MY
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very unprofessional
On July 15, 2025, our family had a terrible experience in Johannesburg while on a tour with Mo Afrika Tours. We were attacked and robbed at gunpoint by four men right in front of the main entrance of the Radisson Blue Johannesburg hotel. My wife and I were both physically assaulted and injured, and all of our belongings were stolen.
We believe the driver arranged by Mo Afrika Tours acted unprofessionally and without our safety as a priority. This, in our opinion, is what left us vulnerable to the attack. Because of this, we believe Mo Afrika Tours should be held responsible for what happened.
CN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Irresponsible operator. Refuse to refund payment.
We lost $3600 with this operator, and the business owner, Abraham Haftamu, also treated us, the victim, in the most disrespectful way. Our booking experience with Vowland Ethiopia Tour has become a worst nightmare.
In July this year, we decided to book with this operator for our Ethiopia Safari tour. We emailed the official email address, which is under the operator's business website domain: [email protected], for booking details. In early July, the operator emailed us the payment links to make the payment of $3600. Afterwards, they also confirmed the receipt of my payments from the same email address. However, we never received a contract, and this got me worried.
A few weeks later, we received emails from Abraham's email address claiming that his business website and email address had been hacked. He didn't receive any payments from us. He initially apologised for the situation and asked if we could pay an extra $1600 for the safari tour. ($600 initial discount he agreed to us, plus $1000 financial support due to the loss he suffered from the website hacking), While communicating the incident, he suddenly flipped his tone and refused to take any responsibility. But instead, claiming my email was hacked, that I was intentionally tracking and attacking his business. That I am a THIEF AND LIAR.
The whole incident is unbelievable. I didn't just lose my money, but also received the most disrespectful treatment.
I don't want to assume the worst for the business, but at least they are extremely irresponsible and refuse to take responsibility for their poor management. They refuse to resolve the issue, and they also refuse to refund any payment. But instead, they insist I am the THIEF and LIAR.
As a customer, this is the worst experience of my life. I hope no one has to experience the same.
I would like to thank the SafariBookings team and their investigation. Thank you for thoroughly looking into the evidence I submitted. I appreciate the time, the effort you gave to this matter.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible Agency
A car accident ( may happen ) caused by our tour driver has forced us to rescheduled our Safary trip missing the Tarangire Park day tour. We had asked for a refund for the experience not seen and the partial day lost due to the accident but the owner of the agency has met us into his office and said that he could just refund us only the Tarangire entry fee (50 $) despite we had paid for 4 days private tours costing us 2600 $ for 4 experience. For him, that refund of 50 $ was ok although we had spent 5 hours stuck in a police station (because of the accident) and the following hours driving to arrive to Serengeti National Park with a new driver who could barely speak English and also got lost in Serengeti Park. Flying over the high tone of our conversation, We also had requested to see all the invoices for the extra costs he said he had to pay to guarantee us the continuation of our Safary: He said He did not have any invoices .He focused the attention to the cost of petrol there has been and also the water the tour had provided to us.He also has been very stressful in expecting us to accept his offer interrupting us every time we tried to explain him that we had paid to see four attractions but in the end we just saw three. We didn’t accept
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Lost $6,400 with Ngoni Safari Tour Operator
The Ngoni Safaris Manager, Bwire, planned our 5-day Gorilla Trip in June. Bwire double charged me on my credit card for the trip and acknowledged his mistake but Ngoni Safaris refuses to refund me my money $$$. I verified this mistake in May 2025, when we received the trekking permits, and Bwire has assured me 4 times in the past 2 ½ months that he has corrected this error but Ngoni Safaris still fraudulently retains my money. Bwire has spent the duplicate $6400 and is unable to repay the money.
I am currently pursuing legal action through an attorney to recover these funds. Based on my experience, I strongly recommend that the company be suspended from safari listings until this matter is resolved.
MY
Not all the people they arranged are well-trainned.
We visited South Africa with great expectations and engaged Mo Afrika Tours, a local company based in Johannesburg, with the hope of having a memorable and safe experience. Sadly, what happened on our arrival at the Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel in Sandton turned our trip into a nightmare.
At the entrance of the hotel, we were violently robbed at gunpoint by four men. My parents were physically assaulted — my dad sustained a nose injury, and my mum was hurt around my left eye. The trauma we endured is indescribable.
We believe that the driver arranged by Mo Afrika Tours was untrained and unfamiliar with their own procedures.
- He parked in a distant open-air lot instead of the car park directly across from the terminal, where other experienced drivers would park, causing us to walk a considerable distance with all our luggage.
- He struggled with basic vehicle functions, including how to open the trunk, delaying our departure further.
- He left us unattended in the car to pay for parking, which took longer than expected — all this in an area vulnerable to crime.
Only later did we discover that our assigned experienced driver was unavailable, and instead, an assistant operator of the company with no proper driver training had taken over. Shockingly, the tour company just denied their responsibility for their negligence regarding our safety, despite being aware of the local risks. Such negligence is inexcusable from a company claiming to provide secure travel services despite some post-incident support provided.
The hotel’s lack of visible security presence also raises serious concerns about guest safety. After the incident happened, we knew from the hotel’s security team that firearms are easily accessible in South Africa. This revelation only deepened our concern — if the hotel’s own security team is aware of the risk, why weren’t there more proactive measures in place to protect their guests, especially right at the front entrance where many arrive? The hotel staff had witnessed us frantically trying to get their attention, but no one took any action. I will never forget the four receptionists’ eyes that saw us asking for help but did nothing.
We do appreciate the post-incident support they provided. However, it is hard to overlook that, in the crucial moments of our arrival, the hotel’s lack of visible security and proactive measures left us vulnerable.
We’re sharing our experience not out of bitterness, but to warn other travellers. Your safety should never be compromised — and unfortunately, trusting these companies came at a great personal cost to us.
No security at the hotel entrance. No protection from the tour company that left us vulnerable in the car. Just fear and trauma.
If you’re planning to visit, please be cautious. A dream trip can turn into a nightmare when safety isn’t treated as a priority by those you trust.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Baboon Budget Safaris – We almost died - extremely disappointing experience
We booked a 6-day safari with Baboon Budget Safaris company, and the experience was deeply disappointing and, at times, dangerously unprofessional. Below is a summary of the key issues we encountered.
Severe Lack of Safety and Professionalism: There was no safety briefing or orientation at the start of the tour, despite entering a wildlife park. The driver assigned to us was not a trained guide but an inexperienced driver operating a poorly maintained, outdated vehicle with no navigational tools or working two-way radio. He lacked knowledge of the animals, animal locations, the park and camp-site routes, or even basic driving protocol in wildlife settings.
On Day 2, we suffered a serious accident. The driver got lost around 7:00 PM as he took a wrong route back to our camp. We had to intervene and use our personal phones with Google Maps to guide him in the middle of pitch-black wildlife park. At 8:30 PM, in complete darkness, he failed to slow down for crossing large wildlife animals like Zebras and buffalos crossing the road, lost control of the vehicle while speeding, and drove off the road violently while seven passengers were being tossed around in the car. The impact burst the back tire, pushed the car into the mud and grass on the side of the road and left us stranded deep within the park. We were unable to exit the vehicle due to the surrounding wildlife. There was no passing car since the park was closed at that time and no hope for help. The driver got on the phone and tried to secure a rescue plan for us while passengers were distraught and distressed inside the car. Eventually a random passing car stopped and offered to take us back to our campsite for a fee.
What’s worse, the tour company, Baboon made no effort to check on us, send help, or even contact us to make sure we are fine or at least apologize. We wrote emails to them later that night, but they completely ignored us. They did not send any alternative safe vehicle for us to continue the rest of our trip. There was no apology, no accountability—only total neglect. The entire situation could have ended in tragedy or death.
Freelance Drivers: The drivers Baboon hires are freelancers – they are not employees of Baboon. This is according to the drivers. Once Baboon takes the full payment for the safari, they pass you on to the drivers. Any issues you face during your safari, you are either on your own or have to go through the driver to resolve. This makes things a lot worse.
Accommodation Failures: We had clearly agreed with Baboon on accommodations with two separate rooms throughout the 6-day tour. Upon arrival at the first camp (at 8:30 PM), we were told only one room with 2 beds was booked by Baboon, and that Baboon had instructed the camp to provide just a single room for two people. This left three of us without appropriate arrangements, discussions, haggling and pleading with the camps manager to secure another room and bed. This problem persisted at every accommodation throughout the rest of the tour.
Payment Issues: We paid a deposit via bank transfer two months in advance. On the first day of the tour, we were taken to the Baboon office and asked to pay the remaining balance in cash only—credit cards were not accepted. Although we provided brand new US dollar bills, several were rejected arbitrarily for not being “new enough,” despite having come directly from the bank in excellent condition. This unnecessary negotiation delayed the start of our tour.
Our experience with Baboon Safari Tours was unacceptable on every level: lack of professionalism, communications, total disregard for safety, logistical failures, and a refusal to take responsibility when things went wrong. I strongly advise others to consider alternative, reputable tour operators when booking a safari if you care about your safety and life.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
You've Been Warned -- Choose Another Safari Company
We planned our safari to Kenya and Tanzania with Aggrey at this company one year prior and paid our deposit in July 2024. We saw many good reviews at that time and felt confident that we would have an incredible trip. Aggrey was always responsive to our questions and we had our itinerary and hotels all planned and (supposedly) booked. Our trip was scheduled for August 2. A few weeks before our departure, we emailed Aggrey about paying our balance and received no response. This caused us concern, so we tried calling the company offices on WhatsApp. We finally got through to their Nairobi airport office and learned from Purity that Aggrey had left a month ago and that Esther was in charge of our safari now. Purity said she would have Esther email us, which Esther did, after an unsettling delay. We heard from her on a Friday, and she promised to email again Monday with guidance for paying our balance. Monday came and no word, so we emailed her back and got an email from her finally on Wednesday. In that email, she suggested we pay the balance when we arrive in Nairobi and again put off giving us the payment details until the next day. This seemed unusual, so we called her (her direct number was on her email). She told us that she had been put in charge of all of Aggrey's clients and that she was focusing now on the July safaris, but would get back to us. No word the next day so we called her again Friday morning. This time we learned that none of our hotels had been booked (!), so she'd had to change some in Kenya and was waiting for confirmations from the ones in Tanzania. Not booked? It had been over a year. That was definitely alarming, but nothing compared to the shock we got when she finally emailed us with the hotel changes in Kenya. Buried at the bottom of her email were these two sentences: "Am also afraid your deposit was not allocated to the file and right now we are having a cash flow challenges. Please let us know how you can assist then we refund to you later as the balance payment will not be enough to facilitate the full safari." (see attached)
Well, that was the end of our trip of a lifetime. How could we give this company more of our money after a confession like that? We wrote her back immediately and, in no uncertain words, told her that her email left us speechless, that it was not our responsibility to bail out her company, that we were canceling our trip and wanted our deposit back in full. She wrote back with an apology, accepted full responsibility for her company's breach of trust and said she would refer us to the accounting department. Believe it or not, the accounts payable person's name is Honest and, to date, all our emails to him have gone unanswered.
The fact is, we consider ourselves lucky because, even though at the moment we're out thousands of dollars, at least we didn't fly to Nairobi and have to shell out even more money while experiencing some of the hellish circumstances described in other reviews (not just here but under Natural World Kenya Safaris, which appears to be the same company operating under a different name).
If you look below, you'll see some good reviews, so maybe this was once a good company, or perhaps sometimes they do fulfill their obligations. But why gamble when there are surely safari companies out there that are truly reputable? All we can say is that in our case, and so many others, they turned the promise of a bucket-list trip into a nightmare -- and have so far not returned the money we paid them for services they failed to deliver.
We've written to all the organizations referenced on their website, including ATTA, TRA, East African Wildlife Society and Ecotourism Kenya. ATTA said their membership was terminated earlier this year and is trying to get them to remove their logo. TRA has asked that we file a formal complaint which we intend to do. Ecotourism is looking into our complaint at present, and we have yet to hear from the Wildlife Society.
We're heartbroken over this fiasco, but if we can prevent other people from falling into this trap, at least that's some consolation.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Vehicle Safety Concerns and George (Owner) Showed No Accountability
We had a deeply distressing experience during our safari with Terrain Tanzania Safaris, owned by George. What was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip turned into a situation where we felt genuinely unsafe — and unsupported when it mattered most.
In Kenya, we were provided with a vehicle that, in our experience, raised serious safety concerns, including:
- Seatbelts that did not function
- Exposed, rusted metal that injured my mother’s leg
- A passenger door that swung open twice while driving on the road
We were alarmed and immediately requested a replacement to George. We were told by him that it would be arranged — but then received no updates or communication for over 24 hours. During that time, we felt anxious, helpless, and abandoned. Our current driver on that day also felt confused since he didn't get a confirmation from George wheather he should go back home or continue on the next day. We insisted him to stay that night, because otherwise we could have a risk of no guide or a vehicle the next day, which turned out to be true since George made no replacement arrangements.
On the next day 1:30PM, we were informed by George that the replacement vehicle would not be provided due to additional park entrance costs. To us, this felt like our safety had been deprioritized in favor of saving money — a decision that left us both disappointed and frustrated. Furthermore, this complete lack of communication caused us immense trauma and unbearable stress.
We understand that no trip is perfect and safari conditions can be challenging. However, we believe that basic safety and responsive support should never be compromised.
This experience left us shaken and disheartened. In our personal opinion, travelers booking with this company should be aware of what we encountered, and consider whether they are comfortable with the level of risk and response we faced.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Mismanaged, Unsafe & Deceptive – Avoid Mournic Adventures
As a solo female traveler with significant experience on safaris in East Africa, I booked a 3-day group safari through Mournic Adventures with the expectation of safety, community, and professionalism. What I received instead was a disorganized, isolating, and at times unsafe journey filled with false promises, poor communication, and outright gaslighting.
The night before my trip, I was informed by Victor M (the company’s main contact) that I’d be traveling alone in a tour van and would join a group the next day. This was never what I agreed to — I booked a group safari in a 4x4 jeep for 2 nights/ 3 days. I expressed concern, but was gaslighted with comments like “bear with us” and “we’re doing this not to inconvenience you”. I felt backed into a corner — cancel and lose my money, or go with it and hope for the best. As a solo female traveler without a partner to discuss things with, it is difficult to know how hard to push because that can also backfire and have huge repercussions so my inner monologue was in a constant battle.
📸 [Insert: IMG_3933, IMG_3934] – This is the broken-down van I was expected to travel and safari in, alone.
Day 1: When pick-up time arrived, no one came into the hotel with the car as requested. They kept saying the ‘car was outside’. Instead, two men (with no safari company attire like their image or dispositions) sauntered into the lobby, which immediately made me question what was going on. I had to insist repeatedly for them to bring the car through the security channels. The vehicle they brought was a run-down van — no guide, no 4x4 jeep, no safety, and not what I paid for. I was expected to ride 3+ hours alone with the driver in the rain, then go on a game drive in this van. It was only after the hotel staff intervened on my behalf and I contacted the company owner, Nicholas R, that a proper 4x4 jeep was arranged — from a freelance guide not affiliated with Mournic Adventures. This car arrived within an hour.
The game drive ended abruptly at 5pm — 60-90 minutes earlier than other groups and when mine was to end — with no explanation. I had no safari guide at the lodge. I ate meals alone and returned to a room the furthest away from the lobby (the last one) with no WiFi and a flooded bathroom. I messaged Victor for next-day pickup details and received vague or no responses. I reported everything to Nicholas, who responded like a true businessman with customer service knowledge. He apologized, took accountability, and said he would follow up about compensation and why the drive ended early. He never followed up about these two things.
Day 2: On Day 2, no one was there at the pickup time. I was given no name or vehicle details. I repeatedly called and texted both Victor and Nicholas — no answer. The hotel staff stepped in again, as all the other guests were gone on their game drives. Victor answered and said someone was on the way. Eventually, a separate company’s guide who was commissioned arrived; he had no knowledge of the situation (thankfully, he was wonderful and it was an awesome group). Later, we were delayed at the park exit because Mournic Adventures had failed to tell him that my pass expired at noon. I was asked to pay $70 USD. No one from the company answered the phone during this hour-long ordeal until Nicholas finally answered my message (Victor still had been unresponsive to all messages). Nicholas’ response was to say this was because they were making up for the hour I missed the previous day. Gaslighting at its finest. The new guide was not told that my pass expired and to make up the hour. We then missed lunch on this day. My excursion this afternoon was the boat ride and walk. I learned that none of the group members were to do the walk, so I opted out. It would be weird to walk alone and make them wait for me.
At the end of the day, I was dropped off at my own hotel and the group went separate ways. Again, another notch in the ‘this is not a group safari’ belt. At one point in the evening, Victor resurfaced with the excuse that his phone screen had broken — yet he picked up when the hotel called, but not when I did. His texts later became weird and persistent, to the point that I had to ask him to stop messaging me.
Day 3: On the final day of transport back to Nairobi, I asked repeatedly for a 7am pickup due to my flight. I was told I would be picked up by 8:00 am at the latest. The safari guide from the day stepped in to help and confirmed a 7 am pickup with me that night. After waiting 2 hours, I was picked up after 8:30am by yet another unknown driver in a tiny old car (in Kenyan terms it was a ‘chapchap’). He stated he was late because he had a flat tire, which was not comforting after he stopped in the middle of the journey to fill up again. He also refused to take the expressway to the airport because of the cost — I had to call Nicholas again to intervene. He answered and took care of it.
Throughout the trip, communication was inconsistent or nonexistent. I was told I was getting a “private experience at no extra charge” — but I never asked for that. I wanted the group experience I paid for in a safe safari vehicle.
This experience was emotionally draining, lonely and deeply disappointing. I found them through SafariBookings.com after reading positive reviews and receiving prompt emails. But this company is either completely disorganized or entirely deceptive. It’s real that these small safari companies take your money and agree to a service but they don’t have the manpower. For a once in a lifetime experience, which you fly across the world and pay over a thousand dollars for, this should not be what you are met with.
I recommend that you do not book with Mournic Adventures. It's not nice for anyone — especially solo travelers — to go through what I did.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We feel Scammed, cheated and abandoned
Unfortunately, our experience with Mi Viaje Expedition has been absolutely disappointing and frustrating. After making the payment for the reservation, the agency completely disappeared. They do not answer calls, do not answer messages, and we even believe that they have blocked us. It is evident that they are only interested in money, they do not offer any kind of attention or follow up. We feel abandoned and swindled.
The most painful thing is not only the money lost, but the stolen illusion. We were planning a trip with a lot of excitement, and this agency has left us empty-handed and heartbroken. There is no seriousness, no professionalism, and certainly no reliability.
⚠️ Warning for future travelers based on our experience: Do not trust Mi Viaje Expedition.
Please don't put your money or your dreams at risk. There are many serious and responsible agencies, but this is not one of them.