Reviews of safaris to Victoria Falls

"This is a trip I want to forget. I had inappropriate expectations from other travellers comments, or from advice from Expert Africa. The unsealed roads that are considered "good" turned out to be on average, alot worst than the unsealed roads in Australia. The "best" sections in Namibia were eqivalent to our unsealed roads in National Parks with corrugations. The rest were atrocious, with no warning sign if something major comes up that requires significant slowing down.

I was told that there was cell phone reception almost everywhere, and I wouldn't need a satellite phone. It turned out half of the unsealed roads had no reception. There were some stretches of roads that I did not see another car for an hour at a time. I was driving alone and couldn't deal with any breakdowns myself. I wouldn't have made this trip if I had known the reality.

I was also told that I would see a good amount of game as it is baby season, and there would be an increase in predator activities to feed the babies. When I asked the guides they just laughed. Virtually all the animals gave birth anytime if the year. Also because there was alot of late rain, I really didn't see much game except for elephants.

I really wasn't prepared for how backward Africans were. The lodges in Namibia were nicely built, but you couldn't get even the most basic requests through the staff. They are genuinely nice people, but almost all the lodges never considered purchasing the few items that I requested due to dietery restrictions, eventhough they were common supermarket items. I asked if I should bring some of these items myself and was told the lodges confirmed they would supply them. Should I have been warned they may not mean what they say?

Zimbabwe apart from Victoria Falls was unbearably backward. I am not sure if its to do with their econmic meltdown 20 years ago. Even at departure, I thought I had to spend the night at the airport as they couldn't refuel the plane.

I did manage to get some good photos. I do think Namibia has the best rockscapes in the world and massive potential to develop their tourist industry further, but I wouldn't consider going back.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

I received a very good service from Maruska in planning this trip. But I feel she may need to be updated about a few facts. When I travelled to Egypt several years ago with a tour, we were given in writing tips on cultural expectations I call it. EA could certainly do with something like that, so travellers are better prepared as they interact with Africans.

I have travelled extensively around the world but have never been to Southern Africa. I have found this trip very taxing." Read full review: 24 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip

"Amazing holiday and everything ran smoothly from beginning to end.

We saw magnificent wildlife, stayed in some fabulous places but the memory that will stay with us for a lifetime will be the wonderful people we met along the way.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Not really.

Everything was amazing and would have no hesitation in recommending your agency - in fact we already have!

Rich was great, the fact that he had worked in Southern Africa gave us information we couldn't have accessed easily anywhere else.

Extremely happy with our choice of Expert Africa x" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 11 on a Botswana safari

"Apart from the two setbacks mentioned previously the trip was excellent and went smoothly throughout.

Camps were as expected with brilliant game sightings and camp staff helpful and considerate." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 15 on a Botswana safari

"Perfect. Has taken away the pain of growing old!!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 8 on a South Africa trip

"Our trip was fantastic. Every day I was left speechless about the wildlife we saw.

It is not the first time I'm going on a Safari but this is the best you can get. We were def very lucky to see all this and it was not expected.

I'm so thankful to Expert Africa for the advice and the organization. And I hope I can arrange a new trip soon with their support.

Richard my consultant has been very good in answering all my question and understanding my requests.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Not much to improve guys. Just the flights to camps maybe.

I know many people afraid to flight so good to prepare them upfront about to way to move from one camp to an other one." Read full review: 5 nights in Africa; 3 on a Botswana safari

"Just the most remarkable 3 weeks ..... to see Africa from the river; from the air; from vehicles made it all so worthwhile.

I was so impressed given the logistics that everything organised by Expert Africa went so well... not one hiccup or delay or balls up." Read full review: 24 nights in Africa; 3 on a Botswana safari

"It was an amazing experience.

We loved Namibia for its variation in Landscape and friendly people.

Etosha has as much game life as Botswana.

We'd rate Wilderness Safaris as a much better, organisation than Kwando, in terms of better accommodation, better staffing, better food and wine. The airstrips always had toilets and drinks waiting. Kwando nothing.

Namibia is a must." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 10 on a Namibia trip

"The level of satisfaction was beyond my wildest dreams. My expectations were blown away and far exceeded and I didn't see the Zebra migration at Nxai!" Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 7 on a Botswana safari

"The entire trip was excellent and once again we really were so happy with the service and preparation provided by Sabina and her colleagues at Expert Africa.

We also ended the holiday with a self-organised further 3 days in Kruger in South Africa, spending time and seeing incredible animals there too, with our friends from Cape Town, so in its entirety our holiday was by far one of the best we have ever had in this part of the world.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Keep doing the good job.

And - although more on the joking side - perhaps advise in more detail customers who plan to drive in Botswana about the speed limits and how strictly they are checked (and penalised!) by the Botswana police. Also, worth advising that sometimes the speed limit will be reduced from 120 to 60 in a very short distance which almost can make it impossible to get under 60 - I was done for this although doing only 67, had my licence retained (in Gumari) while I drove to the cash machine to extract Pula to pay the fine. And the potholes on Botswana roads - this was something I have never seen before and so worth tipping off the drivers to pay really close attention to them, as they can be really dangerous if you are not careful!" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 6 on a Namibia trip

"Positive experiences through and through starting from the booking to the end. Justin picked great places for us, logistics were impeccable. We had the trip of our lifetime." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari