Eco Tur Angola

I have worked with Paul from EcoTur on a number of trips to Angola while completing research for the Bradt Travel Guide to Angola. Most recently, he helped me plan a trip that took in 17 of Angola's 18 provinces. It involved 5000km of driving, a 400km train ride and 6 x internal flights. I completed much of the road trip with Paul's guide Edson, who was highly professional, drove safely and was a pleasure to be around. Our vehicle was well maintained and reliable. We got on really well, and Edson was very knowledgeable when it came to the history, flora and fauna in Angola's provinces. He was also very flexible, and made sure that we got to all the places I needed to get to for my research. I would definitely go exploring Angola again with Edson! Paul was highly responsive via email and made numerous suggestions for changes to my itinerary, based on his extensive knowledge of the local road conditions around Angola. He really went above and beyond in terms of helping to make the new third edition of the guidebook a success. EcoTur are professional, reliable and very capable when it comes to helping with custom-built itineraries or complicated requests. I highly recommend this tour company.

Paul from EcoTur helped us organize our trip via email and then via WhatsApp very effectively. Always there to answer questions and provided lots of information before the trip. On tour day our driver, Kikas, was on time at the hotel in order to pick us up. The day started at a lodge with a full breakfast and then we jumped on the boat into the Kwanza River. We manage to see tons of birds, monkeys and a monitor lizard. Then we went back to the lodge for a full lunch with tons of options. After that we went to Kisama Park. Here our driver was very skilful and new exactly where the animals where. We saw several groups of giraffes, a heard of elephants, wildebeest, zebras, bush backs, an ostrich and more! All in all the value for the money is just fantastic!

Just returned from a “wonderful” experience to the unknown country Angola!!! (#232 on the TCC list) with EcoTur. Although obtaining the new “online” Visa is a bit daunting initially, the process is executed within 24 hours. And biometrics are finalized on arrivals....so easy!!!! As a single American woman & world traveler, concerns about safety are paramount. Eco Tur & notably Paul ( the owner) eased these anxieties!!! Not only are they extremely professional, efficient and knowledgeable, there was a genuine love and pride exuded while sharing. The vehicles were well maintained, clean and stocked with cold beverages inclusive of beer!!! (One of my 3 conditions to mark that I been to a country) Everything went “smoothly” with the exception of the Angolan road system lovingly known as African massage. Kalandula Falls were magnificent... the black rocks were remarkable! Totally pleased with Eco Tur and recommend highly!!!

Excelent

The Owner, Paul, who seemed all too helpful at first, started to become a bit sketchy after he wanted to have a phone conversation regarding obtaining a visa (all which could have been easily discussed via e-mail, but nonetheless). This seems harmless, but what should have been a simple 10 minute conversation turned into 30, and when I said I needed to go, he seemed sheepish. I've applied for 25 visas at least, as I'm aiming to travel to every country in the world alone as a woman, and have never experienced A) having to speak to them over the phone in order to obtain the visa and B) them not providing the visa materials IF we didn't continue to speak over the phone. What seems like such a simple matter, really cost me a lot of anguish, as I had to spend $400 flying to/from DC, plus a hotel in order to go to the Angola Embassy to apply for the visa in person (since they need to take your fingerprints). He only provided a Letter of Invitation along with his ID but failed to notarize the LOI, which I told him, they'd likely require (because in my experience they always have with these difficult visas). He said that "in all his visa experiences with tourists, Americans, women, etc etc. it's worked without it being notarized." blah blah blah. I'm wondering who would know more about obtaining a visa as an American. An American who's at the embassy in person, or someone who owns a tour company from Angola? I'll let you take a guess. After I relayed to him in a professional manner, exactly what the embassy told me they needed to provide me, he replied, "you have a short memory it seems..." blah blah, a.k.a. an insult to a customer? Not a big one, but he had no right to throw me an insult when I was just telling him what I needed to complete the visa process via what the woman at the embassy told me. He then said, "we can discuss all this over the phone" (several times in that one e-mail). When I told him that I'm traveling abroad, and have limited phone access and all of this can be handled via e-mail anyways, he must have taken it as an insult responding, "I can't work this way, I'm refunding you the $200 for the visa LOI". P.S. $200 for a letter of invitation, the woman at the Angola embassy said was a rip off, and that she's seen many Americans come into the Angola DC embassy the past few weeks with having paid this company, Eco Tur an insane amount *before* they even obtained the visa. She in her own words said, "this has to stop with these companies". This was AFTER I already paid the $160 for the visa. I'm really chill when it comes to obtaining visas, and when the embassy tells me what I need, I just relay it back to the company and they must supply whatever the embassy needs to get the visa. If they don't, I've learned that the company isn't legitimate in some way. The weird thing is, my (male) friend from Denmark went through this company and he had a great experience. But after he was CC'd on the e-mails (per the Owner's discretion), he said that how I was treated was "absolutely horrible". Just comes to show that women might not have a great experience with this company, especially those traveling alone. I'm traveling as a peace ambassador on this 196 country journey, and I've dealt with a few agencies like this one (owned by males). It seems as this one is just another bad egg, with the male owner wanting to be in complete charge, thinking that he knows the way it goes when he obviously does not. All in all, I wouldn't recommend this company in general, but specifically if you're a woman traveling alone and maybe an American too. The owner must think he's the be all-end all to control peoples visa process like that, but it's just not worth your time dealing with this company (just ask the woman at the Angola DC Embassy!). I'm heading there next week after having found a great tour company which I'm not going to mention in case the owner of this company sees this and starts throwing insults at them, too, for no reason. Thankfully, he paid back the $200 plus the $160 I lost for the visa. Good luck!