PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
AVOID - they ruined our holiday!!
Highly unprofessional agency with aggresive and impolite customer rep. He was only nice by the time I confirmed booking and paid for gorilla permits online. Later the catastrophe started.
Our tour was: Kigali-Akagera (2nights/3days) - Lake Bunyonyi (1night) - gorilla trekking in Bwindi (1night) - back to Kigali
They overcharge and do not stick to agreements and arangements. I asked few times for final price and inclusions&exclusions because I realize we could be scammed.
Final Price:
The final price for this safari adventure is $1898 per person. This price includes all the inclusions mentioned in the itinerary, including gorilla trekking permits, park entrance fees, game drives, and more.
The final offer excluded :
1. Accommodations in Akagera and Lake Bunyonyi
2. International flights
3. Tips
4. Personal items
5. Government-imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
6. Soft drinks
So other things and fees were included as agreed. It looked similarly in other agencies I dealt with. Here it turned out that they forgot about $80!! processing fee. All companies I talked to included fees in the final price (sometimes they charged even 150USD !!) but SEMU was different in the end (probably scam to get more money). They forgot to exclude it and wanted us to pay although it should be already in the price. So be ready for surprises and as a result aggresive staff who cannot admit to make mistake and apologize for it!
Unfortunately it was not the only surprise. During our tour :
- day 1 – our evening safari was planned for 2,5h but lasted only 50minutes where 30 minutes took the way to hotel, so effectively safari lasted 20 minutes instead of 2,5 hour included in the Plan. I immediately complained and got no answer. No sorry or refund or provide other activity.
- day 4 – company was bullying at me from early morning, all the time calls on whatsapp, I could not relax at Lake Bunyonyi. If you are looking for aggresive and impolite customer rep, this is the place ! He started to threaten us and I was really scary if the tour will get to the end or maybe we will have to look for transport to get back to Kigali. If you look for these kinds of challenges when you pay $$$$$ SEMU is definitely good call :)
Moreover our Plan included - Activities in Lake Bunyonyi:
- Bird watching
- Swimming
- Visit a local market
- Hikes
- Village visits
Except bird watching during boat tour nothing was provided. We did not visit local market or hiked. Boat tour lasted 2h and it was the only activity.
- day 5 – creme de la creme :) I found out that we are making troubles at lodge booked and arranged by SEMU because.... we asked for price of lodge!! although we had not asked anyone from the lodge. I asked driver and lodge staff for clarification and no one could help. The only price we asked was of beer (btw it costs 8k UGX). Customer rep offended me many times and was inventing stories that did not take place.
Moverover our plan included :
Day 5:
- Gorilla trekking
- Tea plantation experience (if time allows)
And when I asked for tea experince it turned out it is just stop by the road and look at tea leaves, if we want to visit plantation we need to pay extra $25 per person.
- overpriced hotels offered by SEMU – SEMU loves charging hefty fees for arranging even lodge :) full customer friendly attitude. Fees are 40-100 USD per night :)
Their offer :
For Lake Bunyonyi, we'd be happy to recommend some accommodations for you. Here are a few options:
1. BirdNest Resort Lake Bunyonyi: $190 per night (Double/Twin room) on a bed and breakfast basis. Meals like lunch and dinner would be an additional $40 per person. - booking directly is $120
2. Lake Bunyonyi Eco Resort: $200 per night on a full-board basis (lunch, dinner, and breakfast) – booking directly is $155 full board,
3. Arcadia Lake Bunyonyi: $300 per night on a full-board basis (lunch, dinner, and breakfast). – price $230
- last thing - data protection - they do not care about your personal data! They sent me data of other customers to prove they charge extra fees!! If you really like you data to be spread widely in Africa do not hesitate to book with SEMU Gorilla. Problems are guaranteed!!
Also they took picture of us without our consent for compercial use!!
They charged us over 1000USD just for service and offended us, threaten us, were aggresive and impolite and did not allow you to enjoy our holidays.
THEY JUST RUINED OUR HOLIDAYS!!! I cried few times and wanted to end this tour as soon as possible because I did not feel safe and secure. I was afraid they will leave us somewhere on the road.
Definitely when you pay so much money and want to have unforgettable memories the service should be at least fine. Here your experience will be unforgetable but not in the way you expect it !
IN
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Avoid like Black Mamba
Modus Operandi - collects full fare. Does not pay to service providers. Drivers wait endlessly at park gate. You end up paying entry fee, fuel, hotel charges. The CEO vanishes from scene. KATO suspended them. But they have managed to resurface. TRA , the authority who blacklist, has not done anything. I saw some other operator black listed but not Natural World. With all the amounts being diverted must be having a huge cash reserve to pull strings.!
MY
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Terrible
No time management and not responding to the msg once you are out of country
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
BEWARE
This is not a complaint, it is too late for that, since I don’t plan to use this company ever. Instead, I am writing this review to help future travelers be aware of what they might encounter, and to provide important information so you can make an informed decision for your trip.
We booked our safari for six people with them well in advance and paid in full more than three months prior to travel. Our trip was coordinated by “safari specialist” Esther, who assured us that everything was set. She even met us in person to collect a thank-you note and reaffirm that everything was set.
Our first two days in Kenya went smoothly. However, the problems began when we crossed the border into Tanzania, in route to the Serengeti. We were suddenly stranded at the border because Natural World had not paid the local driver. Despite multiple attempts to reach Esther, we were finally able to get her on a call, during which she told us we had to pay $200 ourselves to continue the journey. We were shocked and explained that we had already paid in full. After a few hours, our driver, out of sympathy, decided to take us to the hotel without payment.
Upon arrival, we found that there was no reservation, and no payment made. The driver gave us the contact information for someone he called the “owner” of Natural World – Hamfry. After multiple attempts, we finally got a response, and the hotel reluctantly accepted us for the night.
The next day, while heading toward Serengeti, we were stopped at the Ngorongoro Park gate and again unable to proceed because no fees had been paid on our behalf. After hours stuck at the gate trying to sort this out, I received an email from Esther (please see attached) informing us that WE would need to pay $5,000 per day to continue, claiming they were having "a problem with their bank."
At that point, we had no choice but to hire another company in Tanzania, paying nearly $4,000 just to continue our journey. Had we not done this, our once-in-a-lifetime trip would have ended there. Another hotel had only been partially paid, and they were asking to we pay the balance ourselves.
I spent over a year planning this trip, and Natural World completely ruined it. Despite promises to reimburse us for the additional payments we made, we have not received a single cent.
To make matters worse, the “owner” never answered his phone when we needed urgent assistance. I have a log of
I am submitting a formal complaint to the Ministry of Tourism to help prevent other travelers from being put in a similar position.
I hope this review and the extremely unpleasant experience we endured will help shed light on what might happen to you. Please consider your options carefully before entrusting them with your dream vacation.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Another One bites the Dust
We found this company based on their very good reviews on TripAdvisor. But after booking two safari with this company, we saw all the negative reviews they got here.
We were worried, so once we arrived in Nairobi, we visited their office straight away. The following trip to Masai Mara was great, even though we understood afterwards that the driver seemed not to have been paid.
Our second trip to Amboseli was when it went bad. The accommodation told us our rooms hasn't been paid for, the promised services and meals was not delivered, the driver didn't get the money to pay for the gas. In all cases, it costed us more money and nerves that it should have, especially after the already large initial costs.
I don't know if this is malice or incompetence, and I am glad some trips are great. This seemed to be mostly down to the drivers that are either paid in time, or locked-in waiting to be paid for.
You should not book with a company with a succes rate of 50%. Book elsewhere or directly by a driver.
65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
I recommend you do not book with this company
Do Not Book Any Tours With This Company (NWKS)
The manager has blackened the previous good name of this company, and has probably tainted the good reputations all his drivers\guides
I have used this company in the past, with no complaints, actually they were so good, I have used their services three times.
I contacted NWKS in February this year to book another safari, and I paid a very large deposit.
I was not concerned because I had never experienced any prior problems with NWKS.
In hindsight, while planning a tour in 2024 with a friend, our choice of East Tsavo accommodation was changed due to ‘a government department booking out the whole venue\resort’, and our accommodation was downgraded without any reduction to the fees, maybe this was an earlier sample of the devious methods of the manager.
The manager had frequent contact with me while I was emailing him planning my 2025 itinerary, but once I had paid a deposit, I did not hear from him much at all, except when I arrived in Nairobi.
I spent 5 weeks in Kenya visiting friends in the Kisumu area, then had a short Mara safari with a different operator who is a friend, when I mentioned my planned safari to my friend, she asked which operator I was booked with and expressed her extreme concern about NWKS and their recent bad reputation for dodgy practices.
Apparently, they hadn’t been making bookings or paying for accommodation, nor arranging or paying for park entry fees, arriving at parks and then their guests have had to pay for things that should have been booked and paid for on receipt of the guests’ deposit.
I contacted the NWKS manager to inform him that I was back in Nairobi, and he wanted to know my method of payment for the balance of my planned safari, and he\his staff contacted me about this payment several times
I was to be picked up on 15\4\25 at 0700
On the advice of my friend, I did noy pay the balance, and requested a copy of the service voucher, which was not forthcoming.
My friend rang all three park accommodations that I was due to visit, and there were no bookings for me at two, and one had a cancelled booking.
My friend booked a whole new safari for me with her own company, similar to my planned one, and I left with her and joined her driver\guide after having to deal with the managers lies, as below
The NWKS driver arrived at 0700, I asked him to show me the service voucher for the first park, and when he couldn’t produce it, he rang the manager who spoke to me and told me that it wouldn’t be available until his office opened at 0830. He asked me to present to his office at 0830.
At 1145 that day, I received a ‘copy’ of a service voucher for one of my accommodations at 1145 that day, which was ‘created’ on 21\2\25.
I have reported this company to KATO, which said NWKS has been removed from membership, and the issue has been passed on to TRA. I don’t know if I will ever get a ‘refund’.
Apparently, the office and phones, aren’t manned, and all the vehicles have been auctioned, but the manager is still arranging safaris and ripping people off, using reputable drivers, and tainting their reputations.
Since receiving the ‘copy’ of the service voucher on 15\4\25, I have not had any contact from this company at all, and surely, if they had any morals or concern, they would have been wondering where the hell I went to after I left with my friend?
I have waited, and contacted both KATO and TRA again, but I have not heard anything from either organisation in over a month since being home, and I have been hesitant about complaining about this until now, while hoping for some positive response, and an indication of some kind of refund.
This situation is very damaging to the Kenya tourist industry and needs to be addressed to prevent the honest operators, guides and drivers being tainted by another company’s rotten reputation.
NL
I recommend you do not book!
We believe we got scammed. They said on their site they would reschedule if the weather was bad. They didn’t wanted to do that but they picked us up 3 hours later.. We waked up at 6 in the morning because this was the best time to spot the Dolphins. I heard at 06:51 so 9 minutes before they would pick us up they wanted to reschedule to later that day.. I asked ‘is it still a good time to spot the dolphins?’ Yes don’t worry about the time. When we finally went in the sea the driver already told us , today is not a good day because the waves are way to heavy so it was indeed a bad day ! Like I already asked before. After 2,5 hours searching for Dolphins there were none, the driver also explained that around 10am the Dolphins are most likely to look for food and that is was indeed a bad timing . So I asked 2 things and I was indeed right about it. The day & the time. Yes I already knew it’s wildlife so the chances to not see them are there, but to let us go on the worst time and day of the week? Was just rude. I explained before that is was our Honeymoon and this is was the thing were the most exciting about.. We still needed to pay everything and they didn’t want to give us a refund..I recommend you just don't book.
CW
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Disappointment
Hi Monika,
I have put off answering for several reasons ... this way I could let my disappointment sink in a bit ... I have decided to be brief.
Let me start by stating that I am personally responsible for the decision I made to accept your proposals and those of Wild Times Safaris (WTS). I paid dearly for professional advice and I could have assumed, for example, that WTS would really think along and not just want to "book", ....
Two people who are turning 60 and have traveled for 48 hours and come from the other side of the world (with Jet Lag), two night flights with four different aircraft, you advise them to take it easy and not immediately take a helicopter flight to the Victoria Falls on the day of arrival in Zambia. This is just an example.
The lodges in Zambia and Botswana were certainly very nice, the people fantastic, the food delicious etc. Gomoti was the most pleasant and that is where we saw the most animals. Duba was dark and a bit depressing. All 4 lodges were almost empty and that is perhaps the reason why we got all, read: TOO MUCH, attention. You don't get a moment to stare into space and enjoy, except from your own room where we often escape to, or there is someone next to you asking "how was your game drive" ... When the cook has been, the chambermaid comes and then the guide follows who prefers to sit at your table to talk about everything again. You didn't get a moment's rest or privacy. 4 lodges in 12 days means 5 days of traveling to and from ... packing and unpacking and you can't enjoy the lodges themselves in this way at all. WTS should have warned you about that. Followed your "money tip" advice and left 500 US$ per lodge, US$ 2,000 is excessive. The flights and all transport coordination went fine by the way.
But now Cape Town: This was a real letdown and certainly for my organizational quality feeling towards WTS. Euro 10,000 for 6 nights and your invoice confusingly states 7 days (and an earlier invoice/quote even stated 8 days instead of 7), ... Of these 7 days you travel/fly 2, so you only have 5 whole days!!! This amount NB EXCLUDING flight costs food and drinks ..... Cadogan is in a nice neighborhood but is highly overrated. Small room that didn't even have a chair in it. Delaire Graff more than beautiful but unfortunately we couldn't enjoy it much. I think WTS couldn't imagine what I consider adventurous and unique. We were driven to the fishing port of Hout Bay, a stinking dump, bare, uninviting and dumped in a canoe. No idea what you wanted to show us ... See our holiday photo attached, and yes that may be on your website. I protested to you Monika! WTS even made me take my swimming trunks, so there I was.... This can't have been serious! A lost afternoon for us, but it gets even better because WTS takes us back to Houtsbaai the next day, where we waited for I don't know how long for a boat that took us out for a quarter of an hour in dangerous weather ..... Here again, no idea why? Then, and now I'm even sadder, we go to the penguins ... Horrible and nothing that resembles natural beauty or adventure. What a waste of time and money! We go to the wine fields: Wonderful, and arrive in Delaire in the evening, ... we could hardly enjoy that the next day because we had to pack again because we were picked up at 0430 AM for transport to the airport. I mentioned this to you via app and was actually sent away with a "root in the reeds" (see attached). Not worth Euro 10,000 I think? Do I get something back?
Greetings,
Justus van der Lubbe
Curaçao
(automatic translation from Dutch)
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very poor post-trip service.
Very poor post-trip service.
After providing clear evidence that several of the services offered during the trip did not meet even the minimum quality standards, the only response I received was a generic apology and a "good luck in the future." Instead of offering any form of compensation or solution for the substandard services I paid for, they completely washed their hands of the issue. A total disappointment.
CA
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Horrendous experience- update from previous review
I wrote a review previously about my horrendous experience with this company and wanted to provide an update. I prepaid for my safari well in advance only to find that nothing was paid for upon arrival and I was forced to pay out of pocket. Our accommodation was also changed last minute- even after the company CONFIRMED that everything was booked and paid for in advance. All lies. Our safari was in February 2025 and I have been asking for a refund since. I have been provided with generic emails promising refunds with no follow-through. Now I've been ghosted by the company and they won't respond to my texts and email. I am writing this secondary review so others are aware. I DO NOT recommend rolling the dice with this company. You will likely lose out on money and be stranded.