Travel reviews by Ms M from isleworth

"This was a fab place to kick start my safari holiday. Des and Warren made you feel so welcome and ensured that you had the most relaxed and enjoyable stay. All the staff were amazing and nothing was a bother to them. The guides were also so knowledgeable and made sure that you got ample time watching the wildlife. Having had holiday off to a bumpy start it was more than made up for in my short stay here and sad that i didn't get to spend more time. Breakfast round the camp fire was awesome and really set the day. The rooms were clean and very comfortable with everything you needed and more and to be able to hear the wild at night was breathtaking - as were the views. I cannot rate this highly enough for both the warm, hospitable and homely feel to the camp as well as the experience of the game drives, to see a lion in the first 15 minutes was truly my dream. We were all made to feel part of a large family"

"I wanted to try real rustic and this was what I got, although basic it was very well established. I did feel a bit nervous as I was the only person there but reassured by the staff who were utterly charming and the guide, who was on contract to Imvelo but very experienced. The hide is amazing and lets you get really close to the elephants and so privileged to be there on my own with the guide and watching how the socially interact with each other. This is a great place to do walks, I didn't see much game but then that is the nature of being in the wild, timing and luck, however was not disappointed as seeing wild dog and animals up close made up for it.

Dining outside in the wilderness was amazing and boy did the elephants join you for dinner sometimes or wake you up around the tent. I always felt safe even being on my own. Food was fab here compliments to the staff and bucket showers the best. If you want a taste of rustic wild then this is definitely the place to go, would have liked some company is my only negative"

"This was a really special place - the location in Hwange is perfect and of course the night time visitors to the pool is unbelievable. Ann the manager made you feel so welcome and again it was like a big family, being on my own was not a problem by late afternoon I felt that I had been there a number of days and always someone to chat to. Ann also made sure you were sitting with like-minded people at dinner, what was also special was meeting up with some fellow travellers that I had met in Johannesburg, so we had a great time.

My guide Jim was absolutely amazing and made the drives very entertaining especially when there were no animal sightings. We did however see lots of amazing wildlife, birds as well as learning about the Eco system, we did spot a leopard from a distance but got spooked with us and ran off, Jim tried very hard to get that elusive leopard for me but sadly not, however it was made up for the amazing lions.

The rooms were fab and again had everything you needed and more, by now I loved my nighttime visitors - especially when being taken home one night to find 8 buffaloes at my door, truly awesome. The elephants coming to the waterhole and the residents pool at night make this a truly special place and will give you the most treasured memories never mind photographs.

Again the food was in abundance and very tasty as was Ty's Margarita's"

"As this was my last camp, this had a bit more luxury - it was amazing and views across the Zambezi river were spectacular, but for me it was too posh and lacked that homely feeling the other camps had. The staff were all lovely but it did feel more like a hotel than a camp, however it was a good place to end the trip. Good amounts of activities ranging from game drives to water activities and trips to the Falls.

This was the only place that I did feel a bit out of place, as you were allocated to eat on your own in the morning and had it not been for the lovely people I met on the boat trip would have had my evening meal with only myself and the guide. Meeting a lovely group from Australia made my time here as well as my dear friends Peggy and Bernie along with Butch.

The rooms were really beautiful but again missed the simplicity of the others. Nadine and John who manage the Sands were very nice and nothing was a problems for them."