Africa: Reviews from our travellers

"Great - hope to be back in Africa soon." Read full review: 25 nights in Africa; 8 on a Namibia trip

"Exceptional. It was our 5th time in Botswana, but our first visit in March.

It is a beautiful time of the year for those who do not arrive with a shopping list of what they expect to see. It’s a very rewarding season for those who simply enjoy what mother nature has to provide to them while being on safari as well as those that love Botswana’s incredible beauty." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 8 on a Botswana safari

"We discussed our trip with Richard almost three years ago, and we finally made it after 2 years of rolling- 'thanks' to Covid. Richard was extremely knowledgable and helpful, during the planning and very supportive when we had to keep postponing. The lodges were as he had described (only better). He really understood what we wanted from our trip and we thoroughly enjoyed all his recommendations. Thank you Richard!" Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari

"Great trip.

Will probably safari in Namibia/Botswana in 2023." Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 18 on a Namibia trip

"Brilliant trip, especially as we followed it with visit to Masai Mara and Laikipia (booked thru specialist photo company) so good balance of varied game." Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari

"We so so enjoyed our 2 weeks in Namibia - so exciting and filled with new experiences.

We previously had had one week in the south of Namibia and have visited South Africa and Zimbabwe on many previous occasions so our enjoyment was not down to the novelty factor - it just was one of the best fortnights we have had travelling ever!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Nothing specific - just keep it up.

You are clearly a learning organisation striving for excellence and already demonstrating this. Thank you!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 12 on a Namibia trip

"This has been our fifth trip to Southern Africa and the second that we booked with expertafrica. We spent three weeks self-driving in Namibia and then roughly two weeks on a fly-in safari in northern Botswana. Compared to our 2021 trip, this one featured much more landscape (as can be expected of Namibia) and more interactions with humans. That’s not to say that we didn’t see any less wildlife than on previous trips.

I would like to also emphasize that this trip was the first time that we visited this region at the end of the southern summer, i.e. at the very end of the rain season. Previously we had traveled here only in October (3 times) or July (once). We were pleasantly surprised by all the greenery, and we weren’t bothered by mosquitoes in any significant way. However, I should point out that my wife was often bitten by midges, whereas I wasn’t.

Virtually all guidebooks point out that the dry season is the best time to visit Africa in order to get the best wildlife sightings. I readily admit that the tall grass sometimes impedes tracking down predators, however, as my review of the camps in Botswana shows, we were not really short-changed of lion and cheetah sightings. Overall, except perhaps for leopards (only 2 encounters in 5 weeks) the wildlife sightings were as good as in the dry season, and in some aspects they were even better: To us, the animals appeared to be more relaxed or at least less stressed, due to the availability of food and water.

Everybody we talked to said that the region had a good rainy season. However, during our whole stay, we only had one brief shower (during siesta time in Etosha Heights) and one morning game drive in Nxai Pan, during which we had to wear rain gear and protect our cameras.

All ten safari camps are, in our minds, highly recommendable. And, as it turned out repeatedly, we saved the best (Kwara Camp) for last. This is not in any way to diminish the experiences we had at other camps. They all had their special appeal. However, if asked which are the places we are most likely to revisit again, they are Okonjima, NamibRand, Tau Pan and Kwara Camps.

I would like to add a comment about the flights to the various camps in Botswana. All of them took place on time and, most importantly, got us safely from point A to point B. However, I don’t quite understand why the departure times are only given to us the day before. I understand that for the airlines it can be challenging to come up with an economic way of handling these flights, but isn’t it true that virtually all of these trips are booked months in advance? For instance, on our way from Maun to Kwara Camp, we stopped in Xaranna and then Shinde Camps, whereas on our way back to Maun, it was a direct flight of 25 minutes.

Finally, a comment about Covid-19. Entry requirements with regards to corona changed during our trip: While we had to produce a negative PCR test for our first destination Namibia (to the tune of $250 per person) they lifted that requirement one week after we arrived, and Botswana lifted its requirement for the test before we crossed into Botswana. So did South Africa. The US, on the other hand, still requires a negative PCR test, so we did that in Maun one day before our departure back home. However, no one asked us to produce the paperwork!

I would also like to commend the way the camps in Zimbabwe last year handled the seating arrangements during the meals. They provided separate tables for each party rather than having everybody sit together at one or two tables along with the guides. I sense that this is a delicate issue and that it’s really up to company policy and not expertafrica to decide what’s best. With regards to guests sitting together I much prefer the separate tables arrangement, because in our five trips to Africa so far, our experience has been that the vast majority of conversations one has at these occasions amount to not much more than small talk: Where have you been, and where are going from here? Of course, there are exceptions. For instance, we got to know one couple from Switzerland and, on another trip, a couple from the UK that we really liked to talk to, and then we simply asked the camp staff to set up a table for four instead of two.

And with regards to the guides sharing the dinner: Of course, they deserve to have a gourmet dinner just like the guests, but I would say, they can have it in the quiet of the staff quarters, because in my mind, they deserve a well-earned break because they work hard enough already as it is. Again, in our experience, we had virtually all of the stimulating and significant conversations with them during the game drives, the coffee break and the sundowners, but not during dinner time." Read full review: 35 nights in Africa; 19 on a Namibia trip

"Wow! It took lots of planning, two years of delay, zigging and zagging in a pandemic with various federal and provincial lockdowns, coordinating four people but we finally made it, and it was fantastic! Remarkably, flights were on time and the logistics went smoothly though we did have a flat tire on the way to the airport on the last day, but fortunately, the flight was late (that was nerve wracking). The people in Kenya could not have been nicer or more accommodating.

Kudos to Olivia who was responsible for the planning of the trip originally. Our goals were to experience Kenya and a bit of its culture, see lots of animals, and be active. Goals accomplished and expectations exceeded!! And thanks to Richard for his cat herding skills and organizing, then re-organizing, then tweaking yet again as Canadian travel restrictions shifted during Covid times.

With respect to Covid, since the camps are outside and contact with people is minimized, it was a safe experience. I probably saw fewer people in Kenya in two weeks that I would at the grocery store on the weekend.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Keep doing what you are doing!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Kenya safari

"The trip of a lifetime! We had the most amazing time.

The landscapes are stunning and would highly recommend Namibia as a destination.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Not applicable! I have recommended you already 😊" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip

"This trip was due to take place in April 2020 - we were due to travel just days after the first lockdown began - and Expert Africa, particularly Sabina Hekandjo, have supported us to ensure we were able to transfer the bookings to 2021 and then 2022 when the UK turned out to have returned to lockdown in 2021.

This was a huge amount of work - not just once but twice - with the complexity of the itinerary and changes that were needed and we really appreciated Sabina’s hard work, patience and sound advice throughout as well as Expert Africa’s commitment to their customers (and providers in Africa) ensuring our booking was honoured irrespective of time spent.

Due to Sabina’s expert knowledge and experience, our itinerary covered so many amazing aspects of Namibia yet was still relaxing and allowed time to take in each element and add activities if we wanted. The lodges were all amazing, food fantastic, people warm, friendly and welcoming, scenery beautiful and wildlife outstanding in spite of this being a ‘greener than normal’ green season.

We very much enjoyed our long awaited trip and would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone with a love for the natural world and a sense of adventure.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

The personalised service you provide is amazing, so we have no suggestions for improvement, you are already doing a great job, thank you." Read full review: 22 nights in Africa; 22 on a Namibia trip