Travel reviews by Mr and Mrs O - Somerset

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Our Tenth Trip with Expert Africa

On this trip, I visited Botswana between 13-Apr-2013 and 24-Apr-2013 and I travelled with 1 other person.

Any limitations with this trip were entirely of our own making. We have been travelling to Botswana for long enough to know what works and what is less to our liking. The planning done for us by Megan was exemplary. It worked like a dream and we were confident that had anything gone wrong it would be 'sorted'.

Overall we had yet another magnificent holiday marred only by a guide who has probably been in situ for too long. The pity is that he is the 'best friend' of our guide at Savuti who was first class. Similar seasonal difficulties but very different outcomes.

We have 4 observations that may help future planning:

a. Wilderness red meat. At the prices they charge they simply cannot continue to serve guests meat that cannot be cut let alone chewed. Can expert Africa please ask them what is going on?

b. Approaching 73 I am the last person to make ageist remarks but at Sandibe we were teamed in the vehicle with a Belgian man accompanied by his 88 year old mother. She was remarkable but had severe mobility problems, especially entering and leaving the vehicle. Perhaps camps should make special arrangements for such guests? I hope so, as I might be using them in the future!

c. Newsletters. We like to browse the Wilderness web site before travel to see what is going on in the camps we are to visit and get a flavour of the state of the annual flood etc. This year, up, to the time we left in mid April, there was not a single Savuti their news reports but unless they are recent they are useless.

d. Room Increases. There have been one or two reports of camps increasing the number of rooms. As old Okavango hands we have been willing to pay premium prices as we have been assured of very low guest numbers and the exclusivity that goes with it. If the Delta is to become as crowded as some other safari destinations it will be difficult to maintain exclusive prices. A number of fellow travellers expressed just this sentiment this time.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Nothing further to add. We will be contacting you for 2014 very soon!

Feedback response

We were delighted to hear that, despite some less than perfect aspects, these travellers had yet another superb trip to Botswana. However, such honest feedback is vital and so we forwarded their comments to the camps and lodges concerned.

These travellers found the meat at Savuti tough and difficult to cut. The camp were very sorry to hear this, especially as they told Expert Africa they tenderise the steaks before grilling them. However, they discovered that they did forget to set the table with steak knives. They assured Expert Africa that their meat supplier has been contacted and they will be keeping an eye on the meat supply to ensure that the cuts are of high grade.

Sandibe appreciated the suggestions from these travellers regarding older travellers, and say that they will take them into consideration. After addressing the issues about their guide with the lodge, Expert Africa and these travellers are assured that this is being investigated and addressed.

Sandibe have just recently announced that they lodge will be rebuilt next year. Expert Africa joins these travellers in their sentiment and will be visiting the lodge once the work is completed, for an update and to see for ourselves what impact the changes have made. In the meantime, Expert Africa will update the webpage as we learn more about the plans.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Westcliff Hotel 14-Apr-2013 review: Westcliff Hotel review	Excellent
Savuti Camp, Botswana 15-Apr-2013 review: Savuti- A Preview of Paradise?	Excellent
Sandibe Safari Lodge, Botswana 19-Apr-2013 review: Sandibe - A Return Visit After 11 Years	Good
Westcliff Hotel 23-Apr-2013 review: Westcliff Hotel review	Excellent

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The Okavango Delta - Season 7

On this trip, I visited Botswana between 26-Apr-2012 and 7-May-2012 and I travelled with 1 other person.

Our seventh trip to the Okavango and ninth to Africa with Expert Africa. Another epic holiday and another singular example of the result of excellent planning by a team who care and know what they are doing. Our 2013 trip is well into planning. This time we met a number of other guests who had travelled without the benefit of such expert guidance. Many were unprepared, ill equipped and even without essential mandatory inoculations. We gave out a number of your cards!

Thank you again for another fantastic holiday and we only regret that the onset of age may eventually remove us from your mailing list. Meanwhile we will keep spending the kids inheritance!!

For prospective travellers, listen to Expert Africa.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Not this time!

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Little Vumbura, Botswana 26-Apr-2012 review: An Island Gem	Excellent
Kwetsani Camp, Botswana 29-Apr-2012 review: The Jewel of NG25	Excellent
Tubu Tree Camp, Botswana 2-May-2012 review: Second Visit to a Great Camp	Excellent
The Westcliff 6-May-2012 review: A Hotel With a Difference	Excellent

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A First Tanzania Safari

On this trip, I visited Tanzania between 8-Jan-2011 and 21-Jan-2011 and I travelled with 1 other person.

I suspect our main problem is having been spoiled by too many Botswana holidays. Tanzania was quite beautiful; 2 of the camps were pretty well spot on as advertised but choosing Manze was our mistake and made against Liz's advice. Overall, the bird and game sightings were excellent, bearing in mind it should have been wet with lush vegetation. In effect the Selous and Ruaha were having a mini dry season and we benefitted greatly from it, albeit with some pretty savage humidity at times.

We were privileged in having Kwihala and Beho Beho totally to ourselves and were looked after royally in both camps. Both delivered top notch guiding and everything that there was to see, we saw. We were a little disappointed in the park rules for Ruaha and the impact that nearby shooting in Selous and poaching in both reserves is having on game and bird behaviour. Unusually I collected a small portfolio of photos of damaged animals. Coastal is a bit chaotic and BA really needs to review the standard and scheduling of catering on the return flight from Dar.

On balance we had yet another great holiday thanks to Liz and Expert Africa.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

In respect of this holiday, the information on Kwihala will need a major update after the move and improvements this spring and I suggest potential clients should be told of the off road and driving in the dark restrictions that are imposed in Ruaha.

Coastal's 'flexible' scheduling may also need to be considered for clients with tight schedules.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Lake Manze Adventure Camp, Tanzania 9-Jan-2011 review: Lake Manze - Ouch!	Good
Kwihala Camp, Tanzania 11-Jan-2011 review: Lion Free Kwihala	Excellent
Beho Beho, Tanzania 15-Jan-2011 review: Beho Beho - A fabulous birthday venue	Excellent
Oyster Bay, Tanzania 20-Jan-2011 review: Oyster Bay and another meeting with Charlie	Excellent

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Okavango Delta Visit 5

On this trip, I visited Botswana between 1-Sep-2010 and 16-Sep-2010 and I travelled with 1 other person.

Anyone who can put up with being fed 6 times a day, bone shaken in a Landrover or baked in the sun in a motorboat/mokoro must be mad but we keep going back because we absolutely love it. Expert Africa's planning and execution were, as ever, faultless. Any criticisms of the camps must be viewed in the light of consistently high standards across the board and are made when things are 99.9% rather than 101%.

This was the first time we had noticed a significant difference between the Wilderness Classic camps in tems of room size and facilities. It might be worth making this point in the brochure. People will still go because each camp has its unique charm or attraction.

This year was special because the annual flood was so high that there was still considerable water in places normally dry in September and a lot of the big game has moved. Is it worth considering bringing major weather/natural events to client attention in time for them to perhaps change their itinerary? We planned wet, dry, wet, dry and were not disappointed but we met a number of guests (not Expert Africa) who were deeply disappointed that they had been expecting the big 5 and had to be satisfied with mostly birds.

We had another 5 star holiday. Thank you. In overview, both Xigera and Tubu Tree feted us with extra activities. Jacana had none, not even a traditional evening while the 4 nights ay Chitabe Lediba provided just a traditional evening. Interesting contrast reflecting management styles?

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Xigera, Botswana 2-Sep-2010 review: A Heronry with Attached Safari Lodge	Excellent
Tubu Tree Camp, Botswana 5-Sep-2010 review: Tubu - Where All the Game Is	Excellent
Jacana Camp, Botswana 8-Sep-2010 review: A Lovely Small Water Camp	Excellent
Chitabe Lediba, Botswana 11-Sep-2010 review: Chitabe Lediba or Chitabe Minor?	Excellent
The Grace, South Africa (this camp has since closed) 15-Sep-2010 review: The Grace	Excellent

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Another Great Holiday by Expert Africa

On this trip, I visited Namibia between 2-Sep-2009 and 14-Sep-2009 and I travelled with 1 other person.

We have travelled to Botswana and South Africa with Expert Africa 6 times now and are already planning our 2010 edition. This was another example of how to tailor a holiday for clients ensuring that they have the holiday that suits them.

More used to Botswana there were differences but while we could not see all of Namibia in the time available Sabina ensured what we did see was the best available. We had numerous experiences in our short stay in this amazing country - mountains, desert, classic mopane bush and high veldt. We saw so many wonderful animals and birds and were looked after quite royally. Another terrific holiday.

Thank you and we look forward to you looking after us many more times in the future.

Suggestions for improvements:

We think the Expert Africa product is second to none and we never fail to sell you to people interested in Africa. We have already mailed you about the outstanding co-ordination you set up to re-arrange our flights home when we were fogged in in Damaraland. Just what we have come to expect of a great company. As to Namibia just a few general observations:

Can you ask Wilderness Safaris to see if they can dissuade their camp managers from always feeling they have to talk to us if we are alone. Sometimes it is nice just to sit and enjoy the place in peace and quiet.

Wilderness and Okonjima in Namibia seem to overlook the added value to a game drive of stopping for morning coffee. Works in the Okavango why not in Namibia?

Finally, it might be worth reminding travellers to Namibia that much of the north of the country is several thousand feet above sea level with very low humidity. Plays havoc with sensitive sinuses but makes one very fit!!

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Kulala Wilderness Camp, Namibia 3-Sep-2009 review: Two Nights on Iron Mountain	Excellent
Okonjima Bush Camp, Namibia 5-Sep-2009 review: Spotted Cats and Luxury	Excellent
Ongava Tented Camp, Namibia 8-Sep-2009 review: Ongava Tented, a Unique Experience	Excellent
Desert Rhino Camp, Namibia 11-Sep-2009 review: Rhino Tracking for the Faint Hearted	Excellent

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My Sep 2008 trip

On this trip, I visited South Africa between 1-Sep-2008 and 17-Sep-2008 and I travelled with 1 other person.

We had a family visit at the centre of this trip and the itinerary was built around it. Had it not been for the Stellenbosch hotel mistake this would have been a 99.5% success but the D'Ouwe dragged it down to a 98%er.

We love your holidays and the efficiency and expert kowledge you apply to getting it right for us. Long may it continue. We look forward to planning a Namibia/Botswana combo with you for 2009!

Oddly the only Okavango camp we have not wanted to return to was Sandibe also run by CCA who manage Kwandwe. We felt the Sandibe buildings similarly poorly suited to the environment. I would welcome the opportunity to talk about the Kwandwe management, the D'Ouwe Werf and Samara game.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Oude Werf, South Africa 2-Sep-2008 review: D'Ouwe Werf - A hotel that has lost its' way	Poor
Klippe Rivier Country House, South Africa 7-Sep-2008 review: A Dream Hotel in a Wonderful Location	Excellent
Hog Hollow Country Lodge , South Africa 8-Sep-2008 review: Hog Hollow in the rain	Good
Samara Private Game Reserve, South Africa 9-Sep-2008 review: Samara Sensational Scenery	Excellent
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, South Africa 12-Sep-2008 review: Kwandwe for great game and birds	Excellent
Rosenhof Country Lodge 15-Sep-2008 review: The Rosenhof at Oudtshoorn	Excellent
Roggeland Country House, South Africa (this camp has since closed) 16-Sep-2008 review: Roggeland Country House review	Good

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Orwins Okavango 2008

On this trip, I visited Botswana between 2-Apr-2008 and 15-Apr-2008 and I travelled with 1 other person.

Another triumph for Expert Afica and Wilderness Safaris. Oh for the dream team of this duo and Virgin Atlantic!!

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Kwetsani Camp, Botswana 3-Apr-2008 review: Kwetsani Camp review	Excellent
Little Vumbura, Botswana 6-Apr-2008 review: Little Vumbura review	Excellent
Little Kwara, Botswana 10-Apr-2008 review: Little Kwara review	Good
The Grace, South Africa (this camp has since closed) 13-Apr-2008 review: Overnight at The Grace at Rosebank in J'burg	Excellent