Travel reviews by The L family from Jersey

"Our stay was brief but every minute was exceptional. Our host Greg was brilliant - empathetic, attentive, thoughtful but relaxed and easy going. Greg and all the staff seemed to share our "first-time" excitement, looking after us without being over-bearing.

The setting, layout and architecture of the camp was beautiful. Regular time was replaced by the mesmerising beat of the camp drums!

Chilumba our guide deserves special mention. His knowledge and shared enthusiasm for our first experience of safari resulted in a "never-to-be-forgotten" day."

"A treasure. Unique. Extraordinary.

There are so many facets to Shiwa. The landscape and variety of terrain is beautiful and walks were enhanced by the knowledge and enthusiasm of our companion/guide, whether that was Boyd, a local guide, or our hosts themselves, Jo and Charlie Harvey. The variety and richness of bird life is captivating, as is the opportunity to see a diversity of antelope species, zebra and wildebeest in the expanding game reserve.

The farm itself and the challenges faced by such an enterprise is fascinating, with the necessity of hard edged commercialism being counterbalanced by the Harvey's inability to say no to every waif and stray of all sizes, many nursed backed to health from injuries and illness.

The fundamental reason for ourselves and I suspect many to visit, is the extraordinary history of the place. The reality does not disappoint. It is palpable, surrounding you at every step, and even those devoid of any interest in times gone by, cannot help but be caught up in the events and dramas of the lives of Stewart Gore-Brown and his family. The original documents, letters, diaries and prolific and exceptional photographs, spanning much of the 20th Century bring the history to life. The relevance is enhanced by the immediate family connections and the ongoing endeavours of S.G-B's grandson and family to maintain Shiwa as a viable enterprise. Even out teenage sons were captivated!!

Do not expect modern, luxurious amenities. Readily flowing hot water and the cosseting frills of a 5 star hotel will not be found here. A warming Mopani wood fire greeting you when you return to your room in the cool of the evening, fabulous generous food and heart warming, enthralling hospitality is what Shiwa is all about. Jo, Charlie, their family and friends were the absolute stars of our experience at Shiwa. Their stories, their willingness to share their home and the events of their lives which are every bit as fascinating and compelling as the history of the place, made this an incredible three nights and without doubt one of the absolute highlights of our trip.

Seize the opportunity to visit and bathe in the nearby Kapisha hot springs. There is a lodge and campsite there surrounded by beautiful gardens, run by Mark Harvey (wonderful raconteur!) and it is definitely worth a stop-over.

And of course, the dogs; Mali, Bella, Ray, Fox and Phoebe. Stars of the show, stuff of legends and enough material for a Walt Disney trilogy!"

"Unlike any previous camping experience! The tents, their privacy, their beautiful outlook over the Luangwa river and open air en suite bathroom facilities were jaw-droppingly stunning! One of our 18 year old son's highlights was being ensconced on the loo, whilst a hippo ambles past almost within touching distance, but thankfully the other side of the albeit low wall!

This camp was magical. The bar, dining area and breakfast area on the riverbank were stunningly beautiful, but the critical factor that enabled us to enjoy this camp and its location so much was the staff; attentive, caring, professional and great fun. Special mention for Jessica, our host, who was superb on every level and whose company we enjoyed immensely.

Ultimately its all about the wildlife though and we are indebted to the patience, skill, knowledge and great humour of Nyambe, our guide for 3 days. The game drive and walking safari experiences were humbling, enthralling, extraordinary and basically beyond my range of superlatives.

So many incredible moments, but champagne on ice on the riverbank, watching baby hippos perfecting synchronised swimming moves, as the sun set, was special."

"As the title suggests this "Top Three Highlight" of the trip was made truly special by the presence of an exceptional guide and great companion, Kanga. His interest, excitement and enthusiasm to share his knowledge was intoxicating; his calm manner and professionalism looking after us in the presence of a lion who had just killed a buffalo calf 10 minutes earlier, were exemplary and maximised our appreciation of the event whilst keeping us safe and the lion undisturbed. Not only did Kanga teach us so much during our walks, but he also told us about local life, about Project Luangwe and so much more. A wonderful evening together, culminating in star-gazing on the river bank: he seems to know about everything!! This was undoubtedly a highlight for us all and we really wished that we had opted for a 3 or 5 day mobile safari walking tour....one day, hopefully!

The walking safaris to and from the bush camp were part of this experience. The pace is gentle and unhurried, the focus being on the surroundings and the wildlife (that is the entire eco-system). Those looking for a brisk, athletic stretch of the legs might be disappointed, but that is not really the point. The walks were an opportunity to experience the bush on a more intimate and more intense level. Walking in the presence of lion, buffalo, hippo, giraffe and elephant was incredibly exciting yet the presence of an armed scout and the cocoon of professionalism, capability and competence that the guides exude, imparts a genuine sense of safety.

As for the camp itself, it bore absolutely no resemblance to any camping holiday we had experienced! Incredible luxury. In fact bizarrely there was a transient moment of regret that it was not more "back to basics". It was a very transient moment however and the romanticised memories of previous masochistic camping experiences were quickly obliterated by the best hot shower of our entire trip! As in all RPS camps, extremely high standard of food and service with no compromise being made for the temporary/transient nature of the bush-camp and not a leaky lilo in sight - indeed one of the best night's sleeps."

"The 180 degree outlook from Nsefu over the river and adjacent pan/waterhole is stunning. You could simply relax here, on your verandah, or in the main communal area and see abundant bird and wildlife. I strongly recommend sacrificing an afternoon siesta and sitting in the adjacent hide with binoculars and camera. Overlooking a pan/dried up lagoon,watching the antics of the baboons alone, make this so worthwhile, but it is abundant with birdlife and frequent visits from antelope and reptiles!

The closer proximity of the huts to one another means there is not such a sense of privacy and isolation compared to other camps, but that is more than compensated for by their unique style and yet again, luxurious fittings and en suite bathrooms. There are no power points in the huts but Merle, the camp host was more than happy to charge up appliances in the main area, whilst the generator was on. Merle was wonderful and I believe instrumental in inspiring some of the most delicious meals we experienced on our trip.

The guiding and wildlife experiences were of the highest standard and George, our guide, organised another of the highlights of our trip, which I cannot recommend highly enough. It means an early start, leaving camp at approx 4.30am. The stars were amazing but warm clothes essential. You drive a fair distance to a vast salt pan with a hot spring from which plumes of steam catch the first rays of sunlight as the sun creeps above the horizon. It is a spectacular sight enhanced by the growing awareness of abundant wildlife/birdlife in this very different environment. Just when things could not possibly get any better, George gets a Mopani wood fire going and conjures up a full English breakfast, with all the trimmings! Perhaps it was all a dream!"

"The most luxurious of the camps we visited with respect to the space and decor of the of the individual dwellings (certainly not huts!). Generously spaced, there was complete privacy that was only disturbed by passing elephants, water buck and baboons!

Our stay here was brief but Polly, our host, was so wonderful with such an engaging personality, backed up with considerable experience of working and travelling in Zambia, we felt we had been there for days rather than one night. Yona, our guide was also a big personality and ensured our last night in South Luangwa was truly memorable. Having enjoyed almost total solitude on our previous drives and walks, the constant presence of other vehicles, especially noticeable as night, slightly impaired the Safari experience; there are many more lodges in the viciniity of Luangwa River Camp, so company is inevitable. However, being relatively close to the airport made this an ideal final destination and ensured we had time to visit the hugely impressive Tribal Textiles establishment.

Polly and the camp staff were so helpful and ensured that belongings that we had left behind caught up with us in Lusaka for which we are indebted to them."

"This is an impressive but large hotel that simply can't compete with the charm, individuality and personal care of the Robin Pope Lodges and Camps. The breakfast choice was immense, but the food otherwise uninspiring and the rooms, while spacious, were grubby!

The huge trump card for this hotel is its proximity to Victoria Falls. A 10 minute stroll and you are in the presence of one of the newly categorised seven wonders of the world. Stupendous and essential to visit at different times of day and night. We were fortunate to see the Falls framed in a lunar rainbow in the presence of a full moon and then to dip our toes in the cauldron of the "Boiling Pot" below the Falls as the sunrise lit up the Vic Falls Bridge.

That very bridge is only a 15- 20 minute walk away and is the location for the Big Air Experience- 110 metres of free fall Bungee, Gorge Swing and Zip Wire. It is simple to find but does require crossing the border post. A "bridge pass" is readily obtained there (passports required) but do allow 20-30 minutes for queueing. Once on the bridge be prepared for enthusiastic locals befriending you, encouraging you, congratulating you (post jump) but then expecting you to buy a selection of their wares!

The hotel is also well located for white water rafting, with local companies picking you up and driving you to the set off point. We did this with Safpar, who were very professional, great fun and ensured that our expectations were exceeded- an awesome experience.

Finally, ensure you take a stroll through the grounds, to visit the neighbouring Royal Livingstone Hotel. This is a sister hotel, of a higher class, understated elegance and sophisticated with a stunningly located terrace over the Zambezi River, with a fantastic panorama including the top of the Falls."