Reviews of holidays to Mafia Island

"Katavi and Mafia are both fairly off-the-beaten-track, which I loved, although there was quite a lot of travel in between locations. Flight schedules also meant having to spend a day at either end of the trip in Arusha, which was probably not the most efficient use of time, especially for a short holiday.

However, Katavi and Mafia were both places I really wanted to visit and I wouldn't have changed that." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 11 on a Tanzania safari

"As requested Expert Africa did not arrange our flights or the accommodation in Stone town.

All that they organised was just as promised and to a very high standard." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"All around very satisfied with the trip and the interaction with Expert Africa.

Lyndsey and James were very very helpful in helping us choose what was right for us.

Extremely knowledgable, patient and flexible to accommodate our constantly changing requests.

I would definitely book with Expert Africa again and am happy to recommend them.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Keep doing what you are doing..." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"We are huge Africa fans, and once you get away from their shambolic cities and airports, you get to see the best of the continent.
Our experiences at Nairobi airport, both with Coastal and Kenyan Airways/immigration sadly tainted a great trip.

I would probably not repeat the mobile camp stays, which in loo and shower terms were not satisfactory.
The quality/experience of guiding in Serengeti and Ngorongoro was not a patch on Selous Impala and Ruaha in Southern Tanzania, nor compared to Robin Pope camps in Zambia.
Our guide at the crater was lazy and not motivated - probably due to lower absolute level of tips from only two clients.
Lamai was a unique setting and well set up.

Pole Pole had a fantastic location, but was let down by poor maintenance of the showers - no hot water in that climate, and at that price is not good news. The staff were friendly, but not nearly as professional as at Kaya Mawa in Malawi. The Dive and watersports centre made our visit to Mafia memorable, in particular the fish BBQ on the sandbar after snorkelling at the reef." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 12 on a Tanzania safari

"This was the holiday of a lifetime - totally luxury with excellent service, way above our expectations.

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We received excellent service and would certainly recommend Expert Africa to friends." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Tanzania safari

"One of the best safaris we have had. Everything worked like clockwork. No problems and no hiccups.

We saw lots and lots and especially wildebeest which was the main reason for the trip. The accommodation was great (except Ngorongoro which was just not our style), and all the guides were excellent.

We could not have asked for more and were very happy." Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 16 on a Tanzania safari

"It will live with us forever.

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Everything went very smoothly and Ellie was unfailingly pleasant and helpful." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 14 on a Tanzania safari

"cool and relaxing" Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 7 on a Tanzania safari

"This was our first safari so we were a bit apprehensive as we really did not know what to expect. But Expert Africa came up trumps and our trip was brilliant, just brilliant.

We were concerned about all the bits (flights, transfers and accommodation) fitting together, but it went like clockwork.

Impala Camp in Selous and Kwihala in Ruaha were perfect, just what we wanted; and the laid-back Pole Pole was the icing on the cake.

Many thanks to Liz for putting our trip together.

Our only problem now is matching it next year!!!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 13 on a Tanzania safari

"It was absolutely a fabulous trip. We are seasoned off-the-beaten-track travellers and I absolutely marvel that everything, everything, worked exactly as it was supposed to. Here we were, in the middle of central Tanzania, waiting for a 10:05 flight. Guess what? At 10:03, there was the plane, buzzing animals off the grass runway, then touching down to pick us up. It happened every time.

How do they manage to have tonic, gin, lime, glasses, ice, and potato chips in Katavi? It must be a logistical nightmare--but there was my gin and tonic, always perfectly served. Dazzling!

We felt safe, treated so well by enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring staff throughout..... And then there were the animals. We never saw a rhine, because they have been poached to virtual extinction in East Africa, but we saw most everything else, and up close and personal. Having a leopard on your tent porch is not something I will soon forget.

A word of caution: Mother Nature can be entirely unsentimental. We watched two lionesses kill a baby giraffe as the helpless adult giraffes watched. This was not easy...... but it is what happens out there. This is not Disneyland." Read full review: 31 nights in Africa; 25 on a Tanzania safari