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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Richard/Mary from England

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

5

Countries visited

2

Lodges stayed in

13

Excursions taken

0

Our tenth trip to RPS

Zambia between 31 Oct 2023 and 24 Nov 2023

Trip rating: Excellent
"We are not usual safari travellers as we are interested in everything including how the villages run, the people, the Church and Shops. We are concerned your review only refers to animals - no birds, trees, insects etc. Why?

We have been on over 50 safaris to places that not as popular as some - we are not box tickers. See previous answers.

Claire at Expert Africa has arranged all our RPS trips over the years and knows exactly what we require. She is a 'star'. Thank you."

Arranged By Claire Scott


Luangwa River Camp

Luangwa River Camp

"Luangwa River Camp review"

5 nights Arrived 1 Nov 2023
"We have visited this Camp before to lunch with our old friend. Daudi. It was very well run and we were made very welcome.

We were guided by our old Chilumba who had first met when he was on the pontoon about 12 years ago.

He has developed into an outstanding guide. His guests ae ALWAYS his main priority."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Nsefu

Nsefu

"Nsefu review"

5 nights Arrived 6 Nov 2023
"WE have stayed here several times before and it was as delightful as ever. Good guiding and food.

The rooms never fail to be very good."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Nkwali

Nkwali

"Nkwali review"

12 nights Arrived 11 Nov 2023
"We have been to South Luangwa ten times before. Always staying at RPS. Surely that speaks for itself!

We have spent over this period over 100 days at RPS camps. See IT's Monday 9 January 2024 which mu husband wrote and photographed.

We do not count the animals. Sadly you do not ask about the birds which were very good yet again.

They are also part of the experience. If you just do the animals you will have long stretches of NOT seeing anything.

Also the trees and flowers are so very interesting but again you ignore them Why?"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

2018 trip

Zambia between 17 Jan 2018 and 2 Feb 2018

Trip rating: Excellent
"Expert Africa (Claire) was as good as ever and can be relied on to deliver what the client asks for.

She has been organising our trips for nearly twenty ears and we remain very grateful to her.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No!"

Feedback response

When we're advising our travellers, we're often asked, "How long should I stay at each camp?"

This trip - which lasted over two weeks in one camp - shows just how hard that questions really is. These old Africa hands, who we've helped with many Africa trips, chose to return to one of their favourite camps for an extended stay. And in the 'emerald season' too, when it usually rains and there's lot of water about.

In general, we find that as visitors become more used to Africa, they often realise that it's better to extend their stays as camps - to stay longer, and to move less.

Arranged By Claire Scott


Nkwali

Nkwali

"Nkwali review"

16 nights Arrived 17 Jan 2018
"As always we were very well looked after. Nothing is ever too much trouble.

The guides are still very well trained and ever willing to discuss the days programme."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent

Januayr 2014

Zambia between 9 Jan 2014 and 25 Jan 2014

Trip rating: Excellent
"See introductory notes. We enjoyed our stay and everything we desired was provided.

The guides are the best in Africa. We are safari experts having been at it for twenty years at least twice a year."

Arranged By Claire Scott


Nkwali

Nkwali

"Excellent as always"

15 nights Arrived 10 Jan 2014
"Our ninth stay at this camp. Excellent as always. The guides knowledge is excellent. They cover everything - birds, trees, flowers and animals.

Nothing is too much trouble. The food is well prepared and the waiters very polite and efficient.

The rooms are well prepared and the bathrooms very roomy. The mosquito nets need careful inspection to ensure they have no holes. Also that there is a bedside table on each of the bed. We had to get one from the bathroom area as there was only one.

A well run camp."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent

Tanzania 2013

Tanzania between 4 Jan 2013 and 22 Jan 2013

Trip rating: Excellent
"Emmanauel our guide for the first ten days. Excellent. Very experienced. Wide knowledge of the bush and hte country. Pleasant travelling companion. Very anxious to pelase.
Vehicle - very good. Claire had managed to arrange winding windows for us . Essential for my husband's photography.

Emmanuel is to be highly recommended.

Claire is thanked for an excellent programme yet again. We identified 48 different mammals. 266 different birds!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Keep up the contacts with places that we visited. They all spoke very highly of Expert Africa. They liked the fact that the staff actually stay at the camps rather than just calling in for a couple of hours."

Arranged By Claire Scott


Lemala Manyara

Lemala Manyara (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)

"Saved by the guide at Lemala Manyara"

2 nights Arrived 4 Jan 2013
"Location - misdescribed - no view of the distant lake.

Arrrival- no drinks offered in tent. No torches. No means of communication at night.

Food- Overcooked. Lamb chops inedible. Fish overcooked to the point of being very dry. Sweetcorn soup very salty and bitty - needed sieving. Sausages for Dinner are unacceptable. Water melon desert but already had been served in packed lunch.

Staff. Not motivated. Manager - disinterested. Did his accounts outside at meal times rather than talking to the guests. Left guests having drinks to talk on his mobile phone. Idle probably best describes them.

Wine Slips. Had to sign for the wine althjough it was included in the price we paid. One night one slip said eleven glasses of wine. My husband could not have drunk all this wine and I had none that evening! He pointed it out and the reply was' you don't have to pay'. Generally the amount on the slips for us to sign was more than twice what we had consumed. So why did they try to fiddle it?

Tent- Had to wait for six or seven minutes for the toilet to fill up. Difficult to flush. Shower- a joke - just a trickle of water.

Not recommended. Staff need retraining."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor

Location
Poor
Service
Poor
Facilities
Poor
Rooms
Average
Food
Poor
Lemala Ngorongoro

Lemala Ngorongoro

"A grand day out"

2 nights Arrived 6 Jan 2013
"Tent had just been replaced. Why two 4' 6" beds rather than one 6' bed. The six foot could be split into two if needed. Only one side table in the middle of the beds so if two sleep in one bed one person does not have a table. They have to put water, torch etc. on the floor. No torch provided.

Food - very good.

Umbrella- had to share umbrella with other tents. . Difficult in the rain.

Wine Slip. Amount overstated on first night but not as bad as Mnayara. Second night I had one lime cordial, my husband 2 white / 2 red glasses of wine. Not four reds as stated."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp

Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp

"Migration Experience"

6 nights Arrived 8 Jan 2013
"Tents. Everything provided. Good Shower.

Staff. Worked very hard to please. Everything came at the precise time requested. Congratulations. Laurence runs a well ordered and happy camp and deserves recogntion for his work.

Food. Well prepared, cooked and served in a very tasteful manner.

Barman- always there and very helpful. Engaged well with the guests as did Laurence and the front of house team.

Recommended without any hesitation."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Beho Beho

Beho Beho

"Bush Paradise"

7 nights Arrived 14 Jan 2013
"Returned after ten years. Bandas larger than previously. Good extension to bar and reception area. Lovely swimming pool.

Staff. In Walter's absence Oona looked afer us very well. Lynn the temporary caterer in Karin's absence was also excellent. Nothing was too much trouble for them.

Guides. Superb. Charming, looked after the guests. Very well informed and well able to present the bush and discuss all the plants and animals. Drove at a sensible speed. Served drinks and picnics with professionalism.

Food. Ever thing was excellent. Food Staff were charming and cared very much for us all.

Itinery. Well constructed for out stay of one week. A good pace.

One of two favourite camps in Africa."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Southern Sun Dar

Southern Sun Dar

"An airport stop"

1 night Arrived 21 Jan 2013
"An airport hotel. Welcome good.

Restaurant. Overcharged on service and then said they could not refuended. Had to call Hotel Manager to to sort it out.

Breakfast from 4.30 meant that we could have something to eat before we left at 6.00 for the airport."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average

final

Zambia between 31 Oct 2011 and 17 Nov 2011

Trip rating: Excellent
"Very good guides and game. How it will develop under the new owners - time will tell. They need to keep up the standard and support the team.

RPS needs a dress code for the table meals. I have never had dinner sitting next to man in a vest and would not intend to repeat the experience.

I await to hear the result of this comment."

Arranged By Claire Scott


Nsefu

Nsefu

"Nsefu"

5 nights Arrived 31 Oct 2011
"AS good as ever - out third visit here. Good guiding. Congratulations to Chulumeba, a new guide - good with birds. Very polite. Very hot +40 degrees. Daudi runs a good camp. Film crew were a little overpowering at evening drinks before dining, but did not mind our vehicle near theirs.

A chair in the bathroom would be a good idea."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Nkwali

Nkwali

"Nkwali review"

11 nights Arrived 5 Nov 2011
"Our seventh visit. Guide Team were very good especially with the birds. All very willing. Keyala does a fantastic job getting it all organised. Food as good as ever. All very caring. Down side - two Australians were travelling with a tour manager (Dan) ( ??Visions of Africa) and his girlfriend (very forthright). On occasions Dan thought his guests should have priority over the other guests. He also disagreed with the guides at times which led to bit of an atmosphere.

Nkwali should introduce a dress code for sitting at the table. The Australian came in vest for dinner twice! This has never happened before. A shirt should be requested. Also this group came from the swimming pool which is now near the dining area wrapped in towels one day for lunch. It is an upmarket camp and one does not expect such behaviour. This slightly spoilt the meal times for us.

We were upgraded to Robins House for the whole time as on a couple of nights all the chalets were in use. Lovely!"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Image alt

Eight Reedbuck Hotel, Zambia (this camp has since closed)

"Eight Reedbuck Hotel review"

1 night Arrived 16 Nov 2011
"Well received. Good dinner. Hotel computer very slow. We gave up trying to check in. All very adequate.

Taxi excellent"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good

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