FR
Overtourism and disrespect for nature
I join Theo to say that as wildlife conservationist, we wanted to experience our first ever Safari and what better place than the Massai Mara ?
we decided to trust the good reviews this Tour Operator has and booked a 6 days safari through the Mara, Nakuru and Amboseli.
That was a mistake.
I don't know how is it possible that so many people are blindfold about what is going on in Mara but Jocky Tour is definitly part of the problem. I never seen so much unethical behavior to satisfy clients on a game drive. It was not just our guide, it was all of them. Jocky Tour is responsible because it pushes those kind of behavior, to satisfy their clients, to have a cool selfie and when I confronted them about it they had nothing to say anymore. We were next to a lioness with 2 cubs, hiding in bush, the car was at less than 2 METERS away, stressing them, phones ringing, two guides from two different companies talking to each other loudly. It was 50 plus cars in front of a lioness with a kill, she didn't know what to do anymore. 50 plus cars again cercling a scared leopard in a bush to get a photo. Loud engines, people talking loudly, cars trying to get in front of one another for their guests to have a better view, it was pure chaos. When I confronted our guide about it, he told me that he'll try to stay discret and keep a safe distance from the animals. But nontheless, one poor cheetah with 40 plus cars around latter during the day was the nail in the coffin for us. All those tour operators are killing the Mara, one of the last wild jewel of Africa, all that for short term profit and to satisfy clients that think it's a zoo. It changes animal behavior and causing so much damage on the land to have so much vehicules with no regulations!
Studies shows that cheetah to have less cubs in the Mara because of the stress caused by all this. Lionesses loose kills, buffalos can't escape anymore, blocked by army of people and let's not talk about the great migration... There is countless and coutless exemple of thoses abuses.
Also, the program was not followed, as we should have had a full day in the Mara but insead it was cut short ta have the optional visit of a Massai village. Which is also a big joke as it doesn't look authentic at all, it is more of a show for tourists.
PLEASE, if you read this, make sure your tour operator is not some kind of money profit, selfish organisation like Jocky Tour that doesn't think about the environnement and the damage it causes. Make sure they are ethical and that their guides are well trained and aware about animals safety. I understand that everybody doesn't have the money for the private experience which is our case at the moment. But we still left the safari at the end of the first day. Even if we're not getting our money back because we didn't finish it (and I don't mind paying the parc fees), we don't want to be involve and witness something like this EVER again. So save a little more money but make sure you go there to respect the place and enjoyed it for it's true value, to keep it as wild as possible.
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The guide Benson is good, but the boss Martin is not good
The guide, Benson, was nice, but the owner, Martin, was not (typically a businessman).
The overall trip was good. However, the car was dirty, old, and broken. A two-year-old car felt like a 20-year-old, with broken seatbacks and rusty windows that wouldn't open fully. The owner, Martin, was a bit stingy and wasn't very easy to get along with.
(automatic translation from Chinese)
AR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Irresponsable
We did the 11-day Kenya and Tanzania safari. The ETA office is actually the Super Eagles office; I believe they are the same agency. The Kenyan driver/guide during the safaris gave us no information about where we were going or what we would do next. He drove aggressively, putting the passengers at risk, and on one occasion, he hit a sheep in the middle of the road. After complaints from all the passengers, they switched to another guide and vehicle; the vehicle was very uncomfortable and the windows didn't work properly. At one lodge, there were mice in the room at night. We found droppings on the bed and our belongings. A mouse tore through the fabric of the backpack, ate some cookies we had inside, and left droppings. Because of this situation, we consulted Derrick about what to do and whether there was a possibility of disease transmission, but we received no response. As we continued our safari in Tanzania, Seven Wonders was in charge of organizing it, and we had no problems with them.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely to avoid, terrible experience and dishonest behavior
My experience with Jimfire Safaris and Transfers was extremely disappointing. I booked through GetYourGuide a tour that was clearly marked as “All Included,” meaning accommodation and park entrance were supposed to be part of the package. However, shortly after booking, they told me that both the accommodation and the park entrance were not included, even though it was clearly written otherwise on GetYourGuide.
I tried to contact them several times by email and through GetYourGuide, but they never replied. They only answered occasionally via WhatsApp, with vague and confusing messages. At first, they also said the tour was for two people only, even though on GetYourGuide it was possible to book for just one person, which I did.
After I showed them all the screenshots from their own listing stating that everything was included, they finally confirmed that it was all included and the booking was valid. But then, the day before the tour, they suddenly canceled it without any explanation and didn’t even cancel the booking on GetYourGuide, clearly trying to keep the money.
Fortunately, GetYourGuide support stepped in, refunded me directly, and reported them for their dishonest behavior.
I strongly recommend not booking with Jimfire Safaris and Transfers. They are unreliable, unprofessional, and act in a very dishonest way. There are many other trustworthy tour operators in Kenya, avoid this one at all costs.
CN
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unethical at its best
So, as wildlife conservationist, we wanted to experience our first ever Safari and what better place than the Massai Mara ?
we decided to trust the good reviews this Tour Operator has and booked a 6 days safari through the Mara, Nakuru and Amboseli.
That was a mistake.
I don't know how is it possible that so many people are blindfold about what is going on in Mara but Jocky Tour is definitly part of the problem. I never seen so much unethical behavior to satisfy clients on a game drive. It was not just our guide, it was all of them. Jocky Tour is responsible because it pushes those kind of behavior, to satisfy their clients, to have a cool selfie and when I confronted them about it they had nothing to say anymore. We were next to a lioness with 2 cubs, hiding in bush, the car was at less than 2 METERS away, stressing them, phones ringing, two guides from two different companies talking to each other loudly. It was 50 plus cars in front of a lioness with a kill, she didn't know what to do anymore. 50 plus cars again cercling a scared leopard in a bush to get a photo. Loud engines, people talking loudly, cars trying to get in front of one another for their guests to have a better view, it was pure chaos. When I confronted our guide about it, he told me that he'll try to stay discret and keep a safe distance from the animals. But nontheless, one poor cheetah with 40 plus cars around latter during the day was the nail in the coffin for us. All those tour operators are killing the Mara, one of the last wild jewel of Africa, all that for short term profit and to satisfy clients that think it's a zoo. It changes animal behavior and causing so much damage on the land to have so much vehicules with no regulations!
Studies shows that cheetah to have less cubs in the Mara because of the stress caused by all this. Lionesses loose kills, buffalos can't escape anymore, blocked by army of people and let's not talk about the great migration... There is countless and coutless exemple of thoses abuses.
Also, the program was not followed, as we should have had a full day in the Mara but insead it was cut short ta have the optional visit of a Massai village. Which is also a big joke as it doesn't look authentic at all, it is more of a show for tourists.
PLEASE, if you read this, make sure your tour operator is not some kind of money profit, selfish organisation like Jocky Tour that doesn't think about the environnement and the damage it causes. Make sure they are ethical and that their guides are well trained and aware about animals safety. I understand that everybody doesn't have the money for the private experience which is our case at the moment. But we still left the safari at the end of the first day. Even if we're not getting our money back because we didn't finish it (and I don't mind paying the parc fees), we don't want to be involve and witness something like this EVER again. So save a little more money but make sure you go there to respect the place and enjoyed it for it's true value, to keep it as wild as possible.
FI
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
This operator steals your money. Never use it!
I bought a 12 days package in Kenya for 2090 dollars. I paid deposit payment 663 dollars and I got a handwritten receipt. After that all my contacts were blocked out. Five days before the start of the trip, they wrote that, for economical reasons, they cannot organize the trip. They promised to return the deposit payment and, of course, they didn't do it! Never use this operator!!!
Because I had already booked my flights and hotels I searched an other operatot. I had some luck to find one.
KR
Experience level: first safari
Worst
I booked my safari tour with this company. Even before the trip, I discussed with the manager to coordinate my flight tickets and schedule so that everything would fit well.
On the first day, our car broke down and we had to wait for over an hour in the middle of the road. After finally completing the game drive, we arrived at the lodge only to find out it was overbooked — four of us had no room and had to be moved elsewhere. When I asked the manager, he said he heard anything. Dinner and breakfast were not going to be provided either, so we had to argue just to get them.
The next morning, instead of resting at the same place for another night, we had to pack all our luggage again and move back to the originally scheduled lodge. The day after that, we were told our accommodation had changed again due to some “unexpected” issue.
The following day, we thought we were heading to the campsite where we were supposed to stay for two nights. But one of the group members asked the guide if we were really going there — and only then did we find out it had been changed again. The driver didn’t even bother to tell us until we asked. The manager who I've been talking to didn’t even know the situation again. Everyone had to complain to their respective managers before we were finally allowed to go to the place we had been originally told about.
When we arrived, there was yet another overbooking issue — instead of the double rooms we were promised, we were placed in 6-bed rooms, and non-couples were told to share. When I asked the manager, once again he had no idea about the situation and just said, “At least you’re not sharing your bed”
On the day we were supposed to cross into Tanzania, there was no game drive. The car broke down again, so we had to wait on the roadside for a long time and then transfer to another vehicle. After crossing the border, we waited for several more hours before finally getting on the bus. When we arrived at the hotel, my name wasn’t even on the reservation list — I was told there was no room and had to stay separately from the rest of the group. We arrived later than expected so I couldn't go to the market for shopping bc it was already almost closed after check-in.
The next morning, I was told to meet at 6:30 a.m. to join another group for the Tanzania safari. The bus only arrived after 8 a.m., and I waited more than two hours before finally departing around 10:30 a.m. We had to pick up other people along the way, which caused even more delays. When we finally reached Serengeti, I thought we would start our game drive — but the car broke down again, and we ended up waiting in the rain for over two hours at the park entrance. We didn’t do any game drive that day.
The driver promised to make it up to us by starting early the next morning at 6:30, but he only showed up after 8:30 a.m. Because of that, we were the last to leave and had much less time for game driving, even though Serengeti park fees are extremely expensive.
The following day was the same — we were ready on time, but the driver came hours late again so we departed late again. The campsite was cold, the tent zipper was broken, cold wind blew all night, and I eventually caught a cold.
On the last day, we were supposed to do a game drive in Ngorongoro Crater and then head to the airport for my flight. The driver arrived late again. As soon as I saw him, I told him about my flight time and location, and he said he was aware. After dropping off another person and stopping somewhere for lunch, we started driving toward Arusha, but it was getting late. I kept reminding the driver and the manager that my time was tight. The manager reassured me that as long as I had checked in online, I would be fine.
However, after dropping others off in Arusha, they transferred me to a different car — and that new driver told me I wouldn’t make it to the airport in time! I was shocked and begged him to hurry, but he didn’t drive any faster. Despite my prior warnings that I would likely be late, the manager only told the driver to speed up at that point.
We arrived at the airport only after my plane had already departed. I had to change flight with my own money. While waiting, another guide came ti help and after listening to the situation, he promised I would get a full refund for the missed flight. I also saw him talking through the phone with the “assistant” of the manager in front of me even though I couldn't understand their language. The manager also told me via WhatsApp that he would help me get compensation. I had no choice but to believe them at the time. Because of this delay, I also had to rebook my next connecting flight.
The next day, the manager suddenly changed his words and said he could only offer a small partial refund, claiming he knew nothing about the conversation from the day before. Later he insisted it wasn’t his fault because transportation wasn’t under his control and offered only $30 “as a gift” — which he never even sent. Keep in mind, he was the one who helped arrange my outbound flight from Tanzania in the first place!
As everyone knows, safari tours are not cheap. People spend a lot of money and travel all the way here to see wildlife, but the lack of organization, constant car breakdowns, and endless time wasted picking up and dropping off other guests meant our actual game drive time was far too short.
Most disappointing of all was the whole process that led to me missing my flight, which completely ruined my following plans and cost me much more money — and the way they handled the situation afterward was utterly unprofessional.
I strongly recommend that anyone planning a safari choose a more established and reputable company. Don’t make the same mistake I did.
RS
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Avoid Dwayne!
We had a 3 days safari in Botswana with Dwayne tours and safaris. They were far from good service.
I can understand when some problems arrise, but there should be villing to solve it.
They did not give us any solution to solve the problem which they make.
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
This was my worst trip ever.
Problem 1: Communication breakdown. I repeatedly asked for two rooms when getting the quote, yet at payment I was told the price was wrong and I had to pay more. When I tried to talk to the boss, she was inflexible and refused to negotiate.
Problem 2: No credibility. An activity we had agreed on was cancelled when we arrived at the hotel; when I asked the boss, she simply said the contract was mis-written and refused to honor it, again with a hard-line attitude.
Problem 3: I understand it was a group tour, but the bus was packed to capacity and crammed with luggage, leaving no space to move or take decent photos— the travel experience was extremely poor.
Problem 4: The driver’s attitude was terrible. He wouldn’t allow photo stops; you could only stop where he thought it was okay— you weren’t allowed to suggest where you wanted to shoot.（this is real， we tried to ask him to stop so we can take photo ，and this is how he refuse us
When you tried to reason with the boss, she actually said, “Everyone else is fine—only you have a problem.” It’s simply unbelievable.