Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs K from Maidstone

---

Lower Zambezi trip October 2017

On this trip, I visited South Africa & Zambia between 17-Oct-2017 and 7-Nov-2017 and I travelled with 1 other person.

A new area for us but well worth the trip.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
InterContinental O.R. Tambo, South Africa 27-Oct-2017 review: Intercontinental O.R. Tambo	Excellent
Radisson Blu Hotel, Zambia 28-Oct-2017 review: Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka	Average
Amanzi, Zambia 29-Oct-2017 review: Amanzi Review	Excellent
Old Mondoro Bushcamp, Zambia 1-Nov-2017 review: Old Mondoro Bushcamp review	Excellent

---

3 camp trip to Zambia and Zimbabwe

On this trip, I visited Zambia & Zimbabwe between 22-Oct-2015 and 9-Nov-2015 and I travelled with 1 other person.

We used two new camps which we had not visited previously and one where we have been regular visitors.

The two new camps exceeded our expectations and will feature for certain on any future visit to the areas.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Radisson Blu Hotel, Zambia 23-Oct-2015 review: Radisson Blu Hotel review	Good
Kaingo Camp, Zambia 24-Oct-2015 review: Kaingo Camp review	Excellent
Ilala Lodge, Zimbabwe 31-Oct-2015 review: Ilala Lodge review	Good
The Hide, Zimbabwe 1-Nov-2015 review: The Hide review	Good
Camp Hwange, Zimbabwe 5-Nov-2015 review: Camp Hwange review	Excellent

---

My Jan 2014 trip

On this trip, I visited Kenya between 27-Jan-2014 and 13-Feb-2014 and I travelled with 1 other person.

Everything fitted into place well - the individual elements and transfers worked on schedule.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

We have used Expert Africa for many years and have utmost confidence in their organising abilities and information for our trips.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Ole-Sereni, Kenya 27-Jan-2014 review: Ole Sereni comments	Poor
Tortilis Camp, Kenya 28-Jan-2014 review: Tortilis Camp review	Excellent

---

Zimbabwe & S.Africa trip Oct 2013

On this trip, I visited Botswana, South Africa & Zimbabwe between 10-Oct-2013 and 31-Oct-2013 and I travelled with 1 other person.

As a regular client of Expert Africa we received the normal high level of attention to our needs.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Chobe Safari Lodge, Botswana 11-Oct-2013 review: Chobe Safari Lodge review	Good
The Hide, Zimbabwe 13-Oct-2013 review: The Hide review	Excellent
Little Makalolo Camp, Zimbabwe 18-Oct-2013 review: Little Makalolo review	Good
Ilala Lodge, Zimbabwe 20-Oct-2013 review: Ilala Lodge review	Good
InterContinental O.R. Tambo, South Africa 21-Oct-2013 review: InterContinental OR Tambo review	Excellent
Own arrangements 22-Oct-2013 review: Visit to Hluhluwe and Umfolozi	Good
Phinda Vlei Lodge 25-Oct-2013 review: Phinda Vlei lodge review	Excellent
Phinda Rock Lodge 28-Oct-2013 review: Phinda Rock Lodge review	Excellent

---

Trip Review

On this trip, I visited South Africa & Zimbabwe between 30-Oct-2011 and 20-Nov-2011 and I travelled with 1 other person.

No more comment necessary

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Cannot comment on the web site as I only refer to your brochure and telephone discussions with staff. I also have extensive knowledge of many of the areas we go to.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Ilala Lodge, Zimbabwe 31-Oct-2011 review: Ilala Lodge	Good
The Hide, Zimbabwe 1-Nov-2011 review: The Hide	Excellent
Davison's Camp, Zimbabwe 5-Nov-2011 review: Davisons Camp review	Good
Ilala Lodge, Zimbabwe 7-Nov-2011 review: Ilala lodge review	Good
City Lodge OR Tambo, South Africa 8-Nov-2011 review: City Lodge OR Tambo Johannesburg	Average
own arrangements 9-Nov-2011 review: Overall trip review	Excellent

---

Overall comments

On this trip, I visited Botswana between 14-Feb-2011 and 2-Mar-2011 and I travelled with 1 other person.

We are experienced safari travellers and therefore do not go overboard with comments.

We know what we expect from certain areas we visit and plan our locations with the objective of seeing particular types of animal and bird.

We also know that "nothing is guaranteed".

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Regarding the "I can't comment" fields, I have not used your website much at all - perhaps I should have done - I tend to rely on direct telephone contact with the EA staff. On quotations, again I discuss at length with the staff to get the location and accommodation which I think meets our needs and is right on price.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Little Vumbura, Botswana 15-Feb-2011 review: Little Vumbura review	Excellent
Little Kwara, Botswana 19-Feb-2011 review: Little Kwara review	Average
Xakanaxa, Botswana 22-Feb-2011 review: Xakanaxa review	Excellent
Tau Pan Camp, Botswana 26-Feb-2011 review: Tau Pan camp review	Good

---

Overall satisfaction

On this trip, I visited Botswana & Zambia between 29-Sep-2008 and 18-Oct-2008 and I travelled with 1 other person.

One of our best trips in terms of the complete package. A wide variety of locations giving us a range of different environments and animal sightings with a good mixture of land and water.

If I were arranging it again I would not have put Tafika, Nsefu and Tena Tena all together - just two of the three would have sufficed - probably Tafika plus Tena Tena to give a slight variation of environment.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Tafika, Zambia 30-Sep-2008 review: Tafika review	Excellent
Nsefu, Zambia 2-Oct-2008 review: Nsefu review	Average
Tena Tena, Zambia 4-Oct-2008 review: Tena Tena review	Good
Avani Victoria Falls, Zambia 7-Oct-2008 review: Zambezi Sun review	Good
Lebala Camp, Botswana 8-Oct-2008 review: Lebala review	Excellent
Little Vumbura, Botswana 11-Oct-2008 review: Little Vumbura review	Excellent
Little Kwara, Botswana 14-Oct-2008 review: Little Kwara review	Excellent

---

Trip feedback

On this trip, I visited Botswana & Zambia between 1-Oct-2007 and 19-Oct-2007 and I travelled with 1 other person.

The visa waiver situation did not work on this occasion. This needs to be discused and further clarification made.
Please come back to me to discuss in detail.

Feedback response

We’re delighted that these travellers enjoyed their trip (and rated it as 'Excellent'), but sorry that they didn’t succeed in getting their visa fee waived by the Zambian immigration officials. Sadly this is never guaranteed. That’s why we always ask our travellers to carry enough US dollars on them to be able to purchase a visa if necessary.

That said, it’s thankfully rare for our travellers not to get their visa fee waived, and having learned from this traveller’s experience, we have adjusted our notes and procedures slightly – to further increase the chances of a fee-waived visa.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Tafika, Zambia 2-Oct-2007 review: Tafika review	Good
Lunga River Lodge, Zambia (this camp has since closed) 9-Oct-2007 review: Lunga River Lodge review	Average
Shumba Camp, Zambia 10-Oct-2007 review: Shumba Camp review	Excellent
Lunga River Lodge, Zambia (this camp has since closed) 13-Oct-2007 review: Lunga River Lodge review	Average
Avani Victoria Falls, Zambia 14-Oct-2007 review: Zambezi Sun	Good
Muchenje Safari Lodge, Botswana 15-Oct-2007 review: Muchenje Safari Lodge review	Excellent