Nomadtours Reviews

An In-Depth and Constructive Critique

We recently took a 42-day trip through Africa July August 2024 operated by Nomad and booked via African Overland Tours We paid around EUR 14 000 USD 450 per day for two people Unfortunately it turned out to be our most disappointing travel experience to date Here is our account of the issues we encountered shared in hopes that future travelers will be better informed and that these companies will address their shortcomings 1 Minimal Activities Excessive Downtime Only about 3 of our first 10 days involved actual activities e g a short safari brief village walks a coffee plantation visit The rest some 97 of the time was spent in a cramped truck 8 15 hours daily or in budget lodges with nothing planned 2 Uncomfortable Transportation The truck seats were very tight for anyone over 175 cm 5 9 and the microphone did not work Filtered-water mechanisms were outdated forcing travelers to rely on questionable water sources We often ate breakfast or lunch while driving on roads filled with bumps risking spills and discomfort Our group ranged from about 15 to 75 years old older travelers struggled greatly with the lack of comfort 3 Lack of Professional Guidance We had only a driver and a cook neither qualified to serve as an actual tour guide We received no substantial information about local culture history geology fauna or ecosystems Complaints or suggestions were brushed off with remarks like complaints will disturb the peace of the crew the clients and the company 4 Substandard Accommodations and Extra Costs Roughly 90 of the lodges were low-budget establishments USD 30 60 often without hot water or any water at times Only 3 of 35 were decent Additional fees for game drives excursions and even basic drinks like water quickly added up e g USD 350 for a Tanzanian game drive Travel breaks were limited to malls or fuel stations rarely involving scenic or cultural stops 5 Overreliance on Guests Labor Meals were rushed to about 30 minutes Guests had to set up tables chairs assist with cooking and clean dishes It felt like we were doing staff tasks rather than relaxing on vacation 6 Poor Communication and Organization No one checked if travelers had correct documents and there was no guidance on border crossings Room assignments at lodges were random forcing guests to sort things out themselves Time management was erratic A 30-minute stop could stretch to over an hour without warning 7 Dismissive Customer Support African Overland Tours took a week or more to reply to emails and offered no real solutions When we called the representative interrupted constantly and blamed us rather than taking responsibility We ultimately left three days early with no refund for unused accommodations When lodging was overbooked and we had to camp instead of staying in a room there was no apology or compensation 8 African Overland Tours A Middleman Concerned with Sales They pressured us to decide quickly implying limited availability They charge a significant markup over Nomad s base price but provide no added value functioning more like sales agents than travel experts 9 Overall Assessment While the natural beauty of Africa s parks and cities shone through no thanks to the operators the disorganization lack of guidance and poor service tarnished the experience For the cost we expected a professional guide comfortable travel and a well-planned itinerary Instead it felt like corners were cut at every opportunity Recommendation We strongly recommend seeking alternative agencies Based on our experience it would be hard to find a more poorly organized operation than Nomad and African Overland Tours We hope this review prompts them to improve and deliver the quality service that travelers deserve when discovering such a magnificent continent

Amazing experience

I did a camping tour with them from Cape Town to Victoria Falls was an amazing experience I did some travelling already in my life but Keith our driver from Zimbabwe was far the best guide I have met in my life His knowledge was impressive about everything from geology culture wildlife I am planning to do someday an East African tour with them again

21 days of fun and adventure with three fabulous guides

We just completed a tour purchased in Australia from Trip a Deal and contracted to Nomad in Sth Africa We could not have been happier with our 23 Day Ultimate African Safari We had the most caring and professional guides that semed like trusted family to the 15 of us We had our truck Aretha lose power near remote Fish River Canyon and Blessing our guide handled the situation brilliantly Every meal was prepared with great care and joining in to set up and pack away became an easy routine Every evening Blessing Gurure our incredible guide would clearly outline the next day s activities and nothing was a bother to our three guides Paradzayi Toungana our driver was extremely competent and we felt safe at all times Tafadswa Fambi our trainee guide added another fabulous level to our trip He was everything you would expect from a skilled guide already The tour is a complete adventure you see and do so much in the three weeks Highly recommend this tour and if you get Blessing Para and Taffi then you will be blessed