35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Disappointing ! Even more after It Started in Africa offered to pay me to remove my reviews.
My husband and I selected It Started in Africa as our tour organizer for a 6 day Mount Kilimanjaro hike mainly because of their outstanding reviews and classification on Safaribookings and TripAdvisor. We also chose them because they were very reactive and had a nice website. But our main selection criteria was their ranking on Safaribookings (number 1) and on Trip Advisor (number 10).
The hike itself was satisfying: the guides, cooks and porters were friendly and helpful, BUT our overall experience turned out not to be as good as expected, and there were a lot of “small” details that added together gave us the overall unpleasant feeling that we had somehow been “cheated” by It Started in Africa.
The main issues were:
1. No one was there to meet us when we arrived at Kilimanjaro airport. Sylvia, our tour manager, arrived approximately one hour after our flight had landed and explained that she thought we were arriving on the KLM flight and that she had not been made aware that we were on the Kenya Airways flight. My husband had send Joao all of our flight details, which he had acknowledged receipt of. And even if what Sylvia was telling us was true, she was still 30 minutes late for the KLM flight.
2. The hotel in Arusha (Raha Leo) which was sold to us as part of the package, and included in our contract, was changed at the last minute without us being informed or forewarned. When I checked the rating on Trip Advisor, I realized that the hotel that It Started in Africa put us in (The Torch) had a much lower rating than the hotel that had been sold to us. When reading other traveler reviews posted after our trip (and since then disappeared from Trip Advisor), I realized that we were not the only customers surprised in this way…..
3. As part of the contract, It Started in Africa was supposed to supply us with duvet liners and pillows – we never saw them. The mess tent was tiny and could barely hold our party of 7.
4. My husband was victim of food poisoning and he was so sick that he had to turn back and be evacuated from the mountain. The doctor that we saw when we returned to Joburg confirmed that his disease had nothing to do with altitude sickness but was solely due to food poisoning (most likely the chicken we were served during 3 consecutive days by the It Started in Africa cook). The evacuation until the park gate was organized diligently and professionally by Tanzanian Parks. But once at the gate, the car that It Started in Africa car had sent from Arusha was not there. It was actually our piece of luck, because the It Started in Africa representative in Moshi came to pick us up in order not to keep us waiting and he agreed with us that my husband was in no condition to withstand the 3 hour drive to Arusha. The guides and I had told Sylvia, our tour manager, a number of times over the phone that it made no sense to drive back to Arusha that day, and had requested to stop in Moshi for the night, but she had refused to listen, saying that “she had already booked a room at The Torch in Arusha”. The hotel in Moshi was much nicer than the Torch and we were able to get a good night’s rest.
5. From the beginning of the trip, until the very last day, we were under constant pressure from the chief guides (and from the tour manager on the first day), to leave generous tips to the guides and porters. This gave us the unpleasant feeling that the porters, guides, cooks, etc are so poorly paid by It Started in Africa, that they rely on customers’ tips to keep their staff happy. The documents sent to us before the trip gave clear guidelines about the tipping amounts to be given out and we all know how to read – so why be so insistent during the entire trip? It really made us feel as if we were a bunch of dishonest people who would walk away from our responsibilities, and impacted our relationship with the guides and porters.
6. The number of porters/guides/cooks, etc accompanying us during the trip was never clearly stated to us before the trip. We found out on the first day of the hike that 31 people would be accompanying our group of 7 people. I’m not against employing a large number of people, but I believe that It Started in Africa should have been transparent about this before we signed the contract – as this has an impact on the total amount of the trip (tips are substantial).
7. When we were done with the trip, we were put under a lot of pressure by Sylvia, our tour manager to write good reviews on the spot for them, with them looking over our shoulders. I refused to do it and said I would do it later, as I don’t like being pressured in such a way.
8. Our last night in Arusha was part of the package, and had been paid for and booked through It Started in Africa. When Sylvia told us we would be staying at the Torch again, we refused. Not the rat hole again! Especially considering how weak my husband was. She then suggested Kia Lodge by the airport and warned us that it would be more expensive. We were prepared to pay whatever additional cost there was to pay, as long as the hotel was decent, with water and air conditioning in the rooms. And we also asked if it would be possible for the three guys in our party who were flying out later that day to use our rooms to take a shower. Sylvia promised it all, dropped us off at the hotel reception, and then vanished (very quietly for once). Once she was gone, the hotel manager told us that it would not be possible for our 3 friends to shower (but they were welcome to drink at the bar and eat at the restaurant), and we found that there was no water pressure in our room, making it impossible to shower. And at bedtime, when we turned the air-con on, we found out that it did not work either….. The next morning, there was literally no water at all in the shower! 183 USD for a room with no water and no air-con (supposedly the It Started In Africa special rate, but when I double checked on Trip Advisor, I found the rooms to be sold at 177 USD)….quite pricy, don’t you think?
But here comes the worst part!
When we returned home, I posted a review on Trip Advisor and rated It Started in Africa as "average", considering the problems that we had and the un-kept promises. The next day, Joao, the Happiness Manager, sent me an email with explanations about what happened and offered to pay me 700 USD if I removed my post or upgraded it to Very Good. When I refused, he offered me 1000 USD. After he had my review forcibly removed from Trip Advisor, I posted another review explaining how he tried to bribe me, and I received a 3rd email offering me 2500 USD if I removed my second review. I also noticed that the other average reviews which had been posted on Trip Advisor at around the same time as mine had disappeared. I managed to contact another reviewer who confirmed that he was offered money to remove or upgrade his review.
I then realized why It Started in Africa only had very good and excellent reviews on the internet. It seems that they bribe unhappy customers to remove or change their reviews if they are not 4 or 5 stars. And I cannot help but wonder....how many people were paid in the past? And how many people, like me, selected It Started In Africa mainly because of their track record of excellent and very good reviews and were hugely disappointed? How much money is Joao going to offer me this time, to remove my review from Safaribookings.com? I systematically read travelers' internet reviews before I choose a hotel or a tour organizer. I also believe that it is of utmost importance that travelers who post reviews on these websites do it honestly, as others rely on them to make decisions and chose their tour operator, hotels, restaurants, etc. I could have accepted Joao’s 1000 USD and left it at that, letting other travelers believe that It Started in Africa provides top class service and that they are the best. Maybe they are great for a large number of travelers. But not for me, and I believe that it is unfair to other travelers to keep quiet about what is going on. It Started in Africa’s business practices are unfair and detrimental to all of the tourism industry professionals who work hard and with integrity to please their customers. It Started in Africa need to understand that you cannot hide your flaws forever by bribing customers, and that there are still some people out there who cannot be bought, no matter how much money you offer them. It Started in Africa's cheating attempts turned out to be the most disturbing part of this trip for me. Knowing after hand that others before me may have had a disappointing experience with It Started in Africa, but were paid to remove their reviews, gives me the very unpleasant impression that we were cheated voluntarily by It Started in Africa from the very start.
For this very reason, I would definitely not recommend this Tour operator!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely poor coordination
i booked a safari from Bonfire on 8th September, guide and safari van was ok. the coordination and communication from my agent innocent was pathetic. She was not reachable two days before the safari. Driver and vehicle details were not shared until i made 20 calls to various numbers. finally number was shared on saturday 19.00 hrs for sunday morning safari and to my surprise, the mentioned driver never came instead send some other driver.
this is pathetic and frustrating for the monies paid. i will recommend not to choose bonfire because of very poor customer service.
Regards,
Nachiket
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
My experience was at bookings very poorly coordinated. I feel I was overcharged not Professional
As a parent I felt cheated. Got a raw deal.The SGR booking was a mess
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Marred Vacation Experience
My husband and I planned this trip for about three years; we are retired educators. The trip included two weeks in South Africa(Capetown, Safari, and the remainder of the trip spent in Victoria Falls. The first two weeks of the trip went very smoothly, and we had an excellent experience. Our nightmare began after the Victoria Falls part of the trip. When my husband and I arrived to the Victoria Falls Airport for the return flight to JoBurg for the connecting flight to the USA, South African Air could not process my husbands reservation. We waited for two hours anxious, and stressed to get the reservation corrected. South African Air blamed
Go Touch Down, Go Touch Down blamed South African Air. There were two other individuals in our party and on the same reservation. My husband and I dealt with Go Touch Down; all of the arrangement were made by this travel agency. They readily took our money for this trip, promising a quality experience. When contacted, and asked to refund some of the money,(800.00) they sent us $25.00 which was suppose to cover failure to provide an aisle seat for my husband on the return flight. We were informed by Go Touch Down that South African Air charged for a seat on the Aisle. Needless to say the Vacation was marred, and should not have been. I understand that mishaps occur. I also expect to be made whole when treated poorly. Deon Barnard, President/CEO was useless in helping us. I share this information, so that potential clients will know that should something go wrong, Go Touch Down will not do the right by you. Please contact me if you have questions or wish more information about our experience.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
VERY LATE!!
We were told to arrive by 6.30 which we did but we ended up leaving 2 HOURS later!. Honestly that was not at all interesting. Waiting for two hours just because people are late.
Bonfire should have a 30minute caveat/rule.
You arrive later than 30min you forfeit your trip.
Its unfair and RUDE to keep 15 people waiting for 2hours for 1 person.
Very dissapointing. 2stars because of this bad experience.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
ATC 57 Day African Adventure
We have just finished ATC 57 Day Cape Town to Nairobi overland trip, and though the staff on the ground for the most part were very good, the actual organisation of the trip certainly does not provide the best value or experience on the market. Parts of the trip were disorganised, very expensive comparative with other companies, meals paid for were not made available, suppliers used by ATC were slipshod in their attention to detail and expensive.
Booking through On The Go Tours we were informed that there was no way that optional excursions could be paid for in advance, we were therefore surprised and annoyed to find that other travellers on our trip using a Dutch Agent had all major excursions included in the price.
Itineraries supplied by different agents for the tour were slightly different and this caused confusion with at least one out of the three trip leaders we had, and meant last minute changes in plan.
Changes in tour leaders, cooks and driver also meant meals paid for were not provided, and we actually had to pay for a meal at the ATC Nairobi campsite that was included in our package. The new tour leader indicated he would investigate this with the office but no further comment was provided by the tour leader or ATC.
Campsites had been changed comparative to the itinerary supplied and due to not camping inside national park game viewing opportunities were lost. If using ATC ensure that any changes in itinerary do not affect the paid for activities.
Equipment used especially on the first two parts of the trip were "well used" to say the least, and in my opinion the cooks knives on the final part were dangerous to use and unhygienic with handles falling apart.
Optional tours with third party supplies were found to be 25% more expensive than other operators offering better value both at Victoria Falls and Swakopmund, which given the amount of business generated by the overland tours was disappointing to learn. If you use ATC I would strongly urge you to shop around at both these places.
Tour teeshirts out of the four ordered from ATC recommended supplies two in Kampala and two in Vic falls, none were provided as agreed with the suppliers representative, which was very disappointing.
We did go to all the places within the itinerary, and much of the trip was enjoyable, however, if we were to repeat this trip we would use alternative companies which offer similar itineraries. Do not be fooled by the cheap upfront price, by the time all optional extras are included it is certainly no cheaper than going with others who include these in the upfront price.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Masai Mara 3 day (but only 2)
Simba Oryx lodge and Mara itself are superb. Bonfire are either dishonest or incompetent. We paid for three days safari but, on the third day, the driver just took us home. We also gave the driver park fees to cover the third day. We are following this up with the company so will update this site if we get a refund, apology etc.
US
Very Poor Service For Amount Paid
The below is my opinion based on my experience with Go2Africa.
Go2Africa was reasonably good at selling the trip to us - good communication and pitching of experiences. That said, I agree with reviewer Anna who mentioned that they withhold information unless you ask them specifically (and in writing) - items such as the specific location of a lodge, whether you need vaccinations, where your pickup will be from (inside airport or after baggage claim).
Once they took our money is where we felt they really fell short of what we feel we paid for. In my opinion, this was made even worse by a lack of care when we reached out to them - both during the trip and afterwards.
A number of issues were encountered, including:
- Hotels forgot to put enough towels for all of our party - we emailed Go2Africa the first time this happened but it kept happening
- We'd booked and paid for a private vehicle for certain safaris but a lodge we stayed at did not know this - we had to awkwardly "fight for it" after our arrival - we feel Go2Africa should have been "on top" of what we had paid for and ensured this didn't happen
- One of our airport pickups was late, and we were left waiting for 15+ minutes outside of the airport
- One of our lodges was over 50 minutes away from the "prime" safari grounds - this was something they never told us when we were booking
- We were told that Go2Africa is a co-owner, co-investor and/or shareholder in another tour operator, called Asilia, they used this provider for parts of our trip (many Asilia cars advertise Go2Africa on their signage). The Asilia representative in one city offered to us, free of charge, a city tour at our next destination. When we arrived in this next city the Asilia team on site had no idea of this offer and, after loading our luggage into their car started awkwardly asking us for money for the tour. This made us very uncomfortable and when we later commented to Go2Africa, all they said was that they would "investigate" - our experience and time was still spoiled
- Go2Africa claimed to have reserved a restaurant for us but when we arrived we found out that the restaurant was closed on the day they said they'd confirmed the reservation for - this cost us valuable time on our tour (they later said their subcontractor should have reconfirmed this when we pushed them for accountability on it)
- They refused to provide any compensation for the issues we encountered and instead were, in my opinion, very defensive about everything that happened (they chose to blame their subcontractors rather than own the issues we encountered)
I personally would not use Go2Africa again, I feel that we paid for a premium experience and service, only to be treated quite poorly once we had paid them. Having awkward moments in foreign countries with tour operators was frustrating.... When paying for a trip, I believe you're paying for an experience. You have limited time during your travel and want to make the most of it. Go2Africa was very unsympathetic to this. I recommend looking at other options before considering Go2Africa.
Poor communication
I was dealing with one lady by the name Faith Kaluai,first she sends me a quotation valid for a month,I was to get back to her on my travel dates then two days later she sends me a mail and tell me it was subject to availability and sends me another quotation..i call her wanting to make my bookings on the new quotations sent to me but she doesn't pick up my call..she later sends me a whatsapp message asking me what i have decided nearly a week after.surely bonfire how are you supposed to win people's trust if you can't handle your customers properly?
Experience level: first safari
Disappointing. Avoid traveling with Kapolondo Expeditions.
I booked and paid well in advance for a 6 day mid range lodge safari. I ended up on a budget group safari.
On arrival late at night at Kilimanjaro airport I was met (thankfully - after reading a few reviews I had been nervous that nobody would be there!) and we begun our drive to Arusha, only for the safari vehicle to break down almost immediately. 21/2 hours later we crawled in to Arusha. The vehicle continued to have problems throughout the safari.
On Safari none of the accomodation had been booked in advance. I only stayed at 1 hotel that was on my itinerary (and it was empty of guests). Tony seemed to find the cheapest accomodation going on the day.
At one point Tony told me that the lodge I had booked was full so given that the owners of this lodge owned another accomodation in the local area I would go there. In turn I went to the lodge to ask them about their hotel being full. Turns out both were lies. The lodge was by no means full and the lodge did not own another hotel nearby.
We had to wait for several hours at Serengeti National Park and also Tarangire National Park as the company credit card did not have enough funds to cover the entry fees. Tony finally added funds but with a lengthy and irritating delay. Time spent hanging around at the entrance, watching all the other safari vehicles heading in to the parks was not particularly fun!
The only positive for which I am very thankful is that our driver Bruno (freelance driver) took great care to make sure we saw some amazing sights. He was a fabulous driver, knows the parks very well, taught us about the animals and made sure our journey was as magical as possible.
I have since written to Tony asking for a refund for the sub standard accomodation and the time wasting. He's not particularly repsponsive and when he does he makes up things.
I think the bottom line is, the guy doesn't seem to care. The company has such potential to be a very successful business but the way it is currently being managed, I don't believe it will last much longer.
Do yourself a favour and choose one of the many reputable safari companies, to avoid the stress and worry we had to deal with on the journey.
Happy Safari.