Reliable safari packages for international market
Africa Flash Mc Tours & Travel
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- KATO, Ecotourism Kenya & Travelife
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $500 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
QA
Email Nan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Both Good and Bad Experiences (9-day trip with kids)
I just came back from a 9-day safari trip from Kenya and Tanzania. I want to write down both good and bad experiences. We have 2 adults, one 10.5-year boy and one 2.5-year girl.
Good experiences. (Peter is the one who runs the company)
1. Peter is very nice, from email contact to meeting me in the airport.
2. Peter upgraded my last night room in Nairobi for free, since I had some bad experience (see shortly below).
3. The travel guide is good.
4. The hotels are good.
Bad experiences.
1. On the trip from Masai Mara to Serengeti, Peter told me that it will take 4 hours. In fact, it took 14 hours, which was a terrible mistake. Although Peter said later that there is another route that he tried to ask the driver to use, however, I don't quite trust it since (a) the > 12 hours route is written in the itinerary; and (b) we have met in that day, if he knew another way, he should change it. BTW, the 12 hours driving is without traffic, but with very bumpy and dusty road.
Things got worse that night that the car we ran out of gas, in the middle of the big Serengeti national park. I don't know how professional people can make such mistakes. That was totally a mess, and we were lucky that the Tanzania guide found his friend to fix the problem, which took one hour. The worst case could be that we stayed in the car with kids for the whole night.
2. The car in Tanzania was bad, with a lot of dust, which made my daughter coughing and in fever for 2 days. Peter has no ability to change it, since it is from another company.
3. From Ngorongoro to Lake Manyara in Tanzania, it should take only a little bit more than one hour. However, in fact, it took us 4 hours. The reason is that Peter forgot to buy the pass. In Tanzania, you cannot even pay cash for the national park, the money should be transferred and the car should be registered before hand. This made us very unhappy since my son was sick and we wasted >2 hours for the pass (ticket) that was not prepaid.
Adding to the above bad experience is that, if you take more hours (for nothing) on the road, simply you have less hours to see animals, which you have paid for.
Again, Peter is very nice and he is very sorry for my bad experiences. However, I have to write down my experiences.
Reply from Africa Flash Mc Tours & Travel
Posted on Oct 1, 2015Dear Nan
I would like to thank you for choosing to travel with us and having shared your experience, and also apologize to you and your family for the challenges you faced during the safari with my company as below;
1. On the distance from Maasai Mara to Serengeti - When I gave you the distance on the safari I used google map to determine the shortest distance, and I was hoping to use the road that crosses Maasai Mara directly to the boarder and that would have reduced the time by half, but after further consultation while on safari I opted we use the longer distance but I was not aware it would take 14 hours to the to get you to Serengeti. I apologize because it was my responsibility to know this would happen and I should have informed you accordingly.
On the fuel part, I never knew that happened until I saw and read your review. I have contacted our handler in Tanzania and he informed me that the vehicle still had fuel in it as the Land Cruisers have 2 tanks, and after the first tank ran out, the knob that was supposed to allow the second tank to begin it's consumption failed thus why the vehicle failed and they were able to manually transfer the fuel to the 1st tank and continue with the safari although this took an our of your time. This would have been avoided if I had taken adequate measures and ensured that the vehicle being offered on the Tanzania Part was well maintained and had not failed along the way, thus I take full responsibility for this and apologize for putting you and the family in that position.
2. The car in Tanzania, was a total failure on my part. After closing on the car on the Tanzania Part and being assured that the car was what I had requested, I should have traveled to Tanzania and ensure what you were offered is what had been agreed between me and my handler in Tanzania, and if this was not the case I would have put a mechanism to have another vehicle in the stand still ready to replace it. I can assure you that this information is very important to me and that I will ensure this never happens again.
3. As for Ngorongoro to Lake Manyara, I assure you that it was not a complete failure on my part as I had paid all your fees before hand through my Tanzania handler and you should not have had any delays, and when you called about this I made every effort to ensure this was resolved including sending additional cash to guide Leonard to ensure the trip proceeded without any further stalling and resolve the issue with him when you got back.
In light of the above I have put all the necessary measures to ensure the above never happens again, including buying a Land Cruiser purposely for Tanzania Safaris and opening an office in Tanzania to handle all our transport issues within the shortest time possible.
Thanks for Choosing us
Peter & the Team
HK
Email Rebecca | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unreliable and dishonest company
** Update September 22, 2016 **
We still didn't receive any refund from Africa Flash Mc Tours.
** Original review **
Beware when booking with this company. Peter who runs this company is a very dishonest man and his company is NOT registered with the ministry of tourism in Kenya.
I booked a trekking/safari tour with Africa Flash Mctours and made the full payment a month in advance. After flying 12hours to start my safari tour, peter and his tour guide was no where to be found. He claimed to be sorting out money issues at the bank but after waiting several hours for him at the hotel, peter never showed up.
This issue was brought to the ministry of tourism and found out that his company is not a legally registered tour company. DO NOT put your trust in booking with this company.
Peter offered to make a full refund to us as we never got to even start our safari tour. Til this day, Peter still has NOT refunded all our money. It has been almost 4 months.
HK
Email Kelvin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Stay away from this company. Still owed a refund
I travelled as a group of 4 and booked a trek and safari trip with Peter at Africa Flash McTours and paid in full before my vacation. He never showed up for the safari trip and I was left on my own to book another tour when I was in Africa. He promised to refund me my money (a couple thousand US dollars) and after 6 months, he still has not.
There has been mixed reviews on this company on safaribookings. Im sure Peter (who runs this company) has had some good tours in the past, but there are also many many poor reviews you need to be mindful of because they are in fact true. His company is NOT registered with the tourism board and he has a history of not showing up on time, changing itinerary and cheating people their money.
For the past 6 months he has continued to say he would send the refund that he owes my group. Every week he fails to do so. He has stolen over $2000 USD from my group.
Do NOT risk your vacation with this company. Do NOT put your trust in Peter. There are so many other safari tour companies you can go with.
Please be aware. This "tour operator" is running a scam. Do not give them a cent!
** UPDATE MARCH 2015
After six months of hassle, I have received a full refund of the safari trip I booked and pre-paid with Africa Flash Mc Tours last year. I cannot recommend their services, as this has caused me trouble ever since I was in Nairobi in September 2014 waiting for a safari guide that never showed up and couldn´t contact anyone from Africa Flash MC Tours (including emergency phone numbers posted on the company's website).
** UPDATE FEBRUARY 2015
I want to reiterate my review submitted in October 2014. No money has been refunded to me from Peter Njenga. I have been communicating with him for many months. He has repeatedly promised to send a refund but has not been a man of his word. Please avoid doing business with him and his company.
** ORIGINAL REVIEW
I booked a tour with Africa Flash Mc Tours for September 2014 and paid it 100% up front, $1150.
Nobody showed up to pick me up at my hotel as arranged with Peter Njenga, the phone numbers of the company and Peter were turned off and no one answered my email. I never got to go on the tour I had paid for.
I complained to the Kenyan police which is now looking into Africa Flash MC Tours and Peter Njenga. I have not received a refund from the company, I hope the police will stop him from scamming tourists coming to Kenya. Please be careful and do not deal with this company.
Reply from Africa Flash Mc Tours & Travel
Posted on Apr 8, 2015Dear Inga,
Sorry for the ruined vacation and the delay in getting back your refund, although we did a full refund I know I can not compensate for the lost time. I however will give a full complimentary trip on the same to ease the burden as I proposed.
I have put up mechanism to prevent future safaris from not taking off as having 4 of our staff undertaking and monitoring each of the safaris that have been booked with us and a back up vehicle throughout the safari.
We have also changed our stuff, and put up a new management team, to avoid any future misconduct from the top to the lower management personnel as advised.
Best Regards
Africa Flash McTours Team