Reviews of holidays to South-west Zanzibar

"Overall this 'holiday of a lifetime' as we had been describing it to friends prior to going, turned out to be just that. It had so many 'best moments' and highlights, that we've totally lost count. Life doesn't really offer many surprises but stumbling across a leopard after a kill, a bull elephant eating breakfast, a herd of zebra and wildebeest on the move, or a reef shark going about its daily life really are thrilling sights never to be forgotten. It was a holiday of incredible contrasts. From safari, to a bustling city, to a castaway coral island and ending with such luxury. What a heavenly cocktail and all thanks to Maruska and Expert Africa who certainly live up to their name." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 6 on a Zanzibar holiday

"We had a very nice trip and the arrangements made by Expert Africa were an important part of this." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 4 on a Zanzibar holiday

"Thank you to Tam for arranging our booking!

We had the most amazing time and would not hesitate to use Expert Africa for our planning again. The (many) flight and taxi transfers all worked perfectly. It is great peace of mind having the transfers arranged by a professional team who know the respectable companies to use and means of booking...especially after meeting people who had booked their own flights from Zan - Dar es Salam but at the desk, they were told their tickets were not recognised and they had to charter their own flight to make their International flight!

It was our first safari and we had no idea what to expect in the quieter south Selous park but we saw more wildlife than we ever imagined (even on the day we arrived) and so few cars. It was perfect! The camp and every member of the Selous Impala team were just amazing." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 6 on a Zanzibar holiday

"Excellent apart from unjuga" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zanzibar holiday

"We had waited so long for this holiday due to Covid postponements that we wondered if it would come up to expectations.

We need not have worried. As usual Expert Africa arrangements were spot on and we had a marvellous holiday.

Our joy at showing our daughters something that we treasured was the icing on the cake.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No, you do everything right" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari

"I think I made a mistake and gave my overall experience comment at the very beginning of the survey.

Bottom line: excellent guide, David, who made each game drive special.

Asilia lodges absolutely top notch, especially because of the staff and the overall atmosphere.

The trip was unforgettable, probably the best I have ever done." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 5 on a Tanzania safari

"This was our third trip with Expert Africa - I believe it's no coincidence that the Bradt Africa guides are simply the best ones on the market and that Expert Africa are extraordinary in the depth of their knowledge of the situation on the ground and in their capacity to coordinate and synchronise everything to make it an excellent trip for a family with young children.

The team doesn't shy away from having you face some challenging hikes and let you contrast more adventurous camping surroundings with (by then, you feel, properly earned) luxury.

I saw some of the most amazing sights and things in Africa, which I would not have found without the guidance of Expert Africa. And for the unforseeable and unavoidable occasional hick ups, the team is there to help where they can.

I hope Expert Africa stays a well kept secret." Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zanzibar holiday

"For a long time we thought we wouldn't be able to have our holiday because of the Coronavirus and as it happens, we had to cancel our visit to Botswana. But with the help of Maruska at Expert Africa we were still able to visit Tanzania and Zanzibar. Everything was very fluid with plans changing almost daily right up until the date of departure (and beyond)! due to airline cancellations because of Covid. However, Maruska was incredibly patient and helpful in identifying solutions and alternatives and she also proactively (and mostly successfully) sought refunds for the parts of the holiday that we couldn't undertake (a couple of lodges in Botswana offered to postpone our bookings but were reluctant to give refunds but they succumbed to Maruska's charms eventually). And although I didn't book our international flights through Expert Africa, Maruska kept an eye on all of our travel arrangements, even whilst we were away, and alerted us when our return flight was cancelled.
The holiday itself was way beyond our expectations partly, I suspect, because there were so few other tourists about. In some of the lodges we visited we were the only guests which meant that we were treated like VIPs. And what lodges! The Lemala camps were excellent and Maruska negotiated a very good deal for us by using only Lemala for our safari accommodation and the deal included our own vehicle and guide throughout, which meant that we could go where we wanted to go, when we wanted to go, instead of being tied to a strict timetable for game viewing. As far as the game viewing was concerned, having been told by a couple of friends that their experiences included having to vie for a view of the animals with 100s of other vehicles, we instead found ourselves to be in splendid isolation with almost every animal we saw. The only downside was having to come home." Read full review: 41 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari

"Amazing family holiday. A first trip to Africa for 3/4 of us - We felt very well looked after and all arrangements worked well. So pleased with Richard's recommendations for us. Many many thanks." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari

"An excellent, truly memorable trip. Amanda stepped in later in the planning process after another team member left and her advice and organisation were invaluable." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 8 on a Zanzibar holiday