Travel reviews by John from Australia
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
2
Countries visited
3
Lodges stayed in
11
Excursions taken
5
My Jan 2025 trip
Rwanda and 1 other country between 10 Jan 2025 and 22 Jan 2025
"We had an enjoyable time, but the location and recommendations of the Olmara camp was not a good choice. We expected more expertise on this — or at least to have made us aware. Some of the side trips were not good use of time."
Arranged By Jessica Plumb
Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel
"Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel review"
2 nights
Arrived
10 Jan 2025
"The location was good however the food was poor."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Poor
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
King’s Palace & Museum Visit
"King’s Palace & Museum Visit review"
10 Jan 2025 • All-day excursion
The visit to the museum was not a worthwhile side trip. We went to the Rwanda genocide museum as well, which was a much better experience.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest
"Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest review"
11 Jan 2025 • All-day excursion
This was a great experience with us able to spend time with the chimps
Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
"Mountain Gorilla View Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
12 Jan 2025
"The lodge is adequate. Comfortable bed, and nice to have fireplaces, which the team come and lit for you. The food was good — though not exceptional. But all depends on what you are used to. They now charge for use of gathers, which at $5 USD a day seemed excessive, especially when they were free. Plan ahead and bring your own if you are doing multiple days."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Service
Good
Sightings report
Mountain Gorilla
10+ sightings
Canopy Walk in Nyungwe Forest
"Canopy Walk in Nyungwe Forest review"
12 Jan 2025 • All-day excursion
At $60 USD a person, this was not a good use of time or funds. It was fine, but would be better to have done a longer guided walk.
Gorilla Trekking Safari
"Gorilla Trekking Safari review"
13 Jan 2025 • Morning excursion
The guide arranged two great trips. We wanted a longer walk and they delivered. The car got bogged, and the village helped pull us out. A nice side adventure!
Excellent
Gorilla Trekking Safari
"Gorilla Trekking Safari review"
14 Jan 2025 • Morning excursion
As per previous day!
Excellent
Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp
"Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp review"
4 nights
Arrived
15 Jan 2025
"This was the highlight of our accomodation. Great food, great service, comfortable and charming accomodation. The tent even had (weak) wifi!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
10+ sightings
Cheetah
2 sightings
Eland
10+ sightings
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Hippo
10+ sightings
Leopard
1 sighting
Lion
10+ sightings
Oryx
10+ sightings
Roan antelope
10+ sightings
Spotted Hyena
10+ sightings
Wild dog
4 sightings
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Olmara Camp
"Olmara Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
19 Jan 2025
"This was a major disappointment. Besides a lack of animals nearby due to long grass, the accomodation needed attention. We had an outdoor additional bed known as the stargazer, which had a fly wire net, but was torn and open to insects. Bed sheets and table cloths all had tears in them. The food was okay, and the service was poor — even to the point that they forgot to give us our washing. And the camp was not even full."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor
Location
Poor
Service
Poor
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Poor
Food
Poor
Facilities
Average
Feedback response
We were really concerned to learn that Olmara was a disappointment to these guests. We immediately contacted the property with this feedback, and they were truly sorry to hear that the stay did not meet expectations. They sincerely apologised for the shortcomings experienced by these guests. They accepted that there were issues with the nets and linens, agreeing that this is not reflective of their usual high standards, and assured us that they would address these matters with urgency. We later learned that the stargazer net was fixed and the torn linen removed. Our feedback from Olmara, and its sister properties elsewhere in Tanzania, is usually consistently positive, so we are confident that this was an unfortunate blip in what is usually very good service, but will closely monitor the camp going forward.
Senior Africa Specialist | East Africa
Sightings report
Cheetah
1 sighting
Elephant
1 sighting
My Jan 2014 trip
Tanzania and 2 other countries between 10 Jan 2014 and 26 Jan 2014
"We loved it. What else is there to say?"
Arranged By Elizabeth Chapman
City Lodge OR Tambo
"City Lodge OR Tambo review"
1 night
Arrived
10 Jan 2014
"Great breakfast. Convenient location. Rooms adequate."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Mountain Gorilla View Lodge
"Gorilla Mountain View Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
11 Jan 2014
"The open fires are great. Worth tipping the firelighters for dry wood!"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Facilities
Good
Kigali Serena Hotel
"Kigali Serena Hotel review"
1 night
Arrived
14 Jan 2014
"Good hotel. The only issue was that the room had not been properly made up, i.e. previous linen was still in the room, even after they turned the sheets down."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Average
Service
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Sayari Camp
"Sayari Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
15 Jan 2014
"Really wonderful camp. Our guide (Albert) was knowledgeable, a lovely man, and just made everything perfect.
This was the highlight place in the Serengeti!"
This was the highlight place in the Serengeti!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp
"Nomad Serengeti Safari Camp review"
4 nights
Arrived
18 Jan 2014
"Great traditional safari camp, very charming.
There was a great community of people, with guides, camp host and other guests dinning together, really adding to the atmosphere. The service was impeccable, and the food pretty good."
There was a great community of people, with guides, camp host and other guests dinning together, really adding to the atmosphere. The service was impeccable, and the food pretty good."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Gibb's Farm
"Gibb's Farm review"
3 nights
Arrived
22 Jan 2014
"There is a guilty pleasure in staying at Gibbs Farm.
The setting is gorgeous, though the extra miles to travel wore on us in the end."
The setting is gorgeous, though the extra miles to travel wore on us in the end."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Kia Lodge
"Kia Lodge review"
1 night
Arrived
25 Jan 2014
"Adequate place close to the airport."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Average
Service
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average