Reviews of safaris to South Luangwa National Park
942 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include South Luangwa.
"June 2016 trip to Zambia and Botswana"
Almost every game drive resulted in at least one truly memorable event. Most guides were excellent - even remarkable.
We and the three couples that traveled with us loved the entire experience.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Maruska is very capable and pleasant to work with.
The water in the Selinda Spillway was late in arriving this year, so we were slightly disappointed in that fact, but that is not in the control of EA or Selinda Explorers Camp. We loved our stay at Selinda!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 8 on a Zambia safari
"The most wonderful two week trip"
It exceeded our expectations in every way: accomodations, guides, food, game viewing and weather.
I am still pinching myself that it all happened.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Up dated guidelines on tips. The suggested tips at the camps were higher than in the booklet." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 8 on a Zambia safari
"My May 2016 trip"
"Our Zambia Safari"
"Our green(ish) safari Apr/May 2016"
We chose to go at the end of the rainy season in the hope of seeing the bush green rather than dry and brown. We were not disappointed - it was beautiful. The animals all looked healthy and relaxed and we loved it.
Once again, Expert Africa were as normal - efficient, friendly and knowledgeable - thanks again Ellie." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Zambia safari
"My April 2016 trip"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
You are doing everything really brilliantly. You also have the advantage of the best country in Africa.
I hope the staff are well paid for their troubles." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zambia safari
"Zambia trip"
"April 2016"
"My Jan 2016 trip"
In retrospect we should have chosen Sabyinyo in Rwanda, Ngorongoro Crater in the Crater. I would have preferred to stay at the Hyatt in Dar - or an alternative to the Serena - it was a shocker.
I had concerns about Little Kwara before I went and these were confirmed. I would not stay with a Kwando facility on a return to Africa." Read full review: 22 nights in Africa; 7 on a Tanzania safari
"Excellent trip - all ran to plan"
At Xakanaxa airstrip (which incidentally is a new runway positioned a little further from the camps than the 'old' strip) we were very pleasantly surprised to see Banda, our requested guide for Camp Xakanaxa where has been based since last January, albeit we were due at Camp Moremi first. Apparently in agreement with the D&DS marketing manager (regret don't know his name and was not aware he was the South African chap who wished us well as he leaving for the plane we arrived on) we were allocated Banda for the whole of our 5 night stay on an exclusive basis. This is an amazing example of D&DS customer service for which we are truly grateful. If you are aware of the chap's name please let me know and I will send a thank-you e-mail. Thanks should also be extended to all the D&DS staff including Setch and staff at Suvute and Albert (who was 'care-taking' between Moremi and Xakanaxa) and all the staff.
We will undoubtedly return to Nkwali, Savute and delta camps again - don't know when. However in future we will try to avoid Jo'burg airport if only due to the totally inefficient and unfriendly staff at passport control. It takes ages to be processed. Never enough staff on duty. As you maybe aware, there are 2 sections, one deals with SA residents, the other all non-SA passengers.
There are some 25 (maybe more) passport control booths on the non-SA section. Less than half were being manned on our first arrival and only 7 when we arrived form Maun. Coupled with the delays occurring to some families, presumably associated with the recently introduced regulations and paperwork required for people travelling with children, the delays are totally unacceptable. We were directed to stand in a queue behind a family which we were already aware had processing problems and had to wait 20 minutes while they continued to try and resolve without any apparent success so we asked to move and were eventually directed to stand in another queue. There is no efficient management system in place, it's a shambles.
It is not surprising that Lusaka airport is building a new terminal (by the Chinese!) and Maun wants to expand so that passengers can fly direct rather than via Jo'burg which attracts so much criticism. BA used to fly direct to Lusaka but apparently no more. We met people who flew with Emirates via Dubai so for the future it's worth considering another carrier. There may be others." Read full review: 20 nights in Africa; 10 on a Botswana safari
Where to stay in South Luangwa
Our suggestions for safari camps in South Luangwa National Park