Bushbaby Calls Team
Bush Baby Calls
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- HATAB, BOGA & Botswana Tourism Organisation
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $270 to $870 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Michael | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible touroperator!!
We contacted this tour operator for a 3 day safari in Chobe and it was a real disaster. The 4x4 was in terrible condition and left us stranded several times; camping tents were awful and super old. An experience to forget.
NL
Email EW | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Worst customer service ever with too many lies.
Four years ago we did make a gamedrive on our own in Moremi N.P. Unfortunately we got stuck and so we decided in 2018 to go again, but now we did book a “professional” gamedrive. Not cheap, but we really wanted to see the park this time.
Unfortunately we did get disappointed again. In a very uncomfortable car and an incompetent guide we did not see what we wanted to see. The guide did not know his way around and lucky enough we had still the map of 2 years ago, otherwise we had to spend the night in the park for he could not find the exit. He was alo unable to find the Black Pool. So sad, because other guides did see some lions there. During the day we saw that nothing did work on the dashboard of the car and that the tires he no profile at all. Because the guide could not find the exit we left the park too late and therfore he drove too fast and if we had not seen a big whole in the road we would have ended up in hosptal. But the emergency stop he had to make because of this, was the end of the car as well. Gladly another car picked us up after a while and did bring us back to Maun.
Of course we did complain and the result was that we should get a refund and than the misery started. Because I am working in travelbusiness I did not go on the internet with this story, to give Bush Baby Call the opportunity to solve this issue in the proper way. He promised to refund us and that was ok with us inspite of our disappointment missing Moremi again. But now after 1,5 years we run out of patience and are really finished with all the lies he told us. A few examples of his OWN MAILS he did send to us:
04-01-2019 You have to check your account in about 7working days i have sent the money this morning
01-06-2019 As for us we will pay your whole amount within this month
16-12-2019 you dont have to make a bad review over $300,00. It will be unfair and you know it.I will send the funds to you.
30-12-2019 I will forward the money when i get back from holidays
02-01-2020 I am going to transfer the money on or before the 30 January 2020
31-01-2020 Can you kindly refresh me with the account details,i seem to have misplaced them,just came back from east africa,i want to forward the refund
04-02-2020 I will definitely send you the proof, i am doing a cheaper transfer method so i will send the proof once it is initiated, please let us finish this transfer,
13-02-2020 Hope this email finds you well, i will make a follow up when i get back to Maun from the safari, i had hoped u have already received it i will also forward the proof.
15-02-2020 I will be back on thursday, i will straight away go to the bank to find out and send proof.
20-02-2020 as far as i am concerned i am not refusing to send you your refund
And many more of these lies. We gave the owner enough time (1,5 years), but now we think the world should now what a lier this person is. Our advice: don’t book here. I think something can go wrong everywhere, but it is so important to solve the issue properly and he failed dramatically.
And many more of these lies. We gave the owner enough time (1,5 year), but now we think the world should know what a lier this person is.
Email Sara and Rob | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Makoro and Moremi safari
Our safari was organised by Destination Okavango who found Bushbabycalls and tailored the trip to suit the interests of my husband and I. We'd looked into group safaris but couldn't find anything for our dates and had one quote for an individual safari which was higher than that of Bushbabycalls so chose them. We had a meeting with MG the afternoon before the trip and he explained the plan - drive to mokoro station, mokoro trip to wild camp site on an island 2 nights there and then drive a few hours to northern Moremi for 2 nights camping between Xanakaxa and Third Bridge, then our final destination near Khwai. Some things had to be organised at the last minute which took up a little time . Satellite phones meant MG could organise things from afar and communicate with our guide Glenn. We had requested a guide who knew about birds and Glenn was excellent . He knew exactly where to look and helped us identify around a eighty birds in the last 4 days - my favourites were a carmine beeeater and a ground hornbill. Glenn was familiar with the roads and other guides in Moremi and enabled us to see a leopard and youngster up a tree, two packs of wild dogs and a striped jackal, plus countless antelopes, zebra and giraffe. We were told how hippos communicate and how a dominant male rules the roost. We had a lot of enjoyment listening to hippos harrumphing to each other while we lay in our tent in the evening. We could stand up in the tent and the sponge mattresses with sheets and pillows were very comfortable. The shower had nice warm water and the pit toilet served the purpose. Our cook Nike was a genius at producing tasty meals from a wood fire. We had our own driver as well as the cook and guide. They looked after us so well, making us feel comfortable and chatting about their lives and about wildlife. Everyone spoke very god English as well as Setswana. The trip on the mokoro was so peaceful , being punted through water lilies and greenery. Our guide there Opa was only 23 but had been to a school specially for guides and took us on a walking safari where we saw elephants and red letchwe. He also managed to get the mokoro very near a group of hippos so we could observe them at close quarters. MG was very solicitous and told us we could ask the staff to change the plan if we'd prefer to do something else, but their plan suited us fine. We hadn't given any thought to the journey from Maun to Moremi which was on an unmade road, so very dusty. We wore sunglasses to protect our eyes but everything was covered in dust by the time we reached the camp. The shower was very welcome that night. All in all an excellent trip. We definitely recommend Bushbabycalls.
NL
Email Sophie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Most amazing experience, a custome made safari that made our dreams come true!
We had limited time and before we went we described our wishes, safari and boattrip through the delta. IT was all possible. The service was excellent, the food that was made fresh at the camp site. Lovely we even had scrambled eggs at sunrise! We had a Nice tent, slept amazing and muscito free and even had a warm shower!! But we mostly enjoyed Oké the kind ranger who thought us so mutch about the animals, their behaviour. Hè saw everything even while driving through the rough environment. Hè was a true gentleman and made us feel at home and safe immediately. I would recommend this to any one! Best days ever!!
Email Patsy and David Schafer | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
This really was the ultimate safari experience. Absolutely amazing!
We had the ultimate bush experience. Camping in the middle of no where! Enjoying the stillness, listening to the chorus of frogs, the laugh of hyaenas, the chirp of a nightjar and the roar of lions.
We camped in Moremi, Khwaii, Savuti and Cobe Ihaha. It was a thrilling 4x4 drive between camps and one of the highlights. We saw: elephants, giraffes, zebra, buffalo, buck, lions, even a pride of 17, and even a cheetah and a honey badger. The bird sightings were outstanding!
In our private camp, we had our own tent with separate toilet, shower and basin just outside the tent. It was like having our own hotel room with en-suite bathroom, right in the middle of the bush. It was very comfortable.
Nike was our chef who fed us with simple and tasty food cooked over an open fire. Isaac, our guide and driver, was one of the most knowledgeable guides that we have encountered (and we spend a lot of time in National Parks). We even had our own back up 4x4 driven by Booysen who was the jack of all trades, helping to set up the camp before we arrived.
It was sensational, we are definitely going to do it again. MG, the owner of Bush Baby Calls, was the most gracious host from our arrival in Maun to our departure 12 days later. He really went out of his way to make our stay memorable by showing us around Maun before and after our safari.
This really was the ultimate safari experience. Absolutely amazing!
Patsy and David Schafer – Cape Town - South Africa
ES
Email Cristian Milian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
THE WORST SAFARI COMPANY EVER!!
We pay to this company, Bush Baby Calls, for a safari of 13 days, 12 nights and it was the worst safari that we have never done (and already we have done several). We had many problems of logistics and his manager, Mogakolodi Serumola, never helped us. Only it worried about receiving the money. It took breakfasts from us, show restraint, you have dinner, housings in campsites foreseen, it made us pay income to park of our pocket, took us game drives... an authentic shame. Even one night his guide left wire drawing us in the middle of the bush because he was not finding the camp and we had to sleep in the huts of the local some. And the manager never faced the consequences. An authentic calamity of company. A misfortune could have happened for his pathetic management of the safari. An authentic swindle of company.
ES
Email Guadalupe Díaz | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A DISASTER OF SAFARI COMPANY!!
A sorrow punishes our safari in Bostwana. It is a wonderful country but this company, Bush Baby Calls, is an authentic disaster. A total incompetence beginning for his manager, Mogakolodi Serumola, who far from helping ourselves did that our experience was an almost a hell. It took breakfasts from us, show restraint, you have dinner, it changed the housings, some of them were lacking even water to have a shower. It made us pay income to parks in spite of having them full. It tried to take us one day in Chobe and the worse thing is that always he was hiding and it was never facing the consequences. For not saying that one day in the Okavango his guide was not finding the camp and we had to sleep in a few huts of a few villagers. In end, an authentic disaster and the manager the incompetent person.
ES
Email Iván Redondo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
VERY BADLY SERVICE!! MANAGED BY AN INCOMPETENT MANAGER!!
Our dream began on October 23 but soon it turned into nightmare. We were a group of 6 persons to a safari of 13 days with this company and felt deeply defrauded specially for his manager, Mogakolodi Serumola, an authentic liar and swindler. I am sorry to say it this way, but it took us show restraint, it changed his camps, deprived us of games drives and it never faced the consequences. Always it was hiding and evading responsibilities. It is not possible to treat the people who pays of the form that this person did. This company should not be promoted without a supervision thoroughly. I have done already many safaris in Africa and it had never lived not equal at all. In a evening game drive safari we could not sleep in our camp because the guide was not finding it and ended up by sleeping six members of the group in a floor of a small boma of the local women without food or water and the manager was never facing the consequences he nor returned to us the money paid for the not received services in spite of the fact that he said to us that it would do it. One defrauds total.
ES
Email Javi Rodriguez | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
THE WORST SAFARI IN MY LIFE !!!
Hi,
last october a group of friends were in Bostwana for 2 weeks. We selected this company, Bush Baby Calls, because the price was good (Ultimately the cheap thing works out expensive) but our problems started in the first day in vic Falls when the manager of Bush Baby Calls received to us in the airport. He wanted only the rest of the money and then...he disapear!!
In short, we lost many breakfasts, lunches and dinner in spite of we pay for full board. Futhermore, the manager, Mogakolodi Serumola cheated on us several times: the land cruiser that we used was broken, he promise to us repair it however I didn´t it; we losed several games drives and he promised to us to do night games drives and we didn´t it, we pay to take shower inside the tent but he didn´t it, we had to apy the park fees in some parks and he told us that then he did the transfer to us but he didn´t it... The manager was terribe, a completely liar. Our safari was a full nightmare. I have done safaris in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe and it had never suffered anything similar as with this company. His manager was a coward. He never help us. In spite of the fact that in Khwai his driver left wire drawing us in the middle of the bush in the middle of the night and one was because he was not finding the camp.
If you want to enjoy a safari do not contract with this company.
CA
Email Mihaela B. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Joke of a tour operator - Avoid at all cost!!! Complete lack of safety
Horrible experience - MG met us at the border between Zimbabwe and Botswana - took our money and luggage and then was supposed to pick us up at a certain time after we visited Victoria Falls. They were late in picking us up. Then we had a lovely time in Chobe National Park, which was the only positive experience with them. As soon as we started our camping safaris - one disaster after another. We rode in an open safari vehicle at high speed for 3-4h to get to the dirt road leading to Savuti. We then got to the game reserve gate 90 minutes after its closing time and then drove at night! (strictly forbidden) for another 5h to find our campsite - the guide could not find the camp - we were scared, tired, frustrated, cold and hungry. Second day, we were on a game drive and our driver went offroad and took us within 15m of a pride of lions. He stopped the engine and then the car would not start again. We were completely exposed and luckily another safari vehicle came and pulled our car out. The driver would never fill up the car’s gas tank so we were left without gas at one point in Kalahari, without water. Driver had to abandon the car and us to go in search of help - no cell phone signal. At no time we were told how long the drives would take to get from one place to the next and they notoriously underestimated the durations. We never made it in time to any of the game reserve gates. We were exposed to unsafe trip conditions on more than one occasion. Driver and his safari vehicle were subcontracted by MG and each one blamed the other for all the mishaps. Absolutely horrific.