35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
My experience with Kaky Travel has been nothing short of appalling.
My experience with Kaky Travel has been nothing short of appalling.
What started as a professional engagement ended with an outstanding payment dispute, unsupported allegations being thrown at me, and, rather than having the decency to sit down and resolve the matter professionally, Peter chose the easiest route available to him: block me across platforms.
That tells you quite a lot about how this business handles difficult conversations.
I have no problem with someone deciding not to continue working with me. Businesses and relationships don't always work out. What I find unacceptable is refusing to honour payment for work already completed, then attempting to shift the conversation by making allegations that have not been substantiated, and finally blocking the person asking for accountability.
A business can advertise beautiful destinations, luxury experiences and unforgettable adventures, but none of that means much if basic professionalism disappears the moment there is a disagreement.
My experience with Kaky Travel has left me with one very simple conclusion: Choose your travel partner carefully, and pay attention to how they treat people when things don't go according to plan.
I would not recommend Kaky Travel based on my experience.
CH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Broken Promises and Unreliable Vehicles
We booked a 9-day family safari in Tanzania with African Scenic Safaris for a party of four, and unfortunately, it turned into a deeply frustrating experience. I strongly advise future travelers to look elsewhere.
Our problems began on day one:
Subpar Vehicle Condition: The jeep provided was in terrible shape. The interior was dirty, smelled bad, the refrigerator did not work, and there was no air conditioning. We initially let this slide, assuming it was just standard for rugged safari conditions.
Major Breakdown & Lying: After a few days, the jeep completely broke down due to a failed suspension and cardanic joint. When we requested a replacement, we were subjected to endless deception. Over a span of more than 24 hours, the company promised us a new vehicle at least four times—each time flat-out lying by claiming it would arrive in "a few hours." We were left stranded and waiting instead of enjoying our vacation, and only received the replacement jeep for the very tail end of our trip.
Unprofessional Departure: To top it all off, on our final day, the driver scheduled to take us to the airport arrived 45 minutes late and didn't even bother to offer an apology for the delay.
A safari is a major investment of both time and money, and basic reliability, honesty, and safety should be guaranteed. African Scenic Safaris failed on all fronts. Avoid this company.
IL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The company and the manager were completely unreachable throughout the trip
We want to share a negative review about the company and guide we were with over the past week and a half.
We booked with Team Guide Africa (T.G.A) through Michael, the manager.
We closed a deal for 5 days of safari + 3 days of tours in the Arusha and Moshi area, including kosher accommodation and food.
In short:
During the safari, Michael himself was with us for 2 days. On one of those days he was mostly on the phone and didn’t really guide us.
We had to arrange the food ourselves throughout the entire trip.
After the safari we were on our own for Friday and Saturday. The company was completely unavailable and didn’t reply to our messages about the plan for Sunday and onward.
On Sunday they arrived 3 hours late with a "guide" who told us he wasn’t actually a guide and spent the ride working on his laptop. We only did a 2-hour activity instead of a full day.
That night we stayed in a completely different place than what we booked, and there was literally no water in the shower. When we raised this, he told us we were being "spoiled".
Day 2 went fine. We went to a hotel in Arusha, and on Tuesday morning we got a call from reception saying we needed to pay for the hotel because the company hadn’t settled the bill.
Right after that, the guide showed up alone with no car and no driver and expected us to figure it out. Of course he kept saying "the driver is on his way" - we waited almost 2 hours.
We called Michael and he just hung up on us and left us there with a $220 hotel debt to pay.
To sum up:
We came to this company and this guy through recommendations and it seems other people had a good experience with him. But if someone behaves like this even once, they’ll probably do it again.
Please be careful.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amateurs
We really had an unpleasant experience with this agency
In particular:
* Extra rooms booked: at every accommodation, an additional room was booked and paid for even though it was not necessary, resulting in an unjustified increase in the total price we paid.
* Downgrade at Saltlick: we had specifically requested to stay at Saltlick Lodge, but we were instead accommodated at Taita Hills, which is a lower-category and less expensive property than the one we had agreed upon.
* Night game drive: the night game drive was almost cancelled because the required payment to the park had not been made by your agency. We therefore risked missing an activity that was part of the agreed itinerary and paid by us in advance
* Morning game drives: the quotation clearly included a game drive every morning, but this activity was not provided on approximately 2 out of the 3 mornings planned.
* Lack of assistance: the assistance provided by agency throughout the trip was essentially non-existent. When these issues arose, we did not receive the support or assistance we would reasonably expect from the agency responsible for organizing our trip.
We believe that, taken together, these issues significantly affected our experience and that the services provided did not match what had been agreed and paid for.
We did not receive any response, nor an apology for the problems encountered, and, above all, an appropriate refund, taking into account both the services we paid for but did not receive and the differences between what was agreed and what was actually provided.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stress, Anxiety
#Update# we received our refund $300 after just a 3 days!
Sad to say that we were also forced or more like a threatening to pay for the park entrance. All were of course had been paid in advance. NWKS caused us alot of anxiety by delaying the air ticket payment from Masai Mara to Nairobi.
We are now waiting for the refund for the park entrance fee.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unreliable and disappointing
We had safari with dancing simba booking through another agency. Unfortunately our experience went really bad and we can't suggest this agency. Not because we didn't see animals, we have been lucky with that. But out of 5 days of safari, we actually did just 3: one day was completely lost because they didn't organise well the different pick-ups of customers; the other day the car broke down, after having shown malfunction at the very beginning and the agency didn't substitute it.
Not only, they were always late, every morning so we couldn't do any early morning safari, always started afte 8:30am.
And the worst thing? They didn't reimburse any of the costs, neither partially. They take risk on customer shoulder, completely without respect, not treating you as you were doing a one a lifetime tour. They waste your time, money and patience.
Avoid going with them.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Frauds
They have not paid hotels their payment due. They don't reply to emails nor take any calls and hang up when reached with another number. Hotel staff are being charged for the balance for being flexible with them. No conscience!!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mama Tembo took my money and failed to deliver or refund
Mama Tembo Tours removed me mid tour and dropped me off in a foreign city with no hotel reservations or flight home. She stated I broke the law. No police or security were called. Mama Tembo refused to tell me which law I broke. I believe this was all fabricated. Mama Tembo has yet to reimburse me for my expenses to get home or for the unused portion of the tour. I would not trust Mama Tembo with my money or my life.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very knowledgeable - BE AWARE -
David is very knowledgeable when it come to a safari tour, topography, animals, culture etc.
Had a bad experience and found out we were not the only ones.
The case
On a 12 days PRE-PAID safari holiday tour of the national parks and on the entrance to Serengeti national park (day 7 of the tour), David says he needs a loan as he did not pay the park entrance fee as well as the following accommodation. Stuck (and shocked) at the park entrance we had to pay the entrance fee as well as the following accommodation fee (in the thousands of dollars).
David promised he will return the money – he did it after few months and not in full.
My concern is that now I found out that he did it to OTHER GROUPS too, so this seems to be pre-planned. He knows where to get his clients – when they are most venerable.
AVOID AT ALL COST as there are plenty of other options.
PT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not a Good Experience - Was a bad experience
This situation are bad because:
- the jeep was old, and full of problems, and unfit for the safari, as it turned out.
On the very first day, the starter motor stopped working, and the jeep could only be pushed... it broke down in the Serengeti park, and it doesn't seem to me that the guide made the best decision, leaving us in the middle of the park to close it. Fortunately, another driver from the Leopardo company noticed the situation and took us to the entrance/exit gate.
The jeep should have been replaced immediately, but it wasn't.
It was partially replaced during the third day. To top it all off, on the last day, the lights went out at night in the middle of the road, leaving us tourists stranded on our way back to Arusha. We were helped by the Maasai people, and a replacement vehicle was provided to take us to Arusha.
This situation had several consequences, as we arrived very late, around midnight, in Arusha and Moshi, when we were supposed to arrive in the late afternoon.
In short, regrettable situations that were unnecessary and ended up making the safari experience a rather unpleasant memory. Only the idea of some good parks in Africa remains.
On the other hand, the first and only lodge we stayed in was not the one that was planned in the program.
I regret this whole situation and the inconveniences caused, as it did not correspond to what was contracted and what I paid for.
Obviously I'm in Europe, obviously Tanzania is in Africa... I don't know if I'll return to Tanzania, but with this experience, I certainly won't recommend your services to my friends here in Europe