Travel reviews by Ms N from London
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
2
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
7
Excursions taken
1
My Aug 2018 trip
Kenya between 23 Aug 2018 and 31 Aug 2018
"My trip was brilliant!
Combining Kicheche Laikipia and Kicheche Mara provided variety and also continuity in their shared ethos of commitment to the animals, environment, local community and to their guests being cared for and to providing the best possible guiding experience. Both conservancies offer lovely landscape and a great variety and number of animals.
Expert Africa (Richard!) organized the trip so well and thoroughly that, travelling alone, I felt continually looked after."
Combining Kicheche Laikipia and Kicheche Mara provided variety and also continuity in their shared ethos of commitment to the animals, environment, local community and to their guests being cared for and to providing the best possible guiding experience. Both conservancies offer lovely landscape and a great variety and number of animals.
Expert Africa (Richard!) organized the trip so well and thoroughly that, travelling alone, I felt continually looked after."
Arranged By Richard Trillo
Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport
"Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport review"
1 night
Arrived
23 Aug 2018
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Kicheche Laikipia
"Kicheche Laikipia review"
3 nights
Arrived
24 Aug 2018
"This was my third stay at Kicheche Laikipia so needless to say I love it.
Physically it is delightful, with a proper camp feel (and a body of water in front to attract animals) and at the same time beautifully decorated. The staff are all very friendly and welcoming and the small size creates a lovely group atmosphere at shared meals. Often guests are combining Laikipia with other Kicheche camps so there's a lot of cross over talk which gives a feeling of being part of the Kicheche 'family'. The food is great - in variety and taste.
There is a wide variety of animals, though some effort was needed to find the cats - but we did have the unusual spectacle of a cheetah tucked away in the bush eating its kill. There is a den near the camp which allows extensive viewing of the interaction of hyenas and their pups (on a previous occasion it was occupied by a pack of wild dogs with pups which we spent hours watching).
It's a great place for rhino lovers - we had six sightings on one day. As with all Kicheche camps the guiding is superb - finding the animals, positioning the vehicle to best see and photograph them, and staying out all morning with a picnic breakfast so you spend almost all of your day actually on safari. The extra thoughtfulness towards guests' experience showed in them making two hour long journeys to take myself and another guest separately to the airport when we were on different flights so neither of us had to wait there for two hours."
Physically it is delightful, with a proper camp feel (and a body of water in front to attract animals) and at the same time beautifully decorated. The staff are all very friendly and welcoming and the small size creates a lovely group atmosphere at shared meals. Often guests are combining Laikipia with other Kicheche camps so there's a lot of cross over talk which gives a feeling of being part of the Kicheche 'family'. The food is great - in variety and taste.
There is a wide variety of animals, though some effort was needed to find the cats - but we did have the unusual spectacle of a cheetah tucked away in the bush eating its kill. There is a den near the camp which allows extensive viewing of the interaction of hyenas and their pups (on a previous occasion it was occupied by a pack of wild dogs with pups which we spent hours watching).
It's a great place for rhino lovers - we had six sightings on one day. As with all Kicheche camps the guiding is superb - finding the animals, positioning the vehicle to best see and photograph them, and staying out all morning with a picnic breakfast so you spend almost all of your day actually on safari. The extra thoughtfulness towards guests' experience showed in them making two hour long journeys to take myself and another guest separately to the airport when we were on different flights so neither of us had to wait there for two hours."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Kicheche Mara
"Kicheche Mara review"
3 nights
Arrived
27 Aug 2018
"Kicheche Mara feels the most like a bush camp of the Kicheche camps in its somewhat simpler tents and decor and and there are always animals close by or passing through in the night (including the occasional elephant preventing you getting to your tent after dinner). It is set in beautiful green country and is part of a huge conservancy with the whole range of landscape and thus animals.
The staff are exceptionally friendly, welcoming and attentive. I stayed there briefly 3 years ago with my grandson and every staff member who was there then remembered us and our time with them and asked about him. The relief manager was excellent and went out of her way to be inclusive and helpful and the permanent manager was terrific in celebrating the honeymoon of two of the guests. The food was delicious.
Our guide was excellent in his knowledgeable tracking and positioning - several times amazing us with where he drove off to only to find the animals heading straight in our direction. He felt very committed to giving us the best animal viewing and at the same time to the welfare of the animals. There was a great variety of animals and we saw many lions and cheetahs (though we missed the leopards)."
The staff are exceptionally friendly, welcoming and attentive. I stayed there briefly 3 years ago with my grandson and every staff member who was there then remembered us and our time with them and asked about him. The relief manager was excellent and went out of her way to be inclusive and helpful and the permanent manager was terrific in celebrating the honeymoon of two of the guests. The food was delicious.
Our guide was excellent in his knowledgeable tracking and positioning - several times amazing us with where he drove off to only to find the animals heading straight in our direction. He felt very committed to giving us the best animal viewing and at the same time to the welfare of the animals. There was a great variety of animals and we saw many lions and cheetahs (though we missed the leopards)."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Safari in Maasai Mara National Reserve
"Safari in Maasai Mara National Reserve review"
29 Aug 2018 • All-day excursion
We went to the Reserve in hopes of seeing a Crossing which we were lucky enough to watch after waiting about two hours while they moved towards the river then back again.
Whenever the animals seemed ready to start several other jeeps would rush forward and the herds would retreat. Our guide moved us down river to avoid harassing the animals and to give us a good cross view from leaping off then swimming across then climbing out - but it did mean we were a little far away.
It was not a huge number of animals but enough to be a proper Crossing and to give a real sense of the dilemmas and power of it and to get very caught up in the fortunes of individual wildebeest and zebra. We didn't see alot of other animals on the way through the Reserve - though we all agreed not to search as it was a long drive.
Whenever the animals seemed ready to start several other jeeps would rush forward and the herds would retreat. Our guide moved us down river to avoid harassing the animals and to give us a good cross view from leaping off then swimming across then climbing out - but it did mean we were a little far away.
It was not a huge number of animals but enough to be a proper Crossing and to give a real sense of the dilemmas and power of it and to get very caught up in the fortunes of individual wildebeest and zebra. We didn't see alot of other animals on the way through the Reserve - though we all agreed not to search as it was a long drive.
This was a truly magical experience
Zambia between 24 Aug 2016 and 2 Sep 2016
"The joy of being in the wilderness is superb in the South Luwangwa Valley - empty of people and full of animals and atmosphere.
The river brings a powerful sense of life to the surroundings, as well, of course, as bringing all the life of animals in and around it. The regular night drives are spectacular with the variety and number of animals we saw - leopards every night, prides of lions, porcupines, grazing hippos.
The hides at Nsefu and especially at Mwamba gave an unsurpassed experience of closeness and connection with the animals. And the Zambian guides who know every inch of the terrain and every creature were wonderful - so relaxed and friendly and generous of themselves and their expertise.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No suggestions for improvement because everything was as great as it could possibly have been.
Chris was, of course, exceptionally knowledgeable and helpful and generous with his time in the original planning of the trip.
Megan Ingoldby was very efficient and following up with the detailed planning and bookings etc. And when Megan left Claire picked it up and helped us beautifully - and spectacularly in the instance of our missed flight - so full accolades to her for instantaneous responsiveness and effectiveness! And I think we have several other members of staff whose names we don't know to profusely thank for that too. And thanks to Claire and all of you for not once letting out the slightest suggestion that we were the complete idiots that we were!"
The river brings a powerful sense of life to the surroundings, as well, of course, as bringing all the life of animals in and around it. The regular night drives are spectacular with the variety and number of animals we saw - leopards every night, prides of lions, porcupines, grazing hippos.
The hides at Nsefu and especially at Mwamba gave an unsurpassed experience of closeness and connection with the animals. And the Zambian guides who know every inch of the terrain and every creature were wonderful - so relaxed and friendly and generous of themselves and their expertise.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No suggestions for improvement because everything was as great as it could possibly have been.
Chris was, of course, exceptionally knowledgeable and helpful and generous with his time in the original planning of the trip.
Megan Ingoldby was very efficient and following up with the detailed planning and bookings etc. And when Megan left Claire picked it up and helped us beautifully - and spectacularly in the instance of our missed flight - so full accolades to her for instantaneous responsiveness and effectiveness! And I think we have several other members of staff whose names we don't know to profusely thank for that too. And thanks to Claire and all of you for not once letting out the slightest suggestion that we were the complete idiots that we were!"
Arranged By Claire Scott
Nsefu
"Superb Safari at Nsefu"
2 nights
Arrived
25 Aug 2016
"The first and main thing to say is how absolutely wonderful the South Luanga National Park is - stunningly beautiful and (perhaps particularly in this sector and at this time of year) full of animals. The opportunity to have night drives every day is great - we saw an astonishing number and range of animals.
The location of Nsefu Camp is breathtaking - the whole camp is right on the river with broad sweeping views of it and the animals in and crossing the water. The water hole was a great attraction for every kind of antelope and lots of warthogs and the hide meant many animals came to within inches of us. It was such a treat to see the usually skittish antelope be so relaxed and watch them so closely and for so long. The food was delicious and the camp was run beautifully. Our guide was fantastic - so experienced and extensively knowledgeable and very attuned to our wishes (what we wanted to see, how long we wanted to stay, how much information we wanted) and was very good company.
If the camp had been full we might have found the rondavels too close to have the full in-the-wilderness experience and we do prefer the more open feel of a tent - but in fact we spent so little time inside it hardly mattered and they are very attractively done and the outdoor bathroom opens them out very well."
The location of Nsefu Camp is breathtaking - the whole camp is right on the river with broad sweeping views of it and the animals in and crossing the water. The water hole was a great attraction for every kind of antelope and lots of warthogs and the hide meant many animals came to within inches of us. It was such a treat to see the usually skittish antelope be so relaxed and watch them so closely and for so long. The food was delicious and the camp was run beautifully. Our guide was fantastic - so experienced and extensively knowledgeable and very attuned to our wishes (what we wanted to see, how long we wanted to stay, how much information we wanted) and was very good company.
If the camp had been full we might have found the rondavels too close to have the full in-the-wilderness experience and we do prefer the more open feel of a tent - but in fact we spent so little time inside it hardly mattered and they are very attractively done and the outdoor bathroom opens them out very well."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Robin Pope Safaris bush-camp
"Robin Pope Safaris bush-camp review"
1 night
Arrived
27 Aug 2016
"We had a terrific bushcamping experience.
It was extremely well organized, very comfortable, and our guide was excellent - again good company and wonderfully experienced and knowledgeable - and again he judged our interests and capabilities very well."
It was extremely well organized, very comfortable, and our guide was excellent - again good company and wonderfully experienced and knowledgeable - and again he judged our interests and capabilities very well."
Excellent
Nsefu
"Nsefu review"
1 night
Arrived
28 Aug 2016
"The first and main thing to say is how absolutely wonderful South Luangwa Valley is! Utterly beautiful and (perhaps particularly in this sector and during the dry season) amazingly full of animals. Being able to have night drives every day was terrific - we saw an astonishing number and variety of animals.
Nsefu has a breathtaking location - it is right on the water and has sweeping views of the river and the animals in and crossing it. The camp was extremely well run and the food was delicious. Our guide was really excellent - years of experience and such depth of knowledge and well attuned to our interests (what we wanted to see, how long to stay, how much information) and very good company!
If the camp had been full the closeness of the rondavels might have detracted from our sense of being out in the wilderness, and we prefer the open feel of tents, but they were very comfortable and the open-air bathroom makes them feel more spacious."
Nsefu has a breathtaking location - it is right on the water and has sweeping views of the river and the animals in and crossing it. The camp was extremely well run and the food was delicious. Our guide was really excellent - years of experience and such depth of knowledge and well attuned to our interests (what we wanted to see, how long to stay, how much information) and very good company!
If the camp had been full the closeness of the rondavels might have detracted from our sense of being out in the wilderness, and we prefer the open feel of tents, but they were very comfortable and the open-air bathroom makes them feel more spacious."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Mwamba Bushcamp
"Wonderful Wilderness Experience at Mwamba"
3 nights
Arrived
29 Aug 2016
"We loved the remote, part-of-the-bush feel of Mwamba - thanks to the wilderness setting and the size, open-air style, and materials of the camp.
We saw an extraordinary number and range of animals on our game drives and night drives. And we had a great guide - deeply familiar and knowledgable about the area and the animals and very lively in sharing it all with us and a very good companion.
One of the most spectacular animal experiences we've ever had was in the hide - sitting 3 feet from animals one is otherwise never able to get (and stay!) near and watching them for long periods in perfectly natural behaviour: elephants, various antelope, baboons, wart hogs, flocks of birds. I"
We saw an extraordinary number and range of animals on our game drives and night drives. And we had a great guide - deeply familiar and knowledgable about the area and the animals and very lively in sharing it all with us and a very good companion.
One of the most spectacular animal experiences we've ever had was in the hide - sitting 3 feet from animals one is otherwise never able to get (and stay!) near and watching them for long periods in perfectly natural behaviour: elephants, various antelope, baboons, wart hogs, flocks of birds. I"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
I then spent the early evening there waiting for my late flight. They couldn't have been more respectful, friendly and helpful even though I was in grubby safari gear and not an overnight guest (including letting me use their computer to check into BA). My supper in the café was very good.
Spending the spare time there was extremely useful since the hotel is inside the airport's security area so I was able to go through the airport's perimeter security checks outside peak time - once you are in the hotel you just need to use its transfer van (which was easy and reliable) for the few minutes to get to the terminal."