Travel reviews by JnL from Toronto
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
2
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
4
Excursions taken
1
My Feb 2025 trip
Botswana between 16 Feb 2025 and 22 Feb 2025
"The trip was exceptional...we had heard that Botswana had a great reputation for sightings, and although we travelled in the wet season, and our expectations were dampened, it only rained once and that was at night.. most days were sunny and/or partly cloudy.
We were overwhelmed by the variety and number of sightings, the people in the camps, the facilities.
We are not enthusiastic birders, but the number and variety of birds actually excited us!
As a keen photographer, this trip exceeded expectations!
Literally there was nothing that put a damper on the experience!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
This was our third experience with Expert Africa, which says it all... we have already given Lucy's contact info to a friend"
We were overwhelmed by the variety and number of sightings, the people in the camps, the facilities.
We are not enthusiastic birders, but the number and variety of birds actually excited us!
As a keen photographer, this trip exceeded expectations!
Literally there was nothing that put a damper on the experience!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
This was our third experience with Expert Africa, which says it all... we have already given Lucy's contact info to a friend"
Arranged By Lucy Copson
Mma Dinare
"Mma Dinare review"
3 nights
Arrived
16 Feb 2025
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
1 sighting
Cheetah
1 sighting
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Hippo
6 sightings
Leopard
1 sighting
Lion
3 sightings
Roan antelope
1 sighting
Sable antelope
1 sighting
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
Wild dog
1 sighting
Wildebeest
6 sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Splash Camp
"Splash Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
19 Feb 2025
"A fabulous stay...would definitely recommend!
Made more enjoyable because we got on so well with the two other couples who shared our drives. Our guide and tracker were excellent and had great sense of humour.
Food was good and plentiful and the portions were right-sized. accommodation excellent.
Sightings were excellent, including following cheetahs and lions for hours. We also watched a dead elephant (apparently of natural causes) being set upon by vultures, marabou storks, hyenas, jackals and a lion...not a pretty sight, but an amazing look at nature.
Splash is definitely worth a return visit!!"
Made more enjoyable because we got on so well with the two other couples who shared our drives. Our guide and tracker were excellent and had great sense of humour.
Food was good and plentiful and the portions were right-sized. accommodation excellent.
Sightings were excellent, including following cheetahs and lions for hours. We also watched a dead elephant (apparently of natural causes) being set upon by vultures, marabou storks, hyenas, jackals and a lion...not a pretty sight, but an amazing look at nature.
Splash is definitely worth a return visit!!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Hippo
10+ sightings
Lion
6 sightings
Spotted Hyena
6 sightings
Wild dog
1 sighting
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
My May 2022 trip
Zimbabwe between 4 May 2022 and 11 May 2022
"Overall it was a wonderful experience.
Claire steered us well in picking Ilala and Davisons...we were welcomed everywhere, particularly after a tough couple of years. We heard from other travellers of their experiences at other areas, and certainly we would like to explore these in due course."
Claire steered us well in picking Ilala and Davisons...we were welcomed everywhere, particularly after a tough couple of years. We heard from other travellers of their experiences at other areas, and certainly we would like to explore these in due course."
Arranged By Claire Scott
Ilala Lodge
"A wonderful stay"
3 nights
Arrived
4 May 2022
"Everything about Ilala was first rate, from the moment we arrived, to the service, the comfort, the food the ambience.
The fact that it is the closest hotel to Vic Falls was a bonus."
The fact that it is the closest hotel to Vic Falls was a bonus."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
1 sighting
Ra-Ikane River Cruise
"Ra-Ikane River Cruise review"
5 May 2022 • Afternoon excursion
Very professional.
Our guide certainly knew his way along the river, and we were able to see a wide variety of wildlife while his colleague took care of the bar and snacks.
Capped with a gorgeous sunset, a wonderful way to spend an evening!!
Our guide certainly knew his way along the river, and we were able to see a wide variety of wildlife while his colleague took care of the bar and snacks.
Capped with a gorgeous sunset, a wonderful way to spend an evening!!
Davison's Camp
"Davison's Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
7 May 2022
"Very comfortable, very professional. Excellent guide.
The waterhole experience was disappointing compared to other camps that we have visited...the large natural hole was too far away to see much, and there was a small concrete hole nearer which were visited by some elephants and baboons. The location of the camp meant a long bumpy drive just to get to an area where we could see wildlife, and often the pickings were rather slim. That said, we had a wonderful view of lions and their cubs, and even followed a leopard along the track.
Only comment about accommodation was the location of the toilet within the tent which afforded absolutely no privacy. There was a separate toilet location next to the main building, but of course one is restricted to one's tent during the dark hours."
The waterhole experience was disappointing compared to other camps that we have visited...the large natural hole was too far away to see much, and there was a small concrete hole nearer which were visited by some elephants and baboons. The location of the camp meant a long bumpy drive just to get to an area where we could see wildlife, and often the pickings were rather slim. That said, we had a wonderful view of lions and their cubs, and even followed a leopard along the track.
Only comment about accommodation was the location of the toilet within the tent which afforded absolutely no privacy. There was a separate toilet location next to the main building, but of course one is restricted to one's tent during the dark hours."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Average
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Sightings report
Buffalo
3 sightings
Elephant
7 sightings
Giraffe
2 sightings
Hippo
2 sightings
Leopard
1 sighting
Lion
2 sightings
Roan antelope
1 sighting
Sable antelope
2 sightings
Wildebeest
3 sightings
Zebra
6 sightings
For the first two nights there were no other guests. While this felt like a private retreat, we would have preferred to mingle with other travellers... our hosts tried a bit too hard to cater to us alone, especially at meal times. (We also didn't appreciate the manager using a tooth pick at the dinner table!)
The guide and tracker (Kane and Sam) were excellent...on our way from the airstrip we spotted among others, a leopard in a tree, and sleeping lions on the track near the lodge!"