Africa: Reviews from our travellers
Latest news: unedited reviews from Expert Africa's most recent travellers
"My Aug 2012 trip"
I'd also like to mention the other activities we booked:
- Sea kayaking at Walvis Bay with Jeanne: probably the surprise hit of the trip. We had no idea what this would be like, and were all thrilled by what fun it was. Jeanne is such an enthusiastic guide.
- hot air ballooning: amazing, what an experience. And followed by an excellent breakfast hosted by the charismatic pilots. I'm so glad we decided to splash out on this." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 on a Namibia trip
"My August trip to Seychelles 2012"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No none at all, I think your whole service is top class" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Seychelles holiday
"My Aug 2012 trip"
"Good ground arrangements."
Excellent, exceptional even. The Driver/Guide was very good: always on time, always helpful, always interesting and well informed. And a good driver. What the Toyota safari wagon lacked in comfort it made up for in space and really came into its own in tackling some of the poor tracks as we drove to our trekking departure points. On all three trekking days he looked after us well at the ranger station and made sure we got onto trekking groups well suited to our (limited) ability.
The Transfer Company.
Very good. Punctual, helpful and willing. They went out of their way to take us to an exchange and a chemist and on each occasion escorted us through the airport with an efficiency we could not have matched. Their help was much appreciated.
The Trekking.
Each of the treks start over farm land using the paths used by workers to reach the wall (a wall that marks the boundary between the National Park and the Farm land which was built to keep the buffalo and elephant out of the farm land) for up to an hour, followed by up to four hour more strenuous walking to the habituated group you have been allocated to visit.
Our trek to the Golden Monkeys was about 90 minutes and fairly easy at a modest pace. It was a pleasure to watch and photograph the monkeys for an hour or so as they moved gently and quietly through the trees and bushes. On the return trek we were luck enough to bump into a gorilla group, unique we were told.
Our first gorilla trek was about two hour in total to their location, the pace was leisurely over gradually ascending terrain with just the occasional more difficult clime. On our second trip the family were only just over the wall, so a fairly easy walk.
The experience of being with the gorillas was unforgettable and difficult to verbalise; memorable, moving, emotional, exciting, almost unimaginable; having a silverback just a couple of yards from you is a truly amazing experience." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 5 on a Zambia safari
"My Aug 2012 trip"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
no" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 4 on a Tanzania safari
"My Aug 2012 trip"
The itinerary worked perfectly - unlike most people we toured in an anti-clockwise direction, with Sossusvlei at the end - and that worked really well for us. There were unexpected highlights too - like our night at the Rostock Ritz in the mountains - which we would never have done without Sabina's recommendation.
We loved Namibia - it was perfect for a family holiday, with sun, adventure, lovely people and epic landscapes.
Now we just have 2,000 photos to edit...." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip
"My Aug 2012 trip"
"Tanzania/Zanzibar trip"
"A wonderful holiday well organised"
You really know what you're talking about and I have the greatest faith in your judgement on camp choice and in your operations. Uganda next I think!" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 on a Tanzania safari
"Great trip"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Can you expand to the rest of the world?
The only serious question is about mobile safaris - both times you have arranged trips for us, the options have been 99% fixed camps (the only exception I can really think of is the Skeleton Coast fly-in safari). Yet on both occasions, when on the ground, I have realised that there are mobile safaris that sound quite interesting (this year we heard about a 3 day mobile safari arranged out of Jack's Camp to Kubu Island in the Makgadikgadi Pan). We would be very interested in top quality mobile safaris but wonder if your lack of coverage indicates that you think there is a lack of quality generally, or that they are too ad hoc for you to cover them (but you would arrange if people were interested)? I know you have a sister organisation that is more mobile oriented, but my impression has been that this is not really targeted at the high-end/time constrained traveller - am I wrong?" Read full review: 6 nights in Africa; 3 on a Botswana safari