CZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Avoid This Company – Lost €2,153 Due to Their Negligence
We booked our wedding safari with this company and had extensive communication — over 10 emails exchanged using their official email address — where we agreed on all the trip details. After everything was confirmed, we received a request for a 50% deposit, again from their same official email. Trusting this, we sent €2,153 to the account details provided.
Some time later, we received an email from telling us to contact them via WhatsApp. We then heard from them on WhatsApp, where they told us their email had been hacked. I have proof email regarding payment request, and WhatsApp communication confirming these facts.
During later discussions, instead of showing any regret or empathy, they told us it was our fault for sending the money — even though they admitted their own systems had been compromised. To make things even worse, they then demanded we pay the full price again — even higher than the previously agreed price — claiming that the lower price had not been agreed by them and that the “real” price is higher.
This is especially outrageous because this was meant to be part of the most important day of our lives — our wedding — and their attitude has completely ruined the experience before it even began.
Recommendation:
For your own safety and peace of mind, avoid this company at all costs. We lost our money, and instead of helping us find a fair solution, they blamed us, refused responsibility, and tried to charge us even more.
AE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Completely disorganised
I booked a 4 day safari through Mariam from Sipolio for 28/7 to 31/7. Everything went well during the booking process where I had to pay the money.
Then this is what happened:
• I was sent a contact for a driver who was supposed to pick us up at the airport. It was the wrong contact and someone else picked us up.
• Sideways tours sent a small 4 door car to pick up a family of 4? Why wasn’t a larger vehicle sent? The driver had to order a second car to take the rest of the luggage.
• When we met the safari driver it wasn’t the driver mentioned in the email
• When I asked the driver to check our bags there were only 3 bags in the safari car. The driver of the second car from the airport drove away with our 4th bag! He didn’t even get out of his car to check before he left.
• The safari driver wasn’t told which hotels we were going to and we had to tell him
• It wasn’t clear to him even if more people were coming on the trip with us. We waited and then he was told there would be another 2 people. He was then told there would be another person.
• He wasn’t told which hotels they were going to either.
• When we arrived at our hotel at 3pm in the afternoon, it was deserted and had obviously closed for many months. How could you book us into a hotel that was closed?????
• I called Mariam several times, but she never answered the phone. I emailed her but she didn’t answer the email. She only responded the next day at 7pm!!!!!!
• I then tried to call Sideways Tours who were responsible for the driver. Our "customer service manager" contact didnt answer the phone. I spoke to another who was very unhelpful and told me how it wasn’t the problem of Sideways Tours and there was nothing she could do. When I said I wanted to speak to the manager, she said he wasn’t available. He was “at home”. She refused to contact him or let me speak to him. Even better, then she hung up the phone.
• I was sent an email saying “Our transport manager is called Eric who is available on WhatsApp on +254717723305.” Why do you even bother sending this message if he is not available? Why do you write “Customer Success” in your emails?
• Our driver made several calls and eventually spoke to a lady called Susan from Mamu Tours who started to help us. She said that Sipolio is a sister company of Mamu Tours.
• She eventually found one small room for us in another hotel. We really appreciate that due to the urgency of the situation, but we booked 1 double and 1 twin room!
• I have to mention here that the driver did a great job solving all the problems throughout the trip and without him it would have been a mess.
You can make your own decision about whether you use this company.......
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Signed a full confession that he defrauded us of the 8000USD
We paid 8000USD for a tour with Lucky lasting 9 days- when we arrived it turned out to be fraud. He signed a full confession of fraud and was arrested. He had not organised/paid for the tour despite taking the full payment from us upfrount. He is currently being seporately prosecuted by the botswanna tourism office.
Full Summary of each of the days:
Day 1 (Friday 13th June 2025)
Victoria Falls
-not given any plan for the day on the first day so we had no idea what was happening with the guide until we finally got through to Lucky on the phone
-hotel refusing to provide food for lunch or dinner as Lucky hadn’t arranged it or paid for it
-then no chef at lunch time so only sushi (which we had to pay for), then the taxi was late to take us down to the start of the Victoria falls walk.
-then half an hour of waiting for them to try to pay for entrance, until they said they couldn’t and we finally had to pay the 100USD for entrance ourselves despite this being agreed as included as part of the tour.
-then the hotel (N1 Hotel) said they’d not been paid so we had to wait for dinner until they were paid (which they still weren’t by Lucky)
-There was also no balcony in the hotel yesterday despite there being a balcony advertised in the itinerary for the first nights accommodation.
Thus- activities, food and accomodation (the contents of day 1's itinerary) all paid for by us.
Lucky agreed to refund the first day but never did.
2nd day (Saturday 14h June 2025)
-we wake up and the hotel said Lucky didn’t give them our breakfast order so the food had run out, and the hotel would not let us leave as Lucky hadn’t paid for the night's accommodation.
-We were then stuck waiting until midday (meant to leave at 9am for a game drive) until the driver came and we had to pay the hotel ourselves to be allowed to leave
-Only one car waiting at the border with Botswana not two as promised- so only the other family (not known to us but on a separate tour with Lucky's company) could use the car and we had to stay in the van.
-No lunch- had to buy our own and eat it in the back of the car.
-Missed both the game drives described in the itinerary- had to drive to the lodge in the freezing cold and pitch black.
-Only got half a single boat ride (only 1.5 hours not 3) as it started so late.
We arrived freezing cold to the accommodation after a 2 hour drive in the cold and dark from Chobe to the lodge.
Lucky agreed to refund the second day- witness statement of the hotel manager from the morning of the 15th taken.
3rd day (Sunday 15h June 2025):
-6 hours of driving as we needed to refuel, 1 game drive only (car has no speedometer- and was not road worthy) then the hotel was not booked so we had no hotel room, leaving us in the middle of the outback without anywhere to sleep, unsafe, with no dinner and he had not transferred the money back for days 1 and 2 when he said he would.
-Eventually the hotel owner who witnessed the above discussion regarding day 3 stepped in and explained Lucky was lying to us and that Lucky had not booked the hotel. We were stuck waiting for over an hour in the cold. At that time we begged the hotel owner to be able to sleep somewhere as we were unsafe and had no other choice, the owner agreed out of compassion but took Lucky's car keys and car battery as Lucky had not paid and did not have a booking, and we were not given anything to eat.
4th day (Monday 16th June 2025):
Unable to leave the lodge as Lucky had still not paid the owner, so his car keys remained confiscated by the hotel owner.
5th day (Tuesday 17th June 2025):
Finally released from Camp Savuti and went with Lucky to Maun Police station to report Lucky to the police - a 5 hour drive in the outback, the car broke down half way and had to be repaired with the help of a passing vehicle). Lucky was taken into custody for fraud by misrepresentation.
He has been charged with Fraud, he was imprisioned for 3 days, we have a full signed confession from him signed in the presense of his and our lawyers. He is seporately under investigation from the Botswanna Tourism Office.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A bunch of deceptive individuals
Booked the tour via Get Your Guide. On the day of departure, the tour was cancelled for extremely vague reasons. We were told we'd be transferred to another tour operator, who doesn't even work through GYG and would require us to pay by card directly. Their website was unreachable — the whole thing felt completely off. Extremely poorly organised. It felt like we were being scammed. Do not do business with these people.
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Lack of communication!
Hi there, I read Rio’s post about Grade One Tours using stalling and excuses to not do as they promised. Basically I paid them a deposit and after that they kept coming up with different excuses as to why nothing had been done! The whole time telling me that everything was going fine and on schedule. They were supposed to book hotels, and park fee for me and send me confirmation. But that never happened. They were also supposed to transfer money by bank or credit card to pay for flights but I only got delays and excuses. Finally they just stopped making contact via WhatsApp. Is what I’m hoping for is a final resolution to this order. If the trip is on do what you promised, is the trip isn’t going to work out, let me know and take the appropriate steps to fully refund my money. Thanks all I ask. I hope this will be helpful to future customers. Thanks Ryan
IN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Major Fraudulent Activity
We booked 10 days safari with them for Kenya and Tanzania. After paying 80% of the money- they stopped responding over email, call, whatsapp, instagram, facebook, linkedin. They just vanished!
I would recommend please stay away from them at all cost!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The dishonest business operator secretly changed the hotel without informing me.
The quotation stated that it was a high-end hotel with beautiful photos attached. After paying the deposit, they booked a hotel with a similar name but of a completely different grade. We didn't inform the hotel in advance that it had been changed. Moreover, incorrect information was provided in the itinerary given to the driver later. After contacting the person in charge, I was told that she had sent me the hotel reservation form, but I didn't notice it myself. It was a really bad experience.A total of three hotels were reserved, but two of them were changed to lower-grade ones! This is just too outrageous!
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Total scam
We paid about 7 months in advance half the cost for Mark from Gorilla Holidays to get our permits. Then on arrival I paid the remainder in cash. When we arrived to Bwindi, it turned out he didn't buy the permits, so we lost $3200 for the 4 of us. He also didn't pay for the last lodge and I had to pay for it or they wouldn't let us go. So you can imagine, coming all the way to Uganda to see gorillas, do all the travel across the country to Bwindi to find out that there were no permits. Mark promised to refund us, but a month later there is nothing and he told me "it's a lot of money." I bet it is. To get a reliable operator, as I found out too late, you should go to the Bwindi NP site and they have a list there. And we are not the only people that Gorilla Holidays did this too.
TH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bad experience think twice book with Rajatour
Disappointing Experience – Poor Organization and Lack of Transparency
I booked a 9-day, 8-night trip to Kenya and Tanzania for a group of 6 people, and partially paid the deposit since February. The package was supposed to include all accommodations and meals throughout the trip. While everything in Kenya went smoothly, the experience in Tanzania was extremely disappointing.
• On the day we entered Tanzania, I was suddenly informed by RajaTour (the operator) that all our previously selected and confirmed hotels had been changed — without any prior notice. I was only told after we had already arrived in the country.
• The guide was unexpectedly switched to a new person who seemed confused and unfamiliar with the route. It took us 1–2 hours just to find the hotel on the first day.
• The hotels were downgraded, with the excuse that our original 4-star hotels were “fully booked”, despite our early reservation and deposit.
• For the last two days, the vehicle was changed from a proper 4x4 safari car to a small Toyota Noah — again, without any prior agreement. Not ideal for a safari trip, especially when traveling with luggage.
• On the final night, we were suddenly told that dinner was not included, despite the package clearly stating that all meals were covered.
I had to chase and negotiate with the operator every single day just to get the basics of what we had already paid for. It was exhausting and took away from the experience.
If you’re planning a trip and want peace of mind, I would suggest not to book with Rajatour.
This should have been a memorable and enjoyable trip — instead, we were left frustrated and disappointed. For the price we paid, we certainly didn’t deserve this kind of treatment.
TH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
very bad
I had a very disappointing experience with Rajatours (Tanzania side). The coordination was extremely poor from the start — our itinerary was changed almost every day without clear communication. Hotels were consistently downgraded from what was originally promised. The package was supposed to include all meals and drinking water, but that was not the case. We barely had any drinking water during the day, and on some evenings, dinner was not provided at all.
What made things worse was the lack of transparency. We never knew which hotel we were staying in until late in the day, and they were always of lower quality than agreed upon. The worst part of the trip was when our group of six was moved from a proper safari vehicle to a small, cramped car simply because no guide was needed that day. Four of us had to squeeze into the backseat with our luggage on our laps — it was completely unacceptable.
This was not the standard we expected or paid for. Rajatours needs serious improvement in communication, logistics, and customer care. I would not recommend this experience to others unless the company takes meaningful steps to improve its service.
