ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fraud
The man called Iga has stolen about 5000€. We are 4 friends, and we booked a safari with his company (it has good comments in internet). We suppose that now it works with different people because in a few weeks we've read more situations like this. When we asked to hotels to confirm the bookings (he send us fake receipts), they told us that there wasn't any booking for us. The man has dissappeared. DON'T TRUST TOUCH AFRICA ADVENTURES.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Update o n my previous review
I wrote earlier about the very unpleasant safari experience we had with Solaris that finished at the end of June, and the fact that they owed us over US$2,000 at the end of the safari. This week (a month later)I received a refund of the actual money I had paid to get into the Tanzanian parks, all of which were supposedly included in the itinerary. I was surprised and glad to receive this refund. I believe the fact that I received the refund had everything to do with our negative reviews here on SafariBookings and on TripAdviser, and my complaint to the Kenyan Tourism Regulatory Authority. Solaris then requested I take down my negative reviews.
However, receiving this refund back does not alter the fact that our safari with Solaris was a horrible and extremely stressful experience, and one which I hope others can learn from. It does not change the fact that our accommodation was downgraded from that shown on the itinerary at least half the time, and it does not change the fact that the vehicle allocated to us in Kenya was not the 4wd promised by the itinerary, causing us to spend at least one day extra on roads instead of in parks, and the driver in Kenya shouldn't have had a licence, let alone be allowed to drive with passengers. I told Solaris all this when I responded to their email and refund.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Horrible, No Show No apologies
I have been communicating steadily with Safari Gates since March 2018 (after seeing an ad on safaribookings.com) regarding a one day safari to Nairobi National Park on July 18th 2018. Jose was supposed to pick us up at our Hotel on July 18th 2018 but never did. He even sent an e-mail saying he would be there 15 minutes late but he never showed up. No apologies and no reasons given. No more communication after that very cheap shot.
We are so deceived by Safari Gates that we will let many people on the internet know beginning with SafariBookings.com (service with them was always good, no blame here), a major source of clients for Safari companies and also on social medias.
To Jose @ Safari Gates, You cannot just not show up and not say a word afterwards. That is not a business option. Very poor service. Very bad move ! Stay away from them, they will never show up !
QA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible experience while on the 7 day tour.
I had been approached by Tour Kenya Safari Heights owner Meshak Mutinda like many other tour operators when I had submitted a quote on Safari Bookings for my visit to Kenya for the Safari in March 2018.I had mentioned to my tour operator that I wanted Ole Moran in Masai Mara for my 2 days stay,Flamingo Lodge in Lake Nakuru on my One night stay and Kibo Safari Camp for 2 nights stay.He showed me the booking vouchers and asked rather begged to make the deposit of 300usd in the first week to April saying these hotels would be booked as July is a peak Season.He promised to provide for my first and last night stay in Nairobi and also visit to the elephant and giraffe centre on the last day.My tour was from 12th July 2018 until 19th July 2018.He offered me Sunrise Hotel on my first day of stay in Nairobi to which I had denied(after receiving bad feedback from friends) as it is not a nice hotel inspite of 3 star ratings.Meshak promised to provide another hotel however on the day of arrival in Nairobi he put us up there saying all the rest were full.
Next day en route to Masai Mara the driver John informed mid way that we are not putting up in Ole Moran(which is way closer to the park)but Nature Explore lodge which is 45min.drive away from the main gate entrance.So basically you waste at least an hour to enter.On speaking to Meshak the excuses started that Ole Moran is full etc.As per the itinerary he did not even provide for the next day early morning drive as he would have to pay for the entrance again.Same happened in Lake Nakuru and Amboseli they kept on changing the hotel.In Nakuru the hotel was good 45min drive from the gate entrance hence we waste another hour just to enter.In Amboseli as well AA lodge where we put up was still decent however on our 2 day stay we only got to visit the park on the first day and second day early morning drive was not provided as per the itinerary and we were asked to pay for it.Overall on the entire journey the driver John tried to savour money from us.He also took 35usd pp for the Masai Village entrance fee by lieing to us to fill his own pocket.Not to mention on our last day arrival in Nairobi no stay was provided and we had to book on our own.I had agreed on 1150usd pp on private tour for 2 and Tour Kenya Safari Heights failed to keep up to his word.We were scared that we would be left in the middle of the road anytime by our driver.Also on talking to the owner I only get excuses.There are many of these agencies trying to get money out of you by making false promises so please don't fall prey.We don't want anyone else to suffer like we did.So please make your own booking be it more or paying less money through booking com or Agoda or the hotel directly and arrange for your own transportation.We are lucky that we got to see the animals and the Safari was somewhat decent.But throughout we were scared that we might not see what we have paid for.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very bad experience
Over priced with one lodge very old and dirty.
No kitchen because burned so the meal are prepared outside without minimal hygienic condition .
Wi-Fi and other service very por .
To avoid !
Safari game drive very poor too.
We paid for panorama route but unfortunately we don’t realized without any back payment.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Avoid at all costs - this is a schlock outfit!!
Utter shambles. Of 5 nights of mobile camping - reserved, confirmed, fully pre-paid - we were cheated out of 2 nights. On arrival we found out that the first night nothing whatsoever had been arranged, other than a back-handed suggestion to stay in some shabby motel in the middle of Maun - and even though our itinerary clearly stated that we would be bush camping in Khwai. We were also told that, on the last night, we would be unceremoniously dumped in Kasane and left to our own devices - and even though our itinerary clearly stated that we would be bush camping in Ihaha. The so-called "organisation" was an unmitigated disaster. The vehicles (yes, plural, there was a series of replacement ones as they were in such bad condition!) bordered on dangerous. All the equipment was old, worn, broken (tents), dirty (sheets), badly stained (mattresses), or incomplete (towels never materialised). When I confronted the owner, he did not seem surprised and indicted that other travellers had also had abysmal experiences with Bush Baby Calls. But this did not seem to bother him! At best, ineptitude. At worst, fraudulent. Only saving grace was the actual guides who were superb. For both, it was the first time working freelance for Bush Baby Calls and they were clearly horrified, though too professional (and embarrassed) to discuss the situation. Even the officer at Khwai Gate - when we finally got there! - rolled her eyes and said, "Not them again , they are always messing up!" Be warned: book with Bush Baby Calls only if you want to have your dream mobile tented experience completely ruined.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible
Great that you replied on my email acknlowedging below mistake '' I still didn't receive a reply to my messages on whatsapp. Further to the lies, I had to pay 70,000 TSH for a different driver who agreed to take me to the airport because the safari driver was not told to take me to airport. Where your quote mentioned drop off at the airport is included. I need a compensation for this plus a compensation for your bad planning which ruined my vacation'' with(swahili paradise) Unfortinately the driver made a mistake, because it was included bust still we can refund you $40 to your account as i have informed the accountant. And no refund has been done ever since or even a reply which confirm what a fraud you and your company are!!!!!!!!!!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Rip off! Don't waste your hard earned money!
Poor communication, old vans for safari. Our van broke down and the safari was limited due to the status of the van. Didn't get to see all the animals at the maasai Mara. We had initially booked to stay at another hotel and they switched arrangements last minute to a mediocre camp that had bad food. Never again! Not worth it.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unprofessional
Johnston was absolutely terrible in communicating while trying to set up this safari. He tripled The listed price of our safari and was very obtuse and vague about why. Extremely unprofessional and rude. Communication in English with this man is exceedingly difficult, he became rude on the phone and hung up on me. Very unprofessional, look elsewhere to book your safari.
CV
Dont waste yr Time and MONEY
I still recovering from the disappointment. QUEEN ELIZABETH PARK has almost no wildlife at the moment. One pays a lot to see nothing around even if one drives for hours. Even antelopes, which are normally abundant, are rarely seen therefore spotting the lions is almost impossible. The guides and the company rep, only after your first hours of game drive, start telling that it s been years not much animals are seen in the park n the government needs to open new tracks. My guide even lied to us about the number is lions in the parks. There are many villages within the area of Queen Elizabeth hence wild animals are destroying people crops and livestock n sometimes kill people and in revenge lions have been killed decreasing the numbers in the park. I would say don't fall into the trap unless you want to waste your money and time driving around an almost wildlife less park.
The park is huge and the number of animals are insignificant comparing to the massive area of the park. Won't recommend it to anyone.