Africa: Reviews from our travellers

"Outstanding." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 11 on a Namibia trip

"We spent 2+ months in Africa visiting 4 countries [South Africa, Ethiopia and Zambia in addition to Botswana] and we enjoyed amazing experiences in every country. But our Botswana safari was truly our peak experience.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Your website gave us the best safari planning information available anywhere ... until we began speaking directly with your staff [Megan, Claire and Nick] who are clearly "expert" on Africa." Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 8 on a Botswana safari

"I had a private driver called Ayoub for 9 days.
He was exceptional, I have done about 15 safari holidays and he was the best
The game viewing was outstanding.
I chose middle range lodges as I was out in the 4x4 from dawn to dusk.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

The book on Tanzania and the travel guide that Expert Africa sent to me was not expected and was a nice touch" Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 8 on a Tanzania safari

"Maruska Adye was a joy, very knowledgeable. She listened our interests and was very flexible in designing an excellent trip to fit.

We will be going back to Africa and it will be Maruska we will calling to design our trip." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 11 on a Botswana safari

"The help we received from Saskia from the Expert Africa team was invaluable in providing advice based on local knowledge and personal experience. Saskia was very accomodating in answering our multitude of questions and suggesting places to stay based on our desires and capabilities.

Once on the ground everything ran like clockwork, except for the air travel which wasn't organised by Expert Africa. Even then after a few phonecalls Chris and Gwynmeth from the UK office were extra helpful in helping us get on our way and keeping us updated on the supposed whereabouts of our luggage." Read full review: 23 nights in Africa; 8 on a Namibia trip

"an excellent and very diverse trip across nearly the entire country - a true adventure to remember!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip

"Our holiday, as has been the case in previous years, was much more than just a safari. Of course the animals are wonderful to see in their own environment and we were lucky enough to see most animals including the wild dogs! However, it was the scenery, the locations, the flights and, most of all, the people made this holiday very very special." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari

"We more or less followed the itinerary of the Sandgrouse trip, with a few lodging substitutions. The variety of landscapes, activities and the mix of flying and driving really contributed to our enjoyment.

Tracy was terrific at advising us on lodging selections and providing information on reasonable driving times. We usually book our trips ourselves over the internet, but we knew it was important to get insights and expert advice from the pros for a trip like this. We would recommend Expert Aftica highly.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

I probably would have skipped Damaraland, going from Swapkopmund to Erongo up to Ongava. And I definitely would have spent an extra night at Wolwedans. But this is just personal preference." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip

"This feedback is far too long and not what you want to receive on your return from holiday when you have a million other things to do!! This is why it has taken me so long to complete after the end of the holiday. Why bother to ask about S A Airways and B A?

I have travelled with your company on several occasions and remain a great fan of the effort you take to make a holiday, to what could be a difficult area, run as smoothly as possible. This time was no exception and the following comments are for your guidance / information and in no way a criticism.

As you suggested we collected our baggage in Jo'burg and checked in again. On both occasions that we passed through Jo'burg the airport was EXCEEDINGLY busy and it was a good job that we had a 3 hour wait (as you had intimated) otherwise we would have missed the connecting flight. Anyone who was nervous of crowds and queues and delays may have felt concerned especially as a dangerous situation occurred as there was no room for passengers to alight from an escalator to join a massive queue through passport control.

Please see comments on the car at Mundulea.

When we arrived to check in at the Taj Pamodzi they asked for credit card details (which is usual in a hotel) and then asked how we were paying for the accommodation. It took over 10 minutes to convince them that we had already paid our travel agent. They had the audacity to say 'has it cleared through your bank account'. Eventually someone agreed that Expert Africa would be paying for the accommodation BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET PAID. Who was correct? At one time they wanted us to contact you before they would let us stay.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Whilst I can appreciate that you want as many good comments as possible I feel that you may miss out on the odd nugget of criticism / feedback because some like me considered giving up and are put off by the length of this feedback form.

The availability of a paper form would have been appreciated." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 7 on a Namibia trip

"A wonderful holiday for me and my Mum. It was my Mum's first time in Botswana and she loved it as much as I have.

Megan and Nick were really helpful throughout the booking process and were very good to alert us early when they heard about building works going on at one of the camps we were visiting. They were able to get the reassurance from Wilderness Safaris that the works would not disrupt guests and this really comforted us.

Overall, a great trip which Mum and I will remember forever (especially sitting in the dark in the landrover at Chitabe looking at the southern sky filled to the brim with stars and listening to the frogs singing all round us). Can't wait to go back." Read full review: 8 nights in Africa; 7 on a Botswana safari