Disappointing tour operator. Cannot be trusted
We are a family of 5 who booked our 6 day Serengeti safari through Generous African Safaris for July 2025. My husband and I had been to the Serengeti about 20 yrs ago so had a good idea of where we wanted to go and to stay. We booked with Generous Safaris and paid the deposit 10 months in advance to secure the lodges we wanted. Grenus was very helpful and responsive at the time of booking. He confirmed that all our bookings were made and sent us a final itinerary. However, closer to the time of our trip, we tried to speak to Grenus to reconfirm that all was in order and to finalise pick up and stay details one last time. We found it extremely hard to get a response from him which was a bit disconcerting given how accessible he had been earlier. We just put this down to him being busy. About a week before our trip, we were sent final lodge confirmations from Grenus, and it was significantly different from what we’d booked and paid for. For example, we were very keen to stay on the rim of the Ngorongoro crater, and had planned our whole trip to Tanzania (instead of Kenya), based on that, but he had now booked us at another lodge 2 hrs away. Also, we had booked the Serena Serengeti lodge for 3 nights only to turn up there and be told we were now booked at a different lodge 2.5 hours away, for two nights and at this one for one night! Even our guide/driver wasn’t informed. As a result we had to then drive another 2.5 hrs after having been on a full day game drive. While the lodge was nice, it was not the season to be in the west as the migration had moved north and we didn’t see much wildlife there.
On the positive side, our driver and guide – Swazy– was very good and helpful and had a lot of knowledge about the local area. However, the overall experience left a bad taste and we would NOT RECOMMEND this company. We understand that plans can sometimes change but for them to not inform us especially given how well in advance we booked ans paid and for us to find out things while we are on the trip is clearly not acceptable.
Grenus, while he appears to be well meaning, is an exceptionally poor communicator and does not deliver on what he promises. We don’t think he can be trusted and therefore would urge travellers to be extremely careful before they spend thousands of dollars on the trip of a lifetime only to then be surprised that it is not what they have been promised.
Datum der Erfahrung: 08 July, 2025
Datum der Erfahrung: 08 July, 2025
Antwort von Generous African Safari and Tours | Best Tour Operator | Tanzania Safari | Kilimanjaro Climbing |
2025.07.30
Hello Gay Kadyan,
Thank you for your feedback and for trusting us to organize your luxury family safari in Tanzania. I personally managed your trip from the beginning and want to clarify a few important points.
The deposit you made last year helped us secure key services like your Arusha–Serengeti flight and Kilimanjaro–Nairobi flight, as well as lodge bookings at Kuoom and Serena. All lodges used during your 6-Nights — Kuoom Serengeti, Serena Lodge, and Kirawira Serena — are luxury properties, not mid-range or camping options.
From the start, we mentioned the deposit wasn’t enough to cover the full safari, especially for luxury lodges which require advance full payment. Unfortunately, the balance was only paid one week before the trip, which made last-minute confirmations difficult — especially with high-end lodges that need timely payment to confirm space. Still, we managed to arrange excellent luxury accommodations for your family.
Regarding the refund request of 20%, all services promised — including flights and accommodations — were delivered as agreed. Our company’s margin is very minimal, and our accountant reviewed the full breakdown carefully. The refund amount requested doesn’t reflect any missing service.
We value your feedback and your visit to Tanzania. It was a pleasure serving your family, and we remain open for any future cooperation.
Asante sana / Thanks much
Thank you for your feedback and for trusting us to organize your luxury family safari in Tanzania. I personally managed your trip from the beginning and want to clarify a few important points.
The deposit you made last year helped us secure key services like your Arusha–Serengeti flight and Kilimanjaro–Nairobi flight, as well as lodge bookings at Kuoom and Serena. All lodges used during your 6-Nights — Kuoom Serengeti, Serena Lodge, and Kirawira Serena — are luxury properties, not mid-range or camping options.
From the start, we mentioned the deposit wasn’t enough to cover the full safari, especially for luxury lodges which require advance full payment. Unfortunately, the balance was only paid one week before the trip, which made last-minute confirmations difficult — especially with high-end lodges that need timely payment to confirm space. Still, we managed to arrange excellent luxury accommodations for your family.
Regarding the refund request of 20%, all services promised — including flights and accommodations — were delivered as agreed. Our company’s margin is very minimal, and our accountant reviewed the full breakdown carefully. The refund amount requested doesn’t reflect any missing service.
We value your feedback and your visit to Tanzania. It was a pleasure serving your family, and we remain open for any future cooperation.
Asante sana / Thanks much