Travel reviews by Mr M. from Ramsgate

"We really enjoyed Olive Grove. There was a friendly and genuine welcome and the communal areas were pleasant. The open plan kitchen was interesting and the chef very friendly. We were shown to our room quickly and the room was very comfortable. Although it was up an outside staircase (part metal, part stone) we were given immediate help with our luggage. There was plenty of space in the room and lots of amenities - a fridge with milk, a kettle, umbrellas, extra blankets and complementary port and chocolates, a lovely touch. The bathroom was also comfortable with double sinks, a lovely shower, toiletries and a separate cubicle, with door, for the toilet.

Outside our room was a small table and chairs under an awning overlooking the small parking area which was nice to use while we had a cup of tea, enjoying the pleasant temperature. There was also plenty of parking immediately opposite the gate which was not inconvenient if the parking area inside the gate was full.

We didn't use the small swimming pool but saw other guests using it.

We were glad we had reserved a table for dinner in advance as the food was excellent. It included a lovely broccoli and pear soup and one of the choices for main was eland fillet, delicious and beautifully cooked although we heard later it was actually springbok as eland was unavailable that day. Breakfast was also impressive.

The location was good - outside the main area of the town but close to a small shopping mall where we were able to pick up some supplies (water and snacks) for the long drives ahead and close to the main road network so we were able to get away to our next destination promptly, although we did stop to take some pictures of the famous church in the middle of a roundabout.

The staff filled our flask with coffee for us when we were leaving but we had forgotten to bring travel mugs. However, the lovely lady who checked us out found 2 disposable coffee cups with lids for us. She also provided a packed lunch for a small extra charge."

"It was a very long drive to Hoodia Desert Lodge from Windhoek over rough gravel roads (our first experience of them - we did get more used to them as the trip progressed), over the Spreetshoogte Pass and through Solitaire so we were very glad to arrive.

The lodge was lovely and our room very comfortable. We were able to park the vehicle right outside the chalet so luggage was no problem. The room had a lovely view of the desert/hills from the bedroom, the outside bathroom and the terrace outside which had chairs and a table. The inside bathroom was comfortable too with double basins and lovely showers both inside and outside.

We used the small pool to relax before we went on our sundowner experience which was arguably the nicest sundowner of our whole trip. We were taken, along with a few other couples, to the far side of a small west facing hillock which felt very isolated but was actually not far so very safe. Tables had already been set up well away from each other with plenty of drinks and lovely snacks. Candles and lamps were provided but I don't think anyone lit them because once the spectacular sunset was over, the view of the milky way with no light pollution was amazing.

Meals were very good and taken at individual tables. Choices included game some nights.

As we were doing the balloon trip on our last morning, we had to check out the night before, pack everything into the vehicle in the morning and move it to the general parking area before we were picked up at 05:45. When we got back, we were able to use the facilities in the main area to change and refresh ourselves before we set off for Swakopmund."

"Cornerstone Guesthouse is in a really good location in a quiet residential area only a few minutes from the seafront and very close to restaurants, bars and shops.

We were able to ark within the Cornerstone compound so luggage wrangling was easy and the vehicle was secure. It also got washed for us which was great.

Our room was only a few steps through the garden from the main building. The room and bathroom were spacious and very clean and comfortable with lots of storage, a fridge, hot drink making facilities. We had a nice outside terrace overlooking the lovely gardens which was lovely to have a quiet cup of tea watching the birds coming and going to the feeders.

Breakfast was in the main building and was one of the nicest we had on this trip. There was an extensive buffet designed to appeal to the various different breakfast tastes and hot items cooked to order.

We had dinner in a restaurant about 2 minutes from the guesthouse - the Alstadt Restaurant, which was as German as it sounds and ok for a quick simple meal at the end of a long day.

Swakopmund is a pretty town especially in the afternoon once the sea-fog had been driven off by the sun. We had a free day to explore it but unfortunately the aquarium was closed for refurbishment so we walked to the museum which was a bit dated but had some interesting exhibitions. The centre of the town is quite compact so we walked along the sea front and had lunch in a sea-food restaurant, Ocean Cellar, part of the Strand Hotel - very smart with great views and food - and then walked to the jetty, along the promenade and through the gardens.

We were lucky to be able to get a table at the Tug for dinner and this is highly recommended. Great food, cocktails and atmosphere. Service is good and they offer a drop off service to take you back to your hotel when you finish, with the reasonable charge being added to your table bill, so no handing money to the driver and escort. Security is taken very seriously in Swakopmund with CCTV in the more popular tourist areas.

We can also recommend the Village Cafe for a coffee and cake stop while browsing the many gift and curio shops. Lovely cakes and good coffee in a quirky setting."

"This was a one night stop to break up a longer drive and also because 2001 A Space Oddessy was filmed in the area.

It was a dusty and bumpy drive to Spitzkoppen, like going over a continuous cattle grid but we were getting used to that. Even when we reached the gate, there was still quite a drive to get to the lodge and it was difficult finding our way. The gate-keeper had given us a map of the area and we were able to use that. The landscapes were dramatic in the afternoon sun with fantastic rock formations and the lodge blended into the surroundings almost invisibly.

The room was comfortable, like a cross between a caravan and a tent and felt rather rickety. It shook as we walked around. However, the bed was comfy and there was plenty of storage, a nice shower room and a sitting out area with chairs and an amazing view.

It was quite a trek across the raised walkways to the main building for dinner and breakfast. Food was average and served on plastic plates which was strange, but the building was nicely decorated with interesting art.

We booked a guided drive with sundowner. The drive part was good and we went to the Small Bushmans Paradise and viewed some rock art, saw the Golden Snake and then went to the rock arch, which was famous. Some people who were on the tour with us said we were lucky that day there were only a few people around and we were able to take some nice empty photos. The previous day there had been hordes of people around . It was surprising how many people there were in such an isolated place but there were some camp sites close by.

We saw zebras which it turned out had been brought in and left behind by a film crew and had become habituated. Fodder was supplied by the lodge (or the park authorities, we never found out which)

The sundowner was not good. We were taken to a spot on the rocks where our view included the park perimeter fence. Our drinks were bottles of commercially pre-mixed Gin and Tonic, drunk from the bottle as there were no glasses. The driver seemed surprised we asked for glasses.

Overall, good for a one night stop and the guided drive, but we don’t recommend the sundowner experience. It would have been better to have had a drink on the terrace of the bar where there were comfortable chairs and still a west facing view."

"We had planned a 3 night stay here to allow us to undertake the rhino tracking activity. The drive here from Spitzkoppen was another day on 'cattle-grid' roads but the journey was uneventful and we easily found the airstrip where we were to leave the car. There was a nice shaded area where we were able to relax and have a cold drink while we waited for another couple who were coming in by light aircraft.

The drive to the lodge was about 20 minutes from the airstrip and was quite bumpy but the landscapes were interesting. The lodge itself was lovely - luxurious, clean, well designed and laid out. It blended well into the surrounding rock formations and several aspects, such as the small pool, outdoor bar and bathrooms, used the rocks to form part of the structure.

The staff were all friendly and helpful. Our assigned hostess Heidi was efficient and attentive but we felt there was something 'off' about the management. During the check-in process our dietary requirements had been noted but these didn't get through to the kitchen. Also we were asked by various different people (manager, house-keeping, guide) if we wanted to sleep outside that night, but they didn't seem to communicate with each other.

One very irritating aspect was that we were told by a manager that we would be going on the elephant tracking activity the next morning and would be on our own with our assigned guide, Lion. While we were at the bar, Lion was called away and when he came back he said things had changed as the elephants were moving away and we would be doing rhino tracking. However, during dinner the manager came over to our table and told us we would be doing elephant tracking after all and with another couple. We couldn’t decide if the elephants had decided to come back of if management were making changes based on optimising business and not being honest about it.

It was quite a trek to our room and the topography was a bit up and down which we didn't mind but we saw other guests with limited mobility and they were a assigned a closer room with an easier walk to the main buildings.

Rooms and bathrooms were spacious and well equipped. Lots of charging points, a fantastic mini-bar with a choice of gins, fresh lemons to slice, beer, wine, soft drinks, filtered drinking water, cookies, nuts and dried fruit. There was a fridge but no kettle. The staff brought hot water for tea or coffee on request. The reason given was that the lodge was entirely powered by solar and kettles use a disproportionate amount of power. The rooms were also supplied with a pair of Swarovski binoculars and a small range of these were available for sale in the gift shop.

Food at Onduli was outstanding. Breakfast was the usual cold buffet with hot items cooked to order. Lunch was a large ‘cake stand’ brought to the table containing various breads, salads, vegetables and meat. For dinner there were a choice of 3 mains, sometimes including game. One evening was pizza night, with 'create your own' pizzas being cooked in the outdoor pizza oven and eaten under the stars - great fun and very tasty.

Sundowners were taken at a small bar above the swimming pool in the rocks with lovely views of the surrounding landscape as the rocks changed colour when the sun went down. There was a wide variety of gin on offer but guests could request anything and it would be fetched. Snacks were imaginative, one night hot canapes another crudites & dips, crisps, nuts and cold meats.

Sleeping out was an experience we wouldn’t have missed. The temperature was not as cold as we had expected and the duvet and a blanket kept us cosy. There were no mosquitos. The view of the stars was special with no light pollution. We enjoyed it so much we did it for 2 or our 3 nights.

We took 2 activities. Firstly elephant tracking. This was an enjoyable activity and we actively followed elephant tracks down a dry river bed. When we stopped for coffee, there was a choice of beans which Lion ground and then brewed in front of us. Very impressive. We found 2 desert adapted elephants quite soon after and were able to watch them for a few minutes before setting off back to the lodge. We saw a lot of birds and some baboons but no giraffe.

The rhino ‘tracking’ was not so enjoyable. We drove around for quite a while while Lion was in contact with the trackers. After we had stopped for coffee he said the trackers had found a rhino and we headed in that direction. However, there were some other vehicles ahead of us so we had to wait at another lodge for a short while until the other vehicles had finished. When we did set off again, we saw one vehicle just leaving and the trackers waiting to take us to the rhino on foot. Unfortunately, the rhino by then had got tired and gone to sleep in a bush but they were very helpful in pointing out his back and an ear which we could see. After a few minutes we had to leave and the trackers took us back to the vehicle and said they would answer questions. We hadn’t realised there would be trackers so hadn’t brought much cash to tip, but one of the other family with us tipped for all of us and we paid him our share when we got back to the lodge. With hindsight, this was not worth spending the extra night for and the really frustrating thing was that the trackers told us the previous day they had found a female with a calf. That's just the luck of the draw.

Lion knew we were interested in birds so suggested he take us on a short birding walk that late afternoon which we jumped at. The family we had done the rhino activity with were with us and they said they had been offered a nature walk. The walk was interesting and we saw insects, plants and scrub hares.

When we got back to our vehicle on our last morning, it had been washed by the security guard which was a nice surprise. It had been looking very red with all the dust.

We enjoyed Onduli Ridge and would recommend it but not for 3 nights."

"We had been warned that the Government rest camp was very basic so our expectations were not high. However, we were pleasantly surprised.

We had booked a waterhole chalet and it was only a few steps from the waterhole but with no view of it. The room was large, very clean, with comfortable single beds pushed together, duvets and extra blankets. There were tea and coffee making facilities, drinking glasses and a large very modern bathroom with toiletries including a tube of insect repellent. The only drawback to the room was that there was no safe, even though the receptionist had told us there was one. Perhaps some of the rooms have them and others don’t. We had to carry our passports and money as best we could and leave other valuables in the room but nothing happened while we were out.

The site itself was extensive and there were a lot of people about. Services included a grocery shop, petrol station, gift shop and swimming pools plus the normal facilities for the campers.

Dinner and breakfast were taken in the restaurant. Dinner was 3 courses with a couple of choices of dishes for each course (eg dessert was cake, ice-cream or fruit salad). Not fancy but nicely cooked and service was friendly and quick. Breakfast was a buffet with an egg station for omelettes etc.

Expert Africa were right about the waterhole. It was special. It was fenced off (fairly unobtrusively) to stop visitors getting too close to the animals but the other side of the fence was open to Etosha National Park. Benches were provided around the perimeter of the fence and a small shaded stand with 3 ranks of stone seating.

We went straight there and sat till dinnertime and saw plenty of game including one black rhino in the daylight, numerous elephant, kudu, wildebeest, springbok, oryx, giraffe, dozens of zebra squabbling for space and lots of birds. We went back after dark. The animals kept coming. At one point there were 4 black rhino around the water.

We also spent a couple of hours there the following morning before setting off for our next lodge which was very close. Overall, we heartily recommend this camp but have a think about the safe."

"Ongava Lodge was easy to locate - the secure entrance gate was immediately before the Anderssons entrance to Etosha National Park (on the left if you are going towards the park). The drive from the entrance to the actual lodge took about 20 minutes over quite rough track through part of the Ongava reserve which borders the national park. There was good signage directing us where to leave the car and a nice welcoming committee. Or luggage was whisked away and we climbed 30 or so steps up to the main building through lovely gardens. The entrance and public places were beautiful and overlooked a small waterhole which was floodlit at night and visible from some of the individual dining tables.

Our room was spacious with a view over the reserve and a partial view of the waterhole especially from the bathroom and through peepholes in the outdoor shower. It was well equipped with plenty of shelving/hanging space, a lovely sitting out area and a hairdryer. There were tea and coffee making facilities, but no milk or fridge. We had bought some long life milk with us but we could have asked for milk and it would have been provided. Surprisingly there was no key to the lock on the door. We were reminded to keep all valuables in the safe.

There were quite a lot of steps up to the main buildings from the rooms but it was an entertaining trek thanks to the rock hyrax. There was a small pool half-way up to the main buildings but we didn't have a chance to use it.

Food was excellent and the views of the waterhole while eating were lovely. Brunch was served after a morning game drive, if not back too late. If brunch had finished (~1130) then the pool menu was offered - salads, sandwiches etc as an early lunch. Dinner offered a couple of choices and the standard was very good. After our first night, we learnt to go straight to dinner following the game drive to ensure a table with a view. It paid off because at one point there were 8 black rhino around the waterhole including 2 who were having a tussle head-to-head. They kept it up for an hour or so. Eventually one pushed the other backwards behind some bushes and although we couldn't see them we could hear them grumbling. On the second evening we saw a female black rhino with a calf challenging an elephant who got too close and the elephant backed off. Really interesting.

We were assigned Salomen as our guide and found him very good. Game drives were sometimes in the Ongava reserve and sometimes in Etosha National Park. The drives in the reserve were more private and we saw plenty of kudu, zebra, elephants, giraffe, 2 male lions and a dik-dik. In the NP there was a lot of game but there were a lot more vehicles around and when a sighting of a pride of lions on a zebra kill was reported, it was difficult to find a place to park to see the animals. After a few minutes of patient waiting there was some rearrangement of the spectators and Salomen managed to find a good spot.

Salomen managed to squeeze us in a short game drive in the reserve on our last morning. He said he had been listening to the radios overnight and the anti-poaching patrol had reported a family of white rhino. He drove to the general area and managed to find the group of 4 which were the first we had seen.

One great facility was the hide, which is down a lot of steps to waterhole level. Our waitress insisted we try it out and we weren'y disappointed. We spent an hour or so watching a family of elephants drinking and playing. One large elephant was chasing off any other animal which came to drink while he was there and it was quite thrilling when a group of wildebeest were chased away immediately in front of the hide.

Overall this was a lovely place to spend 2 nights."

"We were only here 1 night which was a shame. To reach Onguma, we had to drive through Etosha from Anderssons gate to Von Lindquist gate over 'cattle-grid' tracks. It was quite a long drive and we took a short detour to view the salt pan, which was other-wordly. There were a couple of places where toilet facilities were provided but we kept going until we reached the Namutoni rest camp (much smaller and quieter than Okaukeujo) and had a nice break there. Onguma Bush Camp was just outside the main gate (on the left as we exited). Google maps tried to send us down a path parallel to the correct road but it was well marked so we had no trouble finding it.

We were very impressed by the camp. We were given a lot of information at check-in about the camp and the facilities. It was well laid out, with individual roundels for rooms, a nice gift-shop in the reception area, a pleasant pool and a great restaurant, bar and lounge area overlooking a beautiful reed-fringed waterhole.

We had to leave the car in the car park which was a bit away from the room, but there was prompt help with the bags. The room was comfortable with a nice bathroom and plenty of space for the luggage. There was no safe which does generate a feeling of vulnerability but didn't result in any problems.

We went straight to the lounge for coffee and cake from the station provided in the bar/lounge. The waterhole was alive with dragon-flies we and could see fish swimming below us. We watched a heron fishing. The waterhole attracted black-faced impala, kudu and giraffe and there were a lot of different birds including several marabou storks.

Dinner was lovely, outdoors but blankets were provided on each chair and food and service were good. The same for breakfast. There was a cold buffet and hot drinks were ordered at the table and brought to us. Hot breakfast was also ordered from a nice menu.

All in all this was a very pleasant place to spend a night and we wished we could have had 2 nights here and managed to go on a game drive, as it would have been in the east of the Etosha area so may have been different to what we had already experienced further west. We couldn't even take an early morning game drive as we had to leave early for our longest drive of all the next day to the Zambezi region."

"We reached Riverdance after a long drive of 604 km from Etosha. However, the good thing was the drive was virtually all on tarmac roads which were dead straight. Still, we were very glad to reach the lodge which was easy to find although there was no one on the gate when we arrived at about 1630. The gate wasn't locked though so we opened it ourselves and then closed it again once we drove through.

The reception/bar/restaurant was a short walk from the car park and overlooked the river. We were made very welcome and directed where to drive for the parking place for our room and then helped to carry our luggage from the car to the room. It was quite a walk from the room to reception for dinner etc through soft sand paths.

The room was large and comfortable and had a separate bathroom a few steps away from the bedroom but on the same platform directly overlooking the river. It was a little disconcerting to use during the night, but there was an outside light. The bedroom had a fridge, hot drink making facilities, filtered water, hairdryer, plenty of hanging and storage space but no safe. We were told there would not be any security problem and we did have a room key.

We had booked a morning game drive to Buffalo Park, part of the Bwabwata National Park as we specifically wanted to see sable antelope and all the reports said that there were good sightings of them there. Activities were not included in our half-board rate but we felt the cost was very reasonable. Our guide was Austin. We did have 3 sightings of sable - a brief one of 2 animals crossing through to our right and then 1 lovely sighting of a big bull who was digging up the river bank with his horns, plus another sighting at the end of our activity.

There were good game sightings generally in the park and only 2 other vehicles sighted all morning but the best part of the game drive was the wetland area, which was really special. The birdlife was amazing and we could have spent the whole time just sitting watching birds and hippos. Austin set up our breakfast table there and we had a lovely meal of boiled eggs, bread, cold meats, cheeses, cereals, fruit, yoghurt, juice and hot coffee or tea. That was a highlight. The activity lasted over 6 hours and was very good value. We saw a few more sable grazing on the side of the road as we drove back to the lodge. Austin said they were fond of grazing there.

That evening, we took a sunset cruise on the river with another couple and this was lovely too, plenty of birds, hippos and crocodiles. Sundowners were taken on the bank with wine, G&T (without the T which had been inadvertently left behind), beer or coke and nice snacks while we watched hippos then back into the boat for the actual sunset in a particularly scenic part of the Kavango River. We had a good view of the sunset on our first evening from our room but the pictures we got from the water during this cruise were the best sunset photos we took the whole trip.

Dinner was back in the restaurant overlooking the river and was very good both nights as was breakfast on our last morning.

Once important point to mention is that due to the closeness of Angola to the Zambezi Region (on the opposite bank of the river) our phones, and consequently the SatNav, were picking up Angola time, (Western Africa Time), which is usually an hour different from Southern Africa Time. This caused some confusion until we worked it out and manually set the time-zones on the phones for Windhoek time.

Overall, we can recommend Riverdance as a lovely place to stay with good activities."

"We had been a bit worried about the journey to Nambwa Tented Lodge as there were 2 sets of directions. However, the preferred option was to drive to a place called the Sijwa Project, leave the vehicle there and be collected by boat which would take us to the Lodge. Actually it worked out very well. We had to call when we were in Kongola to arrange for the boat to be despatched and we struggled with the supplied numbers as there were network issues but in the end we called the main reservations number and they were very efficient, understood what we were asking and made the arrangement for us.

The Sijwa project was quite easy to find and although the people there were not expecting us, they showed us where to go and park the vehicle then helped us carry the luggage to where the boat would arrive. The boat did take a bit longer to arrive than expected but that was because the water level was very low so what would usually take 15 minutes, actually took 45 minutes. It was nice for us though because Eustace, our guide and driver, pointed out lots of birds and interesting facts about the plants and landscapes we passed.

The Lodge itself was lovely, raised up off the ground on a series of platforms connected by walkways through the trees. There was a small pool which we didn't have a chance to use. The lounge area had many separate areas with comfortable seating, a bar and a small gift shop area.

The room was great. It was technically a tent but so large and light it felt solid. It was seriously comfortable and very well laid out - to the right, a bathroom area with large shower cubicle and separate toilet, a free standing bath and double sinks all with toiletries and a hairdryer. There was a curtain to divide the bathroom area from the rest of the tent if you needed to switch the light on during the night without disturbing your partner. The lounge area was on the left side of the bedroom with all the facilities you could wish for except a kettle (hot water for tea was brought each morning at a pre arranged time).

The bedroom area had ample storage space behind the bed together with a safe, insect repellent and room spray and the bed was really comfortable. When we came back each evening after dinner, we found hot water bottles tucked under the duvet. It wasn't especially cold in the night, just cool, but this was a lovely touch. The platform the tent was built on was very solid, it didn't shake as you walked around and it was possible to walk right round the outside so it had views from the front across the plain and from the back across the open area of the lodge where wildlife walked through. We didn't see elephants in camp while we were there - we just missed them when we arrived but we could see evidence of them with lots of leaves pulled down and scattered on the ground. We did see lots of baboons and some bushbuck in the camp.

Food was excellent at breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner and service was friendly and efficient. The management and staff seemed to communicate well and everything ran smoothly.

Activities were good and there was a variety of game around. We had a couple of game drives centered on the famous horseshoe area, which deserved its fame but did attract other vehicles. Our first sundowner was in another area and there were several vehicles there together, understandable because the view of the river, the hippos and the sunset were second to none. Our guide for this drive (the only activity not guided by Eustace) made us fresh popcorn as well as providing the more usual crisps, nuts and dried fruit.

Next morning, we had a cruise on the river which was very enjoyable and we saw a variety of game including red lechwe and one sitatunga as well as monitor lizards, hippos, crocodiles, elephants etc and the wide variety of birds.

On our second evening we had another game drive. On our way along the edge of the river, we drove past a camper van where the occupants were having a picnic and the driver flagged us down. He seemed very familiar with the area and was telling Eustace that there were 'warthogs' at a location not far away. Eustace seemed to understand exactly where the gentleman meant because he set off quickly. It turned out the man hadn't said warthogs but wild dogs and sure enough we found a pack of 13 wild dogs enjoying the evening light and relaxing by a waterhole. This was a very special viewing and we mostly were the only vehicle there so were able to watch for a while.

Our sundowner was back overlooking the horseshoe and there were no other vehicles around. We were entertained by large herds of elephants and a troop of baboons playing just in front of us. Even though we were out of the vehicle and had snacks they ignored us and were no problem.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our time at Nambwa, wished we could have stayed another night and recommend it highly.

There was one issue which caused some confusion and we wished it had been explained from the start. We assumed because we stayed 2 nights, we would be having 4 activities because that's what we have been used too not just on this holiday but on other safari holidays in Southern Africa. We did need to leave fairly promptly on our last morning so asked if we could have a shortish activity in the general area of the lodge on that morning and were told yes that can be arranged. When we checked out on our return, we found we had been charged for that last game drive. It wasn't an excessive charge but we were surprised and when we queried it the manager explained that they don't offer an activity on the last morning of a stay. This didn't spoil things but we felt things could have been clearer.

We were taken back to our vehicle by boat and again it took a while as that part of the water was very low. Nambwa kindly called ahead to our next lodge and told them what time to expect us."

"We had read several reviews complaining of the difficulty in notifying the lodge in advance in order to be met where the vehicle was to be left. So we asked our previous lodge to call ahead for us and let them know we would be at the meeting point at noon. We also tried to call the numbers Expert Africa had given us but couldn't get through, probably because of poor connectivity. We did get to the meeting point 10 minutes earlier than we had said but the driver was already there and a bit cross with us because he was expecting us earlier.

This lodge was the only one on this extensive trip which was a disappointment. In fact we cannot understand why it was recommended so highly by Expert Africa. We realise it is important to support community conservation projects, which this lodge is part of, but felt the glowing recommendation online was misleading.

First the positives - the location was nice, fairly remote but not as isolated as we expected, there were camp sites nearby, and a couple of huts selling curios and firewood (?). The staff at the lodge were pleasant, well trained and friendly. In fact this was one of only 2 lodges that made sure our dietary requirement was passed on to the kitchen and an adjustment was made to our meal. There was a nice view from the dining area which included a water hole which was visited by a family of wart-hogs. The wi-fi was the best of any other lodge we visited as they had the StarLink system. Flasks of filtered drinking water were provided in the tent.

However, we found the main buildings dark and dingy and the tents were small and hot during the afternoon, very cold overnight and with very dark bathrooms. The mosquito nets fitted closely round the bed with no bedside tables, just a high shelf behind the bed, so in order to turn out the lights, get a tissue or a drink during the night or put reading material down, we had to get out of bed and then come back in.

Dining was at one communal table of 18 and all were served together. We were the only English speakers so felt fairly isolated. The pea soup was cold although the main course (chicken on the bone in sauce with ratatouille) was warmer. Dessert was some sort of cake. Coffee and tea was available if you wanted to make it at the hot drink station. Unfortunately, there was only green tea - we were told black tea was out of stock, so at breakfast we brought our own emergency tea-bags.

We had read some less than glowing reviews of the camp on Trip Advisor (after we had booked) but most people said the combo drive made up for the discomforts. This activity was part game-drive and part cruise so we arrived in time to do this. There were 8 people (plus the driver) in the vehicle which had 3 rows of seats so 2 of the customers had middle of the row seats. Some of these people were not staying at the lodge but had joined from one of the camp sites. We did not really enjoy the drive much although the cruise bit was nicer. The bar was opened during the cruise but only bottles of beer or coke were available.

In the morning we were taken back to where we had left the car at the village of Sangwali.

All in all we do not recommend this lodge. It was a shame that this was our last night in Namibia and that it was such a poor experience."

"The Ngoma Lodge vehicle driven by Sam picked us up from Kasane Airport after we had crossed the border from Namibia and dropped our hired vehicle off.

To get to the lodge we drove through Chobe National Park for about 20 minutes. The lodge vehicle dropped us off at the main building which was open to a fabulous view of the flood plain and across to Namibia. The dining area, bars and seating areas all had the same view and there was always some game to see (although there was also cattle from the Namibian side). There was a small pool just below the bar and a fire-pit area. There was also a water-hole which was well used.

Our room was the furthest from the main building which meant a bit of a walk but as that was pretty much all the exercise we got we didn't mind. It also meant there was a game path from the reserve past our room down to the waterhole which we saw giraffe, kudu and elephant using. Everyone was escorted to and from their rooms after dark but one evening we had to be taken down to dinner by car as elephants had invaded the camp. They had gone by the time we finished but we could see they had been refreshing themselves at our plunge pool.

The room was luxurious with all amenities anyone could need, lots of space, plenty of electric and USB charging points, chilled filtered water, a complimentary bar, kettle, coffee maker, biscuits and small sachets of milk which were replaced by a whole carton of milk when we asked for more...... and the view from the bed was very special. The staff member who took us to our room explained that no-one would ever walk past our windows so we should leave our curtains open all night and enjoy the view from the moment we woke, which we did.

Our plunge pool was on a small terrace which was open to the reserve and had a couple of loungers, a table and chairs and an outdoor shower, which we used as a hide to photograph some of the prolific bird life outside the room.

Food was very good and there was a choice at both lunch and dinner. Lunch was salads or sandwiches and a choice of desserts including milk-shakes which was a nice treat. At dinner, one of the chefs came out to explain the menu choices to each table and then orders were given to the hostess. The first night there was a wildebeest stew which was delicious. Breakfast was a lovely cold buffet on the deck and a menu of imaginative hot dishes cooked to order. Drinks were always available at the bar but if no-one was there to serve, guests were welcome to help themselves.

Game drives were good too and took place in the National Park, a few minutes drive through the Forest Reserve to the gate. We were assigned a guide called MK. One highlight of our first evening drive was a large herd of buffalo which we got very close to. So close that our G&Ts had to be drunk in the vehicle for safety but we didn't mind. After that another guide communicated that a leopard was making it's way through the undergrowth and MK worked out where it would come out and drove there very quickly. Sure enough, it appeared and walked slowly across our field of view. There were other vehicles around but we had the best sighting of it and lovely photos thanks to MK.

The next day we saw the buffalo again during both morning and evening game drives as well as a nice variety of other game. During the evening we had a very good view of a Verraux's Eagle Owl, a first for us and had sundowner drinks accompanied by a family of giraffe.

On our second full day, we did an all day activity - half cruising on the Chobe River and half game drive. The cruise was lovely and relaxed and we saw lots of the 'normal' game with a wide variety of water birds plus a couple of swallows who hitched a ride on our boat. We had lunch at a picnic area in the National Park and it was very good. There were very clean and modern toilets there too but no paper or soap. However, the vehicle carried as standard a kit which could be taken into facilities (including those at the Park gates) and which contained paper, hand-wipes etc. Excellent attention to detail.

On the game drive section we were able to travel further along the banks of the river than we had been before and watched multiple herds of elephant coming down to drink and cross the river. The buffalo also crossed the river at sunset for safety - MK explained that the Namibian side is not a National Park so there are no predators.

On our last morning as we made our way back to Kasane Airport for our pick-up to go to Zimbabwe, our driver Sam spotted a sable bull crossing the road in front of us. We stopped and then realised there was a whole herd of sable milling around at the edge of the woodland. We stopped to watch. There was a mixture of males, females and calves, around 19 animals altogether, including the dominant bull who stayed on the other side of the road, and they grazed for some time before we had to move on but it was a lovely way to end our visit.

We cannot recommend Ngoma Safari Lodge highly enough and would return in a heartbeat."

"This was our third visit to Victoria Falls and our second time at Ilala Lodge as we had enjoyed our first stay (2018) so much. The service was even better than last time and the team seemed better trained and more professional than on our previous visit.

Our room was on the second floor and had a lovely view of the spray from the falls and the gardens which attracted a lot of birds and once a female bush-buck. The room was large and comfortable with complimentary drinking water, kettle, tea, coffee and milk. There were plenty of charging points, both international and USB, and a big bathroom. The gardens are beautifully laid out and maintained and the public rooms are large and nicely decorated. The food, both breakfast and dinner, were very good with a wide range of options including game.

The Lodge is very conveniently located for the falls, a 10-15 minute walk. However, on our way there and back we got pestered by persistent young men selling things much more than previously and on our way back 2 elephants were feeding in the undergrowth close to the path. We were told by 2 local people it was ok to walk past but not to slow down or stop but it was still a little alarming.

We had booked the Ra Ikane sunset cruise as we had such a good experience previously and seen a lot of wildlife. Unfortunately, the experience was not so good this time. There appeared to be many more boats on the river and the captain on this occasion did not seem so interested in maximising the experience for the customers so it was rather an anti-climax.

In fact we found the town of Victoria Falls much busier and with a lot of new buildings, including more hotels and lodges than we had seen previously. We don't think we will return but would recommend Ilala Lodge as a comfortable, convenient, well run place to spend a couple of nights."

"Very convenient hotel which we used as a base in between different sections of our holiday. They were helpful and accommodating.

Queues at reception desk were often long and service in the restaurant was on the slow side. Breakfast was excellent. Very useful to be able to leave a suitcase there in between visits.

The most difficult thing was obtaining a luggage trolley when exiting the hotel lift which emerged next to the area of the terminal giving access to the car park so was just a straight walk to the main terminal. Even then, there was sometimes an attendant there who would go and find a trolley and even when we did it ourselves once, it didn't take more than a few minutes."

"We really enjoyed our stay at Ilala. The location was really convenient and we were able to walk to the Falls easily. The gardens are lovely and very well tended. Our room was spacious and well maintained with a lovelybathroom and a balcony overlooking the lawns and the family group of small antelope (Sitatunga).

Eating outside was great with a visit by elephants at dinner, although eating after dark on the terrace was difficult due to not enough light, but the next night there was no problem with moving us indoors even thought they were very busy. The menu was good too and we struggled to choose. Breakfast was lovely too and eating that outside was a lovely treat.

Most of the staff were really helpful and even if service at the bar was a little slow sometimes it was made up for by the good humour of the team.

While we were there we took a canoeing trip on the Zambezi run by Wild Horizons. This was excellent and a real high-light of the whole holiday. The guides were very professional and helpful, letting us go in separate canoes with a guide each as neither of us were used to canoeing. They were very safety conscious, especially of the presence of hippos and made sure we kept a safe distance. During the rough bits (exhilarating for us but not proper rapids) the guides put our cameras away in special padded, waterproof boxes and brought them back out as soon as the rough water was past. We saw lots of wildlife, especially birds and the breakfast and lunch were good too."

"We enjoyed our time at Hwange bush camp. Although the variety of game was less than we have seen on previous safaris, we got to spend time close up with animals, notably a pride of lions with a buffalo kill. This was the high-light for one of us. We watched them for a long time in the afternoon and again in the early evening as they went down to a water hole to drink. It was delightful to watch the cubs playing together as the temperature dropped a little.

Our first afternoon was spent watching a large group of elephant at a water-hole. The youngsters were very boisterous and it was a real privilege to watch them.

We also spent some time at Deteema Dam which was delightful and the high-light for the other one of us. We saw Painted Dogs there. We would have liked to have spent more time there just watching the wild-life come and go but a bush-walk had been scheduled and we weren't offered the option. The walk was through the heat of the day and intended to be to a spring, however when we got there the spring had dried. We didn't enjoy that experience.

Our tent was in a lovely location, spacious and well equipped. The bathroom was adequate and the bucket shower worked well. Meals were good and well cooked. Breakfast was informal - a buffet outside by the camp fire and drinks before dinner were taken under the stars with amazing views of the Milky Way.

Camp staff were friendly and helpful and laundry was returned promptly. The guides were very professional and knowledgeable."

"We really enjoyed our time at Nehimba. It was in a good location and well laid out. Our room was quite distant from the main buildings but there was a clever alarm system so if there had been an issue, we could have pressed the button on the portable device and the staff would have been alerted to an issue and also which room needed help. The room itself was lovely, very spacious and light with a private deck over-looking the waterhole. During the afternoon 'downtime' this was visited by a variety of wildlife including buffalo, saddlebill stork, yellow-billed kites and lilac-breasted rollers. The bathroom, with tub and outside shower were lovely too.

Some meals were taken in company with those we shared the safari vehicle with (1 or 2 other couples) but some were taken at individual tables. Our guide was very knowledgeable and showed us a variety of different habitats.

Sundowners were taken in the bush and we were also able to stay out after dark and saw some very interesting animals including grazing hippos and a male lion with 2 lionesses.

One morning we stopped for coffee at a hide by a waterhole and our guide cooked us pancakes to go with our coffee while we watched hippos and a variety of bird-life.

A high-light was the visit by elephants coming to drink at the water-hole and swimming pool while we ate dinner. They were completely unconcerned by us and our cameras. A thrilling experience. Other high-lights were watching a pair of Crowned Cranes with their 3 offspring and a Giant Eagle Owl with it's prey, a Springhare."

"Amalinda Lodge was a fantastic place. The location is out of this world and the layout is brilliant. Our room was some distance from the main building - very private. We had to climb through a crevice in the amazing rock formation to access it (although there was a track which was less direct but accessible by vehicle or on foot).

The room itself was very large and beautifully furnished. There was a double shower built into the rock. The seating are outside the front door of the room looked over a valley with a small waterhole. We had access to a second seating area reached via a rope bridge over the valley directly above the bottom and saw some wildlife there - water birds and baboons.

On our first afternoon, we relaxed for a couple of hours after we arrived then we walked up into the hills above the lodge for sundowners. The views were lovely.

Next day after breakfast we drove into the National Park. The Park Rangers took us on foot through the bush to where a family group of white rhino were sheltering from the sun under some trees and we got close to them which was very exciting. This was the high-light of our stay. Less exciting was finding a snare set by poachers on our way back to the vehicle but it brought home to us the real danger the wildlife and rangers face. Our guide was excellent and managed to find Sable Antelope which we had been hoping to see since we arrived. That was a second high-light.

We returned to the lodge for lunch and a swim and then in the afternoon went back into the Park. We visited a cave which contained an outline painting of a white rhino made by ancient bushmen, and which was why the Government decided to re-introduce the species in that area.

Then we went on to World's View to see Rhodes Grave which was well worth the climb. The view is spectacular and the sunset beautiful. We were lucky to have it to ourselves that evening except for the brightly coloured lizards hoping for crumbs from our snacks and the dear little Elephant Shrews that wanted the water dripping from condensation on the outside of our G&Ts.

The big disappointment at Amalinda was that the emphasis seemed to be less on wildlife viewing than in the safari lodges. We set off at 08:30, which seemed very late to us, but the other people we shared the vehicle with preferred to have a leisurely breakfast before setting off so by the time we got inside the camp it was getting on for 10:00. When we found the rhino, we were told 'an hour ago they were foraging out in the open' which was frustrating. The same was true of the Sable. We did see them but at some distance because they had retreated into the rocks to avoid the sun.

As our flight to Johannesburg was not till mid-day the next day, and Bulawayo Airport was only 30 minutes away, we asked our guide if we could set off early and visit the main site of cave paintings on the way but were told that there was not likely to be an appropriate vehicle available. It sounded like an excuse and seemed to show a lack of flexibility.

The meals were fine - dinner was taken as a group but breakfast was at separate tables on the deck. The bar and pool area were very special and it was most enjoyable to have lunch there (excellent lunches) and then sit with a book, have a swim and watch birds and lizards come and go. Overall, a very enjoyable couple of days.

These travellers also commented, in their general comments on their whole trip:

It may be a good idea to recommend at least 3 nights at Amalinda if visitors would like to see cave paintings and visit World's End. We hadn't realised we wouldn't have time to do both."

"See previous review"

"We had a very enjoyable time at Azura which is set directly on the beach with good levels of privacy for each villa. The staff are lovely and do their best to ensure you have a good time. Meals were excellent and the evening 'cocktail of the day' brought to us on the beach was a lovely treat.

We had a really good day out 'island hopping'. The snorkelling was good, we climbed the great dune and were rewarded by the amazing views and the picnic lunch at North Point was special.

The helicopter flight from Vilanculos to the island and back was a bonus too."

"See previous review"