Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs R from California

"Excellent airport hotel, esp if arriving late."

"Nice rooms, nice grounds, good food. Colobus monkeys running around."

"Great camp. They need a golf cart to get the less-than-mobile tourists between the cabins and the main building. But what a location! And such nice people."

"Lovely Lodge - sunsets, sunrise, and Milky Way."

"The domes are fun. BUT they are too hot when the sun shines (one door, no windows), and they are far too cold at night. We could have asked for the fire to be re-lit at 2am, but who wants people doing that when you are trying to sleep. They need to provide electric blankets for all -easy fix. (Also, they need photochromatic glass, and insulated glass, which is harder).

And the road to the action in Ngorongoro is long and painful, meaning earlier starts in the morning."

"We thought it was maybe a little primitive for us - no hot water, bucket showers. But it turned out well. (apparently they're building a non-mobile lodge, opening soon??) Because the beasts were walking around the tents all night. And what a location."

"Wonderful place. First place we'd ever had our shoes washed for us!"

"The place is at the top of a mountain over the second worst road (ie, dirt track) ever seen. Great view over a lake, if not hazy. BUT it's a long way to the gorillas, and that means having to get up an hour earlier from the already plenty early start. Bishops is so much more convenient.

The people there are so nice, though."

"Big modern hotel, could be in any city in the world."

"Best hotel I've ever stayed at, ever. Ever. Service was impeccable, hotel is wonderful, food was great. Loved every minute."

"To look out of your bedroom and see swimming elephants and a resident hippo! Very relaxing on the boat. The houseboat moves maybe daily; the tours are all on smaller power boats. And you get a totally different outlook than you do from a land rover.

This was the only place we met bugs - non-biting (probably flying termites), and swarming around the lights in the evening, but still annoying.
Crew was great.

We went in Nov; it was quite hot outside, and *very* hot in the bedroom (there is a fan, which accomplishes little). There is no A/C! I'd be concerned about doing this in the heat of the summer, but in the cool, it is wonderful."

"Wonderful place. Service great; food (way too) plentiful; land rover trips excellent.

Having said that (and it's in no way Expert's or Duma Tau's or Wilderness's fault): we tired of the earliness of the safaris. The early safari and then siesta might work for those who can snooze during siesta. I can't. And I need my beauty sleep:) And to be honest, I'd rather go out at 8 (and miss the early animal activity which I know exists) than at 6. At least optionally.

Also I discovered that Wilderness is heavily into eco-, with solar and all the rest. Very good stuff, and it ought to be promoted (by them and you) more than it is."

"Our favourite! The choir. The people in the camp - who became our friends. The candle-lit dinner (not asked for or expected). Bee the bagpiping tracker. Just fantastic."