DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Attention, do not book here!
We booked a 12-day safari through this provider and paid a deposit of USD 3,630. One week before the start of the trip, the tour was cancelled. We received an email about this yesterday. Since then, we have had no contact with the provider. We really hope that we will get our money back!
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't recommend
Hi , I just finished my trip with Native Afrika voyages on sep 2nd week and unfortunately it was not great . Even though our driver cum tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, the office team messed up our itinerary. We had two day game drive in masaimara, which they cut short into 1 day without our knowledge.
My husband and I, submitted our initial inquiry to Native Afrika voyages(NAV) via safaribookings. After our enquiry , we were communicated via email by the NAV team . After multiple round of email conversation, we received the final itinerary as pdf and we paid around 25% to book the trip with the confirmed itinerary. On the day of travel, we were picked up from our hotel ( 30 minutes late) and the NAV travel consultant tried to brief the itinerary while we were enroute to National park. Unfortunately we didn't check our itinerary against the day to day briefing by consultant. Little did we know that they changed our 2 day game drive in masai mara to one day . Please note that one day entrance fees to masai mara national park is 200 dollars per person . We were two and they didn't even inform us via email about this change in itinerary for which we had already paid. Who changes the already confirmed and upfront paid itinerary on the day of trip ? When I asked about the 2 day masai mara visit , I was asked to pay extra 400 dollars for entrance fees. I tried to address my concern, but somehow they didn't want to talk to WOMAN , instead he wanted to talk to my husband to get his opinion. Whatever excuses they are going to provide as a response, please think before making a decision. If you have already paid, please validate the itinerary once again before paying the remaining amount. I didn't get my 400 dollars back. I don't want this to happen to anyone else. Hence a lengthy post.
I was told on the last day of the trip that they will look into this issue and get back with a solution . I didn't receive any response so far.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
beware!
1 week before our tour should start we received a message that the safari is canceled! we paid an amount of 3500 $
CO
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Please do not take this safari.
We booked and paid completely our 12-days safari with this company. We are going to travel tomorrow. They did not answer our questions after we paid
Today-some minutes ago- Haron wrote us sayin that they can not take us to the safari. Also say that they will try to refund our money. It was a lot of money. We were save for years to do a safari in Kenia. It was going to be the trip of our lives.
Right now ewe don't have any place to stay the day we will arrive (Saturday at night). I feel we lose our money after reading some comments people wrote in September. When we see the comments this company was well ranked.
Be aware. Please do to take this safari withe Sunset African salaries. Advise to your friends.
Now I am very sad. We do not have any money to take a safari and we will spend 12 days in Kenia.
Our plan was to go to the safari and then attend an international congress. We have already write to people in Kenia organizing the event: universities, professors, administrative people. They will contact the policy and the tourism office in Kenia. However I feel we will lose our money.
US
Be carefull with this company. They do not comply and after paying they do not refund money. P
Please do not take this safari. It is false. It's fake. You woll probably lose your money
FI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
We felt scammed
I booked the 3 day safari tour for the 5th of August 2024 for 3 people including me. Mariam requested i send her the first half of the payment which she received successfully. A few weeks before the safari I emailed her asking when the next payment was to be made and she replied a week before the trip. I sent her the money and it was deducted from my account successfully. Two days before the safari Mariam informs me she has not received the payment. I shoe her screenshots of payment and questioned why she did not ask me earlier about the payment and decided to inform me two days before the trip. She said if she does not receive the second payment the trip will be cancelled and no refund will be made for the first half. My friends and I obviously panic because we travelled to Kenya mainly for the safari and we did not want to miss it. I asked her to meet me the next day so I could pay her in cash because making a bank transaction would take days to reflect on her account. At this point we were taking a big risk giving her money again but we also thought the fault could have been with my bank but it would take me days to figure the situation with my bank all the way from Kenya.
Mariam assured if the money reflects in her account she would transfer it back to me. The sum of it was nearly 1400 USD. We were able to leave for the safari and had a lovely trip. Our tour guide mentioned he does not work for Mamu Travels and the other people in our group had also booked with different companies.
After the trip I contacted Mamu Travels regarding the money and she claimed to not have received it. I told her my bank confirmed the money is in her account since it had been weeks. Mariam was very frustrated and accused me of being a liar. She was VERY unprofessional during phone calls and raised her voice MULTIPLE times at me. Mariam ended up blocking me and till this day we have not received our money.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He cheated us, took our money but dont paid to hotel, park fee etc.
Bongo International travel is real cheater from our experience, he does not book anything after taking money. I had pay to hotel etc as i was standing outside the hotel. I paid twice for my trip.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Worst Company ever. Do not use canceled 1 week prior to start and we still have received no refund
Well can not talk about my tour experience since the operator canceled the tour one week prior to our departure Operator we iffy from the start alway wanting more money to cover new expenses. William from overland has told me repeatedly that the money has been wired but he refuses to provide any type of proof of the wire. We filed a police report for theft and when we get back to the US we will file a report with the FBinsince he used International wire transfer to take our money. Beware and find a reputable company before you book.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing nature, inappropriate driver
The safari was satisfactory, as was the hotel, the food and the car.
However, a few days after the trip ended, I received messages from the driver (Branson) asking if I was ok, saying that he could not sleep and asking if I had saw the “African cork”.
For context, I travelled alone. Maybe this person thought I was available for harassment because of that.
That is inadmissible.
(images removed for privacy reasons)
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unreliable
We booked a 10 day African safari tour in August , 2024 .
Travel experience was good , Guides were good . Accommodation was good .
Most communication were through whatsapp with Lucy and Haroon .
We booked a balloon ride in Masai mara and it was planned for 19th August . Once we reached Masaimara we were suddenly informed that they cannot do it in Kenya,though we paid full amount in advance.
It was organised in Serengiti instead in 24th August .
On the day of balloon safari weather was bad and it was cancelled .
We were informed by tour provider that they will refund fully to African Sunset Safari . I have informed Lucy and she confirmed that she will refund full amount by 26th , the day we are flying back to UK .
Total anount is $844 .
3 weeks gone , we are still chasing Lucy and Haroon .
We initially told that they have transferred the money to our account .
I have asked for screenshot never received that .
I received a call from Haroon saying he was away in safari for 9 days hence couldn’t do it . Apparently transfer can be done only by signatory and his staff didnt know .
This information was shared on 13th September . Today is 18th September , I have messaged Lucy and Haroon they are not responding .
We had a good holiday but this experience making us worried about retrieving our money .
I will not recommend this company to anyone untill I get my money back