GR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unnaceptable and Offensive behavior
We hoped that after our extensive and detailed communication, everything would be as we accepted with «akondo adventures».
Despite the fact that we had no experience from safari when we chosen a 3-day vacation during our zanzibar holiday, given that there were many other travel organizations in the same areas, we easily understand that our vehicle was not in a very good condition for comfort on off-road roads.
However, by the second day, this problem was overcome thanks to our guide, athoos, who deserves our thanks, as he was knowledgeable of the environment and the opportunities for miracles at every point, plus he was extremely kind and voluntary.
However, on the 2nd day, at the end of our trip, and while the guide was taking us to our hotel (mawe mawe manyara lodge), we accidentally realized that it was not the one we had approved and booked!
We asked Innocent to contact the manager asap. The answer he gave us was that our hotel was overbooked at the last minute and they would transfer us to another.
When we moved to the new hotel, depressed and absolutely angry, we realized that this had nothing to do with the quality, location and services of what was agreed and paid in full 5 months ago.
The manager refused to answer our continuous phone calls and told their guide that he didn't want to talk to us!
So without having any other solution we were forced to stay with what he offered us...
The next day, at the airport for our return, the manager appeared spontaneously, apologized and proposed a refund of our accommodation in order to avoid a bad rating!
We asked his request to be put in writing. in his written response, we were surprised to read that he falsely claimed that the change happened the previous time (the guide had printed out the day's program in the morning...), that he mistake did not inform us as he should have..., and that the refund amount he intended to pay was not even 10% of the total cost of the 3-day safari.
His unacceptable and offensive behavior was worse than the fraud we were endured to.
We suggest that every interested tourist enterprise include penalty clauses in every agreement with the agreeing companies and certainly not to proceed to a full advance payment of 100% of the value.
CA
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not communicating the facts.
After booking a 7 day Safari, i found out that day 1 of 7 only consists of checking in to your hotel although the itinerary clearly states that your adventure will begin after meeting the team. No team was ever met. Day 2 was no adventure either. After driving about 75 kms, we had breakfast then i was passed off to another tour company altogether. Day 3 and 4 were fine, but when it came to organizing my balloon trip, the driver new nothing about it. I had to text Jambo Masai Tours and connect them with the driver. After that, things did not get better. On the 5th day, my guide was returning to Arusha with all guests. I informed him that my Safari was for 7 days, not 5. He arranged for me to be transferred to another company, but by then, i was completely fed up an cut my Safari short by 2 days. I concidered requesting a refund, but i didnt want anything more to do with Jambo Masai tours.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our holiday of a lifetime ruined by the lies and deceit of Africa Marvel.
The twelve day Safari of Kenya and Tanzania was marred with delays, a feeling of being held “hostage” at each junction of the trip until accommodation and game parks were paid; sometimes by Marvel after much pressure being applied, and from us (for a second time!) to ensure that we did experience some of what was promised to us in our itinerary.
Our family group and friends, totalling 11 people, had paid in full and in good faith that the services would be provided as booked.
It was evident that Marvel was stringing us along financially and emotionally, promising us a
refund of the services not rendered, totalling USD30,000.
Not one cent of that huge amount of money, that our group could ill afford, has been paid back. We are still waiting!
Cutting short the safari as once again the accommodation and park fees were not paid for, we returned to Nairobi early.
Even more bad news as the Rwanda 4 Day Tour to experience the Gorillas and the Golden Monkeys for the 6 of us an absolute once in a lifetime “bucket list “ paid to Marvel was NEVER booked at all. When pressed further about this tour he admitted the day before that he had done nothing. We were devastated! It was clearly fraud!
The emotional and financial stress, the uncertainty and betrayal is the key element I have taken from dealing with this company.
We thought we did our due diligence in going with this company, but that proved to be an absolute nightmare on so many levels.
Be so aware!
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beware beware beware, never again
In a group of 11 and we all paid in full for a Safari holiday to African Marvel. Expecting a holiday to remember but what we got was their management not paying hotels, lodges and park fees and we lost big chunks of time where we should have been viewing Kenya and Tanzania wonders. What we got was hours waiting at park entries, or in hotels not being able to leave because the bill wasn't paid by African Marvel. Tourism is very important for Kenya and Tanzania but this experience has left a bad feeling and we have told family and friends our experiences, a nightmare of failed promises by management. That said the guides were amazing, hotels, lodges, food were also amazing. Even the guides weren't getting paid and relied on our daily tips to survive. So based on my experience, do not use this company, find a company that you can trust. Yes we paid in full but that doesn't guarantee a flowing, wonderful holiday with beautiful countries, animals and locals. Find a financial operator that does put your money into your holiday. Beware, please beware.
Update, now been over 3 weeks and no promised money has been transferred from African Marvel to our group. All words and clearly no action or no care!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
In my experience, I felt deceived and misled by this company.
Our 12 day tour had some highlights (mostly the animals), but many lowlights including non payment for accommodation and park fees and extensive delays at border crossings.
We had paid in full for our 12 day tour prior to departure, but continually had problems with accommodation and park entry due to non payment by Africa Marvel. Every time I called them while on tour to find out the problem, the owner was at the bank trying to arrange finance to keep our tour running. It seems all the money we had paid was being used to keep the business afloat, and not provide the tours we paid for. Even our 4 day tour to Rwanda to see the gorillas was cancelled the NIGHT before we were due to leave, despite promises made during the previous week all was on track. It was finally admitted by Africa Marvel that they never made ANY of the bookings for this tour, despite taking our full payment. Everything they have been telling us was a lie - they have been behaving criminally and should be put out of business before they can take other peoples money.
Of course, they have promised (many times) to repay all monies owed to our group, but deadlines have come and gone, and they have made no real effort to repay, and we don't hold out any hope of seeing our money.
Do yourself a favour and steer clear of them.
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I felt scammed
We felt scammed. The conditions we paid for weren't what they offered us. Water wasn't free, and the car wasn't the same as in the photos (it was broken all over). The guide spoke only the bare minimum and didn't offer us water during the safari. He even deigned to tell us his name at the end so we could write a review. He arrived over an hour late for one of the excursions, and there wasn't even an apology. You're always hungry at mealtimes; a sandwich and that's it. Their solution? None. They don't answer any of our messages.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Worst tour experience ever
The experience with Thierry was probably the worst tour experience we ever had. He was a cheap, greedy, salesman that only cared about getting more money out of us, regardless of the consequences. Our car kept falling apart, we got stuck for hours in the middle of nowhere multiple times and he refused to change or fix our car. He booked the cheapest most disgusting local guides and hotels for us that got us constantly sick. And the worst part was that his driver stole 600$ from us during the trip. Overall it was the worst experience ever. We will never go back to Madagascar and we don't recommend anyone to do so.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unreliable !
A tour group of 11 adults, we paid the full cost of a 12 days safari in Kenya and Tanzania. We had great tour guides and accommodation BUT, we waited for hours at the Tanzanian Border, there were no drivers to meet us. Our park fees for Serengeti had not been paid, more extensive delays until finally they were paid by a member of our tour group. We then found our Accommodation and Park Fees had not been paid in other locations. Despite frequent phone calls and many promises no payments were made without delays and pressure. We had to abandon our tour and return to Nairobi. We have had promises of refunds for our additional expenses, but so far no refunds have come from Africa Marvel.
IN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Felt Cheated by Geco Safaris
We felt cheated and misled. Be very cautious when dealing with this company and with Alfa
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Good Safari, Broken Promises
Positives – The safari days were great with good guides and good animal viewing.
Negatives – Those days were cut short, the itinerary was changed without communication (hotels and locations), we were left stranded in the middle of the trip and eventually more money was demanded, many activities missed.
We had read a 2024 review on Trip Advisor, and hoped it was a one off and gave grace that the operator may have learned from then. Reading the other recent reviews, there is a clear pattern. The most concerning was the lack of communication once we arrived in Africa. They changed the itinerary and accommodations without communication in advance and without response during the trip. The tour operator eventually communicated that they underbid the trip and knowingly let us embark on a trip they could not fully pay for, despite us paying them in full for the quoted itinerary. Without our guides advocating for us and our own advocacy, it's unclear what would have happened. As it was, we spent significant additional money to get ourselves through this trip which did not match our promised itinerary. This trip was no small expense for us, and was a celebration of milestone birthdays, a milestone anniversary, and a bucket list trip when life has reminded us it is short many times recently. The substantial disruptions to our trip and itinerary, in our opinion, the unprofessional nature in which this operator handled things, the lack of communication, and resulting stress overshadowed the positives of the trip.
The operator says they will reimburse us the added expenses. We will update this review and star rating if that occurs.