Meijo Safaris

Sold as a Luxury Safari — Serious Safety Failures, Disappointing Service, and No Resolution

We booked an eight-day private luxury safari with Meijo Safaris in Tanzania, paying approximately USD 8,500 for two people. Unfortunately, the overall experience fell considerably short of what was advertised, and the company’s handling of our complaints became an additional source of disappointment.

Accommodation and food

Although the accommodations were generally acceptable, only the final lodge genuinely reflected the luxury standards we expected for the price paid.

The lunches were particularly disappointing. Food quality was poor, portions were extremely limited, and the meals were inconsistent with the standards of a luxury safari.

The company’s director later explained that meals were prepared by individual lodges rather than directly by Meijo Safaris. However, we contracted and paid Meijo Safaris for the complete experience. Selecting suppliers and ensuring that their services meet the promised standards is the responsibility of the tour operator.

An unacceptable disagreement over contracted services

Wine was expressly included in our written booking agreement. Nevertheless, during the trip, the company attempted to remove it, citing increased fuel costs.

We were placed in the absurd position of having to argue for something we had already purchased, while the company presented its eventual provision as an exceptional courtesy.

The director subsequently acknowledged that removing wine had been a deliberate business decision to compensate for increased operating expenses.

This episode seriously undermined our confidence in the company and raised questions about whether other aspects of the contracted experience were being compromised for financial reasons.

The most serious incident: Ol Doinyo Lengai

One of the main reasons we chose this itinerary was to climb Ol Doinyo Lengai, Tanzania’s extraordinary active volcano.

We traveled to the remote Lake Natron region and spent two nights there primarily to undertake this climb.

Unfortunately, the experience became a serious safety concern.

Our local Maasai mountain guide, Lekaya, repeatedly fell asleep — three times during the ascent and twice during the descent.

We became increasingly concerned about his physical condition and our safety. Ultimately, we decided to abandon the ascent because we no longer felt confident continuing under his guidance.

This was not simply a failed attempt to reach the summit because of weather conditions or our own physical limitations. Our decision was directly influenced by the condition and behavior of the professional responsible for guiding us.

Photographic evidence was provided to the company.

The investigation and the company’s response

We personally raised our concerns with Meijo Safaris’ director, Daudi, at the end of the safari.

Following several exchanges, the company acknowledged that Lekaya had been feeling unwell during the climb but had not informed us.

It also acknowledged that the originally expected mountain guide, Adebayo, had not accompanied us and that the company had not been informed in advance of the substitution.

According to Daudi, the explanation obtained from the local guides was unsatisfactory, and the company subsequently suspended its cooperation with Adebayo.

These admissions raise legitimate questions about guide selection, supervision, safety procedures, and communication.

However, the explanations provided did not adequately address the fact that the guide repeatedly fell asleep during the ascent, before we made the decision to turn back.

It is also important to distinguish the mountain guides from Ruben, our regular safari driver-guide. We personally praised Ruben to the company’s director for his work during the safari. Our principal safety complaint concerns the mountain operation and the company’s responsibility for organizing it.

Apologies without a satisfactory resolution

To his credit, Daudi eventually apologized, acknowledged shortcomings in the experience, and expressed a willingness to discuss compensation.

However, the proposed financial resolution was disappointing.

The company initially offered USD 500, approximately 6% of what we paid. Later, it referred to refunding the USD 200 mountain fee, without presenting a sufficiently clear or comprehensive resolution of the broader complaint.

Refunding only the direct fee for an unsuccessful climb does not adequately recognize that an entire section of our itinerary — including travel to Lake Natron and two nights of accommodation — was planned primarily around that activity.

Nor does it address the deficiencies in food quality, contractual commitments, and operational oversight.

Despite extensive correspondence, apologies, and explanations, we have not reached a satisfactory resolution.

Final assessment

Tanzania is an extraordinary country. Its magnificent landscapes, wildlife, and natural beauty made this journey memorable.

We also encountered dedicated individuals, particularly our safari guide Ruben, whose efforts deserve recognition.

Unfortunately, those positive experiences do not excuse the shortcomings of the company responsible for organizing the trip.

A luxury safari should deliver more than expensive accommodations and access to extraordinary wildlife. It should provide reliable service, transparent commercial practices, appropriate safety standards, and effective accountability when something goes wrong.

What disappointed us most was not merely that mistakes occurred, but that a serious incident involving our safety and the loss of a central part of our itinerary remained inadequately resolved after extensive discussions.

Meijo Safaris sold us a luxury experience but failed to consistently deliver the quality, professionalism, and operational reliability that such a description implies.

I hope this review helps future travelers ask the right questions, particularly regarding accommodation standards, included services, mountain-guide arrangements, and what happens when a significant part of the contracted itinerary cannot be completed.

Tanzania deserves to be experienced at its best. Unfortunately, Meijo Safaris did not deliver the standard we were promised.