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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs H from Prestbury

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

2

Countries visited

3

Lodges stayed in

11

Excursions taken

0

My April 2022 trip

Botswana and 1 other country between 27 Mar 2022 and 17 Apr 2022

Trip rating: Excellent
"Because of Covid, the trip had to be rescheduled twice and this was done very willingly and very efficiently. The advice given about choosing the itinerary was superb and comprehensive. The recommendations for Sandibe Safari Lodge and Thorntree River Lodge were inspired for our purposes.

The particular selection of the five lodges gave us the breath and variety we sought having been to Africa four times previously. We were most appreciative for the advice and assurance we were given concerning Covid and the attending requirements. All transfers were made seamlessly with any assistance required.

This trip was the best yet.

Of course the animals are always there for you to find them, but the quality and variety of the lodges has risen considerably over the years and the local wine and food offerings have improved immensely. Good guiding is almost a given and the natural friendliness, charm and grace of the local people are such a plus to any safari.

Expert Africa's knowledge, experience, efficiency and reliability in making arrangements and accommodating your interests makes a great experience all the more remarkable. We owe a great big thank you to Lucy!"

Arranged By Lucy Copson


Sausage Tree Camp

Sausage Tree Camp

"Sausage Tree Camp review"

4 nights Arrived 1 Apr 2022
"This was our second visit to Sausage Tree (first in 2019) and found the camp as delightful as before.

The location on the banks of the Zambezi is ideal and probably the best place to watch an abundance of Hippos. The accommodations were excellent and this year they assigned a 'butler' to each couple to insure all your needs and interests were met. It was probably the most genuinely friendly camp of the five we visited. Their 'bush diner' and their lunch in the river on a sandbar in a couple feet of water under a marquee were delightful and unique experiences.

The terrain of the Lower Zambezi NP is more interesting than most of the Botswana camps. The plentiful rains this year meant the grass was exceptionally high. For this reason and because our guide had a trainee in tow which kept him from concentrating on tracking much of the time, we saw less game than at any of the other camps and less than three years ago (yet we know there is a good balance and number of animals in the area). It is still one of our favourite camps/location."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Ngoma Safari Lodge

Ngoma Safari Lodge

"Ngoma Safari Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 5 Apr 2022
"Ngoma Lodge was a wonderful lodge with an outstanding elevated view over the Chobe River and its flood plain --- a view you enjoyed from you room as well as the public and dining areas. The food was superb with probably the best chef of all the lodges we visited. The schedule was quite flexible and the guests interests were the primary concerns. The lodge had a small, cosy feeling.

Being very close to the Western entrance to Chobe NP it was less than 10 minutes to get to the Park. The wild life in Chobe is absolutely abundant --- after a few minutes drive into the Park animals (including large herds of Buffalo, Elephants, Impala, Baboons) appear at almost every turn. The variety of animals and birds in the Park, and especially close to the River, was greater than any other area we visited. It would be the first place to visit for a first time visitor on safari.

Being the least expensive of all five lodges, it is clearly offers the best value and we would rate Ngoma Lodge second only to the much more expensive Sandibe Lodge."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Lagoon Camp

Lagoon Camp

"Lagoon Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 8 Apr 2022
"We found Lagoon Camp the most disappointing (and we had visited the Camp in 2013). Unlike the write-up in Brandt's edition 5 of Botswana Safari Guide, we thought the facilities were dated and in need of maintenance and upgrading and the food average at best. The feel of the camp was very much a corporate managed operation with accountants having a significant influence. The staff, although very friendly, it was a friendliness required by the rules and less genuine than experienced at the other camps. Our sense was the staff performed to the corporate rules rather than to the guests interests.

The design of the spacious chalets was very good, but the lighting inside was totally inadequate (there was adequate lighting to read by except in bed), there wasn't any mosquito netting around the bed and the building settling had made the doors hard to open. Fencing around the propane tank was falling down. Lagoon Camp was the only one that did not have WiFi. In essence, only two and a half means a day were served. Before the early morning game drive, coffee/tea and porridge (actually a soupy maize one notch above gruel) was offered around a fire, then a lunch buffet of one item plus eggs to order and an evening meal with only one main and a vegetarian dish on offer. All the dishes were of inexpensive ingredients and the choices were very limited and it was all buffet style not requiring any service.

In contrast to the Camp, the wildlife was abundant and quite varied. For example we saw a Pangolin that we had never seen at any camp on any trip. The guiding was excellent and the only limitation to finding animals was the tall grass. It would be have excellent game viewing in the dry season as it was when we visited at that time in 2013. It is just a shame the camp's operating philosophy is to cut costs as much as possible even though its pricing remains high."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Poor
Facilities
Average
Sandibe Safari Lodge

Sandibe Safari Lodge

"Sandibe Safari Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 11 Apr 2022
"Sandibe was the most outstanding of all the camps, but also the most expensive by twice. The facility itself is something to behold; sort of Sidney Opera House of the bush. The main building replicates a Pangolin and is truly amazining inside and out. There are very large areas for lounging as well a big bar area and two dining areas. The staff were plentiful; you have your own didicated 'butler' and there isn't anything they wouldn't do to make you visit as enjoyable and easy as possible. The meals are restaurant style with an extensive menu and high quality ingredients and cooking served almost anytime you would like. The individual chalets are all that you could wish for with pool, large deck, sitting area, etc and an individually tailor bar in your room.

Equally surprising to us was the amount and variety of wildlife in the area. Packs of Hyaena, Wild Dogs, Lions, Lepoards, Antelop, Elephants, Waterbuck, Buffalo, etc. The only one we missed out on was the Cheetah (but was seen the day we left). The guiding was excellent.

Our experience at Sandibe was truly outstanding and the best of all camps, but it was also the most expensive (however value for money in our view)."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Thorntree River Lodge

Thorntree River Lodge

"Thorntree River Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 14 Apr 2022
"We booked Thorntree River Lodge as a transition back to normal living and it served this purpose exceedingly well.

It has a fabulous position right on the bank of the Zambezi River. Your dining table was either on the river (on a pontoon deck) or at the very edge in the dining area. They had excellent relaxation lounges in the public area and a good library.

The chalet was newly built, well designed, spacious and with a plunge pool and deck at the very edge of the river. The food was excellent and served very much at your convenience. Although we were not visiting for any game viewing, we did one trip less than 30 minutes away to see a herd of White Rhinos were the wardens accompanied us to within a few metres of the animals (a real treat).

Setting alongside the mighty Zambezi at sunset well fed and G&T in hand and gazing at one of nature's grandest sights is definitely the way to end two weeks in the bush searching out the magnificant wildlife --- a pinch-me moment!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent

My Mar 2019 trip

Zambia and 1 other country between 24 Mar 2019 and 14 Apr 2019

Trip rating: Excellent
"Just what we had hoped for.

Although there were only two other guests in the camps on two out of our 10 nights, we still received dedicated and outstanding service at all three camps; making us feel quite special. Experiencing two National Parks and three camps was just the right mix of variety for us. Staying 3 or 4 nights in a camp seemed optimal.

Having been on other safaris later in the year it is clear more wildlife sights are likely in the dry season, but the greeness and the dust-free air of April made the challenge of finding the animals a worthwhile counterbalance."

Arranged By Lucy Copson


La Petite Ferme

La Petite Ferme

"La Petite Ferme comments"

3 nights Arrived 25 Mar 2019
"See below"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Average
Vineyard Hotel

Vineyard Hotel

"Vineyard Hotel review"

3 nights Arrived 28 Mar 2019
"see below"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Image alt

Protea Hotel Livingstone (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)

"Protea Hotel Livingstone review"

1 night Arrived 31 Mar 2019
"see below"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Sausage Tree Camp

Sausage Tree Camp

"Sausage Tree Camp review"

4 nights Arrived 1 Apr 2019
"Best managed, most enthusiastic, most activities, great facilities, most friendly of the three camps we visited.

Even though we were the only two guests the four nights we were there, no effort was spared in making us welcome and we had the added advantage of getting some of the staff to join us at meal time --- it made it feel more like a family gathering than a guest/host relationship."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Luangwa River Camp

Luangwa River Camp

"Luangwa River Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 5 Apr 2019
"Camp facilities are looking a little tired and vehicles a bit old.

The new guide was very knowledgeable about all wildlife but had not yet developed the art of tracking and locating them.

Food was excellent."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Average
Service
Good
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Average
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Poor
Chinzombo

Chinzombo

"Chinzombo review"

3 nights Arrived 8 Apr 2019
"An excellent camp with an outstanding guide, but a bit overpriced.

The bar prices for premium brands is totally over the top and unjustified.

If cost is not a factor, a marvellous camp to visit."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent

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