Africa: Reviews from our travellers

"We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Kenya and Richard at ExpertAfrica was instrumental in orchestrating the perfect trip for us. We had communicated our preferences to him in terms of wildlife, activities, budget and also the mix and sequence we were seeking to achieve and he was thoughtful, creative and flexible to put together a truly unique trip for us that exceeded our every expectation!

The highlight of our trip was our time at Samburu, where we enjoyed (perhaps with some luck) exceptional moments (lions stalking impala herd, lion stealing a leopard kill, leopards climbing trees, cheetah making a kill among others) and had the privilege of travelling with one of the best guides we've ever experienced in Francis at Saruni Samburu - a breathtaking setting for a lodge!

Our time at Meru at the start of our trip and just before getting to Samburu gave us an intimate and involved experience which was a perfect way to kick-off the Kenya experience. After Meru and Samburu we enjoyed the overwhelming abundance of the Mara. Our stay was initially in the Mara North Conservancy where we were able to enjoy more flexible activities like walking safaris and night drives and concluded in the main reserve with spectacular river crossings on our last day in Kenya!

Throughout our trip, we felt very safe and the locals were always welcoming, cheerful and always happy to help and went the extra mile to make us feel comfortable and at home. We also had a vegetarian dietary requirement which was perfectly catered for throughout our trip at all the lodges. Recent events have hurt the tourist business in Kenya which is a real shame as the country, its people and its wildlife have a lot to offer and a lot for the rest of us to learn from!

We would absolutely visit Kenya again and almost certainly call ExpertAfrica on our next African holiday! Thank you very much for helping us with this memorable Kenyan experience!" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 8 on a Kenya safari

"WE were very lucky to go to Namibia for the fifth time, we visited some new places and some we now know quite well, most lived up to our expectation, only 2 we were disappointed with. We had some amazing animal experiences and traveled though very varied landscapes. The Namibians are such friendly welcoming and polite people , a joy to be with. They are always so thrilled to learn that we have returned again and again. we met many first time visitors who said they would be back.

The only down side was the car, not the one we ordered and not up to the gravel roads very hard and tiring to drive." Read full review: 30 nights in Africa; 27 on a Namibia trip

"We had an unforgettable trip to Africa for our honeymoon. Everything about it was fantastic.

In fact, we were already discussing plans to return before the trip was over. Kenya expert, Richard Trillo, and the rest of the Expert Africa team did a fantastic job. We are so grateful for the excellent recommendations and help planning this trip of a lifetime.

We will be using Expert Africa again to plan future trips.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No suggestions, everything was top notch!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 6 on a Kenya safari

"My husband and I had an absolutely amazing time on this trip.

Everything went smoothly - thank you to Lucy for all the planning! The safari experience was incredible and we met some lovely people and had some amazing meals along the way. We couldn't have asked for anything more!" Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 6 on a Namibia trip

"Fantastic experience, top country!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

None" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 10 on a Namibia trip

"Namibia is an incredible country and Expert Africa organised everything very well and Martha in particular was there at the end of the phone whenever I had a question, her advice was invaluable.

A few negatives that are worth mentioning but should never stop any one from going are:

The gravel roads can be pretty hairy in a 2WD and had we had the funds, we would have much preferred to be in a 4WD as you feel every single bump in the road (so if you have the money get a 4WD). We had to drive extra slow in order to avoid damage to the car (especially the tyres) and the undercarriage (which is uninsurable) - with the gravel sometimes building up so high it's unavoidable to have a rock or two hit the underneath. The gravel roads can make the journeys tiresome, long and stressful. In sum, it is quite miraculous that there was no major damage to the car and in the end we only had a chip on the windscreen, so actually we are testament to the fact that the journey we did was do-able in a 2WD, it's just really not ideal. I felt like the mental stress the roads put on you should be emphasised more by the guide book and Expert Africa as we weren't quite prepared for how mentally exhausting the journeys would be as we were constantly worried we were going to seriously damage the car. When we hit tar roads again on the way to Windhoek we were elated!

Namibia is still very much in transition from its colonial days and much of the effects of colonialism are still present. Segregation of black and white people is still very much a part of life and almost all of the money / businesses are still in the hands of white Namibians. There's not much to be done about that as a tourist except be mindful of it. I felt I should have researched this before travelling so that it wasn't such an unpleasant surprise, it's very hard not to notice it. We came across blatant instances of racism from locals, especially at Bullsport (from a guest) but this is mostly among the older generation who still refer to Namibia vehemently as South West Africa. I feel silly for not having researched the country's colonial history more fully however i expected it to be just that, history, but considering the effects are still so prevalent, I think it should be emphasised more in the book and by Expert Africa, to younger, more naive travellers, like myself, admittedly. In Swakopmund it was most noticeable. We had some great chats to some black Namibians, who were happy to talk about their views on it and the staff at the Tug were so friendly, inviting and a lot of fun to while away an evening at the bar with.

On a Swakopmund note - the local tourist market in Swakopmund was quite overwhelming, they have some great things there and i bought some souvenirs but when we went we were pretty much the only tourists so all of the sellers were vying for our attention, it was difficult to get out of there, perhaps worth noting in the guide book.

As for the positives:

We were the only ones on the road for miles at some points, this country is still relatively un-visited by tourists so you feel like you're uncovering a hidden gem, everything is so pristine.

The different landscapes, the wildlife, the culture and the people are so amazing, i have never been any where like it. I often say I won't go back to the same place as there's too many other places to see but I might have to make an exception for Namibia. . .maybe when i can afford a 4wd!

It seemed mostly visited by retirees but we couldn't see why, this is the ultimate African road trip, everywhere we went was safe and friendly and it's cheap. The safari was first class, we saw every animal there was to see. Okonjima was fantastic and the landscapes second to none. Namibia has mountains, stunning desert dunes, cities, beaches and flat savannahs that stretch on for thousands of mile, it has everything.

I can't recommend this destination and Expert Africa highly enough, it's just a matter of time before the crowds discover it.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Martha was excellent, helpful, knowledgable and friendly, she helped us tailor our itinerary to our needs and budget, can't recommend her highly enough.

Two small things, there was a mix up at Sossus Dune Lodge where it was written on one of our itineraries that we were on a DBB basis but when we arrived they only had us down as BB so we aren't sure if we ended up paying twice?

The other thing again minor but worth noting, one day I called up to speak to Martha who wasn't available so I chatted to Sabina instead, who was very friendly and informative however, i called up to ask why it was that we couldn't fit Sandwich Harbour into our day seeing the seals and she explained it was because there wasn't enough time, completely fine however she wanted to emphasise the point by informing me some tourists were killed the week before rushing to get to Sandwich Harbour, which was information i probably could have done without having already been a bit nervous about the amount of driving on gravel roads we had to do, a case of too much information!" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip

"The whole experience was 100% first class from my first enquiry with Claire, to her proposed plan, to slotting my Dad into the trip at a later date. For anyone a bit hesitant to travel to new places there was great ground support from when we landed in Lusaka to our departure at the end of our trip.

I have no hesitations about recommending Expert Africa and Robin Pope Safaris. It was without a doubt the trip of a life time!" Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 8 on a Zambia safari

"It was a truly wonderful and memorable experience which exceeded expectations. Although we were disappointed when the trip had to be cancelled in 2014, it worked out for the better as we received a more personalised trip, tailored to exactly what we wanted and included the stay in Nairobi which was a highlight in itself. Your hotel recommendations were perfect for what we wanted.

We appreciate the honest descriptions on the website and in the brochure and for all the help from Expert Africa, in particular with your flexibility over the transferring of the deposit to the following year, for all the advice on the phone and for your help when we were delayed at Heathrow.

We would like to mention the wonderful service we received from Edward at Southern Cross. He was so much more than the "driver" we had anticipated. He acted as a guide and friend to us during our time in Nairobi, fitting in all the things we wanted to do, which included the Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum and two visits to the Elephant Orphanage, where he somehow got us the front of the queue at the 11am session. He didn't just drop us off, but came with us to help buy tickets and was very helpful when depositing and collecting left luggage at Wilson. We were delighted when he was there to meet us at Wilson airport on our last day. We really enjoyed our time with him.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

We really can't think of anything that you could have done to make our trip better. Everything you organised for us was perfect.

In all my communications with Expert Africa, I always felt that I was dealing with experienced and knowledgeable people who I could trust and who genuinely wanted me to have an enjoyable holiday. Thank you." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 7 on a Kenya safari

"It was a great trip.

It was very easy to do it with a pregnant lady and a small child, and he had a great time as well.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Expert Africa's service is great as always. There are a few small things you could improve regarding travelling with (small) children. For example: after arrival in Windhoek we might have (in hindsight) preferred a lodge where we could have dinner and with the option for an early checkin. Also, the vehicle we used was a bit on the small side (everything fit, but only just).

Also, on the feedback form it would be great if you could easily switch between lodges by clicking on the name in the left side menu. Now you can only go back and forth using the 'Previous' and 'Continue' buttons, which is not so efficient if you want to add an extra comment to the first lodge." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip

"This was a very well put together trip. Although we spent a minimum number of nights at each camp (2) Robin Pope safaris moved all our luggage seamlessly and we were able to have a transfer and drive at the same time!

I would also highly commend Robin Pope for their ability to help us through Lusaka and Livingston airports.

Particularly helpful was their ability to get us through the diplomatic channel when getting our visa into Zambia!

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

No. Well done!" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Zambia safari