Kenya and Tanzania Safari Tour

Old Feb 28th, 2011, 12:48 AM
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Kenya and Tanzania Safari Tour

Hallo every body. I am planning to visit Kenya and Tanzania exclusively for safari tour. I contacted KATO for quotations and received the same from the following Tour Operators. I am not finding any review in any forum. Have any one any idea about them?
HOLIDAY SEEKERS KENYA / AFRICA VIZA TRAVEL / ASILI ADVENTURE SAFARI / CKC SAFARIS
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Old Feb 28th, 2011, 12:58 AM
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im not familiar with any of these so can't comment...
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Old Feb 28th, 2011, 02:49 AM
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holidayseekerskenya.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=60

Good private company in business 15 years

www.porini.com good personal experience

Always pay with CC and www.insuremytrip.com separately

Careful many scammers tourts never wire money.

Good research yield best experience.

www.travelzoo.com has some awesome packages now at discounts.

Happy Hunting,
qwovadis is offline  
Old Feb 28th, 2011, 07:22 AM
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Never heard of any of these.

But I have the name of a good guy in Nairobi.

Or else seek (maybe ) a tour company that other can help you with.
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Old Mar 1st, 2011, 07:29 AM
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There is no reason not to wire funds to an "in-country" outfitter. This is the usual way finances are handled for safari to Kenya and Tanzania. Few outfitters actually accept credit cards. That's just how they do business (for many reasons, too lengthy to detail)... so cash only (by bank wire transfers). The few who do accept cards, assess a fee which can be 5+% of your total trip cost.

I can't even recall threads of outfitters running away with travelers funds, though I'm sure there are some not-so-reputable companies out there that might (same as any industry or business). So, disregard qwovadis' constant comment "use cc only."
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Old Mar 3rd, 2011, 08:49 PM
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Thank you all. I found Sandi's idea is always something different and it helps to open anyones thoughts from different angle.
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Old Mar 4th, 2011, 12:44 PM
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Sandy is right. However, it is the banks in East Africa that impose high percentage to tour operators for accepting credit cards. East Africa is still 'cash society'.
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Old Mar 30th, 2011, 06:28 AM
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Just to wade in here, nearly all good operators have credit card payment facilities and by insisting on cash or bank transfers they're making life difficult for their clients and saving themselves a nominal transaction fee. I would try gently insisting or suggesting you'll go elsewhere, and if they try to add some fat fee (5%?!) then ask for an itemised receipt for that. It should be absorbed into the costs of any respectable business. And paying by CC does offer you a degree of protection if things do (in very rare instances) go wrong.

Richard
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Old Mar 30th, 2011, 10:25 AM
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Richard, there's a bigger issue than "insisting" on using credit cards and why most all outfitters work on a cash basis.

There have been too many instances where not only doesn't the cc payment reach the provider in a timely manner (like when visitor is paying a week before or on arrival to commence safari), there are those not very nice visitors who then complain to the provider, after the fact, of something not to their liking and wanting a credit. This dispite the fact that visitor signed a waiver specifically referencing "no credit will be issued for..... "

This person/s then goes to the card provider, putting in a claim further complicating the provider being able to pay for the services the client already used.

With the exception of the big guys who charge way more than most of the relatively small outfitters, who have the extra funds to cover such incidents... the little guys can't. Why it's a cash business.

Some of the small guys will accept credit cards, but only on presentation by the visitor of the actual card which usually isn't until the client has arrived... and still there's a fee assessed for such use.

And, if not for situations as above, rather cancellation, interruption, medical, evacuation, etc... the reason visitors should be purchasing insurance to cover "just in case."

Cash seems to have worked well all these years and I'm sure will continue to do so. And, this manner of payment doesn't seem to have been a problem for visitors once they understand how bank wires work.
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Old Jan 9th, 2012, 11:28 PM
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Knightriders1950 - Sorry that this did not come to my attention in good time. I am the Managing Director at Africa Viza Travel (one of the companies in question) based in Nairobi, Kenya, and a fodorite! We are a tour operator licensed under the country's company law's and by the ministry of Tourism. We are also full members of KATO (Kenya Association of Tour Operators) among other tourism bodies and associations - I sit in the Marketing board of this organization (KATO) and I am sure they will be happy to give you an insight on our operations. I personally have been involved in planning trips for Visitors in Kenya & East Africa generally for now 19 yrs and uphold quite high standards of office practices and ethics. I welcome you to try our tried and tested service and we can guarantee you, with us, you are at peace.
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Old Jan 10th, 2012, 10:43 PM
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It is very clear from your statement that you need an exclusive safari in both countries.I know all the three tour operators are in Kenya save for CKC.Their websites are also very good as I did check them yesterday.You can also check the magical Kenya website,www.magicalkenya.com to find other offers available.
Cheers
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