Average
Final review of our 9 day tour with Big Apes Africa Safaris and I'd be lying if I said there weren't issues. Basically we had a quote from Peter at Big Apes last year and after reviewing the Itinerary and accommodation, we decided to go with Big Apes, and made our final payment in December 2023 for the tour to start in 31 Jan 2024, funds were taken out of my account a couple of days after payment
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The first issue was the accommodation stated in the Itinerary was way out of date (see below) from day 1. Peter's response to this was "it's in the clients best interest", I'd say lame response as keeping the client informed of any changes would be in our best interest. Talking to staff at the replacement accommodation and Big Apes have been staying there for some time so the list may not have been accurate from the start.
Itinerary accommodation Actual Accommodation
Entebbe - Airport Guest House Green Valley Guest House
Murchison Falls - Parkside Safari Lodge Parkside Safari Lodge
Kibale National Park - Rweteera Safari Park Kibale Forest Camp (tent)
Queen Elizabeth National Park - Engiri Game Pumba Safari Cottages
Lodge
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - Mucha Bweza Lodge - Rushaga Bwindi
Riverside Lodge
Lake Bunyonyi - Lake Bunyonyi Eco Lodge Lake Bunyonyi Eco Lodge
Kyahugye Island
Our Chimp tracking in Kyambura Gorge was changed from Day 6 to the morning of Day 7 resulting in missing out looking for the tree climbing lions in the Ishasha Sector and heading straight to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as we now didn't have the time. I think the issue here was payment of the Chimp Trekking permits had not been made by Big Apes Safari on time.
Our guide Gerald for the tour was great went out of his way to ensure we saw the "Big 5" and dealt with the issues as best as he could.
The choice to use this company is yours alone, I emailed some to the people leaving positive reviews before and during the tour, but not one person responded to my email....no idea why. Feel free to email me about our tour as I can't comment on anything other than that.
Happy Travels and walk your own path.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Serengeti National Park by Mirela Erbisti
I went to central Serengeti and didn’t know that animals were migrating to the south. It should be said when I booked my trip, then I could change destination.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Mirela Erbisti
Very few animals
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The wildlife is abundant
The roads are in horrific condition and beyond repair. I would not recommend traveling with a standard sedan. Pilanesberg Center is a must see. Road from Bakgatla needs a complete redo. Wildlife is abundant. Pilanesberg WAS the crown jewel of the North West province. I assume mismanagement and incompetence being the reason for the decline of this once wonderful park. At least the Wildlife is still there.
BR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great place. Some issues during the trip…
Tanzania is a wonderful country. Great people, amazing safaris, but very poor. Need to watch the quality of the water you get in touch with and also take malaria pills during your trip to prevent illness.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
good
not safe ，my mum got bitten by monkey in tarengire national park，no one cares about it，so disappoint about agency.
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
He knows where and how to find the animals
In total it was really good. We see a lot, also the Big Five. But I was wondered and surprised what was not included, like the Boatstour or the Walk with the animals. I took again a look of the Safari-Description but I didn't find these advices.
And also to see the animals very close was really nice, sure. But I don't think that it is good for the animals. And to breake rules by leaving roads was terrible. There is a reason why this is not allowed.
At least thank you for the journey with you, Moses.
CL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Poor contact, changed plans with no explanations.
Incredible places but the timing was not good. For visiting the 3 parks you should stay at least 2 nights in each one of them. We could enjoy Masai Mara because we did stay for 2 nights. The jeep we had assigned was not in good conditions, we even had a panne, so we lost more time and arrived really late to one park, had a very late lunch, not so yummy and had few time to visit the park. The operator was not very communicative, only answered fast when we told him about the transportation problem.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional.
I did the village experience and it was okay. We visited one family and it felt a little intrusive instead of immersive. We were only there for 30 minutes. I heard of other travelers getting to try local food and have a more immersive experience. While it was nice seeing their way of life, I think it was a bit pricey for what we received.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A review that could have been very different
Taking a safari with Mufasa Tours and Travels was, for the most part, a good experience. We are frequently safari goers and based on the ratings we'd seen, there were high expectations in our minds. The incredible wildlife, wonderful accommodations, and having a dedicated guide, Nelson, contributed to many memorable moments. However, our encounter with the company's refund policy left us with mixed feelings about our overall journey.
The Positives:
Our safari with Mufasa Tours and Travels initially promised an exclusive and flexible adventure, and in many aspects, it delivered. The personalized game drives facilitated by Nelson were informative and tailored to our preferences. The company's commitment to providing an exclusive vehicle and guide allowed us to immerse ourselves fully into bush therapy. Caroline, who coordinated our bookings, demonstrated prompt and professional communication when addressing our concerns, and made the entire booking a pleasant experience. Nelson was a good guide and ensured we had the best sightings based on what he heard over the radio.
The Disappointment:
We had opted for a 4x4 Land Cruiser instead of a Minivan for more comfort. However, the vehicle we received was probably one of the older ones if not the oldest. It was quite different from what is advertised on their YouTube video. The vehicle was rickety, glass windows used to vibrate vigorously during the drives and the pop-up roof had rust and loose metal shreds which can be a big risk. When we reached the Mara from Nairobi, the backdoor got jammed and it took hours to retrieve our bags and other luggage (which included baby food!!). For a company of good reputation, it is imperative that vehicles are kept spic and span and regularly maintained.
From the reviews we read online, we had requested for Nelson to be our good. While he was good in several aspects such as stopping when we ask or changing the angle when photographing, one thing we did not appreciate was that he used to be on the phone all the time. Instead of giving us some insights about the animals we see (simple things such as what pride of lions is this, how big it is, etc.), it felt more like a race from one sighting to the other. Even though we are bird lovers, most of them we had to ask him to stop otherwise he would just drive past without even looking.
Additionally ... our journey regrettably took an unexpected turn when our baby fell ill, forcing us to cut our safari short. Upon inquiring about a partial refund due to the unforeseen circumstances, we encountered a rigid adherence to the company's no-refund policy for last-minute changes. While we understand and respect the importance of policy adherence, we had hoped for more flexibility and understanding given the exceptional nature of our situation.
Conclusion:
Our overall experience with Mufasa Tours and Travels was a tale of two halves. The wildlife and photographic opportunities made the safari portion truly memorable. However, the disappointment stemming from the company's inflexible refund policy has left us contemplating our future travel choices. While the company provides an undoubtedly unique and exclusive safari experience, potential travelers should be mindful of the company's strict policies, especially in unforeseen circumstances. As we reflect on our safari with mixed emotions, we may consider alternative options for our future adventures, seeking a balance between policy adherence and customer understanding.