Travel reviews by Ms C from Massachusetts
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
2
Excursions taken
0
Excellent experience in Zambia
Zambia between 21 Oct 2013 and 26 Oct 2013
"Expert Africa helped me plan a fabulous week of safari at Mfuwe National Park where I capped off a three week stay in Zambia, after visiting Lusaka and Livingstone, and staying in an Eastern Province village with U.S. Peace Corps volunteers. It was a perfect finale.
During the planning of my safari week, Maruska assisted with every aspect, answering all my questions with great care and patience. She knows Zambia and the safari camps first hand. It was such a relief knowing she had arranged every fine detail including a seamless transfer between two camps at mid-point.
I wholeheartedly recommend Expert Africa.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
This is not a criticism, but an observation about tipping. Expert Africa materials and other materials I've read, all seem to imply that tipping is not expected in Zambia. I think there was a suggestion that it might be appropriate to leave something for the guide. I did that at Flatdogs (for the guide and the assistant who rode at night with the light). However, I'm wondering if I should have left something additional for the staff.
When I got to Tena Tena, among the informational materials in the tent were envelopes to use for tipping at the end, specifying host(s), guide(s), camp staff. Of course I was happy to do that...but felt awkward I didn't do the same at Flatdogs if people were expecting it...So this is really just a heads up since you might want to see if the practice is changing at other places in addition to Robin Pope Safaris. Happy to talk with you about it if you want.
What a wonderful time I had. Thank you so much for helping make my journey unforgettably special."
During the planning of my safari week, Maruska assisted with every aspect, answering all my questions with great care and patience. She knows Zambia and the safari camps first hand. It was such a relief knowing she had arranged every fine detail including a seamless transfer between two camps at mid-point.
I wholeheartedly recommend Expert Africa.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
This is not a criticism, but an observation about tipping. Expert Africa materials and other materials I've read, all seem to imply that tipping is not expected in Zambia. I think there was a suggestion that it might be appropriate to leave something for the guide. I did that at Flatdogs (for the guide and the assistant who rode at night with the light). However, I'm wondering if I should have left something additional for the staff.
When I got to Tena Tena, among the informational materials in the tent were envelopes to use for tipping at the end, specifying host(s), guide(s), camp staff. Of course I was happy to do that...but felt awkward I didn't do the same at Flatdogs if people were expecting it...So this is really just a heads up since you might want to see if the practice is changing at other places in addition to Robin Pope Safaris. Happy to talk with you about it if you want.
What a wonderful time I had. Thank you so much for helping make my journey unforgettably special."
Arranged By Maruska AdyeRowe
Flatdogs Camp
"Superb safari experience at Flatdogs Camp"
3 nights
Arrived
21 Oct 2013
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Tena Tena
"A very special safari experience at Tena Tena"
2 nights
Arrived
24 Oct 2013
"Tena Tena was the ideal place to spend the last 3 days of my safari experience, an elegant camp set by the river with 6 guest tents. Hosts Jessica and Bertram and the entire Tena Tena staff offered seamless hospitality, thought of everything, and responded to the varied demands of guests with total grace. Meals are out of this world. We were served breakfasts and one barbeque dinner while facing the river in a line of safari chairs on the bank in front of camp. Accommodations are exquisite, creatively natural. Private, unimpeded views on 3 sides from my tent. Night noises included hippos sighing in the river and the munching of elephants only feet away.. Near my tent we found a lion's paw prints from the night before. A feeling of 24/7 total safety with attentive staff and guards.
Guides Bertram and Nyambe made each walk and drive a magnificent learning experience, their expert knowledge of the wildlife made it possible to be where things were happening and to observe big and small, and the life and death cycles of nature. Highlights included seeing several lion prides after kills, two leopards during night drives, each eating their impala kill, and a mother leopard and cubs lying in the afternoon shade, observing elephants below at a waterhole. The dryness of the season meant more game was visible to us not only in the bush, but also when they came to drink where the (limited) water remains.
A lasting moment for me came during our "sundowners" break on an afternoon drive. From our spot under a shade tree on the river bank, we could watch hippos and crocodiles in the river below, impalas in the distance, waterbirds of all description, and hundreds of gorgeous carmine bee eaters flying around and below us to their perches and nesting holes in the river bank.
I highly recommend Tena Tena and hope to return someday."
Guides Bertram and Nyambe made each walk and drive a magnificent learning experience, their expert knowledge of the wildlife made it possible to be where things were happening and to observe big and small, and the life and death cycles of nature. Highlights included seeing several lion prides after kills, two leopards during night drives, each eating their impala kill, and a mother leopard and cubs lying in the afternoon shade, observing elephants below at a waterhole. The dryness of the season meant more game was visible to us not only in the bush, but also when they came to drink where the (limited) water remains.
A lasting moment for me came during our "sundowners" break on an afternoon drive. From our spot under a shade tree on the river bank, we could watch hippos and crocodiles in the river below, impalas in the distance, waterbirds of all description, and hundreds of gorgeous carmine bee eaters flying around and below us to their perches and nesting holes in the river bank.
I highly recommend Tena Tena and hope to return someday."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Jessie and Ade are wonderful hosts and the whole Flatdogs staff was courteous and outgoing, there to meet every need, answer every question. Lydia gets a special nod for her care and attention. And my guide Robbie Chazangwe, a most incredible person with encyclopedic knowledge of the natural world, the flora, fauna, and birds, Zambian history, the night sky...all of which he shared with beautiful descriptive detail.
I will recommend Flatdogs to friends and hope to return myself in the future."