Travel reviews by Ms S from Mountain View
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
2
Excursions taken
0
My Feb 2017 trip
Zimbabwe and 1 other country between 25 Feb 2017 and 3 Mar 2017
"When booking a safari for the first time you really have to rely on a good travel service. We felt that Maruska understood our priorities and budget and prepared a good itinerary.
The choice of facilities was perfect. The ground transportation between airports and lodges all went smoothly and the rides were comfortable. The description of the itinerary from Victoria Falls to Botswana was slightly inaccurate but it was actually easier than described (no river crossing between Zimbabwe and Botswana) so that was fine.
It was great how the drivers also helped navigate the exit and entry processes and we never felt unsure about what to do. The itinerary allowed for an independent visit but with the logistics all covered, which was just what we wanted.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
A more detailed brochure with photos of the properties and description of services would have been nice in advance, just to whet our appetite for the experience. I felt a little unsure about what it would really be like, but fortunately everything was great."
The choice of facilities was perfect. The ground transportation between airports and lodges all went smoothly and the rides were comfortable. The description of the itinerary from Victoria Falls to Botswana was slightly inaccurate but it was actually easier than described (no river crossing between Zimbabwe and Botswana) so that was fine.
It was great how the drivers also helped navigate the exit and entry processes and we never felt unsure about what to do. The itinerary allowed for an independent visit but with the logistics all covered, which was just what we wanted.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
A more detailed brochure with photos of the properties and description of services would have been nice in advance, just to whet our appetite for the experience. I felt a little unsure about what it would really be like, but fortunately everything was great."
Arranged By Maruska AdyeRowe
Ilala Lodge
"Ilala Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
25 Feb 2017
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Muchenje Safari Lodge
"Muchenje Safari Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
27 Feb 2017
"We loved the Muchenji Safari Lodge. This was our first safari experience and it was wonderful.
The staff and guides are warm and friendly. We had the same guide, Lips, on all the safari drives and he was well-trained, knowledgeable and good-natured. The chef is wonderful and all meals were excellent. Guests take all meals together and it was nice getting to know each other. I went with friends and we each had our own thatched cottage. The cottages are nicely done but guests should be prepared for the odd gecko, spider or beetle in the room. I think in this situation there is really no way to avoid that.
The nice thing is that security guys always accompany you to your cottage after dark and make sure everything is okay. There are good mosquito nets around the bed that allow for a peaceful night's sleep. From the rooms and common areas we saw a lot of giraffes and occasionally water buck. We stayed 3 days which allowed us to do all the activities and have a little time to visit with the managers and enjoy the wonderful property."
The staff and guides are warm and friendly. We had the same guide, Lips, on all the safari drives and he was well-trained, knowledgeable and good-natured. The chef is wonderful and all meals were excellent. Guests take all meals together and it was nice getting to know each other. I went with friends and we each had our own thatched cottage. The cottages are nicely done but guests should be prepared for the odd gecko, spider or beetle in the room. I think in this situation there is really no way to avoid that.
The nice thing is that security guys always accompany you to your cottage after dark and make sure everything is okay. There are good mosquito nets around the bed that allow for a peaceful night's sleep. From the rooms and common areas we saw a lot of giraffes and occasionally water buck. We stayed 3 days which allowed us to do all the activities and have a little time to visit with the managers and enjoy the wonderful property."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
We paid a bit extra for the "sunrise over the falls" view which I thought meant we could see the falls but we couldn't (just the steam) and that wasn't viewable from my particular room. Still, the view was nice. We all wished there had been a gift shop because the town itself doesn't seem to have any nice shops.
The Ilala is easy walking distance from town and from the falls. The range of activities was also good. I did a morning game drive that was really well done and my friends and I did an evening cruise on the Zambezi which was very pleasant."