SafariBookings has received complaints from clients about Bella Africa safaris.

Reviews

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Roger   –  
United States US
Visited: July 2018 Reviewed: Apr 30, 2019

Email Roger  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

The review below is the personal opinion of Roger and not that of SafariBookings.
The Absolute Worst
1/5

AVOID. HIDE. RUN. My 11 day solo Uganda tour blew up after 5 days – money issues. I found out (too late) that Bella had financial difficulties. I paid in full before the tour but they kept asking me for money during the tour. Beware of her and guide Robin coming back into the business under a different company name.

Internet: “www.bellaafricasafaris.com Mailscanner has detected fraud in the website at docs.google.com. Do not trust this website”. www.inspirock.com Bella ... # 78 of 102 in Wildlife in Kampala “www.tourhq.com ... Bella ... ranked # 39 of 47 tour groups in Kampala”
Before the Tour: My repeated emails were typically returned days late. I had to ask for receipts after monies were paid. A “must have” list never came. I emailed the lodges on the tour itinerary a week before it started. Only one lodge said they had a reservation under my name or Bella’s. I emailed Bella, and guide Robin responded that"all reservations are confirmed" (liar).

The Tour: Substitutions were made for all of the lodges listed on the itinerary. I was picked up late every morning at my lodge, once 3 hours late. Guide Robin said that the van had repairs done that day, but the driver told me in the afternoon that Robin spent the morning trying to get money. They asked me for money on the second day … difficulties in Bella getting money to Robin (lie). We spent an entire morning trying to get into Murchison NP - Robin with Bella on the phone tried to talk the person at the gate into letting us in. Finally I paid (and was never reimbursed). A joke. The van was given gasoline 6 gallons at a time – never filled. Bottled water was purchased one bottle at a time. The tour blew apart on day 5 in Kibale NP. Bella never paid for my Chimp Habitation permit (surprise!) – she asked me to pay the 200 USD fee. Nope. The game warden said I could go on the habitation if Bella got the money to him before I returned at the end of the day. I went on the habitation but no money came. When Guide Robin arrived to pick me up (I was the last person to be picked up out of 25 people) they kept him, fortunately letting me go back to the lodge with the driver. The warden kept Robin in jail for the night because of lack of payment. He was let out the next day. I heard later that they were thinking of keeping me in jail, too! The driver got disgusted with everything and drove his van home – he had never been paid anything by Bella and had been using some of his own money to buy gas. I stayed on one more day – the wonderful lodge manager got me a ride back to Entebbe (200 USD) and I stayed in Entebbe until my plane left 5 days later. Believe it or not Bella came out to Kibale NP and apologized – too little too late. She said I would be completely reimbursed for the tour (I’m still waiting on the money that won’t come !). Bella and Robin wanted me to continue the tour! I was genuinely concerned about my safety as well as being outraged with the tour. When I got back to Entebbe the lodge people and other guides told me about Bella and her money problems. They were angry with her for giving Uganda tourism a bad name. I could tell more. DO NOT GO NEAR!

The bottom line is that Bella let me fly 19 hours in the air to Uganda (and back home), pay 1500 USD roundtrip air, and pay her about 5000 USD in full for a trip that she knew that she could not pull off. As low as you can get. Would have liked to give zero stars. Amazingly, she still has her website online and on Safari Bookings.


Vanessa   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: June 2018 Reviewed: Sep 16, 2018

Email Vanessa  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

The review below is the personal opinion of Vanessa and not that of SafariBookings.
DO NOT USE SHE STEALS YOUR MONEY
1/5

We visited Uganda in June on the celebration of my 50th Birthday. All started well until we got to see the gorillas and same as last review no permits paid for and we had two days to pay for and had to pay twice. Again as last review we paid her in January. Then went to see Chimps in Kibale and were staying in a lovely hotel close to chimps but had to move as this was not paid for either! The driver was not being paid and was hassling us for money too which we had no choice but to give him or be left stranded. Bella did come and meet us and gave us same story. We did consider going to the police but trusted her that she would refund us. To date we have received nothing! DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY

Barbara   –  
Ireland IE
Visited: July 2018 Reviewed: Aug 28, 2018

Email Barbara  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

The review below is the personal opinion of Barbara and not that of SafariBookings.
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY - THEY WILL ROB YOU!
1/5

Do not use Bella Africa Safaris as Bella basically took our money and left us hanging high and dry.
We found this out the day after our arrival in Kigali when it turned out that nothing was paid for: no car, no permits, no activities. We did have phone calls with Bella herself who told us that she had financial problems, but all would be solved within 3 days and we just needed to advance $2000 for the first 3 days so that she could sort herself out. She would meet us in person back in Kigali, apologize and ensure us we will have a fantastic trip. Needless to say that never happened. We had no choice but to pay for everything all over again it was that or taking the next flight home. We were lucky to still be able to get gorilla permits and I wont mention the financial impact of having to pay for this trip of a life time twice.
We sent the deposit back in February to ensure all permits would be bought well in advance but nothing was done. So this was not a last minute problem with cash flow as one of the versions of the story we were provided with
I repeat DO NOT use this company they are a sham. Rwanda is amazing but our trip was spoilt by Bella’s dishonesty and greed. We went to Rwanda and have been back for 3 weeks and the last thing we heard she was going to ask for a loan and reimburse us every penny. This was 2 weeks ago. We will never see our money again don't waste yours as well, find another company.

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  • All corporate and/or tour info is provided by Bella Africa safaris, not SafariBookings
  • The tours offered by Bella Africa safaris are subject to their terms & conditions