Reviews: Coast and Sandwich Harbour

"We were picked up on time and headed off for the dunes. Driving in the dunes was a real experience and a lot of information given to us by the guide.
We stopped for a wonderful lunch right on the beach with the sea lapping at out feet. When we arrived at Sandwich Bay we were very disappointed by the lack of birds. We had read that this was one of the best sites for bird life in Namibia but there were only about 7 species in all. We had a young Jackal follow us on our walk but this was really the only highlight (apart from 1 Damara Tern that we spotted). The guide tended to speak german as the other 4 people were from germany and we felt a little left out at times.
Really glad we did the trip but nothing overly outstanding." Read more about this whole safari

"This was so good,and Ernest our guide excellant. Weather intervened again here and he rang early morning to say cause of the really bad winds we could not go till lunch time. He picked us up plus 2 others and we had a wonderful trip along the coast, his knowledge of everything was good. We had a good lunch did some bird watching and walking and some riding up and down on the dunes in the landrover, digging for water , watching jackels. And because we had missed the morning he continued on until it was dark and then looked for Brown Hyenas, cause we had mentioned we would like to see them, we didn't, but none the less he really put himself out

Again you could promote this more." Read more about this whole safari

"Ernest was the perfect guide. He could take you anywere - and you would have a good experience. Was wery friendly to our children and first of all full of interesting information about the nature we passed. Driving through the high dunes were a highlight for our children - amazing where a land rover can go!! Walking around the saltwater lagoon was beatifull. Altogether a fantastic day, highly recommended!" Read more about this whole safari

"Although we were unlucky with the tides, meaning we only had a limited time at Sandwich Harbour itself, we had a fantastic day. Wayne, our guide, was really knowledgeable and interesting.

Turnstone Tours seem to be a very professional outfit, who take their responsibilities to the delicate environment they are working in very seriously. We would thoroughly recommend this trip." Read more about this whole safari

"This was one of the tours on the trip we shall not forget!! Ernest our guide was a little like Crocodile Dundee, a wonderful man with a great personality and hugely knowledgeable and you were left feeling that you had experienced something unique to your own holiday... A lovely trip out to Sandwich Harbour was complimented by interesting local knowledge, a strong sense of humour and wonderful rapport with our fellow travellers. A real joy!!" Read more about this whole safari

"Our guide for this trip was Ernest and he was GREAT! He was very familiar with the birds of the area and was quick to point them out. He proofed to be a very skilled driver as he navigated the dunes, etc....We enjoyed a nice amount of time in the Sandwich Harbour area. This tour was a wonderful way to get out and experience the dunes and birds of the area during our short stay. Ernest was also very good about providing history on the local area and information about the ecology of the area." Read more about this whole safari

"It was a great trip. Ernest, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and also an enjoyable person to spend the day with. He is an expert driver and took us to a very remote, almost inaccessible area, where we saw all kinds of incredible birds. He also lead us up the side of a huge sand dune to an incredible view over the multi-colored dunes and the ocean below. We then drove up and down the dunes which was great fun -- a little like being on a desert roller coaster. He also amazed us by serving a delicious lunch, pulling china and a table and chairs out of the back of his truck. Finally, he showed us the flocks of flamingoes (and got them all to fly above us for a great photo) before returning to Swakopmund. A great day!!" Read more about this whole safari

"This was a really memorable trip for a number of reasons. Firstly, our guide Wayne was extremely knowledgeable and had a passion and enthusiasm about the environment that was infectious and provided a real insight into the many environmental and other issues affecting not just this fragile dune environment but also wider issues facing Namibia as a whole . Our enjoyment of he trip was further enhanced by tthe company of Alexanra Fuller, a novelist/writer who was undertaking research for an article she it write for National Geographic magazine and Heidi (didn't catch her surname) who worked for one of the Namibian Government Environmental Protection agencies so we were the beneficiaries of some extremely well informed discussion on a whole range of issues, all of which was punctuated and lightened by a stream of amusing anecdotes from Alexandra from her child-hood days in Zambia and Africa! Research of previous reader's reviews for the trip had led us to anticipate an excellent lunch and we most certainly weren't disappointed. Home-made lasagne, pate, salad and garlic bread followed by apple pie were consumed in a sheltered spot in the dunes (it was a very windy day). Yummee! Last ,but not least was, the rugged beauty of the dune system and coastline and fragile ecosystems of Sandwich Bay and the splendid panoramic views we had once we had climbed to the top of the dunes above Sandwich Harbour. I would thoroughly recommend this trip (which is organised byBruno Nebe's company Turnstone Tours) and would like to do it again if get to return to Namibia." Read more about this whole safari

"This is a really interesting day out, with the excitement of driving through the dunes and plenty of animal and bird life to see. Our guide, Ernest, was very knowledgable. Lunch was not as good as it was when we last did the tour and no beer was offered, which seemed strange." Read more about this whole safari

"The day trip with Ernest of Turnstone tours to Sandwich Harbour was unforgettable - riding and hiking over miles of untouched beach with high dunes and unspoiled coast with waves crashing and no sign of other humans all day was fabulous. Ernest, a third generation German Namibian really knows the flora and fauna and has a passion for showing it to others. I feel if we'd driven through those conditions with anyone less expert, we'd still be there - perhaps adding our skeletons to the skeleton coast. A great day of exercise and adventure particularly appreciated during a week of seeing wonderful sites yet with limitations in exploring on foot." Read more about this whole safari