Victor Godwin. Thief. Liar. Conman. Avoid at all cost.
I can sadly see that we are not the only ones who have been conned by Victor Godwin. Here is the trick. Consider yourself warned if you book with him.
You will agree safari itinerary and you will pay in advance, all inclusive. When you go on the safari, Victor will call you and ask if you could please pay for park entry fees or for upgrade of accommodation. He will promise to reimburse you once you get back to Arusha. Now the problem is that the drivers do not have funds for the park entry fees so you have no other option that to pay or not enter the park. Clever right. And yes, of course he does not refund your additional expenses.
On our trip, we were six people whilst another car had thre people. On the first night, we stayed in a different hotel than agreed. We went along with that. On the second night, Victor called the other party and ask them to cover additional expenditure for upgrade of accommodation, not upgrade for them though but for my family. So he played the parties against each other. He did the very same thing the next day where he called me asking me to cover an upgrade for the other party. He asked for $600. The following day, he called me again asking us to cover the entry fees to Ngorongoro, again $600. I refused. He called the other party of course with the same request. We briefly discused between our two parties and agreed that one from the other party would cover the entry fees. This was to ensure that none of us would end up having thousands of dollars to be refunded, again it was $600.
It is now five months since our safari. As I live in Tanzania, Victor has not been able to simply disregard my calls, SMS, Whatsapps. He has again and again promised to pay. Each week, he will make that promise and then find an excuse. He is nothing but a frail little liar who should never ever be trusted.
Also note that Victor is not a member of Tanzania Tour Operators Association. This essentially means that they are not able to help any customers who might have problems with Victor. Another reason for staying completely clear of this guy.
Thieves. Conmen. And other words not suitable for a public review
I can sadly see that we are not the only ones who have been conned by Victor Godwin. Here is the trick. Consider yourself warned if you book with him.
You will agree safari itinerary and you will pay in advance, all inclusive. When you go on the safari, Victor will call you and ask if you could please pay for park entry fees or for upgrade of accommodation. He will promise to reimburse you once you get back to Arusha. Now the problem is that the drivers do not have funds for the park entry fees so you have no other option that to pay or not enter the park. Clever right. And yes, of course he does not refund your additional expenses.
On our trip, we were six people whilst another car had thre people. On the first night, we stayed in a different hotel than agreed. We went along with that. On the second night, Victor called the other party and ask them to cover additional expenditure for upgrade of accommodation, not upgrade for them though but for my family. So he played the parties against each other. He did the very same thing the next day where he called me asking me to cover an upgrade for the other party. He asked for $600. The following day, he called me again asking us to cover the entry fees to Ngorongoro, again $600. I refused. He called the other party of course with the same request. We briefly discused between our two parties and agreed that one from the other party would cover the entry fees. This was to ensure that none of us would end up having thousands of dollars to be refunded, again it was $600.
It is now five months since our safari. As I live in Tanzania, Victor has not been able to simply disregard my calls, SMS, Whatsapps. He has again and again promised to pay. Each week, he will make that promise and then find an excuse. He is nothing but a frail little liar who should never ever be trusted.
Also note that Victor is not a member of Tanzania Tour Operators Association. This essentially means that they are not able to help any customers who might have problems with Victor. Another reason for staying completely clear of this guy.
MQ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
did not take us on safari and did not refund our money!
Through www.safaribookings.com , my daughter and I have booked a 5 days Safari (from December, 31st, 2016) that should include Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro (Tanzania) with Africa Remote Safaris: http://africaremotesafaris.com/ . For this we paid an advance of 1200$. We received mails from a so called Naphtally from Africa Remote Safaris confirming our booking.
On December 30th, 2016, we had arrived in Arusha and had still not received any instructions concerning the safari. With the help of the Manager of the hotel where we were staying, we managed to call the Arusha number mentioned on the website and got in touch with a driver who informed us that he had only worked for Africa Remote once. On December 30th, my daughter and I went to bed not knowing whether we would go on safari or not the following day.
In the morning (Dec 31st), we at last received a WhatsApp message from the so called Naphtally indicating that we would be picked up by a driver from another safari operator.
Since ARS had not wired any money to them. We had to pay the full cost of a budget Safari 1800$.
While we were on Safari, ARS wired 440$ to the other Safari operator. This amount was given back to us upon our return by this operator with whom we went on Safari.
Thus, Africa Remote Safari still owed us 760 $. We wrote to them numerous times and once a certain Steve Biko even apologized for the delay and promised that he would soon refund us the money. Almost 2 months later, we still have not heard from him despite our reminders.
It appears that though Africa Remote Safaris claims to have offices in Arusha and Zanzibar, they do not have offices in those places and are only represented in Kenya. The phone numbers mentioned on their sites are only the numbers of drivers who have worked for them occasionally. They also do not have a license to operate in Tanzania and are only represented in Kenya. So if you book with them for a safari in Tanzania all or part of your money may be lost!
We wanted to tell about our experiences with Africa Remote Safaris so that you should avoid a bad and stressful experience on your holiday. They are found directly on (http://africaremotesafaris.com) or through www.safaribookings.com
Dishonest operator.
This operator booked 4 clients with us from 4 July. They confirmed the booking last minute with no time to get payment to us. We honoured the booking and accepted the clients on the promise from Collins and Paul of full-payment within 2 days, they have completely ignored every subsequent request for payment. Another operator in the Kafue National Park is also owed money for the same clients. We will never tough with operator again.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Kilisa Tours and Safaris should be avoided!
I had a horrible experience with Kilisa Tours and Safaris. Originally I had booked with them because they had received such positive reviews from Trip Advisor. They also offered cheap prices and I decided to go on a safari with them, but I am glad that I didn't book with them to do Kilimanjaro otherwise they would have definitely botched it up.
Twelve days before my trip, they informed me via email that my hotel was changed from Moshi to Arusha and that the tour group decided to start a day earlier. I had been doing Mt. Meru and Kilimanjaro so I had no email access, and went to the hotel that they booked me in Moshi. I was told that I was booked for Moshi by Kilisa tours, but there was not room for me and I had to go to another hotel.
After Naick was told, he tried to tell me I should have gotten the email and I explained that I had no Internet access since I came to Africa. I was tired after my 8 day Kilimanjaro trip, and he claimed that the Lemosho route that I had done should have finished at 5AM. That isn't true as I didn't finish until 2PM that day with another group as we went back to the gate, and then had lunch before I was dropped off to my hotel.
So instead of staying at the Key's Hotel, in Moshi (which I was originally told) and had a high standard, I was booked to stay in Arusha Centre Inn in Arusha which is a much lower caliber hotel. However, I was not told this, and the price that I paid for the safari did not change.
I was also asked if I brought $875 in cash to pay for the trip. I had not been informed via email to do this, and asked if I could pay by credit card. Instead, I was told that to avoid a surcharge, I would pay for the park admission which would total $875. I was not told that I would be paying for the park admission of the other people on the tour and my tour guide.
I was not told that the safari was going to be with other people and it was thru another company that wasn't associated with Kilisa. I thought all of these other tourists were from Kilisa tours. I was driven to Lake Manyara to catch the tour group on their second day of the safari since I had missed the first day.
They were staying at the Sunbright campsite which offered a cabin. I was given a cabin initially, but when two people in my group complained that they had a cabin before, but were then designated to stay in a tent, the manager asked me to move to the tent and to give the two people the cabin. I was sick and had a cough (after finishing my Kilimanjaro trip) and despite that these two people paid less than me, I had to move.
For the next 2 days I ended up sharing a tent with 2 other people on the trip that I didn't know.
When I went to pay at one of the park gates, I was told to pay $10 more than Kilisa had informed me. Although that shouldn't be a big deal, I did not like how the driver had forced me to just pay, and not question it. I was angry and said that at the next park gate, I would pay $10 less so that I would not be overcharged. The driver did not like that and insisted that I pay what I was told to pay.
On the last day, at 9:40AM at Ngorongoro Crater, our safari car had broken down. Our driver called his friend to pick us up and take us back for brunch at 11AM. The friend just drove us back to our campsite and we didn't do anymore sight-seeing. Then when the driver got back with the safari car repaired, we had to be driven back to Arusha and end the trip.
I asked for a refund as I paid for 4 days for the safari, and on the last day, since the safari car broke down, we could not explore Ngrongoro Crater much at all. I brought this up to Naick who tried to claim that the second safari car had taken us around Ngorongoro but I insisted that it only drove us back to the camp site. Then Naick said that the blame was actually for this man from another company who actually run the trip, and that man refused to refund me saying no one had ever complained about the trip.
At the end of the day, I wish that I hadn't booked with Kilisa as there were these screw ups with the hotel and also having a cheap safari car that broke down. Also, since the safari car was overloaded with 5-6 passengers (sometimes with the cook too) and luggage, I did not get to see the animals properly nor take as good pictures as I expected to.
Stay away from this company!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Do not deal with this company - it is a scam operator in my experience!
Booked a 9 day safari; sent $1500 by bank transfer; Sylvester Muthui said money had arrived and then 2 days later said the payment had been "reversed". No such thing. He apparently had transferred the money to another account. Still trying bro get money back but not hopeful.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Do not use this your operator
From someone who doesn't normally write reviews, I felt I owed it to possible future travelers who may fall victim to this company. Whatever you do, do not use Good Time Safari or deal with Victor Godwin. If you are contacted by them, find a different company immediately. This is a man and a company that shows little care and respect for their clients. So much so, that they steal money from them. After I paid the safari in full, Victor then asked me to pay the fees at the park entry, for which I would be reimbursed (he promised). This reimbursement never came. I felt taken advantage of and ignored after several attempts to contact Victor and arrange ways to get my reimbursement. This company is poor and unethical. Stay away.
CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
don't get what you pay for
we cannot recommend yebo, they sold us a chimp tracking which took place outside (!) of the parc which seems to not even have been official ( legal??), paid 70 $ for it without seeing chimps, and in the afternoon of the first day we didn't even enter the parc for a game drive as promised. However, the parc entry fees we had paid for that day weren't returned, and Yemen refused to speak to us when trying to solve that "misunderstanding". Also he lied to us about closing times of parc gates trying to get us to stay another night at his camp. Stay away from yebo!!
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beware these guys. We were cheated for 400$
Avoid this company and people. We had safari with them for 5 people group, 3 days. If you love adventures and surprises be ready to pay double price for this. First of all They took downpayment from us for all (tickets, lodges, transport, fee, etc.), than the driver ask us for the money to pay for entrance Serengeti, we were promised to have the money back right the same day ,(it was 2 weeks ago, still waiting). We had to take care about water, food by ourselves. Our guides English was poor, so he didn't say about animals more than few words. We had problems with acomodation and last but not least the owner (Victor) didn't pick up phone.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ripped off by driver!!! Avoid this company!!!
My wife and I went on a safari with Safari Care Ltd several years ago. We had a good experience. The safari was enjoyable and I would definitely recommend that everyone visit this part of the world at some point. However, we had a terrible experience with our driver (a man named Mollel Martin Nguma) and the company after we returned returned home. A couple months after got back, the driver reached out via email to ask if we could extend him a small loan so that he could purchase a truck and start his own safari business. We obliged since he seemed like a hard working individual who did not have a lot of opportunities in Tanzania. But when the loan came due, the driver claimed that he had been the victim of identity fraud. We were initially open to the possibility. But it soon became apparent that his story was all a thinly veiled ruse designed to cover his tracks. In the end, we didn't lose a lot of money. But we were very disappointed with the way that Safari Care handled the matter. It wasn't their problem, they didn't care and this individual is still driving for them. A real company would make sure these sort of things don't happen. Go elsewhere and avoid the headache.