Travel reviews by Mr K & Mrs T from Germany
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
3
Excursions taken
0
Botswana, May 2009
Botswana between 19 May 2009 and 30 May 2009
"In whole Botswana and the trip exceeded oru expectations."
Selinda Camp
"Selinda Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
20 May 2009
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Shinde Footsteps
"Footsteps review"
3 nights
Arrived
23 May 2009
"Amazingly luxurious when considering the basic basic set-up as remote camp outside of basic infrastructure. Food was excellent, service very good. The most important for us: the manager and leading guide TT and his assistant guide Aubrey were super-good, skilled and very knowledgeable – and most intelligent and entertaining dinner company, too. We had so good time there, that we really do miss the place already.
On our walks we encountered situations that really test the skills of the guides: black mamba crossing our path just in two meters, 5 male lions sighting us behind the grass in just 20 meters and some more. Even in such extreme situations everything our guides told us and how they reacted and managed the situations confirmed: perfect professionals!
We were sorry to leave the Footsteps! We loved every minute there and could have spent few more days. This is Africa as we like it."
On our walks we encountered situations that really test the skills of the guides: black mamba crossing our path just in two meters, 5 male lions sighting us behind the grass in just 20 meters and some more. Even in such extreme situations everything our guides told us and how they reacted and managed the situations confirmed: perfect professionals!
We were sorry to leave the Footsteps! We loved every minute there and could have spent few more days. This is Africa as we like it."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Shinde Camp
"Shinde Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
26 May 2009
"Unfortunately we have very little positive to say about Shinde.
Our gamedrive guide, Mr Bee, was so unskilled, that we just can´t believe he has passed any necessary training to become guide. Against our clear wish he for example drove again to show us a wounded lion that was unable to move. He repetitevely steered the wehicle directly into the herds causing the animals to escape. Most of the animals he spotted we had spotted much before him. There were hardly any breaks unless we forced him to stop in order to listen to nature sounds. On other camps this was how the guides spotted animals that were not visible yet.
The „managing“ youngsters (Magda and Falie) appear to lack the necessary experience and natural born competence and have not gained the undestanding on how to run a camp. They master small talk and entertainment but from our perspective such suits better a cabaret. This is however not what we do expect on a camp in Botswana.
One guide being a low light could be acceptable as one just can't always get the best cards but we are confident the problem was not just our guide. Merely the root here is the camp management. They appear to be totally lost and as young, dynamic and career minded persons try to hide it behind all that „hahaha hohoho, you guys, see any big stuff -management“.
Just one of the countless occasions: On one meal one of the guests shot a picture of a dove sitting inside our salad bowl and holding a piece of olive in bill. Magda asked the guest not to upload such a picture into internet as they are not allowed to feed wild animals. The animals, various birds and squirrel were there always and nobody from the staff seemed to care. On other camps all the food was always covered when unattended or not being taken to the plates. This was not the case at Shinde.
Our stay at Shinde camp was waste of time and money!"
Our gamedrive guide, Mr Bee, was so unskilled, that we just can´t believe he has passed any necessary training to become guide. Against our clear wish he for example drove again to show us a wounded lion that was unable to move. He repetitevely steered the wehicle directly into the herds causing the animals to escape. Most of the animals he spotted we had spotted much before him. There were hardly any breaks unless we forced him to stop in order to listen to nature sounds. On other camps this was how the guides spotted animals that were not visible yet.
The „managing“ youngsters (Magda and Falie) appear to lack the necessary experience and natural born competence and have not gained the undestanding on how to run a camp. They master small talk and entertainment but from our perspective such suits better a cabaret. This is however not what we do expect on a camp in Botswana.
One guide being a low light could be acceptable as one just can't always get the best cards but we are confident the problem was not just our guide. Merely the root here is the camp management. They appear to be totally lost and as young, dynamic and career minded persons try to hide it behind all that „hahaha hohoho, you guys, see any big stuff -management“.
Just one of the countless occasions: On one meal one of the guests shot a picture of a dove sitting inside our salad bowl and holding a piece of olive in bill. Magda asked the guest not to upload such a picture into internet as they are not allowed to feed wild animals. The animals, various birds and squirrel were there always and nobody from the staff seemed to care. On other camps all the food was always covered when unattended or not being taken to the plates. This was not the case at Shinde.
Our stay at Shinde camp was waste of time and money!"
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor
Location
Good
Service
Poor
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Facilities
Good
Feedback response
Expert Africa and Shinde thanked these travellers for their feedback. All our traveller’s feedback is taken seriously, but especially so when improvements must be made to a camp or service. Shinde was happy to read that these travellers particularly enjoyed Footsteps – Shinde’s sister camp – as this is the kind of service that Ker & Downey Botswana aim for in all their camps and it gives them something to work towards at Shinde Camp.
In light of this feedback the General Manager and Managing Director of Ker & Downey Botswana have both been to Shinde Camp to investigate. They have discussed the various incidents with the managers to ensure that they don’t occur again. The General Manager will be staying at the camp for some days to monitor their performance. The guide, Bee, has been a member of the guiding team at Shinde for some years and has always garnered good reports from guests, even on Expert Africa's website – so it was particularly disappointing to hear of his recent conduct. The matter of Bee’s guiding methods has been taken very seriously and he has been suspended, pending an evaluation by management.
On a positive note Shinde consulted closely with the Botswana wildlife department and veterinary department regarding the wounded lion. They flew in a consultant who checked on the lion’s progress and we are happy to say that he has now been given a clean bill of health.
In light of this feedback the General Manager and Managing Director of Ker & Downey Botswana have both been to Shinde Camp to investigate. They have discussed the various incidents with the managers to ensure that they don’t occur again. The General Manager will be staying at the camp for some days to monitor their performance. The guide, Bee, has been a member of the guiding team at Shinde for some years and has always garnered good reports from guests, even on Expert Africa's website – so it was particularly disappointing to hear of his recent conduct. The matter of Bee’s guiding methods has been taken very seriously and he has been suspended, pending an evaluation by management.
On a positive note Shinde consulted closely with the Botswana wildlife department and veterinary department regarding the wounded lion. They flew in a consultant who checked on the lion’s progress and we are happy to say that he has now been given a clean bill of health.
Our guide, Mots, he was very knowledgeable and enthusiastistic. All other guides appeared to be as well.
We were most satisfied for our stay there!"