Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs P from Toronto

"We loved the design and comfort of Tafika. It had a very traditional African feel and it was clear that the family who have run Tafika for so many years have been extremely thoughtful in their design, for instance, the toilet was separated from the bedroom area, unlike some other camps. The family who own Tafika are most gracious and generous with their time. The food was excellent and there was so much choice: It is the perfect camp for people who want fruit and vegetables as they have 2 huge gardens with diverse vegetables and papaya trees and everything tastes super-fresh. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t also many choices for meat lovers. We had quite good game sightings, for instance a huge family of lions and lion cubs, but there were periods where sightings were sparce. Part of the reason is that this camp is deliberately and thoughtfully old-school, and decisions were taken not to have loud communication between jeeps. So even if one sometimes does not see as much, the atmosphere is calm, peaceful and authentic."

"When we were there the water that I believe might be in front of the camp had dried up so it did not have the beauty of Tafika or Big Lagoon. Also the walk from Chikoko to Big Lagoon was challenging during our time there as the dried mud contained deep footprints of elephants and hippos which made the terrain very rough. As we are an in our 70s we did not want to fall so we spent much of our time looking down rather than looking up for animals."

"We loved this camp. There were only 3 chalets and each room had a most beautiful view over the lagoon. The rooms were planned so well, not only for privacy but inside the room there was masses of space/shelving to keep one’s belongings well-organized. Like Tafika the toilet was well-hidden, but the sink/basin was a wonderful feature – totally open to the lagoon so that in the early morning one brushed one’s teeth etc looking out over a magical sunrise. The food was excellent and it was fascinating to tour the kitchen where the chef uses traditional village ways to cook. He also has a very small garden in the “kitchen area” plus daily receives very fresh fruit and vegetables from Tafika. Incredible to be in such a remote place with the freshest fruit and vegetables. The only negative were the mosquitoes and tsetse flies, but there are mosquito nets, and if one sprays oneself often, the open nature of the accommodation is well worth it."

"Cons: After the careful, thoughtful design of Big Lagoon/Tafika, the accommodation at Old Mondoro is lacking. For instance, it is not easy to hang one’s towels very close to the sink/basin, there is a shortage of hooks, the outside shower has a wall which for shorter people blocks the view, and the outside area is dominated by a bath which few people use. The bath is open to the sky and leaves are constantly falling in it. Our accommodation faced West and the afternoon heat was very challenging. These are a few “cons,” but the “pros” are very many.
Pros: The area is beautiful and game viewing was absolutely remarkable! Our guide, Mweni, was exceptional and we had some of the best animal sightings on the game drives that we have ever experienced. Furthermore, from our balcony we could closely watch elephants having a mudbath, with interesting animal behaviour such as an older sister pushing a baby elephant away so she could have her turn, and the baby elephant showing his unhappiness and stubbornly trying to return. The wild dog sightings were also extraordinary."

"This “gracious lady” of an hotel is an old favourite of ours. We love the large green lawn and the calm and peaceful atmosphere it engenders. The buffets -breakfast as well as dinner while one watches a traditional show – are excellent. The dinner choice of desserts e.g. crème brulee and cheesecake are not to be missed. A negative is that the shortcut path at the bottom of the lawn which brought one very close to the Victoria Falls, has been closed as the increased elephant activity now makes it too dangerous. One now has to walk all the way around. Also, prepare for a very high cost to get into the area where the Falls are."

"Little Vumbura is a beautiful camp where one is constantly aware of the water. It is situated on a very small island so there are attractive reeds and waterlilies all over the place. Each time one arrives or returns from a game drive one takes a short boat ride. The shift from landrover to boat is seamless as one's guide also drives the boat. The boat ride is comfortable and relaxing and one is often watching magnificent sunrises and sunsets over the reeds as one departs or arrives back at camp. The emphasis is very much on the water activities and experiencing the Okavango Delta rather than the landrover rides. We did not see the exciting predator action that we experienced at the next camp but rather enjoyed the water birds, the water lilies and the incredible beauty.

One afternoon we did a Mokoro trip which was blissfully peaceful with a surprise which I won't spoil. Another afternoon we went on the motor boat to really experience how the delta turns and twists. We only saw waterbirds (which we enjoy viewing) but the next day other guests saw a hippo. The view from the tents is beautiful and many animals can be seen around the camp.

In terms of the camp itself, the staff are friendly and wonderfully caring, and the food is good. At the camp there was a young man who had grown up in a San family in the Kalahari desert. We found him fascinating to talk to and when we mentioned that to our guide, the camp arranged for him to provide a demonstration of how to make fire by rubbing two sticks of wood together. It added a most interesting and special "cultural" element for all of the guests and we felt very privileged to experience our time with him.

The swimming pool was the only slight weakness. I believe at Vumbura itself each tent has its own plunge pool, but at Little Vumbura it is a shared pool which doesn't have much shade, doesn't have a great view, and did not seems very enticing. We rather sat on our large verandah with a comfortable chaise lounge and views of animals and the reeds and water. There is not an outside shower although the shower has a really huge picture window with a great view so one doesn't really miss it actually being outdoors. Note that there are a lot of midges and some mosquitoes but the camp provides repellant."

"This is a wonderful camp with very good game viewing. We saw many predators and as we love animal behaviour we could follow their "stories" drive after drive.

The staff at the camp were so warm and friendly that after our two nights there we felt they were our friends. Our guide was very experienced and knowledgeable.

It is a fairly dry area with excellent plains for easy game viewing and there were few periods when we weren't watching animals. On the eastern side there is a very long and very wet area incredibly rich with plains animals as far as the eye can see.

It was very hot in the afternoons and the shared small pool had comfortable chairs and a huge shady area which was greatly appreciated."

"Part comfortable beautiful boutique hotel, part little farm with grapes and ostriches.

What a gem of a lodge! We have stayed here about 6 times on our way from Johannesburg to the Kgalagadi and back again and love it more each time. It has every city comfort but also a feel of the country: It overlooks the Orange River and the Veld in the front, and one can go on a 10-15 minute walk up the very long driveway and back, feeling perfectly safe, and looking over the beautiful vineyard on one side, a fruit farm with masses of hadidas on the other side, and ostriches in pens at the end of the driveway (even saw an ostrich egg on the ground).

Dinner is delicious (but must be booked before) and breakfast is good (other than the lack of seedy, wholewheat bread). Rooms have a kitchenette with sink and microwave, and proper milk for tea or coffee. The showers are a bit of a problem - certainly in rooms 2, 3, and 4, as the drain is very slow and the water can overflow so one needs to take a quick shower.

Finally, the staff are a total pleasure, each one sweeter than the next. Already looking forward to our next visit."

"Urikuruus is in an area rich in game."

"Pros: It feels even more remote than Grootkolk. Great nightlife sightings at the waterholes: Jackals and owls drinking and playing and bonding all night, plus other game if one is lucky.

Cons: A long drive with little game to see and the last part of the drive out is very challenging, with hills, deep sand, and potholes all at the same time. Once there, all one can do is stay put, looking out at the waterhole, as the drive out and back is one way only and way too long to do comfortably in one day. There are a couple of hours in the day when most of one's deck is in the sun."

"Someone we met suggested Bitterpan, so it was our request not that of Expert Africa!

A really challenging and long drive to get to Bitterpan. Lowering one's tire pressure even lower than on the general sand roads, certainly helps. Very little game. Bitterpan is for people who love space and silence and can endure major discomfort for it, such as: someone in the tent next door snoring, beating sun with few places for shade, one's own bathroom but across the joint passage, communal cooking or using one's own barbecue in front of one's tent but unpleasant as no table, water etc."

"Location is excellent as a bushcamp but just a few minutes drive from Mata Mata where one can get internet, gas and some supplies.

Waterhole is not very visible."

"Reviewed above"