Melvin and Ann from our office during a game drive
Africa Marvel Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2014)
- Member Of:
- Kenya Association of Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $130 to $450 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CN
Email Fanfan Liu | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very nice group, tour guys is very professional
Communication is fast , and tour guys Ron , he is very nice person, easygoing, on the way ask any questions, he will answer directly, and will help tracking the animals.
CA
Email Li | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Complete lack of professionalism and unethical practices
My family and I had high hopes for our 12-Day Best of Tanzania and Kenya Safari (Mid-Range) tour, booked with Africa Marvel Tours from August 16 to August 27, 2024. After extensive research and saving up for this dream trip, we were excited to explore these incredible landscapes. Unfortunately, our experience was nothing short of a nightmare, largely due to the agency's complete lack of professionalism and failure to deliver on their promises.
We paid the full amount to the agency per their requirement, 30% at booking in January and 70% in July, three weeks prior to the trip, expecting everything to go smoothly. Instead, the agency repeatedly failed to pay park fees, accommodation costs, and even our driver’s wages on time. This led to multiple delays, forcing us to sit idle for hours, miss game drives, and even skip two parks altogether. In total, we wasted over 16 hours waiting on payments to be processed.
Here are the major issues we faced:
1. Border Delay: On Day 4, we were stuck at the Kenya-Tanzania border for 1.5 hours because the agency hadn’t paid for park tickets, gas, and driver fees. This caused us to miss the Lake Manyara game drive.
2. Ngorongoro Crater Issues: On Days 5 and 6, our schedule was delayed, and we were stranded for 5 hours waiting for the agency to cover Ngorongoro park fees. Due to these delays, we had to cancel our Serengeti stay and move to a camp near Ngorongoro, which was arranged at the very last minute after we had to argue with the agency.
3. Masai Mara Payment Problems: While our driver provided outstanding service during our Masai Mara visit, he later told us that Africa Marvel Tours hadn’t paid him. He had to cover the expenses from his own pocket. He is a freelance tour driver, hired by this company for our trip. The agency continuously promised him reimbursement, which never happened.
4. Accommodation Issues: On Days 10 and 11, we were held in the lobby for hours at different lodges due to unpaid balances by the agency.
5. Final Day Misery: On our last day, we spent a total of 7 hours waiting in a restaurant parking lot for the agency to deliver a meager $135 refund to me and to pay my driver. The agency representative claimed they have no money to pay the driver because they are experiencing some cash flow issue. He eventually signed an agreement to pay our driver 98800 Kenya Shillings =1, 035 Canadian Dollars by September 5, but to this day, no payment has been made. We missed our Nairobi Park visit as a result. We also missed Elephant Orphanage visit because the agency failed to book it in advance.
Our driver went above and beyond, often covering expenses himself to ensure our trip wasn’t completely ruined. He truly tried to salvage our experience, and it’s devastating to see him suffer such financial loss and disrespect from the agency.
I have reported Africa Marvel Tours to the following organizations. These organizations have the right to investigate them and make corrections. Despite all my frustration and stress during my trip, my biggest concern is whether our Driver can get his money back.
• Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO)
https://katokenya.org/consumer-protection/
• Kenya Tourism Board
https://ktb.go.ke/
• Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority
https://tra.go.ke/
Please carefully select your safari tour agency. No one should go through what we experienced.
IE
Email Michaela Francis | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The trip of our lifetime!
Myself and my husband had the time of our lives on this trip.
The Safari/Lake Nakuru exceeded our expectations and that was thanks to JOHN who made it happen:)
He has a wealth of knowledge which he shared with us and never missed an animal to see - we saw thw Big 5(the ugly 5 :-D) and everything in between.
His positive and caring attitude towards not only us but mainly for the animals was truly evident throughout the time we spent with him. We love his respect (unlike many other guides) for the animals crossing giving them time and way/switching the engine off and taking the time to observe the nature around us.
Both Tent accomondation in Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Lodge @ Lake Nakuru were excellent with great selection of food bot different yet enjoyable in their own right.
We were already discussing with John that one day we would love to do it again with the kids when they are bigger and would ask for John.
Thanks again and good luck with the business.
US
Email Marcy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Africa Marvel provided a worry-free safari experience that was beyond our expectations!
Africa Marvel Tours was a pleasure to work with. Communication was always good. Any request for information was quickly answered by Perminus and Zunira. The website provides a lot of information, as well: suggested packing lists, FAQs, etc. We did have to ask for information, at times, pre-trip, but it was always provided promptly. During the course of our trip, Perminus met us in Nairobi to give us a preview. I had ongoing communication with Zunira before the trip by email, and during the trip, she checked in regularly by email and What's App.
The 12-day safari of Kenya and Tanzania was spectacular. Our guides were experienced and knew where to look so that we could see the best of what each park had to offer. Many other people complained of not seeing animals, or not up close. We saw up close elephants, giraffes, antelope, 1000s of wildebeest, monkeys, lion hunts, leopard kills, cheetahs, hippos, etc. Everyday was something new!
Our accommodations were varied and always comfortable. Food was always good, and the settings were varied from luxury resort settings to tented unfenced safari camp in the Serengeti. The staff were always polite and accommodating, "Hakuna Matata!" Our trip was moderately priced, as compared with other trips, but the level of service that we got from Africa Marvel and the staff at the accommodations was deluxe. It is a little scary to send money overseas to a company that you do not know, but Zunira made it so much easier to trust the experience. Once we arrived at the airport, everything worked like clockwork! Highly recommend!
DE
Email Sebastian | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great 5-days safari experience!
Booked the trip on relatively short notice (3 weeks ahead) based on some internet research and SafariBookings reviews.
The upfront communication with the Marvel Tours booking office was smooth and the immediate feedback and advice on individual tour options was triggering my choice for Africa Marvel Tours amongst others.
From the pick-up upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta Airport to the drop off at our hotel in Nairobi at the end of the tour, we were in good hands of our driver and tour guide John. The trip was truly memorable for the entire family and our kids (10 and 5 years of age) had a great time.
5-days, including Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha & Mount Longonot is a great mix of different nature, flora and fauna.
FR
Email Olivier | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very nice safari, good choice of best lodges
Very nice safari, good choice of best lodges. We've managed to see so many animals thanks to our guide/driver Ian. Ian was very helpful and pleasant all other the trip. I strongly recommend Africa Marvel Tour, probably the best choice for the price. Communication with the desk was also very good before and during the trip. you can customize your trip with some extra activities like horse riding and bike self tour for example.
SK
Email Tomas | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
GREAT Safari
Africa Marvel Tours provide us an unforgettable 3days 2 nights safari in Tsavo east and Salt Lick. We saw many wild animals in their natural enviroment and we need to thanx also our guide Mike who makes everything possible(sometimes impossible too) for us to find and see those amazing animals we were looking for. Except safari we spent also graetful time in Ashnil Aruba Lodge and Salt Lick Lodge where we found nice accomodation with delucious foods. Really great time in Tsavo.
BE
Email Anthony | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Professional, reactive and flexible
Great safari. Guide was amazing, flexible and has a good knowledge of the reserve.
Hotel selection was very good and the price was fair for the experience
DK
Email Pia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari
We are a family of 4. We had a three day Safari wirh Africian Marvel tours to Tsavo East and West with our driver Francis. He was so kind and polite - we enjoyed spending time with him. We stayed one Night in Saltlick Taita Hills it was really amazing my favorite ❤️ We saw a lot of animals. Thanks to African Marvel tours for this well organized trip. Hope we one day can go to Masai Mara with you 🇰🇪🇰🇪
HK
Email Allen | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Marvel Tour Africa provided exceptional service for our honeymoon safari. They helped us book camps
My wife and I recently had the pleasure of embarking on our dream honeymoon safari, thanks to the exceptional services provided by Marvel Tour Africa. We were enchanted by the sheer beauty of the African wilderness and the seamless arrangements made by the travel agency.
From the moment we contacted Marvel Tour Africa, their professionalism and attentiveness were evident. They assisted us in booking the perfect camps, ensuring that our accommodations matched our preferences and needs. The agency also impressed us with their transparent pricing, offering a fair and competitive package that suited our budget.
During our journey, we encountered an unforeseen issue with our flight arrangements. Despite this challenge falling outside their direct responsibility, Marvel Tour Africa went above and beyond to assist us. Their team promptly stepped in and liaised with the airlines on our behalf, alleviating the stress of the situation and ensuring a smooth resolution. Their dedication to customer satisfaction truly exceeded our expectations.
In conclusion, we wholeheartedly recommend Marvel Tour Africa to anyone seeking a remarkable and unforgettable safari experience. Their exceptional customer service, fair pricing, and willingness to go the extra mile make them an outstanding choice for travel arrangements. We are grateful for the incredible memories they helped create during our honeymoon, and we look forward to booking our future adventures with them.
Thank you, Marvel Tour Africa, for making our honeymoon safari an absolute delight!
