FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Careful, this guy is a thief ! Big scam
Careful, THIS GUY IS A THIEF ! We made a deposit of 1000 $ for a twelve days safari in Kenya and Tanzania, and the guy never paid the real safari companies we were supposed to take. We had to pay the kenyan company by ourselves, but we canceled the trip in Tanzania. Indeed, Erick, the owner of Ewammanns Safaris never showed up. HE STOLE US 1000 $ and ruined our holidays. We never had the chance to get what we paid for. Never trust him, he is a lyer and a thief ! The only times he turned his mobile on was to ask us the balance of the trip in order to steal even more money. If you want to enjoy your trip, run away !
BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Don’t trust him!
While looking forward to exploring the beautiful country of Tanzania, we thought we could use the guidance and expertise of one of the locals. We contacted Arnold, and he presented himself as a local guide and travel agency, with all the right connections and experience to help us create an unforgettable trip.
After discussing our travel plans, Arnold made us pay a deposit 5 months in advance. He needed it to pay for our accommodations and make reservation with several other travel institutions.
One month prior to our departure we discovered that NONE of the reservations in the accommodations where made ( nor in our name, or his) and nothing was paid. After contacting Arnold he came up with a bunch of excuses and promises to make it right. No real explanation. In the end he stopped answering emails or text messages, and no rectifications were ever made. We ended up booking (very last minute!) through another agency and loosing about 2400 USD. What would have happened if we never double checked with the hotels ourselves ?! Arnold may present himself as genuine and authentic, but unfortunately he is a SCAM!
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
We have still not received the large amount of USD we had to provide for unpaid Park Fees
Further to my last review I feel that I now need to update other possible clients that Peter Mapinda has still failed to reimburse the National Park Fees which we had to provide to access and leave the Serengeti.This is despite promises made over the past 5 weeks.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Horrible
STAY AWAY!!!
We were soooo unlucky to have come to this place. The employee who was “helping” us seems very sure about all our requirements and gave us the package that we wanted. However, as soon we’ve started our journey lots of issues started to take place. We didn’t get what was promised in both hotels we’ve stayed in. The safari didn’t include the park fees, which we were not told about and the list goes on...
They were not helpful at all when we contacted them about the issues and in the end it spoiled our trip.
The driver was really good (Philip) but other than that it was a real disgrace.
They should be ashamed
TH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bad travel agent in Africa
Me and my husband booked 6 days 5 nights safari tour in Kenya with this company. Ms.Regina and Jecton the driver were cheating people.
They changed our itinerary on spot. They tried to avoid to pay for the National Park to save the budget which makes us miss the morning and evening safari.
One day on our itinerary, we have to do evening safari in Amboseli National Park but the driver try to delay the drive to arrive late in hotel because he doesn't want us to visit the park and he can save at least 140 us dollars.
We paid money for safari but we miss two times Safari because of this bad people, Regina and Jecton
Don't use this company if you don't want to disappoint with your Safari experience..
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The company is bankrupt and the owners are liars
Protas Kilongola and Tom Kilongola are liars who will let you down. They did not book the hotels we asked for, lied to our face and have refused to pay money they owe us.
They asked us to pay park admission fees of c.$500 (which we were told were already included) with a promise of paying us back. They have never done this. I have seen bank records which indicate they are almost bankrupt.
Other people have suffered worse than us, so don’t book with them because they will let you down and steal your money.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
they did nothing for me, and not refund the money which i paid in adovance.
this company did nothing for me in Tanzania.
i had paied some money in adovance via internet.
i had to use 1 day to contact with someone who worked for this company.
and i needed to find another tour operator in Arusha because they did nothing.
no apology. no refund. no contact.
this is a thief company.
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Horrible. They blackmailed me.
I booked a private safari of 14 days with Orongai for January 2019.
However, 4 days before the start of my trip they send me an email that the cost of fuel had risen since I booked the tour and I had to pay $ 1,400,- extra immediately!
This is crazy. I checked and found out fuel prices had fallen by 10 per cent instead since I booked the trip. Then I realized I was blackmailed.
Later I found out that more people were blackmailed in a similar way. Check the reviews.
I cancelled the tour, but they did not want to return my money.
Only after the safaribookings.com where they promote themselves blocked them, I received most of money back (not everything), but it was a horrible experience. They ruined my holidays.
These guys are criminals.
FR
Hassan Hussein Hassan only wants money
Hassan Hussein Hassan is a good guide: BUT after holidays he'll ask you for your phone number. Ok, we are stupid, we gave it to him. Then his family is in trouble (mom falls down and have to go to hospital, children must go to school, need money for water or electric, etc.) We were very stupid... But even when I told him to fuck off, de didn't stop, so told him that I'll call Leopard Tours. No way. Last time he called me in Spring this year. Now he's on the black list. "Nice"memories of Tanzania...
BEWARE OF SCAMMER / LOW QUALITY
I am glad that I did not book with Achieve. I saw their van while in Murchison and it wasnt nearly as nice as the 4x4 with a pop top that we enjoyed for a better price with Uzuri (https://uzurisafaris.com/) instead.
I had originally planned on booking with Achieve, but their email account was hacked and I sent a wire for $3,140 USD to scammers. The owner Polly Kamugisha took zero responsibility even though I took steps to verify the fake instructions sent from their email account. I even messaged an Achieve employee on whatsapp to "confirm the email with updated instructions are legit? Just wanna make sure nobody sent a fake message from your email account" (see screenshot).
I wouldnt normally air my dirty laundry like this but the world should know that the business owner's response to the incident was that I should seek help from the police... not only is he ignorant about the likelihood of a recovery via law enforcement, but I am still shocked that he doesnt think Achieve has any responsibility for the instructions sent from their compromised email account. Wouldnt even agree to split it.
Probably would have been more victims if I hadn't separately reached out to a 3rd party lodge in my efforts to verify the suspicious instructions sent from Achieve's email address. They called Polly to make him aware of my concerns before I sent the wire.
Don't expect Achieve to be there for you if anything goes wrong! Have the time of your life with Uzuri or any number of better companies out there!
