20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A huge letdown of a company for an amazing experience
We saw an incredible amount of wildlife — lions, elephants, giraffes, even cheetahs — and the Serengeti itself is unforgettable. But sadly, the way this company operates seriously let us down.
They don’t run the safaris themselves — they take your money, then place you in a driver’s vehicle and disappear. The guide we had had never even seen the itinerary we were sold. I booked a 4-day safari with full game drives advertised everyday with Days 2 and 3 in the Serengeti. In reality, we arrived at 4:30pm on Day 2 and left by 2pm on Day 3 — barely 24 hours total. On the Day 4 we left Ngorongoro crater at 11am after being promised ‘full day’ safaris.
Worse, the company dismissed multiple messages during the trip. I gave them a chance to step in and fix things twice, asking for more game drives — all I got were generic AI-sounding replies and no action. The guide refused to change anything, saying it was his “normal” schedule and he doesn’t know what itinerary i’m talking about.
One day, we had to leave cheetahs mid-hunt and rush out of the Serengeti and on the last day the same thing to meet someone else’s flight — a recurring issue, as different people join each day with their own constraints. When I raised this, they were rude and dismissive, saying things like, “Well, on a private safari… you could have done this.” They try and pin the blame on the fact its a shared/ joining safari which is an easy cop out to try and blame you, but when you look around most people on safari are on group tours.
I booked a shared safari happily with a clear itinerary in writing in an information pack sent by them. What I got was about 60% of that — with no apology, no refund, just an attempt of a sales pitch after the trip for a taxi and hotel after they had already taken over $600 per person. All their information pack and inclusions are all lies.
The animals were amazing — but this company does not deliver what it promises. Go for someone else who delivers what they promise. You will love safari but pick the right company! Be cautious.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good itinerary, but needs better guides
We really appreciated the itinerary options and help leading up to our safari by the company. We didn’t love the accommodation provided in Maasai Mara for 3 nights, but the rest were really nice. We saw amazing wildlife and enjoyed how beautiful the countries were, which is the reason for the 3 stars. But our guides/drivers were not good in either Tanzania or Kenya. They seemed moody and overworked. They actually mentioned how tired they were and one guide worried us with how they were acting. For the price, we wouldn’t recommend this company based on the guides they used.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Management good, drivers not
We went on a seven day safari in Kenya with Josana tours.
The positive side was Joseph (the manager). Very kind, flexible, responsive and professional before and during the safari. If the review was only about him, it would definitely be a five stars!
The downside were the two drivers we got (Sam and Joseph).
Just a few examples below:
- On the first day in Nairobi, they were one hour late to pick us up and bring us to the agency for the payment of the balance. As a result we arrived late at Masai Mara (in the program it said we were supposed to get there for lunch, we arrived at 4pm) with a very short safari.
- After that, they have been late (20,30,40 minutes) to pick us up in the morning every day except for one. Twice we faced the bizarre situation of having all tourists in the group waiting outside the hotel with the bags and the driver not being there.
- You get a driver, not a guide. Zero explanations on animals, parks, etc. the driver wasn't saying anything. In other jeeps we could hear drivers providing explanations and even having guide books on animals.
- For the full day safari, instead of leaving early in the morning (prime time to see predators) like you do with other agencies, they would make you leave the accommodation at 8:30. At Amboseli we were literally the last tourists left in the entire lodge waiting for the guide to go to the park and start the safari. Of course, no predators seen that morning. Same for the way back, instead of leaving the park in the late afternoon to see animals (predators in particular) before sunset they would make you leave at 4:30.
- One of the two drivers driving on the highway incredibly slow (being passed by all other jeeps and minivans) to save gas ( and complaining once about how much gas he had used).
- Broken seat belts on both jeeps. Not an issue inside the park but dangerous on the highway.
- One day, no water provided until mid-day (one liter per person was included). We had to write to the manager to finally get the driver to buy it.
- One day the driver brought us to a restaurant at 11am (lunch was included) and wanted us to wait in the parking lot for an hour for the restaurant to open rather than driving ahead and then stopping later (we still had 200 km to go) saying that all other restaurants on the way were too expensive.
- One of the drivers often texting and speaking on the phone while driving.
- Generally speaking, and more importantly, the feeling was that they would constantly try to reduce the time dedicated to safari, rushing you through. A couple of times we had to write to the manager essentially in order to ensure that the program was respected. As an example, at Nakuru they tried to have only a 2-hour game drive. Whilst for the drivers having a shorter safari is good (time, energy and gas savings), this is really bad for you as a tourist, as game driving and animals sighting is exactly the reason why tourists go to Kenya... You should just relax and enjoy the safari, not having to discuss with the agency about the program being followed when it comes to game drive time slots.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A few Issues and an Inexperienced Guide
Unfortunately, our trip did not meet the 5-star expectations that led us to book this experience. From the outset, there were a number of concerns that impacted our overall enjoyment.
On the first day, we were left waiting outside the Genocide Memorial for over 45 minutes. Our guide dropped us off at the entrance and said he would park the car and return, but he never reappeared. We tried looking for him around the area and the vehicle, but he was nowhere to be found. We never received an explanation for what happened during that time.
The driving throughout Kigali felt unsafe and erratic. The guide frequently seemed unsure of the directions, and on multiple occasions, we had to assist using Google Maps. It was evident that he lacked confidence driving in Rwanda and was unfamiliar with many of the destinations on our itinerary.
Communication was another major challenge. Instructions and updates were often unclear and lacked the level of professionalism we expected. While it was clear that our guide meant well and was trying to do a good job, we strongly feel he needs further training and more experience to meet the standards promised.
Additionally, prior to the start of the trip, we attempted several times to pay the remaining balance ahead but did not receive the invoice until the final day of the trip. We were then told we couldn’t leave the lodge until payment was made — despite unreliable Wi-Fi and power outages that made it nearly impossible to complete the transaction promptly. This situation made us feel as if we were being held hostage, which was stressful and unnecessary.
That said, we do want to acknowledge and sincerely appreciate the support we received from the company during the trip, especially when we had to cancel the Golden Monkey trek due to a health issue with my partner. The understanding and flexibility shown during that situation were truly appreciated and made a difficult moment easier to manage.
While there were some highlights — notably the incredible gorilla trekking and a few lovely accommodations — these moments were overshadowed by the logistical issues and lack of professionalism throughout the rest of the experience.