Bramwel Safaris | Tanzania
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $1,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
The tour operator was very good has the best communication skills
We had a very good experience with Ngekewa tours.. They are the best , they have the best hospitality.. Me and my family are looking forward to visit Tanzania again using them.. It was a super nice experience.. Thank You Ngekewa.. Looking forward to seeing you again soon.
US
Email Nguyen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Bramwel Safaris - Best Safari Operator, Amazing Safari
I came across Bramwel Safaris Contact, as I was researching what company to choose for our safari. Bramwel Safaris is a fairly small family-owned local tour operator. The manager, William, is very experienced, very helpful and reliable (he usually answered our emails within a few hours).
We spent 3 days in Serengeti and it was definitely the most exciting park of all. Ngorongoro was fascinating as well, but it lacks the vastness and diversity of Serengeti. Lake Manyara is a rather small Park; Tarangire is different again. It is a very large park with a very high density of elephants and an interesting hilly landscape (with many lookouts on the lower plains) along the Tarangire River. Arusha National Park is interesting as well, particularly for "speed visitors": You can do a 1-day safari from Arusha and spot many animals.
We had an unforgettable time in Tanzania with some fascinating insights into Tanzanian life and culture and incredibly interesting game drives. It was so far our most expensive holiday but it was worthwhile every dollar we paid. We will definitely come back to Tanzania and we will definitely go again with Bramwel Safaris.
Email Tammy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fantastic and Informative
The suggestions were all great in the beginning as to the choices we had, Once we decided that was that we received our itinerary, we did not have to worry about a thing, We went to the Lower Zambezi the staff were fantastic the food great, it was a fantastic very well needed break
Email Bright | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It was a lovely experience we have never experienced in my entire life.
Wonderful trip to Central Kalahari & Okavango Delta
We had our first safari experience of wild camping in Botswana with kalahari Marsh safaris led by Lucky who was reliable all the time to assist us. We came away feeling extremely satisfied with all our expectations met! It was our very first time in the wild with wild animals around us, yet,we felt safe. The chef, camp hand and guide were extremely good.
The tents were comfortable and safe as we slept on stretchers, mattress and blankets. The meals were gourmet in the middle of nowhere and our game drives were superlative! We experienced the best of Kalahari and its amazing views,photography and everything, soul satisfying at the Okavango delta. Mokoro experience was out of the world, especially the bush walk with amazing polars. Everything seemed so surreal. Going by the mokoro was a fabulous experience with hippos all around. Respect for wildlife was very much in place. There were no untoward problems and we returned completely satisfied. Lucky arranged our transfer to Livingstone and visit to Victoria falls, which was a great experience. The icing on the cake for us was our stay at Mowana, Kasane, also arranged by Kalahari Marsh Safaris. It was truly,truly exotic. We thank Lucky and his team for giving us our best experience in the wild.
Email Cheryll Sanders | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Zanzibar- Abdurahman Muhammed
We had the privilege of using Adburahman as our Tour guide on our holiday to Zanzibar.. We engaged him as a driver for the entire 7 days. He was absolutely fantastic. We planned our trips each day and he drove us patiently from place to place. Where necessary he assisted us in finding a guide. It was beyond comforting each day to look up at a particular time to find him patiently waiting for us. He was never even 2 minutes late. If we wanted to stay longer at a particular place or wanted to leave early we just sent him a WhatsApp and he was there in minutes.
His services were incredibly well priced. We would highly recommend using him in Zanzibar.
His number +255 777 425276
Email Tarah | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
You’re a bunch of lying thieves and take off with unsuspecting tourists money and leave them
You’re a bunch of lying thieves and take off with unsuspecting tourists money and leave them with no bookings. How are you still in business?!
Horrible cars
Not only stole all the prepaid money, but my friends had to pay it all again and missed out on most of their safari trying to find hotels to stay in because of your incompetence!
US
Email Tomer C | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do not use Bramwel Tours, William Amon, or Meru Treks. Awful experience and they owe me $382
In August 2016, I signed up for a 6 day camping safari with Bramwel tours, operated by William Amon in Arusha. The cost was $1,200 and the itinerary that William sent me included all transfers and one night stay at a hotel after the tour was over. I was traveling alone so I asked William if I could join another tour. He said yes. I chose William because he was responsive and helpful over email. He answered all my questions in a professional manner.
Two days before the tour started, William emailed me to tell me that the tourists I was supposed to join had cancelled. He found another tour operator with a 5 day tour the same days and I could join them. I was disappointed, especially because the shorter tour meant I wouldn't be able to see the great migration (the primary reason I wanted to go on Safari), but I understood that happens when you join other tourists. William suggested they would find a local activity in Arusha to fill my sixth day.
The tour operator William put me on (Meru Treks) was awful! We lost a lot of time because the jeep kept breaking down, and we started so late one day that we missed half the day. Another day, when we went to Ngorongoro crater, the driver told us we would only have half a day, even though the itinerary told us we'd have a full day. We had to argue with our driver to get a full day.
The driver was in a bad mood some of the time and explained very little to us. The cook was nice and did the best with the food he had, but some nights there wasn't enough food for the group.
Everything about the tour suggested Meru was trying to spend as little as possible. For example, we found out that the driver and cook had nowhere to sleep! The driver was sleeping in the car (no wonder he was in a bad mood and no wonder that some mornings we started late).
Along with me on my tour were five other people, all of whom told me they were very unhappy. Two of them paid $680 for four days. One paid $640 for four days. Two other tourists paid $900 for five days. They all purchased their tickets directly through Meru.
The night before I returned, I emailed William to tell him how awful Meru was. I told him I don't want to hire him for my sixth day, and I'd like a refund for the difference between the price of the Meru Trek tour and the tour I paid for. He agreed, told me he would meet me in Arusha and pay me the difference.
When I arrived in Arusha, the hotel that was supposed to be included in the cost of my trek told me that William had paid part of the room cost and I would have to pay the remaining $32.
I emailed William to tell him I thought the Meru Trek should have cost $850 (the tourists who paid $680 for a four day trip paid $170 per day; my five day trip should have cost $850). I told William I thought he owed me $382 ($1,200 - $850 + $32). He responded that he only owed $230. He tried to charge me $50 for airport transfers and $20 for the night in the hotel, even though both of these were listed as 'included' in the itinerary he sent me. After some arguing, he agreed to refund me $382.
On my last day in Arusha, William emailed me to apologize that he would not be able to meet me to refund my money. He said he would wire me the difference.
For the last ten months, we have been emailing back and forth. William keeps promising he will refund my money, but he never does. He once told me he sent it but the money did not arrive in my account.
Altogether, I am very upset at Bramwel, William, and at Meru Treks. The trek I went on was a big disappointment. William pushed me off onto a bad operator, and then tried to charge me extra for items that should have been included. While he has agreed to pay me $382, he has not refunded my money.
I strongly agree with all the other negative reviews posted on SafariBookings. I recommend you stay away from Bramwel Tours, William Amon, and Meru Treks. I have emailed the Tanzania Tourism Board to recommend that they take away Bramwel's license.
Bramwel are cheats and cannot be trusted one bit
We had a similar experience with Bramwel Safari. We took the safari in Sept 16. We landed in Kilimanjaro and had someone pick us up in a jeep that was smelling of fish (we are vegetarians). We were taken to Planet Lodge, thankfully this was booked. The next morning we were greeted by another driver and guide Dennis (he was good) in a clean jeep. We drove to Serengeti and our woes began. We were there by 11 am and when the driver went to the counter to get our permits, he was told that there was no money in the card issued in Arusha. He called William Amon who heads Bramwel Safaris, and was arguing with him. William told him that he was going to the bank to deposit the money in the card. We waited at the gated until 2.30pm. Still no sign of the money. We decided having come this far let's just pay by credit card and get over with this. The dirver took us to the lodge that was supposed to be booked for us and as suspected the booking was not done. We have been driving around and it was getting quite dark. Luckily the driver knew another lodge and knew a person there and we managed to get a tent for two nights. We were so disappointed with all this that we decided not to go for the Hot Air Balloon for which we had paid 1000 $ advance. I am sure if we had to do this we would have had to pay again.
From Serengeti we headed to Ngorongoro and were told that the luxury hotel that we had paid for was not booked so we would be staying at another hotel. Luckily the hotel was booked and we did not have to pay for this.
On the whole William keeps on promising and from what I have read on their website and here, he seems to have made this his way of making quick money out of people who have worked hard and saved up for a trip like this. Because a trip like this is not cheap. He says he is God fearing and goes to church. I doubt very much the man has any conscience. He is still cheating people saying he will repay them and then more empty promises.
Please do read reviews on the tour operators and do stay well away from Bramwel.
CH
Email Desiree | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Warning complete fraud and nightmare safari
Complete fraud and nightmare safari:
I am a researcher who has been living in Tanzania since 2014. I have booked several safaris with different agents since 2007. I warn you never to book a safari with Bramwel Safaris, owned by William Amon in Arusha Tanzania, because he is a sincere fraudster and criminal. We booked the safari with Bramwel as he got recommended to us by a friend (expat living in Tanzania, working for a foreign embassy) who thought to know William Amon well, also he was shocked after hearing what happened to us and tried to pressure William to give us our money back. We wanted to support a local Tanzanian small safari agent, but after this experience sadly have to admit that next time we will book again with a big one like Leopard Tours as we never had problems with them. So William Amon’s business practices also will have a negative impact on all the other small local Safari agents in Tanzania as he spoils the reputation of them all.
So here is what happened to us when we booked a safari with him last October 2016. After getting in contact with William via email, we arranged our safari program and then paid 1450USD per person, so 4350USD in total, in advance for a 5 days safari (Ngorongoro and Serengeti) for 3 people in a 3-beds room. After we arrived early in the morning at Kilimanjaro International airport we first had to wait about an hour until the driver arrived at the airport. He said he had a flat tyre on the way to the airport. The car was a very small (not a safari vehicle) car in a very bad condition, with barely any space for the luggage, and about to break down every moment. We arrived after a 3 hours drive at our hotel Meru hotel Lekisilai a bit outside of Arusha as the car was only able to drive very slowly and the driver had to call William and the hotel several times as he did not know the way to the hotel. Usually it takes only 1 hour from the airport to Arusha town. The next day we expected the driver to pick us from the hotel at 9a.m., as whe had arranged via phone with William on the day of arrival. But the driver turned up only at around 10a.m. He also did not come inside the hotel to greet us and tell us that he is here. He also did not make a very friendly and reputable impression, rather looking as having a night of weed smoking behind. No we had to go outside and tell him that we are ready.
So then we drove to Ngorongoro where it was planned to stay for 2 nights at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. It was planned that we would stay the afternoon at the lodge to relax and then have a full day game drive the next day in the crater. To our surprise when we arrived on the crater rim the driver did not drive to the lodge but drove into the crater as he told us that he thought we had an afternoon game drive as well. Well at that point we accepted as we were sure we’ll get our full day game drive the next day as well. So we drove around in the crater for about 2 hours. But to our suprise we were getting late, I knew gates close at 6p.m. and by that time you are not allowed to be in the crater anymore, however our driver was asserting that it was 6.30, saying they won’t say anything and that they say it’s 6p.m. just to be sure people are out on time. So when we arrived at the gate it was closed, no ranger there anymore. The driver was honking but noone there. So he had to call the park rangers to send someone to open the gate. About 45 minutes later a ranger turned up and opened. He was very angry and we felt very insecure. The driver had to pay a fine of 50USD that was clear. Then we drove to the lodge. To our surprise when we arrived at the lodge they said there is no reservation of a hotel room for us and that there was no payment received for 2 nights at the lodge. And that they only have a free room for 1 night but we would need to pay for it directly at the hotel. But we already had paid for all the costs (car, driver, hotels, park fees etc. in advance to William). So I called William to ask what is happening and then he asked me if I can help him and pay the hotel as apparently his cashier went on holiday and he realized now that he did not make any hotel reservations and did not pay any hotels but ran away with the money. I refused, and William assured that he’ll find a solution to transfer the money until the next day. However the next day we were kept hostages the whole day at the hotel because they did not let us go anywehere until they received the money from William. After a full day of waiting and making phone calls, instead of our paid full day game drive in the crater that we lost, we were released at around 4:30p.m. as the money was transferred. As there was no space at Sopa lodge we had to find another hotel. William arranged a room for a night outside Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Karatu at the Karatu country lodge, which was actually not the standard we booked and payed for, this is rather a 2 stars hotel and not 4 stars like Sopa lodge. Also it is outside the park, and we had to hurry again to be outside the gate on time again. Well the next day same story, the hotel was not paid and our driver said his credit card that was supposed to be filled with money by William was not filled and was left with around 20’000Tsh (around 10USD). Well then William said he’ll send someone with a cheque. Meanwhile he ensured he’ll go to the bank and fill the card with money while we were waiting. But then we had to wait again for about 4 hours until around 12 o’clock until that cheque arrived, it came from Arusha. Keep in mind we were supposed to be at Serengeti the same day, which is about a 4 to 5 hours drive from Ngorongoro Gate. But next shock, the name of the hotel on the cheque was wrong, it said Karatu lodge instead of Karatu country lodge and the hotel manager refused to accept the cheque of 200USD because of that as he said there is another lodge in Karatu with that name. So trying to safe our safari I said I will pay these 200USD so that we could go, as one of my friends came to Tanzania for the first time and maybe never will have the chance to see Serengeti again. I called William, complained, told him that I don’t accept all this, etc. and said that I don’t want to arrive at Serengeti gate without having the entrance fee etc. paid, so he needs to assure me there will be money on the card. Also I said I guess Serengeti Sopa lodge is also not booked. William said yes, not booked but he said the hotel is no problem. He has another hotel than Sopa and gave a name, and said this hotel he knows well, he often brings customers there, he can just call and we’ll have a room (respectively a tent,it is a tented camp), so they also give him credit, he can book on credit, he asked if we are ok with that hotel, we said yes. So William ensured that this problem will not happen again, and that he is not going to loose his face again and that I can be sure that there will be money on the card when we arrive there (at Serengeti park you only can pay with credit card, tour agents usually have that card called tembo card, it’s a kind of credit card). So I thought ok, he can’t be that brash, and hoped he will not cheat again, having in mind my friend who came from Switzerland for seeing the Serengeti. But keep in mind William let us depart from Arusha, knowing there is no money on the card. So he was completely aware of that there is no money to pay, and speculated that once we were at the gates and hotels we anyway are going to pay as we didn’t want to return or could not cause it was too late.
So we departed, had to pay a transfer fee again at Ngorongoro gate, even though the driver told us he had paid the day before for 2 days but once you go outside this ticket becomes invalid. We waited there another half an hour as we had to wait for a number from William we had to give to the Ngorongoro administration. Finally we arrived at Serengeti gate at around 4:30p.m., remember you have to be at the hotel by 6p.m., not allowed to drive around in the park after 6p.m. But when we arrived at the gate, no money on the credit card, the driver started to be angry, told us he can’t understand that, he called William telling him he cannot treat his customers like that. I tried to call William and he did not pick up several times. I refused to pay. Waited. Did not trust about the hotel anymore as well. Finally the driver gave me the number of a friend of William of whom the driver said he is helping William sometimes with the business. So I called him,complained, said I am not going to pay, but we had in the end no other possibility than to pay and enter, as there is nowhere else you can go, no hotels outside the gate respectively between Ngorongoro and Serengeti, 5 hours back to Ngorongoro and it was 4.30p.m., you have to be outside the gates at 6p.m. So no chance. The friend of William apologized and said he’ll do his best. I asked about the hotel. Meanwhile the hotel had changed as well. He said we are going to Ang’ata Camps now instead, which was another hotel than the one he told me we are going when we were in Karatu. So I said now I am going to call the hotel to ask if that hotel was paid before I am going to pay the entrance fee. The hotel then confirmed the payment. But I had to pay the park fees for all us people plus for the car, plus Ang’ata Camps is a special campsite with extra fees. I just paid for 1 night which was around 400USD, hoping that there will be money on the card the other day. But the other day still no money arrived. So the next day had to go to the gate again and pay another around 400USD. So total around more than 800USD we had to pay again, even though we had paid for it already in Switzerland (2 nights were planned at Sopa lodge) to William, so we paid double now. But we had to, no chance to go back. So what he did, he let us drive from Karatu to Serengeti ensuring me that there will be money on the card, but there was no money, so he let us drive there completely aware of that we will need to pay ourselves on arrival as no chance to go anywhere. How bash is this. We thought it cannot become worse when we were in Karatu but it came worse. Can you imagine, what kind of person you must be if you do this to other persons, completely without moral, conscience and just criminal. He just let us drive there, he set a snare for us. Then after the 2 days in Serengeti we drove back to Arusha. At Ngorongoro Conservation Area Gate the driver asked me to give him another 30USD as he told me there is another fine/fee to pay.
We told William we will meet him in Arusha at around 5p.m.. He is so bash he said 5p.m. is ok, but from 6p.m. to 10p.m. he has a church meeting and no time. He is a pentecoastal and pretends to be a very religious person. Imagine he is owing people money, has fucked up the Safari of people coming from far away, paying a lot of money and then you have the gall to say I have a church meeting then and only time at 5p.m. So because the drive from Serengeti back to Arusha is long and Tanzanian roads are unpredictable, we were not on time, and William sent me the message that he has left Arusha hotel already for the church meeting. So I decided to go directly to his church. The driver knew where it was. So we went there. William came out, appologized and asked us what we want. We told him the sum we thought would be appropriate, which was 1200USD which was very very very kind, we could have asked much much more,not only the money back that we paid double, the 1 day we lost at Ngorongoro, but also for the stress and trouble. We said he can also pay the rest in a voucher that I maybe can use when I go to Zanzibar, as I live in Tanzania. He agreed, but said at the moment he has only 600USD available. He gave us the 600USD and said the rest he’ll pay in November 2016 as he’ll waiting to receive a credit from the bank then. He said otherwise he would need to tale themoney fromhis own bank account. We said well we also had to take the money from our own bank account and you are the business owner, so it’s anyway your account. I mean how can you come to the idea to argue like this. He also said he’ll write a written contract/agreement about the sum he owes as well as a voucher. Until now we have wheter received the money nor a written agreement/contract nor a voucher. In November I called, wrote email etc.- nothing. I said ok I give you a last chance until December, end of the year, if I don’t receive anything, I’ll going to make it public and will write to the Tanzania Tourism Board, Tanzania Investment Centre, etc. as well as on diverse travel forums. Then he said in December he is going to receive a credit from a friend in the US and he’ll pay then, saying that we are an absolute priority. Then on 31.12 I got this email: „Business have been very, very difficult, and I real feel bad. I am kindly asking you to give me extension and propose a way to pay by installments?“. I agreed for a last time and got this answer: „We start getting bookings for this year, and I am checking my markups, I think I can be able to pay twice, 16th Feb 1st instalment and end of Feb second instalment, Let me know you are okay with this, I am so so sorry for all the ups and down I have caused!“. Until now nothing. The last email I got when I asked about the money mid of february was: „Thanks,This is real a priority, wish me lucky.“ So time is over, I don’t let him fool us any further. We will also take legal measures. We were more than kind, understandable and had hope until today, but this guy really thinks we are idiots, and speculates that at some point we will give up or forget. I could somehow see it in his eyes when we met that he thought „now I got away very easily“, I also think he thought he could treat us like this because we are women. Thought wrong! Now I think I should have asked all the money directly when we met and don’t make concessions and compromise. He never had the intention to pay back, it was a fraud from the beginning. So never book with him.
Complete fraud and nightmare safari:
I am a researcher who has been living in Tanzania since 2014. I have booked several safaris with different agents since 2007. I warn you never to book a safari with Bramwel Safaris, owned by William Amon in Arusha Tanzania, because he is a sincere fraudster and criminal. We booked the safari with Bramwel as he got recommended to us by a friend (expat living in Tanzania, working for a foreign embassy) who thought to know William Amon well, also he was shocked after hearing what happened to us and tried to pressure William to give us our money back. We wanted to support a local Tanzanian small safari agent, but after this experience sadly have to admit that next time we will book again with a big one like Leopard Tours as we never had problems with them. So William Amon’s business practices also will have a negative impact on all the other small local Safari agents in Tanzania as he spoils the reputation of them all.
So here is what happened to us when we booked a safari with him last October 2016. After getting in contact with William via email, we arranged our safari program and then paid 1450USD per person, so 4350USD in total, in advance for a 5 days safari (Ngorongoro and Serengeti) for 3 people in a 3-beds room. After we arrived early in the morning at Kilimanjaro International airport we first had to wait about an hour until the driver arrived at the airport. He said he had a flat tyre on the way to the airport. The car was a very small (not a safari vehicle) car in a very bad condition, with barely any space for the luggage, and about to break down every moment. We arrived after a 3 hours drive at our hotel Meru hotel Lekisilai a bit outside of Arusha as the car was only able to drive very slowly and the driver had to call William and the hotel several times as he did not know the way to the hotel. Usually it takes only 1 hour from the airport to Arusha town. The next day we expected the driver to pick us from the hotel at 9a.m., as whe had arranged via phone with William on the day of arrival. But the driver turned up only at around 10a.m. He also did not come inside the hotel to greet us and tell us that he is here. He also did not make a very friendly and reputable impression, rather looking as having a night of weed smoking behind. No we had to go outside and tell him that we are ready. So then we drove to Ngorongoro where it was planned to stay for 2 nights at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. It was planned that we would stay the afternoon at the lodge to relax and then have a full day game drive the next day in the crater. To our surprise when we arrived on the crater rim the driver did not drive to the lodge but drove into the crater as he told us that he thought we had an afternoon game drive as well. Well at that point we accepted as we were sure we’ll get our full day game drive the next day as well. So we drove around in the crater for about 2 hours. But to our suprise we were getting late, I knew gates close at 6p.m. and by that time you are not allowed to be in the crater anymore, however our driver was asserting that it was 6.30, saying they won’t say anything and that they say it’s 6p.m. just to be sure people are out on time. So when we arrived at the gate it was closed, no ranger there anymore. The driver was honking but noone there. So he had to call the park rangers to send someone to open the gate. About 45 minutes later a ranger turned up and opened. He was very angry and we felt very insecure. The driver had to pay a fine of 50USD that was clear. Then we drove to the lodge. To our surprise when we arrived at the lodge they said there is no reservation of a hotel room for us and that there was no payment received for 2 nights at the lodge. And that they only have a free room for 1 night but we would need to pay for it directly at the hotel. But we already had paid for all the costs (car, driver, hotels, park fees etc. in advance to William). So I called William to ask what is happening and then he asked me if I can help him and pay the hotel as apparently his cashier went on holiday and he realized now that he did not make any hotel reservations and did not pay any hotels but ran away with the money. I refused, and William assured that he’ll find a solution to transfer the money until the next day. However the next day we were kept hostages the whole day at the hotel because they did not let us go anywehere until they received the money from William. After a full day of waiting and making phone calls, instead of our paid full day game drive in the crater that we lost, we were released at around 4:30p.m. as the money was transferred. As there was no space at Sopa lodge we had to find another hotel. William arranged a room for a night outside Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Karatu at the Karatu country lodge, which was actually not the standard we booked and payed for, this is rather a 2 stars hotel and not 4 stars like Sopa lodge. Also it is outside the park, and we had to hurry again to be outside the gate on time again. Well the next day same story, the hotel was not paid and our driver said his credit card that was supposed to be filled with money by William was not filled and was left with around 20’000Tsh (around 10USD). Well then William said he’ll send someone with a cheque. Meanwhile he ensured he’ll go to the bank and fill the card with money while we were waiting. But then we had to wait again for about 4 hours until around 12 o’clock until that cheque arrived, it came from Arusha. Keep in mind we were supposed to be at Serengeti the same day, which is about a 4 to 5 hours drive from Ngorongoro Gate. But next shock, the name of the hotel on the cheque was wrong, it said Karatu lodge instead of Karatu country lodge and the hotel manager refused to accept the cheque of 200USD because of that as he said there is another lodge in Karatu with that name. So trying to safe our safari I said I will pay these 200USD so that we could go, as one of my friends came to Tanzania for the first time and maybe never will have the chance to see Serengeti again. I called William, complained, told him that I don’t accept all this, etc. and said that I don’t want to arrive at Serengeti gate without having the entrance fee etc. paid, so he needs to assure me there will be money on the card. Also I said I guess Serengeti Sopa lodge is also not booked. William said yes, not booked but he said the hotel is no problem. He has another hotel than Sopa and gave a name, and said this hotel he knows well, he often brings customers there, he can just call and we’ll have a room (respectively a tent,it is a tented camp), so they also give him credit, he can book on credit, he asked if we are ok with that hotel, we said yes. So William ensured that this problem will not happen again, and that he is not going to loose his face again and that I can be sure that there will be money on the card when we arrive there (at Serengeti park you only can pay with credit card, tour agents usually have that card called tembo card, it’s a kind of credit card). So I thought ok, he can’t be that brash, and hoped he will not cheat again, having in mind my friend who came from Switzerland for seeing the Serengeti. But keep in mind William let us depart from Arusha, knowing there is no money on the card. So he was completely aware of that there is no money to pay, and speculated that once we were at the gates and hotels we anyway are going to pay as we didn’t want to return or could not cause it was too late. So we departed, had to pay a transfer fee again at Ngorongoro gate, even though the driver told us he had paid the day before for 2 days but once you go outside this ticket becomes invalid. We waited there another half an hour as we had to wait for a number from William we had to give to the Ngorongoro administration. Finally we arrived at Serengeti gate at around 4:30p.m., remember you have to be at the hotel by 6p.m., not allowed to drive around in the park after 6p.m. But when we arrived at the gate, no money on the credit card, the driver started to be angry, told us he can’t understand that, he called William telling him he cannot treat his customers like that. I tried to call William and he did not pick up several times. I refused to pay. Waited. Did not trust about the hotel anymore as well. Finally the driver gave me the number of a friend of William of whom the driver said he is helping William sometimes with the business. So I called him,complained, said I am not going to pay, but we had in the end no other possibility than to pay and enter, as there is nowhere else you can go, no hotels outside the gate respectively between Ngorongoro and Serengeti, 5 hours back to Ngorongoro and it was 4.30p.m., you have to be outside the gates at 6p.m. So no chance. The friend of William apologized and said he’ll do his best. I asked about the hotel. Meanwhile the hotel had changed as well. He said we are going to Ang’ata Camps now instead, which was another hotel than the one he told me we are going when we were in Karatu. So I said now I am going to call the hotel to ask if that hotel was paid before I am going to pay the entrance fee. The hotel then confirmed the payment. But I had to pay the park fees for all us people plus for the car, plus Ang’ata Camps is a special campsite with extra fees. I just paid for 1 night which was around 400USD, hoping that there will be money on the card the other day. But the other day still no money arrived. So the next day had to go to the gate again and pay another around 400USD. So total around more than 800USD we had to pay again, even though we had paid for it already in Switzerland (2 nights were planned at Sopa lodge) to William, so we paid double now. But we had to, no chance to go back. So what he did, he let us drive from Karatu to Serengeti ensuring me that there will be money on the card, but there was no money, so he let us drive there completely aware of that we will need to pay ourselves on arrival as no chance to go anywhere. How bash is this. We thought it cannot become worse when we were in Karatu but it came worse. Can you imagine, what kind of person you must be if you do this to other persons, completely without moral, conscience and just criminal. He just let us drive there, he set a snare for us. Then after the 2 days in Serengeti we drove back to Arusha. At Ngorongoro Conservation Area Gate the driver asked me to give him another 30USD as he told me there is another fine/fee to pay. We told William we will meet him in Arusha at around 5p.m.. He is so bash he said 5p.m. is ok, but from 6p.m. to 10p.m. he has a church meeting and no time. He is a pentecoastal and pretends to be a very religious person. Imagine he is owing people money, has fucked up the Safari of people coming from far away, paying a lot of money and then you have the gall to say I have a church meeting then and only time at 5p.m., drive from Serengeti back to Arusha and Tanzanian roads are unpredictable, we were not on time, and William sent me the message that he has left Arusha hotel already for the church meeting. So I decided to go directly to his church. The driver knew where it was. So we went there. William came out, appologized and asked us what we want. We told him the sum we thought would be appropriate, which was 1200USD which was very very very kind, we could have asked much much more,not only the money back that we paid double, the 1 day we lost at Ngorongoro, but also for the stress and trouble. We said he can also pay the rest in a voucher that I maybe can use when I go to Zanzibar, as I live in Tanzania. He agreed, but said at the moment he has only 600USD available. He gave us the 600USD and said the rest he’ll pay in November 2016 as he’ll waiting to receive a credit from the bank then. He said otherwise he would need to tale themoney fromhis own bank account. We said well we also had to take the money from our own bank account and you are the business owner, so it’s anyway your account. I mean how can you come to the idea to argue like this. He also said he’ll write a written contract/agreement about the sum he owes as well as a voucher. Until now we have wheter received the money nor a written agreement/contract nor a voucher. In November I called, wrote email etc.- nothing. I said ok I give you a last chance until December, end of the year, if I don’t receive anything, I’ll going to make it public and will write to the Tanzania Tourism Board, Tanzania Investment Centre, etc. as well as on diverse travel forums. Then he said in December he is going to receive a credit from a friend in the US and he’ll pay then, saying that we are an absolute priority. Then on 31.12 I got this email: „Business have been very, very difficult, and I real feel bad. I am kindly asking you to give me extension and propose a way to pay by installments?“. I agreed for a last time and got this answer: „We start getting bookings for this year, and I am checking my markups, I think I can be able to pay twice, 16th Feb 1st instalment and end of Feb second instalment, Let me know you are okay with this, I am so so sorry for all the ups and down I have caused!“. Until now nothing. The last email I got when I asked about the money mid of february was: „Thanks,This is real a priority, wish me lucky.“ So time is over, I don’t let him fool us any further. We will also take legal measures. We were more than kind, understandable and had hope until today, but this guy really thinks we are idiots, and speculates that at some point we will give up or forget. I could somehow see it in his eyes when we met that he thought „now I got away very easily“, I also think he thought he could treat us like this because we are women. Thought wrong! Now I think I should have asked all the money directly when we met and don’t make concessions and compromise. He never had the intention to pay back, it was a fraud from the beginning. So never book with him.
IT
Email Giovanni | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do not use Bramwel Safaris
In 2016 I planned a trip to Tanzania with the Tour Operator Bramwel Adventure Safaris. I purchased a tour for two people for ten days (four days at Monte Meru and six days of Safari). I paid 3200 USD in advance in July 2016; the price included a guide, accommodation, food, and park fees. On 9th September we arrived in Tanzania where we spent the night in Arusha, and on the 10th we left for Monte Meru. While on the trip the manager of Bramwel Adventure Safaris, William Almon phoned our guide to let him know that he had had a problem with his credit card and asking whether I could rather use mine to pay the fee to enter the National Park at Arusha. He reassured me that he would have refunded me with a bank transfer, since I had already paid everything in advance. In total I paid 595,90 USD.
I went back to Italy on 19th September 2016 and, since then, I have several times written to William Almon asking for my refund. With various justifications he delayed it, though he never denied that he owed me the money. I sent him my last request on 28th December and, once again, William Almon promised that I would have promptly received my refund, but, once again, I have received nothing.