Zimbabwe: reviews from our travellers

"First class service. Cannot fault the trip or Expert Africa's organisation." Read full review: 3 nights in Africa; 3 on a Zimbabwe safari

"Saskia planned the trip, and Maruska took over at the end.

Nicely planned - a good mix of camps, wildlife, and land/river.
it was a bit of a surprise to discover how dry Tubu was in November. I was more expecting hippos outside than a dry waterhole.

I'd do it all again tomorrow." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 6 on a Botswana safari

"Great variety and accommodations, especially given limited time available and sort of last minute booking. Maruska's excellent; courteous, informed, proactive, responsive, creative, etc." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 4 on a Botswana safari

"All transfers and flights worked like clockwork. Very impressed with Expert Africa's arrangements from start to finish. Full information given at all times and really good advice.

We love Kwando camps in particular although the best game viewing was at Sandibe. Saskia Adye was superb in helping us plan our trip and Maruska took over the reins very efficiently in the final stages.

We would certainly recommend expert Africa to anybody." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari

"This was a "special" holiday and it certainly lived up to expectations. Zimbabwe was absolutely wonderful, both camps were different but excellent and we saw more wildlife than I had expected. It was a real privilege to view it so closely and to be accompanied by guides who had expert knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for their subject.

Zimbabwe is a wonderful place and never have we felt safer anywhere. Everyone should go there - whatever you think of the regime, it is the people who need tourists and go out of their way to make them have such a good time.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

We hardly needed any money on our trip as so much was included, but in Bulawayo we could only use Visa cards, which I suspect was the case for other places.

We had intended to get our visa prior to travel, but when I 'phoned the Embassy, they assured me that it was easy to get one on arrival in Zimbabwe. A second call revealed that you needed to apply for a form which would take a week to arrive and then collect the visa from London. It was easy enough to get one at Vic Falls airport, but the queue was very lengthy and it took a long time to get through. It would seem that the Embassy make it difficult to get one in advance." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 9 on a Zimbabwe safari

"The trip was superb.

We are very happy with your recommendations, with your help and with the whole planning of the holiday.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Would be nice to indicate people traveling around Namibia in a self-driving trip the distances between locations.

We knew that and for us it was OK, but I think that for some elder drivers some of the distances between one hotel to the next can be fairly long." Read full review: 34 nights in Africa; 21 on a Namibia trip

"This trip was everything we had hoped for and more. The lodges we stayed at and the whole seemlessness of the logistics to facilitate it was excellent!
What more can I say?

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

I don't really have any suggestions.

This was our first experience of a tailor made safari and it has certainly made me feel confident to do this again. I had been slightly worried about how it would all link together and who would meet us and help us get from place to place and this could not really be faulted. I felt that even if I had been travelling alone I would have felt happy that someone was there to help me." Read full review: 7 nights in Africa; 7 on a Zimbabwe safari

"Very interesting and everything worked like clockwork with times and diet requirements all perfect. Tours Africa in Lusaka were excellent as well when we arrived early from Shiwa Ngandu.

Temperatures were a challenge at times but the itinerary worked better than I ever expected and ticked every box!

Thank you." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 9 on a Zambia safari

"We spent a magical 3 days at Camp Hwange. An exceptional lodge in every respect - the hospitality, the rooms, the staff, the food and definitely not least the guiding and the game." Read full review: 3 nights in Africa; 3 on a Zimbabwe safari

"I was thoroughly enjoying the trip until I became sick at Macatoo when I never got over the dysentery even with cipro, which had always worked the the past.

I loved the safari camps prior to Macatoo and had my expectations dashed there.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Wish I hadn't had such high expectations for Macatoo and Bazaruto (hard in Bazaruto as Portuguese was main language). My experience at the safari camps at the beginning to the trip far exceeded my expectations for a "camp"; I've done lots of camping, but the safari camps far exceeded anything I would call a "camp". Meals, facilities, drinks, guides exceeded all my expectations, but missed my mountains. Very impressed by the training and knowledge of the guides; only in Botswana is English the primary language.

Only down side was the HEAT, and getting pestered by the street vendors in Victoria Falls. Forget about a cotton scarf for the dust, but one thoroughly kept soaked, and dripping around my neck, saved several of the morning and afternoon safari rides. Might suggest those scarves filled with hydrating beads for the hot months; I would have brought one. Forget about wearing complete safari gear in the hot months, shorts and short sleeves are more appropriate; all vehicles have a roof for sun protection. Knowing how to keep cool under a soaked cotten towel in the afternoon, or playing "hippo" in a pool, also helped. Also, being warned that you never leave a vehicle while on safari, would make one aware to only bring sandals for footwear; that was all that was needed. OK, you could get out of Land Rover for morning tea or a sun downer, served right at the vehicle; must get permission about where to go for a "potty" break. Guides hold safety as highest priority.

I can hardly wait to see the thousand plus pictures my daughter took; we had different final destinations and she said the "card" is in the mail. I think you should also contact my daughter for her evaluation." Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 8 on a Botswana safari