MY
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely Disappointed – Poor Communication, Unprofessional Conduct, and Lack of Accountability
The overall experience was overshadowed by some issues that should never happen on a trip of this nature.
Unprofessional and Rude Driver: One of the most disturbing incidents happened during our transfer from Nakuru to Amboseli. The driver(Peter) didn't make any stops after 4hour of driving during a 6~8-hour journey. I finally requested to have a stop or toilet break because I personally needed to use the toilet due to a sensitive stomach condition, and instead of understanding, the driver mocked me, saying I wasn’t in "as good condition" as him. This kind of behavior is not only unprofessional but also deeply insensitive. People may have medical conditions that require regular restroom breaks – this is not something to joke about. (Attached is the transport that this driver driving.)
That said, I want to give full credit to one of the drivers, WeekCliff (or a name similar to that), who took us from Nairobi to Maasai Mara and then to Nakuru. He was incredibly professional, friendly, and helpful throughout. His effort and attitude truly stood out and made part of the journey enjoyable.
Irresponsibility Toward Other Travelers: A fellow traveler on our tour had arranged a follow-up trip to Tanzania through this same company. Not only did they stop responding to him after taking payment, but when he arrived in Tanzania, there was no driver waiting, no coordination, and worse – the hotel informed him that the company hadn't paid them or possibly even owed them money. This left him extremely stressed and stranded in a foreign country.
These are not minor oversights – they reflect a lack of professionalism, accountability, and basic respect for customers. I strongly advise others to think twice before booking with this company. A safari is meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but in our case, it was filled with stress and disappointment because of how poorly things were managed.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrible experience! Abandoned in South Africa after full payment
Horrible Experience – Abandoned in South Africa by Southern African Tours
We had a devastating experience with Southern African Tours, run by Craig and Bianca. We began planning our trip with them over a year in advance, starting in September 2024, for our visit in September 2025. Our payment schedule was as follows:
• First deposit: September 2024
• Second payment (local flights): November 2024
• Final payment: June 2025
Initially, communication with Bianca was good — she was responsive and professional until just after our second payment. After that, she became increasingly difficult to reach. Messages and emails often went unanswered for days or even weeks, and she frequently claimed to be “too busy” to talk.
The worst began right before our departure:
• 5 days before the trip, we asked for a group call to finalize the itinerary. She said “Monday,” then ghosted us.
• The day before departure, we urgently requested our pickup and flight information for our trip to Kruger National Park. No response.
• Upon arriving in Johannesburg, we discovered no local flight reservation was made — we had to book and pay out of pocket, on the spot.
• When we got to our first lodge, we were told our reservation had just been made the day before, and they wouldn’t let us stay unless we paid again for the first two nights.
• The next part of our stay was also a disaster — no transportation or accommodations were arranged, and again, we had to make and pay for our own arrangements.
• Later, we flew from Kruger to Cape Town, only to find out no flights had been booked there either. Once again, we covered everything ourselves.
Essentially, they took our full payment and provided none of the agreed-upon services. We were left stranded multiple times and had to rebook everything ourselves.
We read other reviews that mentioned similar issues but were reassured when we saw Southern African Tours respond defensively, blaming customers or claiming miscommunication. Now we know the truth — do not trust the reviews or their responses.
👉 Based on our experience, we strongly advise against using Southern African Tours.
👉 We felt let down by Craig and Bianca and would not recommend dealing with them.
👉 After paying, we felt abandoned and unsupported during our trip.”
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Misleading, validate vehicle
I booked a tour with Valley Rock Tours through Viator based on the beautiful photos and description showing a spacious, comfortable 4*4 Jeep — which seemed perfect for a day of exploring. However, when the tour operator arrived, it was in a small, cramped, and very uncomfortable mint-colored Jeep, definitely NOT a 4x4 that looked nothing like what was advertised.
It was a complete letdown and felt misleading. The vehicle shown online was a big part of why I chose this tour in the first place, so I made the decision to cancel rather than spend hours in discomfort.
I requested a refund and was denied.
If the tour listing had been honest about the actual vehicle used, I wouldn’t have booked. This kind of bait-and-switch is incredibly disappointing and unprofessional.
Nyrsa Zayas
BG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don’t trust Timeline Travel!!! Based on my experience, I felt scammed and completely misled
We visited South Africa in early May. We were a group of 35 people from Bulgaria and we paid Timeline Travel a total of about 81 000 USD, but we didn't get what we paid for. Mr. Andrew Machete turned out to be a brazen liar - he changed the program as he wanted. We didn't visit Chobe National Park in Botswana at all. Andrew did not provide us with a local guide except on the day of arrival. Another absurd discrepancy was the fact that no entrance fees to museums, reserves or natural landmarks were paid in advance as agreed (exepting Kruger National Park and the Apartheid Museum). This was outrageous, especially as Mr.Machete did not answer any of the phone calls, and later, even when he were with us, he kept changing the program and we had to pay the entrance fees. We spent an extra 4400 USD. Andrew repeatedly promised to refund this money, but of course this did not happen. I should also mention the vehicle we traveled in most of the time - the bus was literally falling apart, dirty, no air-condition, no microphone. One day we had to wait two hours for the bus to pick us up from the hotel.
Companies like Timeline Travel should not be allowed to provide tourism services.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Untrustworthy Tour Company – Avoid SDSafaris at All Costs
I had a very disappointing and frustrating experience with SDSafaris. I trusted them with my travel plans, but unfortunately, they completely failed to deliver on what was promised.
The tour I paid for was either never provided or was drastically different from what was advertised.
Communication was poor or nonexistent once issues began to arise.
Despite repeated attempts to resolve the issue, I was ignored or given the runaround.
I ended up losing $3000 and there was no accountability.
I would strongly advise others to avoid this company. It feels like a scam operation. If you're looking for a reliable and professional travel experience, look elsewhere.
FR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Careful Serious Breach of Contract Not Professional at all
I am witting to formally report a serious breach of contract regarding a reservation made through - African Bush Cats. The reservation was made for a Jambo Mara Safari camp fom august 7th to August 9th 2025. I paid 2200 USD For a single and a triple toom in top glass cottages, full board, transportation Go and return + one day game drive.
The Manager was supposed to pick us up on the 7th at 10.30am and no vehicule came pick us. I finally arranged to go by my own with my 3 kids to Jambo Mara safari camp when arrived I realize the full reservation was no paid. This was an extremely serious issue and I consider this situation to be NO professionnal misconduct bordering on fraud. I would like to report to you this information as i don't want other person have the same misadventure. You should not work with this Tour Operator I paid 100% of the amount I negociated and I am still waiting for a refund. I have made report to TPA and TPU, tourism & police regulatory office in Kenya.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
They took our money and didn’t plan anything.
We began planning our 2025 trip to South Africa back in September 2024. Originally scheduled earlier, we had to postpone due to friends in our group becoming new grandparents. Bianca and Craig from Southern African Tours came highly recommended, and at first, they lived up to the praise—responding promptly to inquiries and accommodating the adjustments we made nine months ahead of time.
However, as the trip approached, communication began to falter. We were repeatedly assured that a detailed itinerary, including guide names and reservation numbers, would be provided, but we never received it. One week before departure, we managed to speak with Bianca, who again promised to send the necessary details. Unfortunately, nothing ever arrived.
Despite the lack of information, we remained hopeful that everything had been arranged as promised—after all, we had paid in full for the trip, including accommodations and excursions. That hope quickly vanished upon arrival in South Africa, where we discovered that no internal flight reservations had been made. Even more troubling, our accommodations in Kruger and Cape Town had not been booked or paid for.
This was a devastating realization. I have never experienced anything like this with a business. It feels as though they took our money and disappeared. Although Bianca had assured us she’d be available for support during the trip, she has not responded to any of our group’s calls or messages.
Looking back now, some warning signs were there—particularly Craig’s defensive responses to other reviews, which, in hindsight, should have raised concerns.
We’ve been saving for this trip for a long time, and it’s heartbreaking to see our money mishandled like this. Thankfully, members of our group have stepped up to salvage the experience, and we’ve had the opportunity to meet some truly wonderful people here in South Africa. Sadly, we can’t count Craig and Bianca among them.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beware of This Fraudulent Tour Operator – Avoid at All Costs
We booked an 8-day South Africa luxury trip through Bianca Els and Craig Lucke, and it turned into a nightmare.
Our itinerary included:
• 1 day in Johannesburg
• 4 days in Kruger (Kapama & Ulusaba luxury lodges, 2 nights each)
• 3 days in Cape Town (One&Only hotel)
We paid in full upfront, trusting their promises. Here’s what actually happened:
• Last-Minute Bookings: After weeks of chasing them for confirmations, they finally booked our Johannesburg stay at Four Seasons – but only on the day we arrived.
• No Flight/Resort Confirmations: When we landed in Johannesburg, we repeatedly called Bianca for flight and resort confirmations to head to Kruger. She never responded.
• Excuses & Lies: Craig finally replied saying Bianca had “overdosed,” claimed all bookings were prepaid, and asked us to pay for two nights out of pocket, promising a refund in two days (which never came).
• Nothing Was Paid: When we arrived at Kapama, we discovered the booking had been made just the day before – and nothing was paid for. We then called every other resort and hotel on our itinerary — none were booked.
• False SATSA Membership: Their website claims SATSA membership, but SATSA confirmed their membership is expired.
At this point, it became clear they were running a Ponzi scheme, using client money for other purposes. We essentially paid for their addictions while being stranded.
Adding insult to injury, Craig responds to negative reviews as though they did everything right — a blatant gaslighting tactic.
This experience has completely destroyed our trust in the system and caused massive financial and emotional stress.
Recommendation:
Avoid this couple and their company entirely. Verify memberships directly with SATSA, demand written and prepaid confirmations well before travel, and never transfer large sums upfront without protection.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely Disappointing Experience – Do Not Recommend
We had an awful experience with Explorers Wild Adventures and cannot recommend this company.
The safari vehicle they provided was completely unfit for purpose, which caused us to miss an entire game drive — one of the main reasons we booked this trip. When we raised the issue, the company admitted fault and promised to refund the park fees for the day we lost. Months later, despite repeated follow-ups, we have still not received our refund and they are now ignoring our messages.
A safari is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the lack of professionalism, poor communication, and failure to deliver what was promised ruined what should have been a highlight of our trip to Kenya. There are many reputable operators in Kenya — avoid this one if you want reliability, honesty, and a properly run safari.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Absolute Rip Off
The camps were mostly filthy no hot water dirty matresses ,no toilet paper with staff cooking in kitchens in the camps at night making so much noise one couldn’t sleep.overpriced.
All viewings had so many tourist vans on disgusting roads that it was likely a peak hour expressway