Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs J from Hampshire

"We started our holiday at Mapula Lodge, which overall was a very good experience.

Its informal approach, but great welcome, made us feel immediately at home. Our guide Dix and tracker Mike were particularly good and were very helpful/informative. The manager Dudu was also very helpful and the staff friendly/communicative.

The facilities in the rooms could probably do with an upgrade, but it didn't spoil our overall enjoyment. The food was also good and plentiful."

"Overall we enjoyed our stay in Xaxanaka where the facilies were to a high standard.We had an unfortunate start as our guide was not there to meet us at the airstrip. However, the Mackair pilot waited with us to ensure we were safe. The Manager Lettie was very apologetic, and went out of her way to make sure that everything was smooth from then on.

The rooms were excallant and the staff made us very comfortable. The food and the overall experience was good. There is a downside to being on a reserve as there are restrictions on viewing and we often saw a number of other vehicles. However all of the guides in the Moremi reserve shared their sightings, for the benefit of all. In Xaxanaka, the vehicles just have a guide and no tracker, so you are dependant on their skills and ability to do several things at once!

Our main guide was Olly, who was competant and did enable us to see a leopard. However we felt he relied on other guides' sightings a bit too much. One afternoon we went out with Water, which was a better experience with his obvious tracking skills."

"Our stay at Kwara a great experience and would highly recommend it.

The staff were outstanding...all being very friendly and helpful.The Manager BK was helpful an dinformative.The guiding by Bait and Justice was some of the best of our trip. We found the rooms very comfortable as were the Toyota Landcruisers.

The game was plentiful and there were some noticebale benefits not being on a Reserve. The boat trip to the bird island was an experience not to be missed."

"Lagoon camp was rebuilt early in 2011, and the facilites are outstanding. Fantastic individual rooms, very spacious with outstanding views. The public rooms are also commendable as is the food.

Moses is a very good Manager and working hard to build up his team. Whilst the staff are friendly, in comparison with other camps they interacted less with us, due to their lack of confidence in english. I'm sure this will improve over time.

Bali and AT were very competant guides, but could have communicated more with us. A lot of time was spent tracking the wild dogs (an outstanding game sighting) but the ride in the Yuris was not too comfortable. Althogh the guides assured us they were the best vehicles for the terrain. In comparison with other camps in the Delta, there seemed to be less game at Lagoon, but may be that was because of the season."

"Our overall experience at Linyanti Bush Camp was outstanding. We were very impressed by the approach of the Camp to working with and supporting the local villages.

As a Bush Camp it gave us a taste of living close to the Bush in a tent, but with very good facilites therein. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Isaiah and Bulter were our guides and we couldn't fault them for their attention to us. Being on the edge of the Linyanti marshes we had outstanding game viewings but at the same time saw the life on the water.

We would commend them on their new water based activities, both the mokoros and the boat, as enhancing the experience. The food was good, varied and plentiful. Isaac, the Manager, was helpful and friendly.

While we were there the wild dogs made an impala killing right in front of us, while we were having breakfast. An unforgettable experience."

"We stayed at Islands of Siankaba on our way home, having spent 2 weeks in the bush in Botswana. It was a wonderful return to civilisation, but still with an african feel.

The location and facilites are unbelievable and should not be missed if you're going to Victoria Falls. Nothing could ba faulted about our time there, and we highly recommend it. They went out of their way to facilitate our getting a helicopter ride over the Falls, another unmissable experience. The sunset cruise on the Zambesi was magical."