Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs D from Twickenham
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
6
Excursions taken
0
Overview
Botswana and 1 other country between 30 Oct 2010 and 13 Nov 2010
"One of the best, if not THE best holiday we've ever had. (Only thing missing was exercise, but not much chance of that.)
Game viewing bit disappointing at Lebala with hindsight but as virgins we still enjoyed it. Rooms and camp very good.
Little Kwara very enjoyable.
Nxabega stood out though, as a superbly-run camp, with a truly wonderful atmosphere. Grant and Dimari really set the benchmark.
Game best at Sandibe but what a miserable dump by comparison to Nx.
The transfer processes worked very well and once we knew the score, we relaxed totally about moving from camp to camp, and this really helped make the whole thing more enjoyable compared to hacking around India or wondering if the planes would fly in South America.
Zimbabwe day trip was worth it although we got stitched up by Zambia immigration, they hadn't given us a multiple-entry, only a double entry visa but this was not clear.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Take note of any unusual situations (eg airstrip down) and set expectations accordingly.
Check game viewing status / concession conditions closer to the off, maybe it would be better to switch (eg Lebala was only worth 2 nights due to so much empty burnt scrub).
Transfer from Livingstone to Lebala took a while; no food on the Proflight transfer, no food opportunities at Livingstone airport (only coffee) or en route (Kasane airport not selling food) so we were starving by the time we got to Lebala; it would have been good to arrange some opportunity to eat or buy food at some point. Maybe include a visit a cafe / restaurant in Kasane town, as there is plenty of time ?"
Game viewing bit disappointing at Lebala with hindsight but as virgins we still enjoyed it. Rooms and camp very good.
Little Kwara very enjoyable.
Nxabega stood out though, as a superbly-run camp, with a truly wonderful atmosphere. Grant and Dimari really set the benchmark.
Game best at Sandibe but what a miserable dump by comparison to Nx.
The transfer processes worked very well and once we knew the score, we relaxed totally about moving from camp to camp, and this really helped make the whole thing more enjoyable compared to hacking around India or wondering if the planes would fly in South America.
Zimbabwe day trip was worth it although we got stitched up by Zambia immigration, they hadn't given us a multiple-entry, only a double entry visa but this was not clear.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Take note of any unusual situations (eg airstrip down) and set expectations accordingly.
Check game viewing status / concession conditions closer to the off, maybe it would be better to switch (eg Lebala was only worth 2 nights due to so much empty burnt scrub).
Transfer from Livingstone to Lebala took a while; no food on the Proflight transfer, no food opportunities at Livingstone airport (only coffee) or en route (Kasane airport not selling food) so we were starving by the time we got to Lebala; it would have been good to arrange some opportunity to eat or buy food at some point. Maybe include a visit a cafe / restaurant in Kasane town, as there is plenty of time ?"
Arranged By Lucy Copson
Lebala Camp
"Lebala Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
30 Oct 2010
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Average
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Little Kwara (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Little Kwara review"
2 nights
Arrived
2 Nov 2010
"Much better game than Lebala.
Very nice camp, very nice rooms again, and central area also very enjoyable, especially with passing elephant.
Must say George and Michael were great fun as well as very competent guides. Definitely more laughs with George than any others.
Mokora trip very pleasant although not as many birds as I had hoped, and a rather closer encounter with a "naughty boy" hippo than I expected!
Heronry trip was rather a package tour when we got there, loads of boats, we had been advised to go earlier but Kwara insisted that 4pm was the best time to start, I think perhaps 3.30 at least."
Very nice camp, very nice rooms again, and central area also very enjoyable, especially with passing elephant.
Must say George and Michael were great fun as well as very competent guides. Definitely more laughs with George than any others.
Mokora trip very pleasant although not as many birds as I had hoped, and a rather closer encounter with a "naughty boy" hippo than I expected!
Heronry trip was rather a package tour when we got there, loads of boats, we had been advised to go earlier but Kwara insisted that 4pm was the best time to start, I think perhaps 3.30 at least."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp
"Nxabega Safari Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
4 Nov 2010
"Airstrip had been washed out for months, meaning we had to land 2.5 hours' drive from camp - this should have been raised in advance to set expectations.
However, consistent with the EXCELLENT service and atmosphere we experienced at Nxabega, Grant and Dimari laid on a helicopter transfer.
We cannot speak highly enough of the camp; we were glad the pool was down, so we experienced a swim in the Delta, MUCH better!
Dinner events and entertainment were far ahead of all the others - including being surrounded by a breeding (but very relaxed) herd of elephants in the camp.
Game very good, and Bee was a very very competent guide (spotting a serval at night whilst driving without a tracker, fantastic...) although he could think about photographers in the back a bit more, we had to keep asking to move the jeep to a better location.
It really felt like a happy family here."
However, consistent with the EXCELLENT service and atmosphere we experienced at Nxabega, Grant and Dimari laid on a helicopter transfer.
We cannot speak highly enough of the camp; we were glad the pool was down, so we experienced a swim in the Delta, MUCH better!
Dinner events and entertainment were far ahead of all the others - including being surrounded by a breeding (but very relaxed) herd of elephants in the camp.
Game very good, and Bee was a very very competent guide (spotting a serval at night whilst driving without a tracker, fantastic...) although he could think about photographers in the back a bit more, we had to keep asking to move the jeep to a better location.
It really felt like a happy family here."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sandibe Safari Lodge
"Sandibe Safari Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
7 Nov 2010
"After Nxabega, any camp would struggle to match that experience, but even so, Sandibe felt much less welcoming. General impression was of disinterest.
Service standards nowhere near as good as Nx (washrooms always out of towels, doors warped etc).
Central area layout was poor, mixed levels only serve to segregate and disharmonise, no focal "bush TV" area.
Rooms full of bugs, not a problem in other camps.
However, game viewing was excellent and our guide and tracker team, Tsavo and Gomm, were the best we encountered (difficult call, but they just win over George + Michael, and Bee + System)."
Service standards nowhere near as good as Nx (washrooms always out of towels, doors warped etc).
Central area layout was poor, mixed levels only serve to segregate and disharmonise, no focal "bush TV" area.
Rooms full of bugs, not a problem in other camps.
However, game viewing was excellent and our guide and tracker team, Tsavo and Gomm, were the best we encountered (difficult call, but they just win over George + Michael, and Bee + System)."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Average
Service
Average
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Poor
Food
Average
Facilities
Poor
Avani Victoria Falls
"Zambezi Sun review"
2 nights
Arrived
10 Nov 2010
"After 11 days safari this was a hideous culture shock, arriving in a noisy busy environment full of Saga package tourists and financial business conference delegates. If anyone suggests staying here again, PLEASE recommend the Vic Falls hotel on the Zimbabwe side, that was heavenly. We would gladly have paid the extra.
We had to change rooms because the door lock needed fixing then the widnow lock was a bit dodgy. Rooms were not terribly clean. Non-stop music in the central bar was a drag.
Food a bit ropey."
We had to change rooms because the door lock needed fixing then the widnow lock was a bit dodgy. Rooms were not terribly clean. Non-stop music in the central bar was a drag.
Food a bit ropey."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Good
Service
Average
Rooms
Poor
Food
Poor
Pioneer Camp
"Pioneer Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
12 Nov 2010
"Might be a short distance from the airport but a very long off-road ride in a taxi - once the taxi driver eventually appeared to meet us at the airport, after we'd contacted you; we think he was chatting with his mates and simply forgot about us. if I hadn't had a working mobile, what then?
Service would be "good" apart from that, they allowed us to check in for our BA flight home.
Pleasant enough spot but a come-down after the Delta, mostly South African backpackers and selfdrivers who weren't overly sociable."
Service would be "good" apart from that, they allowed us to check in for our BA flight home.
Pleasant enough spot but a come-down after the Delta, mostly South African backpackers and selfdrivers who weren't overly sociable."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Average
Service
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Guiding was good and camp very pleasant.
Rooms excellent. Wonderful lying in bed watching hippos munching their way past.
Central area and dining arrangements very convivial.
Good for birding and elephants but very quiet overall, even guides admitted."