Reviews of safaris to Namib-Naukluft National Park

"Amazing! We were lucky to have a month here but would have liked longer. There is so much to see and do.

A lovely country with great lodges and fabulous wildlife. I think we saw the best of everything thanks to the excellent advice from Sabina for whom nothing was too much trouble.

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It was really really cold, not just on game drives but also in tented camps. Windproof jackets need to be recommended at this time of year. Temperatures fell to at least -2 deg. C. We didn't feel prepared for it being quite so cold at nights. We were glad we had our thermal underwear with us! It even snowed at Solitaire two days after we left the area.

I was really glad that you recommended a 4x4 to us and think you should have pushed us in that direction earlier as it really enhanced the trip, e.g. we could fully explore Fish Canyon and the Luderitz Peninsula. Having no experience of 4x4 driving, a short course at the beginning of the holiday would have been useful and we met a woman (Rome, who is Willems neice) at the Barchan Dune Resort who was talking about doing just that in Windhoek where she lives." Read full review: 28 nights in Africa; 25 on a Namibia trip

"Our trip was wonderful - we enjoyed it very much. The information Maruska provided when we were initially planning the trip helped to arrange a trip that suited our interests and desires. We believe the initial phone conversation was essential to the process, as Maruska was able to find out what we were hoping to do, and she knew the right questions to ask in order to better understand what we were looking for (both in terms of what we wanted to see and do, and what was most important to us.) Once she understood that seeing different habitats and wildlife, with good guides, were our priorities, she was able to suggest camps to fulfill these priorities.

Maruska also understood that luxury accommodation and gourmet food were not important to us; we just wanted comfortable, safe accommodation (though we found all our accommodations and food great). Our discussions with Maruska helped tremendouly, since we were not familiar with the camps in Botswana and how it all works (camps, activities, transport).

Also, her extensive knowledge of Namibia assisted us in deciding exactly what we wanted to do there and how we could do it. We really appreciated her knowlegde of both the regions and activities, and the practical knowledge of what was possible (e.g., roads, distances, driving times, etc.). Everything worked out extremely well.

I have one additional comment regarding the camps in Botswana. We really enjoyed Mapula Lodge, which was very relaxed and did not have so many guests. Our stay at Mapula was very special, even though we saw more game at the other two lodges. Although we enjoyed all three camps, the atmosphere at Mapula was most appealing to us, as we really like to take our time watching the wildlife, not rushing from one animal to another.

We realize every visit is probably different, and we were lucky to be at Mapula with only two other guests. But one thing we would definitely look for in the future (after having experienced the camps), is camps that have no more than four guests in a vehicle. It is just a much better experience to drive through the habitats and see the animals with only two or four guests in the vehicle. Luckily, we only had two game drives with six guests - but those two drives were not nearly as enjoyable as the others. With six guests, there was a lot more talking, and it was hard to appreciate the sounds of the animals and the land, sounds that enhanced the amazing things we saw.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
I only have one suggestion. We never received our final documents (including map and luggage tags) by mail. Although this did not affect our trip, since Maruska e-mailed all the necessary documents, it might help to send the final document package by special post (with some sort of tracking) rather that just by regular mail. One other idea is that the final document package could have been sent again by fast post when we still had not received the package 10 days before departure. As I mentioned, it did not affect our satisfaction with the trip, and Wilderness Safaris at Windhoek airport had a map of Namibia ready for us when we arrived.

Thank you for a great trip!" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 9 on a Botswana safari

"Our 2 week tour of Namibia was the best holiday ever. After fears that our plans would be scuppered by the exceptional rains in April / early May, we were blessed with no rains during our visit, and completed our planned route despite the many appalling potholes and water-filled 'dips' in both the gravel roads and also within Windhoek itself. Sabina was diligent in juggling lodge reservations to fit in with the dates we could make, and was happy to discuss and provide advice whenever necessary - many thanks. We were struck by the variety of the places we saw - Klein Windhoek & Katatura township; delightful walks amongst wild flowers and along gorges in the Naukluft mountains; the sweltering desert heat in the dunes at Deadvlei; indulgent seafood and historic architecture in sunny Swakopmund; more walking in the rocky Erongo mountains; and a wealth of animals at Etosha and Okonjima." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 12 on a Namibia trip

"We went for the animals and the scenery which were wonderful and totally lived up to expectations but I hadnt expected to be so entranced by the people who looked after us. They were just amazing, genuine, dignified, informed, funny,. It was such a priviledge to have that experience and i will never forget ithem.

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Just keep doing what you are doing so well. Maruska was great, listened to us and was very knowledgeable which helped enormously.She was very good, answered our questions very promptly. We also met some other people whose trip she planned and they were also extremely happy with her." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 8 on a Namibia trip

"One of the best holidays we have ever had. What an adventure. The organisation was second to none. We could do it all over again. Indeed we didn't want to come home!!

Recommend you change the Mazambala though - unless there is a change of management!

You will undoubtedly be hearing from us again" Read full review: 20 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip

"Without doubt one of if not the best hollidays we have ever had.

There are so many highlights it is difficult to specify in particular, but Africat stand out.

Apart fron Halali the lodges where all of a very high standard, with friendly efficient service being the norm.
We cannot wait to go again.

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A minor niggle we had was over the use of 200 Rand notes, after being told they would not be accepted we changed most of ours to lower demoninations, when we got to Namibia we found that everybody accepted the ones we had left over, even the craft stalls and filling stations.

Apart from this one thing we found Exprt Africa to be superb, Sabina organised a fantastic holliday for us." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip

"This trip was a fantastic experience and everything we hoped it would be. Aside from all the normal sights you would go to Namibia for, this was a very easy, convenient and hassle free holiday.

Everywhere we went we almost unfailingly experienced friendly, smiling people happy to help us (staff or others). The advice and assistance in planning the trip from Expert Africa was very good." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 12 on a Namibia trip

"Namibia was without doubt one of the best trips we've ever been on!

It's a beautiful country filled with friendly helpful people, great accomodation, good food, and incredible wildlife. Even better it's not rampacked with tourists so it feels like you have it to yourself.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Halili was a very good camp in Etosha - it might be worth highlighting this to people who want somewhere a bit quieter than Okaukeujo which was a bit Overland Tour-tastic (understandably)" Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 16 on a Namibia trip

"We had an amazing adventure through SA, Namibia and Botswana. Being independent Kiwis, we were keen on arranging our own itinerary and travelling under our own steam, preferably off the beaten tourist track. Namibia appealed, and once I found your amazing website I was hooked. In a former life I was a travel agent here in NZ, but most trips were packaged and rigid, and that was not what we wanted. Having worked out roughly where we wanted to go, I emailed your office, who then referred me to your Namibian expert who (unbelievably!) actually lived in NZ.

Maruska's in depth knowledge of Namibia and her recommendations really made the trip work. Travelling distances were good, and although we travelled over 7,500 km in 5 weeks, it was very do-able. Maruska listened to our preferences and we were delighted with her choice of accom. We enjoyed having the freedom of travelling in the 4WDs to suit ourselves. I fully expected the odd hiccup when we finished with the vehicles and then were reliant on a complicated series of transfers, boats, small planes with no set schedule, more transfers etc, but it all went according to plan and worked like clockwork.

Full marks to Maruska and your agents in Namibia and Botswana for attention to detail and for putting it all together.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Just keep doing what you do so well. Your website is just fantastic, great to read other peoples reviews, which is why I've spent all day putting up all this feedback (Sorry it took so long!).

The Brandt guides to Namibia and Botswana are actually in our local library, and it was from there I picked up the website in the first place. Our copies are well worn from the trip, and there was a bit of a bun fight over who kept them. Maybe one per couple would be good, or at least one per vehicle? The Namibia maps were great and Maruska had highlighted each of our stops which was also great attention to detail. We were very happy with the service we received from Maruska - she's a gem - look after her!" Read full review: 33 nights in Africa; 19 on a Namibia trip

"We enjoyed this trip thoroughly, Namibia is an amazing country.

Overall, we were also very happy with the itinerary, which was largely advised by Tracy: it gave us a good view of the diversity but kept distances reasonable so that it would suit a 2-year old.

We were unlucky that our flight out was cancelled so we arrived late and exhausted at Intu Afrika, meaning we missed out on the game drive where we would have seen lions.
Highlights of the trip:
- the overall experience at Wolwedans
- climbing Dune 45 and Dead Vlei, and climbing Dune 45 again the following day, with no one else around
- Sandfields and generally our time in Swakopmund, relaxing and eating at the Jetty" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 6 on a Namibia trip