NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Disappointing safari – unprofessional guide, poor vehicle and inadequate complaint handling
Disappointing safari – unprofessional guide, poor vehicle and inadequate complaint handling
We booked a private safari with Africa Joy Tours. Although the wildlife was amazing and our accommodation was excellent, our experience with Africa Joy Tours was very disappointing.
Unprofessional guide – our biggest complaint
Our driver was skilled at spotting wildlife and navigating difficult roads, but he was certainly not the professional safari guide we were promised.
He provided almost no information about the animals, parks or surroundings. Even basic questions were often left unanswered. Communication was poor, and his attitude was frequently impatient, dismissive and sometimes outright rude. We repeatedly felt disrespected.
We tried addressing these issues directly with him, but this did not lead to any meaningful improvement.
Poorly maintained vehicle
The safari vehicle was extremely old, worn out and in noticeably worse condition than other safari vehicles we encountered.
We experienced multiple mechanical and electrical problems, including flat tyres, malfunctioning windscreen wipers, doors that could not be opened properly and other defects affecting comfort and safety.
Several problems existed from the start and continued even after we reported them.
Disappointing complaint handling
We contacted Africa Joy Tours during the safari. They apologized and offered complimentary drinks, but the problems continued.
Afterwards, Africa Joy Tours acknowledged that both the vehicle and guide had been below the expected standard. They offered $100 in compensation, which we considered inadequate given the extent of the problems and the cost of a private safari.
When we requested more appropriate compensation, they explained that their profit margin was too small to offer anything further.
We found this particularly disappointing. A company’s profit margin should not be the customer’s responsibility when the promised service has not been delivered.
Conclusion
Despite the incredible wildlife and excellent accommodation, Africa Joy Tours failed to deliver the professional safari experience we had booked.
We expected a knowledgeable, respectful guide and a properly maintained vehicle. Unfortunately, neither was provided.
Based on our experience, we cannot recommend Africa Joy Tours and would not book with them again.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Danforth was such a great and experienced guide.
This was an amazing experience and our guide Danforth new where and when to go and find us the big five. He was so knowledgeable and was able to get us up close and personal with amazing animals. To add, the food for lunches was so good. Hot lunches instead of box lunches and the places that we stayed at were A1. Can’t wait to come back. Thanks Danny boy.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Knowledgeable ,professional and approachable.
Well where do I start ! It was the trip of a lifetime with an amazing guide.we were picked up on time every day and told where we were going ,how long it would take us to get there. We asked questions ( lots) and Sammy always knew the answer. We stopped to look at the animals and were always asked if we were ready to move on. We feel this trip was well worth the money and would highly recommend this operator. Our every need was catered for.The vehicle was quite comfortable considering the roads are very bumpy and there were plenty of cold drinks on offer.
BR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari organized by Altezza and lead by our wonderful guide Aloyce!
The Altezza team outdid themselves, from the planning to the execution our safari experience was wonderful, unforgettable, amazing, more than words can say. Everything went according to plan and our first safari experience was a complete success, exceeding all expectations, thanks to Altezza and our guide Aloyce.
SD
The tour operator was making followup son our each move and was so caring.
Safari shore vacations are timely and true to their words " eventually everything was easy from planning, departure and arrivals, the drives down Mara were so epic , Kevin was making follow ups on our each move, I highly recommend and will again go back for another safari.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful Safari Experience
We had a fantastic 8-day safari in Tanzania with Vincent. Our journey took us through Tarangire, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, and one of the highlights was getting to witness the wildebeest migration in the northern Serengeti! Vincent has an incredible knowledge of wildlife, animal behaviour and the terrain, but what really made the experience special was his enthusiasm and genuine passion for what he does. The whole safari was thoughtfully planned and flowed beautifully, making every day enjoyable and memorable.
Beyond being a wonderful guide, Vincent is also just a genuinely kind person. We were particularly touched by seeing how readily he helped others, whether lending a hand to fellow guides with car troubles or helping local women and children when their bus broke down in the middle of nowhere. Small gestures, perhaps, but they say a lot about someone's character.
A big thank you also to Asha for all her help behind the scenes in organising our trip. It's lovely to see the care and dedication that both of them put into running a small independent business. We really enjoyed our time with Vincent and are so grateful to both of them for making our Tanzania trip so memorable!
LU
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Reliable. Great driver/guide. I would ha appreciated a bit more info on hotel selection before
Reliable. Very good guide, focused on making the most out of the safari. I would have appreciated a bit more of info on the different hotel options, maybe I should have asked more. Good experience
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing safari with an amazing guide
Vincent has made our safari experience truly magical on our 8 day Serengeti and migration safari tour. Asha and Vincent were there to pick us up straight from the airport and took care of us exceptionally well for our whole week. Being an independent guide rather than with a large tour company truly let us experience the best of Tanzania. I don't really know what the national park equivalent of "streetwise" is, but Vincent has it. His experience and knowledge of each of the parks we visited (Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti) meant we were always at the right time at the right place and with the right camera angle for the perfect photo. His spotting skills were second to none. On top of that he was super relaxed, friendly and popular with everyone on the safari circuit. No wonder he gets all 5* reviews. Highly recommend.
PL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a dream!
It was an amazing journey. I did 5 days safari with Suricata Safaris. The whole organisation of the safari was extremely well planned, starting from the transfer from the airport, to pre safari stay in one of Arusha’ hotel, through all amazing 5 days, both games as accommodations. Our group was so lucky to have amazing guide Izack whose knowledge and kindness were from another planet. He was so gentle, funny, but at the same time extremely professional. All the time we were provided with super interesting facts about animals and the country. I’m extremely satisfied and if one day I come back to do safari, for sure it will be with Suricata Safaris.