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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Mr S & Mrs K from UK

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

2

Countries visited

2

Lodges stayed in

15

Excursions taken

1

An enjoyable trip to Selous and Mikumi

Tanzania between 10 Sep 2016 and 22 Sep 2016

Trip rating: Excellent
"We had been to Mikumi (the old Foxes Camp on the same site as Stanley's Kopje) about 12 - 15 years ago and hadn't seen very much. This time we saw a lot more, thanks largely to Clarence, our driver/guide.

We loved Lake Manze Camp, more than Stanley's Kopje or Sand Rivers, as, to us, it provided a more authentic safari experience."

Southern Sun Dar

Southern Sun Dar

"Comfortable Hotel"

1 night Arrived 10 Sep 2016
"We stayed at the Southern Sun before and after our safari.

The room was comfortable and we were particularly grateful that they allowed us to keep the room until our 8pm journey to the airport.

Breakfast was good, including bacon, sausage and eggs. We also had a couple of meals in the restaurant, which were also fine.

The hotel is next to the Botanical Gardens, which we thought would be good, but the gardens were a huge disappointment - a few interesting trees, but very little else."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Stanley's Kopje

Stanley's Kopje

"Camp in Underrated Reserve"

2 nights Arrived 11 Sep 2016
"We visited Stanley's Kopje for two nights before travelling on to Selous. We found our accommodation very comfortable with good views over the park.

The dining room is a steep climb up from the tents and the climb is not something we'd want to do on a regular basis. The food was fine, main courses being provided on a buffet basis.

We do feel that some improvements could be made for visitors going into the reserve. Breakfast was not available until 7am and there was no facility for coffee and biscuits for those wishing to leave earlier. There would seem to be no reason why these could not be provided in the reception area from (say) 6am. On the plus side, we were provided with coffee in our tent at 6.30am on the day we were leaving.

The Mikumi reserve seems to us to be very underrated. We saw lots of mammals and birds, including the only leopard we saw on the entire trip."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Average
Activities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Lake Manze Adventure Camp

Lake Manze Adventure Camp

"A real Safari Camp"

4 nights Arrived 13 Sep 2016
"This camp really lived up to its billing as one that concentrated on the safari experience without any unnecessary extras.

Shawn and Milli are excellent hosts, friendly and well organised. Game drives and boat trips on Lake Manze were always available. You just had to decide the evening before what you wanted to do. A short walk (largely based on botany and dung identification!) was also worth doing.

The location is very good for wildlife with elephants walking through the camp and regular sightings of genets from the dinner table. The guiding and driving were good. The tents were comfortable and food good and plentiful."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sand Rivers Camp

Sand Rivers Camp

"A luxury Camp"

3 nights Arrived 17 Sep 2016
"The setting for Sand Rivers camp above the Rufiji river is very picturesque. The accommodation is luxurious.

The food was good, although we actually preferred the rather more rustic approach to dining at Lake Manze.

The guiding was good, but we did feel that there could have been more discussion with us regarding the activities available. We had booked one night at the fly camp and had a river trip up to Stiegler's Gorge, both of which were excellent; otherwise, it was just assumed that we'd go on game drives. On the last evening we did ask for a short river trip, which was arranged and was very pleasant.

The range of wildlife is good, although not as good as at Lake Manze."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Sand Rivers fly-camping

Sand Rivers fly-camping

"Excellent Fly Camp"

1 night Arrived 20 Sep 2016
"We came to our lakeside fly camp after an early evening game drive. The fire was already going and chairs and a bar set out for us.

We had a net to sleep under and (reasonably) comfortable beds to sleep in. There was also a tent to get changed in, which can serve as alternative sleeping accommodation, if the whole experience is too scary (it wasn't). Our guide had his own tent, although he stayed awake all night to watch out for danger and to escort us to the toilet. A bucket shower was also available.

There was a team of about half a dozen other camp employees to prepare the food and to carry out the other necessary duties. They provided an excellent dinner and breakfast.

The only nighttime disturbance came from a few noisy impala, although we did hear lion and hyena some distance away.

A very worthwhile experience."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Southern Sun Dar

Southern Sun Dar

"Southern Sun Dar review"

1 night Arrived 21 Sep 2016
"See our earlier review. [Ed: see below]"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

A Well Organised Trip

Namibia between 3 Sep 2010 and 23 Sep 2010

Trip rating: Excellent
"We were very satisfied with the itinerary agreed with you and really couldn't have asked for more.

The accommodation was excellent and staff everywhere were friendly and helpful.

A few tips for others. Don't believe time estimates for journeys given by locals. Add about 25% to get an accurate driving time. Unless you're sticking to tarred roads, it's well worth getting at least a high clearance 2WD vehicle, such as the Nissan X-Trails. There are a lot of large and sharp stones on many of the gravel roads. These are particularly bad around Palmwag and on the approach (from the south) to Wolwedans."

Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo


Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch

Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch

"Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch review"

1 night Arrived 4 Sep 2010
"Comfortable accommodation.

Friendly and helpful owner.

Game drive OK as a first day drive, but wouldn't have been worth it after seeing wildlife in more productive areas.

Good place to spend first night."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Wolwedans Dune Camp

Wolwedans Dune Camp

"Wolwedans Dune Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 5 Sep 2010
"Fantastic location.

Very friendly and helpful staff. The only place to offer a packed lunch on the day of our departure.

More wildlife than you'd expect.

Can't fault it."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Cornerstone Guesthouse

Cornerstone Guesthouse

"Cornerstone Guesthouse review"

2 nights Arrived 8 Sep 2010
"Good central location. Very helpful owners.

A good place for a break in between long drives.

From Swakopmund, Expert Africa organised a day-trip to Sandwich Harbour for these travellers. They commented:

This is an excellent trip, particularly for someone keen on birds, but also for anyone interested in extraordinary scenery and wildlife.
Ernst was a very informative and friendly driver/guide. As well as the birds we saw lots of jackal and learned a lot about the issues facing the area..

Driving over the dunes was quite an experience.

A very nice lunch was provided, although it didn't quite match the sumptuous feast which I'd imagined, having read previous reviews.
Highly recommended."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Coast and Sandwich Harbour

Coast and Sandwich Harbour

"Land Rover Trip to Sandwich Harbour"

9 Sep 2010 • All-day excursion

This is an excellent trip, particularly for someone keen on birds, but also for anyone interested in extraordinary scenery and wildlife.
Ernst was a very informative and friendly driver/guide. As well as the birds we saw lots of jackal and learned a lot about the issues facing the area..
Driving over the dunes was quite an experience.
A very nice lunch was provided, although it didn't quite match the sumptuous feast which I'd imagined, having read previous reviews.
Highly recommended.
Excellent
Doro Nawas

Doro Nawas

"Doro Nawas review"

1 night Arrived 10 Sep 2010
"Felt it is an opportunity missed.

The main building feels quite soulless. The organisation doesn't seem up to the standard of other similarly priced lodges.
Star gazing from the roof is advertised, but actually you can see little, due to the lights. Star viewing is much better from one's own hut.

Would be nice to have coffee in the room and for an early morning flask of hot water to be provided. It's a bit of a climb to get a pre-breakfast cuppa otherwise. Activities are ludicrously overpriced.

On the plus side the rooms are very nice, the food fine and the staff friendly."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Etendeka Mountain Camp

Etendeka Mountain Camp

"Etendeka Mountain Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 11 Sep 2010
"Great setting.

Very knowledgable owner/guide.

Plenty of wildlife."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Okaukuejo Camp

Okaukuejo Camp

"Okaukuejo Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 13 Sep 2010
"Accommodation much better than it used to be, although waterside chalet quite small.

Would benefit from facilities for preparing one's own food. You're pretty well obliged to take breakfast (which is surprisingly good and included in the price) and dinner in the dining room.

It is nice that, at least when we were there, breakfast was half an hour before the gates opened. This meant that you could get into the park before the crowds.

The range of stock in the shop is abysmal. Good for water and beer, but that's about it - no coffee!

Waterhole excellent for evening viewing of elephant and rhino in particular."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Poor
Onguma Camp Kala

Onguma Camp Kala

"Onguma Tree Top review"

2 nights Arrived 16 Sep 2010
"Lovely setting. Nice place to relax after driving round Etosha.
Staff very friendly and food excellent.

Guide knowledgable, but not good at judging his audience. In drive round the private reserve, there were too many stops and his explanations were far too detailed.

A few doubts about the operation of the reserve. They've bought in some black wildebeeste, but they haven't thrived. We were told later that they also had problems with a rhino, which had to be sold on."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Mundulea Reserve

Mundulea Reserve

"Mundulea Reserve review"

3 nights Arrived 18 Sep 2010
"The best place we visited. Bruno is a fantastic extremely knowledgable host/guide.

We've been to Southern Africa on quite a few occasions, but still learned a lot.

Walks are very good and (mostly) were adapted to our very low fitnes levels!

Couldn't recommend it more highly."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Erongo Wilderness Lodge

Erongo Wilderness Lodge

"Erongo Wilderness Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 21 Sep 2010
"Very nice place to end tour.

Wonderful setting among huge boulders. Very good for birds difficult to see elsewhere (Hartlaub's Francolin, Rockrunner, Monteiro's Hornbill, Black Eagle etc.).

Also good views of Porcupine and lots of Rock Dassie.

Staff changed a flat tyre for us."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good

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