Marvel in the majestic Serengeti!
Seven Wonders Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2011)
- Member Of:
- TTB & TLTO
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $160 to $550 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
JP
Email Ayumi | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great experience
It was a private tour to have taken a tour only by me. Because it was the off season.
A tour guide was very kind and spoke to only me about animals and Tanzania.
I wasn't good at English, but he spoke politely.
He found many animals. Lion, leopard, giraffe, elephant and buffalo…etc.
The three days I spent in Tanzania was a good experien.ce for me.
I thank him! Thank you very much.
Best trip ever!
I had an amazing trip arranged by Seven Wonders. I cant say a sinlge negative thing about this trip and the company. I am truly greatful for their hospitality and service. Evelyn and George gave full service and i can truly recommend this, due to they lower cost as well as being professional.
MT
Email Kristina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ruined experience
This was the worst trip ever in our ecperience and i apologise for the long write up but too much happened...So here it goes...
We booked 11 days shared Kenya and Tanzania safari with this company. The quotation was provided by and communication was held with Evelyn.
While said quotation was provided swiftly, we had to chase her to acknowledge/issue an official confirmation of the deposit payment, as according to her such are not typically provided (weird, isn't?). Since I insisted, some sort of confirmation was issued and she then disappeared without providing any details in terms of pick up or any other details. This silence continued up until the very last moment where although I requested information regarding the time of pick up (she didn't ask about our flights at any point before this), who shall be picking us up and where(it was our first trip to Nairobi, so we were not experts) by email to which no reply was received up until literally last day when I then messaged her again on whatsup (communication couldnt have been attached herewith unfortunately). So on this point a reply was sent and we communicated well upon arrival, where we were picked up by Evelyn at the terminal and 'handed over' to William who took us to their so called office which was closed so we were waiting for the driver outside(at this point we were saying how nice of her to meet us and William was great _he provided so much info on trips, acrivities, etc). Some half hr later the druver arrived and we thought we will proceed but no. We've been sitting and waiting for over 2 hrs and none carred to explain what's that we are waiting for since all 6 people were in the jeep. Here to our surprise although in all our agreed terms we were told that we will be up to 6 persons, 7th person joins instead of a guide! We the proceed to Masai Mara. Since we departed late, on the first day we only had 1.5hrs game drive close to our lodge despite itinerary indicated whole afternoon drive.
The following day we had a full day in the park, but to our all disappointment we were then advised that the 3rd day game drives in Masai Mara will not happen as parks changed the rules ( instead of 24hr to 12hrs ticket validity). None of the 7 people on this trip had been informed of this ahead and none had been reimbursed for this either! we were not even given an option to purchase a new ticket ourselves (some 80 USD for the jeep would be nothing between 7 people when we already spent so much on the whole trip).Instead, the driver advertised a trip to Naivasha Lake as being great 1.5 hrs boat ride to observe birds with a stop on the island to feed animals. Since nothing else except for driving was to happen on that day (since 3rd day of Masai Mara game drives had been cancelled by the company) we decided to go and see the highly recommended lake (note that we didnt have internet so couldn't have checked ourselves and relied on the driver). To cut the story shorth we paid 30 USD each at the place in cash (only accepted in such manner) no tickets or receipts were issued. we spent 53 min exactly on that and saw a max of 10 birds, the lake looked dead and none stoped us at any islands for any animals. Upon return to the shoar the driver bluntly asked if we saw hipos and crocodiles to which quite shockingly we replied that no such live there and he shouldn't have advertised something unless he knew what that really is! Perhaps a suggestion to the company at this point to send your drivers for such trips so they know exactly what is happening?! So even more disappointed we move to the hotel to yet again be shocked to hear that we will be left at some other place than the one we paid for (as specified in the itinerary)! Since this was stated when we were dropping of 2 guys at that place we took the opportunity to connect to the internet and check what's being offered to see that the place we booked showed eur 67 on booking.com while the one the driver told us to stay was 36 eur! We then refused to leave the jeep explaining that it's not our hotel and we want to go where we should! The driver following numerous calls with the office advised that the place we booked is fully booked so we must stay in this new cheaper place which all 5 of us yet again rejected. After some 45 min arguments the driver agreed to take us to the place we actually booked as we insisted that the place showed being available on booking.com and if anything, it must have been booked for us already. We arrive and...the place is nearly empty (why tell us its fully booked???) and we were also given options to change rooms! So lie no1 and we were not only disappointed regarding the cancellation of 1 day of Masay Mara, lost time and money to see dead lake and even more time wasted on arguments regarding the accommodation that we paid for!
The last day in Kenya we went to lake Nakuru where we only had 2.5 hrs so yet again disappointed with the schedule as we should have had more time we proceed to Nairobi to be put on a public bus!!!!! For the transfer to Arusha. At no point in time were any of us informed that the transfer to Arusha will be through a public bus!!but surely it cost peanuts so more money to the company!
When in Arusha, the bus driver surprisingly dropped us at the hotel directly and we were informed regarding the pick up times for the following morning. So far so good.
In the morning the guy comes on time (impressive!) I told him my name and the name of my fellow traveler, he checked his phone and put our bags in the jeep. Here we were informed that since we will be going to the bush, he will stop at the shops if we want to buy some wine and beer so he offerd to get it for us cheaper. We wondered how come he suggested we buy drinks ourselves when drinks were listed in our itinerary as all included but we just let it go and went to withdraw some money to buy something. In the meantime he comes back stating that we should be going back as we are not his passengers! Why did I give him our names and what he checked remained mystery but here we are again wasting our time which we could have spent driving in the park. When he drives us to the office to exchange us, a guy there shows us a map and explains that we will be going to serengeti, ngorongoro and etc. I then specifically open my itinerary and read with him to confirm the details and accommodation which he confirms to me and to my fellow traveller. All good we proceed. In the evening, the driver announces that we shall be going to again diferent hotel than that indicated in the itinerary!!! Again no Internet and same explanation _ fully booked! We endup there where we didnt like to also then get to know during dinner that another 5 people ended up the same as us_we had to be at the hotel that the company stated was fully booked when it was showing yet again available and same story was now sold to 7 people! Although we had water, beverages and wine and beer included in our package, when we asked for water/wine during the dinner we were all told that we must pay for them.
The following morning I decided to write to Evelyn regarding all the above and ONLY asked her to ensure that the remaining part of the trip remains unchanged. She never replied but she asked the driver to pass his mobile to me and she started explaining that nothing changed, that the drinks had to be provided by our chef not the place itself (like we would have known who and what and why he didn't offer if he had to?) that according to her when in the office, we were explained that the accommodation was changed and we never complained about anything etc. At this point I got seriously annoyed with her and their lies and I told her bluntly that i do not trust one single word she says as I told her in facts what happened and there were more people with me who heard all this. She then treated me to cancel the safari as according to her I was lying, none of this what i was saying was true and that in their T&Cs there is indicated that they can cancel safari for whatever reason should they wish so. She told me that she will send the car to pick us up and bring us to the office where she will refund us for the safari to which again I explained to her that I didn't ask her for anything but just to stick to our itinerary and provide what we paid for! She insisted that this is impossible as I said that I don't trust her so consequently i cannot go on safari with their driver and she just cut the cinversation. We then spoak to the driver as he seemed lost and she called again and again and from the treats to cancel us she then decided to proceed with us and while on speaker she confirmed that we shall continue as per schedule and even herself named the places that we go and stay at. This as you can already imagine was another lie as on the way back from ngorongoro we were told that we are going to be taken to that same place where our argument started!! Here we refused to go again, another call another useless chat where she for the second time accused me of lying when the only lier was her and none else and we ended up in the situation where I stated on speaker that her driver also heard her confirming that we will be going to the place that its written in the itinerary and he confirmed this to her in front of us! After some shouting and screaming by her at the driver we were told Nsya (the place we had in the itinerary) is not happening in any case and we were offered 2 other places.i insisted that if she wants to put us in diferent place again she must then upgrade us as we fed up having all these issues after paying for something that we are not getting! Guess what_ no point taken. Here we try to check on booking.com but the Internet was awful so we struggled. When asked the driver to check on his phone all of a sudden his Internet wasn't working and the only options were we were to go where he wanted to take us and we said no. He then took us to yet another diferent place to show it to us but we didn't like it and there was no Internet, he then took us to another place where the office stated that only 1 double room was available while we needed a twin room and when arrived _ triple room was showed! Another lie! Here we were just sick and tired so we said fine we'll stay there but we want dinner and breakfast with all drinks as per itinerary. The hotel rep stated that this is not happening as the company only agreed to accommodate us on room only basis! Another half hr arguments and they decide to leave the company's chef to cook for us but we won't get hotel's food, and also that we won't get any wine as that according to the driver we finished already while on safari! On this point when we were to proceed to serengeti the driver asked us if we like beer, wine or konjak and we told him that no strong alcohol is needed some like beer but mostly wine so we asked to get an extra bottle of wine (he had 1 box of beer in the jeep) and he came back with 2 bottles_ 1 red and 1 white (this for 6 people for 3 days). As said on day one we were not given any wine and the company said that the chef forgot to offer but then they only got the wine the following morning so something doesn't click again! Anyone is still surprised?
So during the dinners on these next 3 days we only saw 1 bottle of white wine and some remaining little of white from the other jeep, while red wine disappeared. When we asked on the last night, the driver stated that he give 2 bottles to the lodge (which wasn't the case as we spoke to people who stayed there and they were paying for their drinks there, it would be weird that someone paying 200 eur a night would gake a bottle of cheap wine to tbe lodge
ES
Email Daniel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bad experience. We feel abandoned and unprotected by this company.
Terrible experience! I went with my family to try to see the great migration and thanks to local guides and not our driver we found it but our driver Linos refused to go. First, he asks us for money and they didn't say anything in the company, which we refused, then he began to speak violently and kept us standing for two hours.
When we got internet we called 7 wonders and they informed us that for the 3 hours we had already lost we should book another hotel in the area where the great migration was and pay 2 taxes from the natural parks.
We agreed to pay, we reserved the hotel on our own and when we said to go, the driver Linos refused again, demanding payment in cash. We call 7 Wonders again and they tell us that we must pay in cash.
We take out all the money we have in cash and we are missing 160 USD to reach the amount of 1050 USD that they ask us to pay the park taxes and we inform them that when we go through an ATM we will pay them the amount that is missing.
It is at this time that the situation becomes totally surreal. The driver Linos calls the company and makes up a story that we have insulted him and that he is not going to take us to the area of the great migration where we had already reserved and paid for a hotel minutes before. We called the company and he told us, to our surprise, that we had offended his driver and that the new plan was cancelling.
I insist, at no time did anyone say anything offensive to the driver Linos.
We missed the chance to see the great migration.
We lost 662 USD from the hotel we had booked.
We had to put up with another day and a half with this driver and his derogatory comments about what he called our white money.
We had to see Ngorongoro with a negative environment and with 0 explanations.
We had three car breakdowns along the way.
Tanzania is beautiful. There are many Safari companies.
I think that in our case, perhaps more than being a problem with 7 Wonders, it was a manipulation and attitude of the driver.
He wanted to share the experience because no one should go through the situation that we live.
Reply from Seven Wonders Safaris
Posted on Jul 19, 2023Dear Daniel,
We would like to thank you for your feedback regarding your experience with us during your trip to Tanzania.
We are sad to hear that it turned out as disappointment as this was not really our intention as our aim is to offer good service to all our guests regardless.
Just to share our side of story, you have booked 4 Day safari which was supposed to take you to Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro, with one overnight to each park. You started with Lake Manyara and everything went just fine, the problem started on the third day in Serengeti where you were supposed to do half game drive then drive to Ngorongoro for an overnight.
In the morning of that day you asked your guide to drive you to where the migration is which was a bit far from where you were on that day and your guide explained to you that it will not be possible to drive there and get to Ngorongoro before dark as we are not supposed to drive guests around during dark.
The misunderstanding occurred and your guide decided to call the office so that we can explain to you and the office elaborate to you what will be possible by that time. So you were advised to spend another night in Serengeti at your own costs given that it was a last minute changes and there was nothing to do to get any refund from Ngorongoro accommodation, and agreed with that and we advised you to contact your accommodation as that is where you were staying and you already had a direct contact with them and see if they will be able to accommodate you and pay them directly, something which you did.
So the other charges was for the extra charges as park fee and concession fee to overnight Serengeti on that second night, we gave you all calculations and you said you can pay right away. After 15 minutes you told your guide you have no problem to pay but you prefer to do it in Arusha and it wasn't really $ 60 as you claimed on your feedback.
Your guide informed the office again and we told you that is what you suppose to do immediately for you to have a second night in Serengeti and the park cannot wait until your return in Arusha, that is where everything went wrong as you were not willing to pay this extra.
We understand you were really eager to see the migration and we have tried our level best to assist you, but since you were not willing to cover the extra cost then it became hard and beyond our control as your time was not enough and of course the program you had was not really for migration during July, August and September.
Before your arrival in Tanzania our colleague explained to your Agent of where the migration will be during your visit, but you insisted that you know exactly where they are as you have been tracing them and we should change your accommodation from Northern part to Kirawira.
For the time wasted in Serengeti, it is because we were trying to find solution and wait for you to confirm with your accommodation in-order for your guide to know where to go as you completely disrupted your program for that day.
Before this review was submitted, you contacted our office through WhatApp and you were in contact with our Manager and you requested $ 1,500 as refund for the bad experience and when we were working on it we just saw your review with different stories of what you were claiming on WhatsApp.
On behalf of our Company we really like to apologize about the behavior of our guide during this trip and about the breakdown which sometimes can happen because of the conditions of our roads, we will work on all this to do better in the future.
BG
Email Sylvana | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
7 disasters
We booked a package for 11-day safari in Kenya and Tanzania through Parrot Safaris, Kenya. The Kenyan side of the tour was smooth and very well organized. Jose, our tour agent in Kenya, was easily reached and responsive 24-hour a day, even during his days off. We had Maxwell as our guide and driver and he catered about all of us all the time. But our stay in Tanzania was more than disappointing. First, the truck 7 wonders provide was very old. It broke down 3 times in 4 days and finally, we had to be driven back to Arusha from Ngorongoro by other trucks. Not only had we to spend hours in garages waiting for the truck to be repaired, but our driver Linus was totally negligent and I and my husband felt like useless bags. Most of the time he spoke on the phone and often made pauses on the way to Serengeti. He did not care what time we will reach the reserve because had to arrange some private business with a German tourist. We were overtaken by tenths of trucks just waiting on the dusty road for our driver to finish his phone conversations. In the end he was rushing over the bumpy roads in the parks and no wonder, the truck broke down. When I complained to his bosses, Evelyn and George, through our Kenyan agent, I received just apologies, but things did not get better.
US
Email Nick | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Completely Disorganized and No Transparency
We booked a combined Kenya-Tanzania safari through Okoa Africa Safari (Kenya operator). We were dropped off at the border, and Seven Wonders picked up the Tanzania portion of our tour.
We are experienced travelers who generally don’t mind small hiccups or slight plan changes. However, we experienced many issues on this safari that were unacceptable. No matter what tour agency you select, you will see the animals and the landscapes. If you don’t want those memories clouded by stress, uncertainty, and worry, pick a more reputable tour agency. This is not a professional outfit.
We were dropped off at multiple locations that didn’t match our provided itinerary with no Wi-Fi / service to contact the agency. In one instance, the next driver showed up 15 hours late. There was a lack of information and transparency that left us feeling unsafe, vulnerable, and stranded.
A flat tire is reasonable and common. However, setting off on a three-day safari in the Serengeti with a damaged, leaking radiator is negligent and unsafe. We were stranded for two hours because the engine overheated and had to make several other stops to check on the vehicle throughout the tour.
Despite paying for an all-inclusive (planned) safari, we had independent or sub-contracted drivers who were not aware of our itinerary —including what parks we were to visit, where we were staying and the logistics of our next (unexpected) hand-offs. These drivers also didn’t have our information and we were forced to trust they were somehow affiliated with the company.
In one specific incident, a driver had no idea what our final destination was or where we were staying. This driver attempted to pick up friends along the way until we demanded to be taken to our accommodation. He didn’t know this accommodation, so we told him to take us to the accommodation we stayed in before we departed for the park where we knew we would have access to Wi-Fi to call for help. We then had to go to the new accommodation that was not on our provided itinerary.
Other issues we experienced:
1. Our accommodations didn’t match those listed on our itinerary and we were never provided with an updated version.
2. None of the jeeps were affiliated with Okoa Tours or the Tanzanian counterpart called Seven Wonders, despite other legitimate companies having branded vehicles.
3. All jeeps’ were older than the pictures provided and the charging outlets did not work as described.
NL
Email Leonarda H. | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing staff and great service
We had a wonderfull time on our 11-day budget safari trip in Kenia and Tanzania. We saw a lot of animals including the Big Five and the Big Migration. That was really fantastic! Really liked the nature and culture. Both country's were a bit more expensive then we expected.
In Kenia the accomodations were oké in value for money. In Tanzania we had some amazing accomodations but also booked some camping days in to the wild. The camping is really going back to basics. The matress and sleeping bag were a bit thin but nothing really to cold. Nothing that could spoil the sleeping in the wild, where you exit your tent looking at a buffalo.
We really liked the staff we traveled with. Big thanks to Mozes in Kenia and Lucas in Tanzania for being our amazing guides. No question remained unanswered. One last thanks to Nathan, our chef/cook. All our meals were delicious.
We would really recommend to book with Seven Wonder Safari. The organization is fantastic with great service!
TN
Email Helmi ZAYENE | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience
For our honeymoon, my wife and I choose a trip to Tanzania including a 3 days Safari in Serengeti & Ngorongoro crater.
I did my search on Safaribooking.com and received quotes from 4 tour operators. I choose Seven Wonders Safari and here are the 5 main reasons making me satisfied with my choice: Respect for the commitments, Punctuality, Flexibility, Great service, Kind and courteous employees
Here’s the feedback on my experience in the 4 steps of my relationship with Seven Wonders Safari:
1- Preparation of the trip: Being myself a business manager, I learned to assess the professionalism of companies through their communication. Mrs. Evelyn Ngotea was the only one who sent me a quote in good standing: with stamp and signature, details of the course and conditions of the Safari were precise. The human relationship took precedence over the commercial aspect of our exchanges and I appreciated her recommendations.
2- Pick up: When our plane landed in Arusha, the transfer driver was waiting for us in the arrival area to pick us up. He drove us to the Ambassador Hotel which is located in a good location near the Maasai market where we could buy souvenirs at a very good price (negotiated of course). The hotel is correct and especially clean. We dropped off the souvenirs we had just bought at the reception desk so as not to clutter us up and picked them up at the hotel. One of the Seven Wonders employees (Moses) visited us in the early evening to brief us on the safari.
3- The Safari: the following day at 7:00 am the guide Kivuyo and Chief John were at the reception waiting for us to start the Safari. Kivuyo is an experimented guide and a great driver, which is very important because of the state of the roads in the parks. The day we were in the Ngorongoro Crater it was extremely foggy and we encountered two overturned vehicles. His experience allowed us to spot most of the big animals and to witness some amazing wildlife scenes: lions sharing a zebra, ostriches in courtship, huge herds of zebra and wildebeest, elephants, a rhino, a female cheetah with her cubs, hyenas on the hunt,... The information he provided us on the fauna and flora has enriched our knowledge and experience.
As for John, he spoiled us with his delicious dishes and was very attentive to our needs. My wife took the opportunity to learn a few tips from his good recipes. We took a liking to these two brave men and the discussions with them around dinner in the evening were amusing and their intellectual level is respectable: it was for us a taste of the African wisdom.
The camps where we spent the 2 nights were well located and the atmosphere was friendly. The sanitary facilities, showers, and kitchens were clean and practical. The tents provided by Seven Wonders were spacious and in good condition.
We even had the chance to be visited by a herd of zebras, some giraffes, and baboons. All harmless.
4- The return: On the evening of the 3rd day Kiyuvo and John dropped us off at the Ambassador Hotel. Evelyn contacted us to get our feedback and ask for the time we would like the driver to pick us up the next day to drop us off at the airport. The next day the driver was at the scheduled time. In this regard, I note the punctuality of Seven wonders.
Finally, we would like to thank Evelyn, Kiyuvo, and John for the great and unforgettable moments we spent. They allowed me to discover the heart of the African savannah and my eyes lost in the horizon crossed that of the first explorers and I felt the attachment of men like Vorbeck and Livingstone to the Tanzanian land.
US
Email Skylar & Kimberly Marshall | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime!
Our first experience in East Africa, my mom and I booked 2 weeks with Seven Wonders Safari. This trip included 1 week throughout Tanzanzia safari, chimpanzees in Uganda and gorillas in Rwanda. We do not even know where to start but this is by far a trip of a life time. Our guides were nothing but fantastic, the food was fantastic and communication with Evelyn was always top notch. We saw the BIG 5 well before our stay was over. Our guide Jose in Tanzania was extremely knowledgeable and always so accommodating. Our stay throughout the National Parks with Tortillas Camps was honestly a highlight of our trip. The staff throughout each camp genuinely care about their guests. The soups are SO divine! Doing anything and everything to make sure you feel at home. Our guide Ronald in Rwanda with Divine Safari recommended we stop at the Genocide Memorial in Kigali, an experience we will not forget and a must do. Our guide Emma in Uganda also with Divine Safari was energetic and fun, brought us to a local banana man where we enjoyed fresh banana juices, wines, and beer. We hope to cross paths again in the future. From the time we landed in Uganda to the time our safari ended in Arusha we felt we had accomplished A LOT in just two short weeks, wishing we had more time to stay. Without a doubt I will be back and booking through Seven Wonders Safari sooner than later. A trip of a life time, thanks to Seven Wonders Safari!
Email Naz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professional and personalised service, highly recommend
From the meet and greet at the hotel through the entire duration of the tour, I have no complaints. I booked a 12 day trip of Kenya and Tanzania. Seven wonders was responsible for the Tanzanian side( Ngorongoro crater,Serengeti, etc).Our guide and driver, Nestory, was pleasant and a wealth of knowledge. He made every effort to ensure our group was well taken care of and saw as much as possible( Leopards, cheetahs with cubs, plentiful lions , hippos , antelopes etc as well as breathtaking scenery). Our cook Calvin provided hot delicious meals everyday. We were impressed with his bread making skills over a campfire and added treats like fresh popcorn. My only advice to them would be to partner with another company than Baboon budget tours for the Kenyan side, they were dismal and this wonderful company is damaging their reputation by their association with them.
