Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs C from Berwick
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
7
Countries visited
5
Lodges stayed in
29
Excursions taken
1
Mbili wasafiri bomba!
Tanzania between 25 Oct 2020 and 11 Nov 2020
On Olivia's advice we went to Tarangire for the first time: we loved the scenery and were astounded by the numbers of elephants. The prospect of fewer visitors being around also lured us to the Serengeti and we witnessed the mind-blowing spectacle of 10,000 wildebeest galloping majestically across the Mara.
There is normal life out there beyond the Covid black hole known as the UK. In Tanzania day-to-day interactions with other human beings are, well, normal. Simple practical precautions are in place like hand sanitising and masks on the small bush planes.
The welcome we received without exception was tremendous but we were just so pleased to be there and were privileged to have magical wildlife encounters with no-one else around and see a couple of great migration river crossings with a handful of other people present. Truly a once (although it was twice!) in a lifetime experience.
All this added up to a very special adventure tempered somewhat by the fact that many camps remain closed with those still open operating on reduced staff. We only hope common sense prevails over hysteria with so many people's lives in other parts of the world so drastically affected. Not just the humans but the wildlife too.
If anyone out there wants to go on safari there has never been a better time. The people of Tanzania will really appreciate you making the effort."
Arranged By Olivia Barclay-Hudson

Katambuga House
"Overnight stay"

Kuro Tarangire
"Elephant heaven"
Highlights included:
A family group of lions by the swamp who had recently killed a buffalo. One young male was so full he had to go in the water for a swim to cool off.
A magnificent male lion defending his buffalo kill from more than 100 vultures. After our bush breakfast that same day our brilliant guide Raj said "All we need now is a leopard up a tree" and within minutes he spotted one!
In line with Tarangire's reputation, there were more elephants here than at the other camps on the trip, lots bathing in the swamp.
At camp the staff were extremely welcoming and helpful under the guidance of manager Mollel. Food was plentiful and varied. For the moment there is separate dining unless guests request to be together. Quite a few animals wander round the camp even during the day including dik dik, bushbuck, waterbuck and lots of birds.
A slight downside is tsetse in parts of the park. Bites can be ferocious but, as we can attest, not everyone is a target. The camp is remarkably free of them."

Lemala Nanyukie
"Big cats and one smaller very special one"
Lots of highlights thanks to our eagle-eyed guide Barnabas:
On the first evening game drive we were extremely lucky to see the melanistic serval hunting for rats in the long grass.
A full day out around Seronera and to the west (usually packed with vehicles) produced plentiful sightings with very few people about. A leopard up a tree still managed to draw in a few other jeeps. On other days we headed south and east and saw hardly anyone. On our last full day we were able to spend the best part of a morning at a kopje with a female leopard and her three cubs.
Being close to Namiri Plains this area has lots of big cats: we saw cheetah mum and four cubs, other cheetahs and lots of lions (including Ziggy Jnr, son of the TV star who we had first seen here in 2017). There are also HUGE numbers of Thomson gazelles.
At camp the staff were very welcoming. A special mention goes to Christina in the restaurant. The food was excellent apart from the bush breakfasts, which were not five-star. A better option is to go to the restaurant before you go out on your morning game drive. However, the bush lunch hampers for full days out are very good. On our last night there was a surprise private dining African meal by the pool followed by singing and dancing to mark our 40th wedding anniversary. There is separate dining here in any event, which will suit some.
Access to the camp is a 20-minute drive along the same route in and out every time but still offers varied sightings. We had a superb time with side-striped jackal parents with two sub adults.
Due to an admin mix-up by Lemala our visit didn't start well when there was no-one to collect us at Seronera air strip but once that was resolved (with the help of Coastal pilots and an Asilia guide) we had a superb five-night stay which exceeded our expectations."

Alex Walker's Serian Serengeti
"A twice-in-a-lifetime experience!"
It wasn't planned but we were surprised and privileged to see two major migration crossings of the Mara river (pretty late for a normal year). Guide Baraka timed it perfectly for us to be in the right place to witness this spectacle. We weren't prepared for what a thrilling experience this would be and it was enhanced considerably by there only being a handful of other jeeps when there would ordinarily be dozens. There was a good amount of water in the Mara and vultures were on hand to deal with the (remarkably few) wildebeest casualties. The numbers of these animals on the plains was astonishing. The only drawback was the numbers of flies they attract!
One evening we drove up to the Kenya border and on our last full day headed east for the Kuria hills, all the while enjoying the massive scenery and animals to ourselves. We saw all three big cats, lots of new babies of various species and an unusual albino hyena.
Transfers to Serian are always via the Lamai airstrip, even though Kogatende is closer, because of the unpredictable levels of the Mara. On our last evening there was torrential rain and you could see the immediate impact on the river. The journey to Lamai takes more than an hour.
At camp the tents are a good size but a bit gloomy and starting to feel a bit tired. Because it is a mobile camp there is no running water (only to flush the loo) but there are bucket showers and hot water is brought with your morning wake-up drink for a quick wash. The food here is five-star, the best we had on the trip, including brilliant bush breakfasts."

Airport Planet Lodge
"Handy for the international airport"
The hotel collects you and delivers you back. We had a day room and a lovely surprise was an arrangement of petals on the bed saying Happy Anniversary. The rooms are modern, well appointed and with a private verandah. The food is limited but good. Staff as everywhere very friendly and helpful.
We were the only guests."
Top of the range guiding
Zimbabwe between 20 Apr 2019 and 9 May 2019
We did more bush walking here than on any of our previous several trips in other African countries and enjoyed it very much (especially when a surprised aardwolf resting in long grass jumped out right in front of us!).
Compared to many previous safaris, the night drives were exceptional (providing some great photographic opportunities).
We were glad we selected camps in two very distinct parts of Hwange NP before going north to Mana Pools, which was different again.
Conditions varied too: the Camp Hwange area was still very green; Somalisa Expeditions (still in Hwange) and Vundu at Mana Pools both unseasonally dry.
We were taken aback by the large numbers of elephants, particularly in eastern Hwange, but fear for the future with Zimbabwe exporting elephants (and other wildlife) from there to China because of its dire financial situation plus continued poaching, voiced on the ground at Mana Pools.
All three camps' accommodation was very good though vegetarian food was a bit variable, the best being at Somalisa Expeditions camp."

Ilala Lodge
"Overnight stay"
It is a lot larger than when we last visited several years ago and consequently has lost its small hotel appeal. Staff very friendly and helpful."

Camp Hwange
"Memorable encounters"
There had been some rain not long before our visit so wildlife was dispersed and a little harder to find. For most of the time we had ZimPro guide Moses, almost qualified Jean and tracker Changa so not much escaped their notice and there was a constant flow of knowledge and bush facts.
We enjoyed three walks and the biggest surprise was an aardwolf jumping out of long grass right beside us one early morning! We had memorable encounters on foot and in the jeep with lots of elephants.
Night drives were among the best we have ever had in Africa including sightings of African wildcats, genets and a wolf spider seen and located from an amazing distance, also the six lions known as the "SuperModels", which resulted in one of the best photos of the trip.
For vegetarians the food was hit and miss with lunch always better than dinner. Overall the staff were enthusiastic and knowledgeable but there was a hard to define lack of atmosphere at some meal times."

Eland
2 sightings

Elephant
10+ sightings

Giraffe
10+ sightings

Hippo
10+ sightings

Lion
8 sightings

Zebra
10+ sightings

Somalisa Expeditions
"So many elephants!"
Elephants played a very big part in our time at Somalisa (we saw several hundred in total), not least at the camp itself which is well known for attracting family groups to its water tank). It's amazing being that close. A couple of naughty younger males liked coming into camp to shake acacia pods of the trees for a tasty snack right by our tent. One pushed under our guy ropes and was photographed from the outside bathroom toilet seat just the other side of the canvas. You don't get much closer!.
Ray (Xoxindaba the storyteller) was our guide and great fun and generous with his 24 years of guiding knowledge. A highlight was seeing a lioness transferring her three cubs 500 yards from a waterhole to a day-time hideaway, carrying one youngster in her mouth. We also saw one leopard and one cheetah here plus sable.
All the camp staff, headed by Egania, were exceptionally friendly and helpful. For us, as vegetarians, the meals were the best of the three-camp trip. From our tent (number three ) we could see much of the action at the water tank."

Buffalo
10+ sightings

Cheetah
1 sighting

Eland
8 sightings

Elephant
10+ sightings

Giraffe
10+ sightings

Hippo
8 sightings

Leopard
1 sighting

Lion
10+ sightings

Sable antelope
1 sighting

Spotted Hyena
1 sighting

Wildebeest
10+ sightings

Zebra
10+ sightings

Vundu Camp
"Dogs... but much,much more"
The scenery here is spectacular, from the views over the Zambezi as you fly in to the different landscapes as you explore the area.
Most people come here hoping to see painted dogs and we did so on three occasions (once on our own). Again it had been a poor wet season so waterholes were all but dry with animals relying on the river. Elephants were swimming or walking across the shallower parts.
Jim's night drives were very productive with sightings of genets, civets, hyena and white tailed mongoose. And he was brilliant at spotting and identifying birds. It's worth taking the afternoon canoe trip - avoiding the hippos and crocs! - to gain a different perspective.
We enjoyed several excellent bush walks including tracking three lionesses who had left their prints in camp overnight.
Breakfasts were a bit spartan so you were ready for the excellent lunches. The tents are extremely spacious and right on the edge of the Zambezi, giving this place a special atmosphere.
It's worth noting that in Mana Pools as a whole there are now no tsetse precautions being taken, though at one time they were eradicated."

Buffalo
10+ sightings

Eland
10+ sightings

Elephant
10+ sightings

Hippo
10+ sightings

Spotted Hyena
1 sighting

Wild dog
10+ sightings

Zebra
10+ sightings
Terrific introduction to Kenya
Kenya between 17 Jan 2018 and 4 Feb 2018
Each was quite different but within relatively easy reach. We travelled to all three by road, only getting on a bush plane from Meru to Nairobi. Each camp too was quite individual in terms of style and atmosphere.
The tented camp Kicheche in Laikipia was our favourite overall but Saruni Samburu and Elsa's Kopje were both excellent experiences and in spectacular positions. Of the three Elsa's probably had the highest age profile.
We scored a number of firsts such as tiny lion cubs, a successful cheetah hunt and bat-eared foxes mating (in broad daylight!). It was a delight to see the animals unique to the area such as reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and Grevy's zebra. It was also a privilege to attend part of the celebrations of a Samburu wedding.
All in all a terrific trip and an introduction to Kenya that will probably be hard to beat."
Arranged By Richard Trillo

Kicheche Laikipia
"High drama at Elephant Corner!"
The location is stunning overlooking a dam where lots of animals and birds come to drink and bathe. Most lunchtimes we were entertained by elephant, giraffe, buffalo and antelopes as well as the (always noisy) Egyptian geese and pelicans.
Ol Pejeta is an old cattle ranching area and the many water troughs around attract lots of wildlife and offer lots of photo opportunities. Guide Peter was excellent, especially in positioning the jeep for good pictures.
Staying five nights enabled us to reach most parts of the conservancy. It was quiet and we saw hardly any other vehicles while we were there. We had good sightings of many birds, also black and white rhino with offspring.
A special highlight was the discovery of lion cubs less than a week old 10 minutes from camp along with dad and his two lionesses. We had a very special sighting of the little ones. It was amazing to see the lionesses sprint off to help the male when an intruder male (and a large pack of hyena) threatened to make off with his stallion zebra kill at Elephant Corner.
The bush breakfasts were outstanding with different selections every day including baked egg with spinach and pea pastries. The choice of location for these was very good, notably two by rivers and one by a lake where we saw zebra, elephant and eland at close quarters.
Kicheche was our favourite of the three camps we stayed at on this trip and the food for vegetarians was the best we’ve had in Africa."

Saruni Samburu
"Special sightings and a Samburu wedding"
The villas are spread over a large area and are a good walk from the main dining/bar/meeting area. We had the "signature" villa, number five, which had 180 degree views and is almost the furthest away! The accommodation is very large with a lounge/dining area, bedroom and huge bathroom. The little outside seating area was impressively shaded by a massive boulder. A few maintenance issues let it down, for instance large holes and broken zips in the insect mesh.
The cuisine is Italian inspired served at the communal tables for both lunch and dinner. We found the lunches to be better for us as vegetarians than the dinners. The bush breakfasts were basic.
The camp is in the conservancy and a half hour drive from the national park entrance. The park itself proved to be the busiest of the three areas we visited. We weren't comfortable getting involved in a lion sighting that attracted 10 jeeps and a school bus. Having said that we had some spectacular viewings, including the successful hunting of a young Grant's gazelle by a cheetah with very small cubs,bat-eared foxes mating, and gerenuk browsing on their hind legs.
While wildlife may be a bit more shy and harder to spot in the conservancy, it is certainly worth spending time there. On the last full day of our five-night stay we saw a herd of 15 Grevy's zebra and caught a fleeting glimpse of an aardwolf.
The guides and staff are all traditionally dressed Samburu. Guide Simon and tracker Emanuel were good company with impressive spotting skills. One of the guides was getting married during our visit and we were very privileged to be invited to go along to part of the two-day Samburu celebrations."

Elsa's Kopje
"Barely another jeep in sight . . ."
Meru covers a huge area and a large part of it is off limits anyway because of the density of the bush. During our stay we didn't see any vehicles other than from the camp or driven by rangers.
This property is immaculately maintained and housekeeping second to none (thank you Christopher!).
All the staff were extremely helpful and friendly and the lunches very good for us as vegetarians. Dinners were a bit hit and miss (a bizarre main of rice and mashed potato for instance). Breakfasts were uninspired compared to Kicheche. We liked the individual dining as a change.
Sightings here were not as prolific as at Laikipia and Samburu but there were huge herds of buffalo, plenty of elephant and giraffe and a brilliant tally of birds, which guide Simon was expert in spotting.
We also saw two separate pairs of honey badgers (one racing off with a snake in its mouth), a striped hyena (which helped us find two lionesses and their four teenage boys) and a bachelor group of gerenuk. A visit to the protected rhino area (which is well worth visiting) yielded a total of 10 southern whites, including a very young one.
Particular features of the park are the huge palm trees and the number of rivers and streams running through. While some were dry, many were not and attract all manner of wildlife from insects and birds to hippo, elephant and buffalo. This offers great photographic opportunities.
Although there is quite a bit of memorabilia from the Elsa/Born Free story around the camp, very little is made of it when out on the drives."
Asilia trip exceeded our expectations
Tanzania between 1 Feb 2017 and 17 Feb 2017
We would recommend Asilia camps because you can expect high standards across the board and also in the knowledge that they are involved in and contribute towards local communities. They employ as many local people as possible: at Highlands for instance there are Masai community guides. Asilia also have impressive training programmes: while at Sayari we saw this in action as a new batch of trainee guides was being selected.
Overall the balance of the trip was very good: the camps were in very different landscapes and the wildlife viewing exceeded our expectations."

Machweo
"Good food at Machweo"
Recommend visiting the Cultural Heritage Centre just on the other side of Arusha, which also boats a fabulous modern gallery displaying African art and sculpture and a craft centre. On leaving we had a small problem over a $60 charge for the taxi to the Cultural Centre. We pointed out that it stated it was free in the guest information folder. We hope that has now been made clear!"

The Highlands
"Spectacular scenery at the Highlands"
The accommodation is pretty luxurious and comfortable. The rooms do cool down at night but we didn't find them as cold in the morning as some have commented. The camp is nearly a hour's drive from the Ngorongoro crater entrance so an early start and a full day out with packed lunch is necessary. We expected the crater to be chocker with jeeps but it was relatively quiet.
On the other hand the half day hikes out to Olmoti and Empakai offer something a bit different - an opportunity to stretch your legs, tremendous views and hardly a tourist in sight. A degree of fitness is required though! The Masai village visit is also very interesting as it's quite natural and not a peep show like most tourists see. Asilia are involved with the local community and school. There were only a handful of other guests at the camp during our stay. Lunches were good but dinner (we're vegetarian) was very much a hit and miss affair."

Namiri Plains Camp
"Cats cats cats - and an aardwolf - at Namiri"
Staff at Namiri were uniformally excellent and the food good. The spacious tents look down to the river and the camp has a feel of quiet isolation. Although we saw a few other jeeps from other camps, they were on the limit of their range and many sightings were exclusive. It gets windy on the Serengeti so when it's dry the dust whips up. Be prepared. Special mention to manager Epimark for looking after us and to guide Kivuyo whose eyes are like binoculars and we later found out was Asilia's Guide of the Year 2016."

Sayari Camp
"Superb Sayari"
The wildlife viewing was extremely varied because of the nearby Mara river and the different habitats of surrounding countryside including very rocky areas, dense bush, open plains and rolling hills. Highlights for us were three separate close-quarters leopard sightings plus a couple of breakfasts on the spectacularly lovely border watching the Kenyan rangers watching us. An amusing moment was being with two splendid male lions who were totally relaxed until they suddenly became aware of several rangers on foot in the distance!
We really didn't expect to see so much and in such quantity (in many cases) at this time of the year. Special thanks to manager Jen, Freddie the chef and our guide Godson for his infectious enthusiasm."
Everything we had hoped for and more
Namibia between 22 Apr 2016 and 9 May 2016

Little Kulala
"Excellent first stop"
Sunrise Balloon Trip
Must-do experience
Four balloons were taking off that day and we were lucky to be in one for eight people (rather than 16!). Each couple has a corner so no jockeying for position. Conditions terrific and we followed the dry river bed towards the dunes landing after about 1¼ hours. Our pilot Rob demonstrated great skill in manoeuvring both vertically and horizontally: also at the champagne breakfast where he hacked off the neck of a bottle of champagne with a machete finally knocking off the end in a flourish of fizz! Although expensive it is an absolute must-do experience. Stunning, serene and a photographer's dream."

Ballooning in the Namib Desert
"Must-do experience"
23 Apr 2016 • Morning excursion

Desert Rhino Camp
"Millionaire moments"

Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp
"Surprises on the Skeleton Coast"

Little Ongava
"Wish we'd stayed longer!"

Mundulea Reserve
"Walking with Bruno"

Okonjima Bush Camp
"Cheetah magic"
We wouldn't have changed a thing
Tanzania between 13 Jan 2015 and 28 Jan 2015
Our three camps were different in character and in how they operate. We were so glad we spent five nights at each as this allowed time to fully explore each area as well as getting to know the guides and staff. We didn't travel with expectations of seeing particular animals and with the bush in full growth thought sightings might be more elusive. However, we saw everything we thought we might see and much more. The number and variety of birds, including migrants, was stunning.
Everything went like clockwork, including camps being aware that we are vegetarian (not a problem!). Without exception staff were friendly, welcoming, informative and helpful. The time flew by and more than 3,000 photographs later, we were sad to leave. We wouldn't have changed a thing."

Selous Impala Camp
"Great start to our Tanzanian safari"
The staff were very welcoming, helpful and friendly. Our guide Ezra and driver Kharidi were top notch. We are not birders but this is the best season for them as there are many migratory species and Ezra's enthusiasm certainly rubbed off. This was the only camp where we could have game drives, boat trips and walks: each evening we were asked what we would like to do the following day.
Dining at Impala is different with individual tables rather than communal and at a different location each night. We liked this as being a bit different. As vegetarians we enjoyed wonderful and varied food, no doubt inspired by Fausto, the Italian camp manager. The tents are perfectly clean and functional but may be coming up to needing some refurbishment. This did not interfere with our enjoyment in any way. An early highlight was a huge welcoming herd of impala greeting us on the road as we drove from the airstrip: how appropriate!"

Beho Beho
"Spectacular!"
You don't get the same guide each time and this unique approach does offer different perspectives and areas of expertise. We enjoyed all of them. During our drives we hardly saw another jeep adding to the whole experience of having the place to yourself. We were lucky to go on two walks with Walter (the manager) which were wonderfully informative. On the second we were flagging a bit with the heat and wondering at what point we were going to be heading back only to be greeted by a table on a hill with sundowners at the ready. Attention to detail here is second to none.
The open-fronted stone bandas seemed a bit of a scary concept but in fact proved quite cool during the hot afternoons and attracted surprisingly few insects when lights were on. For most of the time there were only two other guests. We ate communally at different locations: for example by the pool or Beho's own watering hole. On our last morning we had a very special wake-up call by an elephant at the front of our banda!"

Kwihala Camp
"Kwihala Camp review"
During the course of our stay we encountered only a couple of other vehicles in the vastness of the national park. Although you can't go off road here it didn't seem to make much difference. We still had fantastic close encounters and not only with the cats. Very special were the tiny dick-dick and klipspringers: two of the smallest antelopes. Lorenzo and his Masai assistant Daudi were a joy to be with and great fun. Lorenzo is a mine of information and has boundless enthusiasm for his subject. Every day was a great adventure.
The camp has been recently taken over by Asilia and new manager Sandy is a fabulous host. Again all the staff were friendly and helpful and our vegetarian diet was magnificently catered for. The camp is simple but stylish, comfortable and clean, with widely spaced individual tents. We felt like we were the only ones in the bush as we drifted off to sleep to the sound of lionesses calling from the nearby Mwagussi river."
Magic moments
Botswana and 1 other country between 4 Sep 2013 and 16 Sep 2013
The three Kwando camps were uniformly excellent but different in their own ways. The common denominator was the positive and welcoming attitude of all the staff. No exceptions. We can't praise them too highly. All were extremely helpful, worked hard and really seemed to want to contribute to the enjoyment of your holiday.
We were apprehensive when setting out as to how we would cope as vegetarians but we enjoyed every meal. We have seen negative reviews about the food but literally everything is cooked or prepared from scratch and we found it extraordinary how such delicious things are prepared in the middle of nowhere.
A small point but we think Kwando are missing an opportunity in the camp shops where there is little choice of local crafts as mementoes. Indeed no-one seemed to know what if anything had been made in Botswana.
This was our first visit to Africa and would probably be difficult to beat. Everything went smoothly from the moment we landed at Victoria Falls to our return flight to Maun. We saw everything that we wanted to see and more and returned home with more than 1600 photographs and memories that will be with us for a long time. Kwando's policy of a maximum six people per jeep makes for memorable and intimate sightings. On a couple of occasions we were the only ones in the jeep. Being so close to the wildlife with no-one else about was magical."

Ilala Lodge
"Great location for Victoria Falls"
We did think the bedroom and bathroom were a little tired and needed updating. But both were clean and this didn't detract from the two nights we spent there.
We were surprised to be starting our wildlife sightings here with mongoose, hippo and warthogs in the hotel garden.
We enjoyed a sunset cruise on the hotel's boat Ra Ikane which, though quite expensive, proved to be a terrific experience thanks to the skipper and his mate."

Lebala Camp
"Great introduction to Kwando camps"
The camp was full and we felt that this was the maximum number of other guests that we would want to interact with on this sort of holiday."

Lagoon Camp
"Superb location and sumptuous accommodation"
Without leaving the camp we were able to enjoy elephants crossing the river and even wandering through the site. We very much enjoyed the evening boat cruise and the chance to stretch our legs on a walk."

Little Kwara
"Little Kwara ... big experience"
The guide and tracker were very pro-active and on a number of occasions we actively tracked animals rather than seeing what turned up. Dutch the guide was very good at positioning the vehicle to get the best light for photographs. Both he and the other guide Tom proved good company at mealtimes and were a mine of information.
All the guests were leaving on the same day so we had a great farewell dinner with dancing and singing. The accommodation here may be a little more basic but our tent was in a great location overlooking the lake and in our eyes was just as good as the other two camps. Particular highlights for us were: watching Dutch and Chester go through the fascinating process of tracking (and finding!) cheetahs; the evening boat dash back from the heronry and our mokoro trip with Tom at the helm and hippos watching our every move."
Staff really friendly and helpful. We arrived after 10pm from Kilimanjaro and there was a lovely vegetarian meal waiting for us.
Great for the start or end of a safari."