Travel reviews by safari lovers from UK
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
4
Countries visited
5
Lodges stayed in
16
Excursions taken
1
Return trip to Namibia after 35 years
Namibia between 12 Mar 2020 and 3 Apr 2020
What we saw and did in those two weeks we loved.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Nothing at all. Sabina worked tirelessly to sort out flights for us to get us out of Namibia and back to the UK. The situation was changing every few hours as did the airline timetables and seats were very limited indeed. We absolutely could not have done this ourselves. I should point out that we had booked our flights independently and were not meant to be flying out of Windhoek at all so Expert Africa really did go above and beyond in helping us.
We have used Expert Africa a number of times over the years and always recommeded to friends. This trip absolutely highlighted why !"
Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo

Olive Grove
"Perfect first night stopover "

Sossus Dune Lodge
"Perfect Location"
The lodge itself is spacious with the lovely individual villas really well spaced along walkways. They are very generous in size and all have magnificent views, and were very comfortable. Small pool which was appreciated in the stifling heat.
Food slightly variable. OK but not a highlight.
Staff mostly lovely."

Oryx
8 sightings

Strand Hotel
"Great stay at Strand Hotel"
Spa was an unexpected surprise. Arranged a treatment at short notice, which was of good quality.
Ate at the seafood restaurant both nights and thoroughly enjoyed both meals. Delicious food and very nice welcoming staff.
Nice location, easy to find."

Desert tour
"Exceptional "
16 Mar 2020 • Morning excursion

Doro Nawas
"Lovely stay at Door Nawas"
Very welcoming pool set into the rocks.
We were the only people staying so we were wonderfully looked after by the staff who had time to chat to us, which of course gives the tourist a small insight into their lives. We were sung to, both nights by the staff choir who sang beautifully. Actually we were sung to on arrival and departure as well.
On our second night they went to enormous trouble to set up a bush supper for us. We felt like royalty with all the attention.
Our guide was Stephen and we spent three excellent nature drives with him. We spent significant time with a herd of desert elephants who we followed along the riverbed. An absolute highlight for us, so much to learn about them. We then caught up with them again in the later afternoon about 40kms further on. We are interested in birds too so stopped regularly to identify some new ones for us."

Elephant
3 sightings

Giraffe
2 sightings

Oryx
1 sighting

Grootberg Lodge
"Amazing Location"
The rooms have the same views (being perched on the cliff edge). They are compact but comfortable. No power in room but masses of charging points in a cupboard in the main building.
We had pre-booked the rhino tracking and spent a full bone shaking day with guide Dessie and trackers Joseph & Jacob.
It took serious tracking skills to find a male black rhino. We personally didn't actually have to walk far at all. We also went to the anti-poaching camp and chatted to the policeman which was interesting.
Saw mountain zebra, lots of giraffe, oryx, and large ele herd at end of day.
Good staff all employed from the local community. They sang to us every night which we loved."

Black Rhino
1 sighting

Elephant
1 sighting

Giraffe
1 sighting

Zebra
1 sighting

Okaukuejo Camp
"Return visit after 34 years."
It is worth noting that these chalets are not self catering in anyway . They have a fridge, kettle, couple of wine glasses and coffee cups. No utensils. We had mistakingly thought they were so had brought some provisions. The camp shop was very poorly stocked but this may have been more to do with the effects of the impending Covid restrictions.
You can self cater/ braai at the other accommodation types away from the waterhole.
Camp has three nice pools and large restaurant set around it. Meals are all buffet style with good choice and quality. Our chalet booking included breakfast. Staff on the whole were pleasant and helpful. Although they sell WIFI vouchers it rarely worked."

Eland
1 sighting

Giraffe
1 sighting

Oryx
2 sightings

Wildebeest
2 sightings

Zebra
10+ sightings

Mundulea Reserve
" A wonderful unique stay at Mundulea"
Bruno has huge knowledge and experience of everything Namibian, which he passionately shares. Mundulea is his reserve which he established more than 20 years ago, and has gradually reintroduced native animals and carried out bush restoration.
The camp is a proper bush camp with all food cooked on an open fire by Tommy who is Bruno's right hand man. We plan to return as soon as we can to spend more time walking in the bush with Bruno."
Wonderful experiences in the Okavango
Botswana between 31 Jan 2015 and 6 Feb 2015
The people of Botswana are delightful , so welcoming and friendly and genuinely proud of their country and what it has to offer .
We have loved our second trip to this country.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
None at all . Will be booking another trip with you all again soon , hopefully ."
Arranged By Tracy Lederer

Xigera Safari Lodge
"Xigera Review"
Tents very comfortable and we enjoyed our walkway to it . Food delicious and again the chefs took pride in their work. Tables all looked so attractive in the evenings with lots of effort put in the the napkin designs which we all loved
Our guide Onks was delightful , patient , knowledge and good fun . We loved our mokoro trips with him and Brendan the poler. We were very lucky with a leopard sighting and also many birds . We knew it was not an area for lots of big mammals.
Re water levels , although we were there in the rainy season the big rains that fall in Angola and take many months to reach the further reaches of the delta had not arrived so water levels were still low . ie the huge lagoon I front of our tent was totally dry .
There was enough for the mokoros but not the boats. We therefore had the majority of the game viewing in the jeeps .
Because Xigera is advertised as a water camp we probably expected more water based activities. Having said that I know water levels /climate can be unpredictable. We chatted lots to the guides about the best times to come for a truly water experience and it's June July time .
Having made the mistake / misunderstanding 2 yrs ago when we stayed at Sandibe and there was no water for mokoros at all then and we were a bit disappointed we had hoped to get it right this time . I think it would be really helpful in your literature if you explained clearly the different seasons and what you can expect in each one . My mistake this time was assuming that the rainy season would mean masses of water, but actually it all fills up later on.
No problem really , we will just have to return later in the season for the really water experience!!"

Little Kwara
"Review of Little Kwara"
We paid for a private guide and had Duks who was extremely knowledgable on all aspects of flora and fauna of the delta. We learned a huge amount from him . A great sense of humour too. We spent 12 1/2 hrs in the jeep one day tracking a family of cheetah learning to hunt !! . A picnic lunch was brought out to us in the bush which was a real treat while waiting for action from the cheetah. Chester was our tracker and he and Duks made a great team for us. It's the first time in many safaris that we have paid for a private guide and it was absolutely worth it .
My only negative of the camp ( which I said on the Kwando questionnaire) was that there was always a pressure to sit down and get the meal over and done with as quickly as possible . All a bit unrelaxing and unnecessary . We have not experienced this in any other camps. I appreciate the staff want to get finished but actually it was a bit irritating . The pre meal drinks and chat round the bar area really didn't exist and the plates were cleared so quickly from the table. A small point really but I think worth mentioning.
We loved being on the boat and also mokoros , a nice change from the game drives and the opportunity to see other things."
Wonderful family holiday with great memories
Tanzania and 1 other country between 18 Jul 2014 and 28 Jul 2014
The reason I have used Expert Africa before and will continue to do so in future is because the staff properly listen to requests , are very knowledgeable and therefore give good suggestions and advice. Very efficient too."
Arranged By Elizabeth Chapman

Selous Impala Camp
"Superb Selous Impala camp"
The camp staff were so attentive and made such a special effort to help us celebrate our daughters graduations ( reason for trip !) . They arranged surprise sundowners (gave us a bottle of bubbly) at a magical location that we reached by boat. At dinner one evening the waiters sang a traditional Swahili welcome song and brought a cake to the table.
That evening our table location was away from the restaurant down near the water and we were kept company by bush babies and civet cats. It's hard to describe the atmosphere on paper. It was magical."

Unguja Lodge
"Peaceful Relaxing Unguja Lodge"
There is a dive centre on site which we made good use of - snorkelling , day sailing on a dhow out to a tiny island ( sand spit really !) for lunch and great snorkelling. The visit to the local village was a fascinating insight into real life on Zanzibar ."
Brilliant Botswana
Botswana and 1 other country between 5 Oct 2012 and 20 Oct 2012
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Would never have recieved this feedback form had I not chased it up and I was keen to give feedback because it helps other travellers etc. Very easy to fill in.
Think I would like to make a comment about all the various vouchers that are issued. Nobody asked for them at all except the Illala lodge and even then we only had one between us because one had been lost,but it didnt seem to matter. It all seems a bit of a waste of paper and something else for the client to carry (or loose!)."
Arranged By Maruska Adye-Rowe

Tuli Lodge - Own Arrangements
"Tuli Lodge - Own Arrangements review"
Lodge not featured by Expert Africa

Camp Kalahari
"fantastic desert experience"
The time spend with the meerkats was fantatstic as was the Bushman experience. I had thought it might all be a bit touristy but it really is not and infact is so informative.
Being on the Pans was incredible, like nowhere else. Literally miles of nothingness!!"

Moremi Under Canvas
"A fantastic fun experience"
Food was totally delicious considering the oven is a tin box over the camp fire."
Lodge not featured by Expert Africa

Sandibe Safari Lodge
"Fabulous!!"
Only minor disappointment was that because of water levels and v active hippos, mokoros were not possible. Had we understood that this might be an issue , we might have booked a camp deeper in the Delta, where mokoros are always available. We put this down to our lack of knowlwedge of the Delta even though we had done alot of reading. I suggest that ExpertAfrica makes sure potential clients understand this.
Basically Sandibe is not the right camp if you really want mokoro excursions. (which we did!!). We will just have to go back to the Delta one day !!."

Ilala Lodge
"great base for Vic Falls"
Menu also good for two nights dinner"
Pleasant surroundings and helpful staff."