***COMPANY & OWNER IN LIQUIDATION
***COMPANY & OWNER IN LIQUIDATION – FRAUDULENT & DANGEROUS.***
As experienced, Africa-savvy travellers who complete self-drive safaris twice a year, this is hands down the worst, most corrupt vehicle hire experience we have ever encountered in 20 years. Do not trust the reviews on their website.
1. Bait-and-Switch & Extortion - We booked a Toyota Prado with a pop-up roof for wildlife photography in Uganda and paid a 50% deposit. On collection day, a driver arrived over 3 hours late with a completely different vehicle, stating the one we had booked had been in an accident—no pop-up roof and no sunroof. We were given a "take it or leave it" ultimatum: accept this vehicle or lose our 50% deposit. Because of expensive, non-refundable gorilla permits and bookings the next day, we were forced to pay the balance. Due to the delay, we immediately missed a pre-paid $100 Shoebill tour.
2. Mechanically Lethal & Unroadworthy - Within days, the wheels began grinding. We found a rear tyre flat, and the spare tyre was also flat and the wrong size ($50 repair). A mechanic later inspected the vehicle and was horrified. The front suspension and steering were failing; the track rod end was virtually detached. We were told the wheel could have sheared off while driving. Furthermore, the vehicle had only three rear brake pads (worn to nothing) and dangerously low brake fluid. Repairs cost us an additional 420,000 UGX (£80). We spent 8 hours stranded, missing a $180 game drive.
3. Abusive Behaviour & Deception - When contacted, the operator (Gerald) aggressively abused the mechanic over the phone. The mechanic refused to continue until we stepped in to cover the costs ourselves. Gerald promised to reimburse us but never paid a penny. We later discovered Gerald had illegally sub-rented this vehicle from another company under false pretences because they refuse to do business with him directly.
4. Continuous Breakdowns & Wider Scams - The vehicle broke down again in Murchison Falls National Park (failed differential lock), costing us another $80 game drive. We then learned from the delivery driver that the Prado we originally booked was being used for other tourists, whom Gerald had scammed out of $3,000 for non-existent gorilla permits. That vehicle was seized by police and the driver arrested, leaving those tourists stranded. At the end of our trip, Gerald intentionally gave the driver the wrong airport meeting time to avoid repaying us, resulting in the vehicle being clamped.
The Real Loss: - Stolen Memories - While the financial losses were significant, money can eventually be replaced. What can never be replaced are the lifetime experiences stolen from us. We travelled thousands of miles to create memories, only for our hard-earned safari to be completely overshadowed by mechanical failures, breakdowns, severe safety anxieties, and constant deception. Day after day, we lost precious wildlife encounters and pre-paid excursions while stranded on the roadside.
Summary - This company risked our lives, defrauded us, and ruined a deeply anticipated trip. Gerald is an abusive, dishonest, and predatory operator. He is a despicable excuse of someone purporting to be a human being.
Uganda is a beautiful country filled with immense kindness and integrity, but this individual stands in sharp, dangerous contrast to everything it represents. DO NOT TRUST HIM. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. HE OWES A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF MONEY.