35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Average
Claim to be great but actually very average. My family was not impressed. Actually as we have taken other tours in Africa via other touing companies
SG
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Do not book the Luxury Package, it falls well below other agencies standards
I will stick to the facts so this review is not biased. We booked the Luxury Package on SafariBookings.com, but Serengeti Silence (linked to the sister companies Serengeti Smile and Stars, same boss) did not deliver the luxury standard offered by other agencies.
The positives:
- Amazing wildlife.
- Knowledgeable guide.
- Nice hotels.
What went wrong:
- Lunch quality: Our first lunch was a barely edible sandwich box, while many other groups received hotel-prepared meals with hampers, cutlery and tablecloths. After I complained, they reluctantly upgraded us but responded defensively and made us feel guilty for expecting the standard that other agencies offered.
- Vehicle condition: The windshield was already cracked on pickup day (see photo), a safety concern on rocky roads. The phone charger was also broken.
- Unnecessary detour: We lost nearly 1h stopping at their office over an alleged unpaid balance. Everything was already settled, and they later said the stop was only to collect lunch boxes, which could have been collected before picking us up.
- Poor preparation: They forgot to provide binoculars on the first day.
- Last-minute surcharge: A few weeks before departure, they charged an extra $80 per person (including children) due to fuel prices, despite our signed quote and deposit. We had no real option but to pay or cancel.
For these reasons, I cannot recommend this agency. Their unprofessionalism irretrievably marred what should have been a dream safari.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Disappointing
Day i got the departure date wrong by 3 days and told the driver it was our fault.had to change the first 5 days of the itinerary to fit thechimp tracking permits booked in March.
Driver late by One hour on first day.
Driver liked to drive fast even on game drives,had to be told repeatedly to slow down .
Wasted a lot ( up to 45 mins) at Park gates on numerous occassions.
Were put in lesser accomodation in Enjojo camp according to our receipt.
Owed one lunch on a long day,just never got it.
Driver was totally disrespectful of my wife,never addressing her by her name and calling her”she”.
On the last night we complained about a wet messy bed and the driver joined the manageress in blaming my wife,straight away with no evidence.(look up Rushaga lodge reviews and see that this had happened before).Ido not think that there is a worse insult to make in the safari world.We are in our seventies and my wife does not “ leak”.
The vehicle had the rear windows(our viewing windows) covered in a dark tint which was hard to see through.Only one rear window was working and the exhaust gasses came in through the tailgate door.
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful safari, but terribile organization
We booked a combined safari and Diani Beach tour, which unfortunately turned out to be quite a disaster from an organizational point of view.
The safari itself was absolutely amazing. We had the chance to see an incredible number of animals, and our guide, John, was outstanding. He always made sure we got as close as possible to the wildlife and made every day enjoyable. The drives between the parks are long and can be tiring, so if you're not prepared for that, my advice would be to visit only the Masai Mara, it is absolutely worth it on its own. Diani Beach is also beautiful.
The major issue was the organization. We had agreed that the tour operator would take care of everything, including our transfer from Nairobi to Diani, which was included in the quotation. However, on the day of our departure, we discovered that the domestic flights had never been booked. After several discussions, we managed to get the company to cover the cost of the flights, but despite this, and despite our repeated reminders they still didn't book them until the day before we were due to travel.
As a result, only a few flight options were left, and the flights chosen by the agency caused us to miss a morning game drive that we had paid for, as it was included in our package. We also ended up spending almost two full days of our trip waiting around in airports.
Overall, the experience itself was wonderful, but I strongly advise against booking with this tour operator.
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Bad experience due to tour guide
My company booked a tour through this agency. Even though the initial part was good, thereafter it started to become bad. During the tour, at some point I asked the guide to close the window and hood due to extreme dirt, he did not do that deliberately, giving various reasons. After first day end, back to the hotel he drove as if an animal being transported. Same goes for the second day. The tour guide was Noel, and before the 2nd day afternoon I asked him to finish the tour and take me back to airport. Very bad service. Also he was always in a hurry. I can see another guides were giving much time and space to the tourist.
EG
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good Communication, Disappointing Safari
I had mixed feelings about my experience with Intimacy Adventure.
On the positive side, the company was responsive before the trip, and the hotels were exactly as promised. There were no issues with the accommodation, and everything matched the itinerary.
Unfortunately, the safari itself was very disappointing. Instead of being handled directly by the company, we were combined with guests from different tour operators and assigned to a driver who wasn’t actually part of Intimacy Adventure. Whenever we had a problem, he would simply tell us to contact the company, leaving us without any real support during the trip.
We also lost a significant part of our Serengeti experience because of an issue involving another group’s hotel reservation. Since everyone was traveling in the same vehicle, we all had to wait for hours, which wasted one of the most important safari days.
The biggest issue was the safari vehicle. It was old, uncomfortable, and kept breaking down. I experienced several other safari vehicles on the last day, and they were in much better condition. I asked to switch vehicles because ours was clearly not suitable, but my request was refused.
Sadly, only the first day was enjoyable. The remaining four days were so frustrating because of the vehicle and the poor organization that I found myself counting down the days until the safari ended.
I expected a much better experience, especially considering the amount I paid. Better organization, proper vehicles, and having a driver who represents the company would make a huge difference.
ES
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Poor organization
The organization was a complete disaster. On the day we arrived, a driver picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel at 1:00 p.m. He told us that someone would come later that afternoon to give us a briefing. As soon as we arrived, I sent a WhatsApp message to our contact person, but they never replied. We found ourselves stuck at the hotel with no idea what time the safari would start, who would pick us up, or what the plan was.
Eventually, at around 7:00 p.m., the hotel reception managed to get in touch with them, and they told us that the briefing would take place the following morning. It never happened. They simply picked us up from the hotel and drove us straight to the parks.
Once we were there, I think your experience depends entirely on the driver you get. Ours was terrible. He barely explained anything, rarely stopped at good photo spots, and although we were very lucky to see all the animals we hoped for, it certainly wasn’t because he was actively looking for them. In fact, he spent most of the drive using his phone.
On our first day in the Serengeti, he picked us up 1 hour and 15 minutes later than the agreed time. Even worse, on the day we visited the Ngorongoro Crater, we had been told it was essential to leave early to make the most of our permit before it expired. Instead, we left the camp two hours late because our driver was waiting to help one of his colleagues.
The parks themselves are absolutely incredible, but the company’s organization leaves a lot to be desired. After the trip, we sent them a WhatsApp message with detailed feedback so they could improve their service. They never even replied with a simple “thank you.”
I would never book with this company again.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
This review is for trip from Otambo to Kruger
Driver "TIYANI"
Very poor driving, dangerous at times.
Speeding, 115kp in neutral downhills
80 in 60 zones... roadworks .
Rolling thru stop signs.
One hand on the wheel.
Constant talking to front seat passenger until asked not too. Very distracted.
Should not be driving a taxi/bus
Vehicle in generally good condition.
Overall a very unpleasant journey.
I can provide photos if needed.
DE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Missions done, but...
Hello Mr. Peter K Katusiime and Big Apes Africa Team,
We're back from our 8-day tour, which started in Kigali, Rwanda, and ended in Entebbe, Uganda.
We're down-to-earth people, have been traveling for 12 years, and have some safari experience.
First, the positives.
We were warmly welcomed by our tour guide, Ronald, who was friendly and approachable throughout the entire trip.
He was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and explained life in East Africa to us during our journey.
We clicked really well with him after just a few days, and we were sad when the trip was over.
We would definitely travel with him again.
All the best to you, Ronie, and much success! 🤝
The itinerary was well-organized.
Peter's team changed the route and some hotels at our request.
This made our dream of seeing and experiencing primates in their natural habitat come true.
The mid-range accommodations they selected were excellent.
... The food, the service, the views were breathtaking.
As a European, you don't need to be afraid, and you rarely find such friendly, dedicated, and helpful people these days.
However, some things need to be addressed and seen as tough criticism, with the hope of improvement.
First, the car.
We drove about 2,000 km in a dilapidated, old car.
Make, no idea, 300,000 km.
Some of the seatbelts didn't work, no air conditioning, some of the windows were broken or unusable.
There was a smell of exhaust fumes inside the car, and the reserve tank didn't work, which is why we had to make a two-hour stop in the middle of the bush and get help.
Yes, we know, it's Africa.
But when we pay €5,500, we expect something different; it was better in other African countries.
You sometimes felt sorry for our tour guide, Ronald, even though he never complained and made the best of it.
``` Second point: the fuel situation.
If the offer states that fuel is included, then it's included.
Even in Uganda.
Trying to squeeze more money out of tourists through any tricks is unacceptable.
Sending money via SIM card is common there and usually works perfectly.
This sometimes led to situations where we were told we should pay, as it would be faster.
Oddly enough, after a stern phone call from me, everything worked perfectly again.
This shouldn't happen and is annoying.
I also hold this against Peter and the office team around Calvin and Peace.
Third point: trust, communication, and honesty.
I asked several times via email how the remaining 60% of the payment would be handled, but received no reply.
So we took cash with us and hoped for the best.
Then we suddenly had to pay for several things in cash: a hotel, a full tank of gas, and two national park entrance fees.
You can consider this normal, but you don't have to.
After that, we received instructions from the office to stop at a bank along the way and transfer the remaining balance.
Funny.
After 1.5 hours, we were out of the bank and had lost more time on our trip, just like the previous days due to the situation with refueling, car repairs, etc.
If these issues were improved, we would gladly come back.
In conclusion, we have to say:
We managed everything? Yes.
Were we satisfied? 50/50
Regards, Robert and Anne
CN
Solid but too hasty about the itinerary. Frequently rushing us to the car by waving and clapping han
The itinerary is overall fine since we are in the budget group. In Chinese old saying “一分钱一分货” the overall accommodation and food is just fine for budget group. I won’t complain about that. It’s the attitude that I want to complain about.
This is a lifetime experience for both of us. We wanted to enjoy. But the guide has been kind of indifferent about this. When we were taking pictures, he kept rushing by waving us and clapping hands. We didn’t have the chance to take some photos we liked. The photos with qilimanjaro and photos with some animals. He kept scrolling on his phone while game driving, watching local news. He was not keen about finding animals for us just follow the fixed route.
As in the same group, we two and other Indian friends were picked up earliest and dropped off the lastest. I don’t know if it’s discrimination against Asians or what. I didn’t want to pay the tips at the end, but since the guide asked I paid 100usd for me and my girlfriend for the 7days trip. I paid it not for recognition but just because he asked.
Besides maybe it’s budget group Some of The workers in hotels are not so friendly either. In Naivasha. I found two bags in our room which were ours. I asked the manager. They said that they have to switch our room from double room to twin room since the original room was others without even apologising, my girlfriend was quite sad about this. In the camp at ambosali. This happened again but in a worse way. The manager waved me over and kept me waiting until he finished talking on the phone than than me they have to change our room. I’m okay with the reason because again this is a budget group. But I don’t like the way I am treated
I will come to Africa again. But not Kenya maybe some where else
I guess the lesson is choose your guide if possible and be ware of the bad attitude