Travel reviews by Miss T & Mr H from UK
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
3
Countries visited
3
Lodges stayed in
13
Excursions taken
0
Well planned by Expert Africa
South Africa between 13 Dec 2015 and 21 Dec 2015
"I felt I got very good advice on how to pace this trip and Claire found some new places for us to try. We had booked a bit late in the season and your usual locations were full. Claire stuck with it and the places she found were fantastic.
Angala is definitely one we would like to return too one day."
Angala is definitely one we would like to return too one day."
Arranged By Claire Scott
Grootbos Forest Lodge
"A biosphere of perfection"
3 nights
Arrived
14 Dec 2015
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Angala Boutique Hotel (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Peaceful bit of paradise"
2 nights
Arrived
17 Dec 2015
"What a great find by Expert Africa. The Hotel is set within a vineyard up a long track, It was so peaceful, The rooms had a little piece of private garden, outside showers as well as a beautifully appointed bathroom and a spacious bedroom. The natural pool complete with tadpoles was a fun way to cool off when returning from a day out.
The staff were very helpful and friendly. We ate here one evening and were impressed with the meal.
A good range of books, maps etc to help plan visits to the wine areas. Great position close to Franschoek,Stellenbosch and Paarl"
The staff were very helpful and friendly. We ate here one evening and were impressed with the meal.
A good range of books, maps etc to help plan visits to the wine areas. Great position close to Franschoek,Stellenbosch and Paarl"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Abbey Manor (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"A grat base in Cape Town"
2 nights
Arrived
19 Dec 2015
"A characterful B&B. The bedroom was ample and nicely designed. The location was nice and quite yet only a short drive or taxi ride away from the centre.
The staff were very helpful, booking restaurants and taxis for us. A nice pool and nice history to the house."
The staff were very helpful, booking restaurants and taxis for us. A nice pool and nice history to the house."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
2 perfect experiences made up for the bad one
Botswana between 9 Jul 2015 and 20 Jul 2015
"One we will always remember for the right reasons.
Come back full of different knowledge and experience. When people say oh now you are back you feel like you have never been away I can truly say, I've been away."
Come back full of different knowledge and experience. When people say oh now you are back you feel like you have never been away I can truly say, I've been away."
Jack's Camp
"A lot happens in the middle of nowhere"
5 nights
Arrived
9 Jul 2015
"Totally unique experience. The silence of the pans, listening to the bushmen's click language,their singing and laughter, sitting with meerkats on your lap and the romance of returning at night to a camp totally lit by lamp light. We loved it.
The trip to Kubu Island is spectacular. You feel like you are going to drive off the edge of the world. Beautiful location for camp, baobab trees everywhere , even one with a bucket shower! Great guides and staff. A true once in a lifetime experience."
The trip to Kubu Island is spectacular. You feel like you are going to drive off the edge of the world. Beautiful location for camp, baobab trees everywhere , even one with a bucket shower! Great guides and staff. A true once in a lifetime experience."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Footsteps across the Linyanti, Botswana (this camp has since closed)
"Total disappointment"
3 nights
Arrived
14 Jul 2015
"We had been looking forward to this walking experience since we booked it a year ago. We had been informed that the usual base camp had closed in March but that we could move to another camp run by the same company and still carry out the walking activities. We arrived to find out that this was not the case at all.
No walking could take place at all. The rep from Ker and Downey could not understand why we had been told this was possible. A big let down and even though Linyanti Ebony Camp is a beautiful camp we felt our time here was wasted. We hadn't booked a lodge experience and that's what we got.
Our grades reflect our experience of being let down, not the camp our staff themselves."
No walking could take place at all. The rep from Ker and Downey could not understand why we had been told this was possible. A big let down and even though Linyanti Ebony Camp is a beautiful camp we felt our time here was wasted. We hadn't booked a lodge experience and that's what we got.
Our grades reflect our experience of being let down, not the camp our staff themselves."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor
Location
Excellent
Service
Terrible
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Poor
Feedback response
We were very sorry that these travellers did not receive the stay that they, or Expert Africa, had been promised at Footsteps across the Linyanti. As soon as we received this feedback we forwarded it to Footsteps across the Linyanti's owners for a report. They came back and informed us that due to thick vegetation as a result of the late rains, vision for walking was inhibited at this camp. This coupled with the large number of elephants in the area meant the camp managers and the specialist guide deemed it unsafe to conduct walking activities here.
Although the guests had an enjoyable stay at Linyanti Ebony we appreciate this was not the experience these travellers had paid for. We should have been informed well in advance of the guests arriving in camp that walking would not be possible. We could have then offered them alternative options.
These travellers received a full refund from Footsteps across the Linyanti and Expert Africa for this portion of their trip. We've asked that Footsteps across the Linyanti / Linyanti Bush Camps' parent company keep us much better informed of the situation on the ground in the future, well in advance of guests travelling.
Although the guests had an enjoyable stay at Linyanti Ebony we appreciate this was not the experience these travellers had paid for. We should have been informed well in advance of the guests arriving in camp that walking would not be possible. We could have then offered them alternative options.
These travellers received a full refund from Footsteps across the Linyanti and Expert Africa for this portion of their trip. We've asked that Footsteps across the Linyanti / Linyanti Bush Camps' parent company keep us much better informed of the situation on the ground in the future, well in advance of guests travelling.
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Zarafa Camp
"Perfection"
3 nights
Arrived
18 Jul 2015
"Somewhere the minute you arrive you are already planning how you can return.
Just stunning in every aspect, location, design,wildlife viewing and staff. Exceptional knowledge and great company from our guide Lets. You could just stay in camp all day and watch the scenery and elephants passing by but there are boat trips at sunset to be taken and wild dogs to follow. The rooms may be very impressive but they still manage to keep a bush feel. Hippos and hyena calls surround you at night.
A great variety of delicious food and the choice of joining in for laughs at the dinner table or having a romantic private meal for two."
Just stunning in every aspect, location, design,wildlife viewing and staff. Exceptional knowledge and great company from our guide Lets. You could just stay in camp all day and watch the scenery and elephants passing by but there are boat trips at sunset to be taken and wild dogs to follow. The rooms may be very impressive but they still manage to keep a bush feel. Hippos and hyena calls surround you at night.
A great variety of delicious food and the choice of joining in for laughs at the dinner table or having a romantic private meal for two."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
My Dec 2012 trip
Namibia between 9 Dec 2012 and 22 Dec 2012
"An excellent experience. I felt Angela had given me all the information and advice I needed and it meant the distances travelled weren't too far in one go, the description of all the accomodation had been accurate and we felt we had back up if needed. The emails to let us know about flight times etc made us feel someone was looking after us all through the holiday.The tyre insurance worked perfectly and it was good to have a form to be signed to check the hire car back in with.
We loved all the places you recommended, Turnstone tours were perfect, all the arrangements were in place. We would not hesitate in using Expert Africa again.
Thank you for a wonderful experience in which we feel we learnt a lot about Namibia and ourselves."
We loved all the places you recommended, Turnstone tours were perfect, all the arrangements were in place. We would not hesitate in using Expert Africa again.
Thank you for a wonderful experience in which we feel we learnt a lot about Namibia and ourselves."
Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch
"Relaxed start to our trip"
1 night
Arrived
10 Dec 2012
"Great welcome from the owners, an entertaining evening and wonderful dinner. Certainly a place we would return too. There are lots if plans and ideas from the new owners who have a passion for the place.
We loved the dune chalet room as you were surrounded by the warm colours of the kalahari and could enjoy the sunset."
We loved the dune chalet room as you were surrounded by the warm colours of the kalahari and could enjoy the sunset."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Fish River Lodge
"worth the drive to see the view"
2 nights
Arrived
11 Dec 2012
"A stunning location, a very knowledgable and entertaining guide who managed to still be fresh and enthusiastic on the canyon drive even though he had been doing it every day for 3 months.
The only negative comment is the bed - it really creaked so you would wake yourself up every time you moved.
The food was good but could do with a few tweaks. Not good to put yoghurts in lunch packs that are not going to be eaten until midday in temperatures 0f 30 to 40 degrees. Just means they are all thrown away."
The only negative comment is the bed - it really creaked so you would wake yourself up every time you moved.
The food was good but could do with a few tweaks. Not good to put yoghurts in lunch packs that are not going to be eaten until midday in temperatures 0f 30 to 40 degrees. Just means they are all thrown away."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Dabis Guest Farm
"A real highlight of the trip"
1 night
Arrived
13 Dec 2012
"Just found this experience so fascinating. It was a real pleasure to learn so much from Jorg about the environment, living in Namibia and hear all their plans for farming in this country - what works in his environment with relation to plants, people, weather etc.
Michelle is a wonderful cook, the food was all presented so beautifully, the children, dog, cats, chickens etc just injected a bit of real life into our holiday and it was just great to talk to them both about life."
Michelle is a wonderful cook, the food was all presented so beautifully, the children, dog, cats, chickens etc just injected a bit of real life into our holiday and it was just great to talk to them both about life."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Wolwedans Desert Lodge
"lives up to expectations"
2 nights
Arrived
14 Dec 2012
"A beautiful lodge, great staff and a very very good guide.
The food here was astounding. The flavours were just so fresh and you can see how the legacy of running their own chef's school is paying off. The kitchen always seems full of laughter and we loved the way they announced the menu in two different languages each night. Eating at the one table meant great conversations happened between the group each night.
Always amazes you how much lives in the harsh surroundings, lots to see on the morning drives and then the colours in the evening are beautiful. A very peaceful place and seeing the desert from the hot air balloon was another wonderful experience."
The food here was astounding. The flavours were just so fresh and you can see how the legacy of running their own chef's school is paying off. The kitchen always seems full of laughter and we loved the way they announced the menu in two different languages each night. Eating at the one table meant great conversations happened between the group each night.
Always amazes you how much lives in the harsh surroundings, lots to see on the morning drives and then the colours in the evening are beautiful. A very peaceful place and seeing the desert from the hot air balloon was another wonderful experience."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Cornerstone Guesthouse
"Perfectely run b and b"
2 nights
Arrived
16 Dec 2012
"Lovely large rooms, beautifully presented.
Extremely helpful staff, wonderful breakfast and a great location to walk into town or be picked up on the local tours.
Perfect."
Extremely helpful staff, wonderful breakfast and a great location to walk into town or be picked up on the local tours.
Perfect."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Mowani Mountain Camp
"Astounding sundowner location"
2 nights
Arrived
18 Dec 2012
"Just loved how this lodge fitted entirely into it's surroundings. It really is a work of art and the warm colour of the boulders make it a welcoming place as do the staff.
Nice to have the historical aspect to the activities with the bushmen art, as well as seeing wildlife along the dry river bed. Again the guides were very knowledgable and interested and had great humour.
The sundown spot was one you could never tire of and a good way to meet the other guests."
Nice to have the historical aspect to the activities with the bushmen art, as well as seeing wildlife along the dry river bed. Again the guides were very knowledgable and interested and had great humour.
The sundown spot was one you could never tire of and a good way to meet the other guests."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Frans Indongo Lodge
"Frans Indongo Lodge review"
1 night
Arrived
20 Dec 2012
"Very welcoming and comfortable. Nice to have all the varied antelope etc to view from the deck. A perfect stop before heading back to Windhoek - nice to still be in the peace and quiet, see all the warthog families on the side of the road and the bird life .
Excellent dinner and breakfast"
Excellent dinner and breakfast"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Beautiful location, wonderful knowledgable and friendly staff who really make the Lodge come to life, Great range of activities and places to just relax.
The food is fresh,varied and delicious. The rooms all have wonderful views and are so spacious. This was our second visit in two years and the Lodge is growing in strength. It does fantastic work within the community.
We just need to go back in July one year to see the fynbos in all its glory."