South Africa: reviews from our travellers

"Fantastic holiday!
I think that if we had to share our jeep with other people on our safari we would not have had such a personable/educated holiday. That is what made out holiday!" Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 8 on a Botswana safari

"Overall an excellent trip which showed off the diversity of Namibia

The only aspect of the trip that was poor was Windhoek airport - a disaster area with no concept of care for travellers - particularly immigration Not a good advertisement to encourage travellers!" Read full review: 27 nights in Africa; 20 on a Namibia trip

"Overall we enjoyed our safari very much. The encounters with wildlife were more extensive and intimate than we had experienced before. Birdlife was superb.

We were surprised at the high number of elephants in Hwange, but it was explained by the guides that there are very few permanent, natural water sources and those that are there are mainly man-made. They are maintained and water is pumped permanently which means the elephants do not need to migrate to Botswana during the dry season but can stay in Zimbabwe year round and are breeding very prolifically.

Seeing white rhinos in the wild was fantastic and the reason we chose to visit Zimbabwe so we weren't disappointed.

All 3 camps were very comfortable in their own ways and all very different from each other. it was a pleasure to stay at each of them. Ilala Lodge was a wonderful start to our holiday.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

It may be a good idea to recommend at least 3 nights at Amalinda if visitors would like to see cave paintings and visit World's End. We hadn't realised we wouldn't have time to do both." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 8 on a Zimbabwe safari

"This was our third trip with Expert Africa and our biggest. I had planned this trip over a couple of years to celebrate my retirement and was not disappointed.

I would change a few things, with hindsight.

Erongo deserves at least two nights. Trust me.
Zimbabwe was a challenge. Getting in took ages. We did not feel at all welcome. I would advise staying in Zambia and travelling in to see the Falls.

As a general rule, lodges where you are able to go off road are better. The exception this rule is Chobe, just because of the scale of the wildlife experience that you are exposed to.
In future (God willing), I would transit through Jo'burg faster.

See you in a coupe of years, God willing.

I would be tempted by a lodge with perhaps more water based activities in the delta.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No.
Keep doing what you are doing." Read full review: 27 nights in Africa; 10 on a Namibia trip

"Our trip was excellent and our expectations were not only met but exceeded. We enjoyed the varying landscapes, the animals and the people.

The trip, which we requested at the very last minute, was superbly organised. From the time of my initial contact, all requests/queries were handled in a timely helpful manner. All the components (fly, drive, transfers) fitted together well and all connections/transfers went smoothly.

The only changes we would have made are those that could only have been made with hindsight!

So again, thank you very much Maruska and Expert Africa.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service: These are very minor suggestions and comments and are made purely to try and be helpful.

(1) An explanation off what one can expect in relation to meals when your accommodation is on a full board basis and you arrive around lunchtime. Our first full board accommodation was at Canyon Lodge and we arrived at lunch time. We were greeted with some information about the facilities and times for dinner and breakfast, but no indication of whether there was any lunch available or whether we were entitled to lunch. Subsequent enquires resulted in us being directed to the dining room.

At a later lodge, we realised that we could have had lunch even though we arrived early in the afternoon but had already had lunch just in case.

(2) If people are doing an overnighter at Cheetah View Lodge it would be good to know that the cheetah feeding is at 2 o'clock, which is the only time that this is held, is also included in the cost of the accommodation i.e. so that if possible you would make sure you got there in time for that. The other paid activities did not seem to be good value. I did note that on EA's notes of this lodge, that it EA thought that there needed to be a better integration of activities with the overnight experience, and we agree.

(3) I think that Hyena Pan did include laundry facilities.

I apologise if I should have known some of these things. I did look up all the accommodations on your website (which I thought was most extensive and the reason I choose the company initially), and make notes before our trip, but possibly I missed bits.

We wish that the tipping thing could be made easier. Australia does not have a tipping culture and so it always comes as a surprise and what seems like a lot of extra money on top of what are not insubstantial costs, at least in some places. While were tried to follow the guidelines, sometimes we were caught out when guides changed or we had an extra guide.

It is impossible to single out 'other' people, other than guides and polers for example, as there are always people behind the that contribute to your enjoyment and comfort on a trip." Read full review: 27 nights in Africa; 17 on a Namibia trip

"Provided a very well researched and considered experience for the four of us. Good variety of activities and accommodation. All transport and connections worked well. Maruska went to a lot of trouble to design a good trip for us at short notice. Would certainly recommend Expert Africa." Read full review: 27 nights in Africa; 17 on a Namibia trip

"A changing life experience.

After the Kgalagadi - a conservation area that is transfrontier - you can no more think as you previously thought.

As a journalist I understand what we mean for conservation and why South Africa has the most relevant protected areas in the region ; the Serengeti is a little think in comparison to Kgalagadi . And this is a stronghold for the lions of an enormous importance, totally underestimated . That is why I am going to tell about for my newspaper. But it is very important also the buffer zone you have to go through to get twee rivièren. A park is bigger than its extension. It is a social and ecological system. Upington and then the 200 km to the park and then the south gate, this makes the travel an insight in what wilderness is today." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 9 on a South Africa trip

"It was a great trip with lots of very different highlights.

It was also great to share it with the kids.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No, thank you for everything." Read full review: 24 nights in Africa; 16 on a Namibia trip

"Unbelievable - just loved it. So glad I went through Expert Africa.

Megan was just wonderful from the very start. Nothing seemed too much trouble for her. Huge thank you to you Megan - all your suggestions and recommendations were just spot on. So glad we did both mobile and lodge, but I think mobile is the overall winner!


Will definitely be recommending Expert Africa to friends and colleagues." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari

"Absolutely fantastic and has got me addicted to safaris

As Botswana is the "best" safari destination I knew it was the right choice for my first time, and I'm glad I set a high budget as that ensured I saw remarkable wildlife on a regular basis. Next time Mombo!" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari