Bobby Camping Safaris

Disappointment

We booked a six-day safari for a family of seven with Bobby Camping based on excellent reviews and what appeared to be strong personal communication. I rarely write negative reviews, but I feel compelled to share our experience so that future travelers can make a more informed decision.
The vehicle provided was in very poor condition — approximately 25 years old (the last of its model series was manufactured in 2007). It was one of the oldest safari vehicles we encountered during our entire trip. The suspension was terrible, making every bump on the rough roads extremely uncomfortable. The rear row was so cramped that adults could not even sit properly with both legs down. There was no air conditioning, which was a major issue in the dusty Serengeti environment. With windows closed to keep out the dust, we were constantly soaked in sweat. Rust from the roof continuously fell onto our heads throughout the journey.
At one point, part of the vehicle’s bodywork broke off and fell onto the road. The driver had to stop and reattach it on the roof. When we contacted Bobby immediately upon seeing the vehicle, he assured us that all his vehicles were in similar condition. We later had the chance to compare it with another safari vehicle on the same route (used for our balloon safari) and the difference in quality and comfort was striking.
While the driver was adequate, he was nothing more than that. However, the most disappointing part of the entire experience occurred on our return to Zanzibar. After the driver dropped us at Arusha Airport and left, we discovered that our Flightlink flight had been transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport and had already departed an hour earlier. All other flights to Zanzibar that day were full. The airline staff showed us an email they had sent to Bobby the previous day informing him of the schedule change — yet no one had notified us.
After an hour of stressful negotiations, we were eventually transferred to the correct airport and flew out in the evening. As a result, the hotel transfer we had paid for was missed entirely. Instead of arriving at our hotel around 3:00 PM, we reached it at 11:00 PM. We had also planned a special anniversary celebration at the hotel that evening, which was completely ruined along with our overall mood.
This experience was far below the standards we expected for a premium safari booking. We received no apology from Bobby or his team for any of the issues. While I dislike leaving negative feedback, this trip fell so short of expectations that I believe it is important to warn others.