Family Botswana and Zimbabwe Safari Adventure

Traveler Reviews

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  Robert5.0•August 2024
  My wife and I hadn't "camped" since we were married some 35 years ago but we more than survived the 5 days on Safari....
  My wife and I hadn't "camped" since we were married some 35 years ago but we more than survived the 5 days on Safari. We loved the whole experience. For those thinking reluctantly about camping in a Game Park what you get far exceeds the little "perceived" discomfort of camping. If you stay in a Lodge adjoining a park - you will have to lose Game viewing time travelling in and out of the park to have that comfort,, The tour we were on is not Glamping, You sleep in two man tents, on cots with warm bedding and a cover on the floor of the tent. You are provided a rechargeable light with your tent, There is an open air "ensuite" at the rear accessed through a zip. It is like a closed courtyard with a canvas floor. The Camp Toilet is surprising okay and you have to co-ordinate a daily shower. My wife and I are not experienced campers and we managed the timing of all this. There will be an open camp fire and a communal eating area, The food was all cooked over an open fire and was great. KD our Chef really had to be congratulated for the food, The funny thing is the first night we were all in a Lodge after 5 days camping - we all said we probably slept better in our camp cot? There is NO TV - NO Internet. Everyone had wonderful days and arrived back in camp excited and tired having seen wonderful animal sightings all day. We had dinner, went to our tents and prepared for the next early morning game drive, From two very inexperienced Campers please do not let any thoughts of "Camping" hold you back. We had Hyena and Lions in our camp overnight - there was no danger - just stay in your tent at night, A herd of Elephants went by one night and given their size they are surprisingly quiet, The sights our Guide Chief showed us will be with us forever. Honestly our experiences in Africa have been wonderful. We saw 33 mammal varieties, endless birds, 33 Lions. 5 Leopards, hundreds of elephants, buffalo and hippos, many zebras and giraffes, multiple antelopes varieties in endless quantities, We saw a Leopards and Lions with Kills and saw a Leopard hunting, Our first day left us in awe and our second and third days were even better.Show more
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  Traveled in August 2024
  

  Reply from: Explore!

  Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. I am thrilled to read that you had such an incredible experience with us and fully embraced the camping experience. We pride ourselves on providing our guests with great facilities and excellent care of our leaders and camp staff and I will make certain that they get to see your feedback. Hopefully, your comments will encourage others to take that step and embrace Botswana in the way you clearly have! I hope it won't be too long before we see you on another small group adventure with Explore. Lisa, Customer Relations

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  Bina4.0•August 2024
  This was a very intrresting tour but one has to be prepared for the long drives in an open vehicle where you are...
  This was a very intrresting tour but one has to be prepared for the long drives in an open vehicle where you are exposed to the elements including the relentless sun. Seeing wildlife as always is due to chance as animal behaviour cannot be predicted. Having said that , guides in the area alert one another of sightings. Our program was partly changed at last minute esp the accomodation. Some were comfortable changes whilst others caused a certain amount of invonvenience. Accomodation in tents with dug out toilets was an experience but happy it was only for 5 nights. The program was well put together and it was a good experience. I would recommend this to everyone but you need to be prepared.Show more
  Traveled in July 2024
  

  Reply from: Explore!

  Thank you for taking the time to review your Botswana Wildlife Safari. We are sorry for the changes made to the itinerary and the accommodations, however, due to feedback received from a member of the Explore team, we felt these changes would provide a more enjoyable experience for your group. We are so delighted that you found the itinerary to have been put together well, had an overall good experience, and would recommend this trip to others. Thank you once again for your feedback as it is invaluable to ensuring we are offering unforgettable experiences. We hope to have the chance to welcome you on another Explore adventure in the future. Best regards, Explore!

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  Eleanor2.0•May 2024
  To Whom it May Concern [Removed in Moderation] I am disappointed that I have had to write to you regarding my...
  To Whom it May Concern [Removed in Moderation] I am disappointed that I have had to write to you regarding my recent trip to Zimbabwe and Botswana but this trip was a nightmare. There are so many issues I am going to have to go through them by grouping them under titles. Please note, I am from Australia and I live in the bush. I used to run and own a Horse Trekking company for 11 years. I can cook on a fire, providing meals for up to 16 guests. I now camp ‘rough’ at least 4 times a year. I love camping and have no trouble with long drops or bucket showers. Wet Weather The day we started was drizzling. We were picked up in our Game Viewer which was a bit disappointing because there was not an increase in height so that all people had a view for the front / where we were going. If fact none of us had a view through the windscreen. The side canvases were so tired we were unable to see anything and THE CANVAS ROOF LEAKED! This was not just a drip it was a stead pour and affected all rows in different seats. As we had 9 participants and an Engle Fridge there was little we could do except to start swapping seats so no one was left in these wet seats for too long. When we got to camp we were faced with tents that leaked, zippers that did not close and our OUR ‘ENSUITE’, HAD NO ROOF!!!!! Now, I don’t know what your bowel movements are like but I am sure they take a little bit of time. Hell, we are human and not horses. It is Uncomfortable to sit on a wet toilet seat let alone to sit out in the rain to Shit. More about our ‘Ensuites’ later. In the morning one of the tents was so wet the occupants had to dry out nearly all of their clothing. My bed was wet where the sheets and doona touched the ground and others had water issues as well. That morning the staff put on the extra ‘Fly Sheet’ to protect us from the rain. THERE WAS NO SOLUTION TO OUR SHORT DROP TOILET AND VERY LITTLE INTEREST TO FIX THIS FROM THE STAFF. The wet weather exacerbated the smallness of the tents. The couples complained that there was no room and as I was sharing with another lady and our tent leaked and we were unable to place anything near the walls of our tent, and because the zippers didn’t function, our situation was extremely close and uncomfortable. Bedding The beds in Camp 1 should be burnt or donated. A steel frame with shade cloth strung over DOES NOT MAKE THE GRADE AS A BED. The beds were very uncomfortable and far too low making if very difficult to get up and out of bed. It was also uncomfortable to use the bed to get dressed or to tie your shoes. The sheets were cheap and made of un-natural fibers making them sticky and hot. The one pillow was a joke. One inch of wadding does not constitute a pillow. I ended up stuffing the pillow case with my clothes. Our second camp site was so much better as we were using another set up. The beds were proper camp beds (Higher and proper mattress) and the tents zipped up easily. Our Ensuite/Toilet We were warned about the bucket showers which were adequate but the toilet was ridiculous. I am going to be ETERNALLY TRAUMATISED by the night our shared toilet collapsed and I ended up in my and my Bunky’s [Removed in Moderation], with my pants down around my ankles. This sounds funny but believe me it WAS NOT!!! To add to the problem, the bucket shower had been removed so I couldn’t clean myself in private. Instead, I had to use the hand basin in front of our tent to wash myself and my clothes. To add to my indignity, I had to go and ask the staff to fix the toilet. The Tour Leader said nothing! He did not ask if I was OK or hurt? Absolutely Nothing from him. By the way I was sore having hurt my shoulder trying to save myself from the fall. Lighting After the first night where the tiny battery lantern proved impossible to mount, I asked the Tour Leader for some wire or string so we could hang the little lantern from the D ring in the center of the tent. This failed to appear and when I asked again nothing happened. I gave up. Camp 2 had better lanterns and a hook to hang it from. We were getting up early for the Game Drives. No lighting was provided at the self-service breakfast table. This table had 2 kettles of very hot water and coffee. Health and Safety. Our Tour Leader, told us about a Leopard attack on another Tour Leader during the first game drive. This led me to think what would be our options if something happened when we were out and about. We were given NO INSTRUCTIONS should an accident happen to the Tour Leader. I started to watch my back trail and paid more attention to where we were going so at least I could make it home. I also watched the two-way radio operation and noted where the very small and ill-equipped First Aide Kit was in the cab of the Land Cruiser. There was not even a snake bite bandage in there. On the first night we were not given any camp rules. That night one of the couples had a problem and one left the tent to search for something. I believe this is NOT done in the wild in Africa. Food There was not enough. We needed more food and at proper times especially Breakfast and Lunch Many meals left us hungry. One small wrap is not enough to sustain us for the majority of the day. We often had breakfast at 5.00 – 5.30am consisting of cereal or porridge toast and a small amount of fruit. It could then be 8-9hours to the next solid meal, lunch at 14.00. I started hoarding food where possible and purchased food to keep me going. I was not the only one on the Safari. Our dietary requests were only partly catered for. The Gluten Free people were good. One guest could not eat pasta and had a number of meals where that was the only choice. I Cannot take Chilly. This is not a taste issue; if I consume chilly, I cannot sleep and it takes a day to recover. I had chilly in several dishes given to me. Sometimes I am unable to detect chilly until I have eaten a few mouthfuls. By then the damage is done. I had 3 sleep deprivation events during our trip. These dietary needs are HEALTH ISSUES. We are not fussy; we just cannot tolerate certain foods. If you cannot provide foods without our triggers then at least tell us so we can purchase alternatives. Some meals were inappropriate. The most memorable was the small stone-cold ration of Spaghetti Bolognaise on the road side. WHO WANTS TO EAT COLD SPAG BOL??? And even though this was unpalatable we had to eat it because there was no other food available. This wasn’t the only time cold pasta was produced for our lunch. You cannot call it pasta salad. You need veg and mayo for that. Keeping our drinks cold There was a distinct reluctance to accommodate our beers and wines in the chiller. We would have been very happy to provide the ice and manage the cooler ourselves but I was told there was not enough room on the truck for a cooler bin. I find this hard to believe. This is not a complete submission as I still need a few fact to back up my complaints and I will also add the change in itinnery and more.Show more
  Traveled in April 2024
  

  Reply from: Explore!

  Thank you for your review. I am sorry that you were disappointed in elements of this tour. We have responded to your complaint directly.

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  Libby4.8•April 2023
  Obviously seeing all the animals and birds which was the reason for booking this trip. The Victoria Falls zipline was...
  Obviously seeing all the animals and birds which was the reason for booking this trip. The Victoria Falls zipline was also a highlight.Show more
  Traveled in April 2023

  Review collected by Explore!
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  Trevor4.2•April 2023
  Victoria falls and leopards
  Traveled in April 2023

  Review collected by Explore!
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  Alison5.0•May 2023
  All I wanted to see was an elephant! We saw hundreds. Seeing lion cubs with their mother, leopard (twice) Cheetahs....
  All I wanted to see was an elephant! We saw hundreds. Seeing lion cubs with their mother, leopard (twice) Cheetahs. Victoria Falls spectacular. Too many others to mention Show more
  Traveled in April 2023

  Review collected by Explore!
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  Mike4.7•May 2023
  Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe. Fantastic close up wildlife. Brilliant Guide and Houseboat / Camp crew.
  Traveled in April 2023

  Review collected by Explore!
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  Karen5.0•May 2023
  The greatest highlight of our trip was to have Solomon guide for us, because of him, we saw so many different and...
  The greatest highlight of our trip was to have Solomon guide for us, because of him, we saw so many different and Wonderfull animals !Show more
  Traveled in April 2023

  Review collected by Explore!
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  PeterVernon4.7•May 2023
  Wildlife, brilliant guide (Jo) and wonderful fellow travellers
  Traveled in May 2023

  Review collected by Explore!
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  Jean4.5•June 2023
  The highlights were seeing all the animals we did see - sadly no rhinoceros or cheetah - feeling privileged to be in...
  The highlights were seeing all the animals we did see - sadly no rhinoceros or cheetah - feeling privileged to be in their space, the visit to Victoria Falls and stopover and the scenic flight at the end over parts of the Okavango delta.Show more
  Traveled in May 2023

  Review collected by Explore!