Terrible!!
DO NOT ruin your Safari! and I suggest anyone considering using this company DO NOT PAY A DEPOSIT. From the initial planning stages, to the final day of our trip we came across issues. They changed the lodge for a tent the same day we arrived.
While all the other guests were able to enjoy early morning and afternoon games(obviously using different companies) we spent our days driving long distances from one place to another and ended up doing only one & half day safari instead three(we paid for 3 days).
On the first day our driver picked us from the hotel at 9:30 am, we drove until 5pm, and we were told there would not be any safari for the first day. whole afternoon was wasted!Is it because the agent want to save the money for entry fees and parking fees for the first day?however, we were charged for 36h Masai Mara safari we barely did 12h.
The same things also happened in the final day. We drove in a lost place in Amboseli, no other companies were in the place we were!!!coincidence?!? We drove in circles for more than 2h without explanation!!
Poorly organised! Picnic food was not provided day 2 and 3.
I never left a negative comment, But this time, I have no reason to be positive since our holiday have been ruined by this company.
I would not recommend using this company to plan your safari, USE SOMEONE ELSE!!!!
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The trip in Uganda and Kenya with Yaneta Safari was a terrible bad experience.
The trip in Uganda and Kenya with Yaneta Safari was a terrible bad experience.
The only positive aspect was our driver in Uganda; Moses was a perfect guide, he always did all the best to meet our desires and expectations.
We did with Yaneta a 5 five day tour in Uganda and 7 days in Kenya where Yaneta involved Big Time Safaris as a partner. We booked the trip in february 2023 and we have paid everything as stipulated in the contract with Yaneta.
The trip had already some issues in Uganda, but it became a terrible nightmare in Kenya.
1) the first night in Uganda two out of four rooms did not have a private bathroom instead in the contract it was specified that a private bathroom would always be guaranteed; we did not receive any refund for this.
2) They booked our flight to Kenya probably at the last moment so we had to fly at 3am, as a result we didn't sleep in any hotel, but we didn't get any refund
3) when we arrived in Kenya the Kenyan agency told us that Yaneta had not paid for our trip; we immediately wrote to Yaneta who replied that Big Time Safaris had increased costs at the last moment, Yaneta however did not want to give them more money and therefore had decided not to pay this difference.
4) Big Time Safaris blackmailed us: pay cash now the difference or we take you to Nairobi and we stop the tour
5) Yaneta asked us to pay because they were economically in difficulty in that moment and asked us to trust them that we will have receive a refund in short time; we had no choice
6) We had to pay to finish the tour, but in the meantime we missed a safari in the Masai Park and did not receive any refund for that either; the cost was $80 per person.
We found ourselves in a terrible situation, forced to pay and treated very arrogantly.
Yaneta wrote me in October to be patient that they would have sent us a refund, but now a new year is arrived and we have not receive any pay back.
We have also thought that the two agencies had organized a scam to extort us further money.
A terrible nightmare !!!
MX
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla Tour not official, but bribed a guard for a private tour.
The tour went ok. While tour was in a Landrover, it was not well maintained. Twice the car would not start until fixed a few days later, ran out of gas since dashboard was not working so never knew how much gas we had or how fast we were going. He tried to change originally quoted hotels on me, most where for a lower quality but when pressed he changed back. I was in low season so no issue with availability.
The biggest issue I had was on the gorilla trekking. The night before he called me to say needed to wake up and hour earlier cause gorillas had moved. I said we stayed in this hotel since it was 10 mins from the Buhoma gate. He said please wake earlier, so I did. One of the owners picked me up, not my usual guide we drove for about an hour. Then parked on side of road, where a Ugandan guard came out of the forest I followed him alone, not sure what was going on and saw gorillas for an hour. This was clearly a bribe for the guard and much lower cost for the operator. For all gorilla treks you usually meet with the group at an official entrance show passport get signed in and and divided into groups, as well as a short talk. This operator clearly did not pay for a gorilla permit. Tour operator and guard pocketed the money not Uganda Parks.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ripped Off
Due to health issues we had to cancel our safari trip to Kenya…despite following all of the procedures to obtain a refund less a 10% administration fee and despite assurances our refund was being processed…the tour operator has ghosted us and we have lost our money $4,500 USD.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Deceiving, not professional, stay away!
Abbey from Lush African Safari responded to my Safari booking request for a quote with a very expensive package for a 14 days Kenya and Tanzania safari. The quote had places’ names and pics of cars and accommodation included. Upon arrival to Kenya I found out none of the places he quoted were actually available at the time he sent me that quote. In fact, he did ask me to pay immediately to book everything, which I did, but it was just a scam since the places weren’t available. And he hired local companies that book something else. He even tried to put me in a minivan instead of a landrover in Kenya, which at least at last minute the local company was able to fix. In Amboseli, he sent me to a tent instead of a nice 3-4 start hotel I paid, I was scared for my life there. Not a joke. Solo woman traveler I paid more to him, a company based in USA, to guarantee that this situation didn’t happen :(
In Tanzania he tried to send me to another tent and I was literally crying that day contacting the Safaribooking team begging to please not to be sent to a tent. I paid for a nice hotel, he was making up all sort of reasons why me going to a tent was best for me, among them so I can see the great migration.
He didn’t even know I already saw the great migration in Kenya!
Finally they sent me to a hotel, not like the one promised but I was so grateful for having walls and feel safe that I didn’t mind. Both local tours realized what was been done and were very sympathetic. I’d strongly recommend to use those companies directly, they will be honest and not lure you with some pics. I paid thousands of dollars to stay in the nicest hotel with great food and they sent me to a tent without electricity, shower outside that actually didn’t work, he gave me a $300 refund which felt like an insult, but I was powerless.
When I told him he couldn’t just go against the client wishes and going to a tent instead of nice accommodations I booked were not my wishes he said: “we are going to have to agree to disagree”. So he feels he is in power to sent you wherever he wants regardless of what you paid for. Here is another, when I send the pics he sent me of a fancy place that I paid for and the ones of the horrible tent he was sending me to, his response was:”some places take deceiving pics”. We have internet and the local tours were honest so they did told me how wonderful the other places I had in the quote were and how they didn’t compared in location food quality and overall with what I was given.
IT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrible experience with Image Travel
We had a very bad experience with this Travel Operator and we highly recommend you not to make the same mistake. Just to name a couple of examples:
- Program was changed last minute and we were not informed until the first day
- Pick up from hotel/ airport were often late (sometimes even by 1 hour) and with bad quality vehicles
- Instead of 3 tents for 5 people as per program payed, in 2 of the accommodation they only provided 2 room
- The refund promised for the mistake has never been effectively sent
GR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
it was the worst trip we have ever had in our lives
It was the worst experience I have ever had in my life. I booked the safari at last minute but we had already done a program 1 month ago. 2 days before the safari the called me and they told me that they didn't count the concession fees and the price had to be more. I told them that this is not my problem and suddently they didn't answer my emails and phone. The evening before we arrived in Arusha they sent me a message that they will be waiting for me at the airport. Then we went to Mr Benson's office I showed the emails and the offer and after 2-3 hours they told me that we are ok. So I lost 3-4 hours from the evening safari they supposed they gave us. On the way to our hotel they sent me a program with minus 1 day and they told me this is a program. I sent them back the program I have showed them previous at the office and told me that this is not ok. After 30-40 what's up messages and email they told me again ok. The safari in Serengeti for 2 days was good. After we have planned to move to Maasai Mara region and another driver took us from there. The drive supposed to be there from the morning and I paid 250$ more to be there and he came after 3 hours. They asked me for yellow card visa to pay 200$ as the other offices told me that the cost was 80$ for all of us and the driver told us that the officers wanted and tips. The transfer to Maasai Mara supposed to be 35' and took us 3 hours so the park was closed. The driver asked us to give tomorrow 200$ more to bring us to Maasai Mara park and when I told that I have paid for 4 days safari and I have only done 2 he told me that this is not his problem and he couldn't take us to the park in the morning. Yvlyn the girl from the office told him to bring us to the park and he did it but again with a lot of messages and calls and I terrible headache for me from this bad situation. The following day after 1.5h safari to Maasai Mara they had to transfer as at Nairobi and Giraffe manor. The driver stopped every 50km and talked with people on the road and he told us that it's like that in his country. He knew that we wanted to be early to our hotel and suddenly he told us that his car has a problem and he had to transfer us to another car. I asked him if the car is ready and he told us yes. We went to a place 150km away from Nairobi and the car was not there. The driver got down of the car and we were trying to find him. after 20' he answered the phone and he told us that the car that was ready changed the tires. He took us in one place that was inappropriate for my family as I have 2 kids and we waited for the another driver to change the tires for more that 1.30. Finally we started the way to Giraffe manor and because he did some mistakes as he didn't know how to get there we went to our hotel at 16.00 in the evening. We started from Maasai Mara at 09.30 and the distance is only 4 hours. So I totally didn't recommend Benson's Safari as it was the worst trip we have ever had in our lives and thanks god that we are all back safe after all this terrible situation.
HU
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Worst Communication and Experience
We had the most horrible experience with this company! They have zero communication and literally do not care at all about you once they’ve received your payments! You’re on your own. We were basically fishing for information and even then received either none or wrong information. We were grouped in a cruiser with people from various online bookings (viator, trip advisor etc) so not with an actual spot on guide or car. I’ve done a maasai mara safari before and we had full company services with the company we used, from cars, to guides, with proper company labels and badges. This one was not it! We only booked it because a friend whose friend worked here (she’s since left) convinced us to try them and we have never regretted a decision so much! Long story short, this wasn’t it! Use more reputable companies. Even the safari itself at the Mara started at 10am!! If you ever get to do a Safari you know you start by 7am to see the animals in action. We felt really scammed and short changed on this one. Anyway, we live and we learn.
CY
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Cooks and liars - They charged us 20 USD for RENT two bottles of water!!!!!!!!
Cooks and liars, avoid this company!!!!
They charged us 20 USD for RENT two bottles of water!!!!!!!!
We agreed for day hike to Kilimanjaro for 155 USD per person.
When Issa come to our hotel the morning he told us that the plastic bottle of water is not allowed in the park (not valid as all the rest people we saw they had plastic bottle) and that we SHOULD rent bottle from him.
After the finish of the hike the guide told us that the rent for the two bottles of water cost 20 USD!!!!!
I called Issa and he told us a lot of excuses (the bottle belongs to his friend) and when i told him that i will write my experience as a review, he proposed to do not write anything and he will let me to pay only 10 USD instead of 20 USD!! and of course i didnt accept it!
I can prove what i said with the messages in Whatsapp.
Avoid this scum company. They wanted a price of 165 USD per person and they tried to took the money with this funny way!!!!!!
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fraud and theft
Talent Arineitwe of TravelTime stole from me $400 dollars meant for application for a visa to the UAE. She continuously lied about submitting the application, then stopped replying all communication. When messaged with other numbers, she would respond, indicating a careful and deliberate intent to ignore, The last review before mine on this site had the same issue. I shared my experience on twitter and got more than 10 (at the time of writing this) similar experiences. Be careful when you use this company.