Asseri the founder with clients at Ngorongoro
Orongai Africa Safari
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2013)
- Member Of:
- Tanzania Tourist Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $145 to $750 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
ES
Email José Luis | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beware of Orongai Africa Safaris!!
...and beware particularly of the Sales Manager Martha and her tricky and confusing invoices. We enquired them in December for a 7-day safari in Ndutu/Serengeti Area for late February during the calving season. They answered immediately with a nice trip and a very appealing price so we finally hired them. The offer included a trip back to Arusha from Seronera by airplane. We were asked to pay a 30% in advanced and we did it. But when arrived to Arusha to start the trip we were asked to pay an extra cost of 650 USD per person (a 30% more!!!). This extra was not included in the total amount written in the invoice. Also, the flight back to Arusha had been changed to optional (the word “optional” never appeared in their offer) and had to be payed apart. They said that as this additional money was for hotel bookings it should not be included in the total cost, which is a ridiculous argument. Shocked we were by the surprise, we refused to pay that extra cost as we believed we had been cheated and then started the discussions. Arguing with Martha is like a toothache. Her head is hard as solid rock and it was impossible to make her understand that any money the client should pay to the operator MUST BE included in the Total amount of the invoice. Her explanation was that since the 650 USD PAX was for hotel bookings that money is not for Orongai!!! Fortunately, we called the Spanish Embassy and they put us in contact with a Spanish Arusha resident tour operator (Special thanks to Angel Pujol of Itaka Safaris) that helped us managing the situation. With his advice and after long and extenuating discussions we finally reached an agreement: we payed 200 USD PAX and they lowered the grade of the lodges. At the end, the Safari was performed under the new conditions although we had to visit some filthy accommodations and eat some uneatable picnic. So, my advice is to hire some other operator (there are many of them) to avoid troubles.
Reply from Orongai Africa Safari
Posted on Mar 16, 2019Hello JoseLuis
I WOULD LIKE TO START A CAMPING AGAINST RACISM BECAUSE THIS IS PURE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AFRICANS (This clients did not want to pay the whole amount because their threatened us to write a bad review on our platform and called us un civilized monkeys in Spanish without realizing one of us was able to here them
''IS THIS NOT FARE THAT YOU WANT TO BE TAKEN ON A FREE SAFARI JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE ABLE TO WRITE A REVIEW AND DESTROY A COMPANY REPUTATION ON THE INTERNET ""
How can something that is written on the invoice some months before the safari not be correct ,?? how can you expect not to pay 650$ 9 persons and expect the company to pay for you that so unfair to any business ""
THIS IS NOT A REVIEW BUT PURE ,,HATRED TOWARDS AFRICANS JUST BECAUSE WE DID NOT GIVE INN to your DEMANDS
Thank you for your review we always appreciate reviews on our platform ,""You have Quoted beware particularly of the Sales Manager Martha and her tricky and confusing invoices." Kindly note i think Martha is very good in her job and just because you did not want to pay for your safari according to your invoice that why she was not able to let you get away with it ,
1.a million travelers get this invoices and their always pay as per the invoices with no trouble at all their ask questions before payment if their don't understand anything before payment and that how every normal person does ( Be honest you asked this questions before the safari and your tour reader confirmed that the invoice was okay )
2, Why take advantage of not paying 650$ per person 9 persons and expect the company to take you for safari that does not make any sense to anybody
3 ,You tricked the company by calling the guy from ITAKA Safari who was to pretend to be the Ambassador of Spain( (I THINK NO AMBASSADOR OF SPAIN OWNS A SAFARI COMPANY IN AFRICA PLEASE STOP LYING )
only to realize he wanted to take you for the safari and he could not take you because he said and i quote the ''amount is not enough you have to pay 1000$ """"more' and that when you released he cant help you (he was even more expensive than us that your fellow Spanish!!! he was not willing to take you on safari without enough money but pleaded with us to accommodate you in our company can you see that this is funny ,if your safari payment were enough to go on the trip why didn't you go with him he was a tour operator and you hand your money in cash '''////
3 , i think you have missed a point that you were taken to the tourist police where the police clearly indicated that the invoice was very clear and that you should pay the full amount since no one was able to take you to a free safari without paying the rest of the amount ,if the company was found at foult the police could have concluded you go on the safari as per your agreement but again there was nothing wrong with the invoice
4 And kindly note its was you were unable to pay ITAKA SAFARI the amount he demanded to take you for the tour that you came back to the company and the solution was found that you will have to go to the safari according with your budget and the company took you to a safari of a live time see the attached photos and also the agreement you signed at the police station because police so that you were you were trying to con us because our guide Fredrick who was able to speak and also here Spanish assisted and i think you traveled with him and found that he could speak fluent Spanish
5
Kindly don't mislead our leaders just because some reviewers in the past have written you want to damage our reputation by this in fact we are going to give all our clients 15% discount on every booking made after this review ,that because we value our clients more than the our profits
6 , Kindly note Africans now their have gone to school so you can not confuse us that we don't understand invoices and it does not mean you can take advantage of the situation because you threatened to write a review if we don't give you a safari for less money ,Kindly i Would request you in the future don't do this inhuman act to anybody even if we are Africans it does not mean you can take advantage of the situation please
We apologize for any convinces caused to you regarding this matter but i think appreciating Your Guide ASSERI AND FREDRICK WHO WERE WITH YOU ON THE MOST AMAZING SAFARI THE COMPANY HS EVER MADE IS GOOD
We are very happy with this negative reviews because we learn from this reviews and we improve our services remember this one of the most tour operator in Arusha because we don't remove our bad reviews like others do we want our clients to read them and avoid this mistakes in the future we appreciate you and value you this shows we are human and we all bound by laws '''
Email Liz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The trip was excellent
I recommend Orongai Africa Safari as they have the best service and can help you to plan for your vacation
AE
Email Saeed Althani | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing experience, I am lucky to book my trip with Orongai and I enjoyed the most
The whole experience was outstanding. i booked the trip in short notice and I had a quick and easy communication.
The Driver Fred was a friendly and polite with a long-standing experience allowed us to achieve more than expected ( Leopard with a kill, lioness with kill , Cheetahs with cups ..etc)
DE
Email Sebastian | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A nice experience by a very great team
Many thanks to the team of Orongai African Safari for the great days and unique impressions of the countryside and nature.
When we arrived in Arusha we did not book a safari and came across Orongai African Safari on the spot. The team explained everything very well and took over the organization for the 3 days, which worked very well.
Our guide Asseri was able to tell us a lot about the wildlife and also knew exactly how the animals behave, so we could make very nice pictures.
Even wishes that were not pronounced as such, he has recorded and mostly fulfilled.
Many thanks for everything.
Email Bryan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful and memorable
From the booking through to the safari it was a wonderful experience, our guide/driver Fredrick was funny, knowledgeable and a careful driver.
Could not fault or have any complaints about our 4 night 5 day safari, we opted for a balloon ride which was just magical,
If you want to experience the a real safari book with Orongai and ask for Fredrick.
IT
Email LUCA | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fast to reply, good service, something to improve
We booked this trip from Italy before August. Honestly, price was fair and very competitive with respect other ones. We booked a 5 days safari with Italian guide, 2 nights in lodge and 2 nights in tented camp. Arrived in Arusha they asked us to postpone of 1 day the trip because Italian guide wasn’t available, we had flexible schedule so no issues, but... Accommodations were good, but we discovered only once there they changed to 1 night in lodge and 3 in tented camp.. at the same price.. anyway simba B camp at the border of Ngorongoro park was awesome. The guide mudy and the driver frank were very good. They offered us the taxi from Arusha to Kilimanjaro airport for the inconvenience during the safari.
Email Stephen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Family Safari Adventure.
I had a family safari, with my wife and two young teenagers. It was great fun and everything we hoped. I worked closely with Martha over the internet to organise the details. I found her very reliable and willing to get back to me quickly and to help me clarify details of the itinerary. I was able to specify the types of accomodation and vehicle and food requirements. She sent me links to websites etc so i knew we were talking about the same things. Our safari was amazing for seeing the animals, experiencing the Masai Boma and the Hadzabe tribe at Lake Eyasi. We visited the Manyara, Trangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater over eight days. Our driver, 'Good Luck', was happy, friendly and a very safe driver. He helped us with what to expect during the visits to different places. He was great on the game drives at finding out what animals were around and got us into good spots to see them up close. Our 13 year old son especially enjoyed laughing and joking with him. Experiencing Africa any time is pretty full on, Martha and 'Good Luck' helped us do it comfortably and confidently. Thanks Guys!
US
Email Ja | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awesome guide and driver!
Our Safari tour took us to Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro crater, lake Manyara, lake Natron. We added a morning and took a four hour hike at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our driver and guide, Good Luck, was our good luck! He is very knowledgeable. We saw so many animals, elephants, giraffes, Buffaloes, rhino mom and baby, many lions, zebras, leopard and cheetah, hippos, many more, big and small. It was an incredible experience that we will not forget.
The communication could have been better. We booked the tour and settled on the itinerary, cost, route and accommodations. The night we arrived, the order had changed, as well as the accommodations. We preferred the original order because we added one night on the end because it was our favorite place. The tour operator upgraded one night which was good. However, at two other places, we were not told of the change until we drove up and did not recognize the place from the websites that we had previewed. We very dismayed that one of these was the last place that we especially wanted to visit. The last place was nice but our tent was broken into while we were sleeping and our iPhone and camera were stolen. The accommodation owner was very helpful.
All in all, we saw everything we wanted and hoped to see, including a Bush dinner and night drive. Serengeti was the best. Awesome experience!
ES
Email Sorrell | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What an awesome time I have just had and yes it was on a budget!
My sister and I were very nervous about booking a safari and the Orongai (tall sleeping man) staff made it comfortable and and as clear as possible. We booked a private 4 day safari to 3 of the parks and village walking tour and camping. So, camping first (or should i say glamping) compared to an English site was amazing. Raised and sheltered canvas tents with beds about 7-8 feet from each other so you have privacy but you may still need earplugs if you're a delicate sleeper. They shower facilities were good and clean and a wood stove so there was even hot water! Food - DVD was our chef for the tour and we had home cooked food coming out of our ears- i really don't know how he managed to make fresh bread and cakes on charcoal...they were delish! The parks - our driver Franc was the most patient and knowledgeable man who was very easy to get along with and made sure we always felt safe and secure and well looked after. He knew all of the other drivers at the parks and they shared sighting with us and he with ours which meant we saw so many of the animals we had hoped to see. You must remember this is a safari and not a zoo, the animals decide if they want to be close to where the jeeps are allowed to be because they are free...truly free! So go armed with good binoculars if you want to see the rhinos which we managed to thanks to Franc spotting them in the far far distance. We had very close encounters with elephants, lions, hippos, zebras, giraffes, monkeys of all variaties, hyenas, jackles, wildebeest, gazelles, impalas, eagles, butterflies and so much more! Unfortunately not the leopards but that was just they way the cookie crumbled! So if you are booking, all the firms use the same roads within the parks so it is all down to the personal service you receive....and what we received was top-notch!
Email Ferne | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime trip made real!
We booked with Orongai from the uk in March 2018, after much painstakingly researching on the web. There is such a a vast choice of tour operators that it can be very overwhelming!
Orongai offered the itinerary that I wanted, four days three nights with NO Serengeti visit, which is almost impossible! Martha was our point of contact at this stage and he was most helpful in quoting for the set trip as well as possible amendments that I was enquiring about. Sadly my budget couldn't stretch to the latter request but the 4 day trip was reasonable and I was happy with the communication I had received thus far.
I paid a deposit for 50% of the total trip and started planning the rest of our stay in Tanzania.
When the time came I reached out to Martha just to touch base and confirm the final payment and also to check that card payment was acceptable as I don't like carrying alot of cash. He confirmed it was and offered a pick up service which we declined.
On arrival to Arusha I reached out again to arrange our pre safari meet up and again Martha was lovely and prompt with his response. I also requested information on a possible balloon safari as my friends and family had collected some money for my birthday and that was a dream option! He suggested Serengeti for the balloon but I was adamant that it was Tarangire I wanted to fly over. He said we could discuss at the meeting.
We met with Asseri after a little confusion as to where the meeting venue was! He was friendly and accommodating. He pulled out the itinerary and it wasn't what I had booked. It was one that included Serengeti. Fortunately I had a copy of the one Martha had sent me when we first booked. He was instantly apologetic and after conversing with Martha we were able to rectify the problem and we were back on course for the agreed itinerary.
It then came to light that the remaining balance was to be paid in cash, again I explained that Martha had agreed that card was acceptable and that I did not have the cash due to this. Asseri was calm and explained that their PayPal was out of service (no reason given) but instructed us to go to Barclays where the large amount of dollars we wanted would be obtainable. It was Sunday so the bank was closed.
We agreed to meet there in the morning and the final payment could be made before we set off for the Safari.
All the way through this transaction both Martha and Asseri were calm and forth coming with solutions. Being so far away from your home and way of life can be stressful and confusing but they made us feel at ease and placed under a wing!
After meeting in the morning to exchange money, we set off for our first park. We changed vehicles halfway and left our amazing cook to head to camp.
Our guide Frankie was not only full of knowledge and had amazing English skills, he was kind and considerate and alot of fun. He had just come to us from finishing another Safari but was still as enthusiastic and accomodating as if he had had a week's rest!
The experience of the safari itself has left me with little words. I am humbled by the animals and the locations. There is definitely nowhere else like it on earth and I am honoured that I have been able to experience it. I would recommend at least one trip for everyone as seeing the animals in their natural habitat is life changing.
The trip was enriched further by Frank's knowledge and love and respect for the animals and for his clients. He helped us track the elusive Rhino! Amazing!
As for the campsite, we stayed at Haven Nature for the three nights. I don't think that was on the original itinerary but I'm so glad it's where we were based. It was central to all three parks (Tarangire, Ngorogoro crater and lake manyara) and the amenities were perfect for a glamping experience. We had hot showers, electricity and beds! Perfect!
But what made it home for the three nights was our amazing cook Dvd. He fed us like kings! And all from a wood fire! He was hospitable, fun and caring! We must have put on a stone in just three days! Plus he baked us a cake!! He is an amazing baker!
So all in all I would like to thank the entire team at Oronagi Africa Safaris. We had the trip of a lifetime which became so much more because of them!
I would recommend them to everyone!
Asante Sana!!