US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disorganized and felt unsafe
I would warn against booking with this company. I felt unsafe on this trip, particularly once the safari moved from the portion in Kenya to the portion in Tanzania- to the extent that I ended my trip four days early I was frequently handed off between different guides and drivers without a secure way of confirming who was affiliated with the company and who wasn't, and was sometimes left without a guide or driver at all. At the Namanga border crossing I was left by my driver/guide and a local was paid to see me through the process and onto the shuttle to Arusha, Tanzania. I didn't have service in the area, and if anything had gone wrong had no way to contact anyone. I did not know who I would be meeting in Tanzania or have a way to reach them or know when they would be picking me up. Once I was in Tanzania, my itinerary was changed so that I could be shuffled to join other drivers and tour groups. While I was still slated to visit the same places in the end, changing the order meant that my family and friends at home would not know where I was on a given day, which made me uncomfortable as a young, solo female traveler. Because I was being passed between groups, I also didn't know who my driver would be, where I would be going on a given day, or who might contact me with this information and when. When I contacted the company with concerns they didn't see these issues as valid.
Part of the reason I booked this specific tour was because it is advertised as vegan-friendly. Despite letting the company know in advance that I was vegan I was frequently unable to eat anything besides fruit and juice, and had to re-explain what my diet was over and over again. Two days into the trip I contacted the company about this and never received a response. I think it's dishonest to advertise this tour as vegan-friendly.
The guides and drivers were all friendly and honestly trying to help solve my problems, admitting that the way things were being handled was far from ideal, and I saw many beautiful animals, but I don't feel like this was enough to overcome the company's mismanagement.
Other travelers I was with were in similar situations, with their itineraries being changed last minute and sometimes prices being increased beyond expected while they were already on the tour, or having their lodgings changed to cheaper options after they had already paid.
*I found this tour through TourRadar, and though they asked for my review the review I submitted never appeared on the site.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Scam
Felt like a scam.
We booked a 2 day safari for the amboseli park and were staying at the kibo lodge.
First of all the driver was about 45 min. late and totally exhausted, he even told us that he only slept one hour and nearly fell asleep at the wheel. When we wanted to enter the park, for some reason we had to wait another hour while the driver was on the phone while all other cars were getting through the check point within 5 minutes.
The second day, the driver let us wait again, having breakfast while we wanted to go for a game drive.
When we called bella safaris with our complaint, the sales woman told us that the driver had another safari the day before and that's why he was so tired and then simply hung up.
The only thing that didn't make this trip a total catastrophe was also the only thing not under control of bella safaris: the wildlife of the amboseli park.
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible
I booked a two days safari, first day Tarangire, second Ngorongoro
First, one our late for the pick up than we had to wait until 10:15 for guests stuck in Arusha
We arrived at tarangire at 12h we only had a 2h safari on the first day.
Thought they would make up for it on the second day but no the worst was about to come.
Change of plans at last moment, lies, terrible guide, the boss not reachable and unreliable as well.
I thought it would be the best 2 days of my whole trip because it is quite expensive, ut it ended up to be the worst.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
the tour operator is a liar!
I went with some friends to the Amboseli NP, which was great. But the thing we didn´t like, was the organization with Robert. We booked the tour already well in advance, specifically with the hotel in the park. The communication with Robert was already a little bit difficult from the beginning on - he did not answer fast and in detail, but I had to ask a lot in order to get information. On the way to the park, he called and said there was a conference in the hotel we booked, so no space available anymore and we had to go to another hotel outside the park. He did not offer any compensation or apologize. We told him, that this is not ok, since we had a different deal and that we are really disappointed about not being in the park. After a long discussion, he agreed to give us a disount of 20$ each. Of course we did not get our money. First he told us, that we would get it after we return in our hotel back in Nairobi. There he told us he could not come and he would send it to us via Paypal or to a bank account. That never happended and when asking and asking again, the only reply he is giving, is that he has a problem with Paypal, that he would send the money next week and so on and so on......but he is only lying all the time, he never wanted to give some money back. It is kind of sad, because we really liked the experince we made in the Ambosli NP and now we have kind of a bad memory on the organization company.
SE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Refund not payed according to homepage! No Money returned
I booked a travel for 8 people before the pandemic, according to the homepage the refund could be payed back without any problems, so I payed full amount of the trip.
Even if I have been in contact with the travel agency (marhabaholidays) and discussed a payback plan since I belive in trusting people, no money have been returned despite it is over 2 years of waiting.
Do not book with this travel agency!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not trustworthy
We had planned a trip in December for our family. Unfortunately my husband got sick and passed away. We reached out to Patricia letting her know the situation and and then the pandemic hit. It has been a back and forth with them for the last 2 years trying to recoup my money. They have promised so many times that they would make small payments, but as of today I have not received anything. I have written requesting the money be used as a voucher for a future trip. I would like to take my kids and fulfill the trip their father wanted to take with them. It is a real shame that we have had a loss, a pandemic, and now we have lost our deposit. I guess it is easier to ignore the client and pretend nothing ever happened. If a company cannot be professional enough to take responsibility for its actions then it is not worth dealing with. A very sad customer.
BE
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible expierence
On the advice of an acquaintance, we booked a 12-day safari directly with this Tanzanian operator.
The trip was more expensive than through a Belgian agency, but this would be offset by a more personal service.
However, the safari vehicle (a Toyota Landcruiser) was worn out and had to be pushed every morning to start. The wheels turned out to be attached to the axles with only two instead of five bolts and a footboard had to be welded along the way. Repairs cost us almost two days of delay.
The choice of lodges was also substandard. In one case without water or electricity, in another case we had to make our suitcases in the light of our flashlight.
The program was also changed without notice so that we were forced to pack unexpectedly quickly to change lodges.
The food was generally okay but the driver/guide (Patrick) considered the safari his personal private trip. Armed with a Canon camera with 600mm telephoto lens, he idiosyncratically toured to create his photo book. Our questions and demands were ignored… well, the trip was pre-paid and we were totally dependent on him anyway.
His driving style was at times life-threatening. On a muddy track, he reached speeds of 100 km/h where the maximum speed was 50 km/h.
The negative highlight was the beautiful descent to the Ngorongoro crater. That happened in a closed vehicle with windows that were opaque due to mud.
Our Serengeti trip was ruined to a large extent by guide Patrick. The tour operator was not at all interested in our criticism at the end of the ride.
An advice ? Book through an official agency in your own country. With a Tanzanian company you have no defense whatsoever, despite all the good intentions of acquaintances.
TW
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Marek Adventures is lying to us.
Marek Adventures totally is a lier. We paid a third of the tour cost. Because COVID-19, we are following cancellation policy of contract, before 45 days that we formal notice of cancellation to Marek Adventures. (Our tour time was 2021/10/10~2021/10/22, we were 2021/05/19 to formal notice Marek Adventures)
Marek Adventures said we need waiting all hotels/ lodges refund deposit to Marek Adventures then Marek Adventures will refund our money to us.
We asked Marek Adventures about the refund progress, Marek Adventures always answered “on-going”. The latest got the refund progress status was on 2021/09/17. We tried to contact the boss, Carlo (before is contact the other person, Blanca Carlo). He always had different reasons not to reply to the progress of the refund. 2022/02/27 was the last message we sent to Carlo, Carlo hasn’t read it and reply till now.
We contacted each hotel/ lodge, tried to understand what’s the problem to stuck refund. We asked 9 hotels/ lodges, 5 hotels replied our mail, one is permanently closed. Those hotels/ lodges didn’t charge a deposit from Marek Adventures. From beginning to end, Marek Adventures is lying to us.
Marek Adventures is without integrity and irresponsibility!!!!!
US
This company is currently bankrupt and will take your money and give you nothing!
We booked with African Sunsets for a 2020 tour of Namibia. We prepaid for lodge reservations, a vehicle and a guide. After we were in Namibia we found we had to pay for almost everything ourselves, with the promise that our expenses would be reimbursed before our trip was over. Reimbursement was delayed “for a few days”, them promised “ before we left the country”. Five months later we have never seen a penny of it. The worst of it was that the company stiffed our guide, who was the best guide we’ve ever had in a lifetime of travel.
We have been in contact with African Sunsets off and on since we returned home, with no response. I realize that Covid hurt the South African tour business badly, but this tour company was not honest with us about their financial condition and let us travel halfway around the world before we found out we still had another $4000 of debt to cover. Don’t book with them. They are not an honest agency.
SI
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible - he is a cheat !! Do not use this company at any cost!!
In January 2020, we have arranged and paid for a 15 daytravel for 5 person in Tanzania with agency Ringo Adventure Safaris from Kenya- Diana beach. The travel included trekking for 3 person at Kilimanjaromountain (6 day - Marangu route) and a 4 day safari in the NP Manyara, and NPNgorongoro with accommodation in Serena Lodge Ngorongoro. We have is fully paid for all and that we have the account(paybill) of Ringo Adventure Safaris, signature of director Mr. Amos, which theright or original of the name is Hamisi Bekari.
We pay this man the extra moneyfor stay in Tanzania in the hope that he will be taken care of by ourworry-free travel for all 15 days from start to end… BUT… The case is such:Ringo Adventure Safaris, Amos told me that in Tanzania working with a localagency to Bestday Safaris. It has proven to be a lie, because the Bestdaysafaris does not have any contracts for our trips and travel (I was spoke withMr. Peter from Bestday Safari after our travel…). In fact it is he Amos-HamisiBekari – Ringo Adventure Safaris) with the Tresa Trekking and a Safari fromArusha, to which the director was supposed to be Thahit Kassim Juma. Later, itturned out that the agency is not registered as an agency acting illegally inorder to avoid the payment of the state fee and taxes.
In conclusion, the Amos-Hamisi Bekari, the director of thetourist agency of the Ringo Adventure Safaris from Kenya is a collaborationwith the Thahib Kassim Juma (nonexisting and engaging in unauthorized agency, TresaTrekking and Safari) to steal our 2.785$. :
According to the contract it is our journey that we hadpaid for the Trekking Kilimanjaro for 6 days for 3 people– with an extra day ofacclimatization at the Horombo hut) but to get there, we get only five (5) days,without the extra day of acclimatization. (Which may be the reason that one ofthe members was unable to conquer the summit Uhuru peak.).
Without our knowledge for only 5 days it's Thabit KassimJuma orders the mountain guide Jeff before treking (one day before we havemeeting in Altezza lodge in Moshi with Amos, Thabit, Jeff and our guys whowants and pay for treking – this day we are talking around 5 or 6 days and wetold Jeff (and Thabit and Amos9 that we paid for 6 days…). Immediately aftergetting out of the trek we order to Thabit that he must refound money-back,becouse they didn't have 6 days treking…. Since then we didn't seen Thabit anymore… , and this moment started a complication in the communication between thethis two of 'maneger' Amos and Thabit. They can't spek at phone or whatsupbecause they haven't connection – this is lie of course…
Later on, we were the injured of the two the most expensiveof the day that we have a pay for– NP Ngorongoro and stay in the Serena Lodge Ngorongorofor 5 person. That we didn't get and don't see it. Thabit said to me on phone,that Amos didn't pay for this to him... But Amos said to me on phone that he ispaying the Thabit all of money for everythin around our conntract , but he giveall the money in his (Thabit) hands witout any contracts or account or paybill…he just give the money in his hands. I can't belive this… this is so stupid andI'm not an idiot…
In my opinion is that they are to prepare all this togetherand both together they are thiefs and wants to stole our 2.785$. Amos – HamisiBekari from the agency's Ringo Aventure Safaris – he promise to me that he willrefund all this money of 2.785$ to me… however, of the 17.in January up totoday, 09.in march we have not received even a single dollar. It is all justtalk. The theft of the money, I signed up Tanzanianand the Kenyan police, andnotification to the competent department for the operation of travel agenciesin Kenya and Tanzania.
CAUTION FOR YOU: PLEASE IF YOU WANT TO GET WHAT YOU PAY AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ANUNFORGETTABLE HOLIDAY WITHOUT A LOT OF TROUBLES…. NEVER CONTACT ANY OF THOSE TWO AGENCIES :
RINGO ADVENTURE SAFARIS (FROM KENYA – DIANI BEACH) OR.AMOS- HAMISI BEKARI
AND
TRESA TREKKING AND SAFARIS (FROM TANZANIA – ARUSHA) ORTHABIT KASSIM JUMA (this man is a fraud and a liar, which is the one ofavoiding the payment of taxes and the receipt of the money in his hands and liethat he has an turist agency Tresa… this agency is not registered and worksunlawfully and all business is illegally…)
!!! Both of these men: Amos or Thabit will destroy yourholidays and steal your money!!!!
!!!! check on the internet: there in north part of Tanzania or Kenya has registred thousand oftourist agencies and check on the tripadvisor which is the best agency foryou!!!!
Since today (March 2022) he never answers to me from 2020 despite all his promises how will return our money!
