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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They cancelled and kept my deposit!!
They cancelled my 5-day safari a week before it was about planned to start. They still haven't refunded my 30% deposit ($500 USD) and no longer reply to my emails. They told me they have "financial and operational challenges" and have to cancel the safari. That email said they would refund me my deposit, so I gave my details, but they have ignored me since then. If they offer tours in the future, I would NOT recommend them as they could do the same to others in future!!
RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kilipath is a tour operator with terrible organization and logistics
I had a "4-Day Majestic Tarangire - Ngorongoro Crater - Serengeti" trip. I really enjoyed the safari, but it was the driver's doing.
From Kilipath my manager was Prisca and organization was awful.
I would say a lot of things went wrong after sending the prepayment:
1. They didn't send me information about the trip details until the night before the trip. The manager wanted to meet me, but I wasn't in Arusha that time. Then I needed to push her to say me the time of departure. And I received it only at 21:30. And it supposed to be 7:00. It's first when I got stressed.
2. Also that time they said that my tour company was changed to another company as they don't have place in the car (or something like this). That time I started to fell it's a scam.
In reality it was the third company, different one from they mentioned.
3. Next morning I was ready at 7:00, but there wasn't a car. I asked Prisca and she didn't give me anything specific. Only "let me call the driver". And 20 mins later "He is nearly". But in reality driver came at 8:00 and I was the first in the car (so the delay wasn't on other guys in the trip). It was really stressful.
4. The first night when we came to the camp it turned out there is no room for me. First they asked to wait until they finish cleaning the room. But then some other tourist came (from different car) and I was told there is no room in the hotel. They changed my hotel and I had to drive back and forth for dinner and breakfast. And it's all after the day-trip when you are exhausted. A lot of frustration.
5. They mixed our group. In different ways. First - they put in one car tourists with different accommodations. So the second night we were driving through 3 different camps and the same on the third morning (I was the last and the first in dropping and picking up). I saw others' cars - a lot of them were staying just in one camp.
6. Another way they mixed groups - one guy had 3-days tour. And he didn't have that experience that we had on the first day. So he was slowing our group as he needed more time for watching zebras, etc.
Also with us was a guy with a 5-days tour, but he didn't affect my experience.
So only the third night was good - all in one camp, no delays and other disappointments.
It was my real experience with the Kilipath and how things can be. Of course I complained, they sent a lot of sorryS, but it couldn't change my experience at all. And of course they have explanation to every my complain.
HK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Worst nightmare
If you are looking for a tour company for your dream tour in Africa, NOT THIS ONE. Run away!
Only if there was the option of negative stars, this company would deserve 10 of them. Travelling with this company was the most horrifying experience, but trusting his owner John was the worst decision we had in life. He was lying to us till the very end of our tour. Never had I want to go home that badly for any vacation.
My husband and I came for our 12 days honeymoon, paid huge amount of money (50% deposit upon booking with them and 50% upon arrival, totally of $5500 USD per person) for everything inclusive and got the worst nightmare in our lives.
We know for sure we are not underpaying them, but they have not been keeping their promises, not even making sure everything on the itinerary were carried out accordingly.
It was a trip including safari at Kenya, safari at Tanzania and beach holiday in Zanzibar, Kenya.
The trip in Kenya was the first nightmare. The owner John, who was helpful and responsive ONLY ONLINE, turned to this disappearing person that never replied to us when we got here. He outsourced the job in Kenya to a local guide called Rufus, whom had never showed up at all. There was no designated person for our 4 days there, different people were responsible for driving us and bringing us around. They changed our itinerary without prior notice. One day, we left early morning towards the safari from Nairobe Kenya. We were promised lunch on route and afternoon safari game drive once we arrived. But that day, we arrived at 2:30pm to the hotel and didn’t have lunch till then. Itinerary also got changed from an afternoon safari game drive to a village visit which was a complete tourist trap and scam to us. They just found some Masai people on motorcycle and picked us up from the lodge, and told us this is the activity we have for the day.
The next day, we had our game drive at Masai Mara, we had to start late because the driver forgot to order lunch boxes from the Lodge the day before (all the drivers just came and took their lunchboxes and went for the game drive right away). We ended up waiting for 60 mins for lunchboxes to be ready.
At the National Park Gate, there were also some ticketing issues which made us wait for another 30 mins for entrance, which was not seen in the other jeeps. The worst was yet to come, Rufus hired a shabby car to drive us 5 hours to the Tanzania border, very terrible condition of the car and very poor road condition. We got stopped by the rangers at the park gate, and even got pulled over by the police because it was an illegal car for driving passengers.
Luckily, the experience in Serengeti National Parks in Tanzania was good, because John happened to have outsourced the work to a responsible and helpful guide called Michael.
Just as we thought the nightmare in Kenya was going to be over. John threw us a surprise again. Right at the time we boarded the plane to Zanzibar from Arusha, John sent us a hand written letter saying he could not pay for our trip at Zanzibar because his staff made a calculation mistake, and requested a top up of $1000 USD per person in order for him to complete our tour in Zanzibar. That was already the 8th day since we have settled out final payment, this whole calculation thing should not have heppened if he had booked everything for us as soon the payment was received. Therefore, we did not believe him. We didn't pay him, and the nighmare extended till the end of our trip.
These are what happened in Zanzibar:
1. He did not arrange transport for us from the airport to the hotel, so we were left stranded and helpless at the airport at 8:30pm at night.
2. He did not even book the hotel for us that night until our guide in Tanzania Michael helped us to call him. But when we arrived at the hotel, the hotel staff actually asked us to pay the hotel by ourselves. We refused and after negotiation with John, he finally agreed to pay the next day
3. We had to keep asking him for confirmation on the activities written on the itinerary. Eventually, there were 2 days of activities and 1 night of hotel not booked and not paid by him, which include 2 scuba dives ($120 per person), 1 snorkelling tour with dolphins (~$40 USD per person, and 1 night of hotel stay ($230 USD),
4. We had to pay by ourselves the diving we had, which was $250 for 2 persons, and paid $230 for 1 night at the hotel because he stopped replying to our messages. He made a lot of promises, but never came to fulfil them.
We have proof and receipts of everything we had to pay on our own. And we have pictures of his hand written letter.
From our experience this is the worst company you could get, terrible management, untrustworthy and dishonest owner, and all together made our nightmare.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Worst experience Zambezi cruise
I booked a zembezi cruise 2 days ago
Very bad experience they made wait at the office
Then they took us to pick up other client
We finally arrive at the cruise site we found a very old boat very dirty the service was peanut and water we didn’t see anything thank God for the sunset.
Worst experience ever ever not recommend to anyone.