Reviews of Flatdogs Camp
(97%) From 6 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
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Fabulous Flatdogs
We found every aspect of Flatdogs perfect for our needs. The relaxed atmosphere, the flexibility of meals, the quality of food and the safaris and guiding were excellent. Our hosts Jess and Ade were so kind and sensitive to all our needs and all the staff were always happy and helpful especially Charlie. The ability to walk around the camp and along the river gives Flatdogs the edge over the more restricted camp inside the park. Also the use of fans in the tents ( not available at Kaingo ) made the sleeping so much more comfortable.
Our thanks go to Malama and Edward for providing memorable safaris full of information and excitement.
All in all we could not fault Flatdogs.
Flatdogs Camp review
We had an excellent stay with a dedicated guide for our drives. It was really nice being the same, small group (we were only 4 people) for a couple of days, so that the drives became a continuation from the day before. I do not know any of the other guides, but Edward was a knowledgeable storyteller. Not all people are.
We learned so much about the bush - the guide being a photographer himself, made him always look for the best ways for us to see the animals aswell. Having a good guide makes the whole difference for how your stay is, we experienced later on drives with other guides/other camps.
The food menu was a bit "boring" - the specials better, though.
The chalets were spacious and nice, and all the people lovely and helpful.
Great Option in South Luangwa
I spent 6 nights in the South Luangwa Valley, the first two in Flatdogs and the rest at Tafika. While I felt that the quality of the guiding and night game drives was superior at Tafika, I preferred the atmosphere at Flatdogs. The atmosphere at Tafika was much more formal and orchestrated. In contrast, the staff at Flatdogs seemed to be genuinely warm and enthusiastic - from the night watchmen who was so eager to show me the python outside my tent to Harold, the hospitality manager, who always checked in with me to see how I was doing, and Paul, the waiter who stopped by just to chat.
The luxury safari tents at Flatdogs were absolutely perfect -- all the comforts of home and a fantastic view to boot. The food at the restaurant was delicious and there were always plenty of fresh vegetables on the plate.
I did one walking safari and one night game drive while I was there. It was my first walking safari and I enjoyed it. The night game drive was less enjoyable. I felt that the guide was a bit aggressive when it came to approaching a lone giraffe -- to the point where it felt like we were harassing the animal. Also, due to the fact that the Flatdogs game driving area is close to that of many other lodges, the night game drive was a traffic jam of 7 -10 vehicles trying to corner two leopards. Other guests may have different experiences with other guides. If you are in a private group it may also be possible to request a drive further away from the other lodges.
Overall, I think that Flatdogs is an excellent option, simply for its wonderful staff, excellent accommodations, and flexible options for meals & activities. I would love to go back for a longer stay.
Flatdogs Camp review
The staff and management were very friendly. Our guide (JJ) was a little bit too much focused on finding leopards. We found them on two of the three days we were there (which was nice), but sometimes we would rush past other interesting sightings (lions, hyaena's on a kill, etc.) in the hope of spotting another leopard.
The room we were assigned was supposed to be the honeymoon room, but was identical to the other chalet rooms. Each chalet is split up in two rooms, and while we were in our honeymoon room the other room of our chalet was also occupied. We could hear everything they were saying...
The rose petals in the room (all over!) were a very nice touch.
Great start at Flatdogs
We liked the atmosphere at Flatdogs a lot. The staff was very friendly and talkative and made a lot of effort to make us feel like special guests. The accommodation really made us feel at home.
Game viewing was excellent with well maintained and spacious vehicles and a wonderful guide (Yotam).
Another strong point of Flatdogs was the fact that we could eat our meals with just the two of us at whatever time we wanted.
We have always believed that acting responsibly is the only way to approach tourism and we're one of
the few companies to hold AITO's original coveted 5-star status for responsible tourism. It's a lead
that others are now following.
