FR
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I recommend you Avoid
Despite his knowledge and skills as a guide, I would advise caution when considering this agency. In my experience, I felt misled by the manager, Saitoti, and found the communication untrustworthy.
On multiple occasions, we were asked to pay directly for lodges, hotels, or excursions because we were told the company’s payment had not yet been processed. We were promised reimbursement, but this did not happen during our experience.
It's shameful and a disgrace to this country.
(automatic translation from French)
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Strong Safari Guides, Very Disappointing Hotel Experience
Our experience with Shinzelle Safaris started very strong. We booked a 4-Day Kruger, Canyon & Boat Tour through them at what was described as a “Luxury Safari Hotel.” The itinerary was beautifully designed and was the main reason we chose this operator over others. Unfortunately, parts of the experience did not consistently meet the expectations we had.
Several communications were sent shortly before activities and contained multiple typographical errors, which made us feel uncertain about details. As this was my first safari, I would have appreciated clearer and more detailed communication in advance. Our package included dinner with a limit of R395 per person, but this detail was not clearly explained to us in advance, and we only became aware of certain limitations during the trip. Drinks, including water, were not included, which we discovered when we received the bill. Clearer communication about meal inclusions and limits from Shinzelle would have helped set expectations and avoided confusion. When we raised concerns about our hotel issues during the trip, Shinzelle did respond and assisted, which we appreciated at the time.
Most of our disappointment related to our stay at the Radisson Safari Hotel. In our experience, the property did not match what we personally consider a “luxury” standard. We were placed in a small ground-floor room at the back of the property. The accommodation photos shown in the itinerary did not reflect the type of room we received at all (nor were room categories ever mentioned or upgrades offered). The room itself would not have been an issue for us had it been clean and had we not experienced the other problems.
The floors in our room were so dirty that our clean socks turned black shortly after walking around the room. We had to raise this concern four separate times before it was properly addressed. We also noticed what appeared to be mold or dirt (gross looking either way) in and around the shower area, which we also pointed out to them, and despite requesting extra towels more than once, we did not receive them during our stay. Additionally, after using the pool, there was dark residue on my skin after touching the pool edges, which made me concerned about the pool’s cleanliness. Overall, we felt there were major management and service consistency issues at the hotel during our stay.
We had dinner at the hotel restaurants each evening and felt that there was major room for improvement on the service side. On one occasion, we asked for dessert multiple times before receiving it, and twice we were served incorrect items. The food quality varied from meal to meal. We did find the Pegasus restaurant to be better than the main restaurant. Again, nothing to drink was included in the bill and had to be paid for separately.
While many of the issues occurred at the hotel itself, our contract and booking were with Shinzelle Safaris. We raised our concerns during and after the stay and requested a partial refund specifically for the hotel portion due to the cleanliness and service issues described above. I followed up multiple times by message. After initial responses, communication stopped and we did not receive further replies regarding our request. From our perspective, the matter was not resolved and we did not feel our concerns were meaningfully addressed.
On a more positive note, the safaris themselves were excellent. Our first evening game drive was phenomenal. Our guide, Shane from MyAfrica, was outstanding. He actively tracked animals, positioned the vehicle carefully, and made a clear effort to give us the best possible sightings. We were fortunate to see four of the Big Five, including a leopard at close range.
Our full-day Kruger Safari with Jeffery from Shinzelle was also wonderful. He was knowledgeable and shared valuable insight about the park and wildlife. We also joined a half-day Panorama Route tour. In our personal opinion, this portion involved a lot of driving, and for us the highlight was Blyde River Canyon Reserve. We probably would not do this day if we were to book again. Our final morning private reserve safari with Tasmin again from MyAfrica, who did an overall excellent job, was another excellent experience, where we saw four of the Big Five, including an entire pride of lions.
In summary, the safari guides and game drives were the highlight of our trip and truly memorable. If we had not experienced the hotel issues, it would have been an otherwise great trip. However, the accommodation problems, communication issues, and our feeling that our concerns were not acknowledged or properly followed up on left us disappointed with our overall experience. We understand these things happen, but it is in my opinion, they should have done more to better address the situation. Afterall their website states: "We pride ourselves on our dedication to guest experience and service excellence. Your comfort, safety, and enjoyment are our top priorities, and we go above and beyond to make your journey seamless and unforgettable."
NL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Guide was not experienced
We went to Arusha, the guide speeded through the area. We had to stop the guide because we saw baboons which he didn't see.
We had lunch at the museum and the monkeys came to us, which was cool.
But after 5 minutes after lunch we were already at the end of the parc 😳
CN
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Not professional, and the response efficiency is slow, without considering the customer's feelings.
I booked a trip for my guest from January 18th to January 24th, 2026 on November 18th, 2025. Good review:
1. The cars in Tanzania are relatively new and the drivers are also good;
It is bad:
1.our confirmed itinerary was to stay at the Fairmont Hotel for one night and at the Mara Bushtops Luxury Camp for one night. We charged accordingly, but it was very unprofessional to inform us a few days before the trip that we could not arrange Mara Bushtops for at least two nights. Why wasn't the itinerary confirmed?
2.Regarding the bush dinner, it is the same. It was informed at the last minute that there were at least four people and it lacked professionalism.
3.On the second day of the trip on March 19th, from Amboseli to Navasha, the vehicle broke down, causing a delay of at least five hours that day, and the subsequent trips were disrupted.
4.The promised open Jeep on April 20th was not arranged properly, resulting in a delay of over an hour in the afternoon's Safari due to a direct car change.
5.From May 18th to January 22nd, the tour guide service in Kenya was poor. On January 22nd, we were forced to charge $200, but this was not actually required. We have already given enough tips. And the promised refund of $200 has not been refunded.
6.From January 18th to January 22nd, the cars in Kenya were very poor and very old.
7. It should be the boss James Macharia who communicated with me. The response speed is slow, and when problems arise, it's not a sign of good service.
GR
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great itinerary & nature — but serious issues with “private tour” integrity
The itinerary and Uganda’s nature were truly impressive, and the trip itself had many strong moments.
However, we paid an additional private tour supplement specifically for exclusivity as a couple, and a third participant was added without our consent, meaning the private tour we paid for was not delivered.
In addition, there was an issue with accommodation standards (private bathroom), which was only resolved after escalation.
The experience could have been excellent, but transparency, respect of agreed terms, and value for money need serious improvement.
My advice to future travelers: get every detail confirmed in writing and double-check what “private” actually means before paying extra.
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A Disappointing and Overpriced Experience with a Problematic Guide
I regret to say that my safari with Axis Safari fell far short of expectations, especially considering the significant price I paid. I booked what was described as a mid-luxury tour to Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru.
My primary issue was with the value. For the price (approximately $1000), I expected a consistently good standard. While the first lodge was excellent, the accommodation at Lake Nakuru was, in my opinion, very poor. The room was tiny, the food for dinner and breakfast was disappointing, and excessive noise made it impossible to sleep well. I was traveling with others who had booked the cheapest option, and from my perspective, I could not see a justified difference in the quality we received for the extra cost. I feel I did not receive value for my money.
Unfortunately, the experience was significantly worsened by our guide/driver, Yasin. His demeanor was consistently grumpy and he appeared annoyed by our questions about the animals or the tour. He was frequently on his phone while driving and while we were on game drives. He would often start driving without warning while we were still standing up taking photographs, which felt disrespectful and unsafe.
The most unacceptable incident occurred one day in the vehicle. After a misunderstanding about the itinerary for the following day, I tried to clarify. Yasin became very angry, stopped the car, and raised his voice at me in front of the entire group. This outburst made everyone extremely uncomfortable and was utterly unprofessional. While he apologized later that day, the incident left me feeling very upset and it ruined that entire day of the safari for me. His general inattentiveness, fast driving, and lack of guiding commentary made me feel he was more of a disinterested driver than a guide.
The Masai Mara itself is absolutely breathtaking and worth visiting. However, based on my personal experience—feeling overcharged for uneven quality and being subjected to a guide whose behavior was, at times, unprofessional and intimidating—I cannot recommend Axis Safari. I believe there are operators who would provide better value and more respectful, engaged service for a similar price.
AR
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
LIONKING ADVENTURES (AND MISADVENTURES)
To evaluate the service fairly, I believe it is important to divide the experience into different stages:
Purchasing process – María
Excellent service. Very efficient, responsive, and professional. We exchanged many emails reviewing options and changes, and she always replied quickly and clearly. This part of the experience was very positive.
After-sales service – Rose
Unfortunately, this is where the problems started. I detected an invoicing error of over USD 9,000. After several days, I was told it was an “administrative error” and that I still had to pay it. We were 15 people with flights already issued and only two months away from departure, so I had no real alternative. I paid to avoid disappointing my grandchildren and because it was impossible to restart the process with another provider so close to the trip.
I requested a phone number for emergencies, which was provided. I had to call it three times due to critical situations:
On arrival to Kilimanjaro, no one was waiting for us at the airport.
On departure from Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar, we did not have our flight tickets and were not allowed to enter the airport. The tickets had been emailed late the night before, without any call or message to alert me. We almost missed the flight and were saved only by our guide.
On arrival in Zanzibar, once again, no one was waiting for us.
Only the first call was answered. In the other two critical situations, there was no response and no return calls.
Additionally, I suffered an accident on the second day of the trip and had to be treated at Karatu Hospital. Our guide handled everything excellently, but no one from the agency ever contacted me to check on my condition.
Guides and vehicles
Outstanding. David, Yusuf, and Muita, together with their assistants Jacob and Kelvin, were highly professional, kind, and attentive. They were the highlight of the trip.
Conclusion
Once the contract was signed, customer service declined dramatically. This was very disappointing, especially when traveling with children and after paying more than USD 80,000. Surprisingly, no one from the agency contacted us afterward to ask about our experience. Overall, the lack of concern for the client was far from the image that led me to choose this company.
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Poor communication, unclear terms, and inconsistent service
We communicated with Frank prior to booking the tour and initially everything seemed fine. We tailored the itinerary together and eventually agreed on a trip. Before paying the deposit, we specifically asked for the cancellation terms and conditions. These stated that cancellations made more than 120 days prior would incur a maximum fee of USD 300 per person cancelled. There was no mention of hotel cancellation penalties. Based on this, we paid the deposit in March 2025 for a trip scheduled for the end of December 2025.
Originally three people were travelling. On 19 August, before the 120-day period, I informed the agency that one person had to cancel. When the revised pricing was eventually provided, it included a hotel cancellation penalty that had not been mentioned in the original terms. It also took several months and repeated follow-ups to receive the revised price, which only arrived on 8 December, just weeks before departure. By then, we felt uncomfortable but had already paid a substantial deposit and could not change plans.
Upon arrival in Nairobi, Frank picked us up at the airport, though there was no sign displayed by Destinations Kenya Safari. The safari itself was outsourced to another company, Super Eagles, and our driver/guide was Derick.
In Amboseli, we were supposed to stay three nights at Sopa Lodge but were instead taken to Penety for the first night due to an alleged overbooking. We were not informed of this change in advance and only learned of it from the driver. Penety is a lower-standard property than Sopa, with an approximate price difference of USD 100, which was not refunded.
On the morning of 27 December, just before starting the trip, Frank informed us that our Masai Mara accommodation needed to be changed due to an issue involving snakes, we did not fully understand, but we were flexible, provided the replacement was a tented camp. It took three days to receive an alternative, which we did not find suitable. We then researched options ourselves on Booking.com and suggested two camps. One of these was discouraged by our guide due to access and flooding concerns, and we selected the other. Because the booking had to be handled by the agency, we could not benefit from the discounted rate on booking.com. We were informed that the hotel cancellation fees of the first hotel were refunded to the agency; however, we did not receive any corresponding refund.
We later learned that typical safari schedules include both early morning and afternoon/dusk game drives as these are the peak times to see the animals. In our case, we were often back at camp by 2–3pm with no late afternoon drive. On our third Masai Mara day, after the hot air balloon activity, a full day game drive was part of the programme but initially not offered until we specifically requested it.
Derick was generally punctual, a capable driver, and the vehicle was decent. However, there were instances that raised concerns about transparency, including having no change very conveniently and charges that seemed high. For example, we paid USD 120 for two people in Lake Naivasha for a one-hour boat ride and a one-hour land tour (not Crescent Island) - because no official prices were displayed, we had no way of verifying whether these charges were standard - and USD 30 for a simple roadside lunch. We were only informed after eating that the lunch was not included.
While we enjoyed Masai Mara, we frequently observed vehicles going off-road and large numbers of cars surrounding single animals, including situations where rangers were present. We observed money being exchanged between drivers and rangers. This gave us the clear impression that enforcement of reserve rules was inconsistent. Sometimes 10 vehicles would be surrounding one animal or following them to the point of disrupting what they were doing. We would ask our driver to leave that animal in those cases.
Positively, the food quality was good, accommodations were generally comfortable, and the wildlife and landscapes were exceptional.
We also noticed after our trip that many of the agency’s high-rating Google reviews come from profiles with only one review and limited detail, which made it difficult for us to assess their reliability.
We doubt this review will change any of the quality of the services provided, but we wanted to leave an honest review regardless.
In conclusion, while the trip itself was interesting and we saw everything we hoped to see, the organisation and communication - particularly on the agency side - were poor. Only because we saw everything and had good accommodation and food this is a 2-star review rather than 1.
IT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Savanna Safaris: a second trip marred by chaos and lack of support
We entrusted Savanna Safaris for a second trip, expecting the same standards as before. Instead, we encountered three major issues: serious organizational failures, a complete absence of support during an emergency, and poorly planned logistics. These failures compromised our entire journey.
Although our first experience with Savanna Safaris had been mostly positive, this second trip, lasting only 8 days, left us deeply disappointed and disillusioned.
SAFETY: Non-existent emergency response
On the final morning, we left camp early to reach Maun Airport. After just 30 minutes, we got a flat tire—only to discover that the vehicle had no tools to replace it. We stopped every passing vehicle, but none could help: our wheels had different bolt sizes.
It became immediately clear that Savanna Safaris had no emergency plan. They rely solely on cell phones and car radios. If there’s no signal, you’re simply left to your fate.
We called Emmelyn and Fred (owners of the agency) multiple times, with the calls connecting but never answered. We also used a satellite device with text capabilities (Garmin), widely reliable in Botswana, to send messages. No response.
How can a tour operator be unreachable when clients are in danger?
The contract clearly states that “Savanna Safaris shall monitor the entire operation from arrival to departure and liaise with lodges/charters in case of any delays/emergencies.” This promise was completely ignored.
The driver had no “plan B.” With more than three hours of road ahead and an international flight looming, we were in a state of panic. Eventually, we had to ask other tourists for help and pay extra for a ride to the airport.
We received no assistance or follow-up from Savanna Safaris, even at the airport. Once home, our messages to Emmelyn went unanswered as well.
LOGISTICS: Poor planning, misleading information
We had specifically asked Emmelyn to suggest the best areas for photo safaris. However, she booked us 4 nights at Black Pools (Moremi) and only 3 at Khwai. This created two major grievances: the decision seemed unbalanced and made without explanation, and it did not align with our request.
Black Pools is a remote, isolated area, far from other camps, with limited routes and very little wildlife. You drive the same track every day, seeing the same few animals. We left Khwai at 6:30 am and arrived at Black Pools at 8:30 pm—an exhausting transfer. Upon arrival, the zone was flooded; no other vehicles in sight; no guides reachable by radio; no phone coverage.
With the main road flooded, we became lost in the bush at night. This lack of planning is unacceptable for a professional agency.
We finally reached camp only with the help of staff from another camp over an hour away.
The site turned out to be abandoned and unsuitable for a photographic safari.
The agency never specified that the destination would be Black Pools; the contract referred only to “Private Camping in Moremi.” We were not warned that the transfer would take all day. We later discovered that excellent safari areas were easily accessible from Khwai. Our main grievances are a lack of transparency about the destination, misleading transfer information, and missed opportunities to choose better safari locations, all of which result in stress, lost time, and wasted money.
AFTER THE TRIP: SILENCE
Despite several attempts, Emmelyn never replied to our messages after the trip.
CAMP STAFF: Excellent!
In sharp contrast to the management, the tented camp team was outstanding professionals, kind, helpful, and prepared.
A big thank you to Edna (always impeccable tents, hot water ready), KG (our brilliant chef), Tandy (our attentive waiter), and Nico (an expert driver with eagle eyes).
FINAL THOUGHT
There are great safari companies in Botswana that prioritize client care and safety. Our core grievances with Savanna Safaris are organizational failure, lack of emergency support, and misleading logistics. Sadly, they no longer demonstrate responsibility or transparency.
If you’re looking for a responsible and transparent operator, look elsewhere.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good
Service was a joke, I paid in June for me to be placed in different seats with my son and to also be next to the toilet. Aren’t those seats given to people who come last minute? The wine tour was just us sitting in an open place no tour was given at all which is unacceptable. Also we went to a different orchard than what was advertised. Next time do better.