Travel reviews by Mrs F & Mrs G from Kent
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
2
Countries visited
3
Lodges stayed in
9
Excursions taken
0
Trip to Namibia in May
Namibia between 25 May 2018 and 5 Jun 2018
"Excellent - we had a wonderful time."
Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo
Galton House
"Excellent starting point"
1 night
Arrived
26 May 2018
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Desert Rhino Camp
"Wonderful experience at Desert Rhino Camp"
2 nights
Arrived
27 May 2018
"Quite wonderful location - we flew into the camp's airstrip from Windhoek via Doro Nawas Airstrip. Well worth doing. The camp is located quite literally in the middle of the desert.
We stayed for two nights, and wanted more. Had great day tracking black rhino. Everyone was so helpful, generous and fun. A special mention to Lloyd our guide, who was informative and a good companion.
It was good to see rhinos in their natural environment, as well as other animals. We did not expected the hills surrounding the camp and across the whole area to be so beautiful - they changed colour as the day went on, with hues of pink, purple and blue. We were also fortunate in that it had recently rained, and the desert was covered is silvery grass which also changed colour during the day.
Food was excellent and each night the staff explained the menu in local "click" language as well.as English. They are wonderful singers too. A fabulous stay - cannot recommend it highly enough. Will come back one day."
We stayed for two nights, and wanted more. Had great day tracking black rhino. Everyone was so helpful, generous and fun. A special mention to Lloyd our guide, who was informative and a good companion.
It was good to see rhinos in their natural environment, as well as other animals. We did not expected the hills surrounding the camp and across the whole area to be so beautiful - they changed colour as the day went on, with hues of pink, purple and blue. We were also fortunate in that it had recently rained, and the desert was covered is silvery grass which also changed colour during the day.
Food was excellent and each night the staff explained the menu in local "click" language as well.as English. They are wonderful singers too. A fabulous stay - cannot recommend it highly enough. Will come back one day."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Black Rhino
Many sightings
Brown Hyena
Many sightings
Spotted Hyena
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
Ongava Tented Camp
"A super camp"
2 nights
Arrived
29 May 2018
"The second of the camps we stayed in. Extremely comfortable camp with good food, excellent accommodation. All the staff were very friendly. Our guide Bono was very knowledgeable - and found white rhino for us to see. Drinking a Sundowner G&T with rhinos is something not be forgotten. Paska the Ongava manager was extremely helpful and welcoming.
The camp's waterhole is a big bonus. At breakfast we had three elephants walk across the waterhole and come very close to the camp, great fun. We flew in from the previous camp - which saves a lot of time.
Trips into Etosha National Park were good, however there are insufficient fenced off stopping places there for a coffee stop. Where we stopped had lots of rubbish piled up as well, probably because they want you to go to the main restaurant facilities.
Thoroughly recommend Ongava camp."
The camp's waterhole is a big bonus. At breakfast we had three elephants walk across the waterhole and come very close to the camp, great fun. We flew in from the previous camp - which saves a lot of time.
Trips into Etosha National Park were good, however there are insufficient fenced off stopping places there for a coffee stop. Where we stopped had lots of rubbish piled up as well, probably because they want you to go to the main restaurant facilities.
Thoroughly recommend Ongava camp."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Eland
Many sightings
Elephant
Many sightings
Lion
Many sightings
Oryx
Many sightings
White Rhino
Many sightings
Wildebeest
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
Onguma Tented Camp
"Modern Camp with excellent facilities"
2 nights
Arrived
31 May 2018
"This was our third camp. Onguma is very modern in design but comfortable and well run. Our room was comfortable - and the infestation of bugs in our room was dealt with very efficiently. Saw lots of animals coming down to their waterhole. The food was good and the staff were friendly and helpful, particular mention for Thomas our waiter.
We had arrived following a long drive through Etosha National Park, so were too tired to do that evening activities. So we decided to use this as a quieter activity camp - and were particularly pleased with our trip to their Hide - which gave us excellent concealed view to get a good understanding of how animals come up to a waterhole and then move on.
Abraham our guide at the waterhole was a pleasant and friendly person with whom to spend a quieter couple of hours Lots of warthogs and their young, which we had not seen yet."
We had arrived following a long drive through Etosha National Park, so were too tired to do that evening activities. So we decided to use this as a quieter activity camp - and were particularly pleased with our trip to their Hide - which gave us excellent concealed view to get a good understanding of how animals come up to a waterhole and then move on.
Abraham our guide at the waterhole was a pleasant and friendly person with whom to spend a quieter couple of hours Lots of warthogs and their young, which we had not seen yet."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
Many sightings
Giraffe
Many sightings
Oryx
Many sightings
Wildebeest
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
Okonjima Bush Camp
"Wonderful time at Okonjima"
2 nights
Arrived
2 Jun 2018
"What a fantastic experience we had. This is an interesting place, with good opportunities to see cheetahs and leopards, but also learning about their conservation work as well. Fascinating and well worth the visit. And its not just about the big cats - on the first evening we saw a Honey Badger (very rare) and a Gabard Hawk catching a Dove mid flight.
On the second day we saw all 3 kinds of small antelope in about half an hour, on also saw baboons, which are relatively rare in that area. . We caught up with leopards and cheetah - and while they are wearing tracking collars, the animals are still completely wild, roaming in a reserve the size of Surrey, and hunting for their own food. Wonderful trip trekking with the cheetah - a terrific experience.
Daniel our guide was excellent - very patient with our endless questions. There is a Hide there as well - and just as we were leaving it 2 porcupine turned up, once again an animal in the wild we had not seen before. Thoroughly recommend a trip there and supporting the amazing work done by the Africat Foundation.
Accommodation at Bush Camp is excellent - in a thatched lodge with a separate"day" room - where you can throw out grain and seeds to the animals and birds and they come to you !!"
On the second day we saw all 3 kinds of small antelope in about half an hour, on also saw baboons, which are relatively rare in that area. . We caught up with leopards and cheetah - and while they are wearing tracking collars, the animals are still completely wild, roaming in a reserve the size of Surrey, and hunting for their own food. Wonderful trip trekking with the cheetah - a terrific experience.
Daniel our guide was excellent - very patient with our endless questions. There is a Hide there as well - and just as we were leaving it 2 porcupine turned up, once again an animal in the wild we had not seen before. Thoroughly recommend a trip there and supporting the amazing work done by the Africat Foundation.
Accommodation at Bush Camp is excellent - in a thatched lodge with a separate"day" room - where you can throw out grain and seeds to the animals and birds and they come to you !!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Cheetah
Many sightings
Eland
Many sightings
Giraffe
Many sightings
Leopard
Many sightings
Oryx
Many sightings
Wildebeest
Many sightings
Zebra
Many sightings
September 2014 Botswana trip
Botswana and 1 other country between 10 Sep 2014 and 23 Sep 2014
"This was our first safari. We stayed firstly in Zambia for the Victoria Falls, and then onto 3 lodges in Botswana. In all a fantastic experience which exceeded my expectations in every way.
In talking to others at our camps I did feel we had made the right decision in going to a national park (Chobe) first to get used to elephants, giraffes and zebras being everywhere, and that didn't fully realise the restrictions that applied within the Park. Consequently we really appreciated the freedom for game-viewing (at night and off road) offered by the second two camps which were on concessions. The concession model also limits the numbers of people who are able to stay in one area. This in turn made it seem we were really out in the wild and added to the experience. It just isn't the same at a National Park.
I didn't expect to be get so close to the animals and also to get involved in the story of the animals - what their behaviour was indicating, the various hunts and stalking, caring for the young, etc. At times I really did feel like I was living in a David Attenborough documentary. Botswana is a efficient African country, with good facilities. You could instantly see the difference between it and Zambia as we crossed the boarder. All the people we met - Zambians and Botswanans were polite, well spoken and helpful. They were all proud of their countries and welcoming.
A safari experience is simply wonderful, and I felt so privileged to be able to view the animals with such informed guides.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Although I have given the feedback on Maruska above, because of her maternity leave, we also had Nick Hobbs as our contact. Nick was also very helpful - and I would give him the same markings as above for Maruska - in particular I was grateful for his advice about what shoes to wear as I was receiving conflicting advice from friends and various websites, and nearly bought a pair of boots which would not have been needed, So a big thank you Nick.
We were also grateful for the assistance we received from Megan Ingoldby - as she really helped us plan our trip during an "early planning stage" phone call. So a big thank you to Expert Africa - both Anne and I thought you were helpful, patient and more importantly accurate. Everything worked like a dream."
In talking to others at our camps I did feel we had made the right decision in going to a national park (Chobe) first to get used to elephants, giraffes and zebras being everywhere, and that didn't fully realise the restrictions that applied within the Park. Consequently we really appreciated the freedom for game-viewing (at night and off road) offered by the second two camps which were on concessions. The concession model also limits the numbers of people who are able to stay in one area. This in turn made it seem we were really out in the wild and added to the experience. It just isn't the same at a National Park.
I didn't expect to be get so close to the animals and also to get involved in the story of the animals - what their behaviour was indicating, the various hunts and stalking, caring for the young, etc. At times I really did feel like I was living in a David Attenborough documentary. Botswana is a efficient African country, with good facilities. You could instantly see the difference between it and Zambia as we crossed the boarder. All the people we met - Zambians and Botswanans were polite, well spoken and helpful. They were all proud of their countries and welcoming.
A safari experience is simply wonderful, and I felt so privileged to be able to view the animals with such informed guides.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Although I have given the feedback on Maruska above, because of her maternity leave, we also had Nick Hobbs as our contact. Nick was also very helpful - and I would give him the same markings as above for Maruska - in particular I was grateful for his advice about what shoes to wear as I was receiving conflicting advice from friends and various websites, and nearly bought a pair of boots which would not have been needed, So a big thank you Nick.
We were also grateful for the assistance we received from Megan Ingoldby - as she really helped us plan our trip during an "early planning stage" phone call. So a big thank you to Expert Africa - both Anne and I thought you were helpful, patient and more importantly accurate. Everything worked like a dream."
Arranged By Maruska AdyeRowe
Avani Victoria Falls
"Zambezi Sun review"
2 nights
Arrived
11 Sep 2014
"A good hotel and a fine base to our trip to Victoria Falls. There was a mix up over the room as my friend and I were given a double bed. This was quickly sorted out and we were given another room with two singles.
Apart from a baboon who was living within the compound and jumped beside our table and stole my apple danish breakfast - which was a huge shock but also very funny, it was excellent. I understand they were trying to catch the Baboon who has a sugar addiction - poor thing.
Its closeness to the Falls is a real advantage."
Apart from a baboon who was living within the compound and jumped beside our table and stole my apple danish breakfast - which was a huge shock but also very funny, it was excellent. I understand they were trying to catch the Baboon who has a sugar addiction - poor thing.
Its closeness to the Falls is a real advantage."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Muchenje Safari Lodge
"Muchenje Safari Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
13 Sep 2014
"An excellent first place to start our safari in every way. Fantastic game viewing on the trip along the Chobe river - one of the highlights of our stay. Watching Elephants swim across the river in a line was wonderful.
Our 4x4 vehicle did breakdown on the way back to the lodge, in the dark but on a main road within the Chobe National Park. But a replacement was quickly sent. Relaxed and comfortable - but more like a small hotel than a traditional lodge. Key selling point is the wonderful view from the lodge across the Chobe Flood Plain - something which I never got tired at looking at.
Would thoroughly recommend this lodge as a FIRST stop for a safari tour - given its structure and the limitations in place because of the national park closure at 6.30. The visit to the school was a fabulous idea and I thoroughly recommend it. We took some pens and pencils for the children which appears to be the done thing. It gave a chance to see the real Botswana rather than the "safari" industry view we were receiving."
Our 4x4 vehicle did breakdown on the way back to the lodge, in the dark but on a main road within the Chobe National Park. But a replacement was quickly sent. Relaxed and comfortable - but more like a small hotel than a traditional lodge. Key selling point is the wonderful view from the lodge across the Chobe Flood Plain - something which I never got tired at looking at.
Would thoroughly recommend this lodge as a FIRST stop for a safari tour - given its structure and the limitations in place because of the national park closure at 6.30. The visit to the school was a fabulous idea and I thoroughly recommend it. We took some pens and pencils for the children which appears to be the done thing. It gave a chance to see the real Botswana rather than the "safari" industry view we were receiving."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Lagoon Camp
"Lagoon Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
16 Sep 2014
"Fantastic camp in every way. Rooms were amazing - spacious and well ventilated, a real touch of luxury. Food and other service and facilities were good. The opportunities for game watching are incredible - and having the siesta during the hot mid-day is an excellent idea.
Being a concession meant we could stay out later and go off road - which may a good contrast what we had been able to do at Chobe. Our guide Spencer was outstanding - fabulous sense of humor, master tracker and fantastic driver. On one day we had a lion chase (with 4 lions roaring close by), watched a leopard stalking and joined in a wild dog hunt which ended in a kill - it couldn't be bettered. Thoroughly recommend Lagoon - even if sometimes small insects fall from the ceiling of the dining room - that's Africa!!
One small point - the camp is based on thick, fairly loose sand and this means your feet will always be dirty in getting to and from rooms, etc. So fully covered up shoes are an advantage - although I managed perfectly well without them!!"
Being a concession meant we could stay out later and go off road - which may a good contrast what we had been able to do at Chobe. Our guide Spencer was outstanding - fabulous sense of humor, master tracker and fantastic driver. On one day we had a lion chase (with 4 lions roaring close by), watched a leopard stalking and joined in a wild dog hunt which ended in a kill - it couldn't be bettered. Thoroughly recommend Lagoon - even if sometimes small insects fall from the ceiling of the dining room - that's Africa!!
One small point - the camp is based on thick, fairly loose sand and this means your feet will always be dirty in getting to and from rooms, etc. So fully covered up shoes are an advantage - although I managed perfectly well without them!!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Shinde Camp
"Shinde Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
19 Sep 2014
"Fantastic setting in the trees - very pretty and the best structure for a camp during our stay. All facilities are excellent and the staff wonderful. Loved the singing as they welcomed you and also the pre-dinner singing on a couple of evenings.
Game viewing was excellent - super leopards and on the final morning lions. Well-informed guides who were friendly and articulate. Trips on the Moroko boat and river boat through the delta were great fun - and we saw a Sitatunga on the riverbank from the Moroko which is apparently very rare and caused a lot of excitement on our return to camp!
Being English ladies of more mature years we really appreciated the early morning call with tea and the sherry provided on our return in the evening! Food was excellent - my friend though it was the best on the trip. There was a problem with our vehicle - which broke down on several occasions - once in front of a tree with a leopard in it. This did cause a few delays - especially to those in the other vehicles who had to give us a tow. And on the last day our vehicle, in turn, had to give another vehicle a tow. I guess this is part of the safari experience, and we didn't mind, however others were getting annoyed.
I was also surprised at a french gentleman in our car who on several occasions fell asleep and started snoring!! Our guide/driver was coped very well with this - although it was a first for him! How he slept over all those off road bumps I'll never know."
Game viewing was excellent - super leopards and on the final morning lions. Well-informed guides who were friendly and articulate. Trips on the Moroko boat and river boat through the delta were great fun - and we saw a Sitatunga on the riverbank from the Moroko which is apparently very rare and caused a lot of excitement on our return to camp!
Being English ladies of more mature years we really appreciated the early morning call with tea and the sherry provided on our return in the evening! Food was excellent - my friend though it was the best on the trip. There was a problem with our vehicle - which broke down on several occasions - once in front of a tree with a leopard in it. This did cause a few delays - especially to those in the other vehicles who had to give us a tow. And on the last day our vehicle, in turn, had to give another vehicle a tow. I guess this is part of the safari experience, and we didn't mind, however others were getting annoyed.
I was also surprised at a french gentleman in our car who on several occasions fell asleep and started snoring!! Our guide/driver was coped very well with this - although it was a first for him! How he slept over all those off road bumps I'll never know."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Its location is just outside the main city area, but that was not a problem as all we wanted to do was relax by the pool, have a decent meal and a good sleep.
Galton House provided all these things."