Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs S from Maidstone

"A pleasant hotel for an overnight stay, a short interesting drive from the airport.

Friendly, helpful staff and good food, reasonably priced. Our room was very comfortable and well equipped including tea and coffee facilities and a fridge.

Minor points to note - the bathroom doors did not shut properly and there was no non slip shower mat for the rather slippery shower floor."

"We loved everything about Lion Camp - its location alongside the lagoon, where there was always something going on, the luxury and comfort of our room, the warm and friendly staff, the delicious food and excellent guiding, and of course the incredible wildlife, literally on the doorstep.

Our room was the honeymoon suite which was extremely well appointed including a tea/ coffee station and fridge. On a practical note, it was great to have a hairdryer and a well lit bathroom! There was also an additional outside ‘star bed’ and an outdoor bath. Looking at the stars through our mosquito net as bats zoomed around, and with all the sounds of the African night was an absolutely magical experience, and we slept soundly! The indoor bed was wonderfully comfortable and the evening breeze cooling system was very effective and much less intrusive than air con.

Our knowledgable guide Mukupa and his 'co pilot' Peter were excellent at spotting, tracking and showing us the plentiful wildlife of the South Luangwa. We were keen to see as diverse a range of creatures as possible, including birds, and Mukupa made sure to point out everything, carefully positioning the vehicle for the best views and photo opportunities.

We saw many lions, as well as leopards, hippos, crocodiles, elephants and numerous species of antelope. In addition, we saw wildebeest, giraffe and zebra, as well as honey badgers, civets, genets, porcupine, mongooses and a serval. There were many species of birds, including a great sighting of a martial eagle with prey.

As well as game drives we did a walking safari, which we found fascinating, and an exhilarating way to get even closer to nature and learn even more about the flora and fauna of the region.

The managers, Vicky and Wayne, were most welcoming and very hands on. Together with their amazing team they have created a very special place that manages to combine the highest standards of hospitality with an informal, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. It was perfect!"

"This was our third African safari and of all the camps we have visited, Anabezi felt the most remote and wild.

We spent 4 days there at the end of August and just about everything exceeded our expectations. The setting overlooking the Zambezi, the luxurious and comfortable tents, the food and bar service, and the friendly attentive staff make Anabezi a very special place. We loved the outdoor shower, and the private plunge pool was particularly welcome on a couple of extremely hot afternoons.

We came for the wildlife, and although the density is not as great as in South Luangwa, this is more than made up for by seeing the animals in the stunning, almost surreal landscape of the winterthorn forest. The light filtering through the trees, the strange shapes of the termite mounds, all backed by hazy blue mountains create a quite magical feel.

Our knowledgeable guides, Laurence and his 'co pilot' Chris were excellent trackers and spotters and took great care to position our vehicle so that we could get great views and photo opportunities of the wildlife at the same time as respecting the animals' space.

The absolute highlight for us was seeing wild dogs in action - with a kill, and then a thrilling ride through the forest tracking them as they hunted again, and then watching them frolicking like puppies in a stream.

We also saw numerous elephants, many with babies; lions with cubs; leopards, jackals, kudu, waterbuck, hippos, impala, baboons and warthogs. There were many species of birds including fish eagles, Bateleur eagles, lilac breasted rollers, bee eaters, 3 species of hornbill and drongos.

As well as land based activities, we also enjoyed a sunset cruise with sundowners, watching the hippos and seeing elephants crossing to the islands. We also did some fishing, landing (and safely returning) a 16lb tiger fish.

Our thanks go to Laurence and Chris for the excellent guiding and fishing, and to Dennis and his whole team, who have created a luxurious oasis in a remote and truly wild location. A wonderful and unforgettable experience."