20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Swindled by this company--avoid!
I was slated to do a 4-day trip to Nogorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara with this company back in October 2015. A day after I made the payment in full ($410) via M-PESA, I was informed by a company representative that the safari was canceled because the company director (Kristen Hubert) had had a serious accident on her way to Diani. Completely understandable, and I asked them not to rush with my refund, given the circumstances involved.
Fast forward to November: the company director's husband (Georgette Hubert) gets in touch with me and tells me that he will make a refund ASAP. However, since November 19, I have heard nothing from him, in spite of several reminders. Since I did not wish to be insensitive, I was patient, realizing that there could have been medical complications associated with Kristen's accident. However, intriguingly, since then, the company has continued advertising for safaris on their Facebook page (since then taken down) and has actually organized safaris for clients, as vouched by one of their recent clients with whom I have been in touch. To me, this reeks of corruption and hints rather strongly that I have been swindled of my money, as they are quite obviously flat-out ignoring my emails and Facebook messages. Considering that we are now in April, I do not envision receiving my money back again. That being said, I wanted to post this cautionary message, so that other travelers are not swindled by this company.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beware of this provider's rip off methods
Let's talk about the positive aspects first: The driver was nice and had practical knowledge of most animals and plants we were passing by. I sometimes wished he was a little more involved with us and our Safari rather than "doing business" on his mobile phone. So we did see all the animals we were expecting to see and also learned their names...
However I would not recommend booking any tour with this provider (Experience Kenya aka Bianka Investment aka Eric Nyankanga). Eric tried to rip us off several times and in the end he succeeded. Here's the story:
1.) Although the tours here on SafariBookings include "All Taxes/VAT", our first quote had the VAT listed on top of the initial price.
2.) After having booked and payed, one lodge (for two nights) was changed into a cheaper one (e.g. not having 24/7 electricity). The reason given was that the initially booked lodge could not cater vegetarian food, which is hard to believe since you get veggy meals everywhere in Kenya).
3.) "Park fees" listed as included on this site were silently removed in the quote, where these fees - according to Eric - are under "Any other item not mentioned". This did cost us additional 800 USD.
Conclusion: Pay a little bit more for your tour and avoid being screwed. We did so on our second Safari one week later and the experience was completely different.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Failed to Deliver what was Promised
I highly recommend not using Pega Tours. They take no pride in making your experience memorable. The driver was 3 hours late picking me up and then proceeded to rush me through the whole experience. (Even after the trip I waited an hour and a half to get picked up for Nakuru) After speaking with management about my problems, they proceeded to tell me I should have received 15 hours inside the park, but I was only in there for less than 10 hours. The boss refused to apologize and offered no compensation because the other customer "had no problems". He then lied to me that he wasn't the boss and the boss was "on holiday" even though he was right there in the room. Pega could care less about customer satisfaction; therefore I do not recommend!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Choose ANY other company!
The guide Simon is a tourist who moved to South Africa to do tours and it shows in his arrogant, opinionated, disrespect of the South African people (he made fun of the way they talk), disrespect of the animals (he was gleeful at the thought of witnessing a kill in stark contrast to how the local guides respectfully handled the same situation and he even defended poaching saying "poachers are just people trying to feed their families") and his disrespectful comments about americans which he repeatedly made. Kruger National Park was amazing, the South African people were wonderful-- do the tour, just do it with ANY company but this one!
Don't Use David Kiango!
David Daud Kaingo, you asked me to write you a review……here it is!
I have been waiting 2 months (2 credit card billing cycles), to write this review. I will not mince my words, just, DO NOT USE this crook. David (Daud) Kiango has no intention of helping you to book a hassle free trip. To make a long story short, he quoted me a rate, including lodging in 2 different locations, and private charter flights between locations…..and in the end, I was made to pay twice more, above the quoted rate. He was cordial and prompt at first, while initiating discussion, trip planning and rates. But, once I paid for the trip, communication was pretty much non-existent. He urged me to pay via bank transfer, but, for my security, I opted to pay the higher fees in order to have the insurance backing of my credit card company. I was later to learn, that was a very good investment on my part!
I was planning this trip, only one month before our travel date. Normally, I book all travel by myself. But, with time constraints and little knowledge of travel in Tanzania, I decided that I should use the assistance of an agent. My bad, and so unusual for me, I did not research well. There are only a few reviews of this David Kiango, a couple good, a couple minorly bad. I want to change that, along with a more recent review that was posted just before mine. Just move on, do not consider using him!
After a few days of correspondence, I booked and paid for our trip, on 11/10/16, for a trip to take place on 12/15/16. After I paid, I heard very little from David Kiango. He strung me along, saying he was waiting for my payment to be processed. That I should be patient. That funds would be disbursed for hotels and flights, and then he would send me vouchers. I sent many emails, asking for confirmation and trip vouchers. Finally, I heard from him 5 days before we were to embark upon our vacation. It was not the email I was expecting to see….. He said that the flight charter company changed their rates, and I would have to pay more. Not just a little more, but, A LOT more. 5 days before our trip, what was I supposed to do?! I paid again, with the knowledge that I would have to contact my CC company after the trip, in attempt to get my money back. Incredibly, though, this is not the end!
I contacted both of the lodges before our departure. Our safari lodge, the first stop, assured us that they were indeed expecting us, and incidentally, Kiango, just days earlier asked them to book our flights. WHAT?! Well, ok, they assured me everything would be ok. I never again contacted Kiango regarding logistics of the trip. We were picked up by an agent of the hotel, brought to our charter flight, and off to our Safari lodge. Everything was great…… until our last night at the lodge. Apologetically, the manager approached us and told us that Kiango still had not disbursed the balance of funds for our charter flights! The hotel had tried to resolve the situation quietly, while we were there, but, to no avail. You have got to be kidding me!!! ……we had to pay yet again.
What more can I say. Do not take the risk, do not use this crook, also known as:
David Daud Kiango
Kaingo Adventure Safaris
Tanzania Safaris
Zanzibar Travel Holidays Online Shop
ZanzibarMagic
Botanic Country Resort
Made In Tanzania Safaris
DaudKiango.com
I am lucky, I came home from our trip (which actually turned out to be great, despite paying 3 times for our flights), disputed the flight payments made to Kiango, with my CC company, and got that money back. Just trying to save you all from the hassles……don’t use him!
65+ years of age
Trek to Kilimanjaro;change of plans; poor decisions;no real interest in clients;unsatisfactory; bad
Not what expected; "ladies group"? I was told on the day "just you" but luckily one more lady otherwise me at 75 and 7 or 8 local men. Route changed for doubtful reason . Staying at Kibo Hut for 2 cold nights a bad decision. No breakfast and a few dry biscuits, peanuts after a 5 hour climb, starting at 5am. Should have been 4 am but guides overslept. Could have reached final summit easily with a good group. Physically fit, no altitude problems just terribly hungry. I am quite small. A fuss at the hotel over security of items left "in Storage". A plan to drive 2 more hours was changed by me. Trauma in Arusha when Tony attacked a man.
RU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terribly
Cheating at every step. 1 liter of water for two persons for 4 days safari!!!! Calls Eric did not help. We had to buy in the budget camp. In the car was 9 persons instead of 6. 9 !!! The car is very very old and dirty. We did not see a leopard, the driver did not stop when we passed monkeys and other animals. view time was on his way. The food was just disgusting. Pancakes and beans. National park covered with roads, animals, even pity.
In Nakuru are pile of garbage along the lake. It's shame for the National Park.
There is no transfer back to the airport. Avoid this operator.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Awful experience, use this company at your peril.
I was on the same tour as Eric, so there is little I can add, simply reinforce the truth of what Eric has written. I have never had such a stressful holiday in my life...
I have never been in the position before where I felt it was necessary to contact my Embassy (Irish). Frances, from the Embassy was very helpful; sourcing flight information - the day before we were due to leave Uganda – as Clement had not sent us any details. We did not receive flight confirmation info from Clement until 00:30 the day of our flight. This added additional stress to an already very stressful trip. Sunrise Eco Tours is an extremely badly organised company with an owner, Clement Kanamugire, who has no qualms about lying to his customers, and taking their money under false pretences. Various members of our group spoke to him on the phone during the trip (this is why we are sure of the lies), and he took our money and didn’t book activities, chimpanzee trek in Uganda, rhino sanctuary visit, failure to pay hotel bills. He did ofer compensation on our return home (nearly two months ago), to date, this has not arrived.
20-35 years of age
Disappointing, Scary and terrible service
I did a very disappointing 6 day trekking trip with Kapolondo. I was told i would be trekking Rongai route and will be doing camping at nights. But after landing in Tanzania, Tony the owner of the tour tells me that route is changed its marangu and no camping we will be staying in huts. I was shocked! After arranging everything and paying money upfront, they changed the plans without even consulting me. He also asked for a 250 dollar for porter tips when i confronted that since we are using tents and not camping he said i am mistaken and he meant 250,000 shillings.
The guide failed to wake up on the day of the summit and didnt give us any food when we started. We have good reason in believing that he was drunk most of the time. On reaching back, my climbing partner had to witness Tony beating and punching a guide who was just talking to her.
Couple of other people like our assistant guide david and another guide Mike was who assisted us with airport transfer and Arusha town sightseeing was really good. But on the whole the trip was just disappointing.
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Authentic Rip-off
I was promised 3 days of Walking Safari with "Camping in Comfort" in Ruaha N.Park. These "experts" didn't know that standard procedure this time of year is to close all walking trails due to high grass - so no walking. As for comfort - I had more in the army; of course the location was great and so on - it is Ruaha after all, no credit to Authentic. Food was barely OK, portions miserly. Equipment shoddy, badly maintained. You would do a lot better going fly-camping with a local company for a fraction of the price.
Bottom line : these guys are only after money, a disgrace to the safari business