US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Just Awful
We booked a 7-day Kenya+Tanzania safari with a Kenyan operator and the 3-day Serengeti-Ngorongro portion was subcontracted to Migada. Unlike the Kenya portion, Tanzania was terrible in every way and our vacation was half-ruined.
The car had multiple problems and was absolutely unsafe. Breaks were bad and locked the tires on gravel roads so downshifting was the way to slow down. Parking break didn't work so it was always exciting to see the car run away until driver used rocks to stop it. Engine didn't start if turned off when it's warm, so engine ran the whole day even when parked next to the animals. We had to ask other drivers for a bump when driver stalled the engine. The car didn't have radio so game viewing was random. A policeman warned us about the wheels being not fit to drive. But more on the car later.
The driver got lost multiple times, starting day 1 from Isebania to the lodge in Serengeti. When it was getting dark he panicked and started driving movie stunt style on horrible roads, doing a pretty high jump where tires detached from the ground for about 4 seconds that felt like hours. No empathy with passengers' comfort for restroom or lunch breaks, we had lunch inside the car in dust while driving. The company's card was out of money while exiting Serengeti so we had to wait about an hr just to exit a park. Nothing happened smoothly..
The car broke down a few minutes after our descent into Ngorongro, and we found out the radiator had a leak that the driver knew about. His calls to the office were unanswered but another safari driver was kind enough to stop and take us into his car, and tow the broken car until the nearest water hole. We helped fill the radiator with muddy water and plugged the hole with elephant dung and the car surprisingly made it to Arusha the next morning on mud, dung and prayers. They gave us a new car from Arusha to Kenya border and then came our best moment in Tanzania: getting exit stamps and seeing our Kenyan driver on the other side.
Thinking back about the whole thing, we should've rejected getting into that car after the first day.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
5 day Safari
Communication: driver talk very little with us, didn't get information where we going, what we are doing, ...
Service: Which service???
living up to expectations: on the 3 day, moses (driver) told us we're going back by tomorrow. In my opinion he wanted to cheat us and steel one day from safari. We booked a 5 day safari and payed for it!
Safari tour itself: Very poor driving style on the road and the masai mara, driver didn't stop for other animals then the big five, didn' t respect the park rules (speed limits etc.) and sometimes didn't answer questions. Camp was in a very bad condition.
SA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Extremely disappointing
I requested a quote from the company and received one. I then replied asking to book the offer they sent - 1 week later i am still waiting to hear from them. I have sent 3 emails now and no response.
Really disappointing and think its very unprofessional. I will not book with them again or recommend them.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
To be avoided. Poor equipment and agressive manager.
We booked a 4days/3nights safari at Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. No complaints about the safari itself (we saw a lot of animals and enjoy our time) but about the old/ruined equipment used by Meru Trek Company and about the rude modes used by his manager, Ibrahim.
We had 5 flat tires in less than 2 days!!! I can understand some bad luck…but 5 tires punctured is not a matter of bad luck. It means you have a problem with the tires you are using!! I work for the tire industry and I know what I am talking about. The tires mounted in our jeep had almost no remaining tread and this is, beside a legal issue, a safety problem!!! These 5 flat tires caused not just loosing time from our safari, but also late arrivals to the campsites, to have to mount the tents with almost no light, late dinners and the disadvantage to remain for 3 hours in the middle of Serengeti waiting for someone to come to help us. Not just the tires were not at an adequate level, the driver did not have a proper torch to illuminate while performing the changing operations, the lifter use to lift up the car was getting blocked from time to time and once risked to catch up the driver while changing the tire under the car. Tents used by this company have zips broken, meaning cold and insects getting into your tent and in case of rain, also the rain (by the way, not all the tents were waterproof either).
When we went back to Arusha and we were taken to the main office, we tried to explain to the manager, Ibrahim that the equipment was not the appropriate and beside not even asking for any excuse, he just became very aggressive, not listening and not allowing anyone except by him to speak. He accused us to ask for a refund (we never mention this word or ask for any money back). Our purpose was to give him a constructive feedback to improve few things, but he did not listen to any reason. He started blaming us we were liars, and saying God will judge us in the Final Day….Honestly speaking if someone has to be judged is not me….but the person whose last sentence is: “you should be just happy to be back ALIVE from your safari…”. This is the person you will face if things do not go smooth.
It is up to you the choice, but to me it is not worthy to put your life at risk with bad car equipment, to loose time of your safari, to arrive to campsites late, to suffer cold because of bad equipment and to deal with this kind of person… at the end cheap turns to be more expensive!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Disappointing
Our initial communication with Instinct Safari was good however once in Africa it was definitely downhill. About three days before we were due to fly into Uganda we received the following email.
As the DR Congolese single entry visa is not officially part of our included services, please let us know if you have already applied for it on www.visitvirunga.org and have a confirmation. If, however, you did not yet do so, please let us know (we would further require your job title - in addition to the passport copies we already have - to fill out their online form) and we do it for you. Please understand, that in that case we have to charge the extra US $105 per person they ask for their single entry visa.As your safari lies only a week ahead, please provide us with the requested information as soon as possible.
This was very disturbing as in every correspondence prior to this they had said the following
The DR Congo visas are usually purchased by us as the tour operator simply because details such as border checkpoint and address in DRC etc. have to be submitted during the application process.
.......Highest priority is assigned to the activities in DR Congo, now. With your passport photocopies at hand, it is easy for us to proceed and acquire your travel visas along with the volcano hike.
In this instance I contacted the Director who to his credit rectified this but it did add stress as we had limited internet access at this stage.
The day before we flew in we received another email explaining that we would need a special type of sleeping bag and parkas for sub zero conditions to prevent us suffering Hypothermia while trekking up to the volcano.
The packing list we had received before we left home did not mention this.
Decidedly unimpressed on arrival the guide not for the last time said it wasn't his fault as he had only just received the information himself, although later in the conversation he said he had been to the volcano a number of times before so I'm not sure why the company would not know what you need.
He did explain this situation could also be solved!!!!!
The car they picked us up in was really really old we had just come from a self drive safari in Namibia where we had no dust in the car.
The guide was EXTREMELY difficult to understand his English was poor and his attitude poorer.
He had minimal text book knowledge of the area. Quite honestly I think he and the driver thought it was their holiday. Soon as we arrived at places they would take off and chat with people . There were many instances where either ourselves or someone else would have to search for them.
Communication was almost non existent at the second lodge on arrival he just took off to relax in the lounge . Other guests thought they were also guests there, enthused to tell us some other tourists staying there were travelling to the Congo.
After we trekked with the Golden Monkeys we were supposed to go back to the lodge for a shower and lunch. They were particularly agitated and wanted us to be ready in 30 minutes?!
They then drove dangerously to the Congo border. I kept asking why we didn't cross the Congo border that was quite near. He just kept saying it was unacceptable. We finally arrived at the border he was on the phone and then said it was to late to cross. I then asked to speak to the lodge owner who told me she had expected us at 8.30am and had emailed him this information. He had had wifi access at the lodge. She said you can't drive in the Congo at night. One wonders why a company would create an itinerary that is unachievable as we were always trekking golden monkeys that day, the lodge owner was very helpful and suggested we stay just across the border. He instead checked us in at a hotel on the Rwanda side. I asked him to confirm this with her. He assured me he would. Next day we crossed the border my daughter and I were standing on the side of the road with all our gear, yet again they were nowhere to be found. My daughter eventually located them sitting out the back chatting with friends. The driver was late but they hadn't bothered to tell us. As it turns out they had gone to the hotel they thought we were staying at!!!!! ( the one they recommended)
We had consequently held everyone up to start the trek up the volcano. Again on arrival no explanation that we could put some belongings in bags that had been provided for us. We had been told we would each be provided with a porter but they were carrying our sleeping gear not our belongings. The food for the day was two warm ham sandwiches which would have been in the sun for at least four hours before consumption and a non refrigerated boiled egg. Although they were not responsible for the food they did not care about resolving the situation. During the trek the driver and guide spent most of their time taking selfies at one point when my daughter slipped they laughed and kept walking.
At one stage the cook asked the guide to come over and interpret but he was busy taking photos and initially said "no "until the chef demanded it.
I could add more . I spent six weeks in Africa and have travelled extensively and love travel . This guide / company were the worst I have ever experienced.
Do yourself a favour and pick someone else . Having said that the treks we did were fantastic and with another company I would highly recommend the gorillas golden monkeys and volcano in DR Congo.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Disaster
Confirmed a 10 day safari holidays with Lilac Adventures for Kenya and Tanzania online, did not meet any representative from Lilac only met the freelancing Tour Guide/Driver. At every game drive Park Entrance me and my three friends from Canada and US had to wait for hours for the Entrance fees to be paid since Daniel MD of Lilac had not paid the fees. Also while crossing the border from Kenya to Tanzania had to wait for 3.5 hours to be transferred to another vehicle for Tanzania safari with another tour company in Tanzania. Most of our time in this trip was trying to communicate with Daniel the MD of Lilac Adventures who never called even once after sending several emails while over there. Finally our last three days in Tanzania was in a Resort in Manyara since the tour company in Tanzania did not receive the cash for the Park Entrance fees from Daniel. Would highly recommend to avoid using this Tour company.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrible experience
We paid for a 12-day safari in Kenya and Tanzania with Lilac adventures. The trip went as expected for 2 1/2 days. After that time we were abandoned by Lilac and manager Daniel Njamwea after repeated attempts to contact him via texts, e-mails and phone calls. To avoid cancelling our remaining itinerary, we were forced to pay again for Serena lodges, meals, driver/guide fees, and Park entry fees. Please take our advice and DO NOT book a safari with Lilac Adventures.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
NEVER CHOOSE CROCODILE RACERS
Back from a "3 days/2 nights" in the Mara, we were wondering if it was normal that:
- when we ask us be ready at 7 am to be picked up by our driver in Nairobi, we leave Nairobi at 10am, after 3 different places waiting for something we don't want to explain to us,
- when we are supposed to be maximum 8 in our van, we spend the 3 days at 9 pax including a 6-month baby crying, the other people paying 360USD pp (70 less than us) for exactly the same prestation + water included in their package, not in ours (they also told us they were very angry because supposed to be 6 Max in the van for this price...)?
- when we are supposed to arrive "on time for lunch" at Maasai Mara, have a rest and make our 1st game drive around 4pm, we in fact arrived at 4pm at the camp (after an awful lunch in a self service on the road) and entered Maasai Mara at 5.30pm (30 minutes game drive!)
- when it is question of coming back to Nairobi, then, our guide proved us he can be on time: Considering leaving the Maasai Mara, it was impossible to wait a minute more in the camp, whereas making us wait 3 hours on the first morning did not necessitate any explication or excuse...
Crocodile answered they were "very much apologetic on what took place", and "wish you had chosen a private safari".
Obviously, " it is not practical to offer any commercial refund".
If you're planning a trip to Mara or Amboseli, you'd better choose Sun Splash Safaris, you'll get what you pay for (and for really cheaper) with a real organization (been to Amboseli with them).
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Masai Mara National Reserve by CATERINA S.
Only a few animals.
No lions, no leopards.
Scenic place, very dry landscape.
Disappointing.
US
THERE ARE NO KHOI SAN PAINTINGS IN THE PARK
THERE NO KHOI SAN PAINTINGS IN THE PARK! REPEAT: THERE ARE NO KHOI SAN PAINTINGS IN THE PARK
On the morning of 22 January I stopped at the reception office at the Golden Gate Nat'l Park to inquire about hiking to see Khoi San paintings in the limited time that I had before having to return to Johannesburg that day. I specifically mentioned to the young woman working the front desk that I was there to see Khoi San paintings and not in spending time on other activities in the park since my time had run out. She advised me to go to Echo Ravine to find them and gave me a map to help me get there. Another couple hearing our conversation also took note, and all of us hiked up to Echo Ravine in search of the Bushmen art. Unfortunately, we were quite disappointed when we made it there to find that there were none, and I hiked back to the reception office to make sure that I hadn't misunderstood our instructions. I was then told that there were none, to which I kindly asked for my money back (210 rands) to be returned. I was refused by her manager, Norman Mudau, who took my name and number down in an attempt to quell any further complaints.
The exorbitant entrance fee of 210 rands ($17 USD) assessed on foreigners (4x that for South Africans) would be well worth it if the paintings were there or If one had a full day to spend at the park. But in my case I was misled into believing that I could find them and wasted my last remaining time in South Africa on a fruitless endeavor, when I could have traveled instead to Kiara Lodge to successfully find them.
Norman Mudau and his associate should learn to practice better customer service in the future. Their treatment of me that morning made my trip to South Africa end on unnecessarily sour note, which is regrettable since the remainder of the trip was about as perfect as one could imagine.