Company President Yosuke Yamada with Team Members
OnlyOne Africa
- Located In:
-
Japan
Panama
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2018)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $299 to $1,400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email T. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
**Watch Out for Bait-and-Switch Practices**
**Watch Out for Bait-and-Switch Practices**
After reading many glowing reviews and watching YouTube videos about OnlyOne Travel, I decided to book a custom 14-day Kenya/Tanzania tour for my family of three, scheduled for **October 2025**. I worked directly with **Rodney** to plan our itinerary starting in July.
From the beginning, I made a specific request to have **Njoroge** — known as “the human encyclopedia” — as our driver/guide on the Kenya side, and Rodney confirmed this could be arranged. However, after I had paid the deposit and final balance in full, I was informed — just one week before our departure — that Njoroge would no longer be available and that a different driver would be assigned. At that point, with everything already paid and finalized, I had no practical choice but to proceed.
On **Day 1**, after arriving in Nairobi, we were picked up by **Jackson**, dressed in full OnlyOne Travel uniform. He was laid-back, knowledgeable, and clearly experienced. We spent the first two days with him in **Nakuru** and **Amboseli**, and he always seemed to know exactly where to find the rhinos and elephants — often arriving before other vehicles. Every morning, our Land Cruiser was spotless inside and out.
Then, as we continued to **Ngorongoro Crater** and **Serengeti National Park** for the next four days, our driver was swapped out due to what we were told was a personal emergency.
When we returned from Tanzania to Kenya at the **Isebania border**, we were met by a guide named **George**, who I later learned is the owner of a small Nairobi-based tour agency. He arrived in an older OnlyOne Toyota Land Cruiser that lacked a working radio system. Since we were coming from the Serengeti, I told George that my only goal for the next three days was to meet the *Lion King* in the Maasai Mara.
For those unfamiliar with safaris, the radio is *essential* for a successful game drive. It allows guides to:
* Share real-time wildlife sightings (e.g., lions, elephants, or leopards)
* Coordinate with other vehicles for optimal viewing opportunities
* Maximize efficiency by tracking animal activity throughout the reserve
Without this communication network, guides operate completely in the dark.
Driving blindly through the **583-square-mile Maasai Mara National Reserve** in search of lions is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Unfortunately, we wasted an entire day in the park, sitting under the hot sun without encountering a single lion — something that could have been easily avoided with proper coordination and working equipment.
Ironically, during our stay at **Lion Cradle Camp** (now owned by OnlyOne Travel), I met **Njoroge** in person — he’s now the camp’s manager. This confirmed my suspicion that OnlyOne Travel had simply reassigned him elsewhere despite earlier promises. During our two-night stay at the camp, we were the *only guests on-site.* We brought up the issue directly to Njoroge, but nothing was done.
I paid for a **premium, customized safari experience**, but instead received **subpar outsourced service** that fell far short of expectations.
**OnlyOne Travel, you failed to deliver on your commitments.** Future travelers should be cautious and confirm all details — especially guide assignments — *in writing* before making full payment.