Africa: Reviews from our travellers

"This was the first of this type of trip we have been on. We usually either do it all ourselves (hire a car and take pot luck) or else just fly to one destination and stop there (with or without a car).

The joy of climbing into a hired car and driving off to a destination where everything is booked for us could be habit-forming. It all worked perfectly except for the last night and that only went wrong because we hadn't realised that the clocks were due to change. We were afraid of the dark!

The one place that could do better was the Twyfelfontein Sauna and Spa: we only got to sleep there by wetting towels, ringing them out, and laying them on the bed. In the morning they were bone dry.

Namibia is a country with a wealth of "things to do" so it was a win-win deal. We couldn't fail to have a good time.

One extra note; we flew to Windhoek from Durban via Gaberone in a 40-seater jet with Air Namibia. A really great start to the trip. Unfortunately it only flies on alternate days so we had to use SAA Boeing 777 via Joburg for the return." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 11 on a Namibia trip

"This was the experience of a lifetime. Far exceeded our expectations.

The game drives, including the vehicle, were wonderful.

Stanford was a great guide--knowledgeable and well-suited for our family.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

I was amazed by how easy and efficient everything was, especially since we were traveling through multiple time zones while planning the trip and often did not have access to the internet." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 6 on a Tanzania safari

"We were looking for a change from bashing around in off road vehicles while laced with Malarone. In Galenia we found exactly what we wanted and will return. Samara will need a replacement but we are sure that can be done. If not, we would be happy to spend the whole holiday in Galenia.

As ever, Expert Africa and Lucy provided the friendly, slick, efficient and professional help we have come to expect. It all worked wonderfully well and a real bonus was to be able to meet Lucy for a drink in Cape Town. We probably have a few more African holidays in the bag and this one set a great pattern." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a South Africa trip

"March is a non-traditional time to visit Botswana, but we found it awesome. The central Kalahari is bursting with life. And the Okavango Delta was awesome too - though the grass was tall, and many of the roads were muddy.

Expert Africa did a great job at putting together a diverse itinerary; in every camp we saw different types of game and landscapes. Their description of the camps and game likely to be seen was very accurate. All the camps were great - well above our expectations. And the off-season rates were very good for the quality of the experience.

This was our first safari, and we were mesmerized by the experience. It is amazing how close the game is willing to come, and how much there is to see. It's like driving into the middle of a Natural Geographic documentary. One of the peak experiences of our lives." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari

"Just a GPS was missing in car" Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 5 on a Namibia trip

"We had a wonderful month and intend to return to Namibia with a longer trip into Botswana." Read full review: 28 nights in Africa; 26 on a Namibia trip

"Enjoyable" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 14 on a South Africa trip

"This trip was the middle portion of a longer African holiday which we planned ourselves.

We were delighted with the personal touch and attention to detail that Maruska provided. We had enough information from telephone calls, emails, books by Bradt and your web site to approach this section of our trip with confidence. We did not have to do the planning and make reservations as Maruska, arranged everything. We made some accommodation changes a few days before we left for our holiday and a last minute reversal on our Car Hire, (which involved a new company and an eventual refund) and were relieved at how efficiently those changes were handled.

Maruska's response of making sure we were first and foremost satisfied with our itinerary and happy with all arrangements was most refreshing and reassuring.

We have spoken very highly about your service with friends and family highlighting the ethos of your company. Thank you for everything. Marg and Phil Crosby-Jones" Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 7 on a Namibia trip

"We had a tremendous time!

It was a truly memorable trip that hopefully is the first of many trips to Africa." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 8 on a Tanzania safari

"The trip was a big success. Everything worked as planned. Expert Africa was shown to be knowledgeable and competent. I would now recommend them without hesitation, and will in fact do so to individuals who might be good prospects for something similar.

My only period of trepidation occurred after I had transferred a vast amount of money to Expert Africa prior to the trip, and had received no assurance or proof that everything was on the up and up. I don't know what the solution is, but maybe you might consider some sort of escrow or something to reassure new customers that they had not been scammed. I know that I was worried for a few days and actually made some telephone calls to your competitors to make sure that you were for real. You will be happy to know that you passed the test." Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari