08 Aug 2019
We received a written email stating that we would get picked up at the hotel and dropped off at the Dar es Salaam airport at the end of the safari. This transportation was to be included in the overall price. Also, we were to have all meals and activities included in the safari price, and the package was to include a safari hat and t-shirt. Well, the night before, we discovered that only one meal per day would be covered. We shrugged and went ahead anyway. At the end, the guide (Baracka Kimambo) said when we got to the airport that we would have to pay $10 each for a snake park we visited, $20 each for a lunch we had in Mikumi Park, and an incredible $50 because we were brought back to the airport instead of the original hotel in Dar es Salaam (not that far from the originating hotel). Sincere there were seven us in the group, this was a substantial amount of money! We felt as though we were being swindled by a guide whom we had gotten to know and like over the past three days. All this just minutes after we had given him a $210 cash tip! Not a good feeling. Not knowing what to do, we paid the extra money. Then, at the airport, we decided to call the director (Rodgers Bajungu), who was very nice and was apologetic. He directed Baracka to return to the airport and give us the money back, which he did. For some reason, we let him keep the tip. Unpleasant ending to an otherwise good trip.Oh, and by the way, we never got the promised hat and t-shirt.....