc)
I am disappointed you did not let me know in advance that Kigali would be shut down and we would miss the scheduled itinerary for this location on the 1 st day, which many were looking forward to on their once in their lifetime trip to Rwanda. Not planning in advance for this or our luggage was avoidable. Putting 8 people in an old, run down vehicle with space for 3 people’s bag was a questionable choice. Thank you for sending an extra vehicle after the fact though. I have no idea what we would have done if you did not do that.
Please let me know what you feel would be a fair refund back to my credit card for our experience. Thank you
CH
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly but inexperienced
Review of experience with Afrinature in December 2023, 3 day private safari of Serengeti+Ngorongoro.
As this was part of our honeymoon, we hoped for a much better experience.
Vehicle:
- Our car was much older compared to other safari cars.
- Day 1: Car #1 had starting issues after the first stop and problems with the fridge and power outlets.
- Day 2: Unexpected refueling in the park. Car #1 broke down at 13:20. After a 30-minute wait, we were squeezed into a full safari car until Serengeti Main Gate. We then waited 2 hours for another ride, arriving at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge at 18:10. Lost 2 hours of private safari time.
- Day 3: Car #2 was even older, with a non-functional fridge and no middle sockets.
Flights
- Departure flight had a check-in name issue.
- Return flight was changed to 16:30 from Arusha instead of 20:20 from Kilimanjaro, cutting our Ngorongoro time by 2.5 hours. We had to eat in the car due to the rush, and we were informed of the change only at 11 am on the same day.
Accommodations
- No issues with Kutoka Lodge or the two Serena Lodges.
Meals
- The plan stated hot meals, but we received lunch boxes, which included meat on the first day despite our dietary restrictions. This change wasn't communicated, and we saw other groups with hot meals.
Recap
- Missed ~4.5 hours of safari.
- Spent ~2 hours in a shared ride instead of a private one.
- Lunch meals were not as advertised.
- Poor vehicle conditions.
Considering these issues, we request a refund of 10% of the total cost, which despite been agreed and reminded countless times, we are yet to receive.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
needs to significantly improve the organization of their safari trips and the overall quality of the
We recently participated in a safari tour with Zambezi Expedition Tour and Travel for 9 days from June 6th to 15th, and we want to express our disappointment with several aspects of the experience. As experienced safari travelers, we expected better.
Firstly, we booked and committed to this trip for a specific amount, but once there, Oscar asked for an additional 1000 euros. I had to send the signed quote for him to remember the agreed amount.
The accommodation plan for Chobe National Park, as published on Safari Booking, indicated lodges. However, upon arrival, it turned out to be a camping lodge, which did not match the pictures of the rooms shown in the plan.
We complained to Oscar about this, but he claimed it wasn't mentioned in the commitment plan. Eventually, he upgraded us to the room specified in the plan and the quotes. The game drive in Chobe National Park was organized by another safari company. They asked us to be at the hotel reception at 8:30 AM for an 8:45 AM pick-up, but the driver was 40 minutes late, resulting in a shortened game drive in the morning.
The accommodation at Victoria Falls was also supposed to be a lodge, but again, we were surprised to find it was a tent. It was too warm during the day and too cold at night, making it very uncomfortable.
All the tour plans and activities were organized by other travel companies, giving the impression that Zambezi Expedition is merely an intermediary that finds clients for other travel companies without caring about the quality of service offered to their clients.
On a positive note, the best activity of the trip was the Okavango Delta. It was well organized, and the guide and cook were very nice people.
We chose our trip with Zambezi Expedition Tour and Travel after reading all the good reviews on Safari Booking, but we were disappointed. We have been on many other safaris and enjoyed them, but this one did not meet our expectations.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Basic itinerary elements were not delivered as agreed upon but nice overall trip
We did a 5-day safari with Simba Expeditions to Kidepo National Park in uganda. Although the trip and especially the nature were overall very nice, we encountered several issues with the tour operator, that left a bitter-sweet aftertaste.
For example, our itinerary and invoice clearly included a landcrusier vehicle but on the day of the safari we got a different car type (that was less comfortable and would usually cost less than what we paid for). When we raised the issue with Simba expeditions, the only solution they offered was to stop the trip immediately (after we have already been on the road for several hours) return to Kampala and get a full refund. Obviously, this was not an option for us, as it is impossible to organize another safari on such short notice.
Apart from a few if those issues, the trip and nature we experienced was really great.
PK
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
She was good but didn’t tell the whole picture
We booked trip to safari for 2 persons . They said it will be whole day safari as charges were too much . Guide picked us at 8:30 am from hotel , reached safari at 1:15 pm . Then they said you have 2 hours for lunch , that’s ridiculous. At 1:30 we boarded our jeeps and to our disappointment, safari ended in 2 hours
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great at communicating, unhappy safari guide, poor planning and value for money ,
The communication from splendid was prompt and efficient. Vehicle was robust and well serviced. Driver/tour guide was grumpy and rude at times. Only on the last 1 hour drive of a four day tour decided to share his extensive knowledge. Company grossly misrepresented transit times between parks -2 hours was actually 5/6 hours. Hotels were fantastic.
NZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
NOT in the Okavango Delta, NOT really a safari - read the fine print carefully!
Be Warned: We were so excited to book our Luxury Okavango Safari. The blurb said that the luxury tented safari lodge is located on the banks of the Boteti River which has its origins in the heart of the Okavango Delta. What didn't it say? that the Lodge was 3 hours drive from the Delta on the other side of Maun, in the middle of farmland next to a muddy fried up river. We felt pretty stupid to have been conned, but the only other couple at the lodge when we arrived said that they had been taken in too and another guest had chosen to leave early for the same reason. The misleading advertising felt very deliberate. For a luxury experience, other things seemed off too. There was no cooling system or fridge in the tents (this was a problem as my partner had meds that needed to be kept cool). Drinking water had to be purchased by the bottle. The swimming pool was green with algae when we arrived - the staff did empty, clean a refill it but it was not available for the first two day of the stay. If after reading this you are still keen to go (or you've already paid and can't get your money back), what can you look forward too? The small staff was very friendly. The guides were extremely knowledgeable. Our main guide went above and beyond to ensure we saw lions in Moremi even though he must have put in a 13+ hour day with all the driving to and from the park. The chef was excellent. We were asked about preferred foods and eating times (the lodge was extremely quiet when we were there so she tailored things to our exact wishes). The mokoro and walking safari, and Moremi game drive were wonderful (just wish we hadn't wasted hours getting to them). However, as some other reviews have said, it seemed like the foreign owners didn't really care about the lodge, the staff or the visitor experience that they were offering. I would recommend avoiding, and finding somewhere actually in the Delta to stay. If you can't afford that, just stay in Maun and do daytrips.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Didn’t meet the expectations
The experience overall was not the best. Very few things could have made it a lot better.
I have to say the driver (guide) was very nice and helpful. All else wasn’t up to the expectations.
The car had too many issues, we had to stop at least three times to fix things. Each of course wasted time. Almost everything in the car was shaking and with the roads it was a lot worse.
The food tasted bad, the quantity in the was very little, but when i complained, they fixed this. And then came the tents, mattresses and sleeping bags. This was horrible. They smelled like pure sweat. It was raining at night and tents were leaking water. My mattress was soaking wet, my bag got wet, almost everything got wet. One of the guys who were with us got everything wet even her passport.
Investing in a better car, some tents and some more organization could have made the experience a lot better
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not diligent with arrangements
In September 2023, we booked a luxury African Safari through Image Travel Ltd, a Kenyan tour operator. Despite staying at luxury &Beyond properties and having a memorable experience, there were issues. We faced a hotel change and missed activities for which we prepaid $1,100. Despite assurances from Image Travel Ltd, we never received a refund. We filed a complaint with the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO) on January 3, 2024, but haven't received a response as of April 2024. Given their failure in arrangements and because they have yet to refund our money, we cannot recommend Image Travel Ltd. Instead, we suggest booking directly through &Beyond for a seamless experience. Their properties and staff made our trip unforgettable.