Travel reviews by The Diplomat from USA

"Pelo Camp was different from any of my previous 15 safari locations. It is an island and all all the activities that we took were on boats. We shared the motor boat with one other couple twice and had it to ourselves once. Unlike land safaris, boats leave no tracks. So, for the first time in Africa, I felt that i was in total wilderness. It felt as if we were the first people in the places we went, although, of course, we weren't.

David, our guide, was superb. We saw lots of animals of antelopes and elephants and, of course, many wondrous birds. It was a thrill to encounter elephants hidden among the bush on the shore, but also crossing from island to island. The watery scenery with all its plant types--and the compete absence of any sign of humans--was essential to the experience.

The camp is intimate with just five tents so this is a personalized experience, not a group one. I rate the room as average because the toilet is not very private, separated by a curtain from the room. I prefer it to be in its own room as was the case at Sable Alley. However, the views, size and privacy were outstanding. The food was good but nothing special. This is not to complain as Pelo is, after all, a camp in a wilderness. All were excellent considering where we were."

"We had an extraordinary experience at Sable Alley, watching for hours a leopard with her playful cub and fresh kill and then encountering a lion and lioness in the dark on our way back engaged in the activity of producing new lions. Ras, our guide, had the most detailed knowledge of all the birds and animals . Understanding as he did the behaviour of the animals, he was able to get us to the places for the best views. We also saw a sable which is apparently quite rare, and many antelope, zebra, giraffes, hippos, elephants,and crocodiles. I had the impression that not all the other guides were as talented as Ras.

I had imagined the delta to be teeming with wildlife. Sable Alley has lots of wildlife but it is not another Serengetti. Seeing wildlife in the forests--while not at all dense--is not the same as on the plains. Had we left a day earlier, I would have considered it a very ordinary safari experience--and many guests will not see what we did.

What is special is the small size of the camp and the sense that you are not part of a horde of tourists viewing game. But, visitors should know that this is not the place in Africa to see the most animals.

The views from the pool and dining area are superb with a resident hippo pod in front and the occasional giraffe and elephant."