Reviews of safaris to Namib-Naukluft National Park
1092 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Namib-Naukluft.
"Our autumn half-term break"
Absolutely nothing to complain about - Namibia is a great place to visit.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not really - this is our second outing with Expert Africa (Sunvil) and we have really appreciated the service and guidance.
The advice has all been sound and the trips have gone very well." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 9 on a Namibia trip
"Great Agenda - Terrific Experience !"
Johann, our private guide, was absolutely super. We could not have asked for a better person to manage our way and maximize our stay in Namibia. Highlights were numerous, and we would not have missed any. Outstanding for all of us was our stay at Huab under Canvas, Driving the Dunes at Sandwich Harbour, Sossusvlei & Deadvlei and Kolmannskuppe.
Elephant and Rhino tracking were once in a lifetime experiences, and we appreciate all the efforts involved to allow us those opportunities. We would highly recommend the trip, and both the care & service provided by Tracy before we got there, and by Johann once we were in country." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip
"Good introduction to Namibia"
Our second disappointment was the amount of electric light we experienced. Nearly every lodge had path lights which stayed on all night, ruining the view of the sky, and in some cases our sleep. We were used to little light and Tilley lamps on previous visits to Africa and this came as a shock. Tok Tokkie and Mundulea were a relief from this. In some places the lights were behind the tent/room but at Erongo we had to resort to removing lightbulbs from the path outside to allow us to sleep. At Ongava, the waterhole light shone directly into our room. We are very saddened that lodges feel this amount of light is necessary.
EA often states that when on half board “drinks are extra”. Most of the lodges we stayed on half board included 2 large glasses of house wine per person each night. Sundowners were extra.
We stayed at 3 Wilderness Safaris lodges and got to know their dining style. Everywhere else game was often the meat provided, at Wilderness it was regularly basic beef, pork or chicken which was quite uninteresting. They also had an obsession with hot plates, which at 30C seemed unnecessary.
It was very nice to receive a recent copy of the Namibia guidebook in August. This was hardly opened before our trip and still fell apart before we got to Etosha. A large number of pages fell out somewhere which meant that we didn't have the information about Etosha that we wanted. We also had with us a 30 year old bird book with all its pages intact. It's a shame Bradt can't make their books a little more robust.
We were told that using toilets at petrol stations could not be recommended. We carefully took a trowel and a roll of paper with us. This was completely unnecessary as every toilet we visited was spotless." Read full review: 25 nights in Africa; 20 on a Namibia trip
"Fabulous! Exceeded our expectations!"
If we know of anyone going to Africa we would not hesitate to point out the excellent service that Expert Africa provided us.
Thank You Expert Africa and especially Maruska! You made our vacation hassle free and memorable." Read full review: 30 nights in Africa; 18 on a Namibia trip
"My Oct 2019 trip"
Namibia is an incredible and varied country and the itinerary enabled us to experience as much of this beautiful country as possible in two weeks. You can tell that a huge amount of work has gone into planning these trips and itineraries - it was perfectly paced for us, with the right amount of time in each place and wonderful places to stay. The Etosha part of the trip was especially well planned, with a base in the East and then in the South it meant that we could cover a good proportion of the Park, and one of our 'travel days' was also a full day within the Park which was fantastic.
There was plenty of driving but it never felt too much, especially as we shared the driving, which was a big positive.
All of the places we stayed were incredibly welcoming, with excellent food and some really luxurious touches.
As we are usually quite independent travellers, we really welcomed the fact that we were booked mainly on a half board basis, as we were very happy to drive ourselves around Etosha and the attractions in Damaraland and Swakop/Walvis Bay, so this worked perfectly for us. But we were very pleased that the excursion at Hoodia was included as it was fantastic and we wouldn't have fancied driving ourselves on the sand.
All of the communication we have received throughout the process has been first class. The travel guide was an invaluable companion which is now looking very well used!
Thank you for making our honeymoon so memorable." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip
"Our October trip"
We also felt that the itinerary around Etosha was not well advised given that we travelled around the park twice and across it once. it would have been much better to advise us to stay outside of the park at the western and central gates and done two or three day trips. We would have seen just as much without the hours and discomfort of additional travel.
We found the itinerary information provided very useful to follow eg estimated hours of the journey, though some details and advice need updating..
Overall it was a fantastic holiday in a great country" Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 18 on a Namibia trip
"Our Sep-Oct 2019 African trip"
"My Sep 2019 trip"
"Botswana and Namibia Safari September 2019"
In retrospect we should have added a couple extra days with no activities planned so that we could recharge our batteries. Ideally this would have been done in Namibia due to the stratospheric high cost of the lodges in Botswana.
Our Day trip to Sandwich Harbour was fantastic, and if we had to choose we would have ranked it higher than a scenic flight over the dunes. We had the best of both worlds as we needed to fly from Hoodia to Swakopmund so the excursion over the dunes was a no brainer addition." Read full review: 20 nights in Africa; 7 on a Namibia trip
"My Sep 2019 trip"
Navigation - The directions and maps provided worked well. However we found that trying to use mobile phone navigation apps was a waste of time as they didn’t work well and used a lot of data
Fuel - In the areas we visited fuel was readily available. Also all the fuel stations had excellent toilet facilities, most charged N$2 for their use.
Supermarkets - There were good, well stocked supermarkets in all the main towns we drove through and we were able to buy sandwiches and snacks from them.
Credit cards - we never encountered any problems using credit cards whether at camps, fuel stations, restaurants or shops." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip
Where to stay in Namib-Naukluft
Our suggestions for safari camps in Namib-Naukluft National Park
Kulala Desert Lodge
The comfortable Kulala Desert Lodge offers fantastic views of the Namib and a private gate to the Namib-Naukluft Park - a bonus on guided excursions.
Hoodia Desert Lodge
The owner-run Hoodia Desert Lodge offers a high standard of accommodation, delicious food and excellent service in a stunning, peaceful setting just 22km from Sesriem.
BullsPort Lodge & Farm
A traditional Namibian farm, BullsPort offers warm hospitality and a genuine rural experience, with excellent hiking and horseriding.
Sossus Dune Lodge
One of only two properties inside the Namib Naukluft Park, Sossus Dune Lodge has a superb location, for visiting the dunes.
Desert Homestead
With great-value accommodation in a lovely setting, Desert Homestead is a great base for exploring Sossusvlei.
Zebra River Lodge
Zebra River Lodge offers a range of hikes around the Tsaris Mountains from a comfortable and homely base.
Little Kulala
A high-end lodge with spectacular views, Little Kulala, makes a great base for visits to Sossusvlei or a balloon ride over the Desert.
Rostock Ritz
The igloo-style chalets at Rostock Ritz offer exceptional desert views and make a convenient stopover between Swakopmund & Sossusvlei.
Barkhan Dune Retreat
Barkhan Dune Retreat is a welcoming lodge close to the impressive Spreetshoogte Pass, majors on hiking and relaxation.
Sossusvlei Lodge
Sossusvlei Lodge is one of the larger options in this area. However, it occupies a convenient location next to the Sesriem gate into the Namib-Naukluft Park.
Namib Outpost
About 30km from the gate to Sossusveli, Namib Outpost is a great base for exploring the dunes and surrounding attractions.
Dead Valley Lodge
Dead Valley Lodge is inside the Namib-Naukluft National Park, affording guests almost unprecedented access to the dunes.
Desert Camp
Desert Camp is an economical option for independent travellers who want to self-cater, and is well situated for access to Sossusvlei.
Desert Quiver Camp
Desert Quiver Camp is an economical option self-catering, well located for access to Sossusvlei.
Elegant Desert Lodge
Elegant Desert Lodge can be used as a base to visit Sossusvlei. It offers comfortable accommodation and facilities in the desert.
Corona Guest Farm
In central Namibia, north-east of the Namib-Naukluft, Corona Guest Farm offers a traditional farm stay and rugged hiking.
Namib Desert Lodge
Namib Desert Lodge is a good budget option in the Namib-Naukluft although, it is further from Sossusvlei than we'd typically suggest.
Sonop
Away from the hustle and bustle of the area immediately surrounding Sossussvlei, Sonop offers a luxurious stay in a remote part of the Namib Desert.
Camp Sossus
Camp Sossus is a offers top notch guiding in a remote wilderness area of the Naukluft Mountains with easy access to the famous dunes of Sossusvlei.
Desert Hills Camp
Conveniently located for the renowned dunes of Sossusvlei Desert Hills Glamping Camp offers a simple but comfortable tents in picturesque surroundings.
Le Mirage Lodge
Le Mirage Resort and Spa offers accommodation and a range of massage and beauty treatments in a Moroccan-style building in the desert.
Desert Grace
A stylish offering giving access to the famous dunes in the Namib-Naukluft National Park as well as to activities on a private nature reserve.
The Nest
Designed to emulate the appearance of a sociable weaver nest the opulent Nest at Sossus is arguably the most exclusive private property in the Sossuvlei area.
