PL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
NIGHTMARE, avoid at any cost!! Most stresfull trip ever
Unfortunately, everything written in the previous negative reviews turned out to be true. I was aware of this, but decided to take the risk due to the numerous other positive reviews and the low price of the services offered by Gashaw.
From the beginning, my plan included 3 days in Omo, 4 days in Simien Mountains and 3 days in Danakil. I requested to skip sightseeing in Addis/other cities because I was primarily interested in nature, so I requested to avoid the cities on the route. I was supposed to go to Omo on the very first day just couple of hours after my arrival.
After landing in Addis, it turned out my plan had been turned upside down. I began my sightseeing with a half-day city tour and a full day in the capital, something I hadn't planned. Despite everything, the day was pleasant, but the attractions were planned only for half a day. Then, instead of Omo, I was informed I will be flying to Semera (Danakil) the next day. The next day, upon my arrival to Semera it turned out that the Danakil tours hadn't been running for several days. Gashaw had several tourists stuck in the hotel waiting for a tour. Day after day, he promised them "we'll go tomorrow," but there was always either no fuel, a road problem, or not enough tourists to coplete the group. It turned out that we wouldn't be going to Danakil that day nor the next (despite Gashaw's numerous promises), and that I would be spending the next two days in the hotel doing absolutely nothing (there is literally nothing to do in Semera). Why did he even changed my plan and sent me to Semera first if he knew there was a problem for several days already??!!
I found couple of other local tour operators that had available tours and asked Gashaw to pay another tour operator to go with me, since he couldn't take me himself. Gashaw asked me to send him the phone numbers of other tour operators and that he will arrange the tour for me. Gashaw called every single tour operator I gave him, calling them scammers and liars, telling them they were ruining his business and trying to steal his tourists. At that point many tour operators advised me to report Gashaw to tourist police as he was well known scammer for them. He simply refused to organize anything for me or pay anyone else claiming everyeone else are scammers and i can not go with anyone esle. Later, Gashaw told me that if I wasn't happy with it, I should organize everything myself and he wouldn't do anything else for me (even though I'd paid him the full amount already). He left me ALONE and stopped answering my calls. It was incredibly stressful in a foreign country!! A nightmare, I felt so hopless because a person I paid 2100 usd for whole the tour just ignores me and tells to organise on my own and he is tired of me. Gashaw generally stops answering the phone everytime there's a problem and just ignores you. By evening, he agreed that I could go with another agency to Danakil, and he'd pay them a maximum of $300. If it was more expensive, I'd have to cover the difference. I agreed and found an agency that had a trip the next day for $280. Gashaw started to bargain with me, saying he could pay $230 and I would pay $50. I asked why, since he'd previously agreed to $300. He stopped answering my calls again and avoided me. A nightmare again. He also scammed some French guy who I met at hotel- the guy was waiting 3 days to get the Danakil tour, eventually quited and asked Gashaw to return his money and buy him return flight- Gashaw assured him that he will and asked him to go to the airport, then stopped answer the calls and blocked the guy...
Next days, it turned out he booked me a flight to Gondar (Simien ) for "Ethiopian Nationals," which was detected at the airport, and I had to pay an extra $70, which he never refunded me, despite many promises. When I was in Gondar, it turned out Gashaw hadn't even checked the flight schedule to Jinka (Omo) and didnt book flight for me. I was supposed to go there May 16-18, but I discovered there were no flights to Jinka on May 16 nor 18, and I was already leaving Ethiopia on May 19. I called Gashaw to see how he planned to resolve the situation, as he was the one to change the plan and its order and didnt even check the flights. He then informed me that I wouldn't be flying to Omo, that he wasn't organizing anything further for me, and that if I didn't like anything, he could cancel the Simien Mountains trip. A NIGHTMARE AND STRESS!! I have never been so stressed out while traveling in my life! He stopped answering calls and responding to messages again. Ultimately, instead of being in Simien for 4 days, I only stayed 1.5 days to return earlier and fly to Omo, where I also stayed 1 day shorter than planned. In the end, when in Omo I asked him 1000x times to book my return flight, as I had an international flight coming the next day. Of course, I checked the day before departure and found that the flights were already sold out, and Gashaw had forgotten to book my return flight again. If it weren't for my intervention and the STRESS AND NERVES again, there's a chance I would have missed my international flight and never returned home. A LOT OF STRESS, NOT WORTH IT!!!
TLDR: Gashaw doesn't check flights or schedules, books everything blindly and without thinking it through. And when your plans fall apart, he tells you that if you're unhappy, make your own arrangements and he won't be doing anything more for you. He stops answering his phone and responding to messages. I've honestly never been so stressed in my life while traveling, wondering every day what was going to happen today. It's a nightmare.
If anyone of you is wondering about going with Gashaw PLEASE DON'T. For your own good. If you have any hesitancies please contact me by email [email protected] and I will be glad to share you more info, screenshots etc. about this scammer. Just don't ruin your vacations and health.
Worst safari I had.
Worst safari ever. Lost my time.the car was bad and destroyed. I hope the director change what is needed.
TR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very bad experience with Roju Tour Company
For the 3-hour mountain drive, they rented us a small car from Bolt, and I was rocking a lot on the road. My stomach and head ached. We were the only small car on the road; the others were tour cars. After 3 hours, I was literally shaking. They don't care about your health or your time. I definitely do not recommend them.
DE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unreliable
I booked a one-day safari tour for 25 October, but unfortunately had to cancel it because my wife became pregnant. I had to chase them for months to get my refund. Only after I threatened several times to take legal action was part of the amount refunded – and even then, via Western Union, which incurred additional fees. The rest has still not been refunded to this day! The provider claims it’s down to taxes and so on! What am I supposed to be paying tax on if I never actually used the service? I would never book with this provider again. It was quite a headache trying to communicate with them.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Poor value and doesn't take responsibility for anything
Our guide to the Victoria falls area was of poor quality in general. She barely provided any guiding and just drove us around. One thing that really stuck out to me was when we pre booked dinner at the Lookout Cafe through the company. Only after we got there we realized they booked us after Sunset when it was pitch black outside with no visible view!
The places is called the Lookout Cafe, the whole point is to eat with a view. The brochure they gave us focused on the view. We were very much looking forward to it. There was not enough time to rebook us at any other point during our trip. The response we got was laughable. They didn't take any responsibility and tried to blame us for not looking up the sunset time ahead!? As a tour organizer it is your basic responsibility to check these things when you make a booking on behalf of a client. Then they just said the local guide booked it and didn't realize. Again, as the organizer it is your sole responsibility to make sure things are booked appropriately. Darren offered absolutely no resolution and got snarky when we brought it up.
IE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not very friendly or understanding at all.....
I was quoted an absolutely ridiculous price, more than half than the reserves website actually stated, no difference between adult and child, and did not in slightest try and accommodate me or better the price, an absolute rip off they are....
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
RIP off dishonest company
Save your money and book else where. Charlatans all nice and responsive before you travel. Than it all goes wrong!! We booked chimpanzees in kibale park instead we were taken to Kyamburu. This with less the half the cost of what we paid for. Our 2nd hotel was cancelled without any warning. Where we were at was substandard and not in the park as promised. Some USD800 difference in cost. Lies about water as we called the hotel. Our driver had received our itinerary 2 weeks prior to our arrival. We were always booked in the sub standard hotel and was never informed until we arrived at the wrong hotel. I think he thought we would not notice. We were supposed to go to ischika this didnt happen. They will sell you one itinerary than completely change it. Please look elsewhere and read reviews from other websites. I managed to find plenty of negative reviews once I researched properly. I have noticed quite a few of the bad reviews have disappeared. Uganda is a beautiful country please DO NOT book through beyond travel. I have included many screen shots as I have noticed the owner responds to reviews with lies. The difference in what we paid for and what we got is some USD2000 difference
CH
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Splendid, SPLENDIDE!!!!
Splendid safaris with excellent guides. Wonderful people. I will never forget this adventure…
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unfortunately the tour operator Gems of Africa went into Liquidation giving us only two days notice
Dream of taking our family of 6 on safari ruined as Tour Operator Gems of Africa went into liquidation without fully paying the Safari Reserve despite us paying the final balance to them two months in advance. Unfortunately this only came to light two days prior to us due to going on the Safari when we were notified by the Liquidator that our booking ha been cancelled. Need to be vary and next time would look to book directly.
NL
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not given where you paid for
Still waiting for a refund as we did not get what we paid for the first 2 days of our booked safari. Such a shame as they where doing there best.