US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
DISAPPOINTING!
Embarked on a 4-day safari to Selous. On the way to the national park, the driver slammed into a curb. The impact injuring my wife’s lower back, hip and ribs. It was an unforced, self-accident and 100% fault of the driver. There were witnesses. He apologized profusely over and over again. My wife was in considerable pain and unable to continue the safari. We were forced to cancel the trip. I asked for a partial refund on the safari, but the tour operator refused, claiming it was not their fault and that he is out a lot of money! Not what you want to hear from your tour operator.
While accidents can happen on adventure trips, it’s how a company responds to such situations that separate the good ones from the bad ones. We did not feel safe with this company and are very disappointed.
In the end, no safari, no animals, no refund, just an injured wife and bad memories.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Sweet talking THIEF and CON MAN
We booked with Fortune over a year ago to travel with our children to Botswana and Zimbwabe. He was a good communicator the entire time, except upon arrival. No one was at the airport to grab us. We quickly learned that Fortune failed to pay for any of the bookings that we were promised in our itinerary and invoice. When we finally reached Fortune, he made on excuse after the other. Although we paid $11,000, we have only had him transfer $300 of that back to us as ordered by the Chief Inspector. My husband and I took time away from our vacation to press charges against. Fortune was prosecuted in Victoria Falls Courthouse and ordered to pay restitution. I am writing another review to warn others. A year later, Fortune continues to let us down despite promising the court to pay restitution to avoid more time in jail. I have photos of Fortune in handcuffs.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Scam. Fraud. Don't do business with A. and H. (from Barcelona). Run away asap.
Scam. Fraud. Don't do business with A. and H.. Run away asap.
A week before the travel they contacted to cancel the trip.
They try to impose the time to travel a few months later.
Then agreed to a refund.
The refund neve came.
The company don't have a moral compass. Their words are worth nothing.
Be aware of this scam. Try other more reliable options.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Okavango Delta by Emily Rinaldi
The only activities for boat rides and a walking safari. We barely saw any animals at all on either of the boat or the walking safari. We even tried to fish and they were zero fish as our guide told us they already migrated when the water levels rose.
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Poor planning and communication
I spent three days doing a joint safari with this company and I'm very disappointed in their poor planning and bad communication. On my first day I ended up alone, pleasant surprise. I was however told that I would stay with the same car and driver all the three days. On my second day I was told we would meet some other people at a junction at 9-9.30. Then I was told they were a bit delayed. Then I was told that we would also swap cars and guide. When we arrived at the junction we found another group in a safari car and we swapped. I asked the other group what happened. They told me there was a problem with the car shaking. I asked the driver and he said "no, not a big problem". I was told the people who would join me were a bit late but they would join me in 30 min. I waited 1,5 hours at the junction. And when they told me 30 min the people still hadn't landed at Arusha airport which was more than an hour away. I was told they were delayed. The company lied.
I eventually reached the park in my shaking car at 12 o'clock. The park was less than an hour away from my accomodation. The shaking was not a small problem, it was a big problem. At the end of the day I had pain in my back.
On my third day new people arrived..this time they arrived on time. When we finished the safari I asked to be dropped off at my previous hostel since I had arranged a transfer to the airport a few hours later. In the same a car from the safari were a couple who were on a tight deadline to reach their flight on time. The safari company communicates with my hostel and asked them to send the taxi to meet us, so that we could go straight to the airport. I was never consulted. Due to the time pressure of the other people I felt obliged to jump into the car. I arrived at the airport four hours before my departure time and my plans to shower, charge my phone and relax at the hostel vanished. And the safari company 3wonders who charged the couple for the airport transfer conveniantely used my taxi to ship them of to the airport.
I was promised a nice accommodation but I got a very basic one. No hot water unless you told the staff to turn on a switch. No internet.
The guides/drivers did their best to compensate for their managers lack of planning and communication, but unfortunately it wasn't good enough.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This company is a SCAM!
I booked a trip with Splendor Holidays (Lucy) for June 2023. When I went to apply for my visa, I realized I had been scammed. Their website and email were no longer working. I contacted the hotels in my itinerary and they did not have any reservations under my name. I lost all my money from this trip, to include fees from airfare, vaccines, items for the safari. Do not trust Lucy N.!... That's if you can even get a hold of her. ;(
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Beware Primate Vacations investigated for online fraud
BE WARNED!
Interpol have now been informed about Primate Vacation's alleged online fraud activities in Uganda. In the meantime, I received another email from them promising faithfully that they will reimburse me in full, soonest, which of course is just another delay tactic as I have still received nothing from these fraudsters!! They have promised to refund me in full since 2021, and this is even documented in prior Trip Advisor reviews from me where they have responded to my reviews promising to do so.
DO NOT DEAL WITH PRIMATE VACATIONS. YOU WILL BE SCAMMED! GET THIS MESSAGE OUT THERE SO OTHERS ARE NOT CAUGHT LIKE THOSE OF US WHO WERE BEFORE.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Thief
It is incredible how a thief like Kevin can be still working as nothing happened. Look for Petrichor Safaris, he took the money from a lot of people and never gave it back. Be a bit decent Kevin and pay back the money you stole from so many people.
50-65 years of age
DO NOT book with this company.
DO NOT book with this company. We paid a deposit for safari and had to cancel due to covid lockdown. 3 years on we have still not received our deposit refund and having to now take action to get our money back
CH
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unfortunately cheating their customers
BEWARE
My wife and I travel a lot. Whenever possible we try to use local travel agencies to spend the money locally. This is what we did for our 2-week trip to Ruanda in January 2023. Mandrill African Safaris put together a great trip ticking all our boxes. Sam, our guide, was a very pleasant and helpful young man. He looked after us very well. It was all the more annoying and frustrating that we were told while doing our Gorilla trekking that the company could not draw money from its accounts due to some administrative hiccup and we should pay for petrol, park fees etc. as our guide could not draw the money to do so. We would be refunded at the end of the trip. Knowing Africa, we refused to do this but it quickly seemed as if our only chance to get back to Kigali and our flight home, was to pay an extra $500.- on top of our original fee of $11000.-. Needless to say that we never saw the money again and got nothing but a load of excuses. The whole thing is really sad as we would have liked to recommend Mandrill African Safaris to our friends due to the great tour we had otherwise. This way we can only say: BEWARE or be cheated!