US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disappointing
My family and I booked travel to East Africa through Leopard Tours and the Krish Group. We traveled from June 25-July 9, 2024. We have had multiple issues during this trip. I have emailed Leopard Tours and the Krish Group several times, with no resolution of the issues, nor accountability.
Specifically, we signed off an itinerary created by Leopard Tours and the Krish Group that stated that we will be staying at Singita Faru Faru in a family suite--and per them, this was confirmed. Instead, once we arrived to Africa, I discovered that we were staying at Singita Sabora in two tented camps. They are both very unique properties, and we had signed off on Singita Faru Faru, not Singita Sabora. I reached out to Leopard Tours and the Krish Group immediately on finding this out and all they could tell me was that there was nothing he could do to rectify the situation as Faru Faru had no availability, and because we were booked a "similar" lodge, neither would do nothing further. This is extremely disappointing as they never took any accountability, nor did they apologize for the error. My husband and I had extended our travels dates (paid extra to change our tickets) and took off additional days from work to stay at Singita Faru Faru - which Leopard Tours and the Krish Group had told us that they had secured for us, however, as stated above, they had not. This felt like the classic "bait and switch."
Additionally, Leopard Tours and the Krish Group suggested we travel to Tarangire. Unfortunately, once we arrived to Tarangire, we came to learn that it was a bad time to travel to Tarangire National Park due to the heavy rainfall the area had over the past several months. Due to the heavy rain/tall brushes we could not see any animals. Even the owner of the lodge in Tarangire stated that the tour companies should have let us know that as he had notified all guests who had booked directly of this.
Lastly, we noticed that there was an option to use open vehicles for safari game rides. We were never given this option when booking the trip. It seems that Leopard Travel does not have any open vehicles. When we asked to change some of our game drives to open vehicles operated by the lodges, we were advised to do it ourselves and pay for the additional cost.
Leopard tours has essentially asked me to contact Krish Group for any issues and has taken no accountability in this matter. The Krish Group has done the same.
Very disappointing trip, service and company. I would strongly advise to AVOID LEOPARD TOURS and THE KRISH GROUP.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not trustable
My advice is for you not to trust Manyara Travel Climb Company!
We booked a climb and a safari week with them and no news after the climb. The person took our money and left us in bad trouble. We had to pay again with another company to save our trip. So my advice is really to avoid this dishonest company!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Luxury prices, economy experience
I had been to Kenya before with a high-end travel company and thought I knew what to expect. The price from Freedom Africa was a bit of a shock at over £14k but included Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. I was therefore expecting a high standard of accommodation and safari guides.
I had arranged to go to the Nairobi Elephant Nursery on the first morning before we were taken to Giraffe Manor. There was absolutely no flexibility in transportation so we had to pay an extra £140 for what amounted to a 20 minute taxi ride. After Giraffe Manor we went to Sweetwaters with what we thought was going to be our safari guide for the holiday. He was excellent and the accommodation on our first stop was quite good.
After Sweetwaters we went back to Nairobi and were put on a train to Amboseli (fare: £5 for first class). That was the last we saw of our guide until the final hotel when we bumped into him driving another party.
From then on the quality of the trip deteriorated with every stop. We did not have our own guides, we had hotel drivers who in our opinion are not safari guides. We spotted lions before they did, we heard the story of elephants' teeth from every one of them. Some didn't speak English very well. We were booked on a walking safari and they tried to charge extra. Every time we entered a national park we were asked for the entry fees which we had already paid.
Lodges were variable but none are what I would call luxury standard, and some are in fact described as basic. The worst lodge was Salt Lick at Taita HIlls - it was overcrowded and we had to wait for a table at dinner time. The drivers were silent and the cars were full, with people talking on their phones. We went to a rock which had a lone lioness and I counted 35 cars jostling for position to see an ear. The lodge is in two parts, the accommodation block with a restaurant and another block which has the pool and spa. On our second day we didn't leave the accommodation block or go on any drives because we couldn't bear the noise. It was the best day there. We couldn't wait to leave,
When I got back I complained to Freedom Africa. They said they were "surprised" to hear I wasn't entirely happy with my holiday. Further emails went unanswered. They didn't want to listen to any of my comments and insisted Salt Lick was one of their most popular lodges.
I had also booked a holiday with Freedom Asia which is part of the same group and had even worse problems with them.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Service advertised was not what was delivered
The service that we received was horrible thus making our holiday not enjoyable
Would not recommend this your company at all
Book at your own risk
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I had a horrible exprience. A strong NO. I wouldn't recommend going with her!
Two travelers, who paid 7000+500 USD for a 9 day trip in Tanzania.
Communication - won't give transparency on breakdown, very nice before you pay her, not at all responsive, no solution mindset and a heavy attack mindset
Service- horrible
Value for money- negative, will loot you
Reliability - not at all (as we learned)
Tour itself- very bad design, didn't take into account our preferences, gave us a very bad driver, the safari jeep had a huge crack, windows won't close properly...
1. The trip experience was horrible.
Most expensive trip we ever did, which turned out to be the most horrible trips we have done.
2. The driver assigned was horrible, didn't give us any space, made personal remarks and commented on our clothing, personality, money we have etc....didnt let us eat a single meal by ourselves.
3. We asked for a day in ngorongoro and we just got half. When requested to add more time, we had to pay 500 USD from our own pocket.
4. Didn't cater to our interests at all. Didn't ask if we want to see migration in Serengeti. Booked all the activities in Zanzibar on the day we were supposed to fly out. The day was known to her and confirmed by her.
5. Lack of professionalism - the communication is not at all professional. She makes personal attacks and guilts you in. Will use a lot of karma and other BS to guilt you to pay her, feel bad.
7. Changing accommodation every night unnecessarily.
8. No transparency on breakdown of prices. Not worth at all.
Don't go with her. Not at all worth it. Infact you will end up mentally stressed throughout. Till date, the prices charged were exorbitantly expensive. A strong NO.
CZ
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Unscrupulous behavior
If you want a preview of the contract, before paying the deposit, they will end all communication with you. That doesn't sound too serious. It seems more like they want to have you in their fist first and then you will have zero chance of negotiating any changes.
US
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible Safari Partners Tanzania
Safari Partners is a third party booking agent. This means they will find other Company that will take booking. NO STANDARD and Less Service!
Our booking agent was Edward who was impossible to contact when we had a problem and did not do a proper job with booking causing a lot of stress on our Safari.
The 1) Safari vehicle used was not up to Healthy standards. After spending 12 hours traveling to and from Serengeti National Park, the vehicle was plagued by Dust and Dirt due to faulty windows, doors and no air conditioning which could help filter the air.
This resulted in an unhealthy air quality inside the vehicle, especially for senior citizens.
2) Moreover, communication with Edward became inadequate after he received payment for the Safari.
He also 3) failed to book the correct number of rooms for the duration of our Safari, leaving one night unbooked.
Edward also 4) Did not book our flight to Zanzibar correctly causing us to spend night in Dar es Salaam in a very very cheap and dirty Hotel. After we paid for Zanzibar Hotel and missing the first night in Tembo Hotel Zanzibar.
Edward also 5) promised a city tour of Arusha though the driver showed up an 75 minutes late allowing no time for City Excursion.
Edward should know his contract helper. Edward did not take responsible to his clients!
6) Safari Vehicle had many problems: windows and doors will not shut properly leaking in dust and dirt, loud noise after starting engine, seat belt and safety bar did not work properly, and finally Vehicle Broke Down.
In my life experiences, words are Cheap and often used by individuals with Questionable motives to shift blame. Edward did not offer any refund, just a bunch of red excuses and misleading statements blaming others.
My recommendation is to find another company to plan your Safari! Don't use Edward.
BE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
NOT Financially stable company - I would advise you do NOT book with them !!
Had to cancel our safari due to a (severe) accident 2 months prior to departure. Despite dozens of mails and promisses, nothing ever got refunded.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unreliable
Robert is very unreliable and not honest about the tours he offers.
I booked a private tour with Robert (the owner of African Wanderlust Adventures) for two people to visit Oldupai Gorge, the Laetoli Footprints, the Endagulda cave paintings, and a few other sites, for three days. The itinerary was great and we were very excited. The morning of the tour, we paid the full amount, and only 4 hours into the day we found out that we would NOT be visiting almost HALF of the sites on the itinerary. I immediately called Robert, who refused to give us any refund (even a partial one), and refused to extend the trip so we could see the rest of the items. There were 9 items on the itinerary that we agreed to, and we only ended up seeing 5 of them. Two of the sites we missed were things that I EXPLICITLY asked to include, including the Laetoli Footprints, and the Endagulda cave paintings (both of which we did not see). It was a major disappointment, and I do not know when (if ever) I will have time to return to see them.
Anyone considering booking a tour with Robert, I would suggest you look elsewhere. He cannot be relied upon to keep his word, and you cannot trust that he will honor the itinerary.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
UNRELIABLE
I really need to write this review because tourists need to know that Swahili Paradise and Tours is completely UNRELIABLE and with a TERRIBLE ORGANIZATION.
In summary:
- our contact Jimmy disappeared once we did the payment
- No timely answer about how to pay the balance amount that finally had to be payed with their own personal exchanging rate (+10%)
- Lodge with employees that does not speak English and not helping during 2 blackouts and not working showers
- Wrong informations about how to use the showers in the lodge
- Terrible organization to collect our luggage
- Employees asking for the wrong amount of money (they discounted 3$ on an amount of 665$) and after all that we were asked for the remaining 3$.
- After all that, Jimmy did not even understand that there were SOME problems
- Before writing this review we gave Jimmy a feedback about the whole experience and he did nothing to improve the situation
I WOULD ADVISE YOU NOT TO TRUST THIS COMPANY.