Reviews

Average User Rating
4.6/5

Rating Breakdown
  • 5 star 25
  • 4 star 4
  • 3 star 0
  • 2 star 1
  • 1 star 1

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 1-10 of 31 Reviews
Scott   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: September 2023 Reviewed: Sep 24, 2023

Email Scott  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

The review below is the personal opinion of Scott and not that of SafariBookings.
Sold an incorrect itinerary
1/5

My recent experience with Gemfinders, specifically with Brian, left me pretty disappointed and frustrated. I had been eagerly looking forward to my safari trip to the Serengeti, which I had carefully planned with Gemfinders. They had advertised a budget lodge accommodation in the itinerary, but as soon as I started the journey, it was clear that something was off. Instead of budget lodges, I found myself camping, which was definitely not what I had signed up for. It not only messed up my expectations but also made the logistics a bit of a headache.

What really irked me was that I had double-checked with Brian before the trip about the accommodation, and he had confidently reassured me that it would indeed be budget lodges. To have that promise fall flat was disappointing and left me feeling like I had been misled.

To add to the confusion, I later found out that Gemfinders had outsourced the safari to another company in Tanzania. This explained the disconnect between the original itinerary and what actually happened during the trip. It also raised some questions about how much Gemfinders was actually involved in planning and executing the trip.

Another bone of contention was Gemfinders' payment policy. Unlike many other safari operators who allow you to pay a deposit and settle the rest on-site when the safari begins, Gemfinders required full payment upfront. This put extra pressure on travelers, especially when the services didn't match what was promised.

What frustrated me the most, though, was Gemfinders' response when I raised these issues. Even though it was crystal clear that they had misrepresented the itinerary I paid for, Brian refused to offer sufficient compensation. He simply said I had already completed the safari, as if that somehow justified the misleading information.

I tried going back and forth with Brian, hoping for some sort of resolution, but it felt like hitting a brick wall. And when I asked for more information about Gemfinders' business (i.e. the business license number), Brian was quite uncooperative and didn't provide the details I requested.

Overall, my experience with Gemfinders and Brian left me unsatisfied and disappointed. Their misrepresentation, inflexible payment policy, and lack of accountability for their mistakes make me hesitant to recommend them to other travelers. The lack of transparency and professionalism in dealing with these issues, along with the outsourcing to another company without proper oversight, raises concerns about Gemfinders' commitment to customer satisfaction and ethical business practices. If you're thinking of booking a trip with them, be cautious and consider these shortcomings carefully.

Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Posted on Sep 26, 2023

Hello Scott,
We acknowledge your review and sincerely apologize for not meeting your expectations. We have discussed the events surrounding your safari with Brian and clearly this was a case of misunderstanding of the itinerary. Your initial request was for a private safari which turned out to be way beyond your budget. You were offered a cheaper version of it, with accommodation in budget lodges, which was also outside your budget. Finally, you requested that we find a group for you to join. We found one operated by our partners in Tanzania, Kilibeyond, which you accepted. We did not say we operate this shared safari and we clearly stated that accommodation was to be in tented camps, and yes, that is camping.
We are committed to ensuring our clients enjoy their safaris and we draw very important lessons from your disappointing experience which we deeply regret. Most importantly, in light of this, we have issued new strict guidelines to Brian and our other staff, especially regarding how they present various tour options to travelers, to ensure they set realistic expectations around the tours.
Once again we are very sorry for the bad experience and we will take all steps necessary to ensure no other traveler goes through such disappointment.

Bonface   –  
Kenya KE
Visited: July 2023 Reviewed: Jul 2, 2023

Email Bonface  |  20-35 years of age

Great experience
5/5

Great Service, everyone should just start booking with gamefinders from now on, I mean.............wow!

Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Posted on Jul 3, 2023

Thank you Mr Bonface for your genuine & honest review. We really appreciate your comment on our services, this means alot to us. We are looking forward to serving you in future.
Kind regards
Brian
Travel & Tourism Consultant

Ullrich Kinne   –  
Moldova MD
Visited: April 2023 Reviewed: Jul 2, 2023

Email Ullrich Kinne  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Very individualized and caring Service
4/5

They are new in the business and ready to go the extra mile. Beyond the three attractions we booked (Giraffe and elephant nursery and Kazumi Beads Factory) they also took us to the Karen Blix Museum nearby at no extra cost. Their van seems to be pretty new and well-equipped. Pick-up and drop off at our friends place on the other side of town went smoothly despite heavy rush-hour traffic.

Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Posted on Jul 4, 2023

Hello Ulrich,
That's was definitely heavy traffic, that's the fun of every safari, actually that's was due to the heavy rains experienced.
However we thank you for booking with us on a short notice, we are glad you acknowledged us taking you on the safari, we hope you guys learnt alot on your safari,from start to end, including the coffee farm, the machinery and the artefacts left behind by Karen & her husband, that is always preserved to honor them.
We are looking forward to seeing you in future. Much love

Kind regards,
Gemdfinders Safaris Team

David   –  
Kenya KE
Visited: April 2024 Reviewed: Apr 16, 2024

Email David  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Authentic and reliable.
5/5

Gemfinders Safaris provided an unforgettable travel experience! From start to finish, their team was incredibly professional and accommodating. The itinerary was well-planned, offering what we wanted. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and ensured everyone felt safe throughout the safari. The meals exceeded our expectations. They go above and beyond to create memorable journeys for their clients. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a fantastic travel experience!"

Luis Montoya   –  
Colombia CO
Visited: September 2023 Reviewed: Oct 16, 2023

Email Luis Montoya  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Amazing experience
5/5

We had an amazing experience, we were able to see the wildebeest migration, we saw lyons, elephants, and ton of more animals, also, Musa was an amazing guide 10/10.

Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Posted on Oct 18, 2023

Hello Luis and thank you for your review on your recent safari with us.
We really appreciate your comment on our services and the fact that you enjoyed your safari to Masai Mara, this means a lot to us. We are looking forward to serving you in future.

Warm Regards.

Ying   –  
China CN
Visited: August 2023 Reviewed: Sep 4, 2023

Email Ying  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

positive communication, reasonable itinerary planning, good experience
5/5

We made a customized safari trip, and the safari itinerary was very reasonable. We experienced the places we wanted to visit and the hotels we wanted to stay in. We only didn't see the leopard in the big five, leaving a little regret. Although there were some problems during the trip, the staff had active communication to help solve them, which would not affect the experience of the whole trip. This safari was a great experience. It was unforgettable.

Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Posted on Sep 23, 2023

Hello Ying and thanks for your honest review,. We really appreciate your comment on our services and the fact that you enjoyed your 9 Day safari in Kenya, we are sincerely sorry you didn't have a chance to see the leopard, they are now one of the endangered species. We are looking forward to serving you in future.
Kind regards

Katia   –  
Costa Rica CR
Visited: July 2023 Reviewed: Jul 25, 2023

Email Katia  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

The service client is great!
5/5

The safari was awesome! My Spanish speaking guide (Arturo) was very kind, respectful and patient. The guide explains very well about the animals, about the park, Nairobi, tribu Masai and traditions.
It was a very nice safari!

Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Posted on Aug 11, 2023

Thank you Katia for your review. We really appreciate your comment on our services and the fact that you enjoyed your safari to Amboseli National reserve, this means a lot to us. We are looking forward to serving you in future.
Kind regards

Joey   –  
Netherlands NL
Visited: September 2024 Reviewed: Sep 14, 2024

Email Joey  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Great tour with a great guide!
5/5

The tour itself was beautiful and easy to manage and well set up. Also our driver and guide was excellent! Communication was good en clear with Gemfinders.

Tomas   –  
Slovakia SK
Visited: September 2024 Reviewed: Sep 10, 2024

Email Tomas  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Samburu and Aberdare safaris
5/5

We had a really good guide, which made our safaris unforgettable. I think he is the best. He had a really lot of experience. For example, nobody had seen leopard in Samburu for 4 days, but he found it. There was a really good communication with this company, they prepared for us the best itinerary according to our needs. Please prepare for paying deposit which is 100% few days before safari start. They can also be flexible if there is something missing to you or you are not enjoying any of your itinerary. We should go for 2 days to Aberdares, but once we found out there is a quite dense forrest and animals are rare to see during the day on game drives, they offered us swap for hiking on Mount Kenya National Park where we see some interesting animals.

Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Posted on Sep 10, 2024

Hello Tomas,
Thank you for your honest and positive review on the safari we arranged for you. You were cooperative as well that is why it was so easy to make changes to your itinearary smoothly. We also appreciate your honesty

Thank you and we are look forward to serving you again in future.

Paula   –  
Germany DE
Visited: August 2024 Reviewed: Sep 5, 2024

Email Paula  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

sastified, Habil is polite and puntual
4/5

it was the best Experience, i recommend, The driver/ Tour guide he was very nice!

Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Reply from Gemfinders Tours and Travel
Posted on Sep 5, 2024

Hello Paula.
Thank you for your honest and positive review on the safari you did with us
We are glad you enjoyed your safari and the recommending our driver guide Habil.
Looking forward to doing a safari with you in future

Average User Rating
4.6/5
Rating Breakdown
  • 5 star 25
  • 4 star 4
  • 3 star 0
  • 2 star 1
  • 1 star 1
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