We are premier safari provider and Beach Holidays
Jambo Masai Tours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2022)
- Member Of:
- TATO, TALA, TRA & BRELA
- Tour Types:
- Budget & mid-range tours with set start dates and a fixed itinerary
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $150 to $1,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
SG
Email Mon | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Service Failures and Itinerary Deviations by Kenya Partner Agency (Shades of Africa)
I booked a tour with Jambo Masai Tours, who outsourced the Kenya portion of my trip to Shades of Africa. My complaint is regarding the services delivered by their outsourced partner.
While we have no issue with Jambo Masai Tours directly, we experienced multiple itinerary deviations and service issues from their outsourced Kenya counterpart, specifically driver-guide, David, from Shades of Africa.
Below are the factual details and itinerary deviations encountered during the four days of our trip in Kenya:
Day 1 (Late Arrival & Tipping Request): The driver arrived at 7:00 AM for a scheduled 5:40 AM pick-up at the airport. Upon departure, he requested a tip rate of USD 20 per person per day. This contradicts the rate of USD 10 specified in Jambo Masai's official brochure guidelines.
Day 2 (Missed Itinerary Item & Unscheduled Stop): Delayed arrival times resulted in the complete omission of our scheduled evening game drive in the Maasai Mara. The driver altered the route to include a Maasai village tour not listed in our official itinerary, requiring an unscheduled USD 60 out-of-pocket admission fee.
Day 3 (Altered Game Drive Duration): The driver concluded the game drive at 3:30 PM at the accommodation without prior consultation. While he had communicated the 7:30 AM start time the previous day, the conclusion time was not discussed, and we were notified that the tour had ended upon arrival at the lodging at 3:30 PM.
Day 4 (Tanzania Border Tipping Dispute): At the Tanzania border drop-off at 11:00 AM, the driver contested our tip of USD 100 for the 4-day period (equivalent to USD 12.50 per person per day). He explicitly demanded USD 20 per person per day inside the vehicle until we reiterated Jambo Masai's USD 10 guideline, at which point the provided amount was accepted.