Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs C from Golden CO

"Lovely boutique type lodge, helpful staff, clean and comfortable rooms. Had dinner at their restaurant and it was excellent.

Located N end of town so easy access coming from airport, but located among other houses so not a lot you can walk to in the area.

We did have a little trouble locating it so get some good directions before going."

"The location is about 1/2 hour drive from the park entrance. The lodge overlooks a dry river bed and there is a watering hole, so you can sit and look for animals. We visited in the off season and saw baboons and lots of birds, but we had the place to ourselves, so lots of service from the staff. Food was excellent with oryx on the menu.

Our day tour to the dunes was excellent. Very knowledgeable guide that took us on a walking tour to look for animal tracks, had us hike up a dune and down into Deadvlie from a different route than all the other tourists so we got a unique perspective. The sundowner was a unique experience as well, unlike any other one we had before. Left atop a small mountain, with table, chairs, candles, drinks and food to enjoy the setting sun on the red dunes.

Highly recommend this lodge."

"Fun lodge with bright colors, sculptures and gardens. Amazing view from the lodge and each individual bungalow of the white dunes.

Lovely accommodations and a nice breakfast. Friendly staff, too."

"Main lodge was beautiful. Went in the off season so not many folks visiting. Lovely open dining area, pool and patio overlooking waterhole. Spent an afternoon at the pool watching a non stop parade of wildlife come to drink...kudu, zebra, waterbuck, impala, springbok, baboons, a giraffe and an elephant. Cannot imagine what it must be like in the dry season.

The elephant even came to the pool to get a drink as we stand within 10 feet watching. Magnificent! The tent lodging itself was very comfortable with all the amenities you could want. Camp manager joined us for dinner the last night, a nice evening learning about her story.

Be prepared if you go in the summer there are a lot of moths. They are beautiful but love sugar, so they flock to red wine and drinks with sugar. Some guests found it annoying but it was all part of the experience. The staff do their best to mitigate by having beaded tops to put on glasses and by putting out balsamic vinegar to attract the moths away from the table."

"Fun experience, sleeping in the trees. Very comfortable, nicely appointed little bungalow opening onto a large watering hole.

A lion had made a kill the morning we arrived. That night the hyenas came in and there was a battle to take the kill from the lion. Hyenas won. Lots of whooping and snarling. Jackals came to the feast as well."

"This place was a big surprise for us. A truly luxurious camp with beautiful accommodations, an exquisite setting for the patio, dining area and infinity pool, sitting high on the hillside overlooking a large watering hole below.

The food was amazing, some of the best for our whole trip. The wildlife viewing was fabulous. Must have seen 10 white rhinos and spent time watching them in a mud hole. Had an amazing encounter with wild dogs, one of only two places in Namibia, from what we were told, that has them.

We were sadly disappointed to only have one night here. A great stop near the Winhoek airport, either on your way in or out of the country."

"Rivertrees Country Inn was our first accommodation upon arriving in Africa. The beautiful, lush grounds were perfect for settling into "Africa time". We especially enjoyed lounging on the deck overlooking the small Usa River. And we thoroughly enjoyed the gourmet pizza served around the campfire. The cottage style garden rooms were comfortably appointed and private.

The location was ideal. Close, but not too close, to Kilimanjaro Airport. Close to, but far enough from the bustle of Arusha. And very close to the Ngongongare Gate, Arusha National Park.

I highly recommend spending a day in Arusha National Park (separate booking), especially upon arriving in Tanzania. Arusha National Park does not have the reputation of its renowned neighbors, but we were pleasantly impressed. The park offers scenic views of Mt Meru, plentiful game viewing opportunities, an enjoyable walking safari, and a chance to observe the black-and-white Colobus monkey.

We stayed at three different facilities near Arusha (Rivertrees, KIA Lodge, and Mt Meru Hotel), two of which were booked through our Kilimanjaro climb guide company. Rivertrees Country Inn was by far our favorite of the three."

"Ndarakwai Camp is a permanent tented lodge located on the remote western flanks of Mt Kilimanjaro. Situated in the midst of Ndarakwai Ranch, an 11,000 acre private reserve, the camp prides itself on being a self-sufficient, sustainable operation integrated with the local communities. The large tents, built on raised wooden platforms under thatch roofs, with en-suite shower, wash basin and flush toilet, are well appointed and comfortable. The spacious, thatch, open air dining area was inviting and the family style meals, including locally produced vegetables, were delicious.

We enjoyed a walking safari on the ranch, where 20 years of conservation and anti-poaching efforts have successfully restored the over-grazed grasslands and revitalized the area to support wildlife populations. Today, elephant, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, waterbuck, eland, lesser kudu, impala, gerenuk, and mountain reedbuck are among the permanent residents. Although we did not see cheetah during our short visit, they are reportedly seen frequently. Lion have also been resident since 2010, but like the cheetah, did not make a cameo appearance during our visit.

Expert Africa may want to consider including Ndarakwai Camp in it's menu of offerings."

"We came to Ruaha National Park for the renowned wildlife viewing away from the crowds typical of the Serengeti, and we were not disappointed. The game drives were varied and our guides were excellent, positioning the vehicle to optimize lighting and composition of photographs. Furthermore, our guides taught us to see - animal behaviors and interactions, symbiotic relationships, birds, edible and medicinal plants... And then there were the iconic African sunsets!

Kigelia Camp is very comfortable. The thatch covered tents are well spaced providing a sense of complete privacy. The family area which we occupied consists of two spacious tents set up next to each other, a king bed in the parent’s tent and two twin beds in the children’s tent, with each tent having its own en-suite bathroom. I especially enjoyed watching the vervet monkeys playing in the sausage tree shading our tent, as I washed off the heat of the day in the thatch screened, open air bucket shower.

The camp staff had dug water holes in the sandy Ifuguru riverbed in front of our tents. These water holes attracted many colorful birds during the heat of the day, including a brown-necked parrot, as well as several animals during the morning and evening. Other notable animal sightings from the sitting area in front of our tent included a pair of bull elephants browsing in the brush beside our tent a mere 10 meters away.

The camp staff was welcoming and attentive. The meals were delicious and the evening campfire was delightful. Kigelia Camp gets my highest recommendation."

"We incorporated the Selous Game Reserve into our itinerary to include a water perspective to our Tanzania safari experience. I am glad we did. Reading several reviews on the area, my expectations were for fewer game sightings; however, this was not the case for us. Not only did we see plenty of the big animals (great lion experiences), we enjoyed seeing the birds. Ibis, egrets, herons, eagles, hornbills, weavers, owls, kingfishers, bee-eaters...

The range of activities at Kiba Point was a major factor in our decision to book. In addition to the typical driving safaris, we enjoyed an evening motor boat safari, a morning of fishing (and catching), an afternoon walking safari, and a dip in the natural hot springs. Our guide was excellent, not only in spotting game, but in educating us.

The accommodations at Kiba Point were stylish and comfortably luxurious. The thatched roof suites/cabanas are open to the Rufiji River, as is the reception and dining area, making for a spectacular setting. The sky view, cascading shower was particularly aesthetic and fun. We were entertained by the grunts and snorts of hippos as we relaxed by the dip pool in the afternoons, watching colorful little bee-eaters coming by to drink.

The open styling of the rooms contributed to an interesting night for our travelling companions. In the middle of the night their cabin became ground zero for a red safari ant invasion. Literally hundreds of thousands of ants, if not millions. Real life Indiana Jones stuff. To their credit, the camp staff managed the issue well, working through the night and the next day to rid the cabin of ants and to protect all the cabins against another invasion. And to think our travelling companions were worried about the lions that we would hear in the night!"

"Landing at Zanzibar airport, we were driven south past the Jozani Forest, the endemic home to the red colobus monkey, and on to Kizimkazi, a fishing village near the tip of Zanzibar. The driver turned onto a dirt two track road and I could not help but to believe he was lost. Then shortly we pulled up to an unassuming gate and were allowed to pass onto the Unguja Lodge property. A beautiful, giant baobab tree guarded the views as we unloaded from the car, but our jaws dropped as we entered reception. The dining area and bar, a shaded patio lounge, a lovely swimming pool, and well-manicured landscaping were back dropped by the turquoise waters of Menai Bay Conservation Area. Absolutely stunning!

We took full advantage of the water based activities – a sunset sail aboard a dhow, diving in the nearby coral reefs, and snorkeling with the bottlenose dolphin. Some reviews have argued that the snorkelers are stressing the dolphins, but my observations did not support this. The dolphin we observed could easily swim off, which he eventually did, but only after hanging out for 30 minutes playing with a sea snake that he had caught.

The villas at Unguja Lodge are open with great views and well-spaced for privacy. The rooms are unconventional and simple, but a little dark for my taste. We opted to spend our downtime around the pool and the lounge rather than in our villas. The hospitality was wonderful, as was the food."

"The Kholle House was very functional for our needs and the rooms were definitely fitting with the local culture. We had only a short time to spend in Stone Town, arriving in the early afternoon and departing for the airport at 3:30 am. The hotel staff was very accommodating with our early departure, even providing a light breakfast.

I arranged a guided city tour through the hotel concierge. Good thing, or we would have been completely lost. As it was, we were just overwhelmed. The sights, sound and smells of the local market. The weight of the historic slave market. The narrow, winding streets, some only as wide as a sidewalk. The call to prayer booming from the loud speakers atop the many mosques. The heat and humidity. The beckoning of shop keepers. The chaos.

I am grateful for the experience, but I am glad it was only one day. I was eager to return to the tranquility of the bush."

"We arrived late into Tafika after a long day of travel, and were warmly greeted by the camp owners, John and Carol, and welcomed to the dinner table. I can’t say enough about the hospitality we received during our stay.

We stayed in the family chalet, a comfortable, practical two room reed and thatch unit situated under a shady sausage tree. Just as comfortable was the lounge and reception area. Our evening meals started with cocktails around the campfire before being seated at a lovely table set up under the stars. It was the dead of winter, so to speak, during our visit, so evenings were chilly. I was thoroughly impressed with the way the staff used hot coals to keep the underside of the dining tables warm.

We enjoyed two great driving safaris, a morning drive along the river and an evening drive out to the Nsefu salt pan that transitioned to a night drive returning to Tafika. The wildlife was abundant and we especially enjoyed two intimate leopard experiences.

Crocodile Bushcamp and Chikoko Tree Camp are satellite walking safari camps associated with Tafika. The 6 km / 3.5 mile walks between camps were relaxed and unhurried, though walking across areas with dried hippo footprints required some concentration. Our experienced walking safari guides, Isaac and Bryan, were excellent teachers educating us on details of the animals, birds and traditional uses of the local trees and plants. Unfortunately, wildlife was scarce on our walks. However, we did enjoy watching elephants, puku, impala, kudu, and baboons from the elevated vantage point of our tent at Chikoko Tree Camp. We sought off after a small pride of lions that were frequenting the area near Crocodile Camp during our afternoon walk. They were close by, as we could hear them across the dry riverbed, but twilight was fast approaching and we had to return to the safety of camp. I don’t know if I was disappointed or relieved at missing the opportunity to see the lions on foot.

Crocodile Bushcamp is simple, but the tents are clean and comfortable. The staff was attentive and the food was delicious.

Chikoko Tree Camp is more elegant than Crocodile, but still has a remote bush feel. The tent platforms built up into the trees made this camp special. Again, the staff was attentive and the food was delicious.

If I could have a do over in planning my itinerary after the fact, I would have added another night at Tafika and settled for one day walking safari at Chikoko Tree Camp, simply for the game viewing opportunities. Had we seen the lions while walking at Crocodile, perhaps my enthusiasm for the walking safaris would be different."

"Crocodile Bushcamp is simple, but the tents are clean and comfortable. The staff was attentive and the food was delicious.

Crocodile Bushcamp and Chikoko Tree Camp are satellite walking safari camps associated with Tafika. The 6 km / 3.5 mile walks between camps were relaxed and unhurried, though walking across areas with dried hippo footprints required some concentration. Our experienced walking safari guides, Isaac and Bryan, were excellent teachers educating us on details of the animals, birds and traditional uses of the local trees and plants. Unfortunately, wildlife was scarce on our walks. However, we did enjoy watching elephants, puku, impala, kudu, and baboons from the elevated vantage point of our tent at Chikoko Tree Camp.

We sought off after a small pride of lions that were frequenting the area near Crocodile Camp during our afternoon walk. They were close by, as we could hear them across the dry riverbed, but twilight was fast approaching and we had to return to the safety of camp. I don’t know if I was disappointed or relieved at missing the opportunity to see the lions on foot.

If I could have a do over in planning my itinerary after the fact, I would have added another night at Tafika and settled for one day walking safari at Chikoko Tree Camp, simply for the game viewing opportunities. Had we seen the lions while walking at Crocodile, perhaps my enthusiasm for the walking safaris would be different."

"Chikoko Tree Camp is more elegant than Crocodile, but still has a remote bush feel. The tent platforms built up into the trees made this camp special. Again, the staff was attentive and the food was delicious.

Crocodile Bushcamp and Chikoko Tree Camp are satellite walking safari camps associated with Tafika. The 6 km / 3.5 mile walks between camps were relaxed and unhurried, though walking across areas with dried hippo footprints required some concentration. Our experienced walking safari guides, Isaac and Bryan, were excellent teachers educating us on details of the animals, birds and traditional uses of the local trees and plants. Unfortunately, wildlife was scarce on our walks.

However, we did enjoy watching elephants, puku, impala, kudu, and baboons from the elevated vantage point of our tent at Chikoko Tree Camp. We sought off after a small pride of lions that were frequenting the area near Crocodile Camp during our afternoon walk. They were close by, as we could hear them across the dry riverbed, but twilight was fast approaching and we had to return to the safety of camp. I don’t know if I was disappointed or relieved at missing the opportunity to see the lions on foot.

If I could have a do over in planning my itinerary after the fact, I would have added another night at Tafika and settled for one day walking safari at Chikoko Tree Camp, simply for the game viewing opportunities. Had we seen the lions while walking at Crocodile, perhaps my enthusiasm for the walking safaris would be different."

"Chongwe River Camp was one of our favorites. The accommodations were very comfortable, the staff was friendly and welcoming, the meals were lovely, delicious and tasty, the “surprises” were classy, the range of activities was varied, and the guiding was excellent.

The roomy tented cabins are well spaced providing a sense of complete privacy. Hippos, elephants and baboons are uninhibited by the camp layout and move freely through camp to the Chongwe River at its confluence with the mighty Zambezi River. Sunrise, looking out across the languid Chongwe from the sitting area in front of our cabin while sipping coffee, was exceptional.

We enjoyed plentiful game on our driving safaris, including a leopard with an impala kill, a mating pair of lions, and amazing elephant encounters. Canoeing on the Chongwe was a great way to experience the river, giving a humbling perspective as to the size of the crocodiles basking on the shore, as well as an opportunity to observe the monitor lizards and water birds. Tiger fishing on the Zambezi was supposedly running a little slow (October is reportedly the best time), but we managed to land several nice sized fish, including a 17 pounder, whilst losing more than we caught. The hike to Chongwe Falls and bream fishing below the falls was an unexpected highlight."

"Victoria Falls are magnificent. Pictures, postcards, and even documentaries do not adequately capture the grandeur of the falls that you experience being there getting drenched in the mist blowing up from the gorge, the continuous deep reverberating thunder felt throughout your entire body.

The falls are just a short, safe walk from the Zambezi Sun property. Otherwise, the western resort style hotel is nothing special. In all fairness, though, my style is more adventurous, preferring remote bush camps. The Zambezi Sun was clean and the rooms were brightly decorated, the breakfast was good, and the staff was helpful."

"We originally were trying to book three nights at Savute Under Canvas, but could only secure two nights. Accordingly we filled the remaining night at the sister camp, Chobe Under Canvas. I regret only being able to spend one night as the game viewing and guiding were excellent.

Reading the reviews on Chobe National Park, I expected the northern Chobe River area to be busy. I had visions of ten land cruisers jostling to get a view of a lion sighting. While we did experience more traffic, including several private vehicles, the area was not nearly as crowded as I had feared. Furthermore, the additional activity did not impact the game viewing. We particularly enjoyed observing a couple of male lions challenging for a pride, the social interactions of chacma baboons, migrating elephants at the river, as well as herds of tsessebe antelope and majestic sable antelope at a watering hole.

The mobile camps have an advantage over the lodges located outside of the park with respect to time spent observing the wildlife. Chobe National Park regulations require all vehicles to be out of the park or back at camp by a designated time. This meant that all the vehicles operated by lodges based outside of the park started pulling out a good 30 minutes before us. This was especially appreciated when watching the lions, as they start becoming more active later in the evening.

The &Beyond mobile camps are very comfortable and the staff are extremely accommodating. I was very impressed with the ability of the staff to move the camp every five days, or even more frequently as bookings and park regulations mandate. The meals, served under an open sided tent, were fresh and delicious - quite a feat given the remote locations and the mobile nature of the camp."

"The Savuti Marsh, home to the BBC documentary “Giant Killers,” a pride of lions that hunts elephants, and the “Fishing Leopard,” a mother leopard that teaches her cubs to eat catfish. I was thrilled to be here and had high expectations for phenomenal game viewing. Unfortunately, the wildlife did not get the memo that we were coming. A dry cold front passed the day we arrived, and perhaps that kept the game in hiding.

I want to give our guide full credit for doing everything in his power to find game - extending the evening and morning game drives, taking advantage of his relationship with the BBC filming crews in the area, coordinating with other guides... Nobody was seeing anything. I got a new appreciation of just how exceptional the documentaries are. Countless days spent observing the game for that brief moment of special footage.

On our second and final evening game drive, our perseverance paid off. We spotted a Denham’s bustard, scarce in Botswana, especially during the time of year we visited. The highlight of the evening, though, was a pack of wild dogs hunting impala. The curse had been broken. Taking the long way to the airstrip the following morning, game was plentiful including elephants, kudu, wildebeest, buffalo, giraffe, and the fishing leopard (distinguishable by a notch on her left ear)!

The &Beyond mobile camps are very comfortable and the staff are extremely accommodating. I was very impressed with the ability of the staff to move the camp every five days, or even more frequently as bookings and park regulations mandate. The meals, served under an open sided tent, were fresh and delicious - quite a feat given the remote locations and the mobile nature of the camp."

"We were greeted with singing and dancing on arrival at Kanana, and the emphasis on service never diminished during our stay. The meals were excellent and, on a couple of occasions, served remotely under the stars.

The tented chalets, set on elevated wooden platforms, are spacious and very comfortable. Views out across the water from the front veranda of our chalet are superb. The reception/dining area, built around a strangler fig, is open and inviting. And sunsets are postcard perfect.

Kanana staff set up a sleeping platform overlooking a seasonal marsh where we were fortunate enough to be able to spend one night, with only mosquito netting separating us from the stars. This much adventure may not be for everyone, but for our family it was delightful.

Activities at Kanana were varied and the guiding was exceptional. Our game drives were very good, observing elephant, giraffe, lechwe, tsessebe, impala, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, African hawk eagle, wattled crane... and most memorable, a lioness suckling two cubs! In addition to game drives, we enjoyed a combination mokoro and walking safari, a morning walking safari (honey badger!), boating safaris through the grass and reed waterways out to a pelican rookery (elephant, hippos, crocodile, otters!, pelicans, storks, kingfishers, African jacana...), and an afternoon of fishing (bream, tilapia, catfish, and African pike highlighted by an African fish eagle making a catch near our boat).

We enjoyed ourselves immensely at Kanana and give it our highest recommendation."

"Safe, convenient airport hotel."

"Grootbos Garden Lodge was exquisite. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. The staff was very accommodating and helpful. The local guiding was cheerful and knowledgeable. And the cuisine was simply outstanding.

We enjoyed the archeology and the views from the Klipgat Cave tour, watching southern right whales in Walker Bay, as well as the natural fynbos vegetation and gardens around the lodge.

A storm system made a windy mess of our plans to be out on the water and generally shut down all activities around the game reserve. Based on our interests, the staff recommended a two hour drive out to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa. It is not a standard recommendation as it makes for a long day trip, but it was a way to make lemonade out of a day of lemons.

We were able to get in a morning shark cage dive on our departure day. Groobos staff kindly held our bags, let us shower and fed us a fabulous lunch even though the dive ran well past check out time.

Grootbos was a fantastic finale to our African safari adventure."