Reviews of trips to Maun

"This has been our fourth trip to Southern Africa. The excitement of seeing animals in the wild hasn’t worn off. So, it won't be our last. We have become addicts, so to speak.

All three lodges are, in our minds, highly recommendable. But, as I said to my wife, it looks like we saved the best (Kwara Camp) for last. This is not in any way to diminish the experiences we had at Muchenje or Lebala.

It’s no secret that we had spent 12 days in Zimbabwe (organized by a different tour operator who granted us a voucher for a trip cancelled in 2020): 2 days in Harare, 2 in Kanga Camp, 3 in Nyamatusi, and 4 in Somalisa Camp. That was also very enjoyable, but I’m mentioning this here for one specific reason. In Zimbabwe, at mealtime we were always given the chance to have a table by ourselves, whereas in Botswana they followed the tradition of having the guests sit together at one big table. Well, we didn’t get sick, so everything went well, but just as an aside, we sometimes dreaded the kind of small talk we had to engage in when communicating with other guests. Maybe we were just unlucky this time.

This was the first time ever that we did an exclusive fly-in safari, which is very intense. It’s non-stop action, and thanks to the wonderful camps we did not fall victim to a sense of fatigue that we anticipated.

We chose to do it this way because we didn’t have the courage to do self-drive during the corona pandemic. But our worries were not necessary, because everywhere we went, the people dealt with the dangers of corona in impressive ways. Masks were worn by nearly everybody, shops and airports greeted you with a temperature check and hand sanitizer (!). Anyway, under normal circumstances we like to combine the fly-in with a self-drive, and that’s what we have planned on doing next year. In our experience, you get to see a bit more of the people and the land, and spending some time on the road is quite relaxing.



Not really. Everything worked quite smoothly from start to finish, which I can’t say about our daily life in the good old USA. Maybe that’s to be expected in this luxury travel segment, but still, I think it’s worth mentioning.

Since the Lebala airstrip was closed for repairs, Lucy in fact contacted us in Chobe to offer us the opportunity to switch to Kwando Lagoon Camp, since this meant that our ride from the airstrip to Lebala was going to be around 2.5 hours instead of the usual 15 minutes or so. After a short discussion among ourselves we decided to stick to Lebala." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Botswana safari

"This was a very complicated trip and overall had very few hiccups. The complications arose because of crossing four borders during a pandemic and the multiple tests we had to have. These were unforeseen at the time we were planning the itinerary. However, it was either that or postpone which we were not willing to do. Maruska guided us through every step of the way and we are and will be eternally grateful for her expertise in planning this trip of a lifetime!

We had no Covid concerns while traveling throughout the entire region. Protocols were well established, everyone wore masks, disinfectant sprays were used liberally, and social distancing observed wherever possible. The staff at all our lodgings was totally committed to our safety and wellbeing. And, although being tested every time we crossed a border was an inconvenience, it added a huge level of confidence that we were healthy." Read full review: 26 nights in Africa; 10 on a Botswana safari

"We were initially worried with respect to Covid and all the related restrictions etc - our trip ended up being the best ever over the past 20 years and 18+ camps visited. Would highly recommend it to anyone thinking about a visit.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service: We were totally thrilled with this trip and give credit to Maruska who helped us navigate thru the Covid issues." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 on a Botswana safari

"This was my first trip to Africa. It won't be my last. I traveled with 2 friends who had been to southern Africa 3 times previously, one time using Expert Africa. I was extremely impressed with how smoothly the trip went, and how well chosen the itinerary was.

We wanted to see animals of course, but 2 of us are birders, and one is a fisherman. The fisherman had wonderful catches at Kwara and Setari, and the birding was wonderful throughout the trip. And the animal sightings far exceeded my expectations. I want to especially commend the trackers at Kwara and Lagoon, Mike and Ken. I did not expect to see nocturnal animals, but they were able to show us some wonderful creatures, lesser bushbaby, African wildcats, serval, scrub hares, bat-eared foxes (we saw those in the daytime too), small spotted genet. I was really thrilled.

The accomodations were far more luxurious than I had expected, and the food was overall superb. All the travel arrangements worked perfectly.

Maruska Adye-Rowe, who handled this trip for us, was great. The trip was delayed for a year due to covid, and really evolved. She dealt with our changing ideas very well. First it was a shorter trip to Botswana and Victoria Falls, then that got lengthened, then we added the time in Namibia.

Maruska stayed on top of the covid testing situation. On our way, during our layover in NY, Maruska called to tell us the entry requirements for Namibia had changed, and she'd arranged covid testing for us at our hotel at the Johannesburg airport the evening we arrived." Read full review: 23 nights in Africa; 10 on a Botswana safari

"Covid made this trip a real challenge to plan and coordinate. We had international flights that cancelled, countries that closed, then opened, then closed again. There were a few points where we weren't at all sure it would go off.

I believe that if it had not been for the knowledge and attention that Maruska and Expert Africa provided, we would not have made it.

Everything went like clockwork.

The covid testing added a few days to the trip but it was well worth it." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 11 on a Botswana safari

"Our trip was mostly booked by Richard Ball, who was really helpful in organising with us a truly once in a lifetime holiday. He listened to what we wanted, advised and recommended, but would listen to us and accepted what we wanted. As it was our 30th anniversary, not sure how but we ended with private safari vehichle's, private dinners, cakes, and room upgrades. So many thanks.

Many thanks to everyone and all who were involved in making our trip so special.

The next time we visit Africa, will certainly put Expert Africa at the top of our list." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 on a Botswana safari

"Wonderful introduction to the animals and landscapes of Botswana. Fantastic experience and will never forget it.

The camping was basic but one soon got used to it and appreciated the closeness to nature in all its forms. The guide and crew were excellent. Overall things were well organised. Have made a few comments for possible further thought." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 1 on a Botswana safari

"We have booked several times with Expert Africa and found their first hand knowledge of the camps and service to be impeccable." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 8 on a Botswana safari

"I have been to Africa 8 times, so have a pretty good idea what to expect. This trip, however, exceeded my expectations.

All three segments of the trip were great. It was our first time in both Botswana and on a mobile safari, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. The only (mild) disappoint was how dry things were. We kept imagining how things would look with a normal amount of water. Looks like we'll have to come back again to experience it firsthand." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 15 on a Botswana safari

"This trip exceeded our high expectations.

Smooth and no glitches in all of the arrangements. Expert Africa did great job helping us to plan this trip and recommending great camps and hotels.

Tracy's knowledge prevented some potential mistakes in our proposed itinerary.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Everything worked out very well - very pleased with Expert Africa!" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari