Travel reviews by Dr & Mrs T from Kent

"Our stay at Kalahari Plains was cancelled due to fire risk and Chitabe was substituted.
This camp was extremely luxurious with great location in a huge reserve. The game was brilliant! including a white rhino! Our guide was very knowledgable and the staff could not have been friendlier. The view from the room was super and the outdoor shower really great. The feeling of peace and pristine wilderness is what we really love about Botswana. The level of luxury was if anything OTT but a great thing to experience."

"Xigera is in a beautiful location offering in dry season both excellent game and fun Mokoro and boat trips.

The camp is very comfortable and the food superb. The staff were great fun and our guide NP was superb with an incredible knowledge. We saw a different leopard every day! and the birds were fantastic.

The highlight was the wild dogs and following them for 1 1/2 hours on a high speed hunt through the bush. Amazingly exciting I have waited 35 years to see this again.

The enviroment was pristine and very quiet, the reason we choose Botswana."

"Machaba was a slightly simpler camp than our other 2, but we loved it for this. The feel is more one of camping with simpler though very comfortable, rooms and sandy tracks rather than raised walkways.

The view over the river with elephants and hippos was the best we have come across in 5 camps. The staff were a delight and the behind the scenes tour should not be missed. The food was the best we had even at much more expensive camps. A nightime dinner in a bush clearing lit by lanterns and candles was a really luxurious highlight.

Less good is that the area, whilst superb for game, is busy with several lodges and self drives. Expert Africa had warned us of this. Many vehicles can arrive at a scene and there was not the peace which we value so much in Botswana.

It would make a better first camp then go on to a quieter place. We saw fantastic things and would not have missed it.

Our favourite camp but not our favourite location."

"The hotel is very nice with lovely views and grounds. The air con was much enjoyed after the extreme heat of the bush and we were able to sleep well before our journey home.

We got over the border in 4 minutes but another couple on the same day spent 3 hours. We felt perfectly safe but on their own locals were were open about the problems of life for ordinary people.

The staff were polite but nothing like as friendly as the Botswanans we had met. The falls are incredible even in the dry season and we nearly gave ourselves heat stroke in our desire to see everything.

The evening Zambesi cruise is definitely mass tourism with dozens of boats but some good wildlife, especially the African Skimmers. The sunset made a great photo op for the end of our African trip."

"Upgraded to suite with its own plunge pool. Magnificent gardens and pool. Breakfasts huge. Everyone most welcoming. Nothing too much trouble. We ate in one night by special arrangement and the food was lovely.

Tess organised a very interesting and moving visit to some of the aid projects in the townships. Inspiring work and optimism in the face of extreme difficulty. Another side to S Africa and one well worth seeing though hard to reconcile with ones own privilege."

"Nice room and grounds let down by a poor bathroom. Lots of lovely food and wine and scenery!

We ate one night at the attached Ryans Kitchen which is fun as you sit virtually in the kitchen. The food is unusual with some great flavours but some which did not work so well. Only for the fairly adventurous palate?"

"Upgraded to a lovely room with terrace overlooking the bay, we were able to watch whales from our chairs.

Lovely staff and super breakfasts even though one night we were the only guests."

"Again upgraded to a lovely suite. Nice grounds with good pool and a hot tub looking over a small private nature reserve which was fun.

Run by a really lovely german couple. Great scenery, especially interesting on the drive up from Hermanus. A little road noise from the N2"

"Probably even nicer hotel than at Constantia. Met with drinks and canapes on the covered terrace on arrival. Lovely rooms around a grass courtyard. Excellent pool.

We had a very nice evening meal and the breakfasts were just fantastic with champagne smoked salmon and anything you could want. We found the drive up via the Little Karoo very interesting and plenty to do in the area with some incredible scenery. We would have liked to see The Meerkats but this involes getting up at 4.30am and we just couldn't do it. May be worth spending more than 2 nights to allow you to recover!!

Ostrich farms seemed pretty sad, the wild ones at The Cape much nicer."

"The location is fantastic with the beach and Indian Ocean outside the garden. Good restaurants in Plettenberg and lots to do. A nice place to relax before flying home.

Our room was very disappointing though. It was small though nicely appointed but the bathroom was poor with only a shower, and the place itself could do with a lick of paint. Very nice staff and nice relaxed feel however with an honesty bar. We saw whales at breakfast!

Difficulty getting additional supplies of tea and coffee for the room and only pots of UHT milk."