Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs B from Lancs
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
2
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
13
Excursions taken
0
My Jan 2022 trip
Kenya between 29 Jan 2022 and 19 Feb 2022
"Excellent holiday all round
Expert Africa were excellent through the whole booking and travelling process
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
It was all first rate so no improvement necessary!!"
Expert Africa were excellent through the whole booking and travelling process
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
It was all first rate so no improvement necessary!!"
Arranged By Claire Scott
Sasaab
"Sasaab review"
3 nights
Arrived
31 Jan 2022
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Lion
1 sighting
Oryx
5 sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Solio Lodge
"Solio Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
3 Feb 2022
"Beautiful lodge really enjoyed it here specially the fires in the bedroom and bathrooms"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Black Rhino
4 sightings
Buffalo
10+ sightings
Eland
4 sightings
Giraffe
3 sightings
Leopard
2 sightings
Striped Hyena
2 sightings
White Rhino
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Sala's Camp
"Sala's Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
6 Feb 2022
"Again a lovely camp right along the river side
Enjoyed the camp fire at night especially the social interaction with other guests and staff
Manager here was excellent. Moses our guide was excellent and so was our spotter Johnny
Saw the most amazing wildlife here"
Enjoyed the camp fire at night especially the social interaction with other guests and staff
Manager here was excellent. Moses our guide was excellent and so was our spotter Johnny
Saw the most amazing wildlife here"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Buffalo
10+ sightings
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Hippo
1 sighting
Leopard
4 sightings
Lion
10+ sightings
Pangolin
1 sighting
Spotted Hyena
4 sightings
Wild dog
10+ sightings
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
7 sightings
Kinondo Kwetu
"Kinondo Kwetu review"
10 nights
Arrived
8 Feb 2022
"Nice rustic lodge but have to be aware families come here did spoil the serenity a little
Accommodation was good but a little rustic
Food was good although a little repetitive although having said that they do offer to cook you something different if you ask and they are happy to do this."
Accommodation was good but a little rustic
Food was good although a little repetitive although having said that they do offer to cook you something different if you ask and they are happy to do this."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Four Points Nairobi Airport
"Four Points by Sheraton review"
1 night
Arrived
18 Feb 2022
"Nice hotel right next to airport and good food, rooms and good service"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Adventures in Namibia
Namibia between 17 Feb 2017 and 4 Mar 2017
"We have travelled all over this world but this holiday is up there with the best few. It was a real adventure from start to finish.
We saw so many amazing sights and stayed at some amazing places.The service we received for management and staff alike was wonderful. If it hadn't have been for two things - not being able to see the Fish River Canyon, and the stay at the Ongava Lodge, we would say it was a perfect holiday but unfortunately this spoilt it somewhat.
Thanks to expert Africa for all arrangement which were perfect."
We saw so many amazing sights and stayed at some amazing places.The service we received for management and staff alike was wonderful. If it hadn't have been for two things - not being able to see the Fish River Canyon, and the stay at the Ongava Lodge, we would say it was a perfect holiday but unfortunately this spoilt it somewhat.
Thanks to expert Africa for all arrangement which were perfect."
Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch
"good overnight stay"
1 night
Arrived
17 Feb 2017
"this is fine for an overnight stay. dinner was good, service was good, room was good pool was good"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Fish River Lodge
" disappointed couldn't do canyon "
2 nights
Arrived
18 Feb 2017
"good stay in lovely rooms with lovely views.
pool was nice
food and service good
very disappointed we couldn't book the canyon drive for the following day as there were no space left. we were not the only ones who issed out either!!!!
they shouldn't offer this if they don't have enough vehicles or staff for everyone to do this.... why else would you be going there if not to see the canyon !!!!!!! only other thing you could do was a self guided walk on the rim....... not what we went there for...very disappointing!"
pool was nice
food and service good
very disappointed we couldn't book the canyon drive for the following day as there were no space left. we were not the only ones who issed out either!!!!
they shouldn't offer this if they don't have enough vehicles or staff for everyone to do this.... why else would you be going there if not to see the canyon !!!!!!! only other thing you could do was a self guided walk on the rim....... not what we went there for...very disappointing!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Terrible
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Dabis Guest Farm
"excellent"
1 night
Arrived
20 Feb 2017
"ex stay
made us very welcome
farm tour was excellent
dinner was from all food produced on farm and ex
didn't use pool as it looked a little murky"
made us very welcome
farm tour was excellent
dinner was from all food produced on farm and ex
didn't use pool as it looked a little murky"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Excellent
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
"ex"
2 nights
Arrived
21 Feb 2017
"excellent in every respect. rooms were the best we have stayed in anywhere
service was exceptional ...they made us feel special and went above and beyond was we expected
drives were first rate and had dinner under the stars in the desert one night...what more can you say
pool lovely
food ex"
service was exceptional ...they made us feel special and went above and beyond was we expected
drives were first rate and had dinner under the stars in the desert one night...what more can you say
pool lovely
food ex"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Strand Hotel
"ex"
2 nights
Arrived
23 Feb 2017
"ex stay in lovely new modern hotel right by the beach but still close to the centre
lovely rooms
breakfast was ex with so much choice"
lovely rooms
breakfast was ex with so much choice"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Damaraland Camp
"ex"
3 nights
Arrived
25 Feb 2017
"another ex stay and staff here are exceptional but I guess its the management that really makes the difference here.
Management were there all the time welcoming you back from drives and eating with you at meals. We particularly love the fact that everyone eats together at one table almost like a large family. The atmosphere was so friendly. Guides and drives were ex
Pool was excellent. Food was excellent. Wonderful from start to finish"
Management were there all the time welcoming you back from drives and eating with you at meals. We particularly love the fact that everyone eats together at one table almost like a large family. The atmosphere was so friendly. Guides and drives were ex
Pool was excellent. Food was excellent. Wonderful from start to finish"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Ongava Tented Camp
"not good"
2 nights
Arrived
28 Feb 2017
"The only lodge that was way below standard.
on the positives-
guide was good and game viewing ex.
room was good
on the negatives-
food awful
management non existant and I suspect this was the whole problem
On the day of our arrival we were told Neil was our guide and to meet at 4.30 but he was no where to be seen and everyone else left with their guides so we asked someone and they said our guide was Abner tonight and someone else tomorrow but they didnt know who. So we had to run to catch up with our guide only just getting there before he left. He obviously didn't know we were with him either. we had a tremendous downpour while on the drive and he had only enough waterproofs for 6 and there 8 of us so we all got totally drenched. when we arrived back we asked who would take us out tomorrow and they said it would be the same guide again so we had to go and find him to ask about the times for meeting up. Altogether a real mess!!!!!!! and this is meant to be a holiday
The meals were best described as awful. The only food we enjoyed as pea soup one night. The steak I had on the first night was inedible and the fish on the second night was cooked in soggy batter probably straight from a frozen packet or worse.
When we checked out the only person on the place was our waiter and that pretty much says it all !
This is the worst place we have stayed in years and really disappointed."
on the positives-
guide was good and game viewing ex.
room was good
on the negatives-
food awful
management non existant and I suspect this was the whole problem
On the day of our arrival we were told Neil was our guide and to meet at 4.30 but he was no where to be seen and everyone else left with their guides so we asked someone and they said our guide was Abner tonight and someone else tomorrow but they didnt know who. So we had to run to catch up with our guide only just getting there before he left. He obviously didn't know we were with him either. we had a tremendous downpour while on the drive and he had only enough waterproofs for 6 and there 8 of us so we all got totally drenched. when we arrived back we asked who would take us out tomorrow and they said it would be the same guide again so we had to go and find him to ask about the times for meeting up. Altogether a real mess!!!!!!! and this is meant to be a holiday
The meals were best described as awful. The only food we enjoyed as pea soup one night. The steak I had on the first night was inedible and the fish on the second night was cooked in soggy batter probably straight from a frozen packet or worse.
When we checked out the only person on the place was our waiter and that pretty much says it all !
This is the worst place we have stayed in years and really disappointed."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor
Location
Good
Service
Terrible
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Terrible
Feedback response
Following these travellers comments Ongava Tented Camp (OTC) have expressed the regret that the standards here were not as high as everyone would have expected and they have apologized whole-heartedly.
Shortly before their stay the Ongava Reserve broke away from a longstanding partnership with Wilderness Safaris and it seems that the effects of striking out on their own were still being felt during these travellers visit. At the time there had been a spate of short notice staff departures leaving the camp understaffed and overstretched. Whilst this shouldn’t be an excuse we believe this was the major contributing factor to the apparent lack of management and subsequent communication problems.
Since these travellers stayed here the camp has been actively increasing the number of staff and training the existing members to improve standards.
Similarly since their stay the camp has undergone ‘off season’ renovations and partial closures. As a part of this the chefs have been sent on an ‘intensive weeks training at the Silver Spoon academy’ to improve the standard and quality of the food.
So, whilst we understand that these travellers were disappointed by their experience here we believe that their comments have not only been heard by the camp but also acted upon. We hope that this will help future travellers enjoy the high levels service we have come to expect from Ongava Tented Camp.
Shortly before their stay the Ongava Reserve broke away from a longstanding partnership with Wilderness Safaris and it seems that the effects of striking out on their own were still being felt during these travellers visit. At the time there had been a spate of short notice staff departures leaving the camp understaffed and overstretched. Whilst this shouldn’t be an excuse we believe this was the major contributing factor to the apparent lack of management and subsequent communication problems.
Since these travellers stayed here the camp has been actively increasing the number of staff and training the existing members to improve standards.
Similarly since their stay the camp has undergone ‘off season’ renovations and partial closures. As a part of this the chefs have been sent on an ‘intensive weeks training at the Silver Spoon academy’ to improve the standard and quality of the food.
So, whilst we understand that these travellers were disappointed by their experience here we believe that their comments have not only been heard by the camp but also acted upon. We hope that this will help future travellers enjoy the high levels service we have come to expect from Ongava Tented Camp.
Okonjima Bush Camp
"excellent"
2 nights
Arrived
2 Mar 2017
"What can I say it was ex in every respect and a total surprise
staff were ex
food was ex
rooms were amazing
guides and activities ex
wildlife ex"
staff were ex
food was ex
rooms were amazing
guides and activities ex
wildlife ex"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Staff excellent and food very good.
Guides all very good"