All safari companies are
not equal, and there is a big difference in service and locations. Read this before you book your safari.
There are dozens of safari operators that will give you an unbelievable rate for your safari. Some of these could be illegal tour operators who want to earn a few bucks, and if not careful you could not receive what you paid for, and they could be gone, taking your money with them.
IS YOUR SAFARI OPERATOR REGISTERED? Certain safari operators are 'fly-by-night" operators that will advertise online and not be registered in the country they do business in. If they are not registered or licensed you will not be able to take any action against them, or even find them when you need them. We have heard horror stories of guests arriving at the airport and the travel agent in Nairobi cannot be found, or that he has gone bankrupt and run away with the guests' money. SerendipityNtravel is a registered and licensed tour operator in the State of California and is covered by the Travel Consumer Restitution Corporation.
ARE YOU GETTING SOMEONE EXPERIENCED IN SAFARIS PLANNING FOR YOU? There are many travel agencies that do a host of other stuff and have safaris as a side business, and there are only a few travel agencies that specialize in safaris. Then there are the travel agencies that operate from big cities around the globe and contract with suppliers in Kenya that organize your safari. Most times, the Travel Agency far far away has no idea regarding the efficiency or capabilities of the provider in Kenya. We handle safaris to Kenya, and nothing else. That is all we do, and we do it well. We have our own vehicles in Kenya along with our experienced and qualified Driver-Guides. There are no middle men.
ARE YOU GETTING THE VEHICLE YOU PAID FOR? One of the well known tricks of safari operators is to provide you transport in a cramped mini van and then try to upgrade you to a 4WD safari vehicle for a higher fee. They may even try to trick you by telling you that your safari vehicle is 4WD. The problem in a safari minivan is that it is much smaller and cramped than a 4WD modified Toyota Landcruiser that we provide. The legroom is restricted and it is almost impossible for all the occupants to try to fit into the roof hatch at animal sightings...so there will be winners and losers, and you don't want to be the loser! The 4WD modified Safari Vehicles cross rivers and go through rough terrain, which the vans cannot do.
ARE YOU GETTING A LICENSED DRIVER GUIDE? There are some drivers that are not guides, and they depend on qualified and experienced Driver-Guides sightings and listening to conversations on the radio to take you to animal spottings. Some do not even know where to take you and follow experienced drivers. Our Driver-Guides are experienced and licensed and will use their skills and experience to spot game and take you to the right place. They can also speak fluent English, and able to identify each and every animal in the wild.
ARE YOU GETTING A VEHICLE THAT IS WELL MAINTAINED, COMPLIMENTARY BINOCULARS, AND A FRIDGE INSIDE? Our new vehicles (photo below) offer complimentary binoculars and a fridge inside that keeps your drinks cool on long and hot days.
DON'T BE DUPED BY PROMISES TO SHOW YOU THE 'BIG 5'. No company can promise you that you will definitely see the Big 5 - elephant, rhino, leopard, buffalo, and lion.
NOT NAMING YOUR ACCOMMODATION IN THE QUOTE PROVIDED TO YOU. This can be the costliest mistake that you will make on safari. Accommodation can vary from very basic tented camps with shared toilets to high end luxury tented camps and lodges. This is where rogue tour operators make their big bucks by providing you low cost accommodation. Your quote can change by hundreds of dollars depending on the accommodation provided. At Serendipityntravel we always tell you where you will be staying, and we always put you up in camps and lodges where we have stayed before and have been completely satisfied with their accommodation and food.
RESTRICTED TIMES FOR GAME DRIVES. We have heard horror stories about drivers restricting times for safaris, or limiting morning safaris for a few hours, and not offering full day game drives....all this after your deposit has been paid. You are stuck and there is nothing you can do about it, except pay extra and stay out in the wild longer. At Serendipityntravel we will list all your game drives in your quote so that you know what you will be getting. We are very flexible in getting you what you want for the day - leave in the morning and return to camp for lunch and leave on safari again after a short rest, or a full day safari after breakfast, with lunch in the bush.
ADDING EXTRA PASSENGERS IN YOUR VEHICLE. Imagine the surprise when you find that there are two other passengers added to your group! unfortunately this does happen when tour companies want to make extra money - without having two separate vehicles, they combine a vehicle. All our tours are exclusively for you, and will not add others to your group.
EXTRA CHARGE FOR AIRPORT PICK UP/DROP OFF. There are tour operators that will charge you extra for picking you up from the airport and dropping you off. Some do not even drop you off at the airport. We will provide complimentary transport from the airport before your safari, and drop you off at the airport after your safari, even if you stay over in Nairobi an extra night after your safari.
24 HOUR CONTACT IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. Will you have a number to call in case of emergency? We provide you a 24 hour number in case of an emergency while on safari. We will also provide you are a number in the US where your family can immediately contact you in case of emergency.
