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
IT
Email Susan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Avoid at all costs - this is a schlock outfit!!
Utter shambles. Of 5 nights of mobile camping - reserved, confirmed, fully pre-paid - we were cheated out of 2 nights. On arrival we found out that the first night nothing whatsoever had been arranged, other than a back-handed suggestion to stay in some shabby motel in the middle of Maun - and even though our itinerary clearly stated that we would be bush camping in Khwai. We were also told that, on the last night, we would be unceremoniously dumped in Kasane and left to our own devices - and even though our itinerary clearly stated that we would be bush camping in Ihaha. The so-called "organisation" was an unmitigated disaster. The vehicles (yes, plural, there was a series of replacement ones as they were in such bad condition!) bordered on dangerous. All the equipment was old, worn, broken (tents), dirty (sheets), badly stained (mattresses), or incomplete (towels never materialised). When I confronted the owner, he did not seem surprised and indicted that other travellers had also had abysmal experiences with Bush Baby Calls. But this did not seem to bother him! At best, ineptitude. At worst, fraudulent. Only saving grace was the actual guides who were superb. For both, it was the first time working freelance for Bush Baby Calls and they were clearly horrified, though too professional (and embarrassed) to discuss the situation. Even the officer at Khwai Gate - when we finally got there! - rolled her eyes and said, "Not them again , they are always messing up!" Be warned: book with Bush Baby Calls only if you want to have your dream mobile tented experience completely ruined.
ES
Email Mary Cruz | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
The worst experience of my life in Africa !!
An authentic deception. I felt cheated by this company. It was my first safari in Africa and had a lot of illusion but the bad management and planning of this company did that our safari was turning into a nightmare. The manager of this company was called Mogakolodi Serumola. An authentic disaster. He never faced the consequences opposite to the quantity of problems that we had: it gave to us a torn land cruiser and left wire drawing us in the desert of the Kalahari for hours. It took us show restraint, breakfasts and dinners that were included in the trip. It gave to us camps that were not the approved ones (some without water). It took us games drives in spite of having paid them. It made pay the income to a companion to the park Chobe because he said to us that it forgot to do it and to never return the money to us. But the worse thing happened in Khwai where his driver left wire drawing us in the middle of the night in the sheet and we had to sleep in the hut of a few ladies since it was not capable of finding our camp.
An authentic shame the management of this person.
ES
Email sergio navarro | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
DANGER!! A genuine Swindle of touroperator in Bostwana.
The worst safari ever!!
Last October we went away to Bostwana a group of 6 persons in a safari of 13 days, 12 nights. We contract months before across the local agency Bush Baby Calls LTD since the price that offered us for the itinerary for that we look was not bad (The major mistake that we committed). His manager, such a Mogakolodi Serumola, was the one who was answering to our post office on our doubts. To reserve he asked us for an anticipation of 50 % of the price of the safari. Hitherto all good, but when we come there everything was from bad to worse and almost at all it was adjusting to what we contract. Our safari would begin in victory Falls and from there we would go to the Kalahari to be rising for the Delta of the Okavango. The manager, a scoundrel, only faced the consequences the day of beginning of the safari to appear and, overcoat, to take the rest of the money. Then it never faced the consequences in spite of living through situations of extreme gravity. Always he was throwing the fault to his workers. (In spite of being whom I receive and with whom we contract, the very inept one was exempting his responsibilities blaming his workers as if his workers were not of his responsibility).
To begin, the first day took from us the food that was included (also we had to pay to us of our pocket the breakfast in the hotel K1 in spite of being included in the price). It did us to lodge at Matswere Gate's very same entry and not at the approved camping. It made us encamp opposite a few destroyed and sickening baths riddled with scorpions and spiders (we have photos). In addition one of the clients was a major person and we ask him expressly that we wanted the shop of encamping with bath in his interior since this person was needing in the nights of going to the bath. It ignored and this 70-year-old person, I spend an authentic Calvary every night. His workers were excusing themselves of everything and were sending us to speaking with the manager, such a Mogakolodi Serumola that was never giving solutions and was escaping of everything. For limit, the land rover that gave to us (a land cruiser) defective wine with the ruadas in poor condition (even that of supply). In the first days the wheels failed in diverse occasions and we lost a lot of time changing them. In a safari you can puncture because it is normal; what is not normal is to come already of before hand with all the ruined ruadas, especially when the voyage for the country was going to be hard. But the worse thing was for coming, to the third day we were preparing to leave the desert to go to Moremi and they returned to trump the tyres. They left wire drawing us in the middle of the desert more than 4 hours.! Without water or coverage to call nobody!! He had to be a companion the fact that sim was giving his card to the driver in order that it could call the manager because none of the workers had balance. After a few hours ms late, the manager us tarjo a wheel to be able to go out of there (they were trumping 3 wheels and only it us brought one). We ask for explanations him for the condition of the car and of our safari of evening in Moremi that we it had lost since we do not come in time to the reservation and he said to us that we should not worry that we would do safari by night. Obviously it was a lie. We did not do safari not in the evening not by night in spite of having paid them. This it was the last time that we saw the manager. Nevermore it faced the consequences in spite of the multiple incidents that we would continue having and his vague promises of which it would be there or it is. A person's fraud.
We come to Moremi and, not only we did not do safari of evening by night since it us nor had promised, if not that the camp was a disaster. The showers had not even water. In spite of being almost 5 hours thrown in the desert of the Kalahari more the distance that we had to cross there was no water in the showers. The minimal thing that it is necessary to to do before sending a few clients to a place (independently of what they pay) is to make sure that expires with the minimal services. It did not even do it. It had clear that it was not going to face the consequences and his employees were not moving a finger invoking that they did not know anything. Everything was a disaster. We were thinking that already at all it could go to worse. And we are wrong.The car was continuing so bad. Stopping every little for the condition of the wheels. They promised us to change it when we were coming to Maun and, again, they us lied. They did not do it.
In Khwai it happened a little that I do not wish anybody. Already everything was a disaster. This man had ruined the vacations and it never faced the consequences. When we come to the area of Khwai proceeding Moremi's, we did safari in route until there came the hour of returning to the camp. The case is that for very incredible that it seems …! We never come!. The chauffeur put to look for the camp and … he did not find it. It started raining, key the night and the driver continued turning looking for the camp and …! Nothing!. The people started becoming very nervous until it made clear to us that he was not finding the campsite, which was not where it had to be. It was a closed night, was raining and was not giving us solutions. We demand to speak with the manager and it was not answering this one to the telephone. It gave an assault to a companion of stress. Finally it stopped in a position of rangers to explain the situation to them and for our surprise and without saying anything to us, a land rover was raised and left with them. It was totally surrealistic. It left wire drawing us in the middle of the sheet in the middle of the night. We had to sleep without supping on in a few miserable houses of a few women (surely women of rangers) that we find in the middle of the Bush. Two we sleep in the kitchen in the soil and other 4 in the exterior in a minishop because we were not fitting all in the miserable house.! This was already what fulfilled the glass!!. We demand to speak with the manager and it was not answering this one to the telephone. It gave an assault to a companion of stress. Finally it stopped in a position of rangers to explain the situation to them and for our surprise and without saying anything to us, a land rover was raised and left with them. It was totally surrealistic. It left wire drawing us in the middle of the sheet in the middle of the night. We had to sleep without supping on in a few miserable houses of a few women (surely women of rangers) that we find in the middle of the Bush. Two we sleep in the kitchen in the soil and other 4 in the exterior in a minishop because we were not fitting all in the miserable house.! This was already what fulfilled the glass!!. We demand to speak with the manager and it was not answering this one to the telephone. It gave an assault to a companion of stress. Finally it stopped in a position of rangers to explain the situation to them and for our surprise and without saying anything to us, a land rover was raised and left with them. It was totally surrealistic. It left wire drawing us in the middle of the sheet in the middle of the night. We had to sleep without supping on in a few miserable houses of a few women (surely women of rangers) that we find in the middle of the Bush. Two we sleep in the kitchen in the soil and other 4 in the exterior in a minishop because we were not fitting all in the miserable house.! This was already what fulfilled the glass!!. Everything was one it defrauds and they never gave to us solutions. When we come to Chobe, our last stop before returning Victoria Falls, it took from us one night that we had included and paid. Very scoundrel wanted to take us one day in Chobe in spite of having it quite full (invoices, contracts and itineraries in our hand) and it made us pay the income to the park invoking that then would pay it to us. Lie did not pay them (we have the income to the park) again, ever.
In end, a hell of trip with a disastrous company. The worse thing through that I have never lived in my trips. A manager who is a scoundrel and a compulsive liar. Flee of this company. Do not leave you to be deceptive either for his initial comity or for his prices. The cheap thing works out expensive (to us very expensive). Only I regret not having had time to denounce him in Kasane.
ES
Email Jonay | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A Nightmare in Botswana
We spent last year 12 days with MG and his team and our experience was really bad. We had to pay the entrance to chobe and the manager MG never paid to us. Our driver didn´t found our camp in Khwai and we had to sleep in a local cottage. The guide was estressed all time and our camp in Kalahari desert was diferente that the camp for which we have paid. A total disaster of 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.
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.
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 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 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.
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