Travel reviews by Ms M & Mr M from Calgary
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
3
Excursions taken
0
One of the best trips ever.
Zimbabwe and 1 other country between 31 Oct 2018 and 12 Nov 2018
"Expert Africa advice & arrangements excellent.
Light aircraft transfer was probably not necessary, provided no real advantage & caused restrictions on luggage.
Although there was a snafu in our transfer from Hwange Camp back to Vic Falls, the situation was satisfactorily remedied and the tour operator compensated us with free river cruise and Vic Falls walking tour. Essentially the pick-up was missed but with the help of staff from The Hide and a volunteer from a friend of the transfer company (?Wild Horizons) we were eventually (2.75 hrs late) driven back to VF & met about half-way by the tour company driver."
Light aircraft transfer was probably not necessary, provided no real advantage & caused restrictions on luggage.
Although there was a snafu in our transfer from Hwange Camp back to Vic Falls, the situation was satisfactorily remedied and the tour operator compensated us with free river cruise and Vic Falls walking tour. Essentially the pick-up was missed but with the help of staff from The Hide and a volunteer from a friend of the transfer company (?Wild Horizons) we were eventually (2.75 hrs late) driven back to VF & met about half-way by the tour company driver."
Arranged By Maruska AdyeRowe
The Hide
"Comfortable. lots of animals excellen guides "
3 nights
Arrived
1 Nov 2018
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Facilities
Good
Sightings report
Buffalo
Many sightings
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Hippo
1 sighting
Leopard
1 sighting
Lion
1 sighting
Sable antelope
1 sighting
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Victoria Falls Hotel
"Olde Worlde Luxury"
1 night
Arrived
4 Nov 2018
"Beautiful old hotel with excellent service & in a prime location.
Easy access to the Falls & to other activities. Saw a large herd of swimming elephants & of hippos on the evening cruise on the river."
Easy access to the Falls & to other activities. Saw a large herd of swimming elephants & of hippos on the evening cruise on the river."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Ngoma Safari Lodge
"Luxurious accommodations in a varied park"
4 nights
Arrived
5 Nov 2018
"This is a relatively new and very upmarket lodge. Cabins are beautiful & excellently furnished/provided. Indoor & outdoor shower as well as plunge pool. Elephants apparently drank form our plunge pool but sadly we weren't there to see it.
Meals were excellent with multiple choices and cooked to order if any of the menu didn't suit. This included gluten-free options
Expansive views across the river valley with herds of buffalo, zebra & wildebeest visible. Also animals come to the distant waterhole.
Again the guides here were excellent & patient so we had many sightings & were able to spend quiet time just observing.
A positive is that the lodge has a boat and you can spend much of a day on the river & see crocs, hippos & many water birds that can't be seen elsewhere.
A minor negative is that the river valley is quite long so generally game drives include quite a long distance "in transit".
This park has a very large elephant population and sightings are frequent, up-close and with very large herds. SO if you are an elephant lover this is the place.
It is also a relatively short distance from Kasane airport (quite new & modern) with paved road all the way."
Meals were excellent with multiple choices and cooked to order if any of the menu didn't suit. This included gluten-free options
Expansive views across the river valley with herds of buffalo, zebra & wildebeest visible. Also animals come to the distant waterhole.
Again the guides here were excellent & patient so we had many sightings & were able to spend quiet time just observing.
A positive is that the lodge has a boat and you can spend much of a day on the river & see crocs, hippos & many water birds that can't be seen elsewhere.
A minor negative is that the river valley is quite long so generally game drives include quite a long distance "in transit".
This park has a very large elephant population and sightings are frequent, up-close and with very large herds. SO if you are an elephant lover this is the place.
It is also a relatively short distance from Kasane airport (quite new & modern) with paved road all the way."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
10+ sightings
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Hippo
10+ sightings
Lion
3 sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
Wild dog
1 sighting
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
The feature is the actual "hides" - underground viewing areas very close to the waterhole - the main one connected by short tunnel to the lodge. Here you are within a couple of meters of elephants when they come to drink & bathe & also attracts many other animals (zebra, giraffe, baboons, wildebeest etc).
Game drives were frequent, ell run with plenty of animal sightings."