CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Without a doubt the WORST tour operator ever
Ernest (the contact person) for Time 4 Afrika rarely, if ever answered his phone or responded to emails. Before arriving in Tanzania we were told that all hotel bookings and the itinerary were confirmed, yet upon arrival at our first hotel, no booking had been made. The next morning, we met with a sub-contracted tour operator of Time 4 Afrika who then explained to us that nothing in terms of hotel or itinerary had been booked. Consequently, we were not able to stay at any of the hotels are stated in the contract. Further, Ernest refused to forward payments to the safari tour operator in a timely manner. As such, we were LITERALLY kicked out of our Serengenti hotel one night, and had to spend the night in the park rangers office!! Ernest never came to meet us in either Arusha or Zanzibar, and still has yet to pay the hotel in Zanzibar!! On top of all of this, he has the audacity to ask for more money even though he has not honored a single term of the contract! I have been in contact with the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators, as well as other government departments to try to make sure that Ernest Mangela and Time 4 Afrika never operate another tour again! I advise you to PLEASE not use this tour operator under any circumstances.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The most leaders are asolutely unreliable + the company dont keep promises!Get hurt by a guide
- The wildlife was absolutely various and we saw a lot of things.
- The food was most of the time great
- The accommodation was always perfect
- And our first guide was nice
BUT then we get a new guide. Ok we didnt get him, because Dan never arrrived and we didnt get any information about this, even when the hotel called him a lot of times. So we couldnt do the boattrip. The next day, we get a new guide. He was so terrible and drove his car badly. We asked him four times to drive a lit slower and to watch the streets (not his phone). When we finished lunch, we had to wait for him, because he wanted to talk and wait for other drivers. The restaurant was empty then, all the groups left the restaurant before us, even that we were the first group who was arriving in the locals and had to wait after lunch a half our extra for him.
He had just a normal car, so that we get in stuck in the safari. After that he was so nervous, that when I started to get in, he started to drive. (With my open door) -> so I get hurt and was falling on the ground. He was not nice after this and didnt ask me how I feel.
After we had also an disappointment with the company and Dan. Our first guide promised us, that Dan will help us with our camera, which we lost at the airport. Yes but noone came. We told the company about this promise and they told us, they called Dan in this moment and he will come now. But Dan didnt know about anything and was not willing to come. We told the company but they dont care.
So when they hadnt change our guide, I would give 5 Stars, but after our first guide everything was bad..... And honestly, with every other company you will see the wildlife. Choose someone else!!!!!!!!
BR
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disappointing
Our car had an electric problem with the charger on the second day but the guide could drive it. On the third day of safari the guide left us at an information station at 10 am telling us that he would fix the car and disappeard for more than 4 hours, wasting our time and Safari. We were alone, not knowing what was happening and very scared. After asking for him to several other guides who were on site, we were able to locate our guide.
Then came the worst !!! We went in our car without repairing to the Lodge and soon to travel to the North Serengeti.
The guide drove like crazy, we saw several animals on the way, including a rhinoceros a few feet from our car, but he did not stop and said we would see lots of animals in Northern Serengeti in the following days !!! And got lost because he did not know the place !!! For five hours we were driving in circles and the guide didn't want to admit that he was lost. We arrived at the Lodge around 10:00 p.m. because we begged him to ask for information from a car from a local company that passed by our car, luckily ours. We have to remember that it is totally forbidden to do excursions or safari at night and we were very lucky to have seen the headlights of this car!
The next day, he didn't tell us that the car was broken and that we could not do the Safari. We communicated with the owner of Quest Horizon, who only then organized a new car and another guide. We missed the whole morning to go to Safari! The new guide only stayed with us that day and the other day another car was organized and a new guide arrived almost 2 hours late !! We lost almost 3 days of Safari and had lots of wear and stress.
The owner got us a flight to try to make up for so much lost time and we went to Lake Manyara which has practically no animal. It was the minimum that he could do!
We were very sad to lose so many days in such wonderful places in Central and North Serengeti.
US
Poor Communication and Follow up
We saved money for our South African vacation for over a year and a half and the part we were most looking forward to was our 2-day Safari in Pilanesberg. My husband even purchased a new camera for the game drives.
Shortly after we arrived at the Bakubung Lodge in Pilanesberg we were told by another guest that the evening game drive had been cancelled due to wildfires. The entire park had been closed for the first time in history. We were told that we would be informed of the status of our morning drive later that night. Had it not been for this individual we would not have been told of the cancellation- we did not hear anything from Go Safari.
We inquired on the status of the morning game drive several times that evening and nobody at the resort seemed to know anything. We went to bed disappointed but hopeful for a morning drive.
We awoke the next morning at 5AM to get ready just in case the drive was going to occur. We went to the lobby and, again, nobody had any information. Worse still....no word from Go Safari. After standing in the lobby for an hour exchanging awkward glances with the front desk staff we finally went back to the room assuming the drive was cancelled (we were literally the only guests standing in the lobby). Still...no word from Go Safari.
Our ride back to Joburg was not scheduled to pick us up until noon so we had 6 hours to sit there and do nothing. So, we sat on a bench outside and waiting for 6 hours to be picked up. As we sat there, we had hoped for word from Go Safari. Anything would have been nice. "We are sorry about the cancellations", "Would you like to try again another day?", "Can we provide a voucher for a future date?" But Go Safari did not reach out.
We understand that the wildfires were not anyone's fault and those things happen. We can tolerate disappointment. What we are upset about is the total lack of communication from Go Safari and the horrible customer service we have received.
We spent nearly $900USD on one night at a lodge with crappy food and poor service from the staff.
We had several more days to spend in Joburg and would have gladly paid for another driver to take us back after he park opened so we could even get one game drive in.
This was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime. Go Safari really messed this one up.
KR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not recommended
Ridiculously as it sounds, East Africa Tours and Safaris changed my schedule 'after' my arrival at Nairobi.
They failed to find a group going to Amboseli for me and suggested that I should pay extra money and have a private safari.
When I refused that and canceled the schedule, they charged me $140 saying that they had already booked a place in Amboseli!
They promised me to share the spoils and refund me $70 but eventually they were out of contact and didn't refund me at all.
I would like to share this bad experience to whoever visiting this page.
IS
20-35 years of age
Please be aware. This "tour operator" is running a scam. Do not give them a cent!
** UPDATE MARCH 2015
After six months of hassle, I have received a full refund of the safari trip I booked and pre-paid with Africa Flash Mc Tours last year. I cannot recommend their services, as this has caused me trouble ever since I was in Nairobi in September 2014 waiting for a safari guide that never showed up and couldn´t contact anyone from Africa Flash MC Tours (including emergency phone numbers posted on the company's website).
** UPDATE FEBRUARY 2015
I want to reiterate my review submitted in October 2014. No money has been refunded to me from Peter Njenga. I have been communicating with him for many months. He has repeatedly promised to send a refund but has not been a man of his word. Please avoid doing business with him and his company.
** ORIGINAL REVIEW
I booked a tour with Africa Flash Mc Tours for September 2014 and paid it 100% up front, $1150.
Nobody showed up to pick me up at my hotel as arranged with Peter Njenga, the phone numbers of the company and Peter were turned off and no one answered my email. I never got to go on the tour I had paid for.
I complained to the Kenyan police which is now looking into Africa Flash MC Tours and Peter Njenga. I have not received a refund from the company, I hope the police will stop him from scamming tourists coming to Kenya. Please be careful and do not deal with this company.
BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Review about Saadani National Park by Code Redsniper
this park has been totally emptied by poachers, harly any wildlife to find.
SG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dishonest and irresponsible boss
My husband and I did a 7 days Machame trek and 2D1N safari tour with this tour. The trek was a good experience because of the wonderful guide Bala and his team. However, we had a hard time with the boss David Michael Bungama/David Bungama Nyabirumo. First, he was dishonest with the accommodation arrangement. ALL the arranged accommodations were different and CHEAPER than what was promised over the email exchange. David attributed the change to bad reputation from the promised hotel, but why the vast difference in price and quality? A day before the safari trip, he said he did not have cash to pay the safari guide as the bank was closed that day (sunday). He said we either have to wait till 10am before we can leave for safari or lend him US$350 first and he repay us when we return. Blame us for wanting to resolve the problem quickly and get started on our trip, we agreed and even made him write an IOU. On the day of return, he refused to meet us and asked the safari operator to book us into a US$10 per room (with shared bathroom) backpacker in Moshi! We paid US$700 per person for a 2D1N safari and the lodge in the safari was not fantastic as well!!! Where did all our money go to? We were furious and he promised to meet us the next day which was our day of departure. Not too surprisingly, he only sent the driver to meet us WITHOUT THE US$350 that he owed us! He promised to meet us in the airport after a blasting over the phone with us, but he refused to pick up calls when we were in the airport. Up to the last minute before we need to board, he called back to say he'll fund transfer us. It is our misfortune to have trusted David and engage him. Although he did offer a slightly cheaper price than other operator, he probably made a neat profit through numerous hidden costs or downright cheating. I think dishonest business dealer is the last thing a tourist will want to encounter. Please be careful of this guy and stay clear. He is out to make money but not in the right way.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Dishonest, bad hotels and unprofessional
The 13 day safari we booked with Big time safaris was massively over priced for what we received. The hotels were poor quality compared to other similar priced tour operators. They advertise as covering Tanzania yet set us up with a completely different dishonest company that did not fulfil the trip we had paid for, cheated us out of our lodge that we had paid for and lied to us the whole time both about animal facts and our trip. Do not use this company under any circumstances.
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Poor service
We had a great safari in Seregeti , Ngorongoro and Tarangire! We saw a lot of animals and had a great guide. But we would definitely not recommend to go whit World Air Travel & Tours in Arusha. On the first day or care broke down after 30 minutes. All day the guide tried to fix the car but it broke down five times. He managed to drive to the gate of the Serengeti but then the car was totally broken.
All cars break down some day. The roads are poor so this things happen. no problem. But World Air Travel & Tours laid all the time about the solution. There say they had sent a another car and it will arrive soon. After all the other car arrived 14 hours after they told us he would.
So we missed the first day and half of or second day. On a safari of four days this is a lot so we asked about a compensation. we paid a lot of money fore the safari (6 persons 4days and $900,- per person). We missed more than 1/4 of the safari. They offer us an extra day in the Serengeti for $130 a person or get a refund of $ 30,- per person. Even after hard bargaining this was their final offer.
Very pour solution and very bad compensation. If ever tithing is going to plan it is no problem to go whit World Air Travel & Tours . But if there is a problem after you paid, it’s your problem.