Travel reviews by Wise Monkeys from Bucks

"This bit of our trip was staying with a friend in Maun.
We went to Lake Ngami which was an excellent spot for birders. Wattled cranes, flamingoes, pelicans, assorted herons etc. and some big flocks of quelea."

"We'd heard a lot about the charms of this camp and it didn't disappoint.

We were expertly guided by Kay, who always seemed to know exactly what was going on in the bush. One noteable evening we saw leopard, cheetah, hyena and sable all within 3km of camp! Another highlight was the hyena den with its very young hyenas and their slightly older minders.

The camp staff were very friendly and the setting and accomodation were beautiful.

The food was tasty and excellent vegetarian options were available at lunchtime but not in the evening. This was noticed by the camp manager on the first evening of our stay. She expressed her disappointment, but it wasn't susequently addressed, which was odd as the camp had several vegetarian guests."

"This was a return trip to Lebala and we were looking forward seeing the new 'rooms'. Unfortunately, we weren't overly impressed. They were very barn-like and drafty and I fear that the parachute silk curtains won't be sufficient to keep out the chill when the mornings turn cold. It was also difficult to locate things like the light switches and the shower looked good but was very temperamental.
Our guide was rather quiet and relatively inexperienced but he 'warmed up' once he got to know us. He tended to rely on the sightings of the other guides but we did see all the big cats, so no complaints. The plains game in May was much less in evidence than in November but we had expected that.
Food was good but vegetarian options were lacking on occasion. The early morning porridge or semolina was always welcome as was the campfire toast when the squirrels didn't steal it!
All the camp staff were friendly and we were remembered and greeted as old friends."

"Little Kwara was outstanding. Everyone in camp was warm and friendly and the setting was beautiful. The number of animals passing right by our tent almost made the need for game drives redundant! Elephants, hippos, monkeys, baboons (who left 'cakes' on our steps), impala, and warthog all came browsing right next to the tent. Game sightings were brilliant and our guide, John was very accommodating, even taking us out after dinner to track lions in the moonlight! Another highlight was seeing a cheetah get her supper.
Vegetarian options were again lacking at dinner time but lunchtime offerings were always tasty and the afternoon cakes were delicious."

"We had an excellent stay at Pom Pom.
The setting, on a lagoon with tents opening right on to a channel of the Delta, was stunning and it was great to be serenaded by the hippos at night. Despite, or perhaps because of, being told by Andre, the manager, that Pom Pom wasn't prime game country, we were pleasantly surprised. All the usual suspects were seen and we were lucky to see two leopards.
Our guide, Partner, was excellent and clealy passionate about wildlife and Botswana. The whole guiding team were great fun and the banter between them gave us an insight into many local customs and beliefs!
Everyone in camp was very warm and friendly and the camp had a wonderful atmosphere. The chefs really went the extra mile when it came to catering for my vegetarian diet, despite the fact I was the only non-meat eater in camp. I even had special sundowner snacks and breakfast dishes.
The camp managers were very attentative and aware of the guests' interests and they took positive steps to ensure that everyone got the most out of their stay.
One negative point was the design of the vehicles. They had lot of metal struts and bars and this made photography, especially with a large lens, rather tricky. Also being driven back to your tent 'for safety reasons' was a bit odd."

"Three times to Botswana and three times to Meno a Kwena - need we say more! We love this quirky camp and although things are perhaps not a slick as some of other camps we have visited, we feel that this is the real deal. You have everything you need to be comfortable and we especially love the bucket showers.
Our guide Dabe was excellent, as always, and his understanding of the bush is unrivalled. Highlights of this trip included seeing the 10,000+ strong zebra migration in the dry Boteti riverbed at Kumaga and having the sight of two cheetahs feeding on a zebra foal all to ourselves. We were so enthralled we forgot to have our sundowners!
David Dugmore does a wonderful job keeping the waterhole pumping. It's an essential lifeline to the game in the area, especially during the migration and its a testament to his committment to the wildlife of the area.
The food at Meno a Kwena is delicious but the vegetarian option in the evening is often just 'don't eat the meat', despite excellent offerings at lunchtime."