Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs K from from Wales
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
3
Countries visited
4
Lodges stayed in
14
Excursions taken
0
A good but weather affected trip
Botswana between 5 Feb 2025 and 18 Feb 2025
The weather was not the best, with two rainstorms, and sundry other rains. Resulting very long grass in places affected viewing. We both had stomach bugs at intervals, which did not help. but was not too serious. The camps dealt with it well.
As regards PomPom, if I were at all involved with Expert Africa, I would consider removing this camp from the website. It is tired, dispirited, and is saved only by the good game viewing in the surrounds
As regards Splash, there was such a dirth of game to watch, that I think this area should be avoided at this time of year
However, the ra dinare experience was wonderful on all fronts. A lovely place, well run, good guiding and nothing to grumble about."
Feedback response
We are sorry to hear about these travellers experience in Botswana, particularly due to the lack of wildlife experienced on this trip. This is unusual for the safari areas visited, and typically we would expect excellent wildlife sightings in these regions, as experienced by ourselves and many of our previous travellers at the same time of year. Last year the region experience a very hard drought forcing wildlife to be in greater concentrations. This current rain season the region has bounced back with very good rainfall, and as a result the wildlife was more dispersed. We always do our best to provide the most up to date information to our travellers, although weather patterns are unpredictable, sadly these conditions impacted the wildlife viewing on this occasion.
Arranged By Anton Walker
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Lagoon Camp
"Lagoon Camp review"
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Buffalo
1 sighting
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Cheetah
3 sightings
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Elephant
10+ sightings
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Giraffe
10+ sightings
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Hippo
10+ sightings
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Leopard
3 sightings
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Lion
5 sightings
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Wild dog
6 sightings
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Wildebeest
10+ sightings
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Zebra
10+ sightings
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Pom Pom Camp
"Tired"
So much so I am surprised Kwando have not closed it for a rebuild to remove risk of reputational damage.
Not impressed at all. Its saving grace was that the wildlife viewing was excellent - good guide (Ryder) and tracker (Tango).
Almost all facilities were poor, and the food especially so"
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Cheetah
2 sightings
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Elephant
10+ sightings
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Giraffe
5 sightings
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Hippo
10+ sightings
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Leopard
5 sightings
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Lion
10+ sightings
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Spotted Hyena
6 sightings
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Wild dog
10+ sightings
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Wildebeest
10+ sightings
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Zebra
10+ sightings
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Splash Camp
"Splash Camp review"
The rooms are similar but about one third the size. The design is different, and for me I prefer the more standard type room available almost everywhere else.
All comfortable and well run, though the food was still poor. However, the wildlife spotting was very poor indeed. Our guide (ST) and tracker (OB) were good, and worked very hard to try to find things,. but there was really very little indeed to find. Partly due to the very long grass of course, but we had long grass at other camps.
We went on this trip for the wildlife, and this camp should not have been in the agenda"
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Elephant
1 sighting
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Giraffe
10+ sightings
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Hippo
10+ sightings
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Lion
2 sightings
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Wildebeest
10+ sightings
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Zebra
10+ sightings
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Rra Dinare
"Rra Dinare review"
A really lovely camp, with excellent position, staff, rooms, and good food. It really is a lovely place, which we enjoyed hugely.
Excellent guide (Zulu) and tracker (Mike)
The wildlife sightings were exceptional, especially of predators.
Leopards with cubs, wilddog kill and cheetah kill."
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Buffalo
10+ sightings
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Cheetah
8 sightings
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Elephant
10+ sightings
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Giraffe
10+ sightings
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Hippo
10+ sightings
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Leopard
6 sightings
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Lion
7 sightings
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Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
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Wild dog
10+ sightings
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Wildebeest
10+ sightings
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Zebra
10+ sightings
My Feb 2024 trip
Kenya between 15 Feb 2024 and 29 Feb 2024
I did not enjoy the two middle camps, and apart from the last camp the volume of plains and other game was sparse. We have been to many countries in the area through your company, and others. We have also been to Mara and other Kenya areas many years ago.
This was not our best trip with you."
Feedback response
We are ever so sorry to hear about these travellers experience in Kenya, particularly due to the lack of wildlife experienced on this trip. This is particularly unusual for the safari areas visited, and typically we would expect excellent wildlife sightings in these regions, as experienced by ourselves and many of our previous travellers at the same time of year. Due to the El Nino, February 2024 experienced much higher rainfall than we would expect in a typical year, and as a result the wildlife was more dispersed than expected for many parts of Kenya. We always do our best to provide the most up to date information to our travellers, although weather patterns are unpredictable and so sadly these exceptional conditions impacted the wildlife viewing on this occasion.
we are very sorry to hear how this impacted these travellers safari experience
Arranged By Lyndsey Marris
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Four Points Nairobi Airport
"Four Points Nairobi Airport review"
We were there just overnight, so cannot judge much of their services, but generally excellent"
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Kicheche Laikipia
"Kicheche Laikipia review"
There were a lot of rhinos. both black and white, and the efforts being made by the conservancy (and elsewhere) to improve the rhinos' lot are to be admired, Sadly there was not a lot else to see."
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Black Rhino
10+ sightings
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Buffalo
10+ sightings
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Cheetah
1 sighting
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Eland
10+ sightings
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Elephant
3 sightings
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Giraffe
5 sightings
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Lion
2 sightings
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Spotted Hyena
5 sightings
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White Rhino
10+ sightings
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Zebra
10+ sightings
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Laikipia Wilderness
"Laikipia Wilderness review"
Management was friendly, but rather distant and unconcerned, and there was little guidance about how to progress with life. Food was OK but no better than that.
Our guide (Simon) was poor, and that contributed to the lack of game we found. Wildlife generally was sparse.
Frankly, I was left wondering quite why this camp is on your website"
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Buffalo
2 sightings
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Elephant
10+ sightings
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Giraffe
6 sightings
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Hippo
3 sightings
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Leopard
2 sightings
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Lion
3 sightings
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Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
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Zebra
2 sightings
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Serian
"Serian review"
Ben and Amy, the managers, are worthy of special mention - they are first class. I appreciate the idea of a guide allocated to you and you alone for the whole stay, but this depends on the quality of the guide. In our case we had guide (Johnathan) and spotter (Henry), and the spotter was actually also a guide.
Despite this, we did not feel they were good guides. They spent a great majority of their time chatting in Masai, and partly because game was sparse, we did not really see as much as expected"
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Buffalo
2 sightings
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Eland
2 sightings
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Elephant
2 sightings
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Giraffe
3 sightings
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Hippo
10+ sightings
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Lion
1 sighting
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Spotted Hyena
4 sightings
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Wildebeest
10+ sightings
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Zebra
10+ sightings
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Kicheche Valley
"Kicheche Valley review"
A very nice camp. with excellent rooms, first class management and staff, excellent food and an excellent guide (Mika). We very much enjoyed this camp, which was a relief.
There was lots of game to see, and to be found."
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Buffalo
2 sightings
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Cheetah
4 sightings
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Eland
5 sightings
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Elephant
4 sightings
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Giraffe
6 sightings
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Hippo
4 sightings
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Lion
5 sightings
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Spotted Hyena
4 sightings
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Wildebeest
10+ sightings
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Zebra
10+ sightings
Excellent trip
Zimbabwe and 1 other country between 31 Oct 2018 and 15 Nov 2018
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The Hide
"Good"
The rooms were good, the staff excellent, the food was not much better than average, and the guide was good but, again, not exceptional.
Overall a very nice stay, but I would not return."
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Buffalo
Many sightings
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Cheetah
Many sightings
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Elephant
Many sightings
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Giraffe
Many sightings
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Hippo
Many sightings
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Leopard
Many sightings
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Lion
Many sightings
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Roan antelope
1 sighting
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Sable antelope
1 sighting
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Wild dog
Many sightings
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Zebra
Many sightings
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Camp Hwange
"Good trip to this camp"
He was thorough, very informative, and able to pass on detailed information on a wide range of subjects. Possibly the best guide we have had on any safari. Otherwise the camp was comfortable, the staff were excellent, and the game was profuse. We liked the location, the rooms and the food was good, though not exceptional.
As we go to these places primarily for the guiding, Andy made the trip for us."
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Buffalo
Many sightings
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Cheetah
Many sightings
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Elephant
Many sightings
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Giraffe
Many sightings
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Hippo
Many sightings
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Leopard
Many sightings
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Lion
Many sightings
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Wild dog
Many sightings
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Zebra
Many sightings
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Batonka Guest Lodge
"Very nice 24 hrs in a delightful place"
Very nice staff, very good food, and the location - outside of the main town - was probably better than closer to the Falls. Nice and quiet.
Highly recommended"
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Tafika
"Nice stay, good guides and good company"
Excellent location, very friendly and informative staff and management.
Overall a good stay"
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Buffalo
Many sightings
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Elephant
Many sightings
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Giraffe
Many sightings
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Hippo
Many sightings
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Leopard
Many sightings
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Lion
Many sightings
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Wild dog
Many sightings
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Zebra
Many sightings
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Nsefu
"Nsefu review"
Possibly the best location, in terms of view, of any lodge we have stayed at anywhere. Beautiful.
Very nice, if somewhat quirky, rooms, excellent staff, very good guiding - overall a most excellent stay.
The only downside was the food was far from the best of our trip."
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Buffalo
Many sightings
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Elephant
Many sightings
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Giraffe
Many sightings
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Hippo
Many sightings
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Leopard
Many sightings
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Lion
Many sightings
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Sable antelope
1 sighting
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Spotted Hyena
Many sightings
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Wild dog
Many sightings
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Wildebeest
1 sighting
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Zebra
Many sightings
Very nice camp, very nice visit for us, good guide (Rico) and tracker (John) and excellent game viewing.
Our first morning safari we met 4 lions, 2 cheetahs and 3 leopards.
The food was average at best, verging on poor"