Reviews: Coast and Sandwich Harbour

"The day trip to Sandwich Harbour with Turnstone Tours was terrific. We didn't have the owner as guide, instead we had Ernest (Arentz) who helps out - and he was great.

A very well informed and sympathetic character, who was fascinating on the evolution of the spits and bars there over the distant past, and how it is all changing rapidly now, as well as the ecology of it all and the more recent history of the settlement there.

And his driving to squeeze through just before high tide, then up and over the big dune for us to hear the roaring sands surfing down with the engine off: well, it was so impressive that one of us declined the opportunity on the grounds of vertigo." Read more about this whole safari

"First rate guide (Ernst Ritter) with good all-round ecological knowledge and birding skills. Super lunch. Tide and shore erosion prevented us getting all the way to Sandwich Bay but we had a most fulfilling day nonetheless. Will have to go back another day." Read more about this whole safari

"We were fortunate that Bruno was himself available for this trip. 'Having to make do with' him was anything but second rate. The visit was, of course, fascinating as your brochure description has it. This occasion was exceptional, though, because we were only two, able to benefit exclusively from Bruno's extensive knowledge on every topic under the Namibian sky; hugely entertaining on education and culture in Namibia, the profile and activity of the bay, the history of the country, its wild life and its evolution, the genetics of rhinoceros breeding ..... A memorable day." Read more about this whole safari

"Excellent" Read more about this whole safari

"A good day trip" Read more about this whole safari

"We didn't get to experience Turnstone Tours. Tracy told me that I was supposed to contact them on arrival and she claimed it said so in the letter she sent, which I failed to take with me. I have kept all the information and have re-read it and can find no mention of having to contact them. But then again why should we? Surely it is their responsibility to contact us. When we arrived at Pelican Bay we asked reception about the trips we had arranged with Turnstone Tours and they told us that TT would contact us. This eventually happened at about 09:00 the following day. Apparently they arrived to pick us up at 08:30 but there was a mix up with the names. When they realised their mistake they offered to come back to collect us if we could be ready in 10 minutes. By then we were in no mood to go on a trip especially in a vehicle with other clients. We were under the impression it was just the 2 of us. As photographers it's not fair on other people if we want to wait for some action to occur. Obviously there was a misunderstanding.

As far as the information is concerned why couldn't the details of time and contact details be included on the voucher. I'm a great believer in having all the info contained in 1 place.

Tracy also told me that the kayak trip had never been booked, which came as a surprise as I have an Excel spreadsheet, which I prepared myself clearly showing the kayak trip scheduled for 27 Sept at a cost of £80.00. I asked Pelican Bay to stamp the copy I had with me as proof of this and I can send it to you if required.

We cut our stay short and Tracy arranged for us to stay at Ai Aiba, which certainly helped with breaking the journey to Etosha, but the lodge left a bit to be desired. The shower in our chalet was lethal, as you got an electric shock off the taps and shower head. When we reported it, the solution was to switch the water heater off, which meant the water was stone cold in the morning. When they switched it back on again we eventually got hot water and more electric shocks!

On the 2nd evening the manager went on a game drive and took the key to the wine cabinet with him, meaning we could not have a bottle of wine with our meal. We had to settle for house wine, the less said about that the better. As we were the only diners we suspected he did this on purpose because we complained!" Read more about this whole safari

"We went to Sandwich Harbour. Interesting, exciting and a full day. We did beach driving between dunes and tide, waded in pools, collected shells, saw pelicans, flamingo, many other sea birds. Long discussions with guide (we had one to ourselves).

Excellent picnic lunch in the dunes, were taken driving in the dunes, shown flora and fauna. 830 am to 4.30pm gave a whole day of interest and excitement.." Read more about this whole safari

"A very knowledgeable guide who took us into remote country with complete confidence and really knew the country and the wildlife.

He identified numerous birds and showed us sand creatures with a quick scoop of his hand." Read more about this whole safari

"This was a seond big disappointment for us.

We did not get to Sandwich Harbour because the sea was too rough. We did not realise this was a possibility when we booked the trip. The guide book, your brochure, the leaflet and Clare's letter do not mention this as a possibility. The guide book goes to great length to say this is the only company to get the Sandwich Harbour.

If you pick up a leaflet in Swakopmund or Walvis Bay it quite clearly states weather permitting so I feel we were mislead and let down here. We are both keen bird watchers so it was a great disappointment not to reach the harbour. The trip was curtailed at the dunes. Ernst the guide was excellent but we did not get what we paid for and it is an expensive trip not to get this. I feel the trip should be cancelled completely if they cannot reach the harbour that day.

Both trips which should have been highlights of the holiday did not work at all. I feel this needs investigating and action taken." Read more about this whole safari

"See Lagoon Lodge feedback - "experience" rating would have been excellent apart from the criticism already mentioned there" Read more about this whole safari