Reviews of safaris to Volcanoes National Park
178 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Volcanoes.
"A FANTASTIC TRIP, INCREDIBLY WELL ORGANISED"
It was clear from the start that Expert Africa had spent a lot of time researching the quality and service levels of the guides and hotels they recommended. When Ellie recommended a hotel, she was able to talk about it with confidence and in depth knowledge, which saved me hours researching on various websites. She was also scrupulously honest, making sure I understood the pros and cons of each itinerary or proposition.
I liked the fact that she had done the Rwanda trip herself last year as it gave more credence to what she was saying and cost permitting, I think it is a brilliant idea to have your consultants do as many of the trips as possible so they can speak with authority.
We also felt supported throughout the whole experience (and not just dumped after having paid the cash). When we had a small concern about our transfers in Tanzania, we emailed the info@expertafrica.com email address as we could not remember Ellie's address. This was relayed to her immediately and she responded incredibly quickly, allaying our concerns. This really impressed us and will go a long way to ensuring repeat business for Expert Africa as well as recommendations to our friends.
We are well travelled enough to know that no trip is ever without a hassle or two but one of the reasons we stopped travelling with tour operators is that we felt they relinquished responsibility once we had given them a credit card number. It is the complete opposite with Expert Africa and I loved the fact that you care enough about your customers to give out the mobile details of your staff in case of a real emergency or problem. That speaks volumes about the quality of your operation and your values. Well done Expert Africa, you rock.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
I understand why you levy a credit card surcharge in this economic climate - but it is a pain in the posterior to be honest. We had cash in the bank and were able to fund the trip from a standing start so to speak, but if we hadn't been able to do so, paying the surcharge might have been enough to make us consider an alternative travel company. I appreciate that their service might not have been as good but that might have been the trade off......" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 5 on a Rwanda safari
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We have already recommended Expert Africa to so many people after this trip for both the advisory service before and the quality of the holiday. We had the most wonderful holiday surpassing all our expectations. Thank you so much for arranging it.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
We couldnt fault the service" Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 8 on a Rwanda safari
"A great trip overall"
We found we had a very long and bumpy trip from Kigali to Nyungwe and from Nyungwe to Kibuye. These were unexpected and not pleasant.
We wondered why we had 4 nights in mountain view lodge rather than 3 nights and last night in Kigali> Most others seemed to do this.
THE PERSON WHO MADE OUR TRIP SPECIAL WAS OUR DRIVER IN RWANDA, AIMABLE. He broke our long journey to Nyungwe with a stop at the National museum. He made our last day in Rwanda special as he suggested we left very early so we could spend time at the Genocide museum before we caught our flight to Zanzibar. He shared his own experiences of the politics of Rwanda and the Genocide. He really looked after us
Overall the trip was great we enjoyed all the primates, Rwanda. Zanzibar and Mafia" Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 10 on a Rwanda safari
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Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Please really emphasis the damp and coldness of the mountains when going to Rwanda to see the gorillas, it is not so much as to what to wear when climbing but how to keep warm in the rooms as everything feels damp, also take a torch as the rooms can get dark as the generators are only on for certain times, can make reading difficult." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 5 on a Tanzania safari
"Rwanda and Tanzania"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
I do not have any suggestions at present" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zanzibar holiday
"Rwanda"
Our guide Theo was wonderful and we saw so much more than the gorillas (which were amazing). We would strongly encourage anyone to visit Rwanda and to see as much of the country as possible.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
the only small improvement would be to have one night at Kibuye and then a second night either at Gisenyi (FCO permitting) or back in Kigali. That would still leave time for a boat trip on the lake but would provide nicer accomodation." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 10 on a Rwanda safari
"We'd said this was our last safari ..but!!!!!"
The change in location of the Serengeti Safari Camp to be by the Mara River was great - and as it was a new site it was amazing to be there on its first night ever. The re-arrangement of our transfers and flights worked very smoothly to our relief.
We had said that this would be our last safari, but we had such a great time that I suspect we'll be going again.......
We felt that we were glad to have gone gorilla trekking now, as we soon wouldn't have the energy to climb the mountains - the climb is from 7,000' to about 9,000'. Not impossible, but we were the oldest in our groups by more than somewhat on our gorilla trekking days, so we were the slowest." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 13 on a Tanzania safari
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Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Just one, a bit nit picking, but your superb wallet would have been even better if it had wrist strap attached as it would save fishing it out of the hand luggage.
This traveller later commented on his guide in Rwanda:
Kamanzi Aloys was great with his knowledge from football, Rwanda history and the local flora & fauna. Plus his driving skills were 1st class if you have experience the roads and the tracks you will understand." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 5 on a Tanzania safari
"Expert Africa was very helpful"
"Rwanda - an amazing trip"
Seeing the gorillas was a memory we'll never forget. Every guide we had (I hope I have remembered their names correctly - Edward, Francis and Pappy) was excellent, very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Seeing the Golden Monkeys was another interesting experience and a great contrast to the gorillas.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Tracy has been great and has promptly answered any questions we have had. The service has been excellent this is the second time we have travelled with Expert Africa and will certainly do so again in the future." Read full review: 6 nights in Africa; 4 on a Rwanda safari

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