Botswana: reviews from our travellers

"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.

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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

"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

"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

"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

"Maruska is a pleasure with whom to work." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 15 on a Botswana safari

"This was my first trip to Africa and it exceeded all my expectations.

Megan at Expert Africa was wonderful to work with and really listened to what I wanted to do and see on my 12 day safari. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again on a future trip. Thank you Megan" Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Botswana safari

"It ran like clockwork. I have nothing but praise for every aspect of the trip, and for Expert Africa's ability to get it right for us.

As the title suggests, the trip of the lifetime is a cliche but nonetheless true in this case. I would love to visit Botswana in future and just hope that this becomes possible.

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The only thing I'd say is that given the timings of our flights which, although we booked them ourselves were the same as those that Expert Africa would have booked for us, it would have been a good idea to stop over for one night in Jo'burg on both outward and return journeys. This would have made the journey far more enjoyable and less tiring.

Clearly we could have made such arrangements but it didn't occur to us until we were waiting for 4 hours plus at Jo'burg airport for our onbound flight to Maun.

So, I suggest that EE might advise their clients that they might like to consider a stop over when flight timings are like this. This is not a major criticism just a suggestion that may make the journeys of other more pleasant. Otherwise we were very happy with the arrangements the EE made for us." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari

"Any limitations with this trip were entirely of our own making. We have been travelling to Botswana for long enough to know what works and what is less to our liking. The planning done for us by Megan was exemplary. It worked like a dream and we were confident that had anything gone wrong it would be 'sorted'.

Overall we had yet another magnificent holiday marred only by a guide who has probably been in situ for too long. The pity is that he is the 'best friend' of our guide at Savuti who was first class. Similar seasonal difficulties but very different outcomes.

We have 4 observations that may help future planning:

a. Wilderness red meat. At the prices they charge they simply cannot continue to serve guests meat that cannot be cut let alone chewed. Can expert Africa please ask them what is going on?

b. Approaching 73 I am the last person to make ageist remarks but at Sandibe we were teamed in the vehicle with a Belgian man accompanied by his 88 year old mother. She was remarkable but had severe mobility problems, especially entering and leaving the vehicle. Perhaps camps should make special arrangements for such guests? I hope so, as I might be using them in the future!

c. Newsletters. We like to browse the Wilderness web site before travel to see what is going on in the camps we are to visit and get a flavour of the state of the annual flood etc. This year, up, to the time we left in mid April, there was not a single Savuti their news reports but unless they are recent they are useless.

d. Room Increases. There have been one or two reports of camps increasing the number of rooms. As old Okavango hands we have been willing to pay premium prices as we have been assured of very low guest numbers and the exclusivity that goes with it. If the Delta is to become as crowded as some other safari destinations it will be difficult to maintain exclusive prices. A number of fellow travellers expressed just this sentiment this time.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Nothing further to add. We will be contacting you for 2014 very soon!" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 8 on a Botswana safari

"We were very happy that we came to Little Kwara, they more than make up what frustrations we had with Air Botswana flight Maun-Gabs. Well Done, Little Kwara ! Ke aleboga .." Read full review: 2 nights in Africa; 2 on a Botswana safari