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.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great, kind, reliable and efficient service all along
The visitors were very impressed and certainly found the communicated insights of Zimbabwe's History and landscape very informative.
The services of African Coast Travel & Tours are highly commented
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
For a short notice planned trip, this was an excellent and efficient experience.
Was amazing, Camp Bastian (the accomodation) was amazing too.For a trip booked and planned two days before departure, everything was really done well.Our tour operator (Anton) was really experienced and patient with us and our three year old daughter.All in all, I would definitely do it again, and would highly recommend this agency.Abdalla's communication was always on point, very fast to reply to queries and efficient. :)
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They have good customer care and very friendly. The feeling of being in the right place .
Having left us with great memories after our trip, I would recommend for one trying to decide on the guide service for your trip. You should not hesitate to choose Iconic travel services limited. From initial correspondence to the final completion, they excelled in every department .We were a family of 4, flying into kigali and then to Bwindi, Queen Elizabeth, and Muchison falls.The trip went off without a hitch and we were fortunate enough to see what we hoped for.
And yes, we would book with then again.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Better than any expectation!
We made an individual five-day tour with Edwin through the Tarangire National Park, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. In the run-up we did not really know what to expect - be it the type and number of animals, the comfort of the accommodations or our guide Edwin.
As mentioned above, we are totally thrilled now back in Germany. Thanks to Edwin's expertise, we have seen pretty much everything about animals that you can see. Highlights were certainly the rides, in which one was alone in the endless expanse of the Serengeti and suddenly discovered a lion family at the waterhole. Or when we set off in the morning before dawn and discovered two lion brothers and shortly thereafter two cheetah brothers and no one else was around us.
Regarding the accommodations no wish remained unfulfilled. We did not think what comfort awaits you in absolute nowhere.
And also Edwin has delighted us with his sympathetic nature and responded to every wish, without losing the spirit of discovery in itself. Great!
We can fully recommend Pumba!!
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience with the Wild Secret Safaris
To begin with we got a very nice deal from Wild secret Safari.
The administrator Rasheed is a very friendly and a helpful person and always helped us with all our queries regarding the safari n the stay.
The stay done by Wild Secret safari was a beautiful Ngorongo Lodge n we were very satisfied as we had a comfortable stay after the whole day of exploring the jungles.
The tour guide name Doe is another friendly chap who was well educated about the animals n the places around. He use to guide us n tell us about every animal without even questioning.
So overall a beautiful experience and I would surely like to come again and choose Wild Secret Safari.
PL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent service and unforgettable experience
I was on a 3-day gorilla tracking safari which I absolutely loved!
All went pretty much as expected. My overall experience was great. I had no problems during the entire tour. They were very responsive to all my emails.
I appreciate their willingness to discuss and adjust the itinerary according to my tight budget. That made it the cheapest reliable option I found.
I would recommend them to anyone.
Take note that nights are cold in Bwindi and days are not boiling hot either. The Batwa community walk was not authentic.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
16 Day Kenya-Tanzania Solo Safari - Exciting to Say the Least
16 days with 8 different accommodation spots and a border crossing, there are bound to be a few things that might go off the rails. I would suggest anyone undertaking such a challenge have an open mind and be able to roll with the punches. I did a lot of research prior to booking my Safari with Orongai and in the end, they offered the best value for what I was looking for; a mix of luxury and tented accommodation with a full itinerary. First what needs to be noted is Orongai is relatively new to the Safari tour industry, but the Founder, Asseri is not. As such, they are continuing to learn and grow. If you are looking for that PERFECT nothing better go WRONG experience, then I recommend you pay the $10 to $15k US per person and book with a company that has been around for 30 years. If you are looking for value and won't get absolutely rattled if things don't go 100% according to plan, then you will have the trip of a lifetime like many others have indicated in their reviews.
Like a few others, I had changes presented to me upon arrival in Nairobi that had not been communicated prior to leaving Canada. I addressed the lack of communication with them in this regard and we came to a mutual agreement. Like some others, I too had accommodation changes that I was not expecting. Again, I stressed the importance in communicating changes to their clients prior to them arriving for their Safari - no one likes surprises, especially if they are going to be perceived as negative.
So here's my adventure:
- I arrived in Nairobi to learn my luggage did not. Martha and Asseri delayed departure for my Safari while they tried to figure out how they could retrieve my luggage once it arrived and get it to me while I was on the road. They helped make arrangements with the hotel, etc. They didn't have to - they didn't lose my luggage, the airline did. I was 5 days without my luggage!
- As a single female, they were concerned with pairing me with a young, male guide. They hired a new guide/driver that was supposed to be more experienced. James turned out to be friendly enough and very aggressive when it came to maneuvering the safari vehicle into position for the best wildlife shot. I got the best photos and did not have a professional camera with a 2 foot long lense. The downside was James' english was not very strong and he was not as outgoing and personable and I would have liked. An outgoing, personable driver with a good sense of humour was part of the criteria I requested for my Safari. As I was travelling solo, I needed to have a driver that was willing to engage. He also ended up taking more risks then he should have with the vehicle; taking short cuts that were not authorized by Orongai.
- Due to 'confusion' with regards to my itinerary my driver chose to skip taking me to the Nakuru Rhino reserve/drive and I missed out on seeing any Rhino's on this trip; a big disappointment for me. To make up for this, Asseri had my driver take me to Naivasha where I was treated to a private boat tour on the lake at Orongai's cost.
- Asseri met me at the Kenya/Tanzania border to take me to the Serengeti for 2 days. Crossing the border, and getting another Visa is quite an undertaking and to have the assistance and support to be guided through that process by him was very helpful and appreciated. I was hosted by Steve at the Kati Kati Tented Camp right in the park - it was amazing.
- Most of the lodges and tents that I stayed at, although there were some changes were quite nice.
- The biggest concern with accommodation was in Nakuru where I was placed at The Legacy Hotel; a hotel, not a lodge or a tented camp. In the middle of the night a man entered my room with a key. I suspect with the intention of stealing from me; as he had a key, he must have been an employee, but I will never know as he took off before anything could be done. I addressed this with Martha who addressed it with the hotel. The result is Orongai will not be placing any clients in that hotel in future.
- My driver made another unauthorized deviation near the end of my trip on the way to Mombasa. Because of this, Asseri again paid to have me taken on a private 5 hour tour through Mombasa to make up for it.
- The end result is 'James' will not be hired for any future safari work with Orongai
Communication, communication, communication. It is key, especially with a trip that was as complicated as mine was. And remember, you aren't always going to have internet or wifi access when you are out on Safari - be prepared for that.
Orongai is new, they are continuing to learn as they continue to grow; this is to be expected. They did their best to make right the things that went wrong; that is all you can ask of any company. Even with the few bumps in the road along the way, I had a fantastic experience - something I will never forget, and I now have friends in Arusha; Martha and Asseri.
If you are planning a 5-7 day Safari, you will not be disappointed like the many others that have posted reviews. If you are planning a Safari that is longer and has you moving every day or two to another location, be prepared for some hiccups along the way.
I definitely recommend them. Just confirm your itinerary prior to leaving your country of residence.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Selous Game Reserve by Beatrice Svanström
Everything was great, the staff was wonderful, lovely nature and we saw animals all the time!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Mikumi National Park by Beatrice Svanström
We didn't see that many animals as in Selous and we missed our driver Dulla from Serengeti.