South Africa: reviews from our travellers

"The trip started off with a big Bang with planing with Expert Africa. Saskia was incredible! She planned the trip exactly the way we hoped for, with many additions / suggest to add to a fantastic experience. We wouldn't hesitate to go on Expert African trips again, or recommend to our friends.

Namibia has such diversity in landscape and people, providing an ever changing and intense experience from day to day. We have travelled to 40 countries in the last 3 years, and total of 75 countries in life time, we both would rate our experience in Namibia as top 5% of countries we visited and Expert Africa / Saskia as the best travel agency we have dealt with." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Namibia trip

"Where do I start? As usual Botswana was amazing. The scenery, the wildlife, the excellent Wilderness Safaris camps all as good as ever.


As usual Expert Africa ensured that everything ran like clockwork. All just as we have come to expect on our repeated visits to this area.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

I cannot think of any way it could be improved.

Expert Africa staff could not be more responsive, helpful and generally good to deal with." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 11 on a Botswana safari

"Arranging this trip on my own was difficult and I am glad that I found Expert Africa online.

I wasn't sure how to even get started but Gwynneth helped me to select the best way to get to the Kalahari while understanding that pre/post Kalahari travel would be arranged on my own. Gwynneth was quick to respond to all questions and made me feel confident that the trip was well-planned and would be a good experience." Read full review: 6 nights in Africa; 5 on a South Africa trip

"I felt very satisfied with the overall trip. I had an adventure and saw a lot of animals. My only comments is this was a very physical trip. Anyone going needs to be in good health with no physical problems. The weather at night and early in the morning can be very cold so coat, hat and gloves are a must. The camps are tents so there is no heating at night and can be cold, along with open screens the air can blow through. Africa is famous for their beautiful sunsets of red an orange skies, that's from all the dust in the air. So one needs to be aware there is a lot of dirt and dust in the air. Anyone suffering for respiratory problems or asthma might have a real problem. Also camps like Kaingo run on burning wood which is another respiratory problem.

I will always remember my trip to Africa, the kind people, the abundance of animals, and the striking evening sunsets. Thank you for the adventure.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

My only suggestions is to make clients aware of the physical demands and aware of cold and dust problems. For most healthy people this would not be a problem, but anyone with a respiratory condition this might not be the right trip for them." Read full review: 20 nights in Africa; 15 on a Zambia safari

"We were impressed with the selection of accommodation and help and organisation from Expert Africa. Have highly recommended them to other potential traveller as a knowledgeable and most helpful travel agent with a sound knowledge of recommendations in visiting the area.
Suggested additional tours were excellent

Thank you very much.

We thoroughly enjoyed working with your professional service

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Would further suggest that you recommend your clients take the flight over Sossusvlei and the morning drive arranged by the Lodge to Sossusvlei itself. Both these activities were excellent and most enjoyable." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip

"It was a great experience. Drove almost 5,000km with no punctures in 2WD SUV.

The planning and booking were made an easy experience with excellent first hand knowledge which was so helpful.

The Namibia Guide book was the most useful we have ever had with so much useful detail.......perhaps it should be suggested to help planning as there is so much useful info.

10/10 to Expert Africa

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Not really." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 17 on a Namibia trip

"This feedback is far too long and not what you want to receive on your return from holiday when you have a million other things to do!! This is why it has taken me so long to complete after the end of the holiday. Why bother to ask about S A Airways and B A?

I have travelled with your company on several occasions and remain a great fan of the effort you take to make a holiday, to what could be a difficult area, run as smoothly as possible. This time was no exception and the following comments are for your guidance / information and in no way a criticism.

As you suggested we collected our baggage in Jo'burg and checked in again. On both occasions that we passed through Jo'burg the airport was EXCEEDINGLY busy and it was a good job that we had a 3 hour wait (as you had intimated) otherwise we would have missed the connecting flight. Anyone who was nervous of crowds and queues and delays may have felt concerned especially as a dangerous situation occurred as there was no room for passengers to alight from an escalator to join a massive queue through passport control.

Please see comments on the car at Mundulea.

When we arrived to check in at the Taj Pamodzi they asked for credit card details (which is usual in a hotel) and then asked how we were paying for the accommodation. It took over 10 minutes to convince them that we had already paid our travel agent. They had the audacity to say 'has it cleared through your bank account'. Eventually someone agreed that Expert Africa would be paying for the accommodation BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET PAID. Who was correct? At one time they wanted us to contact you before they would let us stay.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Whilst I can appreciate that you want as many good comments as possible I feel that you may miss out on the odd nugget of criticism / feedback because some like me considered giving up and are put off by the length of this feedback form.

The availability of a paper form would have been appreciated." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 7 on a Namibia trip

"We had a brilliant time - none of us wanted to come home!

It was really easy to travel around, all the hotels were good or brilliant and easy to find and we managed to do everything but Table Mountain (long queue on Easter Monday that the children couldn't have handled).

We found everyone we met really helpful and friendly and can't wait to go back. 12 out of 10 for a holiday (and we have had some pretty great ones in the past).

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No - its all be great. Thanks for all your help!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 13 on a South Africa trip

"Outstanding in all respects. We have been to most of the world and certainly rank this trip among our favorites.

The assistance and guidance we received from Saskia Adye was fantastic, accurate and honest!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
If I were to go on safari and was assigned to a vehicle with nine people crowded together, not even mentioning the roads - I would end my trip then and there! This did not happen to us and usually it was either my wife and self on one other couple with two couples only once for a short period. Obviously, I prefer the two bench vehicles with a top (although I fully realize this is not always possible for a number of reasons. We are 77 and in good shape, I seriously doubt if anyone our age or approaching our age not in a reasonalbly good physical and mental condition would enjoy the trip we took. However, there are certainly many alternatives for any situation whereby almost anyone could be accomodated as long as they realize it is not a trip to New York City." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 12 on a Botswana safari

"Overall we had a wonderful time and felt thoroughly spoilt.

All the places we stayed were excellent and we would certainly consider returning in the future." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 9 on a South Africa trip