Ruined excitement for a trip of a lifetime.
The purpose of hiring an alleged high end travel company is to create a seamless experience with expert guidance, especially for a complex trip to an area you haven’t visited.
Our planning began well with lots of pressure to provide info and documents as well as making full payment. Up until that point, we had good communication. After all of the payments had been made, communications ground to a halt with lots of excuses. There were many mistakes made as well as repeated requests for documents which had already been provided.
We actually thought we had been victims of fraud because we couldn’t get any answers. I actually found the contact info for the founder of the company in Texas and left him a message asking to confirm the identity of the travel consultant and our reservations. He never communicated with me.
The two main directives were for elephant experiences as well excellent cuisine. The elephant experiences were very good with one exception. The food at the selected lodges was well below expectation.
We liked one lodge very much. We did not like the third lodge as it was very run down. As it turns out, they are planning to close shortly for three months and were under construction, right next to our room.
I have to say they really put a huge damper on the excitement of going on a trip of a lifetime.
I would really steer clear!
Reply from Ker & Downey Africa
Dear Barbara,
At Ker & Downey Africa, we pride ourselves on crafting seamless, life-changing journeys. We are deeply concerned by your feedback, as the experience you described is a departure from the high-touch service that is our hallmark. Please accept our most sincere apologies; we understand that when you entrust us with a "trip of a lifetime," the expectation is nothing short of perfection.
Following your return, we conducted a comprehensive review of your file to understand how we can better serve our guests and uphold our standards.
While we recognize that the early planning stages involved administrative oversights, we want to highlight that 80 days prior to your departure, we initiated a "high-touch" management protocol. At this pivotal juncture, our Operations Team Lead, Brondwyn, stepped in to consolidate every detail and provide a comprehensive roadmap for your journey. This was a concerted effort to restore the peace of mind essential to any Ker & Downey Africa experience, I also ensured that you had my personal number on hand.
To address the issue of communication and documentation, we acknowledge the frustration regarding visa documentation and flight e-tickets. While the Fastjet tickets were issued according to the airline’s internal systems—and resulted in no delays at the airport—we realize our communication regarding these technicalities fell short.
When the process felt overwhelming, we prioritized a streamlined flow of information. We regret that this intervention became necessary, but it was our absolute priority to ensure you felt supported as your departure approached.
The suggestion that you felt like a "victim of fraud" is something we take with the utmost gravity. Trust is our bedrock. We apologize for the silence during a period of staff absence; as soon as this was identified, our team stepped in immediately. We have since refined our protocols to ensure no message ever goes unanswered.
While we are glad the elephant encounters resonated with you, we are sorry that other aspects of the land experience did not meet our standard.
To address your lodge experience: we were distressed to hear a property we have historically praised was undergoing unexpected construction. To rectify this, we secured a 100% refund for this portion of your stay, processed within a week of your return.
With reference to the culinary standards you mentioned: we regret that the cuisine did not consistently meet your requests. While we were only alerted to issues at one specific lodge during the trip, we have shared your feedback with all property management involved.
Our personal commitment remains: from the 80-day transition through to your flight home, we committed ourselves entirely to your care. I provided you with my personal mobile number, and we remained in 24/7 contact to assist with any request. We were also pleased to include several "add-on" experiences at our own expense as a gesture of our dedication to your satisfaction.
We hope the intensive, personal support provided in the months leading up to and during your travel demonstrated our true character. My door remains open, and I would welcome a direct conversation via my personal line to discuss how we can further restore your faith in us.
Warm regards,
Sarah Morris
General Manager, Private Clients