Reviews of holidays to East Coast Zanzibar

"This trip was wonderful. It came about because our eldest son was working in Dar Es Salaam. But we had already used Expert Africa in the past to take our three sons to Namibia. That had been the best family holiday for us. We felt we must use Expert Africa again. I can only say that I am indebted to the knowledge of Lyndsey Marris, and the fact that Expert Africa listens, wants to know what we are looking for, what kind of budget do we have, and then makes carefully thought out suggestions. Lyndsey was so good. Absolutely excellent.

The trip was in every way memorable. Each place we stayed at was great. Lyndsey had provided us with a spot on itinerary. I feel with Expert Africa we are privileged to have people who care about Africa, and who really know it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the company. I wish we could return to Africa in the future, but not sure when!

As someone who has lived in Africa and whose work a long time ago(!) was dealing with books for Africa, I feel passionately about it, and two of our three sons have lived there. Chris's books are the best, without a shadow of a doubt. The Zanzibar book is full of rich detail and I left it with Jasper to keep as he is still out in Dar. It is a superb book.

Having time with Jasper in the Selous and on Zanzibar was incredibly special. We will not forget it. Jasper was blown away by the Selous in particular. Thank you, Expert Africa. Our youngest son lived in Botswana; one day I hope to get there, but for now, from the bottom of our hearts, thank-you." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zanzibar holiday

"Our trip was a truly fantastic and we would highly recommend it and Expert Africa to others.

The itinerary worked very well for us. We were met as we were told we would be - in each place and on time.

The choices of accommodation were spectacular, as was the food and service.

And the animals did not disappoint!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

We would highly recommend Expert Africa. Our dealings with Maruska made our life so much better and she put together a marvellous plan." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"Overall it was a great trip and we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves on Safari. I forgot to mention that the old vehicles used at Beho Beho need replacing as the seats are very uncomfortable and bad for backs and the winches need dealing with to avoid potentially dangerous situations.

We are unlikely to return to Zanzibar and certainly not to Matemwe Lodge. If we had known how remote it was and how horrid the surroundings were we would not have gone there." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 10 on a Tanzania safari

"All aspects of our trip to Tanzania ran smoothly as per the arrangements made by Expert Africa. My wife has mobility and dietary requirements which were managed satisfactorily.

The roads in Dar are not adequate to manage the volume of traffic so journeys take much longer than might be indicated by the distance. The airport is poor but a new one has been built and will hopefully be opening soon.

We have done a lot of safaris and prefer places that are more remote and uncrowded but with good facilities. Selous was a good choice in this regard. We did get to see wildlife but obviously not the volumes of the Serengeti etc." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 4 on a Tanzania safari

"We loved the trip and could not believe how close we were able to get to lions etc. Guides and drivers were excellent at both Reserves.

Reserves were relatively quiet so they were no queues of vehicles waiting to see specific animals.

Accommodation at both Reserves was as expected with a good bed, hot water and a toilet. Zanzibar as a place was a disappointment." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 10 on a Tanzania safari

"The majestic landscapes. The rich culture. The contagious joy from locals. Africa is magical! It gets down in your soul and you fall in love. Tanzania was perfect and having the opportunity to do both a safari in the Serengeti and a beach holiday in Zanzibar was a spectacular way to see this glorious country. We felt safe and welcomed everywhere we went. We can’t wait to return for another African adventure.

Expert Africa is a great company to work with and our agent Maruska did a fantastic job arranging our trip! The safari camp and hotels she chose for us were a perfect match for our taste and personalities. Everything was arranged including all shuttles. We had no worries (acuna matata). Maruska even had an anniversary surprise set up at all hotels for us. We will definitely be using Expert Africa on our next trip. Thanks Maruska!!! We absolutely loved everything!!!!" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 6 on a Zanzibar holiday

"My daughter and I absolutely loved our safari and bush experiences. The bush camp staff were exceptionally committed, knowledgeable, and hospitable.

Unfortunately, we were terribly disappointed with the last part of the trip in Zanzibar." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari

"This was a wonderful trip and our first experience of a safari holiday. It exceeded all our expectations.

We didn't have to worry about any of the arrangements and were met when we were supposed to be met and given clear instructions of timings to be collected. The safari camps were different in their own way but were both most satisfactory. The free laundry service was an added bonus and our rooms (tents) were kept spotlessly clean and tidy. At Impala Camp we had our own Masai man to escort us to and from our tents in case there were any visiting animals. He was always there and yet was unobtrusive.

The only concern was the tipping system, particularly in Mwagusi Camp. Here it appears the staff were only given their tips once a year, including the guides. We would have preferred to tip the guides separately as we did in Impala. We were put in a difficult position and this needs to be sorted.

It is essential to have cash! Neither camp had the facility to pay by card. We also needed to pay by cash at the hotel in Dar es Salam because their internet was down.

Pongwe Beach Hotel was almost the icing on the cake." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"An excellent first trip to Africa and on safari. It exceeded our expectations and was hugely enjoyable.


Suggestions to help us improve

Thank you so much. You were recommended to us and we would recommend you to others." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 5 on a Tanzania safari

"We had a brilliant holiday. We enjoyed our stay in Stone Town, a very interesting place, and our stay at Pongwe Beach was very relaxing and everything we could ask of a beach stay. Our safari experience was on a different scale, exceeding our expectations on every level. It’s hard to imagine how it could have been bettered. More than half of the people we met at the Kicheche Mara camp were repeat customers. They really have got everything right." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zanzibar holiday