Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs H from Wroughton
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
4
Excursions taken
0
Safari trip of a lifetime
Botswana and 1 other country between 14 Jun 2009 and 28 Jun 2009
"We have brought home wonderful memories and had an amazing trip from start to finish. The whole experience was everything we wanted it to be - and more! As we left the Uk , I was concerned that I had seen so many documentaries and David Attenboroughs that I might be disappointed. How wrong could I have been - it was was above my expectation, there was real wildlife as soon as you left camp and often in it.
The staff were overwhelmingly friendly, nothing was too much trouble and we met some interesting staff and visitors alike.
Suggestions for improvements:
Tipping - this was all a bit difficult. Chris Macintyres book mentioned and I'm glad it did. There were guidelines to suitable amounts in each camp , which were different from camp to camp, which seemed odd. Everything was set based on the average wealthy American family, who live with a culture of tipping. The British don't, the Americans we spoke to said if those were the suggested amounts they felt they should pay more and we just felt mean! I was very glad to have thought this through from home. Maybe its something you could emphasise more in your useful information.
I didn't engage enough with the Wilderness safari culture and ethical stance before I went, due to lack of realisation and time but I'm glad we chose the things we did, given the difference it makes to parts of the country and opportunities it presents. It could be somethign you make more reference to or raise the profile within Expert Africa"
The staff were overwhelmingly friendly, nothing was too much trouble and we met some interesting staff and visitors alike.
Suggestions for improvements:
Tipping - this was all a bit difficult. Chris Macintyres book mentioned and I'm glad it did. There were guidelines to suitable amounts in each camp , which were different from camp to camp, which seemed odd. Everything was set based on the average wealthy American family, who live with a culture of tipping. The British don't, the Americans we spoke to said if those were the suggested amounts they felt they should pay more and we just felt mean! I was very glad to have thought this through from home. Maybe its something you could emphasise more in your useful information.
I didn't engage enough with the Wilderness safari culture and ethical stance before I went, due to lack of realisation and time but I'm glad we chose the things we did, given the difference it makes to parts of the country and opportunities it presents. It could be somethign you make more reference to or raise the profile within Expert Africa"
Little Vumbura
"Little Vumbura review"
3 nights
Arrived
15 Jun 2009
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
DumaTau Camp
"DumaTau review"
3 nights
Arrived
18 Jun 2009
"We loved this camp the best, the management team were great - enthusiastic, friendly, young lively and made everything so homely. The staff went out of their way to involve and engage everyone. Congratulations! The little personal touches made the excellent exceptional.
Guide - Mocks was a character! Not always sure of the ethics of his driving but the rush from one site to another was really his enthusiasm to get us to the action. We did more off road driving at Duma Tau than anywhere else though. Game viewing amazing.
Bush babies, private lunch by the pool on day of departure - so many little touches here said this camp and its staff were one of the happiest."
Guide - Mocks was a character! Not always sure of the ethics of his driving but the rush from one site to another was really his enthusiasm to get us to the action. We did more off road driving at Duma Tau than anywhere else though. Game viewing amazing.
Bush babies, private lunch by the pool on day of departure - so many little touches here said this camp and its staff were one of the happiest."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Chitabe Camp
"Chitabe Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
21 Jun 2009
"Something about the management here at Chitabe wasn't quite right. It was firendly and pleasant but somehow lacked the togetherness of other camps. Staff seemed to operate as individuals and were not so joined up as a team.
Personally, we missed tea and coffee facilities in the rooms, hence rooms rated as good, when they were new and some of the best we had stayed in.
Our guide was Oats - who was an amazing patient guide who wanted to show us all Chitabe had to offer, including stillness and quiet. We saw good game but also experienced the vastness of the area in a way we hadn't at other camps. We learnt a lot about Botswana, the tourism industry, education system etc - Oats left us with a legacy and desire to return."
Personally, we missed tea and coffee facilities in the rooms, hence rooms rated as good, when they were new and some of the best we had stayed in.
Our guide was Oats - who was an amazing patient guide who wanted to show us all Chitabe had to offer, including stillness and quiet. We saw good game but also experienced the vastness of the area in a way we hadn't at other camps. We learnt a lot about Botswana, the tourism industry, education system etc - Oats left us with a legacy and desire to return."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Avani Victoria Falls
"Zambezi Sun review"
3 nights
Arrived
24 Jun 2009
"Hotel fine, felt like a partial step back into the real worls after the camps. Whilst set in the National Park it didn't come close to anything we had seen in Botswana and was a sanitized version of the "real thing". That's not a criticism as they were very different experiences but an observation of how different they were.
No anti mosquito repellent in the rooms
Buffet dinner was expensive. Service at breakfast was below par."
No anti mosquito repellent in the rooms
Buffet dinner was expensive. Service at breakfast was below par."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Big game a little more elusive but water based camp and mokoro trip were highlight of the stay. Personally, I found the night trip back on the channel in the dark, quite scary but it was one of the features my husband loved the most!
The birdlife was amazing and wasn't something I had anticipated before travelling. Our guide, usually Kay, was a font of all knowledge and really made an effort to show all aspects of the area.
Overall, I found the concept of all staff introducing themselves very friendly but overwhelming. I then couldn't remember who was who and was embarrassed by this. I woudl appreciate if staff always wore their name badges."