CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We felt lied to, NOT Acceptable
From our experience, I recommend you don't book with this company.
They played tricks with us and stole your money.
I had a very similar experience like Craig Anthony.
I booked a 6-day safari(from 23rd to 28th Aug.) for my wife and me. I booked Mara Sopa Lodge for two days, Lake Nakuru for one day and Kibo Amboseli Camp for two days. The total amount is US$3,800. Full payment was paid on the first day of safari at their Nairobi office. And they confirmed the hotel reservation.
However, they changed Mara Sopa lodge to Jambo, Kibo Amboseli to Sentrim without any notice or discussion. These two places are not good as the confirmed bookings.
This is not the worst part. On 28th Aug, when I was supposed to leave for Nairobi airport from Centrim Amboseli, I received a text from Dosasha. saying:
“Hello Connor Liu,
I hope you had a nice time on the safari and that you enjoyed to the fullest.
We had a problem in the bank deposit to the hotel and the bank kept telling us to wait that it would reflect but it seems it might be a problem.
We were requesting if you will be kind enough to help us clear with the hotel in the morning and then we will refund you once you get to Nairobi so that the hotel doesn't hold you there.”
The total hotel cost is US$440. After receiving the message, the owner of Dosasha never took calls or replied message from me, the hotel or the jeep driver. Only a staff called Mike from Dosasha was assessible. And he claimed that he can't reach his boss, either. Finally, Mike paid US$284 to the hotel. I had no choice but to pay the rest of US$156 because the hotel won't let me go until payment is paid.
Dosasha is the shame of Kenya. I have also sent everything to TRA official email ID. I do hope TRA can withdraw their license.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My advise: Do not book!
Perplexed by all the recent reviews of Natural World Kenya, we were worried about being stranded mid-day despite paying in full so did some digging the day before our scheduled tour date. Thanks to all the recent reviews here, we saved ourselves a lot of pain.
We found that accomodations for the second half of the trip had been cancelled due to non-payment (e.g., Mara Serena Safari lodge told us that they had held the reservation and then released it when Natural World failed to pay them). This checks out with all recent reviews which highlight how Natural World leaves tourists stranded so that they're forced to pay again after paying in full.
Additionally, we received no flight or hotel confirmation until an hour AFTER our tour was scheduled to start! And that was only after they realized that we had cancelled our trip with them and filed for a refund with our credit card company. Amusingly, the confirmations only had one of our names (I guess the second person is flying with the luggage???) and that name was spelled incorrectly.
We ended up successfully re-booking with another marvelous tour operator. When we spoke with multiple operators to explain why we were already in Nairobi without a confirmed safari, they all understood and highlighted the same: Natural World is in financial trouble and so doing very shady things to keep the company afloat. Unsure why they're still allowed to operate. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
CO
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
They don’t return the money.
They canceled the safari that was scheduled with me for next September 17, and they still haven’t refunded my money. I do not recommend using their services.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disappointing Experience and Lack of Value
Our experience with this service was profoundly disappointing. We found that the quality was poor, and markups were added without delivering any corresponding value.
Key Issues
Overpriced with No Added Value: Significant markups were applied, but the service did not justify the cost. For instance, our flight tickets show a price in Kenyan shillings equivalent to approximately $470, yet we were billed $698. For such a premium, we expected expertise, local insights, and proactive support, but received none.
Unreliable: There was a lack of rigour in the details provided, and some committed items in the itinerary were left undelivered until we challenged them. We were initially assured of premium room , but when we requested specifics, we discovered that our rooms were merely superior, not premium.
Disorganised: We had to repeatedly follow up for basic details such as driver timings. To us, the experience felt like dealing with a basic middleman service, without any added value. Thankfully, the hotels we booked were excellent and ultimately salvaged our trip.
Detailed Experience
Nairobi: Last-minute changes to our plans resulted in missing most of the elephant centre, skipping a paid-for market stop, and being transported in substandard vehicles for both the airport pick-up and the day tour.
Masai Mara: The vehicle provided was in poor condition—dirty, with some doors that wouldn’t open, and felt generally neglected. The driver was rude and spent the entire six-hour drive and subsequent game drives on their phone. They attempted to skip the paid game drive and were hostile when we insisted on following our itinerary. The day began with no clear plan, and when questioned, the driver was extremely discourteous. Later, they informed us that the paid for village tour could not be accommodated, as we supposedly needed to leave at 7 a.m. to reach the restaurant for lunch by 2 p.m.—none of which was previously communicated. We had to insist (and offer additional payment) for a different driver for the return journey to address these issues. To give them their due, Splendid organised an alternative.
Mombasa: Although we paid for a late checkout, the hotel was never informed. Transfers required constant chasing for details.
Refund and Transparency
We received a small refund for undelivered items, but there was no transparency regarding what these items were. The refund did not compensate for the poor experience. What was most disappointing was the lack of transparency—for example, skipping parts of the itinerary and claiming it was for our safety, yet not communicating this at the time of booking, Or late checkout not being arranged despite charging - with the explanation that they do this only on the last day when flight details are known. However, by then, the hotel had already allocated rooms – so even had they wanted to extend, it would have been impossible. Note - this late check out charge was refunded, on our demand.
Our recommendation based on conversations with other guests and travellers, is that you skip this service as you will receive better value, service, and advice by booking directly with hotels and camps.
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Wonderful guide, terrible office organisation. Don’t book with them.
The good things: Our tour guide, Blair, was wonderful - knowledgeable, communicative and funny. The safari itself was great.
However, the office organisation was problematic. Firstly, we only received the link for the final payment while we were on tour, in a rural area where wifi kept dropping. When we told the office that the wifi meant the payment was proving difficult, they told us we had to pay before the next day or the activities would be cancelled, placing undue pressure on us in a difficult situation. We tried again, and finally the problematic wifi allowed the payment to go through. However, the glitchy wifi meant that payment was taken twice from my card. I communicated this to the office, and while Bella replied to me via whatsapp, Peter (the finance manager) was absolutely silent. No call, no email, no communication whatsoever. The problem was ignored completely. I then raised a process with my card issuer, and informed the office of this. I have also informed them that if my card issuer is unable to help, then I would pursue legal action. It was only at that point that Peter finally replied to my emails, saying he would have a solution by the end of the week. That deadline went by over two weeks ago, and I have heard nothing from him since then.
None of this needed to happen if they had simply said “ah that’s annoying that the WiFi did that - here’s a refund.” It could have taken a matter of minutes to resolve. Instead, they’ve chosen to keep the extra money and process no refund at all. What should I conclude from this?
My advice would be: there are many tour operators available to go on safari with. Don’t choose this one.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do not book with them!!!
I had booked a safari with this agency for February 2025. Just one day before departure, I discovered they were in serious financial trouble. Many lodges (including some that were supposed to be part of our trip) refused to take bookings from them because they weren’t being paid. This meant we would have had to do the safari staying in places we hadn’t chosen and paying again on site, even though everything had already been paid in advance.
We decided to cancel and go with another operator. We asked for a refund of our deposit, but it was delayed for months until the promised date of May 15. That date came and went—no refund, and all their email addresses suddenly stopped working. The “government” and “bank” contacts they gave us as a guarantee were completely fake.
This agency is absolutely untrustworthy. It’s shocking that they’re still allowed to take bookings when they claim they can’t even refund €400 due to lack of funds. If I could, I would give them zero stars. Do not trust them.I had booked a safari with this agency for February 2025. Just one day before departure, I discovered they were in serious financial trouble. Many lodges (including some that were supposed to be part of our trip) refused to take bookings from them because they weren’t being paid. This meant we would have had to do the safari staying in places we hadn’t chosen and paying again on site, even though everything had already been paid in advance.
We decided to cancel and go with another operator. We asked for a refund of our deposit, but it was delayed for months until the promised date of May 15. That date came and went—no refund, and all their email addresses suddenly stopped working. The “government” and “bank” contacts they gave us as a guarantee were completely fake.
This agency is absolutely untrustworthy. It’s shocking that they’re still allowed to take bookings when they claim they can’t even refund €400 due to lack of funds. If I could, I would give them zero stars. Do not trust them.
MT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Have a terrible experience with this company at all costs – fraudulent, unsafe and violent, experience
We booked a safari with 1 Wonder Expedition in July and were promised 5-star lodges and luxury tented camps (confirmed to us in writing twice). We paid €2000 in cash on arrival, but once the trip started, every hotel was downgraded to far cheaper and lower-quality alternatives with poor reviews WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE. The driver was simply instructed to drive us to these alternative hotels and we only found out because we realised the direction he was driving us to was different.
When we requested a fair refund of €1000, the company’s employee “Kingi” (who had originally pretended online to be “Rachel James”) told us to come to their office in Arusha. Another tourist in the same situation was also called there.
When we arrived, seven men were waiting for us, including the Director of Operations, Ally, who had collected our payment. Instead of giving us the refund, he physically assaulted my partner when he tried to film his aggressive behaviour, HIT me and another tourist, and one of the men Tried to lock us inside the office. We only escaped by forcing the gate open.
Police were called, and Ally spent a night in custody. We have since filed a formal police report, submitted evidence, and are pursuing the case legally. We also have WhatsApp messages, photos, and videos to prove all of this.
In my experience, this company did not operate transparently — I was given what I believe were fake names and confirmations, and I felt my services were unfairly downgraded. I also felt intimidated and even feared for my safety during the trip
No tourist should ever have to experience this. Please protect yourself and avoid 1 Wonder Expedition entirely.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They cancelled safari 3 days before arriving
We booked our Safari with Kenmara months before arriving and paid all money on time. 3 days before arriving they sent an email cancelling the safari, no call or follow up email offering any help or assistance.
We are travelling from the UK so holiday potentially ruined.
Terrible company DO NOT USE not with worth the risk.
Safari bookings you should Ban them from your website.
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very disappointing experience
BE AWARE!
We had everything arranged with Emmanuel: the itinerary, the price, the participants—everything—three months before our arrival. Four days before arriving in Arusha, Emmanuel wrote that the tour cost had increased by... 80%!!! At the same time, he left us stranded, without a tour, without a safari, without transfers. To this day, we haven't received a refund of our deposit, and we've been asking for it repeatedly.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrible
I strongly recommend that you do not book with these people
They stole my money.
I booked a 3-day safari with them and, on the day of departure (Monday, 18 Aug), they changed my booking from a lodge to a campsite after I had already paid the full $890 USD. They told me it would be “better, don’t worry.” It was NOT better.
Then, on Wednesday, 20 Aug, when I was supposed to return to Nairobi, I received a text at 2 a.m. saying: “Hello, our bank did not clear the money for your stay. Can you please pay the camp, and we promise to pay you back when you return to Nairobi.”
I had no choice but to pay because the camp locked the gates, and my driver refused to give me my luggage until I handed over $410 USD (which was already part of the $890 I had paid on Monday). They repeatedly told me, “Don’t worry, we will pay you back.”
On the drive back to Nairobi, they ignored both my calls and the driver’s calls. I strongly believe the driver was in on it as well. Later, I received a random text saying they would bring my money at 6:30 p.m. and to “be patient.” 6:30 came and went — no money, no response.
This company i believe has scammed me. Please don’t book with them. They trapped me in a situation where if I hadn’t had the $410, I would have been stuck at the camp. Now they are dodging my calls and messages.