Travel reviews by The L family from Ripon

"Met at the airport by 2 very friendly drivers (from Wild Horizons) who drove us around for the next few days, nice to have the same guys who you got to know a little and appreciate, they also drove us to and from our safari camp. Ilala lodge is very nice, great location very clean and well kept. The reception area was very colonial the whole place has this feel and it works perfectly, its very smart and has a lovely atmosphere.

The rooms are slightly dated but this works as the fittings are still of a high quality and reflect the old style colonial feel the place has. Again this works really well. The only thing is the patio doors resemble bars on a door and could be changed to full glass to enhance the views and let more light in. They open onto a deck/grass patio which is open/shared but has nice views and you can see the Vic Falls mist too. We hoped to see some animals here but sadly none were present on our short stay.

Its just a 10-15 min walk to the Vic falls which is great but we did get pestered a little by some street vendors who left us alone after a polite No was repeated. I did see some police type officials who were meant to deter these vendors but they didnt seem to be around when needed. All ok but be aware you are in another country and they don't have much at all but you do.

Vic falls - Truly stunning so glad we went !

After we had a sundowner or two in the lovely open bar at Ilala by the small but smart pool and large open terrace area we watched the sun go down behind the mists of the falls !! Superb...

We had dinner on the terrace of the restaurant and it was excellent, great waiters and no complaints at all."

"You drive for about 1.5 hours from Vic Falls airport to Hwange national park entrance, only comment is you do drive through an open cast coal mine for about ten minutes which isn't a problem but a bit of an eye opener as the lorries spill a lot of dust which unnecessarily pollutes the nearby bush, why not put a cover on the load and problem solved ?

Met by Stephen our guide for the tour and in my opinion the best most helpful guy you could want.....say no more!

After a long drive/safari we arrived at Camp Hwange. The open air dining room bar and lounge are really lovely nicely furnished and well thought. There was a camp fire to the front and ahead of this a large watering hole with resident hippos, excellent. Dinner was delightful, all guests and guides present which we liked as we could hear others stories and swap ideas for the next day. The staff were fantastic and we loved the table design they clearly spent time creating and was much appreciated thanks.

It was our first safari so not sure what to expect, more seasoned veterans we met said the game is not abundant here but they thought this added to the thrill when you did encounter game. Each drive we did whilst quiet for long periods was always eventful in the end. By the end of each day we had seen enough game to satisfy us at least and can include Lions, Baboons, Buffalo, Giraffe, numerous antelope species, vultures etc in our sightings. We also got a fleeting view of a leopard. The big thing is elephant ! loads of elephants ! This was the best thing for us just observing dozens of different herds all over the watering holes and bush was fantastic.

Our room was great, a large tent like structure very nicely done with lovely bedding and mossy net, big open shower and everything you needed. Just one thing is it could really do with a mini bar so you can have a cold drink when you return to the room. The single thermos flask they leave in your room doesn't do it for me although I know this may not be possible due to power supply but it would be great for spoiled travellers.

All in all a very nice stay just what we had hoped for and compared to many others not too deadly cost wise."