Botswana: reviews from our travellers

"was fantastic trip

Suggestions for improvements:

swimming pool that you can get some exercis in as you eat all the time" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 12 on a Botswana safari

"We had an amazing trip to Zambia and Botswana, in no small part thanks to Anna and Expert Africa. I don't think that we made Anna's life easy because we did not know where exactly we wanted to go but she really listened to the things that we said we did/didn't want and came up with 3 suggestions for places to stay that were perfect for us. When we had questions about booking a particular camp, Anna answered our questions honestly and we really felt that we knew what we were getting.

This was our second trip with Expert Africa and the things that most impress us are the fact that the people you speak to at Expert Africa really know the reserves and camps and can tell you what they are like and the fact that all of the logistics (flights/transfers etc) work so smoothly. This is not the kind of trip that we would want to organise independently and it is so nice to just be able to turn up and have everything arranged for you.

Thanks Anna for a great holiday!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 8 on a Botswana safari

"A fabulous trip - although Expert Africa was only responsible for the first week (in Botswana) and the flights / car hire - which worked according to our booking." Read full review: 40 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari

"Overall the trip was just fantastic, the only moan (if you can call it that) was at Lagoon where we felt as though we had no options to do anything other than go with the flow. To give the driver and tracker their due they did find us some birds but to satisfy every one on our cramped vehicle we felt that we just had to go with the majority.

The other three camps we visited were just brilliant and we would not hestitate going back to them again.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

As you show Special Interest trips in your brochure would it not be possible to group like guests together." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Botswana safari

"The trip overall was a fantastic experience of pure escapism into a luxurious safari world, free from mobile phones and the internet.

Every request was granted: if we wanted a boat trip, we had a boat trip; a walk in the bush, and one was arranged. We had some excellent sightings of lions and leopard, although the wild dogs and cheetah were hiding on this occasion. Two big thunderstorms added to the excitement of the trip!

We greatly appreciate the expertise of Expert Africa in advising and organising the details of the trip which we enjoyed without any hassle whatsoever! Definitely an experience for the discerning tourist." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Botswana safari

"Congratulations on a very well organised safari trip. You gave us everything we asked for and we thank you for that.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No problems - so no suggestions!" Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari

"excellent" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 12 on a Botswana safari

"1. Botswana delivers the ultimate in high-quality, varied and abundant game viewing, in a beautiful setting. Also, it seemed that all the camps have a policy of ensuring that there are no more than 4 people in a vehicle - often, we had the vehicle to ourselves as a pair.

2. The lodges are run very well, and are also high quality - albeit, they lack any individuality or idiosyncrasies. The Wilderness experience is, therefore, very reliable, but a bit corporate. Nevertheless, it does what it says on the tin, and does it very well.

3. The company needs to be more thoughtful about how it manages interaction between staff and guests. The staff are a constant presence - breakfast, coffee breaks, brunch, tea, pre-dinner drinks, dinner - and, while always lovely people, are not necessarily the most gifted conversationalists (true of quite a few guests, mind you). It can be quite oppressive having to 'manage' the conversation, and it can interfere with one's ability to socialise easily with other guests. One can in theory choose to ignore the staff, but this is hardly British. I understand that safaris are meant to be communal, and that the company doesn't want an atmosphere of servile staff and snooty guests (not at the classic camps, anyway) - but the balance is absolutely not right at the moment.

4. Standards of guiding, while competent and friendly, falll a long way short of the standards we have experienced in Tanzania and Zambia from guides trained in Zimbabwe. The knowledge of the guides is often superficial, and they can get quite flustered by questions which take them out of their comfort zone. Standards of tracking seemed low. There is a need for significant investment in training if the standards are to reach the levels whereby a guide can transform your experience of a game drive.

5. There should be more active management of a variety of options for activities - too often, it was assumed that a day drive was all that was ever wanted.

6. Except at Chitabe, the main meals were very uninspiring as a rule.

7. On the other hand, I have never had such a mosquito free trip! Well done to the camps for making the nights a really relaxing time for sleeping." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari

"A very memorable and special experience.The 4 camps provided us with a good contrast and balance. Our expectations were exceeded. All of the camps had happy smiling staff who were always there to help. The standard of food, especially in the Ker & Downey camps was amazing given the location.

The organisation of the holiday arrangements were extremely well managed. At no time were we asked for any paperwork or vouchers. I still have the original vouchers package - I wonder if I could turn up next year with the same documents...............
Overall a wonderful time !" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Botswana safari

"I think we could have done with only 3 locations in Botswana as Chitabe Lediba and Selinda in many ways were quite similar. We will know for next time!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

All went extremely well and efficiently.

Afterwards we spent 2 weeks on our own in South Africa and I felt the difference straight away, in terms of organisation and things going wrong. We had to bribe a policeman to get off a speeding fine, hit a stray tyre on the road, etc etc." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 11 on a Botswana safari