HK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incompetent and deceitful staff ruined our honeymoon
We decided to book our 9-day luxury safari with It Started in Africa (ISIA) after several emails back and forth. Although the price ($10,100 USD for two people) was more expensive than other companies we had spoken to, we booked with ISIA, as we were impressed by the responsiveness of sales staff. We did have some concerns about the quality of their vehicles (after reading some reviews on TripAdvisor), but Joao Oliveira (who we later found out is the co-owner), Luis, Iris and Joanna assured us that we would be provided with one of their newer vehicles and a great guide. We were really looking forward to the trip of a lifetime however it turned out be a nightmare.
When we arrived in Kilimanjaro airport, there was no one to pick us up so we had to make several international calls to find out what had happened. They told us that the driver had broken down on route (this turned out to be a lie) and that they were sending a replacement car to pick us up. We waited for 30 minutes outside the airport until the driver finally arrived to pick us up but as soon as we were on the road to Arusha, the police stopped the car for speeding. We then had to wait outside the police station inside the car in blazing temperatures and call ISIA internationally for them to send another driver to pick us up.
We finally arrived at our hotel and I sent an email to Joao to tell him what had happened. He replied that there had been a mix-up with our dates and that the office manager, Bernard Kang’oma would meet us in person to apologise and confirm our itinerary before we left for our Safari. We met with someone the next day who spent 30 minutes claiming to be Bernard Kang’oma despite the fact that I had seen his picture on the company website and knew he was not. When I asked him why he had lied to us, he told us that Bernard Kang’oma had asked him to impersonate him. We wrote to Joao again expressing how unhappy we were with the level of service. He replied that we could cancel the trip but would have to forfeit 50% (over $5000!). Of course he knew that we had no other choice but to continue with the Safari. We could not book anything at such short notice so reluctantly we told him that we would continue with the trip. What followed was a litany of deceit and incompetence:
We started our Safari with two days in Tarangire and had an issue at the gate with the permit, which meant we had to return to the gate the next day early morning to get an extension for the next day.
The vehicle was old and the fridge cooler was broken so we could not drink cold water. It also had not been cleaned before the trip and stank of rotten food.
The Nikon binoculars they say they provide all clients is in fact a marketing lie. We had one Russian branded binoculars, which were glued together and belonged to the driver and another pair, which were broken.
We were kept waiting for 30 minutes outside one of our lodges, while they sorted out our booking. When I spoke to the manager that evening he said that he had a booking for us the following day (not the correct day). Another lodge told us they weren't expecting us for lunch despite this being on the itinerary.
While heading to South Serengetti, we were kept waiting 3.5 hours at the gate as there was another problem with the permit. Another mess up by the staff in Arusha meant we missed out on most of the afternoon game drive in the ndutu region.
Unfortunately, our balloon ride was cancelled due to poor weather, however we were told that we could book for the next day. Immediately upon returning to the camp, I asked the driver to confirm our booking for the next day. We repeatedly asked him to do this throughout the day but it was only when we absolutely insisted that he did so, but by then it was too late as it was already fully booked. We were the only people to miss out on the balloon ride as everyone else had confirmed early and had not left it so late.
When we arrived at our camp in Ngorongoro, we were informed that the camp didn't have a booking for the crater walk that we had paid for. The weather was poor so the walk may not have taken place but again ISIA staff messed up the booking.
Bernard Kang’oma informed us, that we could collect the refund for the cancelled balloon ride and crater walk at the office in Arusha. Our driver/guide spoke to him several times before we left Ngorongoro and Kang’oma confirmed that he would be waiting in the office with the full refund of $1200. When we arrived at the office, Kangoma wasn't there. We tried to reach him several times and when he eventually answered his phone, he said that he had given the money to someone called Daniel who was waiting at Kilimanjaro airport. We called Daniel and he told us that he didn't actually have the money! We then tried to reach Kang’oma but he would just hang up. We had no option but to go to the police station to report this. They called him and told him to come to the police station but we gave up waiting for him and were told by the police to give them our contact details and they would follow up.
We tried to catch our flight to Zanzibar but missed it because of this incident and had to stay at the airport hotel and catch a flight the next day, losing our hotel booking in Stone town in the process.
When we asked Joao for a refund of the $1200 for the cancelled balloon ride and crater walk, he at first tried to make us sign a letter saying that we would not write negative reviews on any site. He told us that this was his bank’s policy (a lie) but we refused to do this and he reluctantly agreed to pay us the refund by PayPal. We are still waiting to agree compensation but Joao and ISIA staff are not replying to our emails.
ISIA ruined our honeymoon and we would absolutely not recommend booking a Safari with this company!!! There were several issues everyday which we would spend most of of the day resolving. Terrible organisation and service by ISIA especially considering the price we paid. There are plenty of other good safari companies, so we would suggest using any of them.
MX
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience!
Everything was really good. It was really easy to book the safari as they respond very quickly and the tour guide was really nice.
VN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience for Tour 4days Lake Nukuru-Lake Naivasha-Masai Mara.
Thanks to Adam & Joseph, We are group (4 people), had wonderful Safari trip, we love the best is Masai Mara. Both guys are kindness and provide us great support during the tour, even very enthusiastic to guide us in Nairobi. This is a best memorable trip in Africa I have had
Close to being the finest National Park in Africa
South Luangwa National Park is one of the very finest National Parks in Africa .It's superb in every way; the scenery is beautiful and varied, there are huge amounts of wildlife, the night drives are superb,and so is walking.
It also has a superb wilderness vibe. The guiding is uniformly excellent. Many of the camps have a superb bush feel to them. I've already been there three times,furthermore,I'll be returning again next year.
DK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
2-day trip to Mikumi - fantastic experience
We were a family of four (two kids, 12 and 15 y o) that hade the opportunity to go with Gecko to Mikumi from Dar (and back).
The communication before the trip was flawless and the guide and driver, Said, was an absolute pleasure to be travelling with. He was extremely knowledgeable and had a knack for finding exactly the right spots to look for the animals. Also, we learned a lot about Tanzania as a country driving through the countryside together with him.
We were very happy to have chosen the two-day trip. The two days were very different in terms of the animals we saw - and the first day we were lucky enough to see both lions and elephants very close by.
We can only recommend Gecko to others that may consider the same type of trip.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Trip, Highly Recommend
We did the 7 day trip to Ol Pajeta, Lake Nukuru, Lake Naivasha, and Maasi Mara and added an extra day in Maasi Mara. Daniel was incredibly flexible and we were able to customize the trip exactly how we wanted it. We had never heard of African Sermon Safaris before and were a little nervous about using the company, but Daniel answered every question promptly and was able to ease our concerns. After booking the trip, only several months before going, he continued to answer our questions and confirmed reservations.
When we arrived, we were met by our driver, Ben Pusi, who was absolutely amazing. He was highly informed, able to spot animals in insane places, and placed the safari van in perfect viewing locations. We barely needed binoculars. We went on another short trip to Rwanda and Uganda after with a guide who was good but nothing like Ben, so we can definitely say Ben is the best. During the trip, we had a couple of small requests and changes to the itinerary and Ben was incredibly flexible, accommodating every request.
The accommodations were also amazing. We selected the mid-range option and did not know what to expect, but the places were ultra luxurious and beautiful. Daniel got us the best rooms, with the best views in the best spots in every location. Every room we stayed in had amazing views, was very comfortable, had great food and service, were clean, and was virtually insect free (which was very important for my wife).
Our least favorite location was Lake Nukuru because the lake is no longer pink due to rising water levels, and we didn't spot a ton of new animals. They are known for their leopards but we were not lucky there. Of course, that is how wildlife spotting goes, but it was a long drive from Ol Pajeta to Lake Nukuru. We made up for everything missed in Maasi Mara, which was our favorite location, and saw every animal we saw in the other locations, plus everything we missed, including leopards. I recommend adding more time in the Maasi Mara if you have extra time, and if not, skip Lake Nukuru to add extra days to Maasi Mara.
Most importantly, the trip was affordable! We had a similar trip planned with another travel agency about two years ago, but didn't go because the cost was almost double what we paid. I have no idea how African Sermon was able to get exactly what we wanted for half the cost (which was most of the reason we were apprehensive at first), but everything turned out exactly as we hoped.
Overall, it was our dream vacation come true and I highly, highly recommend it. We hope to come back soon!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our safari experience was incredible! Twaha and Ishmael were very informative and tons of fun!
Our safari experience exceeded expectations. I cannot believe I saw lion cubs learning to hunt only feet from our van. Our guides, Twaha and Ishmael made the experience even better! They were both very informative, kept us safe, super fun, and they made sure we got to see some of everything!
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It's all about the people
We had the best experience. Nelson, the manager is attentive, polite, smart, fun and devoted. Dulla the guide is amazing and funny. They both took care of everything, the prices whre great. Everything went fine. We definitely recommend getaway adventure for your trip.
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
excellent week in the Safari with Dulla the skillfull guide who made our safari expirience
Saw all top predetors and big animals and had agreat week stayed in biutiful lodges highly recommend Ngorongoru Carter
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our experience with KNT was outstanding in every way and we loved our driver, Tom!
Rachel and Steve were very easy to communicate with during the decision-making and booking process. No question was left unanswered and they didn't seem to mind answering all of our questions. The safari, accommodations, food, and our driver, Tom, were excellent. We were a diverse group of 6 ranging in age from 2 to 63, and Tom kept all of us happy and entertained. Our guides (including Tom) were excellent in their knowledge of flora and fauna. We saw lots of animals, although I suppose you always want to see more!! The price of the safari relative to other companies seemed very reasonable to us, and we would definitely use KNT in the future were we to return. Thank you!