Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs H from Scotland

"After a long and tiring journey this was a quiet and peaceful hotel to recharge our batteries.
The room was comfortable with everything you could need. There is a pleasant terrace in gardens with a swimming pool though we did not use it. We had an excellent evening meal and an early breakfast which was also excellent. All staff were pleasant and helpful.

We did attempt a stroll in the surrounding area in the early evening but there was not much to see. However there are botanical gardens next to the hotel which would be worth a visit if time allowed.

The taxi journey from and to the airport gives a glimpse of local life. A good hotel for an overnight stop but if there is a hotel nearer the airport I would be inclined to choose it."

"We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Selous Impala Camp.

All of the staff were so friendly and couldn't do enough to help us. Our guide Dennis, was great and managed to find us wild dogs on three occasions as well as mating lions and a dung beetle! The wildlife sightings in our three days were very good and included a wide variety of animals along with many birds, which we are particularly interested in.

We very much enjoyed mixing land and river safaris. A major plus was that we were on our own with Dennis for all of our safaris which we were not expecting. The camp seems to do this as standard which could be an important factor when choosing which camp to stay in.

Our tent was perfect. It felt very much part of the surroundings, not too plush, but extremely comfortable with everything that we needed. I loved waking up during the night to hear an animal munching away on the vegetation just on the other side of the canvas.

The food was of a good standard with large portions and plenty of variety over our stay. A choice is available for dinner which had to be chosen at lunch time. The restaurant is well run and the waiting staff especially friendly.

We did make use of the very nice swimming pool which is an added bonus to the camp.

We would not hesitate to recommend this camp and would happily return there ourselves."

"Our whole trip had been planned around being able to go to Kichaka and we were very much looking forward to it. I needn't have been worrying that my expectations might have been too high! It really is somewhere very special and it is perhaps appreciated more and more as I think back on our three days spent there.

As it happened we were the only guests staying for our entire visit. While it might have been nice to meet other people it actually made our stay all the more special. We never saw another visitor or vehicle during our stay which brought home the remoteness of the place.

I had read much of Moli and his talent as a guide on walking safaris. You really need to be with him to appreciate just how inspirational he is. He dealt very well with the potential walking difficulties of my husband. We always felt safe with Moli and David the Park ranger even when we were fairly close to elephants and cape buffalo. Moli has a way of making everything he talks about so interesting and has a very wide knowledge of animals, plants, ecology, ethics and ecosystems. An interesting person to spend time with. We learned so much on our walks with Moli and am sure will remember this experience for ever.

Sam was our guide for our drives. He is a very special young man who looked after us very well, showed us many animals and plants, and gave us lots of interesting information.

Our tent at Kichaka was just so lovely. Luxurious touches without detracting from the feeling of being very much with nature. A difficult combination to achieve. I just loved the bucket shower and drop toilet.

The food at Kichaka was without exception extremely good. However the highlight at meal times was having the company of Moli, Noelle and Jaques. We had such great conversations and fun.

All of the staff at camp were wonderful. Friendly and very good at whatever role they played.

As you will have gathered we loved being at Kichaka and feel privileged to have had the experience."

"We spent four nights at Ikuka. This is a well organised and run camp and maybe a bit more formal than others we have been to.

All staff were helpful and friendly and I was well looked after when I had to spend a day in bed with a tummy upset.

Our 'room' was the family lodge and was awesome. Huge, open and beautifully furnished and with a plunge pool, it felt very indulgent. The food was of a very high standard. Lunch at separate tables with a communal table in the evenings was a good formula.

We were unfortunate to experience some problems with the vehicle we were in. Three out our first four drives were spoiled by these problems. We took it in good heart on our first breakdown where we had to wait one and a half hours for help to arrive and get it fixed however by the third time we were a bit fed up with it. The manager did apologise and we were given a bottle of bubbly but it did detract from our overall experience of the camp. Perhaps this contributed to our slight disappointment in our wildlife viewing. While we are happy to soak in the landscape and were very interested in the many birds we saw we seemed to be unlucky with few sightings, although we did have a lovely viewing of a leopard in a tree, a large herd of buffalo and many sightings of elephant. The highlight of our drives was at Hippo Lake a beautiful area and well worth the journey.

Although I was aware at the time of booking that Ikuka was a twenty minute drive from the main wildlife area I had not fully appreciated that this adds up to eighty minutes per day. So although the views from camp are amazing they come at a cost. The last part of the drive to camp is particularly steep and bumpy.

Overall we were happy with Ikuka but I would probably book a camp nearer to the main wildlife area if I was returning to Ruaha."

"Our six night stay at Pongwe was paradise. I cannot imagine anywhere better to relax and chill out. Superb beach and wonderful sea which was enhanced by the huge tidal variation. This allowed us to swim and also to wander along the beach for as far as you could wish.

The hotel makes relaxing so easy..... beach chairs , hammocks, swimming pool, sea, white sand, the sound of waves, palm trees softly swaying in the breeze, drinks and food brought to wherever you happen to be, the list goes on.

The food was exceptionally good with well cooked fish always on the menu.

All staff were helpful, friendly, cheerful and very good at their jobs.Nothing seemed to be too much trouble.

We had a room with a plunge pool for five nights. This was very spacious and comfortable. The bathroom , while perfectly acceptable, could do with a refurbish. We moved to a newly refurbished beachfront room for our last night and I just loved it. Beautifully decorated and well appointed.

We really didn't want to drag ourselves away but did do a day trip to Stonetown which is very interesting and well worth visiting as was a spice tour on the day of our departure. There are options to participate in various water activities although we passed on them.

Cannot recommend this relaxing piece of paradise too highly, you will be well looked after."

"We had stayed at Hilltop Guesthouse on a previous visit to Windhoek and had thought it ideal as a stopover after our long flight to Windhoek. We requested to stay here again and were not disappointed. It is situated on the outskirts of town with a lovely open view. The owner is very welcoming, helpful and informative.

Our room was spacious, tastefully decorated and well equipped with water,tea/coffee,safe and hairdryer. It had a great view over the swimming pool and garden to the hills in the distance. The bathroom was also spacious with a powerful shower. The veranda in front of the room had a table where we were served a delicious breakfast. All staff were friendly and helpful.

I would have no reservations in highly recommending this accommodation.

We had a very good evening meal at The Social just a few minutes walk from the guesthouse, a modern Portuguese restaurant specializing in fish."

"We had previously stayed at Ongava Lodge but had opted for the less expensive Anderssons Camp on this trip and I'm so glad we did. This camp is charming. Well located with a waterhole and hide for viewing, though not many animals around on our visit. We loved the accommodation, so different from others we stayed in as it was based on using local materials. The bathroom was particularly charming with stone walls, an old tin bath as shower tray and corrugated iron roofing. The beds were very comfortable and there was water and tea/coffee facilities. Not hugely spacious but plenty of room for bags, clothes etc. Doors led out to a veranda with overhanging trees where a number of birds were observed.

The lounge and dining area are comfortable with plenty of seating and they overlook the waterhole. Meals are at individual tables. The food was very good and service friendly. An effort is made to make your dining experience special.
Staff at Anderssons Camp were warm in their greetings, efficient in their organisation and the guide who took us for an afternoon drive in Ongava was excellent.

We drove ourselves into Etosha and found the Camp to be well located for doing so. Okaukuejo waterhole is in a lovely situation with a variety of animals coming and going, the down side is that there are likely to be a number of other people around. Driving west to Ozonjuitji m' Bari waterhole was well worth it. Large numbers of animals and the place to ourselves. Returning towards Camp we took the detour to Sprokieswoud which has a slightly different feel with quite a few trees including baobabs."

"Everything about Onguma made it a perfect place to stay for three nights.

The Camp is very well designed with great use of line, shape and colour all leading to a sense of well-being. The main areas are very open which leads you to feel you are at one with the surroundings. Plenty of comfortable seating, individual tables for dining, a fire pit area and a rather nice pool with loungers, all with views of the water hole, make for a very comfortable stay.

Our tent, number 5, had a particularly good view of the water hole. All tents are very private, it was lovely to sit on the veranda and watch the various animals come and go. The tent was faultless, tasteful in design and every amenity you could reasonably want. The outdoor shower was a winner.

Food was delicious both at dinner and breakfast and served with a smile.
All of the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful. We were also taken by surprise on our second night to be served diner on our veranda which was decked out with lights, all very romantic!

We drove ourselves into Etosha on the two days we were there which did take a good half hour to get to but we encountered various birds and animals on the way so this was not a problem. We especially enjoyed the road around Fischer's Pan. The only disappointment was that we left it rather late to ask for an early morning bush walk and it was already full so would recommend making any request in good time."

"For a one night stop over between east Etosha and Ndhovu Lodge, Hakusembe was a good choice. It's only a few minutes drive from Rundu so not much of a detour for our route. We did make good time on our journey and perhaps we could have made it to Ndhovu without this stop. This might have been preferable but on the other hand it would have been a long drive and not given us any margin for an unforeseen delay.

The lodge is in a lovely location right on the river and the gardens are pretty. We were given a warm welcome and were able to book ourselves on the sun downer river cruise. There was also time for a spot of relaxation by the pool. The lodge is larger than any other we stayed in and naturally there were a lot more people around than we were used to which does make it a bit less personal.

Our room was spacious and well appointed with a great view from the veranda over the river. A nice touch was the early morning delivery of coffee to the room.
The sun downer river cruise was enjoyable but was certainly aimed at the' champagne' rather than the wildlife.

The food was very acceptable with plenty of choice.

All staff were pleasant, friendly and helpful."

"We absolutely loved our two night stay at Ndhovu.

As the road was flooded we had to leave our car and get punted across the water to the waiting truck then be driven to the lodge, an unexpected and very enjoyable experience.

Johan and Monica were the perfect hosts and are clearly a major factor in the success of this lodge. We enjoyed two sun downer river cruises with Johann whose expert knowledge in all wildlife and in the wider ecology and politics of the area made both trips ones which we will treasure in our memories. Monica and Johann joined guests for the evening meal and were attentive to see that everyone was included in conversation. We learnt a lot about life in Africa from both of them, very interesting people.
Meals were communal with plenty of conversation and the food delicious.

Our tent, while fairly basic, was clean and was very much in keeping with the whole rustic, back to nature feeling of the whole lodge. We drove ourselves into Mahango Game Reserve spending most of the day there and would thoroughly recommend it. Plenty of wildlife including many birds and great to be able to go at your own pace."

"We thoroughly enjoyed our three night stay at Nambwa Tented Lodge.

We were picked up at the park entrance by Kennit ,our guide for our stay. Unless you are an experienced 4x4 driver I would recommend making use of this service as the road is rough with deep sand. A large number of elephants were encountered on our road to the lodge, a theme which was to be repeated throughout our stay.

The communal areas are comfortable, pleasing on the eye and offer views over the plain below. Our tent, built high off the ground was simply stunning. Very spacious, very well appointed and relaxing to be in with the bonus of a lounge area. A wrap around veranda also gave views across the plains. Whilst there is no pool at the moment (plans for two are in the offing) there was nowhere to simply stretch out and take in the views and soak up the sun.

Juan was a very welcoming and attentive host. He spent a lot of time engaging with the guests, ensuring everyone was happy with all aspects of their stay. Kennit, our guide, took us on river drives, game drives and bush walks. His knowledge, bird spotting abilities, patience and humour all added to our overall experience. We have brought home treasured memories from these activities. All staff were engaged in their work, friendly and helpful.

We had a great time here and would highly recommend it. Perhaps two nights would be the ideal if you have a busy itinerary."

"Our stay at Garden Lodge was wonderful.

From the moment we arrived and were greeted by the team we were made to feel welcome and nothing was too much trouble. The lodge is small, overlooks the river and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Our room was spacious, well equipped and tastefully decorated. The bathroom was large with a great walk in shower. A veranda with comfortable seating had great views especially at sundown. Elephants, hippo and mongoose were all seen in the gardens.

We enjoyed some relaxation on loungers around the pool and in the comfortable lounge area, supplied with a selection of interesting books and where tea and coffee were available.

Meals were taken communally, in a relaxed atmosphere with attention to every ones particular needs. The food was delicious, plentiful and served with a smile.

We had pre booked a day trip to Victoria Falls. The organisation of this was flawless and we had a wonderful experience from the moment we were collected in the morning to our return in the late afternoon.

As we had time on the morning of our departure before our pick up we asked if we could have a game drive into Chobe . This turned out to be a great experience with just the two of us with our guide who was excellent.

The staff really made this place one we would highly recommend."

"Our two night stay on the Chobe Princess was an enjoyable experience giving us a different perspective to viewing wildlife.

Getting to the boat from Kasane involved exiting Botswana and entering Namibia through immigration on Impalila Island. This was an adventure in itself and added to the sense of 'doing something different'. All arrangements went like clockwork and we were warmly greeted by Robert on arrival at the boat. Our cabin, one of five on this particular boat , was nicely decorated, well appointed and comfortable. The focal point was the large windows which allowed us to watch passing scenery and wildlife from the bed. The bathroom had a good shower though the availability of hot water was a bit variable. One cabin had its own private balcony and another was on the top deck with full length sliding glass doors these might be worth requesting.

The communal dining and seating area was well furnished, bright and a pleasant area to be in. On deck was a hot tub, though no one used it on our stay. The upper deck had a four chairs , a table and one lounger, a few more of these would have been nice. Mealtimes were communal and it was interesting to chat with fellow guests. The food was delicious and plentiful. All staff were friendly and helpful. Robert, the captain, managed staff, guests and arrangements particularly well.

During our stay there were 11 guests so a 'full ship'. This was good socially but could have been a bit tricky if different parties had wished different activities as there simply weren't enough small boats for this. We asked Robert if we could have a birding river drive and he took us out himself for a morning. It turned out to be one of the highlights of our whole trip. He was very knowledgeable, a great spotter and great company. We saw many birds at very close hand, various animals and even two lions about to mate. Our other excursions were also very enjoyable.

We would have no hesitation in recommending a stay on a Chobe Princess."

"We thoroughly enjoyed our two night stay at Muchenje.

Robert and Joy run this lodge with passion, enthusiasm and attention to detail. They interact with all guests and everyone is made to feel welcome. The organisation of activities runs like clockwork and Joy's ability to notice when a particular grouping of guests may not be successful and to make arrangements accordingly, was very much appreciated.

The full day activity of river cruise and game drive is a winner. The only downside being that we wished it had been longer! We also loved the early morning bush walk , the local night drive and the sun-downer drive into Chobe. The quantity and quality of wildlife in this area is outstanding.

Our room was spacious, tastefully decorated,had a veranda with a great view and an excellent shower in the bathroom. The communal areas are well equipped with comfortable seating and lots of interesting books.The pool is set in pretty gardens and there are a number of seating areas as well as a fire pit. Staff join guests for communal meals which makes for great conversation. The food is plentiful and delicious.

We found the staff at Muchenje to be particularly engaged, friendly and highly competent. This was probably the best run lodge of our trip. We would highly recommend it for a stay."

"Overall we enjoyed our stay at Little Kwara however it didn't quite match up to other places that we stayed in, all of which were considerably cheaper.

Our tent was very spacious, had a lovely veranda surrounded by trees and a very comfortable bed. It was a little tired and the bathroom area could have done with being updated. Getting hot water for a shower was a problem, our solution was to have one in the heat of the day which was fine. The communal areas were nicely furnished, comfortable and had a great view over the plain. Many animals could be seen wandering about in the distance and also at times in the camp itself.

Meal times were communal with manager and guides joining guests. The food was delicious, some of the best we had enjoyed on our trip and the service excellent. All lodge staff were friendly and helpful.

The aspect of the camp which led to some disappointment was the activities and guiding. I am in agreement with the previous reviewer. Although Charles the manager had told us that our guide would discuss our activities with us it seemed to be already decided that we would be doing land drives. As I had specifically chosen Kwara because of it's land and water activities I was a little concerned and discussed this with Charles who then ensured that we experienced a very enjoyable river cruise and a short mokoro trip.

On reflection I wonder why guests are not asked on their arrival what activities they would like to experience then be allocated these, where possible, even if it means not being with the same guide all the time or the same guests. This would also allow for people who have a specific interest in say birds or in tracking more elusive animals to be allocated on the same drive. It might be a little more difficult to organize but it may lead to better experiences for guests and be easier for the guides.

We too found our guide, who was different from the previous reviewers, a bit of an enigma. At times talkative, cheerful and informative, at others taciturn and difficult to engage with. This did impact on my enjoyment of some of the activities and I felt uncomfortable which I have never felt before with any guide. Maybe because of the camps use of guide and tracker my expectations were too high and it is after all nature so animal spotting is unpredictable but I was surprised at the general lack of animals around. However we did see leopard, cheetah and lion which other vehicles had tracked. The remoteness and wildness of the reserve was a definite plus.

This review may sound rather negative and I would stress that the overall experience was good with some great memories being taken home."