Reviews of safaris to Okavango Delta Safari Reserves
1011 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Okavango Delta.
Mr & Mrs A
Aboyne
"My May 2018 trip"
I visited Botswana and 1 other country between 3 May 2018 and 15 May 2018
"Megan arranged a wonderful safari for us in Botswana. She listened carefully to our needs and hopes. With her first hand experience of the country she put to a most enjoyable programme with a variety of camps. She was very friendly and extremely efficient replying speedily to our emails.
From our arrival in Maul tour departure from Livingstone the package, including all Border crossings, flowed seamlessly and without difficulty. The various guides who met us organised tickets and visas speedily.
With hindsight two camps were close together but we appreciate that availability and distance may have been a limiting factor. A camp further up into the the delta would have allowed us to compare the wet areas with the dry areas.
In short a great experience. Thank you." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Botswana safari
From our arrival in Maul tour departure from Livingstone the package, including all Border crossings, flowed seamlessly and without difficulty. The various guides who met us organised tickets and visas speedily.
With hindsight two camps were close together but we appreciate that availability and distance may have been a limiting factor. A camp further up into the the delta would have allowed us to compare the wet areas with the dry areas.
In short a great experience. Thank you." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mrs B
Exeter
"My May 2018 trip"
I visited Botswana between 2 May 2018 and 8 May 2018
"Botswana was a delight.
The best game drives we have ever had" Read full review: 6 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari
The best game drives we have ever had" Read full review: 6 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr & Mrs G
Brockham
"Excellent"
I visited Botswana between 25 Apr 2018 and 8 May 2018
"We had a wonderful safari and our love for Botswana is as strong as ever.
Re the camps themselves, the luxury and style we experienced at several (mainly Duba Suites and Mombo) rather eclipsed the feel of being ‘in the bush’. We prefer something more simple - less luxury and less grand accommodation. Therefore we may head off next time to Zambia or Tanzania.
We presume the companies owning the camps are marketing the USA market and that the luxury is designed to attract many first timers who would otherwise not visit. Quite a few guests we met were Americans who had not been to Africa before and just wanted to ‘tick off’ the big five. And not interested in birds or trees/plants. There is a danger of a Disneyland type situation." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 13 on a Botswana safari
Re the camps themselves, the luxury and style we experienced at several (mainly Duba Suites and Mombo) rather eclipsed the feel of being ‘in the bush’. We prefer something more simple - less luxury and less grand accommodation. Therefore we may head off next time to Zambia or Tanzania.
We presume the companies owning the camps are marketing the USA market and that the luxury is designed to attract many first timers who would otherwise not visit. Quite a few guests we met were Americans who had not been to Africa before and just wanted to ‘tick off’ the big five. And not interested in birds or trees/plants. There is a danger of a Disneyland type situation." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 13 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mr S
Sri Lanka
"A Perfect Trip"
I visited Namibia and 1 other country between 4 Apr 2018 and 19 Apr 2018
"We had an absolutely amazing trip: it was a truly unforgettable experience that we loved every minute of.
We saw and did so much within just two weeks: the desert, dunes and mountains of Namibia; the San; the Vic Falls; the Delta; Cape Town and Table Mountain; the flights over the desert and delta; brilliant game sightings including all the Big 5.
Namibia is an incredible country with amazing scenery, fascinating culture, superb wildlife and huge open spaces - the shortest drive we had from the gate to the main building in five lodges was about half an hour! It was a pleasure to drive in, with the straight, empty roads, and even better to fly over. Botswana complemented it perfectly: it was wonderful to go from the desert and mountains of Namibia to the Chobe river and Okavango Delta and see animals and go on game drives in a completely different environment.
Flying from Sossuvlei to Damaraland made this all possible: as well as being one of the highlights of the trip, it saved us 10 hours on the road and having to stop in Swakopmund. This meant we could fit more in within the time we had and massively reduced the total amount of time we spent driving. Our driver in Namibia, Shorty, drove very safely and was an integral part of our trip - our best sightings of giraffes were with him, driving out of Gocheganas and Okonjima!
What stood out most, though, was all the people we met and the wonderful welcome we received at all the lodges, which really made everything that much more special. We especially appreciated how great everyone was with our kids.
The service from both Expert Africa and Wilderness Safaris was outstanding and could not be faulted in any way. All the arrangements ran like clockwork. Given we had a total of 10 flights (from leaving Sri Lanka to returning), 9 lodges and 18 activities, this was quite an achievement and testament to exceptional efficiency and attention to detail. There was always someone waiting to collect us at the appointed time; all the lodges were expecting us and had our room ready; all the activities were booked.
I am so grateful to Maruska for her advice, assistance and organisation. I first contacted her about two years in advance and must have sent over a hundred emails in total. She always replied immediately with helpful and detailed answers that displayed her detailed knowledge of the area and determination to make sure we would be happy with every aspect of the trip. She simply could not have done any more.
If we are lucky enough to be able to go back to Africa , we should certainly use Expert Africa again and will recommend them to all our friends.
Thank you for organsing a simply brilliant adventure: we have brought back memories that will last a lifetime.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service: This was the first time I had ever booked a trip / holiday through an agent - which I imagine may be true for many of your clients. Although Maruska was ever-willing to give quotes for as many different options as I wanted and to suggest ways to cut costs if required, I would have appreciated at least a rough idea of what was costing what in the overall quote.
I wonder whether it might be possible to give an indication of the cost of different lodges on your website (even if this is just a code such as $$ or $$$ etc) so clients can see how expensive different lodges are and how costs in different countries compare. Some indication of how the costs of different modes of transport compare would also be useful." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 on a Namibia trip
We saw and did so much within just two weeks: the desert, dunes and mountains of Namibia; the San; the Vic Falls; the Delta; Cape Town and Table Mountain; the flights over the desert and delta; brilliant game sightings including all the Big 5.
Namibia is an incredible country with amazing scenery, fascinating culture, superb wildlife and huge open spaces - the shortest drive we had from the gate to the main building in five lodges was about half an hour! It was a pleasure to drive in, with the straight, empty roads, and even better to fly over. Botswana complemented it perfectly: it was wonderful to go from the desert and mountains of Namibia to the Chobe river and Okavango Delta and see animals and go on game drives in a completely different environment.
Flying from Sossuvlei to Damaraland made this all possible: as well as being one of the highlights of the trip, it saved us 10 hours on the road and having to stop in Swakopmund. This meant we could fit more in within the time we had and massively reduced the total amount of time we spent driving. Our driver in Namibia, Shorty, drove very safely and was an integral part of our trip - our best sightings of giraffes were with him, driving out of Gocheganas and Okonjima!
What stood out most, though, was all the people we met and the wonderful welcome we received at all the lodges, which really made everything that much more special. We especially appreciated how great everyone was with our kids.
The service from both Expert Africa and Wilderness Safaris was outstanding and could not be faulted in any way. All the arrangements ran like clockwork. Given we had a total of 10 flights (from leaving Sri Lanka to returning), 9 lodges and 18 activities, this was quite an achievement and testament to exceptional efficiency and attention to detail. There was always someone waiting to collect us at the appointed time; all the lodges were expecting us and had our room ready; all the activities were booked.
I am so grateful to Maruska for her advice, assistance and organisation. I first contacted her about two years in advance and must have sent over a hundred emails in total. She always replied immediately with helpful and detailed answers that displayed her detailed knowledge of the area and determination to make sure we would be happy with every aspect of the trip. She simply could not have done any more.
If we are lucky enough to be able to go back to Africa , we should certainly use Expert Africa again and will recommend them to all our friends.
Thank you for organsing a simply brilliant adventure: we have brought back memories that will last a lifetime.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service: This was the first time I had ever booked a trip / holiday through an agent - which I imagine may be true for many of your clients. Although Maruska was ever-willing to give quotes for as many different options as I wanted and to suggest ways to cut costs if required, I would have appreciated at least a rough idea of what was costing what in the overall quote.
I wonder whether it might be possible to give an indication of the cost of different lodges on your website (even if this is just a code such as $$ or $$$ etc) so clients can see how expensive different lodges are and how costs in different countries compare. Some indication of how the costs of different modes of transport compare would also be useful." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 on a Namibia trip
Overall trip
Excellent
Mossy 1940
UK
"My Apr 2018 trip"
I visited Botswana and 1 other country between 2 Apr 2018 and 14 Apr 2018
"Well planned and good preliminaries by Lucy Copson..
We have already recommended you!!!!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari
We have already recommended you!!!!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Prof V & Mr T
Oxford
"My Mar 2018 trip"
I visited Botswana between 26 Mar 2018 and 6 Apr 2018
"This trip has been incredible - one of the highlights of my life.
It was by the most expensive holiday we ever had, but in view of the experiences we had and the quality of the service provided, we would say that it was excellent value for money." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari
It was by the most expensive holiday we ever had, but in view of the experiences we had and the quality of the service provided, we would say that it was excellent value for money." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mrs S
Enfield
"Great Safari and wildlife experience"
I visited Botswana between 23 Mar 2018 and 4 Apr 2018
"Very enjoyable we would like to return to Botswana."
Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Ms V
USA
"My Mar 2018 trip"
I visited Botswana between 18 Mar 2018 and 1 Apr 2018
"Four years age we went to similar camps (also at the end of March) and the wildlife was extraodinary. This year the wildlife was more touch-and-go. At all camps we could drive for several hours and see few animals, and then we would encounter many animals, similar to our 2014 experience. What we were did not realize was that the 2014 trip coincided with exceptional early water, and our 2018 trip was the normal dry period. Kanana was so dry that we could not use the boat, and were able to mokoro only in a single channel. Our 'satisfactory' ranking simply reflects picking the wrong time to visit. If this was our first visit we would have ranked the trip much higher.
Thank you for ensuring that all camps were aware of our food preferences. All camps worked to accomodate them. With the exception of Little Tubu, all camps served vegetarian rather than vegan meals. The meals at Little Tubu were incredibly delicious, and the chef is fantastic.
With the exception of Savute Safari Lodge, we enjoyed the diversity of lodges and experiences. Savute was a poor choice for us for five reasons: disregard for acceptable viewing of wildlife; excessive crowding of vehicles (we knew this was a national park, and anticipated seeing other cars, but not so many and so constantly); so-so guide (our guide sometimes made comments that indicated he was a knowledgeable guide, but he generally said little and rarely shared this knowledge); rodents in our rooms (which were otherwise very nice, and had wonderful porches); and overall a lower quality in food, service, and facilities, compared to our other camps." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 14 on a Botswana safari
Thank you for ensuring that all camps were aware of our food preferences. All camps worked to accomodate them. With the exception of Little Tubu, all camps served vegetarian rather than vegan meals. The meals at Little Tubu were incredibly delicious, and the chef is fantastic.
With the exception of Savute Safari Lodge, we enjoyed the diversity of lodges and experiences. Savute was a poor choice for us for five reasons: disregard for acceptable viewing of wildlife; excessive crowding of vehicles (we knew this was a national park, and anticipated seeing other cars, but not so many and so constantly); so-so guide (our guide sometimes made comments that indicated he was a knowledgeable guide, but he generally said little and rarely shared this knowledge); rodents in our rooms (which were otherwise very nice, and had wonderful porches); and overall a lower quality in food, service, and facilities, compared to our other camps." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 14 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Average
Mr & Mrs U
Guildford
"Trip of a lifetime"
I visited Botswana and 1 other country between 14 Mar 2018 and 27 Mar 2018
"Amazing holiday and everything ran smoothly from beginning to end.
We saw magnificent wildlife, stayed in some fabulous places but the memory that will stay with us for a lifetime will be the wonderful people we met along the way.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not really.
Everything was amazing and would have no hesitation in recommending your agency - in fact we already have!
Rich was great, the fact that he had worked in Southern Africa gave us information we couldn't have accessed easily anywhere else.
Extremely happy with our choice of Expert Africa x" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 11 on a Botswana safari
We saw magnificent wildlife, stayed in some fabulous places but the memory that will stay with us for a lifetime will be the wonderful people we met along the way.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not really.
Everything was amazing and would have no hesitation in recommending your agency - in fact we already have!
Rich was great, the fact that he had worked in Southern Africa gave us information we couldn't have accessed easily anywhere else.
Extremely happy with our choice of Expert Africa x" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 11 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Excellent
Mrs & Mr G
Washington
"My Feb 2018 trip"
I visited Botswana and 1 other country between 27 Feb 2018 and 17 Mar 2018
"We had the best time in spite of some hiccups. We went previously in the dry season so it was quite interesting going in the "green" season. We are so glad we did! It was fantastic seeing so many new born animal babies and so many of the birds were in mating plumage which can be so different from regular plumage. We really like the green season best of all!
As for the camps, Wilderness Camps are so well run and maintained. So far we have not seen any camps who can hold a candle to their standard. If we go back a 3rd time to Botswana or any of the other countries that have Wilderness camps...........we will go with Expert Africa and Wilderness Safari Camps.
It was wonderful working with Maruska Adye in New Zealand. We used her 5 years ago and were so delighted to work with her again. We truly appreciate Expert Africa's approach of good common sense when planning a trip and listening to what a customer thinks (ha!) they want versus what is realistic. All documents were spot on and we knew that all details were addressed. It was wonderful to be met by various individuals at the airports as one is never sure where to go in a new airport.
Thank you for a great trip!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Perhaps letting folks know what kind of power plug can be found in the camps. What is stated on a general query about plugs on the internet does not translate to what the camps have (ie. Bristish plug in Nkwali!)" Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari
As for the camps, Wilderness Camps are so well run and maintained. So far we have not seen any camps who can hold a candle to their standard. If we go back a 3rd time to Botswana or any of the other countries that have Wilderness camps...........we will go with Expert Africa and Wilderness Safari Camps.
It was wonderful working with Maruska Adye in New Zealand. We used her 5 years ago and were so delighted to work with her again. We truly appreciate Expert Africa's approach of good common sense when planning a trip and listening to what a customer thinks (ha!) they want versus what is realistic. All documents were spot on and we knew that all details were addressed. It was wonderful to be met by various individuals at the airports as one is never sure where to go in a new airport.
Thank you for a great trip!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Perhaps letting folks know what kind of power plug can be found in the camps. What is stated on a general query about plugs on the internet does not translate to what the camps have (ie. Bristish plug in Nkwali!)" Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari
Overall trip
Excellent
1011
reviews of Okavango Delta by travellers since August 2007
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