Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs W from Edinburgh
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
4
Lodges stayed in
5
Excursions taken
0
Great trip-would cahnge very little
Botswana and 3 other countries between 14 Nov 2012 and 1 Dec 2012
"Overall a fantastic trip - huge success and really enjoyed by all of our party.
Would reconsider flying from Kasane to Bazaruto via Joburh - this was slow and boring.
Interested to note direct Flights from Capetown into the delta- that might offer interesting options for pre or post safari time.
Mozambique looked great from the Air but we did not feel we could explore much when we got there.
Also felt a bit of a "prisoner " in remote beach lodge - maybe staying on mainland or nearer a town might have worked for us."
Would reconsider flying from Kasane to Bazaruto via Joburh - this was slow and boring.
Interested to note direct Flights from Capetown into the delta- that might offer interesting options for pre or post safari time.
Mozambique looked great from the Air but we did not feel we could explore much when we got there.
Also felt a bit of a "prisoner " in remote beach lodge - maybe staying on mainland or nearer a town might have worked for us."
Little Vumbura
"Great start to our trip at Little Vumbura"
3 nights
Arrived
14 Nov 2012
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Average
Facilities
Excellent
Sandibe Safari Lodge
"Unbelievable game viewing"
3 nights
Arrived
17 Nov 2012
"Saw a fantastic amount of game - Numerous Leopard and Wild Dog sightings when we were often the only vehicle - lions became so passe that we barely bothered to stop.
Camp felt a little dingy and run down but may be due to location right on river.
Staff very friendly and obliging.
What impressed us most was the effort that the management and staff made to vary the evening dining experience - from a bush dinner with full table settings etc to simply moving all the dining tables out under the stars to better enjoy the in camp BBQ"
Camp felt a little dingy and run down but may be due to location right on river.
Staff very friendly and obliging.
What impressed us most was the effort that the management and staff made to vary the evening dining experience - from a bush dinner with full table settings etc to simply moving all the dining tables out under the stars to better enjoy the in camp BBQ"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Average
Chobe Princesses
"3 days of complete relaxation"
3 nights
Arrived
20 Nov 2012
"In all respects other than game viewing this was the highlight of our trip.
Quirky - comfortable accommodation, nice food, friendly and well trained staff and interesting fellow travellers.
An afternoon spent reading a book whilst ensconced in the small "cold tub" on the front deck with elephants casually wading across the river in front of us will linger long in the memory.
Even managed 9 Holes at "Chobe Golf Club which our captain was only too happy to arrange for us"
Quirky - comfortable accommodation, nice food, friendly and well trained staff and interesting fellow travellers.
An afternoon spent reading a book whilst ensconced in the small "cold tub" on the front deck with elephants casually wading across the river in front of us will linger long in the memory.
Even managed 9 Holes at "Chobe Golf Club which our captain was only too happy to arrange for us"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
City Lodge OR Tambo
"OK Airport Hotel"
1 night
Arrived
23 Nov 2012
"Journey from Ichobezi through Joburg to Bazaruto felt very long and a bit of a waste of time.
I noticed that one of the charter companies that flew us into Kasane advertised that they flew direct to Bazaruto - we would definitely like to have explored the cost of that as our actual journey was undoubtedly the low point of our holiday"
I noticed that one of the charter companies that flew us into Kasane advertised that they flew direct to Bazaruto - we would definitely like to have explored the cost of that as our actual journey was undoubtedly the low point of our holiday"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Feedback response
While it is possible to organise a charter flight from Kasane to Bazaruto (indeed its possible to arrange charter flights from/to many southern African destinations) we find that the high cost of such flights is usually a prohibitive factor. Never-the-less we were interested to learn that this option is indeed being advertised and so we contacted the flight company to gain more information, this is what they had to say:
Our website and in-flight magazine does state:
Based in Maun, the gateway to the Okavango, our destinations are throughout Botswana and neighbouring countries reaching as far as Johannesburg, Victoria Falls, Vilanculos and Windhoek.
We are able, on request, to quote on private charters to any of these destinations but seldom do due to the costs involved. We generally use our larger turbine engined aircraft for the longer charters due to the lack of piston aircraft fuel at some of the airports in Southern Africa.
To give you an idea, a quote from Kasane to Vilanculos in a Cessna Caravan would cost over US$16,000 for the aircraft (rough estimate based on February 2013 prices). The scheduled airline flight does work out much cheaper but we do offer the air charter should we be requested to do so.
Wed always urge any of our travellers to enquire about the possibility of chartering a plane if this is an option they wish to explore but, due to the costs being so high, its rarely an option which we suggest without being prompted to do so.
Our website and in-flight magazine does state:
Based in Maun, the gateway to the Okavango, our destinations are throughout Botswana and neighbouring countries reaching as far as Johannesburg, Victoria Falls, Vilanculos and Windhoek.
We are able, on request, to quote on private charters to any of these destinations but seldom do due to the costs involved. We generally use our larger turbine engined aircraft for the longer charters due to the lack of piston aircraft fuel at some of the airports in Southern Africa.
To give you an idea, a quote from Kasane to Vilanculos in a Cessna Caravan would cost over US$16,000 for the aircraft (rough estimate based on February 2013 prices). The scheduled airline flight does work out much cheaper but we do offer the air charter should we be requested to do so.
Wed always urge any of our travellers to enquire about the possibility of chartering a plane if this is an option they wish to explore but, due to the costs being so high, its rarely an option which we suggest without being prompted to do so.
Bazaruto Lodge
"Pleasant week at the beach"
7 nights
Arrived
24 Nov 2012
"Lodge was VERY quiet and felt a bit run down. Food generally was pretty boring (low number of guests can't have helped) - Breakfast was best.
Lighting in main dining room was very poor, could not wait to finish dinner and get back to the bar.
Waiting staff seemed under trained and disinterested - to be honest the manager seemed to be leading in this direction by example !
Rooms and bathrooms were of a good basic standard and we really liked them.
Other activities, in particular Fishing were very expensive, to the extent that I did not participate despite this being a major driver for including Mozambique.
Spa was excellent and very well priced and in consequence we spent a fair bit of time their rather than the fishing we had planned
The Island is fantastic but I would look for an alternative hotel for any future trip."
Lighting in main dining room was very poor, could not wait to finish dinner and get back to the bar.
Waiting staff seemed under trained and disinterested - to be honest the manager seemed to be leading in this direction by example !
Rooms and bathrooms were of a good basic standard and we really liked them.
Other activities, in particular Fishing were very expensive, to the extent that I did not participate despite this being a major driver for including Mozambique.
Spa was excellent and very well priced and in consequence we spent a fair bit of time their rather than the fishing we had planned
The Island is fantastic but I would look for an alternative hotel for any future trip."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Good
Food
Poor
Facilities
Average
Tents nicely equipped and maintained with good privacy and outlook.
Staff were particularly good.
Pre dinner drinks by campfire were a highlight.
Mokoro trip well worth doing.
Breakfast and Lunch were excellent but cuisine at Dinner was a slight let down,
Would recommend this camp to anyone- overall probably the best we have experienced"