Africa (kenya & Tanzania) tour companies.

SteakBoy · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 4

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about the following companies and their african tours.

On the go tours
Nomand tours
Unearth SA

Any feedback would be appreciated.

gali · Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 6

i went with kumuka a little more expensive but had a ball

Neil Cruickshank · Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 5

We have just returned from using the Africa Travel Company (ATC) It was probably the worst trip we've ever been on. The food was something to be desired of and the tour guide couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery, shocking!
Email me if you want to know more details, I and the other 24 people on our truck could email you stories of ATC and our experiences that there wouldn't be enough ink on gumtrees site left!
Good luck if you're heading to East Africa on a truck tour, you're gonna need it!

Neil Cruickshank · Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 5

Entravelment · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Sydney

I used Bukima who were very good. 12 people on a 20 person truck, so lots of room, plenty of food along the way etc. I would reccommend them.

Goodkunt · Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 525 Location: OUT THERE

rujo · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 10 Location: London

I have just returned from an Africa Travel Company (ATC) tour Vic Falls to Nairobi via the gorrillas, I cannot begin to describe how bad it was. I use the words unethical, dishonest and incompetent advisedly to describe this company and its tour guide (the drivers and cooks were blameless and did a good job).
I will be posting a lengthy review elsewhere in time and I and others may be taking action against ATC but for the moment would like to warn any prospective overlanders off ATC. In particular be aware that if you book with Go 2 Africa (who i booked with) and other agents ATC may be the company you will be travelling with. I suspect ATC has gone to some lengths to hide the fact that it is the operator and hides behind agents thus securing bookings even in the light of dreadful online reviews.

Choose ATC for leaking tents, food rationing, exploitation of local people, ignorance of Africa, promoting illegal viewing of gorillas, and incompetent and dishonest guides....

rujo · Joined: 06 Feb 2007 Posts: 10 Location: London

If you want to see my full report on this and the ATC MD's response and the rest of the debate, it's at
http://forums.gumtree.com/viewtopic.php?p=924556#924556

red head aussie · Joined: 18 Jan 2009 Posts: 1

I went with Nomad for the Cape Town to Kruger overland tour in July 2008 and I can not say enough good things about them. The food was fantastic, and the truck driver Bjorn was amazing- and he went out of his way to help people in the group organise onward travel following the tour- even when it was with other companies- or public transport.

I would not travel with another company- the tents were good, and not having to provide your own sleeping mat was great as the ones they provide are better than anything I would have travelled with.

Keith Marallich · Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 3 Location: South Africa

Not quite related, but there is a very good range of tours for the British & Irish Lions to South Africa in the middle of the year by a company Far & Wild Safaris

emsicle · Joined: 03 Feb 2008 Posts: 13 Location: England

Acacia look good!

katy4985 · Joined: 30 Oct 2009 Posts: 2

Over the summer I went on a 14 day gorilla and game safrai booked through african budget safari with ATC.

It was a poor excuse for a trip and I thoroughly recommend that no one else goes with this company as we had to leave half way through the tour.

For the first 5 days we spent 50 + hours on the truck leaving our destinations before dawn and arriving after dusk unable to experience any of the places that we were told we would be 'visiting'. The truck was very slow, taking twice as long as public the transport, the windows were broken and jammed shut with newspaper, seats were broken so customers had to spend the day sitting on the cool box and suspension was terrible, terrible.

The tour guide was very poor, he gave us no information and we found him rude and unhelpful, he never told us our itinery and didnt not organise the gorilla treks until 9pm the evening before some people were due to trek out at 5 am the next day. the gorillas were amazing but not worthwhile this poor trip.

On the plus side the cook was very good and very friendly.

We had been overlanding before and knew what to expect but this was ridiuclous just please stay away from this company

liamshawcross · Joined: 18 Dec 2008 Posts: 11

Ahhh I would love to visit Kenya, it looks amazing!

Have a great time