FI
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very good and more than I expcted.
Very, very expencive accomodations combared to the accomodation level. Good quidening, pure roads everywhere in Tanzania.
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Did not get what was promised
I dont feel that i got what was promised. I booked a 2-day safari but it was just one day. We were picked up at 6.00 in the morning. It was said the trip would be 4-5 hours but took more than 7. Due to the car breaking down we didnt get to eat breakfast until 10.00. Then 2 hours later they said we should have lunch. That was to soon so we ended up eating at a ”restaurant” in the park. The food here was not good.
The drive in the park in the afternoon was great and we saw all the animals we wanted. Our guide Tony was very good.
We were driven to the acommodations TanSwiss around 18.30. The stay here was ok but when we asked our guide about day-2-plans he said we were just going home. No more safari.
In the booking i was promised ”After breakfast from lodge with the packed lunches enjoy en route game drive in Mikumi National Park before depart to Dar es Salaam in which you will arrive in evening”. This booking promises a second day and writng about lunch like that gives you the impression that it will last a couple of hours.
In the morning the guide made it feel like were going for a drive around the outskirts of the park and would see many animals.
One hour after leaving the hotell were out of the park and on our way home. Super short en route game drive with no packed lunches, just one hour on the big road.
The titel of this trip should not be ”best 2-day Mikumi safari” instead ”4 hour safari with lodge stay”
I am sure that there are other companies that offer safari with better service and that can deliver what they promised. So I would not recommend LuiTours.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Buyer Beware - Gatatu lied about purchasing our Gorilla and Chimp permits in advance
After researching a few safari companies, we (group of 4) chose to work with Gatatu as they had great reviews and were a small operation located right in Uganda. Clearly something has changed with their business since these last reviews were posted, as our trip was anything but easy. We came to find out Richard and Steven never purchased our gorilla and chimp permits in advance (we found out about the gorilla permits the morning of our trek when we couldn't get in) in spite of telling us they were purchased back in August 2018, when my sister and I made a $2000 deposit (my friends made a similar deposit but I don't know the date). Richard went as far as providing FAKE copies of the gorilla permits. Please keep in mind gorilla permits and chimp habituation permits HAVE to be booked well in advance as only a limited number of ppl can get in per day. After repeated lies from both Richard (and threats via text) and Steven, we decided to part ways and hired ourselves a new driver 4 nights in. If you choose to use them, make sure to get copies of all of your permits in advance and confirm their validity with the national parks.
On a positive note, all of our accommodations were what was promised and we did have a nice $30 add on of a boat ride up the Kazinga Channel with one of Steven's friends. Also, with our evidence of being duped by Gatatu, we were able to get ourselves in for a gorilla trek at Bwindi by the game warden who took pity on us and with the assistance of two locals in Kibale, in for the chimp trek (we couldnt get in for habituation as that was full). All I can say is thank goodness we did not pay them in full and were able to walk away with a few saved dollars. If you have any questions, I have saved all of my communication and texts with Richard. Feel free to reach out.
p.s. Steven picked us up in a green safari vehicle full of roaches on the first day. We should have known what was to come...
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g673829-d10791582-r644516635-Gatatu_Safaris-Kabale_Western_Region.html#
DE
Awesome Tour from VIVA Safari, Bad customer Service from Booking agency
The tour ist just great. Awesome staff at the Camps, good Guides, lots of animals. 5*! You can book it from a Lot of booking agencies.
What was really bad is the fact that we were not informed about our late Pickup. The driver was there around 11 instead of 8.30/9. We could not reach anyone at the booking Agency, the south african representative told us that he did not work there anymore.
PH
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary by Ray
Some nice lodges, including Salt Lick, but better go to Tsavo.
IN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
not a very good experience
we went for a 11days trip to kenya and tanzania with family of husband wife and minor kid.we went with masai safari which provided a wonderful trip in kenya.they had sublet the tanzania part to gofan.when we arrived in arusha things were ok but not nice as mr meena from gofan met us and intially refused to provide water in the car which after some pressure and telling that i will call up masai safari to sort out issue mr meena did at last provide it.our driver guide joseph was good and we di enjoy our next 2 days in lake mynara and nogorongoro.the trouble started on the 3rd day when we reached the gates of serengati national park.we were made to wait 5 hours with food and little water as the great mr meena had not paid the park fees.we called hime after 1 and half hours and he continously lied that it will take only 10 mins more.ultimately nearly after 5 hrs without lunch and a small kid we managed to enter.we missed the game drive we were to do and went to reach our camp at about 4.30 to 5pm.NOT A SINGLE APOLOGY OR SORRY FROM GOFAN for this weird behaviour..there are lots of good reliable operators.my suggestion go look somewhere else.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kruger safari good but expensive but the Go Self Drive Tour arranged by the same owner disappointing
Hennie was a superb safari guide. He was a fine host and it was a great 3 day safari. His company Go Self Drive Tours provided us with an itinerary driving from Joberg to CT. It was poorly planned with many navigation mistakes; drives were too long and we felt unsafe often. The car provided was inadequate for the terrain as roads in SA are very poor. Throughout our 4 weeks of driving we were warned repeatedly of corruption, theft and being in unsafe areas. We were heavily charged for mediocre accommodation. We have travelled expensively and this trip was stressful and we would not recommend for anyone from a First World country to do a Self Drive tour in South Africa. It is not a safe country. Don’t do it!!
LT
Review about Queen Elizabeth National Park by Rasa Muleviciene
It was all day rain, i saw very few, the road is terrible. It is my experience because of the rain.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
did not deliver
We decided to go with Basecamp Tanzania after reading the excellent reviews, in particular, the comments about the guides .... "incredible", "extremely knowledgeable", "beyond exceptional", "made experience most memorable", "walking safaripedia", "extremely competent", "taught a lot about animal behaviour and ecosystem", etc. etc. Pretty impressive. Unfortunately our experience was nothing at all like the reviews, extremely disappointing. We got a driver, not a guide, who could barely speak English. Attempts at communicating were frustrating and led to misunderstandings. We drove in silence. He stopped when we asked but often drove off while we were still taking pictures. He provided no information about the animals, the environment, etc. On his advice we changed when we visited the crater because he said morning would be better. It was completely clouded in, no views, to which he said mornings always cloudy?? This company was much more expensive than other tours we looked at but given the reviews thought it would be worth it. Not getting a proper guide, feel we paid too much for an experience that did not deliver what was promised. They had to have known this person spoke little English and was not a proper guide. All we received from the company was an apology. Missed out on a once in a lifetime opportunity.
US
Not like our last trip
We previously went on a great East Africans Safari with Born Free. We asked them to help with another trip a year later. This did not go at all well and Born Free did not take appropriate responsibility for the clear errors that occurred, which significantly and negatively affected our trip.
They did not stand behind their travel product and I can no longer recommend Born Free.