Africa: Reviews from our travellers

"Our trip to Rwanda unexpectedly turned out to be rather dramatic following the first and only gorilla trek which left us total exhausted and me seeking medical help resulting in leaving the Volcanoes National Park earlier than planned and a 2 night stay at the King Faisal Hospital in Kigali following a diagnosis of pneumonia from which I'm still recovering and will probably do so for possibly another 2 weeks or more. We would not have got through this unfortunate episode without the help of our Primate Safaris driver/guide Sura who assisted in so many ways from paying a hospital bill with his own money to procuring cups of coffee from a cafeteria for me while I was in hospital. Well beyond what was expected for which we are truly grateful.

Having spoken with several people who were trekking it seems to us that better briefing beforehand is required. With trekking up to 3000 metres you have to be physically fit and acclimatised which were not although of course I did not know at the time I was suffering with pneumonia. Comment was made that it's always best to do one trek before committing to another. Appreciate that could be a problem as permits often should be booked in advance. It's not unusual for people to abandon the trek part way and in my case the guide did mention (at the end) there was a thought that I might need to be stretchered off the mountain. Among the people I spoke with was an American lady doctor who said she had to give up on her trek but then again she should not really have been on it as she's asthmatic but no one told her how difficult it might be. Nurses at the hospital in Kigali said they often had patient referrals from the gorilla treks as many underestimate the difficult terrain involved.

It would seem there is a perception among a lot of people that seeing the gorillas in the wild is a trip for everyone. Don't believe it is and can be a lottery. At least we have experienced a meeting with gorillas but at some cost and now plenty of paperwork associated with the insurance claim for reimbursement of hospital fees and the non-refundable trek permit. Would advise would be visitors to seriously think about the risks involved." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 6 on a Rwanda safari

"We had a fantastic trip. We had a fairly good idea of what we wanted to do from the outset, having travelled reasonably widely in the region before.

Expert Africa listened well, came up with a good itinerary first up and put us in the type of camps that we really like. You can't ask for more than that." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 8 on a Zambia safari

"This had been intended to be a once in a lifetime trip, and we were happy to spend the money we felt would ensure a great time with a reputable company. Expert Africas advice and planning, coupled with the sheer professionalism and expertise of Asilia exceeded our expectations by a country mile. To be also paired with a guide for the whole trip who was experienced, vastly knowlegable and also an all round great guy was icing on the cake.

Apart from not seeing an Aardvark !, we saw everything we could have hoped to plus a whole lot more. All accommodation and staff was excellent and food and drink throughout was superb. Even afternoon downpours on our last two days could not dampen our spirits. Result..it wont be a once in a lifetime trip. Kevin informs us we need to return in March at some time and promises a completely different experience. We think we need to book him in advance !

Shirley has also decided she needs to stay at every camp Asilia manage. Simply amazing.

We've been about and done some great things but this was the best thing we've ever done.

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If theres anything I certainly cant think of it. Faultless. The whole trip fely blessed

Even the planes (QATAR by the way.. another Olivia brainwave) ran bang on time, and three of the four weren't full (I know even you guys couldn't influence that)" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 11 on a Tanzania safari

"My expectations for Africa have been great and there are great impressions" Read full review: 6 nights in Africa; 3 on a Botswana safari

"We made a fantastic trip!

I really want to thank Megan for preparing it so well and for all the little attentions paid everywhere for our anniversary.

Thank you specifically for our anniversary celebration at Royal Livingstone that was fantastic.

Already looking forward to our next trip!" Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zambia safari

"The overall trip was a great experience, at times I felt we could have got slightly closer to the animals.
All of staff at Robin Pope are really dedicated and doing a great job which they all do with a feeling for nature and a wonderful country.
The one improvement I did mention to the staff would be to introduce a booklet for bird and animal sightings instead of the closely typed checklist." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zambia safari

"It was a most magical and amazing time.

We saw all the Big 5 and very close, a crossing and much more. We saw everything we had hoped for. When booking a trip, be sure to tell your agent what you must see and hope for.

The only thing I wish is I added a few days to visit Zanzibar as it so close.

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Overall, everything Claire Scott had suggested with the camps and safari itself was spot on. It far exceeded our expectations." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 10 on a Tanzania safari

"This was a wonderful trip.

Our family group of 13 people aged in range from 9 months to 72 years. We were in 2 villas, each of which had a generously sized swimming pool. This was a great success, providing endless fun for the children and relaxation for the adults.

The beach was about 200 yards from the villas and was beautiful with safe swimming in warm clear water. There was a selection of activities to try, some of which were free whilst others (scuba diving, zip wire) incurred an additional charge.

The staff at the resort really did everything that they could to provide an excellent and friendly service in every way." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 10 on a Seychelles holiday

"All aspects of the trip went very smoothly. The vouchers provided for the Namibia leg worked very well and a highlighted route map enabled us to find our accommodation with ease.

All our transfers in Zimbabwe also worked like clockwork.

The information provided by Expert Africa meant that we were well prepared for our trip and had no nasty surprises.

It was a holiday of a lifetime and the memories will be remembered for many years." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 9 on a Zimbabwe safari

"Everything about this trip was excellent. I particularly appreciated the pre-planning attention we were paid. Very quick responses to emails with our questions and requests. Did not need to contact the staff during the trip, but I had confidence in their ability to solve any problem." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 11 on a Tanzania safari