Travel reviews by P & B, from UK
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
2
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
13
Excursions taken
0
Namibia Sept 2019
Namibia between 3 Sep 2019 and 22 Sep 2019
"This was our second Expert Africa arranged trip.
Josh and Claire were helpful, knowledgeable and patient with our endless questions.
I have no hesitation in strongly recommending them."
Josh and Claire were helpful, knowledgeable and patient with our endless questions.
I have no hesitation in strongly recommending them."
Arranged By Claire Scott
Olive Grove
"Olive Grove review"
1 night
Arrived
4 Sep 2019
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
BullsPort Lodge and Farm
"BullsPort Lodge & Farm review"
1 night
Arrived
5 Sep 2019
"Lovely place with great self-walking trails.
And not too far from Windhoek for a first day's drive.
Really nice people - and great cake!"
And not too far from Windhoek for a first day's drive.
Really nice people - and great cake!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Kulala Desert Lodge
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
6 Sep 2019
"Lovely place - and such helpful staff. We were suspicious about a slow puncture on our vehicle - they found the cause, changed the wheel, mended the puncture so we had a useable spare, and lent us a phone to contact Bidvest to sort out a new tyre - all part of the service!
We loved the conservation ethos (no single use plastics, conserving water etc).
Dinner on the deck was great, and the singing from the staff added to the atmosphere."
We loved the conservation ethos (no single use plastics, conserving water etc).
Dinner on the deck was great, and the singing from the staff added to the atmosphere."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Oryx
10+ sightings
Sam's Giardino
"Sam's Giardino review"
2 nights
Arrived
9 Sep 2019
"Characterful and quirky!
Well positioned to walk into Swakopmund.
Sam likes to join you at your table at mealtimes for a chat. He is full of helpful advice about the locality which is very useful."
Well positioned to walk into Swakopmund.
Sam likes to join you at your table at mealtimes for a chat. He is full of helpful advice about the locality which is very useful."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Doro Nawas
"Doro Nawas review"
3 nights
Arrived
11 Sep 2019
"Absolutely wonderful.
Our guide, Immanuel, was brilliant and such a lovely person.
We loved the singing and dancing by the staff and still have the bye-bye song running through our heads."
Our guide, Immanuel, was brilliant and such a lovely person.
We loved the singing and dancing by the staff and still have the bye-bye song running through our heads."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
4 sightings
Okaukuejo Camp
"Okaukuejo Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
14 Sep 2019
"This was by far the most "touristy" place we stayed at. But we were very glad to have spend just one night here, for the waterhole.
The Water Chalets were pretty comfortable and the food was better than we'd expected.
And the animal sightings were great."
The Water Chalets were pretty comfortable and the food was better than we'd expected.
And the animal sightings were great."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Sightings report
Black Rhino
1 sighting
Elephant
7 sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Lion
1 sighting
Oryx
4 sightings
Wildebeest
6 sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Onguma Camp Kala
"Onguma Tree Top Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
15 Sep 2019
"Loved the location and the tented rooms with only three walls - magic to wake up and look at the waterhole.
And to have an open air shower watched by a giraffe."
And to have an open air shower watched by a giraffe."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Black Rhino
1 sighting
Eland
1 sighting
Giraffe
5 sightings
Leopard
1 sighting
Oryx
1 sighting
Spotted Hyena
4 sightings
Wildebeest
3 sightings
Zebra
5 sightings
Mundulea Reserve
"Mundulea Reserve review"
3 nights
Arrived
17 Sep 2019
"We were so glad we added three nights at Mundulea to our trip. It was a completely different experience and instead of observers, we felt a part of the country, its landscape and its challenges.
Bruno was so full of information and knowledge (and so good at passing it on), it was a real privilege to spend time with him. His understanding of Namibian - and wider African/world - problems and his measured, well-considered response is rare to see. The sustainability of the camp and what he is trying to achieve at Mundulea is impressive.
I suppose he is too busy but I'd like to propose him for a newly created post of King of the World (or at the very least, world environment minister). He'd do a lot better than the shower we've got at the moment.
PS He also tells a very good story."
Bruno was so full of information and knowledge (and so good at passing it on), it was a real privilege to spend time with him. His understanding of Namibian - and wider African/world - problems and his measured, well-considered response is rare to see. The sustainability of the camp and what he is trying to achieve at Mundulea is impressive.
I suppose he is too busy but I'd like to propose him for a newly created post of King of the World (or at the very least, world environment minister). He'd do a lot better than the shower we've got at the moment.
PS He also tells a very good story."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Eland
5 sightings
Giraffe
3 sightings
Oryx
4 sightings
Wildebeest
5 sightings
Olive Grove
"Olive Grove review"
1 night
Arrived
20 Sep 2019
"(see first page)"
Excellent
Trip of a lifetime
Botswana between 10 Jul 2009 and 22 Jul 2009
"This was the most expensive holiday we have ever taken - but it was truly worth it. Botswana seems to have got it just right. There was no commercial feel to it, just observing the natural world, and being guided by locals who you felt genuinely care about the environment, love their jobs, are well trained and justly proud of their country.
Suggestions for improvements:
You are right - it really is COLD in the mornings! Lots of layers are the best things to take - and I was very pleased I had my gloves.
We took your advice on the order we did our trip, and for safari novices it was really good - the night in Motsentsela to acclimatise, then starting the trip at Muchenje - luxurious and a good overview - then Lagoon where we got a bit more involved by following the wild dogs, and some hunting lions, and then finishing with Grant at Santantadibe where we really felt a part of the African bush.
I cannot think of anything that could have improved our trip (oh, perhaps if we could have stayed longer..)"
Suggestions for improvements:
You are right - it really is COLD in the mornings! Lots of layers are the best things to take - and I was very pleased I had my gloves.
We took your advice on the order we did our trip, and for safari novices it was really good - the night in Motsentsela to acclimatise, then starting the trip at Muchenje - luxurious and a good overview - then Lagoon where we got a bit more involved by following the wild dogs, and some hunting lions, and then finishing with Grant at Santantadibe where we really felt a part of the African bush.
I cannot think of anything that could have improved our trip (oh, perhaps if we could have stayed longer..)"
Thamo Telele
"Motsentsela Tree Lodge review"
1 night
Arrived
11 Jul 2009
"We built in a first night here in case of travel problems - not in fact needed as our flights were on time and all our luggage arrived - but it was good to have some recovery/adjustment time after the long journey, and nice to be able to walk around unaccompanied."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Muchenje Safari Lodge
"Fantastic setting"
3 nights
Arrived
12 Jul 2009
"This was a brilliant place to start our holiday. It gave a great overview of what there was to see and was in a stunning setting. The all day river trip is a must - in fact we did it twice.
The staff were wonderful, and Sean made it feel like a private house party. Nothing was too much trouble for them. We loved it!"
The staff were wonderful, and Sean made it feel like a private house party. Nothing was too much trouble for them. We loved it!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Lagoon Camp
"Lagoon Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
15 Jul 2009
"What a beautiful place. BD and Alson, our two guides were terrific. Following wild dogs hunting, although not for the faint-hearted, was tremendous fun.
Incidentally there is no longer a double decker boat here, which I had seen commented on in previous reviews - it is just a small motorboat."
Incidentally there is no longer a double decker boat here, which I had seen commented on in previous reviews - it is just a small motorboat."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Feedback response
10 August (when we received this reviews) - the team from Lagoon Camp commented:
"The double decker boat is in Maun having the hull refurbished. We hope to have it back up there in the next month, but in the mean time there is a smaller single decker boat for the water activities."
"The double decker boat is in Maun having the hull refurbished. We hope to have it back up there in the next month, but in the mean time there is a smaller single decker boat for the water activities."
Private Mobile Camp, Botswana (this camp has since closed)
"Santantadibe Mobile Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
18 Jul 2009
"Do not miss this! However good the reviews you have read about it, it is better. Grant is fantastic, the camp facilities are brilliant, the food (all cooked on an open fire by Joyce) was amazing, the whole experience was magical."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
We were there on our last night too, and the staff were very helpful with taxis into Windhoek for us. Highly recommend Joe's Beerhouse - only 5 minutes away by cab. We had a lovely meal there on our last night (gets very busy so best to book).
We also ate at Olive Grove which was very good too."