Confirmation of the Tour perator

Hi,

Tanzania is great ... but some tour operators are of poor performance.

Beginning 2007, we decided to make a tour including Kilimandjaro climbing and a safari in Manyara Park.
Even if we have been travelling & living abroad for many years, we have been trapped in a messy organization that impacted badly our vacations.

At that time, we had contacted Akaro Tours, that is in the list of registered tour operator agencies ... for the local organization of our trip that occurred end of October 2007.
When meeting the manager of Akaro tours, the so-called Martin Ibrahim Akaro, we understood that the organization had some financial problems when Martin told us that his business was still a "start-up company" that needed to grow up. When climbing the Kilimandjaro, it appeared that the organization of the team was of a very poor standard compared to the other standard organizations:
1. the tents were in a so bad shape that all our equipment were wet the very first day ... that is not ideal when one need to be on good shape for the preparation of the final climb at the D-day
2. the only first aid kit was ours ... and the guide had been sick two days prior to the final climbing
3. the guide did not climb up to the top of the mountain (Uhuru)
4. at the end of the trip, the guide asked us for 750 USD tips ... far beyond the normal standards (we were three only)
Something strange is that the guide did not mentioned the name of Akaro in the registration book at each camp, but Livingstone, the mother company, I presume.

... but it was only the beginning of the story ... since we experienced something unexpected during the stay by Manyara park.
Indeed, even if Martin had been 100% paid at the departure to the safari, it appeared that he did not paid the manager of the lodge.
Late in the night, this manager asked us to go out of his lodge ... and of course we argued several hours up to the night spent in the lodge.
We tried to contact Martin ... but it was impossible to get in touch with him. His wife answered and told us that we had to give some cash advance on behalf of his husband that would reimburse us at the airport. Of course, we did not paid twice.
In morning time, the manager of the lodge closed the doors of the lodge where we were trapped up to noon. In the meantime, the police had been called and caught Martin that sent someone to pay the lodge company. Of course, Martin did not apologize and did not go to the airport to meet us.

The Tanzanian landscape was great and the experience too.
But, we could hardly recommend Akaro organization to friends ...

Incredible Tanzania !

We (a group of 12) climbed Kilimanjaro with Akaro Tours in early May of 2008. Our experience was great: tents are all in good shape, plenty of guides and support and the guides were right there with us all the way. The fee for the climb was reasonable, and Mr. Akaro was a gracious host. He even watched out for one member of our group who was ill and could not make the climb so stayed in Moshi while the rest of us climbed. There was no inappropriate expectation for tipping. We climbed with an experience group of guides and never were put at risk. I think the experience posted by Tamerlour for the November climb and safari was not with Akaro Tours. If you have any questions, please email me.

If you are looking for a safari in Tanzania or are interested in Climbing Kilimanjaro then have a browse through the itineraries displayed in The Africa Guide's Travel Center

http://www.africaguide.com/travel/

Safaris in Tanzania are here
http://www.africaguide.com/travel/index.php?cmd=1&type=1

Kilimanjaro climbs are here
http://www.africaguide.com/travel/index.php?cmd=6&page=1&park=17

The Africa Guide has ensured that operators marketing their safaris on our website are legitimate, honest and well established operators. They have had to go through an extensive 'background' checks before we allowed them to be part of the web site. This involved them providing proof of registration/s, references. They also have to be registered tour operators within their country of operation

On the itineraries you can read through feedback from previous clients who travelled following enquiries made through The Africa Guide.

Dear Concern
The purpose of this is to convey to you my sincere apologies for any inconvenience you may have experienced during your visit to Tanzania. i as a Tanzanian, i do appologige..

Because of this serious oversight, and as a testament to our appreciation of you as of what you have said, i would recommend, that it would be good to get information obout a particular company & make sure you get all this information obout the company by visiting the Ministry of Tourism/ Tanzania Tourist Board whom in this case would direct you to the appropriate concerns.

let me assure you that what happened in your case is not typical of Tanzanian level of customer service. We continue to be committed to providing all of our customers with the highest standards of service in the tourism industry.

We strongly applogogies for all that happened.

Thanks alot
Concern Tanzanian
Tour Operator

I wonder if you somehow got swindle by another company - perhaps this Livingstone group to which you referred. We hiked with Akaro in Feb 09 and it was a phenomenally positive experience. I contacted them directly and they helped me to organize everything from being picked up and dropped off at the airport, to lodging, to an add on safari, and the hike up to Uhuru via Machame. We even asked them to make special changes to the usual Machame hike for our group, and they were happy to do so. They charged us far less than the other companies quoted us for shorter routes. Statistically 1/3 of those who try to summit Uhuru actually make it. All three of the members of our group made it to the top, and after seeing the other hikers on the mountains who went with more expensive tour groups struggle or quit, I can say 100% we would not have made it if we didn't have the wonderful guides (Jimmy and Ema) from Akaro that we had. There were no bells and whistles - we didn't have a portable toilet tent like those who paid thousands more than us did. But honestly, when you are sleeping at 15,000 feet, having to walk to the regular outhouse or having to walk to the plastic walled outhouse your tour group brought doesn't make much difference - it is cold and miserable no matter what. The important thing is that you have a supportive team, which we did. Jimmy was extremely knowledgable and handles several of our medical issues. I would recommend Akaro to anyone who wants to make it to the top. The guides nor the porters asked us for tips - we graciously offered them what we thought fair, and they thanked us and never asked for more.

The reason I wonder if you got swindled is because I never heard any mention of "Livingston" group, and I was the one who checked our group in at each hut after Jimmy told me his registration number. We always checked in as Akaro, the rangers all knew who "Akaro" was. I was in Akaro office twice in Moshi and never saw anything on their walls that said Livingston.

-- Tracy Soltesz