Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs B from Norwich
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
3
Excursions taken
0
Good ground arrangements.
Rwanda and 1 other country between 12 Aug 2012 and 23 Aug 2012
"The safari company in Rwanda.
Excellent, exceptional even. The Driver/Guide was very good: always on time, always helpful, always interesting and well informed. And a good driver. What the Toyota safari wagon lacked in comfort it made up for in space and really came into its own in tackling some of the poor tracks as we drove to our trekking departure points. On all three trekking days he looked after us well at the ranger station and made sure we got onto trekking groups well suited to our (limited) ability.
The Transfer Company.
Very good. Punctual, helpful and willing. They went out of their way to take us to an exchange and a chemist and on each occasion escorted us through the airport with an efficiency we could not have matched. Their help was much appreciated.
The Trekking.
Each of the treks start over farm land using the paths used by workers to reach the wall (a wall that marks the boundary between the National Park and the Farm land which was built to keep the buffalo and elephant out of the farm land) for up to an hour, followed by up to four hour more strenuous walking to the habituated group you have been allocated to visit.
Our trek to the Golden Monkeys was about 90 minutes and fairly easy at a modest pace. It was a pleasure to watch and photograph the monkeys for an hour or so as they moved gently and quietly through the trees and bushes. On the return trek we were luck enough to bump into a gorilla group, unique we were told.
Our first gorilla trek was about two hour in total to their location, the pace was leisurely over gradually ascending terrain with just the occasional more difficult clime. On our second trip the family were only just over the wall, so a fairly easy walk.
The experience of being with the gorillas was unforgettable and difficult to verbalise; memorable, moving, emotional, exciting, almost unimaginable; having a silverback just a couple of yards from you is a truly amazing experience."
Excellent, exceptional even. The Driver/Guide was very good: always on time, always helpful, always interesting and well informed. And a good driver. What the Toyota safari wagon lacked in comfort it made up for in space and really came into its own in tackling some of the poor tracks as we drove to our trekking departure points. On all three trekking days he looked after us well at the ranger station and made sure we got onto trekking groups well suited to our (limited) ability.
The Transfer Company.
Very good. Punctual, helpful and willing. They went out of their way to take us to an exchange and a chemist and on each occasion escorted us through the airport with an efficiency we could not have matched. Their help was much appreciated.
The Trekking.
Each of the treks start over farm land using the paths used by workers to reach the wall (a wall that marks the boundary between the National Park and the Farm land which was built to keep the buffalo and elephant out of the farm land) for up to an hour, followed by up to four hour more strenuous walking to the habituated group you have been allocated to visit.
Our trek to the Golden Monkeys was about 90 minutes and fairly easy at a modest pace. It was a pleasure to watch and photograph the monkeys for an hour or so as they moved gently and quietly through the trees and bushes. On the return trek we were luck enough to bump into a gorilla group, unique we were told.
Our first gorilla trek was about two hour in total to their location, the pace was leisurely over gradually ascending terrain with just the occasional more difficult clime. On our second trip the family were only just over the wall, so a fairly easy walk.
The experience of being with the gorillas was unforgettable and difficult to verbalise; memorable, moving, emotional, exciting, almost unimaginable; having a silverback just a couple of yards from you is a truly amazing experience."
Arranged By Claire Scott
Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
"Outstanding."
4 nights
Arrived
13 Aug 2012
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Eight Reedbuck Hotel, Zambia (this camp has since closed)
"Very pleasant stopover."
1 night
Arrived
17 Aug 2012
"On both the incoming and outgoing stays the experience was good, we had the same suite on both occasions; large sitting room, bedroom with large very comfortable bed, dressing room with fridge and drinks making facilities, large bathroom and a small outside sitting area with Jacuzzi bath. And, I nearly forgot, a decent wifi Internet connection. The food was surprisingly good: full English breakfast, some excellent fresh and tasty sandwiches and a very good steak/chicken dinner. The only negative was the service, about the slowest we have experienced anywhere, so don't bother if you are short of time.
Overall a very acceptable place to spend time, we would happily return."
Overall a very acceptable place to spend time, we would happily return."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Terrible
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Tafika
"Outstanding: Exactly what we had hoped for."
5 nights
Arrived
18 Aug 2012
"Outstanding: Exactly what we had hoped for and more.
Quiet, scenic, rustic, remote location. Just six very comfortable and spacious reed and thatch bungalows with outdoor facilities, along with a comfortable shaded central lodge with bar, sitting and dining areas, BBQ and food service area as well as indoor and outdoor seating.
The food was excellent. High quality home-style cooking, all very fresh and tasty with vegetables coming from their own gardens, and all in good supply. Unusually in our experience we were served the full breakfast, lunch and dinner which was far preferred to the usual and more limited brunch and dinner.
The game drives were excellent, if a little too long, on comfortable un-crowded open vehicles with a maximum of four guests. Although having suffered two drives with the self-centred selfish guest from hell we will seek exclusive use of the vehicle in future! Some of the game viewing was outstanding, the best leopard sightings ever (and that includes visits to the Sabi Sand renowned for its leopards!).
From the owners, through the managers, the drivers to the barman and porters all the staff were tremendous; personable, friendly, willing, efficient, all so obviously wanting you to enjoy your stay at Tafika. A model of organisation and quiet professional management.
My only little niggle: yesterdays left over cake and more particularly peanuts or popcorn just doesn't hack it for me as refreshments at the morning coffee break and evening sundowners. But hardly crime of the century.
We hope to return to Tafika in the future and next time plan to see what else Zambia has to offer the holidaying wildlife enthusiast in addition to the South Luangwa."
Quiet, scenic, rustic, remote location. Just six very comfortable and spacious reed and thatch bungalows with outdoor facilities, along with a comfortable shaded central lodge with bar, sitting and dining areas, BBQ and food service area as well as indoor and outdoor seating.
The food was excellent. High quality home-style cooking, all very fresh and tasty with vegetables coming from their own gardens, and all in good supply. Unusually in our experience we were served the full breakfast, lunch and dinner which was far preferred to the usual and more limited brunch and dinner.
The game drives were excellent, if a little too long, on comfortable un-crowded open vehicles with a maximum of four guests. Although having suffered two drives with the self-centred selfish guest from hell we will seek exclusive use of the vehicle in future! Some of the game viewing was outstanding, the best leopard sightings ever (and that includes visits to the Sabi Sand renowned for its leopards!).
From the owners, through the managers, the drivers to the barman and porters all the staff were tremendous; personable, friendly, willing, efficient, all so obviously wanting you to enjoy your stay at Tafika. A model of organisation and quiet professional management.
My only little niggle: yesterdays left over cake and more particularly peanuts or popcorn just doesn't hack it for me as refreshments at the morning coffee break and evening sundowners. But hardly crime of the century.
We hope to return to Tafika in the future and next time plan to see what else Zambia has to offer the holidaying wildlife enthusiast in addition to the South Luangwa."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
The food was excellent; wholesome and tasty, well cooked and in good supply.
The individual bungalows were a treat; spread out over the hillside above the main lodge they were spacious and well designed with separate sleeping, resting, dressing and bathing areas, with a wood fire in the room and hot water bottles in the large bed to warm it each night it was very comfortable.
All the staff from the joint managers to the security people went out of their way to ensure you had an enjoyable stay. One of the nicest lodges we have stayed in over many trips in many countries.
The only negative: the uphill hike from the car park to the lodge and from the lodge to your bungalow. But you are there to hike to the gorillas, so if you can't manage a short steep section perhaps you should not be there at all!
(Half way through stay we found we were expected to move bungalows, we in fact moved to the suite we thought we had booked for the whole trip! Apparently we should have been told, but we were not?)"