Peter Sales Manager
Pavillion Safaris and Tours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2019)
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $170 to $300 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
IT
Email Andrea | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unsafe Transfers, Safari late morning, Transfers longer than normal.
The first problem is at the beginning, they don't pick-up me and they send a uber driver, that bring me in a unsafe neighbourhood, then it was just wrong and I arrive late at the office. Transfers are longer than normal, because the minibus is very old and because they did detours to pick up tourists from other agencies. So Transfers of 4-5 hours became of 6-7 hours. Safari starts too late, two times at 9 o'clock. During the safaris all drivers go to much nearby the animals and they stressed them. The last safari, the saturday morning, it was not a true safari, we run fast to the border of Tanzania and we don't stop the just time to see a scene with hyenas and lions, because the Driver was stressed to join the border. We cross the park amboseli in one hour and 25 minutes.
At the end the driver bring me at the wrong adress, I suggest that the hotel was another, but it says to entry there (a garage), because was the second entrance. Finally I walked 25 minutes too join my hotel.
Reply from Pavillion Safaris and Tours
Posted on Sep 23, 2025Thank you for sharing your feedback. We value every comment and would like to clarify certain points to ensure there is no misunderstanding about the services provided.
1. Pick-Up and Transfers
Our contracted drivers handle all guest pick-ups and are also licensed Uber drivers. While they may use Uber during the day, during safari assignments they operate under our contract. This is why no payment was requested from you upon drop-off at our office—confirming that the transfer was part of our arrangement, not a standard Uber ride. Though if your hotel is far from the city we can book one and we monitor it's movements from the uber app,so your safety is guaranteed
2. Office Location & Safety
Our operations office is located in a secure area surrounded by government buildings with high security measures. Many of our guests comfortably wait or walk from here when needed, and we consistently find the environment safe.
3. Travel Duration & Traffic
Safari transfers typically take 4–5 hours; however, road traffic, unforeseen delays, bad weather,mechanical issues, accidents or a member of the group getting late to wake up, can extend travel time. Such factors are beyond control but are considered part of the authentic overland safari experience and we brief our clients accordingly before the safari starts on day 1
4. Vehicle Type & Upgrade Option
The 7-day safari you booked was quoted with a safari van, which is reliable and economical. On the morning of departure, we offered an optional upgrade to a Jeep Landcruiser for enhanced comfort and terrain handling, but you chose to proceed with the van, which we respected.
5. Game Drive Timing
• Amboseli: Game drives start around 9 a.m. for geographical and logistical reasons, and this schedule was included in the pre-safari briefing on last day, the morning game drive goes for a maximum of 2 hours or less as it's a drive from your camp ,enroute the park, as we go ahead dropping others clients either in Tanzanian boarder or at the airport or preferred hotel in the city, which we must do for all our clients
• Hell’s Gate: Activities there are centered on hiking and cycling rather than wildlife viewing, which is why the start time was also 9 a.m. and we cover the whole place within time and we ensure no client misses anything
While no operation is without its challenges, we worked to deliver the 7-day budget safari as outlined in your booking. We will continue to refine our pre-trip briefings to make them even clearer for future guests.
We truly appreciate that you chose to travel with us and hope to welcome you again for an even more seamless and memorable experience.
Warm regards,
Pavillion Safaris & Tours
IT
Email Serena | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful safari, but terribile organization
We booked a combined safari and Diani Beach tour, which unfortunately turned out to be quite a disaster from an organizational point of view.
The safari itself was absolutely amazing. We had the chance to see an incredible number of animals, and our guide, John, was outstanding. He always made sure we got as close as possible to the wildlife and made every day enjoyable. The drives between the parks are long and can be tiring, so if you're not prepared for that, my advice would be to visit only the Masai Mara, it is absolutely worth it on its own. Diani Beach is also beautiful.
The major issue was the organization. We had agreed that the tour operator would take care of everything, including our transfer from Nairobi to Diani, which was included in the quotation. However, on the day of our departure, we discovered that the domestic flights had never been booked. After several discussions, we managed to get the company to cover the cost of the flights, but despite this, and despite our repeated reminders they still didn't book them until the day before we were due to travel.
As a result, only a few flight options were left, and the flights chosen by the agency caused us to miss a morning game drive that we had paid for, as it was included in our package. We also ended up spending almost two full days of our trip waiting around in airports.
Overall, the experience itself was wonderful, but I strongly advise against booking with this tour operator.
Reply from Pavillion Safaris and Tours
Posted on Jul 15, 2026Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and for highlighting both the positive aspects of your trip and the areas where we fell short.
We are delighted to know that you had an incredible safari, enjoyed the wildlife, and that John made such a positive impact on your experience. We will be sure to pass along your kind words to him, as we take great pride in creating memorable safaris for our guests. We are also pleased that you enjoyed your time in beautiful Diani Beach.
That said, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay in arranging your domestic flights. This was an unfortunate oversight on our part, and we took full responsibility for it. As soon as we realized the mistake, we immediately committed to covering the full cost of the flights and transfers at no additional charge to you, as we believed it was the right thing to do.
Unfortunately, because the booking was made later than originally planned, many flights had already sold out. We discussed the remaining available flight options with you, and together we agreed to proceed with the best available schedule. While this was not the ideal outcome, it allowed the journey to continue without any additional financial burden to you.
We completely understand your disappointment that the available flight schedule resulted in missing a morning game drive as we had to transfer you from Amboseli to the airport to catch your flight to Diani. We recognize that every moment on safari is valuable, and we regret that this affected your overall experience.
Your feedback is both fair and valuable. It has prompted us to strengthen our internal booking procedures to ensure that all domestic flights and related travel arrangements are confirmed well in advance, helping us avoid similar situations in the future.
We genuinely appreciate that, despite these challenges, you still recognized the quality of the safari itself and the dedication of our guide. We are grateful for your feedback, as it helps us improve, and we hope that one day you will give us another opportunity to provide you with the seamless experience we always strive to deliver.
Budget
This is advertised as a budget tour, and I completely understood that meant basic accommodations, shared transportation, long driving days, and fewer luxuries. Unfortunately, my issue was not that this was a budget safari it was the poor organization, inconsistent communication, and the difference between what we were told and what actually happened.
The itinerary states that transportation is by 4x4 safari vehicle, but this was not consistently what we received. On Day 5, we were given multiple different explanations about what vehicle we would be using and when we would transfer to another jeep. We were initially told we would switch to a new jeep at our lunch stop. Instead, we were abruptly put into two small cars.
Day 5 is essentially a full transfer day, so I completely understand that a significant amount of driving is involved. We were told the day prior that our jeep would be picking us up from the hotel. That then changed to a van picking us up and taking us to the next city to meet our jeep. Ultimately, seven of us were crammed into a small van for approximately two hours, which was extremely uncomfortable. We then ended up sitting at a gas station waiting for a jeep to arrive without a clear ETA. When I contacted the company, I was told that they had a jeep waiting for us, which did not reflect what was actually happening.
A long transfer day is completely understandable on a budget safari. Being given conflicting information, spending two hours in an extremely uncomfortable vehicle, and then sitting at a gas station indefinitely waiting for another vehicle is not. That is not simply a normal compromise of joining a budget group tour.
The company also explained that regular cars are used for Hell’s Gate because it is not primarily an animal-viewing destination. That makes sense operationally, but this was not explained in the itinerary, which led us to expect the transportation described there. If different vehicles are routinely used on certain days, that should simply be disclosed before booking.
There was also an uncomfortable issue regarding seating in the safari vehicle. Because this is a group joining safari with guests booking through different companies, I expected seating—particularly the preferred front seats—to be handled fairly among the group. Instead, two guests apparently made a private request through their booking company to sit in the front. This was never communicated to the rest of the group. When we selected seats ourselves, the guide instructed those guests to move our belongings so they could take the front seats, rather than explaining the situation to us directly beforehand.
This created a completely unnecessary conflict between guests that could have been avoided with basic communication and clearer management from the guide. On a shared joining safari, one company’s guests should not unexpectedly receive priority seating simply because they made a private request that the rest of the vehicle was never informed about. If specific seats are guaranteed or reserved, that should be disclosed to everyone. Otherwise, the guide should ensure that desirable seats are rotated fairly throughout the safari so that all paying guests have an opportunity to use them. Guests should not be left to negotiate or argue over seating arrangements themselves.
The disorganization went beyond transportation and seating. On one occasion, we did not receive a start time until well after 9 a.m. We also had a late start for the approximately six-hour drive to Amboseli because a guide was apparently not available. Optional activities also ended up costing more once we arrived than the prices we had been given beforehand. When I asked about this, Peter explained that the local communities set the prices. Travelers should therefore be aware that an activity advertised at one price may cost substantially more upon arrival—for example, a bike ride listed at $15 ended up costing $30, and the bicycle itself was in very poor condition.
Overall, the wildlife and destinations themselves were incredible, but Pavilion Safaris was consistently disorganized and communication was poor. Plans changed repeatedly, we were told different things by different people, and at times it felt as though arrangements were being figured out as we went rather than there being a clear plan. When I address this issue to Peter, he made multiple attempts to flip it back onto me. Our first safari vehicle was in poor condition and missing seat belts which he in return blamed on me for not telling him.
I understand that this is a budget safari, and I did not expect luxury. My complaints are not about the normal compromises that come with budget travel. They are about organization, transparency, communication, and fair management of a shared group experience. A budget tour can still provide guests with accurate information, clear expectations, and an organized experience.
Reply from Pavillion Safaris and Tours
Posted on Sep 22, 2026Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We are genuinely sorry that parts of your safari did not meet the level of organization and communication you expected. We appreciate your recognition of the incredible wildlife and destinations, while also taking your concerns seriously.
We would, however, like to provide some clarification on a few of the points raised, as there were operational reasons behind some of the arrangements that may not have been sufficiently explained to you at the time or misunderstood.
Regarding the vehicle on Day 5, the change was made primarily for logistical reasons. Hell’s Gate is different from the other national parks on the itinerary in that it is not primarily a traditional game-drive destination. The activities there are generally cycling, walking, and other optional community based experiences, which do not require the safari Land Cruiser. For this reason, regular transfer vehicles are sometimes used for this section of the itinerary rather than keeping the safari vehicle exclusively for activities where it is required.
On this particular occasion, the transfer vehicle was used for approximately two hours to connect your group with the rest of the safari group and the safari vehicle. We acknowledge, however, that the waiting period and the communication surrounding the transfer could have been handled much better. Even when logistical changes are necessary, guests should receive clear and timely information about what is happening and what to expect. We sincerely regret the frustration this caused.
Regarding seating, we operate joining safaris where guests may have booked through different agencies or directly with different partners. Occasionally, individual guests communicate specific requests to their booking company before or during the safari, maybe because of age, health reasons or an underlining issue. We agree that such arrangements should be managed by the guide professionally and communicated clearly to all guests, rather than allowing the situation to create unnecessary tension between passengers. We will take this feedback seriously with our operations and guiding team.
With regard to the optional activities, particularly the bicycle experience at Hell’s Gate, these are primarily community-based initiatives operated by local providers rather than activities directly owned or controlled by Pavillion Safaris. The rates can occasionally be changed by the local providers, sometimes without prior notification to us. This is what can result in a difference between the indicative rate communicated in advance and the amount requested locally. We understand, however, that from a guest’s perspective, this can understandably be confusing and frustrating. Going forward, we will make every effort to reconfirm such rates with the local providers before the activity and communicate any changes to guests as early as possible.
We are also sorry that you felt that your concerns were being redirected back to you. That was not our intention. Regarding the seat belts and vehicle condition, our position was simply that issues noticed during the safari should be reported to us as soon as possible so that we have the opportunity to address them immediately. We certainly do not want a guest to feel that raising a safety concern is being treated as their responsibility.
A joining budget safari inevitably involves shared vehicles, changing logistics, long transfer days, and coordination between different groups and operators. Nevertheless, being a budget safari should never mean that guests receive unclear communication or feel that arrangements are being made without proper coordination. That is an important distinction, and your feedback has highlighted areas where we can improve.
We sincerely appreciate you bringing these matters to our attention. While some of the changes you experienced were driven by genuine operational and logistical requirements, we acknowledge that we could have communicated those changes more clearly and managed certain situations better. We will use your feedback constructively to improve the coordination between our office, guides, drivers, local activity providers, and partner operators.
Thank you again for travelling with Pavillion Safaris, and we are pleased that despite these challenges, you were able to enjoy the wildlife and destinations that Kenya has to offer.