Travel reviews by Mr N & Ms S from Zambia

"This was the first time we had stayed at the Crowne Plaza (which was not there when we have previously visited Kenya). There is no question other than that it is very convenient for late evening arrivals (2205 in our case) and early morning departures (although we did not use it for such this trip).

The hotel is modern and well-fitted - and the sound-proofing, importantly for an airport hotel, is good. We did not eat on arrival but we did join our friends, who had flown in from Europe, in the bar as they clearly enjoyed a bite of supper. Breakfast the following morning was good - a buffet with a decent range of choices."

"I make no apology for recycling a title we used for our previous trip to a private concession outside the Masai Mara NP, as part of the purpose of opting for the North Mara Conservancy was to enjoy the area's superb wildlife without encountering the sort of numbers who are generally to be found inside the NP's boundaries. We were certainly not disappointed on either count, ie the wildlife or the relative absence of other parties.

For some years now, 'safari' for us has generally meant out-of-the-way places and 'non-mainstream' wildlife (especially, but far from exclusively, the birds), in particular now that we are based in Zambia. But the past quarter saw something of a shift back to 'the old days', culminating with arguably the most conventional safari destination of all, ie the Mara! And largely not about birds as we shared most of our time with friends from Europe for whom this was a first safari experience.

For us, this was a fantastic reminder of some of the things - megafauna, rolling savannah etc - which make this continent very special indeed.

In this we were greatly aided by our excellent guide, Saruni, whose skills include an outstanding knack of anticipating an animal and pre-placing his vehicle in absolutely the best photography spot (though whether this is cause or effect of the work he has done with celebrity wildlife photographer Jonathan Scott was not clear to us). He also proved himself to be a good walking guide when we quit the truck on a couple of occasions. Thanks to his efforts we ID-ed 32 mammal species in all and over 130 bird.

As for the camp itself, it is comfortable and well-run. We actually changed tents during our time there in order to help out other guests who wanted an easier walk to the communal areas. Our first accommodation, Punda, was spacious as well as well-appointed; but we preferred the slightly smaller Twiga, which we moved to, for its location in a wooded area well-populated by birds.

We were pleased to see lots of fruit with breakfast, whether in the camp or out in the bush; and plentiful salads with lunch. Dinners were better than decent too and the staff reacted quickly and appropriately to any special requests as far as we could see.

All the staff we had dealings with were friendly and helpful; we would single out particularly co-manager Tony and also make special mention of the team in housekeeping, not least for quickly sorting out a minor problem for us at 2200 one evening.

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Extra comments about our guide at Kicheche Mara:

By any standards, Saruni is a very good guide indeed. Personable, enthusiastic and knowledgeable with a real knack for pre-positioning his vehicle perfectly for photography or just enjoying the best possible view of a star attraction.

We took a private guide for our final day so we could walk, rather than truck, and devote our attention primarily to birds. It was money very well spent."

"Perched just far enough above the risen waters of Lake Baringo on its western side, Tumbili Cliff Lodge is an excellent location from which to enjoy both the lake itself and the wider vegetation, wildlife and scenery of this particular section of the Rift Valley.

The accommodation is comfortable (even if the circular beds are a little kitsch!). Meals were all very enjoyable - plentiful food, well cooked with lots of vegetables and fruit plus, other than our first night when we were the only guests, a decent range of choices at the buffet. It would, however, be good if one or two better wines were added to the drinks list.

The lodge is very well run by Elijah, the manager, and all the staff we met were friendly, helpful and efficient, perhaps especially Samson who runs the bar and restaurant.

The main purpose of our stay here was birding in which we were greatly assisted by our local guide, Titus Kangor (who is a freelance associated with, rather than employed by, the lodge). With his help we logged over 120 bird species including over a dozen lifers. We were particularly impressed by his searching out of the slender-tailed nightjar and several owl species. Titus has a genuine enthusiasm for Kenya's birdlife and is certainly very knowledgable about the species to be found around Lake Baringo and where exactly to locate them. We very much enjoyed his company and benefitted from his guiding abilities.

We made two boat trips during our stay, piloted by Jonah who clearly has a deep knowledge of the lake. The second took us to an island in the conservation area near the eastern shore which has a population of the endangered Rothschild's (or Baringo) Giraffe; well worth a visit.

We also took advantage of the impressive astronomical telescope at the Lodge, which we commend highly to anyone visiting there."

"Although we have stayed at Ole-Sereni several times before this was our first two-night stopover and therefore the first time we had had dinner there. We chose to dine in the Eagle Restaurant on the top floor and found it to be excellent - good food and an appropriate wine list to accompany, coupled by quality service.

As it happens breakfast (which we have missed more often than we have partaken thereof) the following morning was also in the Eagle thanks to renovation work in the normal restaurant; again, excellent especially coupled with daylight views across the Nairobi NP.

Other than this, suffice it to say that we specifically asked to be put in the Ole-Sereni for our stay in Nairobi based on past experience and would have no hesitation doing so again especially once the wholesale rebuilding currently in the pipeline is concluded"

"Overall, we enjoyed our two night stay at the Farmhouse. It is in an excellent location right next to the West Coast National Park; and we had a great room with views to the west and north across the bay. The restaurant too was very enjoyable - good food and good service. We shall almost certainly stay there again.

All this being said, we did encounter a number of problems which came down to below par service (outside the restaurant). For the most part these were individually trivial; but the failure even to address the serious problem with our shower after we had reported it to reception on the morning of the 14th was not. The other problems we encountered were, in our view, consistent in essence to the point where we were forced to question the ex-restaurant culture of service as a whole.

We have emailed a formal complaint to Village & Life (copied to Expert Africa) as the management in situ did not seem to be overly concerned by this failure beyond platitudes from a receptionist; at the time of writing this commentary, we await a reply.

We would add that the deficiencies we encountered at The Farmhouse were not consistent with our (one) previous experience of Village & Life properties."

"Annie's Cottage was one of two or three suggestions put to us by Expert Africa, who described it as 'quirky'. We have no hesitation in confirming that it was a good recommendation and a good description.

Our room was comfortable and, importantly for the time or year, warm. Breakfasts were most enjoyable. The service was consistently good, and Annie herself is disarmingly charming. On the Cottage's recommendation we dined each evening we were there at the Herb Garden - another good recommendation.

We were in Namaqualand for the flower season which was a little disappointing given the poor rains in July. But we still greatly enjoyed our time in the area making the trip not only worthwhile in its own right but also a good fact-finding experience for getting our timing better for a return. For example, we discovered that a 4WD is really essential to explore Namaqua NP to the full."

"The Ole Sereni is our regular overnighter flying into Nairobi late evening, as we did again this trip.

As we arrived there just before 2300 and left again for Wilson Airport at 0600 the following morning there is little one can say other than (a) it is very convenient for both airports, (b) our room was comfortable, and (c) our packed breakfast (included in the room charge as we were B&B rate) was perfectly adequate.

Sadly, we were not there long enough to enjoy the excellent views across the underrated Nairobi NP from the hotel's breakfast terrace."

"Amboseli is, of course, best known (and rightly so) for its iconic vistas and wonderful elephants. But it should also be highly rated for its birdlife, the primary aim of our trip.

We opted for six nights (more than the norm based on what we saw of other guests while we were there) in part because of the frequency of Kenya Airways flights from Livingstone (where we live) and in part because we wanted to have a decent break and really explore Amboseli and the Selenkay Conservation Area where Porini is based. We are also very interested in camps which are owned and (largely) run by the local community. this being the fourth at which we have stayed in Kenya. Six nights was not too long.

This is not a high end camp. But it is comfortable and offers good standards of service. Acting Manager Daniel did an excellent job while we were there, keeping everything running smoothly. In the mess tent, John ensured that drinks and meals were well provided in a timely manner. All the staff were friendly and helpful.

The Conservation Area is a very worthy and well run project. From next to nothing two decades ago the community has created a hub for a whole range of animals - including four of the 'big five'. The game is plentiful and habituated, attracted by permanent water. It lives alongside the Masai cattle which are protected by the lion guardians whose job it is not only to protect the lions but also to keep distance between the two prides and the cattle herds, thereby avoiding clashes between the people and the cats.

The area offers several micro-environments which means that there is a great range of birds there. Add to this Amboseli NP itself, less than an hour drive away, and it isn't surprising that we logged 214 species in our six-night stay, despite being out of peak (ie inward migration) season.

All in all, strongly recommended both in its own right and as a base for exploring the NP."

"Our reason for staying at Mont Rochelle was to meet up with friends who were visiting S Africa on vacation from Europe. Despite the fact that we started to firm up arrangements very early in 2016 we were unable to book direct at the hotel which appeared from the website to be fully booked for some weeks either side of the Christmas period. We therefore turned to Expert Africa suspecting block booking by agents; and they were, not to our surprise, able to offer us a choice of rooms on the days we wanted.

We stayed in the Garden Wing of the hotel and our room was very comfortable with a small but adequate balcony and great views along the valley towards the west. Good bed, excellent shower, coffee facilities, reliable wifi etc etc.

We dined at Mont Rochelle's Mika Restaurant on the first night of our stay and were suitably impressed by the menu and the quality of the meals. Similarly with the lunch we had at its Country Kitchen - very good salads. But the culinary highlight, in our view, was undoubtedly breakfast: an excellent range of choice, top notch poached and scrambled eggs, good bacon and black pudding as well as a wide variety of fruits, cheeses, fish etc for those not inclined to 'full English'. Decent coffee too.

The bar has a wide-ranging wine list, including (of course) wines from the property's own vineyards. We did do a wine tasting of the house range which we found fairly ordinary on average - though the Sauvignon Blanc does well with a salad lunch on a hot day. But other houses in the well-stocked cellar more than makes up for this. And we did enjoy the recommended Graham Beck Cap Classique.

On our second and third evening we ate out in Franschhoek where there is a number of excellent restaurants. Credit to the Mont Rochelle for running a shuttle service to and from town more or less on demand which facilitates this (as well as a baby sitting service of which our friends took advantage). We can recommend both Reuben's at Racine (though due to move back to its permanent home shortly) and Ryan's Kitchen.

Also in town we liked for a snack The Village Tart - very refreshing homemade lemonade and soda.

Lunch on our first full day at the Delaire de Graff was a real highlight. Great terrace location with a real buzz about it. Very good food and we can strongly recommend the Banghoek Reserve Chardonnay. We also had a tour of the vegetable garden there (of professional interest to us) which was well worth the effort. We can totally understand why it is so popular as a place to stay; but our personal preference remains the more intimate atmosphere of the Mont Rochelle as far as accommodation is concerned.

Our final trip out was to the Babylonstoren vineyard where we tagged on to the guided tour of the farm. This is an impressive operation but it is commensurately popular and very busy.

With all this food and wine, it was good to be able to take advantage of the gym at the Mont Rochelle, as well as stretching the legs on the steep slopes of the vineyards. We even managed to add a lifer to our birding list (this was a rare non-bird-focused trip) in the form of a Jackal Buzzard!

Throughout our stay we found all the staff at Mont Rochelle to be welcoming and very helpful."

"Nairobi National Park deserves our attention for two reasons. First, it is under increasing pressure in the name of development; more overseas visitors may encourage the government to stop questionable encroachments such as a proposed new railway viaduct right across the park. Second, it is a little gem just right next to JKIA.

Furthermore, in The Emakoko it has an absolutely first rate lodge on its southern border which would grace just about any NP. During our stay the owners were actually on furlough; but the relief manager Rachel is very much part of the Emakoko family and does an excellent job both running the lodge generally and making guests feel very much at home. We could not have been made more welcome or been looked after better by her and the resident team The accommodation was very comfortable; the public areas are welcoming; and the food was so good that we dashed back from Karen on a couple of days for lunch rather than go to one or other of the fine restaurants in town.

As for the park itself, as usual we were mainly in pursuit of the birds. I have still to tot up the final number but we were not far short of 200 species during our five days (quite a bit of which was not spent in the NP per se as we had business and personal reasons to be out and about, this being a hybrid trip rather than 'just' vacation). This despite the fact that we did not do as well for migrants as one would expect at this time of year. My top picks were: the Greater Spotted Eagle; the Gull-billed Tern (probably only the second sighting ever in the park); three different species of Bustard/Korhaan; a Nightingale (always hard to see); the Eurasian Marsh Harrier; the White-headed Barbet; and the Yellow-throated Longclaw.

As for the mammals, it is a downside for many (us included) that there are no elephants (other than at the orphanage). But a plentitude of rhinos - black and white - goes a long way towards making up for this; and we did have some excellent close-up rhino sightings. Furthermore, we regularly stumbled across lions. Most of the major herbivores one would expect to see are plentiful, perhaps particularly notable being Masai Giraffe, Eland and Grant's Gazelle.

In all of the above we were greatly aided by our excellent guide Elizaban, to whom we are indebted not only for his services in the park but also for taking us out and about in Karen (part of The Emakoko's service) and for driving us to the airport for our return flight at 5am (which is another facility which The Emakoko offers, ie being able to ferry guests flying in and out across the NP from and to the airport after dark). And we were also fortunate enough to be able to spend a day in the park with an old friend who is one of Kenya's top birders, Brian Finch.

In short, we highly recommend a stopover at The Emakoko with enough time to do a decent exploration of Nairobi NP and to enjoy some of the additional pleasures to be found in nearby Karen."

"At present, 'Shompole Lodge', as headed above, is something of a misnomer as the Lodge as was no longer exists. After a number of 'events', the accommodation at Shompole Wilderness today is in fact a camp which was set up a little over a year ago by Johann du Toit using tents etc from a mobile safari outfit. Johann's aim is to build up into more permanent structures as the new concession settles down. From what we saw he is well on the road to achieving this objective.

Given where the evolution of Shompole Wilderness stands, the accommodation is not top of the range - and has no pretensions in that direction. But our tent was comfortable, plentiful hot water was available for the bucket shower on demand and we even had a flush toilet.

The communal area is currently a dining tent with more seating outside. And it is 'outside' where the camp really scores, situated on a picturesque bend in the Ewaso Nyiro river inside the narrow strip of riverine woodland in the otherwise largely dusty scrub of the Rift Valley floor.

The camp also benefits from being co-hosted by Johann's wife, Sam Russell, who has been working at a nearby research centre for over a decade and who complements Johann with the depth and breadth of her local knowledge, making for very stimulating mealtime conversations.

The staff in the camp are very welcoming and we found the general level of service to be good - as, indeed, was the food.

Getting there from Nairobi is not particularly hard (although at about four hours by car from KWS HQ in Nairobi NP it does take a bit longer than generally advertised); and the sometimes poor-ish quality of the road is compensated for by the spectacular descent into the Rift Valley and approach to Lake Magadi. But, despite its proximity to Nairobi, this is one of the less explored corners of Kenya as far as safari-goers are concerned.

Johann was kind enough to pick us up in Magadi "town" (really a huge salt works with housing and shops etc attached!) and drive us from there to the camp via a shortcut across Lake Magadi rather than the long way round the western end of the lake. And very picturesque it is too with the bonus of all the birdlife one is likely to see at the better known Lake Natron without the additional travel time, including (of course) the famous flamingos.

Another considerable asset to the camp is our Masai guide Nixon. His knowledge and enthusiasm were hugely significant in landing us 124 bird species in less than 48 hours including an outstanding sighting of the Narina Trogon at the camp itself. Further afield in the foothills of the Loita Hills (about 40 minutes drive) we found Ross's Turaco - after, that is, a stop on the way in a nearby village where the garden of one of the camp staff proved to be a bird party par excellence. Twenty minutes in the opposite direction took us to the Ewaso Nyiro marsh with a wide range of water birds and waders including the Fulvous Whistling Duck and the Spotted Redshank. In the meantime, driving the sandy scrub brought us sightings of the Kori Bustard, Dark Chanting Goshawk, three species of nightjar and a whole host of smaller birds. All in all, top notch birding.

For those more interested in mammals there are plenty of those around too, including lion and hyena and Robert's Gazelle (a variant on Grant's) - unsurprising given its strategic location between the Mara and Amboseli. Our mammal highlight was a herd of 22 giraffe on the move at some speed.

In short, Johann and his staff - aided by Sam - are putting a tremendous effort into making Shompole Wilderness successful, including with the local community with which he is working very closely. There is still some way to go but it is already well worth a visit."

"This was our 17th trip with Expert Africa (dating back to 2006); but it was somewhat different to most of our previous ones in that we had two family members with us making their first trip to Africa. We picked Hwange because of its proximity to our home in Livingstone and our wish for our guests to see the Victoria Falls on both sides. With EA's help we opted for The Hide, where we hadn't stayed previously, and we were delighted with the choice.

The Hide is an extremely well managed camp, one of the best in our experience. Meals are high quality with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables: we especially liked the fact that one evening the main course was traditional Zambian fare. The bar is well-stocked. The rooms are comfortable and the communal areas a delight, looking out onto a waterhole which attracts a wide range of animals. The highlight is the hide itself which puts one (underground) just feet away from elephants coming to drink.

There is a three activities per day rhythm to the camp (unusual in our experience), with a morning post-breakfast drive, an afternoon drive or walk and a post-dinner night drive on The Hide's concession. We found this balance to be very appealing.

Our guide, Ngozi, was excellent, personable and with a nice (again unusual) touch of stopping the vehicle and getting out of his seat to turn to his passengers when he had something important/lengthy to say about what we were seeing. He also was able to balance nicely the different interests among his passengers.

We were lucky enough to have good lion sightings on our first two days (including Jericho, former comrade-in-arms of the more well-known Cecil); super elephant and buffalo; serval, black-backed jackal, lesser genet and a whole host of herbivores. Best of all, perhaps, an aardvark. We also logged 84 bird species even though we diluted our usual birding focus for this trip: these included Secretary Bird, Kori Bustard, Ground-Hornbill, Ostrich with chicks, Pearl-spotted Owlet and a range of smaller raptors.

We can thoroughly recommend the Hide to first-time and experienced safari-goers alike."

"This was our 17th trip with Expert Africa (dating back to 2006); but it was somewhat different to most of our previous ones in that we had two family members with us making their first trip to Africa. We took our two guests to Victoria Falls so that they would have the opportunity to view the Falls from both sides (we live in Livingstone). With EA's help we opted for Gorges Lodge, where we hadn't stayed previously, and we were delighted with the choice.

The fact that Gorges is 30 minutes from the centre of Victoria Falls is really no disadvantage (ie no further away than many Livingstone Lodges - or indeed our home - are from the Falls). One round trip per day into town was included in our day rate as was one free admission to the Falls themselves. (There are other included outings too, including a sunset cruise, but we elected not to take advantage of these.) Furthermore, the travel time is more than compensated for by the sumptuous views of the Batoka Gorge from the Lodge.

This is a great place for lovers of raptors and we were especially fortunate with sightings of Verreaux's Eagle, one male adult visiting the Gorge around the Lodge every evening as he is periodically fed there. Additionally, the gardens of the Lodge and the scrub around it host a wide variety of birdlife. (And for lovers of waterbirds and waders, stopping off at the town's sewage works on the way in is well worth the effort.)

Our accommodation was very comfortable, one of the newly refurbished chalets. The communal areas are light and airy. The food is fairly standard but fine - the braai on our second evening being a highlight. The bar carries a decent range of wine and the mini-bar in our chalet was well stocked too.

The manager, Debbie, and her team made us most welcome throughout our stay.

All in all, highly recommended for newcomers to Africa and 'old hands' alike."

"We very much enjoyed our stay at Camp's Bay. Comfortable accommodation, good food and wine list. Prime location too: sunset views across the bay; a short walk into Camp's Bay town proper (using the gate at the bottom of the garden); and just 20 minutes by cab to Cape Town Waterfront; and much more peaceful than the Waterfront area and Camp's Bay town. Pleasant walks in the hotel garden itself - with plenty of birdlife; and just to the north in the woods. We also commend the wi-fi connection for those who need/want it - better than most we encountered this trip."

"We are giving De Hoop Opstal 'good' rather than 'excellent' principally because on arrival there we were told that our top end accommodation was still undergoing refurbishment and that we had therefore be reallocated to a bungalow some 800 metres from the main lodge area. To be fair, our accommodation was still good; and the staff in situ looked after us extremely well (including compensating us by not charging for what would otherwise have been 'pay for' activities) - hence why we have given 'excellent' for service despite the room glitch. Nevertheless, it is still disappointing that the back office/booking people made no effort to contact us beforehand when they must have known full well that our booked accommodation was not going to be available.

All this being said, we would still recommend De Hoop Opstal simply because of the wonderful opportunity it offers to get close to the Fynbos and some of its wildlife. Admittedly, the mammals may be a little too habituated for the taste of some; but we personally found it refreshing to be able to observe for lengthy periods the front end of zebras (Cape Mountain) and eland in particular! And the birdlife is excellent - we counted off 75 species in our three days including Denham's Bustard, Cape Vultures and Blue Cranes - reflecting the range of habitats in the immediate locale.

All the activities we did were well-organised and well run, with first rate guiding. We were particularly impressed by the marine walk with shark expert, Hannah, which opened up what was a completely new aspect of Africa's wildlife to us."

"Grootbos Forest Lodge is one of the best run and most comfortable lodges we have stayed at during our 19 vacations in Africa.

We went there primarily for whale watching and found it to be the most convenient jumping off point for boats going out from Gansbaii, with transport arrangements to and from smoothly run by the lodge itself. For those who may not fancy the boat, the lodge ensures plenty of opportunities for excellent whale watching from the cliffs just ten minutes or so drive away.

We also greatly enjoyed and learned much from other activities - the fynbos drive and bird, cave and beach walks. Furthermore, the 90 minutes or so we spent finding out about the work of the Grootbos Foundation with the excellent Chunami (who guided us well on other activities too) was fascinating.

We were equally impressed with the dining - and the wine list. And the quality of service indoors was the equal of that which goes with the outdoor activities."

"In fact, we didn't stay in the V&A because, on arrival, we discovered that we had been upgraded to its sister hotel across the road, the Queen Victoria. The latter is a small boutique hotel with very comfortable rooms and first rate dining (although we did feel that the breakfast, though good, didn't quite live up to dinner). Great location, close to the Waterfront but far enough away to enjoy an air of calm."

"This trip marked, I recall the sixth and seventh times one or both of us has stayed at the Zambezi Sun in less than four years (nb: this trip, we stayed four nights on arrival in Zambia and one night on the way back to London). As always, we were very well looked after by the staff there (including being greeted as old friends).

Our frequent stays speak for themselves but it is worth adding that the hotel has lifted its game somewhat since our last stay (under new ownership, we understand). Good Wifi reception is now available more or less everywhere (and we, at least, didn't pay for access). Rooms are still being refurbished and redecorated but the work appears to be nearly complete. And one of the things we have griped about a little in the past, ie volume of music day and evening around the swimming pool, has been addressed. Lots of other small improvements. We'd suggest adding to these a top-of-the-range gin to the otherwise impressive stock at the bar.

At the same time the hotel retains, of course, its single biggest selling point which is its proximity to the Falls and free access thereto for guests. Add to this the super gardens along the river it shares with its sister hotel, the Royal Livingstone, and the mammal and bird life there and this is a really solid proposition.

The hotel is about 15 minutes from the centre of Livingstone where we had quite a bit of business to conduct during our stay. But we do not find this inconvenient as cars are available more or less on demand at the hotel itself (Kw50 one way into town) and there is no shortage of cabs in town to get back.

As usual, we ate dinner at Squire's restaurant adjacent to the hotel where we were also very well looked after.

We did (again!) the morning river safari (arranged by the activities desk at the hotel), which is one of our well-established favourites. All in all, we shall continue to recommend the Zambezi Sun to friends going to Livingstone - comfortable, convenient and good value for money."

"Latitude 15 is a relatively recent arrival in Lusaka and this was our first experience of it - two nights towards the start of our trip and a single night on our way back from South Luangwa to Livingstone. We arrived for our first stay on a Sunday afternoon and it was immediately clear that the hotel/bar/restaurant is a big favourite with locals as a place to pass some time, chill out and be seen. This is entirely consistent with the decor and ambiance - very comfortable, 'clean', modern and chilled out. Indeed, we were sufficiently impressed with some of the furnishings that we got details from the management with an eye to acquiring for our own house near Livingstone when we move there later this year.

The bar is well-stocked (impressive wine list, eg) and the restaurant is good - the lunch menu being particularly impressive. We found the staff consistently very pleasant and eager to please. We would commend particularly the efficiency with which our return for our second stay was handled after our flight from Mfuwe was delayed four hours and we didn't arrive until after 11pm - to be whisked through reception with the formalities postponed until the following morning and the salads etc we had asked to be left for us awaiting us, as ordered, in our room.

We were in Lusaka primarily for business (and to catch up with friends). Situated on Leopard's Hill Road, the location was excellent for the places we needed to get to, as well as being just 30 minutes from the airport.

This being said, as is often the case with new enterprises (and notwithstanding the excellent way in which our late returned was handled - see above), there is scope for some further attention to detail, notably around quality of service (a couple of Zambian friends who joined us for dinner at Latitude 15 echoed this sentiment based on their previous experience). But we are confident that these will be ironed out over time and we will certainly not hesitate to stay there again in the future - or to recommend it to others.

In short, we think that Latitude 15 is a very welcome addition to the Lusaka hotel offering."

"South Luangwa in the emerald season! What could be finer?!

Nkwali is a very well run and comfortable camp. We have nothing but praise for everyone there who helped make our stay extremely pleasant and comfortable, especially the excellent and charming hostess, Christabelle. We were also very impressed with the quality of the guiding of Jacob in particular - and he was also a whole barrel of fun to be with.

February is, of course, 'off season' (and very few camps are open, as a result). But it is a truly fabulous time to visit South Luangwa, lush, green and with bags of bird and mammal activity. For fans of the latter, we had two good leopard sightings and both lions and painted dogs were seen by others while we were there; elephants and buffalo were around in abundance.

Together with its sister camp, Nkwali, strongly recommended."

"Unreachable by road during the wet season, Nsefu is just over two hours up-river from its sister camp, Nkwali - a truly pleasant journey, weaving in between the sandbars and enjoying the birdlife (and the hippos and crocs) en route.

The camp itself is very comfortable and we were well looked after by Bertram and his team. No vehicles, so all walking and boating - so very peaceful and soothing.

Together with Nkwali, Nsefu took our bird sighting list for the five nights in Luangwa this trip to over 150, including a handful of 'lifers' (though the eastern nicator, heard but not seen, proved illusive again!). A return trip to the nesting area of the yellow-billed storks (which we had previously visited in May from Tafika) was just one of several highlights. Worth adding that the light at this time of year is usually excellent for photography, with the emerald vegetation adding real lustre.

Again, strongly recommended."

"See previous review [Ed: see below]"

"See previous review [Ed: see below]"

"See previous review [Ed: see below]"

"Flying into to Nairobi late-ish evening, we needed an overnight stay before travelling on. Ole-Sereni was perfect: well located relative to the international airport (and Wilson - although we were not going on there on this occasion) and with a breakfast terrace overlooking the national park (so plenty of early morning bird life to enjoy)."

"Il Ngwesi was the initial spur for us to visit Laikipia, after a presentation on the community-based project as a whole in London last February, which impressed us. The lodge is run by and on behalf of the local Masai community, combining protecting wildlife with cattle and goat farming, training members of the community to equip them to work locally and more widely in the tourist/safari industry, and bringing money into the community as a whole to aid education and development. Having spent four nights there, we are in no doubt that this is a project well worthy of support and have no hesitation in strongly recommending it.

In writing the following detailed comments, we would note that in both relative and absolute terms the overnight rate at Il Ngwesi is very affordable and excellent value for money.

We actually stayed in two rooms - two nights in each - not because of any fault with our original accommodation but because, half-way through our stay, a room with a sleeping deck 'under the stars' became available and management offered to move us there, which we accepted. Both rooms were rustically pleasant and comfortable with good showers: sleeping under the stars was a real treat.

The staff at the camp were all extremely welcoming and hospitable and we were very well looked after. Particular commendation goes to James, who not only oversees the running of the camp but who is also an excellent guide and very good company (as well as being the presenter in London who first inspired us to want to visit).

In marking food as 'average' (see below), we would underline that we are taking a numerically literal interpretation of the word, especially relative to the other camps at which we stayed this trip. And we would stress that the meals were wholesome, tasty and plentiful. A little more imagination - and, perhaps, a little more leisurely pace between courses - could easily see this rating improve.

Our dominant activity was walking/birding. The walks were consistently enjoyable (including the climb to the top of the hill behind the camp) and the bird population in the area was huge - great time of year to visit with many resident birds nesting and migrants in the area. As for mammals, since this was the early part of the dry season, sightings were regular rather than abundant: but we still did well - especially for elephants. Our hopes for first ever sightings of vulterine guinea fowl and the remarkable gerenuk were realised (in both cases) within minutes of arriving.

Our afternoon at a local Masai village, followed by dinner, was fascinating. We were very well hosted by a young local, Peter, aspiring to go on to university shortly - and therefore himself a beneficiary of the project which has helped finance him through secondary education. We learnt a great deal not only about Masai history and traditions but also about the aspirations of the community, building on dialogue throughout our stay with the staff at the camp. There were also some very interesting comparisons to draw later between the way the Il Ngwesi project operates and the approach adopted by the other two community-based camps at which we stayed during this trip."

"Moving on from our initial four nights at il Ngwesi, we took a ninety minute leisurely drive to another community-based project in the area, Tassia.

Expert Africa's description of Tassia as 'a rare gem' is, in our view, totally justified. Managed with great expertise and warm hospitality by Antonia and Martin on behalf of the local community, it genuinely warrants 'excellent' ratings across the board.

Our sleeping accommodation was very comfortable, great views across the plain (especially from our tower) and good bathroom facilities. The lounge area is spacious and comfortable. We took meals in a number of different locations around the camp, which was fun, sometimes with other guests, sometimes by ourselves, which was a nice mix. And the food itself was first class, consistent with Antonia's well-deserved reputation (and the camp's own cook book).

In addition to her camp-based work, Antonia is involved in a number of important income-generating projects with the women of the local community, including high-end bead work (handbags etc), which are well worthy of support. The commitment of both Antonia and Martin to the objectives of the project is impressive, as is the expertise which they both bring to their role.

Needless to say, as birders we also commend very highly Martin's work at his raptor rescue centre based at the camp and well worth a tour in its own right.

Our main activity was again walking/birding (indeed, the camp does very little by way of drives - although it does have horses and camels, consistent with the strong focus on eco-friendliness). Especially considering how close Tassia is to Il Ngwesi, we were struck by some significant differences in the local bird population, which made combining the two locales all the more interesting (ie in addition to comparing the way in which the Tassia project runs with Il Ngwesi and, later, Sarara). We did particularly well for raptors.

The major exception to walking was the day trip we made across the mountains behind the camp to Borana Ranch on the Laikipia plateau, where we boosted both our bird (notably water birds) and mammal (notably lion and black rhino) count significantly. Even though time did not permit us as long a walk in the cloud forest on the mountains themselves as we had hoped, this was an excellent day.

We also devoted an evening walk to local culture, visiting the caves which provided shelter to many Masai for much of the 20th century, learning a good deal more about their history and culture in the process.

We were guided at various times by Martin himself (brilliant, especially on birds) and by two Masai, Michael (very good on birds) and, in particular, Isaiah (solid all-rounder), learning a good deal from all three not only about the wildlife and environment but also about the Masai generally, their history and the project.

In sum, we have no hesitation in strongly recommending Tassia both in its own right and as part of a wider tour of the Laikipia region."

"The third and final camp we visited this trip was Sarara, further north in Laikipia (and listed under 'Northern Kenya' by Expert Africa) on the edge of the Matthews Range and also a community-based project which presents some interesting contrasts with Il Ngwesi and Tassia.

Sarara is the home of Jeremy and Katie (and was established originally by Jeremy's parents), who run the camp in a relaxed and welcoming style. Having been brought up there to a significant extent, Jeremy in particular is a font of insights into the region and its culture. The accommodation is genuinely high end - very comfortable, spacious tent with a fine view of the busy waterhole, excellent lounge and mess facilities etc. Meals were consistently enjoyable - nice to have fish on a couple of occasions as well as lamb (two dishes which are not that often served in safari camps in our experience). We are not surprised that there are many return visitors (including while we were there).

Throughout our stay we were guided by the excellent Mark, a Masai who has an extensive knowledge of the flora and fauna of the region as well as local culture and who is engaging and humourous. We really enjoyed his company and benefitted enormously from his knowledge and willingness to share his thoughts with us on local issues.

For three of our four days we followed a pattern of early morning birding walk, a drive after breakfast and then a late afternoon drive stretching into a night drive. The wildlife in the area is excellent: we topped 120 bird species and saw around 20 mammals, including leopard, buffalo and plentiful elephant. The fourth day was taken up with a climb up the ridge behind the camp to about 6,500 feet into the cloud forest - not for the faint-hearted but well worth the effort for those prepared to make it.

We also visited the famous 'singing wells' and witnessed this cultural phenomenon for ourselves. Despite the (appropriate, in our view) ban on photography, we were left feeling that our presence and, therefore, tourist visits generally are having an impact on the conduct of the herders there and, without in any way wishing to be judgemental, we wonder how much longer the phenomenon can continue in its 'natural' state, despite efforts to preserve it.

In sum, Sarara provided us with a fitting final four-night stay to our 12-day tour through Laikipia and camps rooted in the local community."

"We hadn't expected to be staying at Etango on our first night in Namibia but a lengthy flight delay out of London meant we missed out Jo'burg-Windhoek connection and on arrival in Windhoek did not have time to drive to Erongo that evening as planned.

Expert Africa did an excellent job finding us alternative accommodation at very short notice literally right outside the airport, where we were made to feel very welcome and spent a comfortable (and very affordable) night. We'd have no hesitation recommending Etango to anyone who needs accommodation close to the airport."

"Unfortunately (thanks to a flight delay), we had only one night at Erongo rather than the two we had planned. This was a shame as it is certainly worth more than one night. This is a very comfortable and well-run camp in an interesting location, with a good birding proposition (there was a large party of American birders staying there while we were there), as well as a scattering of mammal species.

Our guide, Johnny, with whom we did a couple of walks, was very up on his birds and assisted us in finding and indentifying several endemics. It is also very conveniently placed between other popular destinations, with good road access."

"We went to Doro !Nawas primarily for the desert-adapted elephants and we were not disappointed, spending a couple of hours in close proximity to a family of 18 on our first morning there, with minimal effort finding them. We guide, Mwizi, did brilliantly putting us in just the right spots for photos without disturbing the subject matter unduly.

We also greatly enjoyed the Doro !Nawas-organised trip to Twyfelfontain where we again beneftted from an excellent guide, Jenny, going round the impressive rock carvings.

Furthermore, we found that Doro !Nawas also has a very solid birding proposition - better than we had expected. We did three birding walks with Mwizi, two close to the camp and the third at a beautiful canyon location with permanent water some 25 minutes away by truck. Together with taking the 'back way' to Twyfelfontain, this allowed us to find a range of interesting birds including several endemics.

The camp itself is well-run, the food is good and we thought the wine list to be better than average. All the staff we met were very friendly and helpful."

"Etendeka is a true bushcamp and remote enough for one to feel really 'out there'. Especially given its remoteness and, therefore, time taken to get there (90 minutes by truck from Palmwag), we feel it is well worth a minimum of three nights. On our two full days, we did a morning walk and an evening drive each day with the excellent Bonnie as our guide.

The mammal range is impressive - including elephants and black rhinos (another group saw lions as we were on our way to the camp). And the area also has a good bird proposition. That said, some readers may be surprised to learn that the highlight for us was a pair of very habituated elephant shrews warming themselves on the rocks outside our tent of an afternoon!

Even if the mammals and birds were fewer, the area would be well worth a visit simply for the landscape which is truly wild and beautiful.

Dennis is an excellent host at the camp and the new communal area is very well appointed. He is also something of an expert on the night sky, which was totally undisturbed by pollution (anyone for a post-dinner sight of Saturn's rings?!).

All in all, very enjoyable and strongly recommended."

"Mundulea is a private reserve where the owner, Bruno, is looking to restore the environment to its pre-cattle farming state. This is not a short-term project as over-grazing has caused significant bush-encroachment. But Bruno is very dedicated to the cause, which is well worth supporting - not least because this sort of private project may ultimately (and sadly) prove to be the best hope for Africa's megafauna in particular in the medium- to long-term.

Bruno himself is a true (latter-day) 'renaissance man'. Sculptor, film-maker, photographer, birding guide and bush expert, he has a wealth of knowledge on a wide range of topics and is genuinely curious about many others. Over the four nights we were there our conversaations ranged across, inter alia, the origins of multi-cell life (based on local fossiles), the eating habits of porcupines (more complex than you might think), the genetics of the zebra (and kite) family, undoing the damage of over-intensive farming, local politics, the Chinese in Africa, and human dietary issues.

Mundulea is a true bushcamp. But the accommodation is very comfortable - and we commend in particular the shower which is as good as any we have found on our numerous trips to Africa. Much of the fittings have been made by Bruno and his team from locally available materials (including scrap metal from the area's farming days). Bruno produces amazingly good meals on an open fire, which would do credit to many a modern kitchen.

The waterhole right outside the camp attracts a good range of mammals day and night and, although we were a few weeks early for the peak period, we also saw a wide range of birds.

Best of all, no trucks! Mundulea is all about walking and we enjoyed some excellent rambles through the bush morning and evening.

In short, highly recommended."

"We spent two nights on arrival in Kenya walking and fly-camping in the Loita Hills (nb: we had an interesting discussion with our excellent chief guide, David, about the difference between 'mobile safari' and 'fly-camping', from which we concluded that the latter term is probably the more appropriate in this case). This was our first shared experience of Kenya and it was a great way to kick off.

The countryside is truly beautiful, rolling hills featuring dense-ish forest and open pastureland with an abundant water supply. We enjoyed some good sightings of black and white colobus monkeys and olive baboons (though this is not an area for seeing a wide range of mammals); and the birdlife (which was high among our reasons for going) was prolific and varied. The walking itself was a real pleasure, made all the more so by the fact that we saw no-one other than our party until we walked out of the Hills to the pick-up point at the end of our two days.

David's expertise was augmented by the local knowledge of two super Maasai guides, Robert and Alex, who know the Hills intimately and who added real value to the trip.

Our mobile camp site was extremely well organised by the local Maasai team (with the help for porterage of a school of donkeys), who also laid on an evening show of Maasai traditional dancing and singing for us. Our tent was - especially by the standards of our previous fly-camping experience - spacious and comfortable. The food was excellent - on a par with the meals at the Leleshwa camp itself (from which this trip was based).

Please note that our 'good' ratings from rooms and facilities are relative to the 'excellent' standard of both at Leleshwa itself."

"When EA first suggested a camp near the Masai Mara to us, it is fair to say that we were very cautious as we have largely avoided the more popular corners of Africa while we have been travelling with the firm over the past seven years or so. However, Leleshwa proved to be an excellent proposal, not only for the Loita Hills Mobile (see separate crit) but also for the camp and the Mara experience itself.

Leleshwa is situated on its own concession just outside the Mara which is contiguous with a a number of similar concessions. The wildlife there is prolific, our night-drive proving particularly fruitful.

Needless to say, we did venture into the Mara itself for a day. Thanks to the expert knowledge of our chief guide, David, and his tracker, Rinka, we were able to enjoy a day of excellent wildlife spotting, mammals and birds, largely without being mobbed by minibuses (and we were left in no doubt about what could have been when we saw as we were leaving the park the crowd of vehicles around a leopard - more minibuses than Bree Street bus station!). As David remarked that evening, making no effort at all (we had mainly been bird spotting) we had managed to see four of the 'big five' in about eight hours - plus cheetah and a range of herbivores.

The camp itself is excellent - and we would single out for particular praise the bed which was probably the most comfortable we have slept in on safari. We were extremely well looked after by David, William and the team. Meals were very good (though, to be a little 'picky', we felt that a little more effort on desserts would not go amiss for those who like their sweets).

All in all, and including our foray into the Loita Hills, Leleshwa was a top-notch experience which we would strongly recommend to anyone looking to enjoy the Mara without the 'madding crowd'."

"During the trip we needed to spend a couple of nights in Nairobi for some non-vacation business and because we wanted to visit the National Museum (well worth an afternoon, especially for the fossils of early hominids) and local art centres The Sankara proved to be a convenient (important given the Nairobi traffic) and comfortable choice and its Artisan restaurant where we dined both evenings offers excellent food at good value.

For anyone needing to stay in the city centre we have no hesitation in recommending this hotel."

"We really enjoyed our stay at Camp Hwange. David Carson is an excellent guide who was very happy to accommodate our preferences of walking and birding (168 birds identified in four days so certainly a great location for birders to visit); there was no shortage of mammals around either (we saw 23 different species albeit in relatively small numbers of each as, with the rains falling further south in the park, there had been some dispersal around the time we were there ie new year). We were also impressed by the camp's trainee ZimPro guide, Washington, and by the skills of Dave's tracker, Felix.

The camp is very well run and Dave and Antoinette are excellent hosts. The range of activities offered is first rate"

"We wanted to do something which was a bit different to the 'normal' safari experience and, in a very positive way, Amalinda provided just that.

First, the Matopo Hills are scenically very beautiful and worth a visit for this alone.

Second, one of our main reasons for going was to see some of the cave paintings. We were really impressed by the paintings; and, in Amalinda's Paul Hubbard, had the best possible guide. Paul also impressed us with his more recent historical knowledge. Paul's (wet afternoon) lecture on the early white incursion into what became Rhodesia and reflections when we visited Rhodes's grave were both highly informative and entertaining; and we were delighted that he devoted an afternoon to take us round the Bulawayo museum, which is well worth a visit.

In between the cultural activities, we had some good birding and were delighted to find white rhinos during our stay.

The camp itself is well run by Priscilla, Billy and the team."

"It says much for our satisfaction with the Zambezi Sun that this was our third stay there in less than a year (and fourth in all) and there is little if anything we can usefully add to the feedback from our previous two visits."

"It says much for our satisfaction with Eight Reedbuck that this was our third stay there in less than a year and there is little if anything we can usefully add to the feedback from our previous two visits."

"We really enjoyed our four nights at Kanga - and could easily have spent the whole time just sitting on the deck watching the constant stream of mammals and birds coming to what has to be one of the best waterholes for game-viewing in the region. However, we did get out and about, walking under the expert guidance of Rob Shattock who is a brilliant guide with a wonderful portfolio of anecdotes reaching right back into the early days of Mana Pools. It was also a real pleasure to do a couple of outings with Reggie whom we knew already from Somalisa: his undoubted enthusiasm and expertise has only burgeoned since we first met him.

The camp itself is very comfortable and we were very impressed with the lengths which Lizzie, temporarily managing on a day-to-day basis, went to to make us feel welcome and to provide any assistance we required.

As for the wildlife - leopards, painted dogs, lions, hyaena, buffalo and (of course) elephants all graced the waterhole during our stay, among many others; and we identified over 70 species of birds without even leaving the concession."

"We had a super four nights at Vundu, complementing perfectly our immediate previous four nights off the river at Kanga. Dean McGregor is a brilliant guide - very knowledgeable and a wonderful sense of humour. Our walks with him were packed with interest - as well as fantastic animals - and the canoeing was the highlight of what was, all round, a brilliant trip.

In camp we were made to feel very welcome by Nick and Natalie.

As for the animals, we were delighted to see nyala for the first time ever; but the most memorable has to be the (male - his mate followed a couple of nights later) pennant-winged nightjar flying into the lounge area one evening - fabulous."

"We stayed one night at Pioneer en route from Mana Pools to Livingstone. We were made very welcome by the staff and would certainly recommend it for a short stay handy for the airport."

"This was our second stay at the Zambezi Sun this year and third in the past 18 months or so. As before we greatly enjoyed our time there - it is comfortable, very convenient for what we want to do and the staff were, as always, extremely helpful. We also strongly recommend poking around the gardens where there is excellent bird life (eg Schalow's Turaco)."

"This was our second stay at Eight Reedbuck this year, this time for three nights. Stella runs an impressive operation and could not have been more welcoming or helpful. Strongly recommended for anyone who needs/wants to spend time in Lusaka (and just 30 minutes getting out to the airport in the early morning)."

"This was our second stay at the Zambezi Sun in less than two years. It is comfortable and, in our experience, well run. The location - ie right next to the Falls - is first rate; wandering around the gardens one finds a good range of wildlife (mammals as well as birds); and the Activities team offers a full range of options. All in all a very good base for a two- or three-night stay in the area.

If we have one minor criticism it is the hotel's penchant for quite intrusive live and/or canned music for much of the day, which can be a bit of a nuisance in inward-facing bedrooms in particular in the evening."

"In common with, we suspect, the significant majority of visitors there, we went to Bangweulu with a specific objective, ie to see shoebills. With two sightings - one good, one excellent - we came away after our two-night stay well satisfied that we had achieved our goal. The bonuses were: the spectacular wetlands scenery; the literally thousands of black lechwe grazing the grasslands; abundant birdlife in addition to the shoebills (including some notable rarities); and the fascinating dynamic between the wetlands and its wildlife on the one hand and the fishing communities much in evidence there on the other.

Our guide, Webby, and boatmen did an excellent job on our outings into the wetlands; and the chief steward, Paul, looked after us well in the mess tent.

As for the accommodation, meals etc, Shoebill is - as advertised - fairly basic; but that certainly did not detract from our enjoyment of the whole experience."

"We went to Kasanka with one principal objective, ie to see the elusive sitatunga, and were fortunate enough to have an excellent sighting on the first of our three mornings there. We were also very impressed with the birdlife - Schalow's turaco being just one of several 'specials' we found there. And we were fortunate enough to enjoy a good sighting of a troupe of blue monkeys too.

That said, Kasanka is not especially well populated with megafauna thanks to the impact of poaching on this part of the country; so visitors should be prepared to temper their expectations accordingly and be patient.

In addition to going out in the truck, we enjoyed a very pleasant river safari from the nearby Luwombwa camp; and a couple of walks. Throughout we were expertly guided by Webby.

The camp itself is comfortable and its manager, Ernst, is working to improve standards across the board as the Kasanka Trust looks to attract more guests.

All in all, we feel that Kasanka - coupled with Bangweulu - is well worth a short stay, especially for the experienced African visitor looking for something a little out of the ordinary and with an interest in bird life."

"This was our second stay at Tafika (one of only two camps to which we have returned during our ten visits to Africa in the past six years or so). And it was a very happy return for us. The team as a whole is absolutely first rate; the accommodation is excellent; the food is consistently delicious; and the wildlife is superb.

Throughout our four day stay we walked each morning then took a late afternoon/evening drive. This afforded us a fine balance in our activities allowing us to enjoy the abundant birdlife on the one hand (118 species seen and indentified) and the large mammals (notably leopards including three sightings of a young cub) on the other.

In short: highly recommended."

"For a variety of reasons we wanted to spend a day in Lusaka on this trip so (perhaps unusually for Expert Africa clients) spent two nights there. The Eight Reedbucks, a boutique hotel, proved to be an excellent base.

Our room was spacious and comfortable and the manager, Stella, and her team went out of their way to look after us and ensure that our stay was well spent achieving our objectives. We dined at the hotel both evenings and although the menu is limited (understandably given the size of the hotel) found the standard to be just fine.

In short, firmly recommended for anyone needing to stay in Lusaka for one or a few nights."

"In a word, fabulous. This is an especially beautiful and unspoilt corner of Botswana which is continuing to blossom as water returns to the spillway with the 30-year tectonic cycle running into a new phase. We spent four super days with, as advertised by RAW, minimal "truck time" (ie the drive to Hippo Pools which was well worth the trip and which riders would do by horse), mainly walking with the odd boat trip and identifying over 120 bird species in the process (a record, incidentally, as the camp's Facebook page has recorded!).

Grante Truthe is a truly first-rate guide (well supported by Letota and Lake) as well as being excellent company. The camp, overseen by James, is very well run and very comfortable; and the quality of the meals was consistently high - further enhanced by the quality of the mealtime conversations.

Although we were concentrating on the birdlife, there were plenty of mammals around and that population is set to increase as the cycle progresses.

In sum, we strongly recommend Motswiri to anyone who enjoys walking and, although we are not expert riders, would have no hesitation doing the same to riders looking at horseback safari options."

"Mid-January is probably the perfect time to visit Nxai Pan, catching the remarkable zebra migration and (our main aim) hitting the peak of the migrant bird season. Given our principal interest, we opted for a private guide and we have nothing but praise for Donald and Kayser, expert guides and great company.

With their help we identified over 115 bird species in four days (the majority of them different to the species we had identified at Motswiri, bringing our total for the eight-day trip to just over 200), with the large and varied raptor population a particular highlight. The drive to Baines' Baobobs was well worth the effort, the bonus being a large flock of lesser flamingo in Kudiakam Pan.

As for the mammals, even in just four days the ebb and flow of the population was clearly visible across the pan in search of fresh grass, bringing sightings of lion and cheetah; and close encounters with elephants were frequent.

The camp is very well run by Janet Shamukuni (whom we had first met two years previously at Tau Pan) and her team and we were very well looked after throughout."

"We opted to stay at Riley's because we wanted to be in the middle of Maun for business-related, rather than "pure" vacation, reasons.

It suited our purposes perfectly as a location and was very pleasant and comfortable to boot, with helpful and friendly staff. Firmly recommended for anyone who needs/wants to be in town."

"We stayed at the Gabarone Sun for business reasons, rather than "pure" vacation, and it was well fitted for that purpose.

Firmly recommended to anyone who needs/wants to stay in Gabs for a couple of days."

"We stopped off in Jo'burg for a couple of days on our way home from Botswana for two reasons, ie visiting local art galleries and conducting some business. The Holiday Inn in Rosebank fitted both perfectly, being close to many small galleries and convenient for where much of

Jo'burg's financial etc business has moved in recent years. Although we didn't use it, the hotel is right outside a Gautrain station, so safe, easy transport to and from the airport; and it backs onto one of the area's many shopping malls which has a good range of restaurants.

We were very well looked after at the hotel and would firmly recommend it for anyone who needs/wants to spend a couple of days in Jo'burg."

"Thanks to the Silale Swamp just north of Oliver's Camp, it is quite literally the case that we saw more elephants (hundreds at a time dotted across the swamp) than impalas in Tarangire - and there was no shortage of the latter. Oliver's is a well run camp generally and we were particularly impressed with the food - something with which camp managers Michele and Ken have clearly made a considerable effort.

During our 4 night stay we saw plenty of mammals - over 20 different species with buffalo, zebra and lion (in addition to elephant) in abundance - and the bird life is even more impressive (we identified nearly 100 different species). The southerly location of Oliver's in the park also means that there are few other vehicles despite the richness of the wildlife and the splendid scenery. Our guide, Jackson, looked after us extremely well from start to finish.

Oliver's also has the advantage of doing walks (Marcus is an excellent walking guide) and - unlike many camps in Tanzania - night drives, though neither is included in the basic cost (possibly because the majority of the guides do not work for the camp)."

"We included Olakira in our itinerary specifically to try to catch the migration crossing the Mara. There can be few better locations although one still needs good fortune to see an actual crossing as the wildebeest insist on being amusingly indecisive - albeit understandably in the face of the considerable dangers involved in the crossing.

We did see literally tens of thousands of wildebeest, including a small group crossing the Mara. But arguably as big a selling point for Olakira is that, expertly guided by Jeremiah, we also saw all the "big five" in the four days we were there - a rare treat in our experience of safari. Add to this cheetah, side-stripped jackal, hyaena and around 20 other mammal species and one can only conclude that this is a top safari spot by any standards.

The camp itself is comfortable and well run - indeed we were impressed generally by our dealings with Asilia (the parent company of Olakira and Oliver's where we had stayed immediately prior) and its staff."

"Getting to Chada Katavi involves a three hour plus light aircraft flight across Tanzania from Arusha (or Ruaha) but is well worth the effort. We were impressed by the camp, expertly run by Mark and Kristen who are great hosts and really nice people, and really enjoyed our stay there.

The sheer distance, time and cost involved getting there means that visitor numbers are low (for now - that appears to be changing as word gets out about Katavi) so we seldom saw other vehicles as we explored a small corner of this enormous park, expertly guided by Mark, Paul and Gabriel.

The fly-camping trip to a section known as Paradise was particularly worthwhile (indeed we would strongly recommend either a day or overnight trip there for anyone staying four nights or longer); and it was good to be able to do a couple of decent walks during our total four night stay.

Mammals are plentiful - especially hippos crowded into diminishing pools as the dry season bites - and we were very impressed by the bird life."

"Mahale Greystoke is beautifully located on the shore of Lake Tanganyika and well worth the long trip across Tanzania from the main safari circuits. Its main selling point is the chimpanzees and on this it certainly delivered in style. But we found that it has quite a bit more to offer than just the primates - notably the bird life (even though it requires some effort and patience to see and identify birds in the forest) and lake-related activities. The guides were all good: we would offer a particular word of praise for Mwega who has been at Greystoke for well over a decade but has only recently taken up guiding and is already first class.

The camp is comfortable and well-appointed - a relaxed and relaxing atmosphere (although actually tracking the chimps up the ridge and through dense vegetation is not for the faint-hearted or weak-kneeed!). And it was a real pleasure to spend three interesting days without even seeing a truck!"

"This is a very comfortable and well run hotel ideally positioned for (free) access to the Falls and with interesting bird and mammal life in the extensive grounds.
We would probably have rated it "excellent" overall had it not been for:

(a) the (possibly seasonal) loud-ish around the pool and dining/bar area for most of the daylight hours and all evening during our stay; and

(b) the hotel's apparent inability to provide help to guests on activities other than the admittedly extensive standard offerings."

"Somalisa is a very good camp, well run by Manager and Head Guide Dudley and the camp manager Henrietta. We were able to do guided walks every day of our stay as well as game drives.

Given the time of year (ie wet season) and the nature of some of the terrain around the camp, mammal sightings required some patience: but we were still able to enjoy two great dog sightings, quality time with a pride of 19 lions and sables as well as plentiful elephant and buffalo: other guests staying at the camp while we were there saw leopard, cheetah, rhion and roan antelope.

We understand that the camp is having a significant makeover in February/March so would expect an even higher standard in the 2011 season."

"We enjoyed a really comfortable and relaxing five nights at Ilala and were consistently impressed by many of the staff there, especially when it came to organising activities for us, including ones which were not included in the hotel's normal offering, notably linking us to Charles Brightman who had been justifiably recommended to us as a first class private guide.

From the "normal offering" menu we very much enjoyed and would recommend the full day canoeing trip where we were guided by the excellent Ndoga Unganai."

"We stayed one night in transit on our way back to London and were satisfied with the arrangements and accommodation"

"The atmospherics at Chikoko are terrific thanks to the smallness/intimacy of the camp, the friendliness of the staff - and the absence of vehicles. the walks were consistently interesting not least thanks to the expertise of our guide, Isaac.

The accommodation was very comfortable and we really enjoyed sleeping in the tree-tops. As for the food, everything we were offered would have been a real credit to a larger camp with extensive kitchen facilities - and especially the bread and cakes baked in a hole in the ground."