BE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disgraceful agency. Don't use them at any cost.
We booked with Image Travel Ltd the following package : 4-Day Luxury Lionhill Camp & Mara Serena Lodge Safari with 4X4WD LandCruiser Jeep for 2 persons costing 3,996 $.
This is a highly negative review for this agency which surprisingly has otherwise very favorable reviews.
1) First of all, the booking process was good, I got several quotes from multiple agencies from safaribookings website and compared them, did a lot of research using different reviews websites and finally choose Image Travel. Booking was made in July 2024 for a safari in September 2024. Paid initially a deposit then full payment using wire transfer. Up until then all good with smooth communication.
2) As we are approaching the start day of our safari, there was no communication from the agency. They didn't know our hotel in Nairobi, neither did they have my phone number, nor did we know the pick up time. So 2 days before the start day I email them in the morning letting them know my hotel and to confirm pick up time. No reply. I send a WhatsApp message in the evening. No reply. 1 day before start of trip, still nothing. I was in Nairobi already so call them around 9 am to ask. A man picked up and when I asked about pick up time he said 8 am, and I told him I sent email with our hotel name, he said ok I will reply to you. It's now 2 pm and no acknowledgement or reply to my email. Having wire transfered 4000 $ and just hours before the safari start, I decided to go check out their office in Nairobi CBD area. There were 2 girls, and I told them I come here to confirm the trip, she is ok, took her dairy and noted the hotel name. When queried how would she have known our hotel if I didn't come, the answer given was "most our guests come the day before start so we send them email 5/6 pm the day before to confirm the hotel and time"... ok but that's not a reason to not reply to email or WhatsApp message. Poor communication. Red flag was raised here.
3) Next day luckily the safari driver is on time to pick us. We go to lake nakuru, but the agency hasn't paid the entrance fee. So we wait at the front entrance waiting for them to pay. That seems normal since other safari vehicles also stopped waiting for payment. But they waited at most 15 min. We waited almost 2 hours... the driver had to make several calls to them to get it done, with excuses such as "she is going to the bank make payment "... meanwhile dozens of cars entered the park. Arrived at park entrance 12 pm and entered at 2 pm. Due to this we missed lunch, no big deal but still, and it started raining. So we skipped the hotel and directly went for the game drive. The game ended being much shorter than planned due to this delay.
They also changed the hotel to sopa lodge and booked double room when I clearly asked twin bedroom and they confirmed it. Luckily the hotel was good enough and they gave us twin room.
4) Next day, going to Masai Mara, the driver and us made a clear plan to press Image Travel office to pay the entrance fee to masai mara early to avoid the same issue as Lake nakuru. We left Lake nakuru at 7 am. We arrived at Masai Mara entrance at 1.30 pm. And Serena park entrance at 3.30 pm. The driver told us it should take 5/6 hours. It took 8h30... the driver was driving slowly, he even made the following remark "I am driving slowly to buy us time so they can make the payment of the park"... that was so, so frustrating, so I paid 4000 $ and flew all the way to Kenya just to enjoy a slow ride in a jeep going to Masai Mara ? Seriously ? According to the safari plan, we were to supposed to arrive at Masai mara for lunch... completely wrong.
Now ofcourse despite the driver several calls, the fees was not paid when we arrived at Masai mara entrance, but the driver got a "transit pass" to go to the Mara triangle entrance. Then the agency told the driver due to "payment system issue " we should pay the entrance fee, which is 800$ for 2 persons for 2 days by ourselves and they will refund that amount later. I got an email from them stating that also, "promising" to refund the amount once "the issue is solved". Now I am no fool, and I don't believe I would ever see that amount back, living in Europe dealing with a Kenyan travel agency on basis of "promise" in an email. I flat out refused and told them to sort it out. I paid 4000$ and I am not expected to fork out another 800 $ because of their problem (or atleast that's what they say). I got a number from the email to call, and I told them I paid a full package, they are member of the KATO (Kenya Association Of Tour Operators), have good review and rankings and this is completely unacceptable and unprofessional. I told them I don't have 800 $, so either they pay the fee or we go back to Nairobi and next morning I register my complaint with KATO, the tourism police and Tourism regulatory authority, in addition to negative reviews. She said ok give me 30 min to find an alternative to solve issue. Keep in mind that it's approaching 4 pm and we are wasting time dealing with this instead of a game drive... 5 min later, the driver found a solution : his boss (who is a contractor working for Image Travel) will pay and Image Travel will reimburse him later. Because of this we once again only a short game drive lasting less than 2 hours.
5) On day 4, going back to Nairobi. Upon checkout at Mara Serana Hotel in Masai Mara, we were informed Image Travel did not pay the hotel. They will not release us and let us leave until it is paid. That was at 7 am. The driver made several calls to get it sorted, without success. I managed to directly call Image Travel, and they repeated the same excuses "payment system issue", which doesn't mean anything. I strongly objected to him about the handling of this situation and threatened to report to KATO and the TRA. I also argued with the hotel that they should pursue the matter with Image Travel Ltd directly and not keep us "hostages" here because I paid everything to them. They refused to let us go. At this point with the risk of missing our flight I was about to pay myself the 1100$ hotel invoice, since it was nearly 9 am, but at the same time the person from Image Travel Ltd wrote an email to the hotel and they let us go. I have been told that the email was once again just a "promise" to pay. Due to this the driver had to rush to the exit gate of Masai Mara before 10 am to avoid having pay extra fee which led us to miss the exit game drive.
All the issues led us to miss most of the time which should have been devoted to the game drives, in addition to headache, frustration and anger. This is completely unacceptable from a accredited tour operator in Kenya. Nothing in the schedule of the plan they gave us was respected. The driver told us 3 other vehicles of Image Travel were facing the same issue that day and not being released. Furthermore he said in his opinion the person in charge at Image Travel most likely run out of money and he is not paying anyone and just "promising" to pay everyone by email. This is completely unacceptable after having spent over 4000 $ for a safari and projects a very negative image of Kenyan tourism. I have submitted a complaint to the KATO and the TRA with appropriate documentation. Additionally it seems this issues are arising very frequently at this company based on recent online reviews.
Please save yourself the trouble and don't choose this agency at any cost.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Paid but was left stranded
I had a bad experience with this company. I booked a permit for rushaga in Bwindi NP through this company. The hike was supposed to start from the headquarters office. I was provided with a guide who had already registered for a group of 7 people.
When the trekking started we got a family that was 1 hour away. The company drove me to the beginning of the trekking but then left me stranded after the trekking. I had to ask for help of the local people to make my way back to the hotel. They did not want to take me back with their vehicle although there was plenty of space in the car.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Do not book
My wife and I booked and fully paid for a 15 day tour (Kenya/Tanzania/Zanzibar) with African Sunset Safaris which began on Sept 15. There was communication issues with them since day 1. They only paid for 3 days worth of the contracted services, changed hotels last minute, did not answer calls or messages, never provided itinerary to our guide, etc.
By day 4, we learned they never paid for our park fees in Masai Mara.
By day 5, we learned they never paid for our lodge in Masai Mara, and they sent us an email saying they are cancelling the remainder of the tour.
By night of day 5, we learned that the owner of the company has ended his own life. They must have ran out of money.
We were stuck paying for the park fees and lodge in Masai Mara and now are going back to Nairobi instead of going to Serengeti. We will file police report, and we know there are many other people in our situation that have also filed reports.
They should be removed from SafariBookings
CO
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
It has been a very sad experience
We have had a very sad experience. We booked and full paid our 12-days safari, mores than two weeks ago (7500 dólares).After that, the company hardly answer our requests. Yerterday (one day before our trip) the owner, Haron, wrote US an email saying: "...we are unable to provide the services... We assure that we will do everything possible to proceso your refund". Right now i am at the airport as we cannot change our economic ticket. We will arrive to Nairobi tomorrow night. However we don't have Even a hotel as we has paid including the firts night at Nairobi. The owner now did not answer neither emails nor WhatsApps or calls. We plan go to this safari, before an academic conferece we where invited to present results from our research. We are from Colombia, so we Will have a long and very sad and disapointed trip. We have receips of the tranfers from our bank and the receipts the company send as prove of our payment. However they did not answer US. We do not know what to do.
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.