Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs Hadeda from UK
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
5
Excursions taken
0
Zambezi Hardgrave
Zambia between 27 Jun 2008 and 10 Jul 2008
"This was a wonderful holiday - exceeding even our highest expectations. The mix of camps (from the family atmosphere of Tafika, to the exceptional game of Kaingo, to the luxury of Chiawa - worked brilliantly. We also thought Zambia a stunningly beautiful country, and hope its tourist industry continues to flourish - It deserves to become a must-visit destination.
I have selected Lucy as the expert africa team member who dealt most, but actually Maruska and claire did lots too (lucy was first though!) and the positive feedback applies to all of them (we were also very impressed with Maruska when we met her in Zambia)
p.s thanks again - we couldn't recommend Expert Africa highly enough. you've been great from start to finish."
I have selected Lucy as the expert africa team member who dealt most, but actually Maruska and claire did lots too (lucy was first though!) and the positive feedback applies to all of them (we were also very impressed with Maruska when we met her in Zambia)
p.s thanks again - we couldn't recommend Expert Africa highly enough. you've been great from start to finish."
Arranged By Claire Scott
Tafika
"Tafika review"
3 nights
Arrived
28 Jun 2008
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Kaingo Camp
"Kaingo Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
1 Jul 2008
"Our three-night stay at Kaingo provided probably the best game-viewing we have ever seen (two lion kills for instance). The facilities - particularly the hippo hide - were fantastic and the quality of guiding (Mwila and Patrick) excellent. Hostess Gail was also both efficient and charming.
There was a contrast, however, with the distinctive "family" atmosphere of our previous camp, Tafika. The owners of Kaingo - though very pleasant from our limited contact with them - were pretty much absent. Our room - although very comfortably furnished indeed - was not cleaned once in three days - which I found rather surprising.
These criticisms though are minor points that did not detract from what was a superb overall experience."
There was a contrast, however, with the distinctive "family" atmosphere of our previous camp, Tafika. The owners of Kaingo - though very pleasant from our limited contact with them - were pretty much absent. Our room - although very comfortably furnished indeed - was not cleaned once in three days - which I found rather surprising.
These criticisms though are minor points that did not detract from what was a superb overall experience."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Feedback response
It’s great that these travellers had good game-viewing at Kaingo, the hides there are often particularly good!
We passed these comments to Juliet and Derek Shenton, who own and run Kaingo. Juliet replied, and apologised for the lack of room servicing during their stay. She observed that whilst these travellers were at Kaingo, a room attendant was on leave. Apparently this left only one person to service all the rooms in camp. To stop something like this happening again, she has now implemented a new system, whereby a senior member of staff checks each room after the morning cleaning service. We hope that this will stop such an issue reoccurring.
In terms of the owners not being present … the truth is that Jules and Derek now have a three-month old baby. The baby, Saphire, has taken up a lot more of Jules’ time than she had expected. Thus, both her and Derek are concentrating on keeping the camp running to a high standard… but they’re not ‘hosting’ their guests as much as they used to. Jules expects this to be a relatively temporary arrangement, and within the year she’s hoping to get back the time that she used to spend with guests – as it’s very important to her.
We passed these comments to Juliet and Derek Shenton, who own and run Kaingo. Juliet replied, and apologised for the lack of room servicing during their stay. She observed that whilst these travellers were at Kaingo, a room attendant was on leave. Apparently this left only one person to service all the rooms in camp. To stop something like this happening again, she has now implemented a new system, whereby a senior member of staff checks each room after the morning cleaning service. We hope that this will stop such an issue reoccurring.
In terms of the owners not being present … the truth is that Jules and Derek now have a three-month old baby. The baby, Saphire, has taken up a lot more of Jules’ time than she had expected. Thus, both her and Derek are concentrating on keeping the camp running to a high standard… but they’re not ‘hosting’ their guests as much as they used to. Jules expects this to be a relatively temporary arrangement, and within the year she’s hoping to get back the time that she used to spend with guests – as it’s very important to her.
Senior Africa Specialist | East & Southern Africa
Kapani Lodge
"Kapani Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
4 Jul 2008
"We picked Kapani Lodge because we wanted a mid-holiday break from the more "rustic" atmosphere of the bush camps (ie it has mains electricity and mainstream facilities). It fulfilled this role very well - it was a very comfortable base for a couple of nights, with some very good staff (the new zealand hostess whose name i have forgotten in particular). Our guide Simon was we thought the most knowledgeable of our entire trip.
However on the downside the convention of having the guide eat with the guests at every single meal we thought was misguided (if there are just two of you to chat with your guide this can become wearing after a while - is it necessary to spend all day in the company of one's guide?).
The camp had also just bought a new game-viewing vehicle from India - it was without doubt the most uncomfortable one i have ever sat in. The game-viewing - though good - is also very crowded at this end of the park. At times it can feel like you are one of ten land rovers pursuing the same leopard!"
However on the downside the convention of having the guide eat with the guests at every single meal we thought was misguided (if there are just two of you to chat with your guide this can become wearing after a while - is it necessary to spend all day in the company of one's guide?).
The camp had also just bought a new game-viewing vehicle from India - it was without doubt the most uncomfortable one i have ever sat in. The game-viewing - though good - is also very crowded at this end of the park. At times it can feel like you are one of ten land rovers pursuing the same leopard!"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Average
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Facilities
Good
Feedback response
We're pleased to hear that on the whole they enjoyed their stay at Kapani and it's great to hear that Simon did such a good job.
Dining arrangements vary, but Kapani appreciates the point – and comments that in future, they will ensure that clients are made more aware about choices for dining. (At Expert Africa, we’d encourage visitors to speak up: tell the camp’s managers at the time if you’d like to change something.)
The team at Kapani were surprised by comments of discomfort with the new vehicles; they tell us that they’ve had positive feedback. They have asked us to ask these guests for a little more detail, so they could look into it more deeply.
This central area of South Luangwa National Park is definitely busier than areas further south and north: there are many lodges near South Luangwa’s main gate. However, this higher density of vehicle traffic is one reason for the very relaxed game which is found here. That said, more game-viewing loops are being built – to the north of the Mfuwe area, towards Kakuli and Mchenja – which may help alleviate the concentration of vehicles here. Also Norman Carr Safaris have also shifted their afternoon safari times a little earlier, to try to avoid any ‘bottle-necks’ of vehicles at the gate, and they’re also using the pontoon to enter the southern end of the Mfuwe area directly. All these factors should help to spread the vehicles out a bit more.
Dining arrangements vary, but Kapani appreciates the point – and comments that in future, they will ensure that clients are made more aware about choices for dining. (At Expert Africa, we’d encourage visitors to speak up: tell the camp’s managers at the time if you’d like to change something.)
The team at Kapani were surprised by comments of discomfort with the new vehicles; they tell us that they’ve had positive feedback. They have asked us to ask these guests for a little more detail, so they could look into it more deeply.
This central area of South Luangwa National Park is definitely busier than areas further south and north: there are many lodges near South Luangwa’s main gate. However, this higher density of vehicle traffic is one reason for the very relaxed game which is found here. That said, more game-viewing loops are being built – to the north of the Mfuwe area, towards Kakuli and Mchenja – which may help alleviate the concentration of vehicles here. Also Norman Carr Safaris have also shifted their afternoon safari times a little earlier, to try to avoid any ‘bottle-necks’ of vehicles at the gate, and they’re also using the pontoon to enter the southern end of the Mfuwe area directly. All these factors should help to spread the vehicles out a bit more.
Senior Africa Specialist | East & Southern Africa
Chiawa Camp
"Chiawa Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
6 Jul 2008
"The beauty of the setting and the standard of accommodation at Chiawa - plus the dedication of the married couple running the camp - made this a very special experience indeed.
We had opted for one of the new "Superior" tents - which was well worth the extra cost (I cannot stress this enough - they are of a fantastic quality, and appeared to be on a very different level from the standard tents).
The thoughtfulness of the management of Chiawa was also exceptional - ie the meals in surprising locations - as was the flexibility of the service (there was never any question of a guest not getting the activity they requested) and the variety of of activities on offer (from canoeing, cruising and fishing as well as the "usual" game-drives and walks).
Chiawa also serves wonderful food. We would judge this to be the most purely enjoyable three nights on safari we've ever had."
We had opted for one of the new "Superior" tents - which was well worth the extra cost (I cannot stress this enough - they are of a fantastic quality, and appeared to be on a very different level from the standard tents).
The thoughtfulness of the management of Chiawa was also exceptional - ie the meals in surprising locations - as was the flexibility of the service (there was never any question of a guest not getting the activity they requested) and the variety of of activities on offer (from canoeing, cruising and fishing as well as the "usual" game-drives and walks).
Chiawa also serves wonderful food. We would judge this to be the most purely enjoyable three nights on safari we've ever had."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Taj Pamodzi Hotel, Zambia (this camp has since closed)
"Taj Pamodzi Hotel review"
1 night
Arrived
9 Jul 2008
"The Taj Pamodzi is a good airport stop-over with comfortable rooms and a decent restaurant. However the promised "transfers" to the hotel from the airport are non-existent. To get to the hotel we had to rely on the bus from the Intercontinental Hotel (whilst avoiding what appeared the very dodgy attentions of our airline Proflight - whose staff had a "friend" who was prepared to taxi us to the hotel - at a cost of course).
The promised free transfer in the other direction (from the hotel back to the airport) consisted of a bus in the very very early hours of the morning. Instead we ended up paying for a ludicrously expensive taxi (arranged of course by the hotel - with the staff member who arranged it noticeably taking a cash payment from the taxi driver). I found this very very annoying.
For a holiday of this cost I would prefer to pay the cost of a pre-arranged private transfer - instead of feeling that we were at the mercy of rip-off merchants on the ground."
The promised free transfer in the other direction (from the hotel back to the airport) consisted of a bus in the very very early hours of the morning. Instead we ended up paying for a ludicrously expensive taxi (arranged of course by the hotel - with the staff member who arranged it noticeably taking a cash payment from the taxi driver). I found this very very annoying.
For a holiday of this cost I would prefer to pay the cost of a pre-arranged private transfer - instead of feeling that we were at the mercy of rip-off merchants on the ground."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Good
Service
Poor
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
We were particularly impressed with the expertise and kindness of Heather and of (guide) Brian - plus with the fact that the entire family would join the guests for lunch every day. The microlight trips were a novel and enjoyable extra - and the flexibility of the camp made it seem a very personalised experience.
Very highly recommended."