IE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mixed costumer service and drivers
An honest review - We had a mixed experience with Josana Tours. They are a good company when things are going smoothly but their costumer service is poor when there are issues or things go wrong. We booked the 7 day 6 night safari. The communication before the trip with Joseph was great. 5 out of the 7 days were a positive enjoyable experience unfortunately our last two days were not. We had 4 drivers overall - 2 were very good and 2 were not. Jason was an excellent driver/guide - we had an amazing safari in
Massai Mara. Overall the food was okay-some places better than others - we got sick from one of the lunches. Our last two days, we had a very negative experience with aggressive and hostile drivers. Our full game drive in Ambolsi finished 2 and 1/2 hours earlier than others which led to us missing out on seeing lions and other animals. We spent over 1 hour 10minute sitting in a lodge and then an hour lunch break. We had very little time game driving. The driver was also very rude and uninterested. I contacted Joseph and unfortunately there wasn't much done to rectify the situation or a solution provided. He did apologise for the situation the following day but a client in another company received compensation. If I was booking again I feel I would use a different company as there are many in the same price range and they do the same route. We had a mix of companies in our vans. We thought we were unlucky with the situation that took place however in our taxi to the airport we met others who also experienced bad drivers and bad game drives with the same company. I feel the how a company responds to unexpected changes or incidents shows their strenght and unfortunately Josana Tours were very weak in this area, which isn't what you want when booking a trip.
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A travel company with no integrity
A very bad trip experience. Situation we met are as follows:
1. We have paid a 30% deposit, and when we arrived in Nairobi, we informed of the change of itinerary. Three of the five hotels in the itinerary were changed, and the price was 1/3 of the original hotel, and the difference was not refunded.
2. Modified the itinerary at will and canceled 3 morning cruises.
3. The driver and tour guide was not professional. Although we had paid a tip of US$40 per day, he was still angry with us when we pointed out that the trip was not in line with the itinerary.
We have also reported the above situation to Chinese tourists through the community Internet. We hope that Chinese tourists will not choose this company after seeing it.
一次体验非常不好的旅行。举例如下：
1. 我们已经支付了30%的定金，到了内罗毕后告知行程变更，行程中的5个酒店改了3个，而且价格是原来酒店的1/3，且没有返回差价。
2. 随意修改行程内容，取消了3次早晨巡游。
3. 司机兼导游不具备专业素养，尽管我们已经支付了每天40美金的小费，但当我们提出不符合行程，他还对我们生气。
以上情况我们也通过社区互联网反馈给了中国的游客，希望中国游客看到后都不要选择这家公司。
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disorganized
We did a 5 days safari, it was organized very bad. First of all we received the flight tickets just few days before the safari and the tour operator sent us the wrong tickets twice. When we landed at Arusha a guy from the tour operator was supposed to be there but we waited more than 30 mins. The driver for the safari cannot speak English but only Swahili and Spanish (!!) so it was very difficult to communicate. Then, every day we started the safari late because we were in 4 people (two couples) but our accommodations were very far from the accommodations of the other couple, so at the end we didn’t spend so much time on the game drive.
The safari itself was good, people from the tour operator back office are very nice and available, but the organization was definitely not good.
IE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
10 day Safari Trip
Having read the previous great reviews for Shengena Adventure my boyfriend and I were confident in our selection of this company for our safari in Tanzania. However for the 10 day safari package we chose with this company things did not go to plan. Firstly there seemed to be a miscommunication between the tour operator and our guide from the get go as the very first morning we were left waiting for an hour to be picked up as the tour guide went to the wrong hotel. We left it go as we were excited for our trip. The guide was very knowledgeable and patient when we went on game drives. Then the switch changer for the fuel tanks wouldn’t work just as we began our journey to Serengeti. Having received help from 2 locals we got going. Again we let it go because these things happen. One night before what we were told was our hot air balloon ride the hotel said the hot air balloon company (Serengeti balloon safari- would highly recommend!) had our reservation for Thursday not Wednesday. We got onto our tour operator who said it was on Thursday even though our guide had told us Wednesday. We asked our tour operator to tell the guide as he was staying in the local village and not the hotel that we would be at the hotel in the morning not the hot air balloon field. Unfortunately due to lack of service in the area no one could contact him so they left us waiting for 3 hours the next morning to be collected when someone could finally contact him. Again we tried to stay positive even though the only ones missing out was us. That day we also got a flat tire (again it happens) and then the original issue of the fuel changer acted up again because the guide did not put fuel back in the first tank so that meant he had to manually switch the fuel tanks again. Little did I know my boyfriend had planned a surprise proposal in the middle of the Savannah for that afternoon with champagne. He had asked the tour company what could be organized and was offered to purchase a champagne lunch. He had paid a heavy enough fee for permits to go off road and get out of the jeep and the bottle of champagne. My boyfriend told me later that he had been informed by the guide during the day that he can’t go off road as he’ll get in trouble and my bf explained that’s why he paid for the permits. He was told the permits didn’t exist but agreed to help anyway which was nice of him. My boyfriend later showed me the stunning picture of the white table clothed table with an ice bucket and bottle of champagne that he paid for vs what we got- 2 camping chairs with a metal table and a warm bottle of sparkling 0.0% alcohol grape juice. Now the moment was perfect based on the setting and of course the actual proposal but I felt terrible for my bf having paid the extra money for no reason. He had tried to organize the hot air balloon in the am and then followed by that so we wouldn’t be covered in safari dust for the proposal. But based on how the trip had been going we just had to laugh. It was an actual argument for the tour company to give back the money to my bf for the “champagne lunch” even though we didn’t get champagne and the permits he paid for didn’t exist. The jeep then proceeded to break down so many times I lost count. At one stage bf pushed the jeep with 3 other men as it jeep wouldn’t start without a push. The middle console of the jeep was falling out onto the gear stick. We laughed initially at the “African massage” you got because the jeep was so bumpy but when we got collected by the hot air balloon jeep and rode the same roads we just realised how bad the condition of our jeep was. It was still bumpy but nothing like our jeep. The shocks of our jeep must have been completely gone. We completely understand sometimes things go wrong. But the amount of things that went wrong at no stage did the tour operator offer any financial compensation (besides giving back the money for the failed champagne lunch that they basically paid nothing for) as we were the ones that missed out on basically half a day of game drives. We paid a lot for this trip and we work hard for our money. Now we saw all the animals we wanted to see and all the hotels and staff were great so would definitely recommend for anyone to do a safari. However we saw so many different companies so I personally wouldn’t take the risk and go with this one just in case you have a similiar experience to us. Our guide said he was free lance so I would say given a decent jeep and correct information to go by he would be great. He was so informative about the animals and thankfully was able to get the jeep going each time. Not to mention he did go out of his way to drive out on the Savannah for the proposal.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
luxury hotels with indian-like scamming feeling
My tour was a 4 day safari with visit to lake Nakuru and the Maasai Mara national park. I also paid 180 USD to visit some landmarks in Nairobi. The hotels booked were above my expectations,one had a terrific view on the lake.I could see the animals and I had a cultural visit on the Maasai village.I chose one of the most expensive tours, so that I wouldn't need to haggle, yet to my surprise it proved to be the contrary. My driver Tony wouldn't follow our agreement,so I couldn't visit Nairobi and we toured Maasai Mara only one out of the two booked days. He started the tour as late as possible,so we could only take a glimpse of the nocturnal living leopards and lions.Any trial to bring him to reason would result in little punishments (for example I couldn't see how the leopard killed the impala or I had to stay one afternoon at the hotel without safari).Instead of visiting Nairobi,we went to lake Naivasha,where initially it was agreed that I had to pay only 50 Euros yet as we got closer the price reached 150 Euros and when I told him we should turn back it went down to just 3000 shillings paid to his Kikuyu friend for unnecessary guidance services.We were stopping the whole time in different souvenir shops were I had to buy the people drinks and where my driver offered me no assistance in determining what is the fair price for an item resulting in paying double prices as that in the airport even after haggling.During our trip the driver would never talk and if he would, it would be begging for food,tobacco,shampoo,money or giving some false information like trying to manipulate me into double paying for the park fees in lake Nakuru. I contacted the office for help,yet they told me that he doesn't work for them so I should forgive him. They didn't offer me any money back for the places we didn't visit, because of the driver's choice or any link, so that I could share my experience with the world.
NZ
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Would not recommend
We were very excited for our 9 day private tour across Kenya and Tanzania. We had hand picked the itinerary, accommodation and paid for everything upfront. Geofrey would always reply promptly but as the tour took place there were down falls that should’ve been avoided.
Prior to the tour starting they didn’t book accommodation in time so we had to change some of our options a few times.
Our driver in Tanzania was not experienced in the places we visited and we spent hours of our game drive with him asking for directions to our accommodation.
Accommodation was not booked correctly, we arrived at our accommodation and Osnet had booked elsewhere so we had to drive another 2 hours late at night to get there.
Our vehicle had issues and we missed morning and afternoon game drives.
We had a village tour included but payment wasn't arranged by Osnet so we paid, then Geofrey said we paid too much and they wouldn’t refund us what we paid, only a third of the amount.
One of our lodges overbooked us and Geofrey advised us the day of when he was told. He didn’t accept the downgrade of alternative accommodation but he didn’t follow up to ensure we would have a refund of the difference. Instead when we arrived it was not sorted so we spent the evening arranging the refund on his behalf - I was doing his job.
We had them book a train for us and it was last minute he told us that he booked it too late and the tickets we paid for were sold out so he refunded us the difference.
We didn’t get compensated for an inexperienced driver, the mix up in accommodation from the itinerary, loss of game drives, or the refund we are due from the lodge. Geofrey seems to have blocked my number and we now can’t get hold of them to get the money back.
The highlight was our guide Robert in the Maasai Mara, he was fantastic!!!!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A DISAPPOINTING Safari Experience with a DISRESPECTFUL guide!
My friend and I chose Imani for a 7-day trip in July, hoping for a memorable experience. Unfortunately, we encountered a series of disorganized and disappointing events that left us questioning the agency’s professionalism.
The issues included accommodation and itinerary errors, lack of communication, a rush itinerary, and the disrespectful guide, Fred.
1. Accommodation and Itinerary Discrepancies:
(1) Downgrade of accommodation: On July 24, our driver informed us that our originally booked hotel, Mara Kati Kati Camp, was destroyed by a wildfire. We were left with no choice but to accept an alternative hotel they had arranged. However, upon checking in at the Untamed Migration Camps, we discovered that this hotel was significantly inferior, holding merely 3 reviews on Tripadvisor, compared to the initial booking's 1724 reviews. We reached out to the manager, Mike, hoping for clarification and a refund of the price difference, but his response lacked any apology. He simply stated that it wasn't his fault and that Untamed Migration Camps is better than Mara Kati Kati Camp, and then ceased further communication. Later, we met another group from the same travel agency who were upgraded to a better hotel (Baobab Lodge & Camp) due to the Mara Kati Kati being fully booked, not destroyed by fire as we were told. This discrepancy in stories left us doubting the veracity of the wildfire claim and feeling deceived.
(2) Mistaking us for the wrong accommodation: On July 26, we were mistakenly taken to the wrong hotel, Manyara Secret, and endured a half-hour wait and more unapologetic responses from management. Our eventual accommodation at Escarpment Luxury Lodge proved inadequate with issues like malodorous rooms and a leaking air conditioner, which necessitated a midnight room change. The staff then moved us to a standard room type—larger, cleaner, and more organized. Only then did we realize that, even after the hotel mix-up, the agency had initially booked us into the most remote and least desirable room in the hotel. We ended up having to pack and move rooms in the early hours of the morning.
(3) Meals not covered during the first-day trip: Contrary to our itinerary, meals were not provided on the first day. We had to cover these costs out-of-pocket, with the agency only reimbursing us for lunch after a discussion with the manager.
1. Unreasonable Itinerary Planning:
We booked a 7-day safari trip through Imani but were not informed in advance about the overly rushed schedule. In practice, we only had 5 days of actual safari, with a significant portion of our time spent in transit. Our time in the Serengeti was rushed, limiting our encounters with wildlife. On the last day, with almost no activities scheduled by Imani, we had to independently arrange a village tour and a visit to a Maasai village. The agency failed to provide a clear and flexible itinerary that would have allowed us to adjust or reduce activities to enhance our experience.
2. Communication Shortfalls:
Although Imani uses communication apps such as WeChat, they did not provide these contact details in our email exchanges, hindering effective communication. Besides, during our initial email correspondence when we expressed enthusiasm about booking their tour, they did not supply a final itinerary, leading to numerous misunderstandings and errors during our trip.
3. The driver Fred is a very unprofessional and disrespectful guide. We did not feel that he prioritized the passengers' experience, and we even sensed his disdain. His unsatisfied behaviors include but are not limited to:
(1) UNAUTHORIZED USE OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS: The driver Fred, realized his camera was malfunctioning, and I told him that if he wanted to take photos, he could borrow the camera from mine when needed. However, on July 25, he took my camera without my consent, inserted his memory card, and used it to take photos. He even posted Instagram stories of him holding my camera. This was done without any apology and is the most incomprehensible and infuriating issue I encountered.
(2) POOR COMMUNICATION and Lack of Consideration During Safari: Throughout the safari, the driver dictated all movements without any discussion—driving when he decided and only stopping when he chose to. When I requested a brief stop to capture better photos of the lion family, he declined, claiming that we were not allowed to linger in that area (why? and why cannot we get the permission?). This made every wildlife sighting incredibly tense, as I was always worried about missing the opportunity to take photos. Such an experience was profoundly unsatisfactory.
(3) Neglect in Customer Experience: After exchanging Instagram accounts, I noticed that the photos he took after spotting a group of elephants closely were from a much better angle than ours, which was taken from a rear perspective. The prioritization of viewing angles seemed skewed to benefit Fred’s own photographic interests rather than providing guests with optimal wildlife viewing experiences, as evidenced by the superior angles of his photos compared to ours.
(4) Uncommunicated Personal Errands: The driver often had his own errands, such as delivering supplies to his friends or buying personal items. We understand that these tasks might be necessary, but he never informed us in advance nor did he communicate his plans to us.
After expressing our frustrations, the agency offered a paltry $250 refund and a complimentary airport transfer. It hardly compensated for the multitude of issues we experienced. The trip culminated in an apology from the manager, but it was too late. This trip has left such a negative impact that I am disinclined to visit Tanzania again. I have traveled to more than 30 countries and have lived in several countries, but had never had such a poor travel experience.
It is crucial to share our story to help others avoid similar negative experiences. The level of service provided by Imani was not only disappointing but unacceptable, and I caution potential travelers to carefully consider their options when booking a safari in Tanzania.
CH
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Dunas Safari: avoid!
Namibia is a magnificent country. The lodges are generally well located, often with spectacular views, and offer every comfort. What we ask of a tour operator, and what we pay them for, is to offer an interesting programme, without too much stress (we're on holiday, after all) and, above all, a realistic programme that can be kept.
The organisation of our trip by Dunas Safari did not live up to our basic expectations. In particular, several transfers during the 3rd week (when we no longer had a hire car) were not properly planned and this meant that on several occasions we missed activities that had been included in the programme and paid for! Another couple we met during our trip, who had also used the services of Dunas Safari, experienced similar, if not more unfortunate, problems.
In comparison, Dunas Safari turned out to be much more expensive than other operators and we had the unpleasant impression that we were paying a surcharge because we were Swiss....
Apart from that, Namibia is a beautiful country, often breathtaking, which we highly recommend you visit; you'll find other excellent tour operators in Windhoek.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Disappointing experience
We used Safari bookings to find an in country tour operator for a trip of Uganda. We contacted 3 operators outlining what we wanted and had a couple of quotes back, Ganyana was very responsive and sent a detailed experience with an additional 3 nights at the end of the trip. We spent time checking them out and felt comfortable booking the holiday after reassurance that the itinerary and lodges would be as quoted. We also asked for information on travelling distances between the national parks. These turned out in most cases to be as much as double quoted, if I’d know I may well of flown some of the legs!
On arriving in Uganda we meet the operator at our hotel to be informed that had changes to our itinerary! This included lodges turned from a 4 star to a 2 star, in Bwindi we arrived after a 9 hour drive to be taken to a 2star guest house which wasn’t one of the changes we’d be told about and should of been. 4 star lodge.
On day one we were collected over an hour late due to traffic but on route our guide was struggling to stay awake and in the end we had to insist he pull over. The same thing happened on a number of occasions on the trip. These issues left us very disappointed and frankly taken advantage of, it’s a real shame because the people throughout Uganda gave us a warm and friendly welcome and wanted to show case Uganda, it’s shame our experience with Ganyana has left us disappointed
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Alright
Didn’t get to see any animals, other than your monkeys, elephants and impala’s, extremely disappointed after previously calling the day before and being told to come any time to see any animal, but the day of coming only seeing little and being told we should’ve come earlier, therefore ultimately given poor advise and wasted money.