NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Warning: don’t book with Gatatu!
For our honeymoon we booked a Gorilla tour 5 months in advance. We also transferred 1.300 USD to Gatatu. Gatatu confirmed the booking by e-mail and we even drove to Bwindi NP to start the Gorilla trek. After the introduction the driver (no connection with Gatatu) told us something is wrong. No booking was made by Gatutu with the Uganda wildlife authority and also no permits left. Meaning we couldn’t do the Gorilla trek, the main reason we booked a flight to Uganda! On our return to the lodge we met with someone from Gatatu (interim manager) and he apologised and we asked for a full refund which we received. We understood from him and someone from our lodge that Richard, owner of Gatatu, is in jail for fraud! We are very disappointed with Gatatu. From everything during our trip this was the only thing that had to go right because the permits are very limited. Gatatu, NEVER AGAIN.
AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A worst travel experience ever !!!
We were a group of 14 people (5 families) from Dubai who planned to visit Kenya from August 12 to 17 ,2019 ,through' Lians travel Africa ' . This tour operator was selected because she showed the lowest quote and best itinerary. We started communicating with Ms.Lilian, operation manager concerning parks, places, accommodations,vehicle.....about 6 months before the safari started and made an agreed contract for touring in Kenyya for 5 nights and 6 days for 14 people. We were made to pay 25% the initial booking amount as advance. As soon as we landed Kenya we paid the rest of the amount leaving a small balance to be paid at the end of the trip.We could sense some trouble in the beginning itself. We got the message fromMs.Lilian,4 days before our date of travel,saying our hotel bookings are cancelled. But later on she confirmed that every thing is done as per the agreed contract. During the first 3 days of our trip, our valuable safari time was wasted due to the issues between the drivers and agency, on 3rd day they changed the vehicles and drivers. But it took a very bad shape when we reached Masaai mara on 4th day. We were made to pay accommodation charges. What was more shocking was on 5th day we were left stranded without food and accommodation. Finally we had to find out a camp on our own, had to pay the park fees.etc.... we would not recommend to use Lian Travel agency services as they focus more on trying to cheat and get the most money from clients than increasing customer satisfaction/experience.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
scammed by kenya walking
Hello my name is Javier from Spain, my safari was 13 days for Kenya hired in Kenya walking survivors. Mr. Otieno Lysaniash I don't know anything about him but he has canceled the safari, after reading the comments I can not say more that I have been scammed, my steps have been denounced in the police in Spain to be able to claim the credit card in my case mastercard I have contacted the Kenyan embassy in Spain. Any help from others affected will be helpful.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible Company !!! Cheaters !!! Left our group of 14 Tourists stranded in between the tour.
Complaint against Lians Travel Africa and the Operations Manager Lilian Maina.
We a group of 14 Indian Tourists including women and children from Dubai, United Arab Emirates had booked a tour package with Lilian's travel company and have been communicating with her from March, 2019 for this trip. We agreed for an all inclusive full board package for 5 Nights (12th Aug till 17th Aug 2019) excluding Flight tickets to visit Amboseli, Nakuru and Masai Mara. We paid a 25% advance before coming to Nairobi. As soon as we landed on 12th we could sense trouble as we were put up at a different hotel than agreed. Hence we only paid the rest of the amount leaving a small balance to be paid at the end of the trip.
However as the days passed, more trouble started and after the Amboseli and Nakuru hotel stay was over and when we reached Masai Mara, the company and Lilian could not be contacted anymore.
The Masai Mara hotel was just booked for one Night instead of two, this even after we agreeing on a contract with Lilian that was for the full travel stay of 5 Nights. After the first night stay at the hotel in Masai Mara is when we realised that we and our families and kids were left stranded without any money and accommodation. We had to arrange additional money with great difficulty and had to pay all our expenses for the last two days including the Masai Mara Hotel stay for two nights, Park entry and Masai Village fees ourselves.
The whole group feel cheated and we would like to officially log a complaint against Lilian Maina and her Travel company Lians Travel Africa.
Antony Kurian and Group (14 Tourists)
IL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Con Artist Otieno left a brother who will help
Many of you who have suffered the consequences of Otieno, the owner of Kenya Walking, has a real chance to get their money back!
Mr. Jeremy, his brother was aware of Otieno's plan to cheat his clients, and now he is willing to give back!!
You can chose if yoiu want to call him at +254706892837, or to his Mother at +254725140666
They will gladly pay back.
Or, you can report them to the police, as they knew Otieno's plan to run away with money
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The worst experience in my life.
1- The driver tried to cheat us with the help of Massai Mara rangers selling us that we get a ticket due to we left the park 40 minutes later.
2- We booked and pay a private tour and the driver finally made business picking up more people and modifying our travel.
3- The driver left us in Maasai Mara village and we had to come back at lodge by foot with Massai’s help.
4- After to inform the central office about point number 3 the driver scream my boyfriend asking why we informed to liger safari.
5- After we finish the safari and inform to the manager about all the problems she told us that the drivers had a new safari the next day. They do not take care about their clients.
Today John (the driver) still work in this company.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
"African Beast No Show"
We only had one day in Nairobi which is why we booked this tour in advance. We waited in our hotel lobby for over an hour but African Beast Tours never arrived for a 9:30am pick up time. Fortunately we were able to arrange a last minute tour with another company. If that wasn't bad enough, I have been trying to get my deposit back since I returned from Kenya over 3 weeks ago. I have been emailing Kipawa, the owner, who says he's still working on it. I wanted to give him a chance, hoping he would do the right thing. I have since given up on him and had to file a claim with PayPal instead.
You might want to avoid African Beast Tours.
There are many other dependable and reputable tour companies to choose from.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
FRAUD! WILSON KIBIRIR iS A CON ARTIST. I Fully prepaid for family vacation - services not delivered
Wilson Kibirir has since gone into hiding. Conman!
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
a very bad experience
We had paid for everything before we arrived in KENYA, but during the trip the driver asked us for money every day, at least $100 each time.They changed the bad hotel without inform us。 No one answered the hotline. We can't find staff when we came back to the office. Three travel group suffer from the same problem in the same day, so we had to go the police station, but the money hasn't been returned yet.
Please don't trust their record. This is a very bad company，they have cheated travelers for many times.
IN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fraud. Just two days prior to tour commencement they wrote email that Safari is cancelled
We had booked the KWSS Safari for 13 days on 5th of July 19. Paid them advance of 50 percent of tour cost. It was to be our dream tour. The air Tickets to nairobi were on 19 th aug 19 for two of us. On 17th aug we wrote to KWSS to confirm for airport pick up transport.
They wrote back saying Safari is cancelled due to technical reasons and we may expect return of money paid between 60-90 days. We lost nearly Rs 250000/ besides air tickets and ruining our holiday plans as at this late stage as no other Safari is willing to accommodate us.
There is no contact number for KWSS. It has suddenly turned in to a nightmarish scam. How will anyone ever trust such Safari operators. All those unsuspecting tourists looted like this should join together to get justice.
Sanjay ( mumbai india) - +919867455169