Travel reviews by Mrs M from Virginia

"We loved this camp because the staff was so much fun--they enjoyed their jobs and their English was very good. This may be due to the manager, Patrick, who seemed like one of the family with staff and guests as well. He was always fun to socialize with whenever the opportunity presented.

At least four people greeted us upon arrival and departure for our treks, with one of the women making us smile with her wonderful ululating. Our tracker, T.T., even ran alongside the airplane waving goodbye when we left the camp. & Beyond still uses trackers which we think enhances the opportunity to find animals. With the tracker and the guide, K.D., we saw lots of animals., particularly lions. In fact, we almost ran over a pride resting in the tall grass, necessitating us to back up so the tracker could get in the vehicle.

The food here was exceptional and inspired me to try imitating some of the salads and egg dishes in particular. We even had a delicious meal served in the bush with romantic lighting of lanterns hanging in the trees overhead."

"The management at this camp was not very visible. The staff performed well enough, however.

We saw a tremendous variety of animals here with our guide, Gordon, who had had a lot of experience tracking. We were able to watch lions on several occasions stalking but not succeeding in catching a Giraffe and a Kudu. We also saw more birds than you could imagine. At this time of year it is interesting to see the mating interests of various animals."

"Upon arrival here we trekked on the way to the camp along the Linyati River and saw a great variety of animals and beautiful scenery. We were able to observe several prides of lions and again a good variety of animals. One morning we found a pride breakfasting on a juvenile elephant between bouts of resting/sleeping.

Animal viewing was very good here and social activities such as having lunch on a barge in a Linyati channel was fun. The staff was fun to be with and very proud of the camp and allowed us to tour the facility behind scenes which was incredibly interesting. Our guide, Moses, was excellent. The food was also very good.

The manager of training guides even arranged for us to see a guide we had had on our safari the previous year when we were at Savute."

"This is one of our favorite camps and getting to the island by boat is fun.

We had an exceptional guide, (Mandela K), who had been declared one of the top 25 in Botswana. We saw all kinds of animals, including stalking lions. The staff and managers all seemed to enjoy their work and mingled with each other and the guests freely. The chef even made a special bobotie for my husband and me one night. It was a very pleasant way to end another wonderful safari in Botswana."

"We enjoyed the old world colonial atmosphere and the beautiful lawn and views of the mist from the falls. It was also nice to be able to walk to different viewing locations from the hotel. A few more tourist police might be helpful as they are very effective in discouraging panhandlers.

The banquet/food manager was very helpful in setting us up for breakfast when we arrived later than regular serving hours one morning. Also the bartenders were most accommodating in preparing an "American" martini to suit our taste.

It is very helpful to be able to arrange side trips through the two tourist companies on site."

"Our first camp experience was a very positive introduction to the safari experience. We cannot say enough about our guide, Goodman, who operated very expertly without a tracker and took time to explain both the flora and fauna patiently. He took very good care of us in every aspect and we used him as our basis for judging later guides.

The management team of Beatrice and Aaron worked well together and the whole operation ran very smoothly. The camp had a slightly more formal atmosphere than subsequent camps which might be attributable to the fact that the management team was temporary."

"This second camp was equally as impressive as our first. We were particularly happy with our guide, Dux, who was very experienced in tracking as well as camp administration and training. He helped us understand the operational requirements of the camps which was very interesting. He also worked very closely with his tracker, A.T., and they made a good team. All of the staff were very friendly and helpful. Moses, the manager, was very nice and always available to help."

"This camp being smaller felt more intimate not only because of size but because of the warmth and friendliness of the staff. The manager, Kate, made everyone, staff and guests, feel comfortable. The animals also felt at home because there were several instances of visitors at night walking around the tents (elephant, hippo and baboons).

Our last night was special as they served us dinner on the deck of our tent illuminated by candlelight with champagne and overlooking the lagoon where we could hear the hippos making their distinctive noise. The previous night the staff had done traditional dancing and singing. Wonderful.

This camp was the only one where tables were set for four. To sit with more guests one had to request a specific set up which was cheerfully granted. This may be a camp of choice for honeymooners."

"This place was fun and turned out to be great for seeing the largest variety of animals. Our guide, Dutch, and tracker, Mike, found everything we hadn't seen yet as well as the things we had. Their childhood experiences served them well in tracking and delighted us with the information. Dutch has great potential to accomplish more in his career and would benefit from someone mentoring him. T.J., a guide, and Anderson, a food server (?) could also go a long way with the proper guidance.

Little Kwara was a delightful place to end our journey to Botswana. The dancing and acapello singing on our last night was fun."