US
Stole our $3000 Gorilla Trekking Deposit
On June 30th, 2019, we sent Ken $3,000 for two gorilla trekking permits. We were nervous sending so much money to a tour operator in Africa but given his reviews we thought we'd be fine. On July 2, Ken assured us the permits had been attained.
When we arrived in Rwanda on August 31st, Ken met us at our hotel and explained that his company had gone bankrupt, that he didn't have our permits, and that he could drive us to the National Park but we'd have to buy permits a second time. Having flown half way around the world we didn't have a choice. He drove us to the National Park and we paid the park $3,000 directly.
Ken promised he would pay us back within 10 days and when the park rangers heard what had happened they made Ken agree to a contract (attached in my tripadvisor review). Of course, we were skeptical. More than 3 months have passed and, unsurprisingly, Ken has not paid us back.
He has an excuse for everything. A new story every day why he just needs one more day. But ultimately, Ken is a con man. I don't know if he steals the deposits of every customer - other reviews suggest he doesn't - but I know that he's not worth the risk. Do not book a tour with Congo Discovery Tour or Hakuna Matata Safaris - or any tour group Ken Rwema or Barack Nari is involved in
I've attached screenshots of our conversations in my tripadvisor review as well.
CR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
INCOMPETENCE / DIRT / LIE / ILLEGALITY
We just come back from a 19-day safari organized by Rafiki Safari Tours.
The organization was done by Elie, and our guide was the boss of this Cie : Joseph.
We had opted for a private safari mainly in Namibia, but that also took us to some border parks in South Africa, Bostwana and we ended up in Zimbabwe to admire the Victoria Falls. It must have been a mixed safari lodges and campsites.
Our guide had to organize breakfasts, lunches and dinners. It was the contract established.
I will now develop the topics :
LIES :
About the lodges. In fact, we only had 4 nights out of 19 in lodges ! they had the nerve to describe a campsite as a lodge while there was not even a bathroom, just a bucket to shower with cold water ! So, slight scam at this level.
The lunches for their part were often limited to a salad of rice / tomatoes taken along the road or on makeshift parking. Dinners were often Polenta.
During our stays in campsites, our guide took us away from amenities and inputs, because he suffers from a serious relationship problem. In fact, we still wonder why he does this job (well, just for the money ?) because he can’t stand people.
The organization was disastrous because everything was done at the last minute. Excursions with taxis to get us across the border, a considerable time lost waiting, apparently our guide didn’t have permits to transport tourists, no insurance either, fortunately we didn’t have accident !
DIRT :
Total Lack of hygiene (thankfully, we got vaccins for everything), because the first night, we were surprised to note that our guide had not even provided a sleeping bag or even a sheet (once again, as we are used to travel, we had sleeping bags). About blankets !!! They have certainly never been cleaned, indescribable stains were still there. The mattresses were torn and the tent was leaking ! Our guide forgot the hat that allowed him to be waterproof.
To keep the food, just a little cooler of 20 liters max, often without ice, enthroned in the car. The utensils themselves were rusty and of another age. Folding chairs also torn, rusted and really dirty. We even finished the last 4 days without a table because our guide had "forgotten" it.
INCOMPETENCE:
At the beginning of our stay our guide made a huge mistake : We were in Kgalagadi Park and he described the jackal as a feline. A detail, certainly, but that was repeated dozens of times daily, throughout the stay and on many points, so dint of hearing wrong things, we left it spoken, referring us to the internet to have the real information. When we pointed out his mistake, he spent the whole evening searching on the internet to prove the opposite. But in front of his ineptness, he left and shunned the whole evening ! We laughed of him because it was so ridiculous, as a little child. We felt that our presence weighed him down and that he was doing his job just for the photos he could take and post on social networks ! Totally childish behavior, more often on the internet, even while driving, a real danger.
ILLEGALITY :
As I said at the beginning of this message, a contract had been established. But as soon as we started to report the first problems, our guide bawled us squarely, even in public, several times in lodges. Imagine shame for us. And then, he blamed the organizer, asking us to contact him. What I did as soon as the connections allowed us. The latter asking us to solve our problems with the guide. In fact, you will understand, they blame themselves, but when you know they are like partners, it was ridiculous.
But the worst was when our guide abandoned us, we can say that, at the 1st border post between Botswana and Zimbabwe. As I said, everything was tricky, and he was always looking for taxis at the last minute. But this day, impossible for him to find someone, he had no desire to finish the journey with us, but I must say that it was a little reciprocal. Then he saw a professional guide coming home to Namibia, whom he asked to pick us up because he had just left his own clients in Victoria Falls. This guy accepted very nicely and we finished our journey with him. But what a mistake for Rafiki Safari Tours, because our new guide of fortune explained us what we would never have to know: all the norms and especially all the necessary authorizations to work on these different countries (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, etc. ). And of course, our guide Joseph, was apparently in total illegality. What would it be like if we had an accident with him ? How is it possible to work by making fun of and being so uncomfortable with one's own customers ?
Finally we had to finish our tour at Katima Mulilo, where we had to take a sleeper bus to get back to Windhoek. But of course, nothing was booked and it's normal, because we learned that this bus line has not existed for at least a year ! Of course, we have not been refund for this, as the last free meals, yet at the expense of Rafiki Safari tours according to the contract. When I made a complaint, Elie, the organizer insulted me by calling me arrogant !
CONCLUSION :
This company, its leader and its organizer, are a total rip-off, pure amateurs incompetent, without real knowledges. But as you will understand, we traveled in dirty conditions with a person who has big psychological problems. Elie, the organizer told us ! he came to see us the last night to try to calm our anger, but did nothing more than show us the new company (illegal surely) he had just updated, to separate soon from the owner. Even between them, they lack frankness and honesty, so how could they work properly?
I am actually spreading my discontent, because i DO NOT want that anyone to be abused as we were. We have already contacted all relevant authorities, including the Namibian Tourism Board on which Rafiki Safari Tours is not registered of course.
So, have a wonderful stay in these beautiful lands, but avoid this company, and the people mentioned. Others are professional, not them !
US
BEWARE: DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY - DRUNK DRIVER & MORE
I cannot urge people strongly enough NOT TO TAKE a safari with this company. It was the most horrible trip our family has ever experienced from start to finish. We had used this company in the past with no incident but, unfortunately, a lot can change in four years and this company is not only unprofessional but unsafe to use.
The main issue is that our driver showed up DRUNK and my dad had to drive through Amboseli because the driver literally PASSED OUT DRUNK and then we got lost because we could not wake him up. The driver was still DRUNK the next day and actually confronted me and got in my face yelling about losing his job. We thought he was going to be physical but luckily got away before it got there. Even with JUST that, the issues did not end there.
A few other things to note - we booked our safari with the company a year in advance and had made half payment at that time and then made our full payment 2 months in advance so many of the other issues outlined below are unacceptable and unprofessional (they literally forgot to book ALL of our rooms or buy entrance passes).
After the trip, we obviously asked for a refund and were promised a partial refund. Here we are SIX months later and we still do not have the money. Alex has continually made up excuses and lied to avoid payment. We have sent him our bank details multiple times (and confirmed with the bank that all is accurate). We also have provided him with our PayPal (which is how we paid) but to no avail. It was all just a sham to drag out us posting this review.
I do want to note that Kenyans are amazing people and the landscapes were beautiful so we would actually recommend a safari in Kenya just not with this company!
Below is a full recap of the disaster and again – do not use this company.
Pre-Arrival: The owner was extremely slow at responding and we would have to send multiple emails and often wait weeks (if not longer) to receive any follow-up answers.
Day 1: We were scheduled for a homestay but they had forgotten to book us one as the original one we were supposed to stay at, we were notified that it had changed the night before. When we arrived, we sat in a dirt alley in a not very good part of town for 30 minutes (this was after flying for almost 24 hours and it was near midnight) and when we got in it was very clear she was just told as her clothes were in heaps as if she had just pulled them out of the closets and she had just started trying to make food (again, it was midnight).
Day 2: We were scheduled for a game drive at Amboseli after arrival. Instead our driver, told us that we were to do a quick trip to visit a Maasai village prior to a game drive and he abruptly left. The Maasai arrived and this should have been our first inkling that something was not right because they asked – ‘Where is your driver? Wait, you are walking?’ We had been told it was a quick trip/walk by our driver but it was four miles through rugged terrain (and we were told to be careful of extremely poisonous snakes that were known to frequent the area such as the mamba).
My parents are in their late 60s and we would not have done this long of a trek as it took over 2 hours. After completing the tour of the village, we expected to see our driver but he was not there and he actually had told them that he wanted them to walk us back the four miles to our hotel. We said absolutely not and he finally shows up but it is getting late in the day now but we still ask if we are going to do any part of the game drive – he says no at first but we finally managed to get him to take us in for 10 minutes (it was supposed to be a several hour game drive). We found out the next day that he had actually already started drinking by this time which is completely unsafe when you are in a park with wild animals.
Day 3 (The start of the real nightmare): We are supposed to meet our driver at 6:30 am for a game drive of Amboseli. He rolls up at 6:45am completely drunk and stinking of booze – he can barely walk, his pants are not zipped/falling off and he is slurring his words. He is in no position to drive. As mentioned, we already missed our game drive the night before because he had gone to get booze and had started to drink early.
At first he says that he can drive, we say absolutely not. He then asks if my dad would drive but that he would navigate and that he would sober up soon and would take over the driving. We reluctantly agree as we had paid all this money to go and this was our final day in Amboseli (which was 1/3 of the trip) so we thought we should at least try. It should also be noted that these are extremely rugged roads, it is the right-side drive (we are American which is left-side drive).
We pull up to the guard station to try to enter the park and the guard is completely perplexed why my dad is driving. We end up getting out of the car to explain to the guard what is happening and he offers to help us contact the owner of the company as this is unacceptable and unheard of for safari drivers because these are coveted positions in their country. Unfortunately, the owner did not answer so we proceeded on our way not knowing if we would be getting a new driver (as we had no confidence in the current drunk to show up sober for the remainder of the trip).
The first couple of hours are okay (as okay as it can get when you have a drunk safari tour guide who cannot drive). He manages to somewhat point us in the right direction but he cannot name any animals and is not on his radio to talk to other drivers to find out where the animals are located. He does however say on REPEAT that he was sorry that he was drunk, he has a drinking problem but please do not report him. As noted above, we thought he was a huge liability and we could not risk having a drunk driver the remainder of our trip as he had proven himself to be drunk the first 2 days so we said we would talk about it later as we did not want it get confrontational in the car.
He proceeds to drink from his ‘water bottle’ and the car wreaks more and more of vodka and he gets MORE drunk (which is pretty hard because he was completely smashed already) and this is the point of the day where he PASSES out. Of course – he passed out when we are in a remote part of the park and we cannot see any CARS.
We also realize that we only have ¼ of a tank because he had not filled the car up and we do not want to run out of gas so we start trying to frantically figure out how to get back or at least find another car to help (note we had no cell service). We continually try to wake him up but to no avail. He is out cold.
After an hour being lost and my mom and I in tears because we are scared and thinking we are going to run out of gas and be stuck in a remote area, we finally see another car. The driver pulls over and gets out to ask us what is wrong and asks if we will get out to explain the situation to him. He is shocked that the driver is passed out drunk and takes photos of him and the vehicle to report it and says that he will help escort us back to the main gate (it should be noted that every driver/Maasai that we passed while my dad was driving gave us the most shocked look like WHAT is happening).
To make matters worse, while we are talking to the other safari driver (he spots LIONS in the field only 100 feet away and we have to run back into our vehicles which makes already heightened nerves EVEN WORSE as that is SCARY). Alas, the other safari driver escorts us out of the remote area until he reaches another driver who proceeds to take us back to the guard gate.
Note: Shout out to the other companies for being so fantastic and helpful in the midst of this awful situation.
After 7 long hours, we finally made it back home. We were supposed to do an evening game drive but clearly that was not happening since our driver remainder passed out in the car (and our nerves were frayed and we were all extremely upset by the day’s events.) All the workers saw him passed out in the vehicle and profusely apologized to us and how it was embarrassing and unacceptable for this to happen to us.
We finally got a hold of the owner, who told us he would be sending a new driver later that evening.
Day 4 (a continuation of the real nightmare): We had briefly met our new driver and one of the managers at the company (not the owner) the evening before and we were to meet in the morning to start fresh.
We arrive to breakfast and the original driver comes in STILL DRUNK. He sits down at our table and is slurring his words – he initially is apologetic but then he starts screaming at me that I got him fired and is getting in my face. I jump up to get away and both my parents and husband also thought he was about to get physical. The other drivers run over to get him away from the table and we make a quick exit out of the breakfast. Again, more tears and frayed nerves – they should have NEVER allowed him near us – it was a security risk. I will note that our new driver was nice and professional but now we move onto the other issues because you would think the company would roll out the red carpet after this experience but WRONG.
As mentioned earlier, we had booked this tour a year in advance and had specifically requested certain hotels as we had done the safari in the past. Minutes before we are to arrive at the hotel in Lake Naivasha, the owner calls and says that he forgot to book the room but he found a replacement. We go to view it and is not nearly of the same caliber – we had specifically requested rooms with balconies to see the hippos come in at night (a large part of why we came to Lake Naivasha). These rooms had no balconies and were shabbier.
Day 5: We had initially been scheduled to stay at one place – were told days before we left that we were actually going to stay in a new place and so after the incident the day before – we do a little more digging and it turns out that it is 80 km further into the park and will reduce the amount of time for game drives – we groan but think – it is fine since at least it’s a nice hotel. NOPE. HE FORGETS TO BOOK THE ROOM AGAIN. As we are minutes away from arriving to the Mara, our driver is frantically trying to work with the owner to figure out where we are going to stay (more on that shortly).
So we arrive at the Mara and it turns out the owner forgot to get the passes beforehand for access to the park (every other safari vehicle just rolled up and went through). Our driver then asks if we have American dollars to cover the entrance fee for everyone (i.e. $100s of dollars) as he did not have it. We say no since we did not have that much cash on us. We have to turn around so the driver can go pull out money from an ATM. We end up sitting for over an hour in a very hot van. Again, this is on the heels of many bad days. We finally arrive to the hotel and they clearly are only accommodating us because there was nowhere else in the Mara with any availability. We end up in these brand new tents (they literally were only furnished with beds and the floors had JUST been varnished (we are grateful to the hotel for finding us a place to sleep but the point is – we should have had proper and full accommodation since we had paid in advance).
Final Day: So we are finally supposed to head back to the airport but we had booked a tour to visit the elephant sanctuary. The owner had told us to adopt the animals beforehand but he would book the tour himself. We got confirmation over email and he again confirmed on the phone that he had booked the tour. Shocker, HE FORGOT TO BOOK IT and it was fully booked. Luckily the guard took pity on us and let us in.
I know that was long-winded and it only was because SO MUCH WENT WRONG. Again, please go visit Kenya – the people and places are amazing but save yourself many tears, stress and heartache and do not book with this company.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
To be avoided
Terrible company to be avoided by all means. They failed in delivering on the itinerary they were committed and refused to refund us. Total absence of professionalism
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nightmare. Tourist trap!!! Bad food!!! Only one our game drive
Wast off money. Every day we leave the camp as last one and be back as first. The tents and sleaping bag were full off mold. The lunch was poor. Just cookies and chewey chicken. But most off all. We only spend 1 our off game drive in serrengeti. It takes 7 our to get there and 7 to go back. The second day the Car broke down. It's not big 5 butt big zero!!!!
Be wise. Don't give this compeny your money.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
BAD
Poor customer service and no body should try taking risk (money wastage)
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
thieves...... stay well clear
i booked my safari in july and paid half up front over $3000 and then not even a couple weeks later i got the email on the 9th of aug that the company could not fulfill the tour and that it was cancelled, i will get a refund in 90-120 days..... fast forward we are not at 112 days later and still no money, no answer to e-mails, or calls. foolishly i paid by debit card via a link and now that the 120 days is almost up i can see what my bank can do but im not hopeful...... the amount of stories that are the same as mine is horrendous
50-65 years of age
Abana safaris Delayed to Refund Egypt Israel trip
Bad communication, unable to meet the expectations. After receiving our funds for a trip to Egypt Israel they stopped communicating and later canceled the trip. Delay in refunding our funds even today we are following up with them to refund... Bad bad experience
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
worst company ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As we arrived, at the airport, we went to the car and the guide wanted us to pay the parking bill.
At the first day of the safari after about 30 min driving the manger called our guide and told him he need to pick up other clients from the airport ( our driver doesn't speak english!!!!!) And we had to insist he will stay.
At the end of the first safari day, there was a problem in the car (red charging light) but they kept driving. The guide didn't know where our accomodation was, and we got lost in the area. he missed the turn and got us into mud and the car got stuck. We had to walk in the rain, mud and in the dark for 20 minutes to the accomodation while
Our bags are in the car.
When we arrived we realized this was a solar accomodation (Sunrise) which has no warm water after 9pm. We were cold, upset and without any other clothing.
We called the manager (tarimo) to ask for some warm water but he ignored us.
The guide finally came back and promised us that there will be hot water but there wasn't and he just went away.
The next morning was a big waste. We were told to be ready at 8am but they didnt fix the car at night and we had to wait for 6 hours!!!!!!!!
6 hours was waste of time!waiting for the guide
To solve the problems that he should have solved at night. He lied to us all the way. He said he would bring another car but of course it never happened. We lost a full safari day.
Again, Tarimo was ignoring us and even hung up the calls from us.
When we faced the guide and asked him for the truth he was rude and ignored us the whole day.
Also the car was slower than the other cars and every ride took much more time than the others .
Dont spend your money on this company!
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very unprofessional... Horrible - a scam
I was suppose to go on a safari to tsavo East and West parks. Everything was arranged and the previous day some "clients" never arrived. I don't know if these clients ever existed but Eric the "manager" put me on another trip to masai Mara. I was supposed to leave the hotel at 9 am to go to Nairobi on the next day but Eric never shows up nor returned my calls. He took my 60$ as well as my 200$ deposit. I hope you never go on a safari with this guy (in any case, let me know if you see any animal...) basically a scam!!