点评:I strongly advise against booking with Solomon (+251 91 047 4156) and his local operation in Semera. My experience was not only a waste of money but also a significant safety risk that could have been avoided with basic honesty.
The Situation:
Before my trip even started, flights to Mekele were already canceled and military clashes in the region were public knowledge. Despite being a "local expert," Solomon failed to inform me about this. He allowed me to travel to Semera knowing the itinerary was impossible to complete.
The "Tour":
The trip was completely pointless. I spent several hours driving from Semera only to sleep on the ground for one night and drive several hours back the next morning. I was under constant stress regarding my safety and return flights, and I didn't see any of the sites I paid for. It was a "tour" to nowhere.
Unfair Business Practices:
When the situation became impossible, Solomon refused to provide any refund, claiming it was "nature's fault." This is a lie. Other tourists in the same jeep, traveling with different agencies, received FULL refunds because their operators acted professionally. Solomon, however, decided to keep my 300 USD as "clean profit" for a failed and dangerous trip.
Communication:
I was never informed by Solomon about the risks; I had to find out from other tourists that flights were being canceled. To this day, he refuses to take responsibility, even though other partners like Esho had to cover my accommodation in Addis Ababa because of this mess.
Conclusion:
If you value your safety and your money, avoid Solomon. There are many honest operators in Ethiopia, but this is not one of them. He risks his clients' safety for profit and refuses to be fair when things go wrong. Stay away and double-check with your agency who is actually running your tour in the Danakil region.
翻译:我强烈建议不要通过 Solomon(+251 91 047 4156)及其在塞梅拉的当地机构预订行程。我的经历不仅浪费了金钱,还带来了严重的安全隐患,而这些隐患原本可以通过基本的诚实来避免。
情况:
在我的行程开始之前,飞往默克莱的航班就已经取消了,而且该地区的军事冲突也已是公开的秘密。尽管 Solomon 自称是“当地专家”,但他却没有告知我这些情况。他明知行程无法完成,却仍然允许我前往塞梅拉。
“旅行”:
这次旅行完全毫无意义。我花了几个小时从塞梅拉开车过来,结果却只能在地上睡了一晚,第二天早上又要开车几个小时返回。我一直担心自己的安全和回程航班,而且我付了钱的景点一个也没看到。这完全是一次毫无意义的“旅行”。
不公平的商业行为:
当情况变得无法挽回时,所罗门拒绝退款,声称这是“天灾”。这纯属谎言。其他乘坐同一辆吉普车、通过不同旅行社预订的游客都获得了全额退款,因为他们的旅行社处理得当。然而,所罗门却决定将我300美元作为“净利润”据为己有,而这趟旅行却以失败告终,而且充满危险。
沟通:
所罗门从未告知我任何风险;我是从其他游客那里才得知航班被取消的。直到今天,他仍然拒绝承担责任,尽管像Esho这样的其他合作伙伴不得不承担我在亚的斯亚贝巴的住宿费用。
结论:
如果您重视自身安全和金钱,请远离所罗门。埃塞俄比亚有很多诚实的旅行社,但所罗门绝非其中之一。他为了牟利而置客户安全于不顾,并且在出现问题时拒绝承担责任。远离他,并务必与您在达纳基勒地区实际负责您行程的旅行社确认。