Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs G from Stratford

"We were made to feel welcome and at home immediately on arrival by camp manager Debbie and guide Patrick, together with their team. Whilst respecting our privacy and desire to experience the wildness of the South Luangwa, they expertly provided all the back up we needed to make our stay a totally unique experience and to get the very most out of our short visit.

Whilst the camp had only opened for the season the previous day, we could not have expected any better service or company. Debbie was a gem - we left after just two nights feeling we had made a real friend. Not only did she provide everything we needed and help us enjoy our surroundings to the full, but she adapted quickly to Richard's sense of humour (which can be an acquired taste!).

The chef and kitchen staff worked wonders to produce delicious food on the most basic of equipment - and the afternoon cakes were the lightest we have ever tasted!

Patrick, our guide,was such a mine of information about all the birds and animals - we learnt a huge amount and could really appreciate what we were seeing thanks to his amazing skills, knowledge and enthusiasm. Thank you Patrick for making our game drives better than we could ever have expected. Also thanks to Gideon, our scout, who reassured us when out on our walking safari and expertly wielded the spotlight during the night drives.

Our only comment would be that we would like to have been advised more on arrival about the inevitability of large animals in the camp at night. On our second night a male elephant came within feet of our chalet, and sounded as though he was going to munch his way right through the reed walls - which was quite a heart-stopping experience, and we were not sure quite when to panic and use the whistle - or run ! We did feel a little isolated in our chalet at this time, although assured next morning that had we needed to use the whistle our call would have been answered. We wanted to be in the midst of the wildlife, and the bushcamp was certainly the best experience we could have had, but having just arrived direct from UK and not being used to the behaviour of the animals, we feel a more detailed briefing might have been useful!

Otherwise, a phenomenal experience and one we would love to repeat in the future."

"We transferred from Mwamba to Kaingo on foot, which turned out to be a wonderful experience - being so totally immersed in the vastness, quietness and wildness of this beautiful area was totally unique for us and we will always remember leaving Mwambe as the sun was rising, sharing three hours in the magical early morning light with our guide Meyem and scout Charles. Meyem provided such detailed and interesting information as we walked through different areas, ending up in a lush valley full of impala and a couple of nosey buffalo, before walking into Kaingo camp to be greeted by the whole team. We would recommend the walking transfer to anyone - it's the way to go!

Kaingo was just as wonderful as Mwamba, although so different. The setting overlooking the Luangwa river was perfect and the determination of the staff to maintain the privacy of the guests to enjoy the environment was very much appreciated. During our three nights in Kaingo, hippo and leopard were seen in the camp by the staff, and it was impressed upon us not to wander out of our chalet at night and to be alert at all times - welcome advice after our experience at Mwamba. Richard was in heaven with several pods of hippos visible (and audible!) from our deck, and the hippos hide was a real highlight of our trip.

The number of activities daily was really good, and it was always possible to do just exactly what you wanted to do, when you wanted to do it (although we did have to dash off in the middle of breakfast to watch the elephants crossing the river as clearly they were not going to wait for us). The staff were the friendliest people we have ever met and we truly felt as though we were part of a Kaingo family. Sadly we did not get to meet Jules and the children, but really enjoyed our chats with Derek and congratulate him on running such excellent and unique camps.

We really appreciated the slight changes to the pattern of the day - a surprise sundowner "party" on the banks of the river during one of the game drives, and bush brunch in the ebony forest will always be remembered. The food generally was unbelievably good - the kitchen staff are rightly very proud of their facilities and the food they produce, and it's good to know most of it arrives fresh from their own vegetable garden near Mfuwe on a regular basis. We could have gladly coped with one meal less a day, but it would be hard to know which one - lunch on the private decks was such a great idea. Lisa is to be congratulated on running the catering and administration side of the camp so efficiently and professionally

We have to give a BIG mention to the guides, Meyem, Kennedy and Ian who live and breathe the Luangwa and took us on such incredible journeys, often taking off into the bush to track down a leopard or lion, but always with the interests of the animals uppermost in their minds. Never could we have dreamed we would see so many different animals and birds in a few short days - culminating in the excitement of the hippo being eaten by a pack of lions and scores of crocodiles and vultures on the river bank (a gold star to Meyem for his driving bravado on this one, getting us to the perfect viewing spot with more than a little difficulty!).

Overall - the perfect safari and one we would love to think we might enjoy again at some time in the future. We drove up from Mfuwe with a couple who return regularly, and we can see why. However, our one complaint is the nature of the transport to and from Mfuwe. Whilst this forms part of an arrival and departure game drive, which is most enjoyable (especially on arrival), we did feel very vulnerable in this vehicle on the road from the park gate to the airport. This is not at all a reflection of our drivers, who were both excellent. However being so high and open, with no restraints, we felt that had the driver needed to brake or swerve, we would have been thrown from the vehicle, which did not encourage us to relax. We did notice other camps using more enclosed jeeps for this journey, and this would have been our preference."