BR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Look elsewhere for your safari needs.
Do NOT recommend - Book your safari elsewhere
I've recently completed a 5-day safari with guide Richard from Mashindiko Adventure and I cannot recommend them. While the landscapes and wildlife in Tanzania were incredible, the logistical and behavioral issues with the staff made the experience stressful and, at times, genuinely frightening.
The Good
The safari itself was a memorable experience, and the natural beauty of the region was stunning. Great animal sightings, including leopards. The guide explained a lot of things, but we needed to ask most of the time since he was not proactive. We had no car issues besides the refrigerator, which was broken.
The Bad
The problems began almost immediately and escalated significantly toward the end of the trip.
Inadequate Itinerary & Guide: Guide kept trying to make changes to the safari plan without talking to us. On the 4th day, what was advertised as a full-day tour in Ngorongoro Crater was cut short to a half-day (we left at midday when the plan stated we should have stayed in the crater until 3pm). When we contacted the operator to complain, they said that this was the guide's fault for rushing, which felt like an unsatisfactory explanation for a service we paid for and no compensation was provided or suggested.
Space: The car was very packed and we had almost no space to move as we had a full car of 6 tourists + guide + cook. On top of the 8 passengers and their bags, we had to carry all camping and food gear inside the car, which makes it very packed and uncomfortable. Not having an auxiliary car also meant loosing game drive time to pack the car on camping days.
Food Issues: The quantity of food provided was consistently insufficient. My dietary restriction of no fish was ignored, and the protein portions were too small for our group of six (or eight during lunch). On the last day, we were told there was no more meat, which is unacceptable given the price paid and the fact that staff had been in town earlier that day. The car refrigerator was broken, so most of the time no cold drinks. Also, no wine was provided, despite the prospect saying that there would be.
Hostile Staff & Safety Concerns: The most disturbing events revolved around the staff's behavior. On the final day, the cook uncomfortably demanded a tip, physically blocking our departure until we paid him. Later, the driver became extremely angry when he learned we would not be tipping due to the poor service. He stopped the car on the highway, screamed, drove erratically, and attempted to drop us off at an unapproved location with a different driver. His refusal to contact our operator and his aggressive tone made us fear for our safety. At some point we even thought he was scheming some kind of kidnap and we had to involve gas station security to ensure we were not being put in a dangerous position. Thankfully at the end we met our airport transfer that was able to finally get in touch with our office and take us away safely.
Conclusion
The unprofessional and hostile behavior of the staff, particularly the guide, was a major concern. The experience turned from a safari into a frightening ordeal, and it is a situation no traveler should ever have to face. My group and I were left feeling unsafe and neglected by the company.
AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Completely disorganised
I booked a 4 day safari through Mariam from Sipolio for 28/7 to 31/7. Everything went well during the booking process where I had to pay the money.
Then this is what happened:
• I was sent a contact for a driver who was supposed to pick us up at the airport. It was the wrong contact and someone else picked us up.
• Sideways tours sent a small 4 door car to pick up a family of 4? Why wasn’t a larger vehicle sent? The driver had to order a second car to take the rest of the luggage.
• When we met the safari driver it wasn’t the driver mentioned in the email
• When I asked the driver to check our bags there were only 3 bags in the safari car. The driver of the second car from the airport drove away with our 4th bag! He didn’t even get out of his car to check before he left.
• The safari driver wasn’t told which hotels we were going to and we had to tell him
• It wasn’t clear to him even if more people were coming on the trip with us. We waited and then he was told there would be another 2 people. He was then told there would be another person.
• He wasn’t told which hotels they were going to either.
• When we arrived at our hotel at 3pm in the afternoon, it was deserted and had obviously closed for many months. How could you book us into a hotel that was closed?????
• I called Mariam several times, but she never answered the phone. I emailed her but she didn’t answer the email. She only responded the next day at 7pm!!!!!!
• I then tried to call Sideways Tours who were responsible for the driver. Our "customer service manager" contact didnt answer the phone. I spoke to another who was very unhelpful and told me how it wasn’t the problem of Sideways Tours and there was nothing she could do. When I said I wanted to speak to the manager, she said he wasn’t available. He was “at home”. She refused to contact him or let me speak to him. Even better, then she hung up the phone.
• I was sent an email saying “Our transport manager is called Eric who is available on WhatsApp on +254717723305.” Why do you even bother sending this message if he is not available? Why do you write “Customer Success” in your emails?
• Our driver made several calls and eventually spoke to a lady called Susan from Mamu Tours who started to help us. She said that Sipolio is a sister company of Mamu Tours.
• She eventually found one small room for us in another hotel. We really appreciate that due to the urgency of the situation, but we booked 1 double and 1 twin room!
• I have to mention here that the driver did a great job solving all the problems throughout the trip and without him it would have been a mess.
You can make your own decision about whether you use this company.......
CZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Avoid This Company – Lost €2,153 Due to Their Negligence
We booked our wedding safari with this company and had extensive communication — over 10 emails exchanged using their official email address — where we agreed on all the trip details. After everything was confirmed, we received a request for a 50% deposit, again from their same official email. Trusting this, we sent €2,153 to the account details provided.
Some time later, we received an email from telling us to contact them via WhatsApp. We then heard from them on WhatsApp, where they told us their email had been hacked. I have proof email regarding payment request, and WhatsApp communication confirming these facts.
During later discussions, instead of showing any regret or empathy, they told us it was our fault for sending the money — even though they admitted their own systems had been compromised. To make things even worse, they then demanded we pay the full price again — even higher than the previously agreed price — claiming that the lower price had not been agreed by them and that the “real” price is higher.
This is especially outrageous because this was meant to be part of the most important day of our lives — our wedding — and their attitude has completely ruined the experience before it even began.
Recommendation:
For your own safety and peace of mind, avoid this company at all costs. We lost our money, and instead of helping us find a fair solution, they blamed us, refused responsibility, and tried to charge us even more.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The tour is fraud
I experienced the same fraud as the below reviewer- including having a signed confession of fraud from him for several thousand dollars and him being arrested during our tour, he did not pay any money back.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We were almost scammed out of $1,600
⚠️ WARNING – Do Not Book with Natural World Kenya Safaris!
We were nearly scammed out of $1,600 by this company. Please read other recent TripAdvisor reviews — our experience is not unique.
We booked and paid in full (online, by credit card) for an all-inclusive Lakes Nakuru & Naivasha Day Safari Tour for six people. The package included breakfast, lunch, three park entrance fees, a boat tour, and a walking tour. I coordinated with Ezra from their office, and Dikdik was assigned as our guide.
The day started well:
• Hotel pickup in Nairobi was on time.
• Our guide was friendly, talkative, and knowledgeable during the drive.
Red flags began two hours into the trip:
• We still hadn’t stopped for the promised “breakfast along the way.” When we mentioned it, our guide paid for breakfast out of his own pocket but said he was “unaware of the itinerary.”
Lake Nakuru was beautiful, and we enjoyed a great game drive thanks to our guide’s skill in spotting wildlife.
Then the problems began:
• On the way to Lake Naivasha, the guide asked for payment again, claiming Ezra told him we would pay in cash.
• He said he had used his own money for gas, breakfast, and Nakuru park fees but couldn’t pay for the rest.
• When I explained I’d already paid online, he insisted Ezra hadn’t given him the money.
• I called Ezra during the confrontation — he claimed payment would “show up in two days,” even though credit card payments are instant.
• This turned into shouting, finger-pointing, and accusations between the guide and the office.
From that point:
• The company stopped responding to all my messages. No apology, no explanation, no reimbursement.
• The guide pushed us to continue the safari and “pay as we went,” which we refused. We asked to return to Nairobi as we were afraid of being stranded.
What we paid for vs. what we got:
• Paid for: breakfast, lunch, boat tour, walking tour, three park entries.
• Got: one park entry, no lunch, no boat or walking tour, and an incredibly stressful experience.
While driving back, we checked other reviews and found multiple travelers describing this exact scam — same company, same guide, same story — and some lost even more money than we did.
Bottom line: This company is unreliable, unprofessional, and in our experience, dishonest. Save yourself the stress and book directly with reputable local drivers or a different company.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dont' recommend
We just returned from a trip organized through an agency in Spain with local guides from Akilanga, and I have to say it was disastrous due to the organization. We had buses of 50 people, and the guides were very unfriendly, especially in Johannesburg, and were not very helpful or helpful. For excursions, you had to get up early and spend an hour and a half picking up other guests from hotels, and the same thing happened on the way back, with the resulting waste of time. Furthermore, the excursions are very expensive for group trips. I was traveling with my family, and on one of them, my son didn't have a seat and had to sit in the guide's seat.
The tours are from the bus, leaving little time to take photos or explore.
I don't recommend it at all. It's much better, both for personalized attention, in smaller groups, and cheaper to book local excursions.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They Don’t Deliver What They Promise, Constant Lies, No Refund
We booked a 4-day midrange honeymoon safari with Suricata Safaris. What we got: reversed itinerary without notice, exhausting drives to meet the itinerary of people that was doing a 3 day safari with us, downgraded lodges that were not lodges almost 2 hours outside the parks, and a schedule cut short to match other guests. Multiple times we were moved to much worst accommodation with no warning.
The worst part: the lying. At the end, they apologized, promised compensation, and assured us a refund for 1 of the 4 days. Their own messages tell the story:
“Please accept our sincere apologies for the issues you experienced during your 4-day safari. We’re truly sorry to hear that your trip—especially such a special occasion as your honeymoon—fell short of expectations in several key areas.”
"This is not the kind of experience we aim to deliver, and we regret that you were not informed of the changes in advance.”
"Your refund has been successfully initiated. Please allow up to 24 hours."
"Please share your bank details" (after claiming it was sent).
"I’ll send the bank slip shortly" — which never existed.
No refund ever arrived. Just lie after lie. Trying to sort it out through our bank now.
We understand sometimes things can be a bit unpredictable and changes might occur, but we don't accept the continuous trickery. Drivers and guides are good, but Suricata’s logistics and dishonesty ruin everything. If we’d known, we’d have booked elsewhere.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Warning from my experience I recommennd you avoid Kipok Africa Adventures and Amani
In July 2024, I received a quote from Kipok Africa Adventures and paid a USD 2,000 deposit. Amani, the owner, assured me that all lodges for our July 2025 safari would be booked.
However, in December 2024, after seeing several negative reviews appear for the company, I contacted the lodges directly. Every single one confirmed there was no booking under my name or the company’s name. When I questioned Amani, he gave multiple excuses and then started requesting additional “government” payments in advance — despite our written agreement that the balance would be paid closer to the trip. I researched the “government” reason he gave and found it was completely false.
As we were travelling during peak season, I told him we had lost trust in the company and requested a refund on December 19, 2024. He asked for 90 days. The 90 days passed with no refund. After more than 40 follow-up messages, he eventually refunded USD 1,100 — but USD 900 is still outstanding, and he has now stopped communicating entirely.
From what I have learned, Amani is essentially a freelance jeep driver who has set up his own company and is scamming unsuspecting travellers.
I recommend that you do not book with Kipok Africa Adventures. You risk losing your money and having your holiday ruined. If you are ever on safari with another company and he arrives to pick you up, call your tour operator immediately and refuse to travel with him. He will find every possible way to get to your wallet.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Beautiful contry lack of services, expensive, corrupted
Be prepared if you intend to go in Tanzania, in terms of services its very poor, and it has got the higher costs in between South Africa and Kenia safari whom are much more organized affordable, better food, better transportation.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I believe that we have been scammed by this organization
We booked a full organized trip for 12 days to Rwanda and Hodari only arranged the first 3 days!! We had to pay for the hotels and they also cut the 12 days. Samuel, CEO, promised us to refund us for the payments of the hotels but we're still waiting. We have been fooled by Hodari Group.