CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
DON'T TRUST THEM
In January I enquired Orongai AS for a 5 days safari for late July. Since the beginning, I required to book ONLY lodges from the Serena Hotel Chain with an HB meal plan and to buy the flight from Arusha to Zanzibar for which I already had a reservation. The proposed program for the safari was meeting all my expectations and therefore I paid 50% of the total bill to confirm the trip (with 6 months advance).
FIRST SURPRISE: in June, after my request of details about the baloon trip that was listed into the proposed plan, we discovered that this was actually not included in the price I agreed (and already paid) but was an extra, costing "only" 510 US$ per person!!! After many e-mails back and forth with Martha, where I also proposed to pay 50/50 their mistake, I finally end up talking with the owner of the company (Mr Asseri) and I accepted, to pay the extra 510 US$. After we arrived in Tanzania, we were transfered to the first hotel where the Orongai rapresentatives showed up with more than 2 hours delay to the agreed breefing.
SECOND SURPRISE: checking out from this hotel, I discoverd that the meal plan was not HB as per the plan accepted by me and I had to pay 25 US$ per person for the dinner.
THIRD SURPRISE: the off-road car for the safari was a 30 years old Toyota Land Cruiser (much older than any other car we meet during the safari) with (probably) a few MILLIONS miles story: fortunately we had no mechanical problems (and this is a real miracle, considering the treatment this veicles receive) but the level of confort of that car was really poor.
FOURTH SURPRISE: we started the tour and we discovered that the plan was shuffled and instead of the agreed Tarangire-Ngorongoro-Serengeti sequence we would follow a Ngorongoro-Serengeti-Tarangire schedule.
FIFTH SURPRISE: despite my cash paiment for the ballon trip, they didn't succeed in boking that experience.
SIXT SURPRISE: when we were in Serengeti, we discovered that our hotel for the next 2 nights would have been a tented camp (and not a lodge as agreed).
SEVENTH SURPRISE: on the last day we discovered that the flight we were booked on was not the 5:10 pm one I originally requested but a earlier one (3:15 pm).
Based on this, would anyone trust them??
PS1: looking at other feedbacks in this site, looks like I'm not the only one having had this kind of disturbing experience with Orongai AS: probably the blame is not to be put on me
PS2: the only good thing of this safari were the guide (Gabriel) and the driver (Francis). They exceeded all our expectations under every aspect: nice and polite, skilled and commited
TR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Bubble Agency
Never work this company and owner JOSHUA K KASAU . We agreed with 3 land cruiser but he brought us 3 old minivans. Minivans broke down on the way. Paid him thousand dollars via bank but he did not pay our hotels and also Masai Mara entrance fee.
Don’t trust him!!!!
We couldn’t get the money back. Kenya has a many professional tour agency. You can work any agency except Polmans Holiday and Travel
TR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Cheater Joshua
The owner name is Joshua. He is a cheater.. Really it’s a fake agency.. we sent to our tour budget advance. he didn’t pay our hotel, jeeps,entrence fee etc. we had to pay again. And the last day he stole my 700 usd.. joshua is a thief..
TR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fake Company
Tour Agency is not a real company. Owner Joshua stole our money. We traveled with 20 pax and paid our accommodations, transportations (land cruiser) and entrance fee twice. Cause he had pocked our money.
Don’t work with Joshua and Polmans Holiday and Travel Agency!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safety, Planning, Transparency and Trust were at the heart of it...
Prime Safaris Uganda gave a good first impression. Cate wrote in a welcoming and professional manner with strong salesmanship. The emails were filled with ‘exciting’, ‘thrilling’, ‘adventure’, ‘amazing’, ‘rewarding’ and many more positives. It was to be a 21 day custom trip starting in Rwanda and traversing throughout Uganda using budget accommodation. I was swayed to pay an average of £300 a day for the trip. I had high hopes.
The trip didn’t go well at all. I’ll start by describing safety concerns then describe some of the days in relation to the accuracy, transparency and planning. At the end is a series of tips worth reading to prepare for a safari in Uganda or nearby.
3 of the lodges had Mosquito Nets which were torn, with holes in or not properly attached to the bed. Both the guide and myself frequently ended up with stomach problems so I gave him some of my medicine to help
The car was in serious disrepair. Loose electric cables and faulty air conditioning which worked half the time and regularly leaked onto the feet.
Later on, the speedometer and other instruments stopped working. The guide mentioned that we’d be lucky not to be stopped by the police.
One of days early in the trip was a visit to Lake Bunyonyi. We reached at midday and the guide left me at a lodge on an island while he looked for accommodation on shore. He soon messaged me to say the car’s axle broke and he'd search for a replacement part. I did not see or hear from him until the following day. When I raised this with Prime Safaris, they responded with a defensive email denying the breakdown happened at all. I couldn't tell if the guide was lying or they were. Two days later, I was left alone again while the guide said he would take the car to get the AC repaired. Later, in conversation, he mentioned that he tried repairing it using tape so I'm not sure where he went that day. It wasn't repaired and began leaking again.
A day on the itinerary had a briefing of “amazing cycling experience traversing the Fort Portal Crater field with scenic crater lakes and hollows. From the activity, transfer to Lake Albert enjoying the views of Albertine Rift valley including the scenic flats, escarpments and the Blue Mountains of Congo. Enjoy a thrilling bush dinner under the lush tropical sky.”
The day had under an hour of cycling along a city road. It was really disappointing and made worse by all available bikes having grave faults including some with nonfunctional brakes. I went with working brakes but faulty gears.
Before we set off along the road to the Amabere caves, I asked for a helmet for safety but they said they had none. We cycled at a leisurely speed but, strangely the bike guide needed to pause every few minutes to regain his breath. The remainder of the trip, cycling up to the crater lakes, was cancelled due to lack of time.
After driving back to town, we had a rushed lunch and the Prime Safaris guide admitted he was surprised all this activity and distance to travel was planned for a single day. We set off at 1pm and drove at full speed to reach by 8pm, luckily sooner than expected because the guide managed to find out about a shortcut from speaking to locals. When we reached, the reception said it was too late for the bush dinner and we would have needed to have arrived by 6pm for it to be ready. Later, while waiting for a meal, I conversed with a member of staff and learnt that they hadn’t even received a request for the bush dinner in advance. I raised concerns with Cate by email and she responded again with hostility, asserting that I was an hour late to breakfast and took multiple stops of 30-40 minutes. “The guide advised against such stops which would cause late arrival but you said it was okay for late arrival”. I was taken aback as it wasn’t true. It became clear that they phoned the guide and he came up with these lies to try and defend himself. It shows that Prime Safaris are not interested in listening to their customers, only in defending their mistakes.
Another surprise was a day described in the itinerary as “Take up a lasting authentic cultural to the indigenous Karimojong on the great hills of Mount Morungole.” “It’s an active adventure to the Mountains and it’s a whole day experience with great sightseeing as well.”
It turned out to be a short drive to a nearby small town where a local gave a brief spoken tour of their customs. It was all there was to do so we drove back to the lodge to rest before having lunch. The guide said he knew that this was what to expect and he’s unsure why the office described it as a full day with active adventure.
A similar falsehood occurred earlier in the trip with the activity at Lake Bunyonyi described as “do canoe paddle exploring the Island Communities & the fishermen”, “a canoe ride exploring this amazing lake, hopping between Islands and visiting the Islands to view the way of life of the Islanders and their traditions.” It turned out to be a motor boat trip with a member of staff from the lodge talking a bit about the history of the area. He didn’t know what else to offer so stopped at a nearby market and chatted to locals he knew.
There are many other examples of the experience not matching the itinerary that was sold.
To conclude, the initial customer service, exciting itinerary and great expense gave me high hopes. When things started going wrong and Prime Safaris put me at great discomfort, I raised the concerns with Cate by email. I asked her to focus constructively on the remainder of the trip and hoped for the best. Surprisingly, I received defensive and hostile replies, dismissing all the concerns. Prime Safaris were not interested.
Following each email, the office phoned my guide a number of times and became very aggressive with him. It made him visibly upset, trying to defend himself, and the trip deteriorated as a result. Feeling we were both victims, I chose to confide in him and mentioned that I might request a partial refund.
When I returned to the UK, I received a very hostile email from Cate who stated she was disappointed I did not want to meet her and her peers at their office, revealing that they gathered “a comprehensive day to day report about what transpired during your tour, photos, voice recordings and videos which we had intended to share with you”. Realising that they wanted to intimidate me with recordings made behind my back, I was relieved I did not meet them.
The email ended with Cate stating that Prime Safaris “are satisfied that you got your moneys worth and are not giving back any refund what so ever. Wishing you a wonderful stay back home.”
By no means am I trying to say the entire experience was awful but, when you consider that I spent £6000 for a 21-day trip and could have realistically hired a quality guide myself, BOUGHT a car that was reliable and had a much better experience for a lot less money, it was a huge regret going with Prime Safaris.
Tips
• Remember insect repellent and lots of anti-diarrhoea medicine.
• Bring a few lightweight long-sleeved shirts to protect against insects and sun
• Bring something warm if you’re visiting high altitudes.
• Use a walking stick if going walking; many paths aren’t maintained and can be very slippery. They’re often provided.
• Brace yourselves for small lizards about the accommodation – might find them moving across the walls in your room. If you’re in a sealed tent, have a look around to make sure one didn’t get trapped in.
• Two weeks max is more than enough to see the best bits.
• Check the route planning if you’re using a customised itinerary and watch out for days where there’s a tight squeeze for participating in activities and making long drives.
• Avoid Queen Elizabeth national park in Uganda. Guides I spoke to said many companies leave it out because the growth of nearby towns caused wildlife to migrate.
• Many guides are primarily experienced in driving and networking, not wildlife. If you’re concerned with competency of the guide, don’t hesitate to ask for a new one. Part way through the trip, I lost trust in the guide and requested a new one. Steven Ashley replaced him and turned out to be a brilliant guide with great enthusiasm and experience. He told me he’s happy to arrange safaris directly. Message me if you’d like his email.
• If you do go with Prime Safaris, ask for Steven Ashley as your guide. Steven is someone who always has a smile on his face and his positivity makes you forget about the failures the company makes.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Big Time Disappointment - Big Time Holidays Ltd. - COMPANY NOT RECOMMENDED
We scheduled a safari through Charles (Allan) Milambo with Big Time Holidays and ultimately wasted an entire day of our two day safari trying to sort out mass confusion due to lack of communication and general incompetence. It started with failed attempts to locate Charles (Allan) who was supposed to pick us up from Kilimanjaro airport. After an hour of waiting at the airport pick-up area and actively trying to reach Charles (phones did not connect through and no response to emails), we finally concluded we were scammed and decided to salvage what we could of our short stay in northern Tanzania. Consequently, we were out of pocket monies that were spent on taxis, meals and advice from other tour companies (note: meals and rides were all supposed to be covered as part of our service). Imagine our surprise when three hours later we do hear from Charles (Allan), who indicated that another driver had been sent to pick us up from the airport (not him - why were we not informed and provided with the new drivers contact information?) and had been waiting for us this entire time (where?? We spoke to every driver in the airport's pick up area multiple times and no one there was looking for our family, was going to Ngorongoro Crater, or was affiliated with Big Time Holidays. We did, however, have many people offer to take us instead).
Our three primary frustrations are listed in detail, below, for anyone wishing to proceed with caution:
1. Services not met
Simply put, the clearly articulated services and costs for services agreed to were not met; namely, pick-up from the airport, staying at the on-site Rhino Lodge from which animals can be viewed*, enjoying a full afternoon and full, early start morning of safari, visit to Olduvai Gorge, and all meals. Notably, early in our email conversations, Charles explicitly stated that “Ngorongoro Crater alone needs two days to see everything.” Online reviews and a general internet search did not indicate any reason to suspect sub-par service.
*a few weeks prior to our trip, we were informed that we were on a waiting list and that a reservation elsewhere was made; we were not informed that this new site was over an hour away; nor was it confirmed that this plan B had become our plan A
2. Questionable ethics
There are three parts to this. Firstly, a few weeks after our initial deposit was made, Charles requested an additional 295 USD for services. When asked for more information on the surcharge, his email indicated that “his hands are tied up on this” and that there will be “no more extras”. After looking into the situation more, including contacting the Ngorongoro Conservation Agency and friends in Kenya, there was no information to substantiate the increase, and we communicated as much to Charles. He then responded - on the same day - “Don’t you worry about it. We have already solve the situation. The plan remain the same” (Note: he did not answer the majority of our questions asking for clarification in the back and forth leading up to this 'resolution').
Secondly, Charles specified early on that he would be our driver (“I will devort [sic] my self to a company you on this trip always to keep standard.”) We expected all along that we would be working with him and did not receive any communication indicating otherwise (we would have asked for the driver’s contact number if this were the case). (note: this piece is directly related to the confusion outlined above)
Thirdly, there was a clear unwillingness to acknowledge the stress and reduced services of our actual situation on Day 1 of our trip. During a phone conversation mid day when we finally managed to get a hold of one another, Charles claimed that he had met all the stipulations of our agreement and refused to compensate us in any way, stating that he had sent three separate drivers to find us to fulfill the agreement and that it was our fault (?!) for not finding the driver at the airport.
3. Money out of pocket and undue stress
One of the reasons we prearranged the safari with airport pick up and drop off, as well as meals and 50% down-payment on what we consider a large sum of money (please note: most companies ask for 30%; we however felt that we could trust Charles based on early interactions), was so that we could arrive in Kilimanjaro and simply enjoy our experience as a family – the youngest of our three kids being two years old. The opposite happened. Not only did we spend a substantial amount out of pocket for additional transportation, international phone calls, food, and bank fees, in the actual unfolding of events during our brief time in northern Tanzania, we experienced a substantial amount of stress from not knowing where our driver was, to suspecting that we were scammed, to finding an alternate solution and being asked for about 1.6 times our original costs (i.e. being taken advantage of in our desperate circumstances), to spending almost an entire day sorting the situation, to not receiving the full services agreed to.
In short, my wife and I do NOT recommend this company to anyone looking for a hassle-free holiday. We would have accepted reasonable compensation for our troubles, but that was not even considered.
QA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It is from the worst customer service ever
Hi All
I was in Kenya with my family and we wanted to do the safari trip in masai mara so we were searching for any tour company doing that then we contacted blue mountain.
From my heart I regret it so much because of many things.
1- We were 4 ( My parents, my brother and me) they told us we will have 2 tents each has 2 beds to stay then we reached there we realized that they were lying and they gave us just one tent of 4 beds then I called them that it was not our agreement so they said we don't have 2 tents as they told us and that is what available but they will give us 2 tents for the second night then for the second night nothing changed as I was expecting and we again stayed in the same tent of 4 beds.
2- We agreed with them that they will give us 3 boxes of water during our safari as one box for each day, In the first day the driver gave us one box and he told me that is all the water for you in the 3 days and I told him but we agreed for 3 boxes not 1 then I called again the office so they said we will give you another box as I was begging from them and it is not my right and I didn't call them they wouldn't give us the second box and they gave us after 3 times calling and after spoiling our vacation just 2 and half boxes not 3 as we agreed.
3- In the third day the driver told us we will not enter the park and we will go after the breakfast direct to Nairobi then I asked him how because we are supposed to enter the park 3 times in 3 days and he told me no then I called again the office ( may be it was the tenth or eleventh time to call them just in 48 hrs) and they told me no you will enter the park then again the driver he told me that we will enter but there is no time as less than 30 minutes in the park and it is nothing of course for the game drive then we didn't of course.
All of that made me so pissed off.
So I went to their office on the next day of the safari and I was talking to them more than 2 hrs and they didn't give me anything even they didn't say sorry for that and the manager of the company told me go away from here you are such a liar !!!!
Imagine they are calling their customers as liars because we were asking for our rights.
I told him I will write about it he told me go away from here and write what you want we don't care ( ZERO CUSTOMER CARE) as they took already their money so they don't care anymore.
I will keep posting that times and times
I don't recommend it to anyone to deal with them
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Pathetic..Waste of Money and Time
Unorganised and unprofeasional. Dont use the service else you will end up wasting your time and money. We experienced of disappointment
1. Driver didnt paid for the lunch om the way to Masai mara from Nairobi.
2. Driver didnt paid for the park entrt fees and was caught by ranger and we wasted our first day of safari
3. We were transferred to a different tent with no attached shower at midnight and also they were fighting with us when we said we will not go to a different tent. It was not safe to be at there at that time
4. I ordered cake for my wife but they forgot to make it and are yet to refund me the money
5. We are vegetarian an we confirmed that since beginning and yet we were given Nin-veg food.
6. Our Vehicle did not had radio , so following the rest was out of question.
Overall it was a terrible experience wherein nobody was there to take our call and listen our problem. The agency did not bother to take our call.
There was another girl from Mexico who joined us on third day and she experienced the same.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't Prefer
Don't prefer this unproffesional company. Owner is too young and he doesn't know how to organise a group tour. He just take money and doesn't give any service.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible from the very beginning.
This company was recommended to me by some friends, so even with the terrible communication and rude service from Johnston, I decided to stick with them. Firstly, Johnston’s is extremely rude, and barely understands English so don’t bother talking to him on the phone, he literally hung up on us after getting angry that he couldn’t understand us. Prices were listed as 240$ for the particular camp we wanted to go to but he was quoting us 640 each for a week. We had to seek out someone else to deal with. Just go with another tour operator, very very unprofessional company.