50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Hunting atrocities at Balule
Please be aware that Balule not only offers hunting, but has been involved in a number of controversies, including the killing of a young elephant by two (apparently drunk) tourists - 13 shots, 15 minutes of crying torture for the animal:
https://conservationaction.co.za/media-articles/young-balule-elephant-shot-13-times-before-horrified-visitors/
https://africageographic.com/stories/illegal-collared-elephant-hunt-greater-kruger-warden-convicted/
https://twnews.us/us-news/this-l-a-hunter-killed-an-elephant-now-he-s-a-peta-target-in-bid-to-end-trophy-hunting
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Scammed
3 Nights 4 Days Serengeti with Ngorongoro Crater
Day 1: Leave Dar at 5.30am drive to Karatu with luxury air conditioned coach with picnic lunch . Dinner & Overnight at lodge.
Day 2: After breakfast Drive to Serengeti National Park with Picnic Lunch For Full Day Game Drive . Dinner & Overnight at Camp.
Day 3: After Early Breakfast Morning Gane Drive & Drive to Ngorongoro Crater with Picnic Lunch & Half Day Game Drive. Dinner & Overnight at Lodge in Karatu.
Day 4: After Breakfast Leave for Dar via Arusha. Picnic Lunch will be provided . Arrive Dar by 9pm.
The tour includes transport from Dar es Salaam & Return By Air Conditioned Coach , Safari Open Roof Vehicle , Food, Park Fees, Concession Fees, Daily Mineral Water Bottle & Packed Juice.
The Cost Per Adult Person
Tanzanian Citizen $ $290
Resident Permit Holders $490
Children 4 to 10 Years 50% with sharing accommodation with Parents This is what we paid for. No booking was done for us in Serengeti or Ngorongo. When we got Karatu we had no coach waiting for us to take us to the game reserve and we could not reach Mr. Mohemmed Kambi. We were advised to file a police report in Arusha. We lost all monies paid and the company is unresponsive. The police are following up on our case. Please be advised that this company scammed us of a total of over $5000.00 USD. I would not recommend to anyone. I would verystrongly advice against using this company.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
awful
Do not use this travel agency. Go Touch Down and Deon Barnard have used the COVID-19 crises to defraud us of all monies we spent with them for a trip to South Africa. They essentially contend that because our trip, which was scheduled to begin on May 12, 2020, could NOT happen because of the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa, they should keep all of the $24,513 we had paid to them in December 2019. When pressed as why we were not to receive a full refund, or at a minimum that amount less the Sales Agreement’s specified 20% cancellation fee, Barnard replied, “get a lawyer.” We will shortly be bringing a civil action against Go Touch Down, Barnard and all associated entities. FYI: we received a full refund from Delta Airlines for the airfare purchased for this trip.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
SCAM: Discovery Transfer and Tours Cancellation Policy
Due to COVID-19, we cancelled our tour scheduled for August 18 via email on June 29. Our message was ignored. Consequently, I contacted SafariBookings on Facebook about this unprofessional behavior. Shortly after the FB posting, a representative of DTT acknowledged our email after 40 days. He informed us the company would not issue a refund. Their Terms and Conditions contain a section entitled "Cancellation Policy".
The wording are explicit in this paragraph and states "the following charges will apply ....30 or more days prior to departure 10% of the total reservation amount". The company is retaining the full 20% of the total reservation amount instead. The cancellation policy is a SCAM! It is intended to lure customers into a false sense of security and trust.This company SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED. Furthermore, it should be delisted from SafariBookings' website otherwise potential customers will assume they are an ethical. company.
In addition, we told the rep "no further communication is needed". However, Fanuel sent us another repetitive message. This is harassment.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Be careful
Do not recommend. We planned a 2 week safari and spent thousands of dollars upfront. We had to cancel the safari months in advance due to Covid. Antony would not give us our money back as stated in the contract. We had to go to collections. Be careful.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Booked pre-COVID, haven't received a single response since June from Perfect Africa.
Perfect Africa has gone completely dark ever since we asked to help us cancel/refund our trip due to COVID travel restrictions. The last email I received from the company was on June 16. It has been two months of me emailing them to help me fix what we thought would have been a wonderful vacation starting on Sept. 5, 2020. They have not offered a refund, trip credits or any other communication to me despite me asking what we can do to remedy the situation. I have emailed on numerous accounts and am beyond frustrated by their lack of response. The trip that Jo Anne Nicholson helped me plan was a dream and we couldn't wait to take our vacation. Due to circumstances out of our hands, I would hope that a professional company and Jo Anne would respond and help us recover over $5,000.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
WARNING! $ 14,000 fraud and embezzlement
Almost a year in advance, we had booked an almost three-week safari via GATATU for five people in July / August 2019. The trip should cost a total of around 35,500 US dollars. As agreed, US $ 20,000 were transferred in advance. The rest should be handed over on site.
We were promised 2 safari vehicles, which should accompany us on the almost three-week tour, when we arrived at the airport there was only an old and neglected mini-bus that picked us up at the airport in Kigali in the late evening and then did not pick us up agreed boutique hotel but moved to another hotel.
After long discussions I was able to convince the otherwise very nice driver to take us to the agreed boutique hotel. We couldn't reach Richard, the manager of GATATU.
The next day we met the manager Richard in the office of GATATU Safaris in Kabale. It turned out there that not a single one of the agreed lodges was reserved. Richard received from us $ 1,500 for a 5th Gorilla Permit.
Since the owner of the first lodge warned us not to give Richard more money, we agreed that I would pay for all the lodges within the next three weeks on site and use the remaining US $ 14,000 for it.
The next evening it turned out that everything else was not paid for, e.g. the chimpanzee permits, entry to the national parks, accommodation and food for the driver, fuel, costs for the rented minibus etc. etc.
Of the 21,500 US dollars that GATATU received from us, only 7,500 US dollars were used for the gorilla permits, the rest (14,000 US dollars) was pocketed by the manager for no consideration. Richard could not be reached by phone, so on the third day we had to file a report with the tourism police in Kabale.
Richard was on the run, arrested three weeks later and jailed for three weeks. With one of his representatives, who visited us together with a senior officer, we agreed that Richard would repay the embezzled money in payment installments, which has not yet happened. At this point I do not want to report anything about our very negative experiences with the police in Uganda.
I can only warn you strongly against making any deals and especially advance payments to GATATU.
https://www.softpower.ug/tour-operator-who-defrauded-german-tourists-of-shs-81m-arrested-in-kabale/
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very Shady Company - AVOID!
If you are looking for a reputable tour operator AVOID 3 Wonders. Omari and the management team created a bad experience from day 1 that left everybody unhappy:
* Communication from management was poor to non-existent
* They changed everybody’s itinerary around without asking or even telling - mashing 4 separate plans into one to pinch pennies
* They tried to squeeze 10 people in an 8 person car after promising a 6 person tour - we had to argue for 30 mins for a second car and still ended up with 9 people in one after the first day
* We lost 2+ hours first day because they were late - didn’t get into Ngorongoro until almost 1pm after being asked to wake up at 6:45am from a camp site 2 hours away
* Vehicle was old (over 500,000km) with a broken heat and gas gauge, we had to travel 40km/hr on the way back from serengeti which took 10+ hours, getting passed by every other car
* We were held up for 90 minutes at Serengeti because they hadn't paid the fee
* We only got 1 hour game driving the last day in Serengeti because they wanted to save a second day park fee (even though we all paid)
Omari, Fabian, Ali and the 3 wonders management team are shady people and this company cannot be trusted. Once they get your money they don't care about customer experience in any sense.
under20 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Tanzania by Aidan
there are a lot of animals but to many cars that disturb migrations and i feel so bad for the animals
under20 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
the worst trip
i really didnt like it. i saw a very small amount of animals and no lions