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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs P from Wiltshire

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

6

Countries visited

4

Lodges stayed in

22

Excursions taken

1

Our Zambia 2018 trip

Zambia between 20 Jul 2018 and 2 Aug 2018

Trip rating: Good
"We have done several safaris before in different countries.

Having visited South Luangwa twice before we decided to try a mixture of 4 camps - 2 new ones to us, one totally refurbished and one familiar, with a mixture of results

Lion camp still has a wonderful location with excellent game viewing and guides although the new decor and food regime was not to our taste and if the price goes up appreciably in the future it will cease being our "go to" choice in South Luangwa

Tafika we had not visited before but were very impressed with most aspects of our visit.

Kafunta (twice before) has increased in size, with more families with pre-teenage children and a move away from communal dining to separate tables. In the past the pontoon shortcut into the park has always been working - when it is unavailable it does take quite a time out of game drives to access the park and return. The guide was disappointing and unfortunately stayed with us for 2 days here and 3 more at 3 Rivers (Kafunta's bush camp)

Three Rivers, new to us was a small nicely arranged camp with only 5 well designed chalets with good views over the bush (or the Luangwa river) and upper viewing platform with "star beds". These had mosquito nets so you could sleep out at night with a view of the African star lit sky. The camp was best suited to walking safaris and bird watching. There were more tsetse flies here than elsewhere. The staff here were all excellent with a nice relaxed but professional attitude to their guests, especially TJ who was the epitome of an ideal camp manager prepared to give us the benefit of his experience and knowledge over sundowners ."

Arranged By Claire Scott


Pioneer Camp

Pioneer Camp

"Pioneer Camp review"

1 night Arrived 21 Jul 2018
"Very good overnight stop before safari"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Average
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Lion Camp

Lion Camp

"Refurbished Lion Camp "

2 nights Arrived 22 Jul 2018
"Having visited the old Lion camp twice we were interested to see what was better/worse than before.

Although the comfort and facilities in our room were greatly improved, there were 2 dangerous trip hazards from changes in levels especially the substantial step down to the seating area. It was not clear that some of the light switches were slow start dimmer switches and we were not informed that the hot water on the shower was on a timer (about 5 minutes?) and would suddenly cut out. You then had to wait 30 seconds before restarting. We were told this was a "safety feature" - or was this an economy measure?

The camp/rooms have lost most of their colourful character which has been replaced by anodyne corporate hotel decor including PLASTIC plants.

The new food regime with breakfast at 10 am, lunch at 2.30pm, NO afternoon tea then afternoon game drive spoiled the safari experience. Food was mediocre compared to previously with no choice at lunch. The change from communal dining to separate tables is not in the spirit of safari.

However the game viewing, location and guiding were excellent as ever.

We understand that next year's room rates will be rising substantially."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Poor
Facilities
Good
Tafika

Tafika

"Great time at Tafika"

3 nights Arrived 24 Jul 2018
"We were given a family room to share with our adult daughter and found the 2 showers and 2 toilets and 2 bedrooms afforded us good privacy.

Guiding with Makupa was very good and the wildlife excellent, especially the leopards."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Kafunta River Lodge

Kafunta River Lodge

"Kafunta River Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 27 Jul 2018
"Family room with upstairs balcony excellent.

Crossing river on the pontoon was an experience and preferable to long drive to main gate of park when it was out of action.

Guiding was disappointing."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Average
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Three Rivers Camp

Three Rivers Camp

"Three Rivers Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 29 Jul 2018
"Rooms, camp and camp staff (particularly TJ) were excellent but game viewing in the area was disappointing because of the dense Mopane woodland. We did not do any walking and this camp tends to specialise in this.

We had the same guide as at Kafunta who tended to drive off without checking that the passengers had finished viewing the game."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Lion Camp

Lion Camp

"Lion Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 1 Aug 2018
"Already done on previous page [Ed: see below]"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Our Kenya 2017 trip

Kenya between 18 Sep 2017 and 4 Oct 2017

Trip rating: Excellent
"An unexpected and excellent surprise"

Arranged By Richard Trillo


Eka Hotel

Eka Hotel

"Excellent overnight hotel"

1 night Arrived 18 Sep 2017
"Very comfortable room, excellent breakfast"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Saruni Samburu

Saruni Samburu

"Amazing views at Saruni Samburi"

3 nights Arrived 19 Sep 2017
"Precipitous and bumpy drive up to lodge. Long steep walks to some of the rooms. A beautiful suite with 2 terraces, one of which had no barrier at edge of large drop (note for parents)

Cool breezes through the room."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Borana

Borana

"Country house in the bush"

4 nights Arrived 22 Sep 2017
"Well spaced and private stone cabins built on a hillside with dining rooms, swimming pool and bars at bottom of hill with many steps.Nice touches such as open log fires in rooms and hot water bottles in beds.

Upper crust hostesses, some with little knowledge of real life.

Many activities for more athletic visitors with particular interests such as horse riding and mountain biking in the bush.-and we had excellent reports from those guests that used these

Excellent lunches but dinners somewhat disappointing"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Rekero

Rekero

"Good safari at Rekero"

3 nights Arrived 26 Sep 2017
"Comfortable tents, rather hidden in the bush.

Excellent views from dining area of river and "mini crossings" of river by zebras, wildebeest and topi.

Askaris very helpful and keen to show us chameleons on walk to and from our tent.

Very long early morning trip to Little Governor's Camp, which necessitated crossinng river by boat in the dark, for balloon flight,"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Balloon flight over the Mara

Balloon flight over the Mara

"A once in a lifetime experience."

27 Sep 2017 • Morning excursion

Very long early morning trip to Little Governor's Camp, which necessitated crossinng river by boat in the dark, for balloon flight. Very professionally managed flight which was over an hour at low level with a very smooth landing topped off by a superb bush breakfast.
Good
Naboisho Camp

Naboisho Camp

"Excellent safari at Naboisho"

4 nights Arrived 29 Sep 2017
"Top class tents with separate sitting areas, views over the plain and occasional sounds of antelopes thundering through the camp at night

Choice of indoor shower or outdoor bucket shower.

First time we have had a female guide Evelyn, who was very knowledgeable and a competent driver with a fascinating life story."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
The Emakoko

The Emakoko

"Day room at Emakoko"

1 night Arrived 3 Oct 2017
"Room and food superb. Unfortunately the journey to and from the airports was too long, very bumpy and dusty. Owner suggested 45 min maximum time to get to International airport and it took an hour and a quarter at least, especially with the extra security checks at airport perimeter"
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Poor
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent

Zambia July 2016

Zambia between 25 Jul 2016 and 6 Aug 2016

Trip rating: Excellent
"We had a superb safari.

The weather was more akin to the end of August than the end of July and everywhere was very dry, forcing the game to the river. In all 3 lodges visited, Tena Tena, Lion Camp and Nkwali, we had excellent guides and better sightings than expected. Tena Tena and Lion Camp were more remote locations with less safari traffic than Nkwali.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip."

Arranged By Claire Scott


Pioneer Camp

Pioneer Camp

"Excellent overnight stop before safari"

1 night Arrived 26 Jul 2016
"They even arranged an extra-early breakfast before our Proflight."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Tena Tena

Tena Tena

"Extraordinary game viewing at Tena Tena"

4 nights Arrived 27 Jul 2016
"The game viewing exceeded our expectations.

On the first evening game drive we saw 2 leopards, 3 honey badgers, 3 lions with a kill and hyenas.

Our guide, Julius, was superb. Food was very tasty, particularly the quiches at brunch."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Lion Camp

Lion Camp

"Return to Lion Camp"

3 nights Arrived 31 Jul 2016
"Mesmerising views from our verandah. Great game viewing with our very knowledgeable guide, Meyam.

Very few other vehicles on the tracks. As we visited Lion Camp 5 years previously, we had great expectations and were not disappointed.

Food excellent. Breakfast is taken round the fire in the centre of the lodge and well organised."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Nkwali

Nkwali

"Great safari at Nkwali"

3 nights Arrived 3 Aug 2016
"The amenities were much more spacious than expected. The bar and rooms had views over the river with many comings and goings of animals on the opposite bank.

The dining area and pool overlooked a small lagoon which was visited by many birds and animals. Bush buck and a large group of mongooses were frequently seen together with herons and ibis. Our guide, Kiki, went to great lengths to find wild dogs and leopards.

The use of a boat to cross the river into the park gave us a head start in the mornings."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent

My Dec 2015 trip

Tanzania between 30 Dec 2015 and 4 Jan 2016

Trip rating: Good
"Was rather hotter and more humid than we expected and not as good as when we had been in August 5 years ago"

Serena Hotel Dar

Serena Hotel Dar

"Serena Hotel Dar review"

1 night Arrived 31 Dec 2015
"Told us to put luggage for storage (whilst on safari) outside our room at 6.30 pm, it was still outside our room at 5.30 am next day.

We put out a card for breakfast in our room by 10.30 pm and at 5.20 am next day when we were getting up to have our breakfast the card was still hanging on the door."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor

Location
Average
Service
Poor
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Lake Manze Adventure Camp

Lake Manze Adventure Camp

"Good safari"

4 nights Arrived 1 Jan 2016
"Had been there 5 years before and really enjoyed the boat safari and seeing dozens of bee-eaters nesting - this (bee-eater viewing) was not accessible now, yet it was still quoted in the room list of available activities"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Average

My 2015 trip to Botswana

Botswana between 7 Mar 2015 and 19 Mar 2015

Trip rating: Good
"Game viewing at first 2 camps was disappointing, probably due to the drier "wet " season - nobody's fault"

Ruaha Selous safari

Tanzania between 10 Aug 2010 and 22 Aug 2010

Trip rating: Excellent
"Excellent. Pick ups from/to flights on time and well organised

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Sort out the luggage allowance and make sure the information in the guidance matches the experience on the ground.

This feedback has taken over 45 minutes. We are not trained touch typists but even if we were we could not have done it in the 10-15 mins you suggested."

Arranged By Claire Scott


Mdonya Old River Camp

Mdonya Old River Camp

"Mdonya safari"

4 nights Arrived 11 Aug 2010
"Alex was excellent, welcoming us back from every game drive.

Kerosene lamps did not last the night which meant that getting up in the dark was interesting. Also the electric battery lamp supplied was about equivalent to 2 unfit glowworms. The blankets supplied for the cold nights were rather small.

The meat at the evening meal was sometimes very salty. Bush breakfasts were good.

On the game drives the tsetse flies were biting in August."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Facilities
Good
Lake Manze Adventure Camp

Lake Manze Adventure Camp

"Lake Manze"

3 nights Arrived 15 Aug 2010
"Food was very good (particularly the lunches)

The seating allocation at dinners was over regimented - they seemed determined to keep Italians and British apart - a better way would have been to have 2 separate tables rather than one large one.

The last day was spoilt by being told at dinner the night before that our tents would be required for guests arriving during our morning game drive. As it was then too dark to pack, the decision was made to leave later for that drive and continue on to Selous safari camp taking a bush lunch when that could have been decided days earlier and we could have had a proper lunch at Selous safari camp.

Mosquitos were present in tents and dining area which caught us unawares because our previous camp (Mdonya) had none
Adam (our guide) was disappointing with limited bird knowledge and he did not know the area well having only been there a short time"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Average
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Siwandu

Siwandu

"Superb time at Selous safari camp"

3 nights Arrived 18 Aug 2010
"Best food and guide we have ever had on safari !!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Southern Sun Dar

Southern Sun Dar

"Southern Sun"

1 night Arrived 21 Aug 2010
"Breakfast was available from 4.30 am despite information in room saying it was later."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average

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