Travel reviews by Ms S from North Carolina
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
9
Excursions taken
0
Trip of a lifetime
Namibia between 17 May 2012 and 29 May 2012
"My husband and I spent 13 days in Namibia, and it was probably the best trip of our lives. We stayed at a mix of upmarket, full service lodges, to middle market guesthouses, to self-catering camps. The trip went far above and beyond our expectations. The people are very friendly and the country is beautifully desolate. I had been to Namibia for 4 months ten years ago, but working with Expert Africa really made our recent trip significantly better than it would have been with my limited knowledge. Saskia at Expert Africa prepared everything for us; our itinerary was very well-planned out, letting us hit a number of incredible spots, while also giving us plenty of time to enjoy the drive.
We can't thank Saskia at Expert Africa enough. She created the perfect trip for us, made sure we were able to do everything we wanted, and her expertise about the area was extremely helpful. She patiently and informatively answered all of our questions, and provided critical information and options that we didn't even know we needed. Well before our trip, Expert Africa sent us a travel pack including a folio of vouchers, information on all the places we stayed, guidelines for visitors, and a map with all our locations labeled. These items were our bible while we were in Namibia, and kept everything in order and easy on our trip.
We are VERY eager to go on another trip with Expert Africa, and have been recommending them whole-heartedly to all of our friends. Thanks so much for an amazing trip!!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
It's truly hard to think of any real ways to improve upon our wonderful trip!
My only suggestion might be to reorganize some of the information in the guidelines for visitors and our specific information to follow the order of our trip. This was mostly the case, but for a couple of items, I had to flip back and forth to figure out what to do. In particular, it would be wonderful to have a list of all items we need to bring with us, since some of the items (i.e. the copies of passports, etc., we needed to rent a car, which it turned out we didn't need in advance, so it was fine) were located in separate areas. This is truly a minor point, however, since the information is mostly organized this way already, and careful reading should be sufficient for travelers."
We can't thank Saskia at Expert Africa enough. She created the perfect trip for us, made sure we were able to do everything we wanted, and her expertise about the area was extremely helpful. She patiently and informatively answered all of our questions, and provided critical information and options that we didn't even know we needed. Well before our trip, Expert Africa sent us a travel pack including a folio of vouchers, information on all the places we stayed, guidelines for visitors, and a map with all our locations labeled. These items were our bible while we were in Namibia, and kept everything in order and easy on our trip.
We are VERY eager to go on another trip with Expert Africa, and have been recommending them whole-heartedly to all of our friends. Thanks so much for an amazing trip!!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
It's truly hard to think of any real ways to improve upon our wonderful trip!
My only suggestion might be to reorganize some of the information in the guidelines for visitors and our specific information to follow the order of our trip. This was mostly the case, but for a couple of items, I had to flip back and forth to figure out what to do. In particular, it would be wonderful to have a list of all items we need to bring with us, since some of the items (i.e. the copies of passports, etc., we needed to rent a car, which it turned out we didn't need in advance, so it was fine) were located in separate areas. This is truly a minor point, however, since the information is mostly organized this way already, and careful reading should be sufficient for travelers."
Haus Sonneneck
"Wonderful, comfortable base"
1 night
Arrived
17 May 2012
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Onguma Bush Camp
"Beautiful lodge, excellent service"
1 night
Arrived
18 May 2012
"Onguma was absolutely lovely, and the service was top notch. The woman at reception was welcoming, informative, and warm. Mattheu and Max were incredibly helpful and knowledgable, providing incredible service and showing us wildlife.
The watering hole and overlooking deck were beautiful, and the rooms felt both comfortable and luxurious. We had such a wonderful time having drinks on the deck, observing wildlife as the sun set, and the food was excellent. Onguma is certainly on my list of places to return to, and I hope to see Mattheu and Max again!"
The watering hole and overlooking deck were beautiful, and the rooms felt both comfortable and luxurious. We had such a wonderful time having drinks on the deck, observing wildlife as the sun set, and the food was excellent. Onguma is certainly on my list of places to return to, and I hope to see Mattheu and Max again!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Halali Camp
"Good stop"
1 night
Arrived
19 May 2012
"Halali was a comfortable stop. The watering hole is a good place to see wildlife, and the rooms very comfortable, but with no frills.
The service at the kitchen was excellent, but I felt that reception was fine, but a little less helpful than other lodges we stayed at."
The service at the kitchen was excellent, but I felt that reception was fine, but a little less helpful than other lodges we stayed at."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Okaukuejo Camp
"Incredible wildlife, great rooms and location"
1 night
Arrived
20 May 2012
"I loved Okaukuejo.
The rooms were beautiful -- we were in one of the elephant rooms about 30 m from the watering hole, which was incredibly convenient for early morning and late night wildlife viewing. It was one of the best watering holes we encountered in Etosha. The food was also delicious, and the service was very good.
I would certainly return here."
The rooms were beautiful -- we were in one of the elephant rooms about 30 m from the watering hole, which was incredibly convenient for early morning and late night wildlife viewing. It was one of the best watering holes we encountered in Etosha. The food was also delicious, and the service was very good.
I would certainly return here."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Grootberg Lodge
"One of my favorite places in Namibia!"
2 nights
Arrived
21 May 2012
"Wow -- I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful Grootberg Lodge is. First, it's quite a fun adventure going up the rocky road to the lodge. Damaraland is beautiful, and the Lodge is situated overlooking a canyon, providing a truly unique and captivating view of the landscape. The cabins are wonderful, with decks oriented toward the view.
Second, the staff at the Lodge were my favorite in the entire trip. Grootberg is staffed by the local community, and everyone was incredibly warm and knowledgable. The service was excellent. Josie, Otti, and Masaka were especially wonderful, but everyone was incredible. The food was amazing and surprisingly international. I wish I could get their homemade bread here in the US! The desserts were also incredible -- I particularly remember the chocolate cake with amarula cream, YUM! In addition, the staff sang at dinner, which was an utterly moving experience. The richness of their tones and the energy of the songs brought tears to my eyes.
Grootberg Lodge is certainly one of my favorite places in Namibia, and in fact one of my favorite places in the world. It's at the top of my list of places in the world to visit!
Rhino tracking excursion with Grootberg Lodge:
We went for a rhino tracking excursion which was quite an adventure and truly special. Charles, Lazarus, and Martin provided us with an incredible wildlife experience. I was simply amazed by their ability to locate wildlife and their knowledge of the entire landscape around us. The wildlife was incredible, and while I love Etosha, I found wildlife tracking to be more fulfilling than viewing animals at watering holes. This experience is not to be missed."
Second, the staff at the Lodge were my favorite in the entire trip. Grootberg is staffed by the local community, and everyone was incredibly warm and knowledgable. The service was excellent. Josie, Otti, and Masaka were especially wonderful, but everyone was incredible. The food was amazing and surprisingly international. I wish I could get their homemade bread here in the US! The desserts were also incredible -- I particularly remember the chocolate cake with amarula cream, YUM! In addition, the staff sang at dinner, which was an utterly moving experience. The richness of their tones and the energy of the songs brought tears to my eyes.
Grootberg Lodge is certainly one of my favorite places in Namibia, and in fact one of my favorite places in the world. It's at the top of my list of places in the world to visit!
Rhino tracking excursion with Grootberg Lodge:
We went for a rhino tracking excursion which was quite an adventure and truly special. Charles, Lazarus, and Martin provided us with an incredible wildlife experience. I was simply amazed by their ability to locate wildlife and their knowledge of the entire landscape around us. The wildlife was incredible, and while I love Etosha, I found wildlife tracking to be more fulfilling than viewing animals at watering holes. This experience is not to be missed."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Doro Nawas
"A true gem in every way."
1 night
Arrived
23 May 2012
"The lodge is in a beautifully desolate landscape, with incredible views. The design of the lodge and rooms were certainly the most stunning that I have been to in Namibia. I deeply appreciated the lodge's attention to eco-friendly practices and, in particular, the dedication to the local community.
The interior of the rooms are finished concrete with the traditional grass roof. The entire room is oriented to enjoy the breathtaking landscape, and the result is an incredibly peaceful and beautiful environment. In addition, the dinner at the lodge is a gourmet meal.
We used the lodge as a base to visit the Twyfelfontein rock paintings nearby. If I returned, I would also visit the Living Museum, which was recommended by one of the managers.
We had a wonderful conversation with one of the managers of the Doro !Nawas lodge (unfortunately, I can't remember his name, but he was from Windhoek). We were very happy to hear about Wilderness Safari's investment in local communities, to learn more about Namibia in general, and to hear about his experiences at the lodge and his trip to the U.S. many years ago.
I look forward to returning to Doro !Nawas. I find myself reminiscing about my wonderful time there on a near daily basis."
The interior of the rooms are finished concrete with the traditional grass roof. The entire room is oriented to enjoy the breathtaking landscape, and the result is an incredibly peaceful and beautiful environment. In addition, the dinner at the lodge is a gourmet meal.
We used the lodge as a base to visit the Twyfelfontein rock paintings nearby. If I returned, I would also visit the Living Museum, which was recommended by one of the managers.
We had a wonderful conversation with one of the managers of the Doro !Nawas lodge (unfortunately, I can't remember his name, but he was from Windhoek). We were very happy to hear about Wilderness Safari's investment in local communities, to learn more about Namibia in general, and to hear about his experiences at the lodge and his trip to the U.S. many years ago.
I look forward to returning to Doro !Nawas. I find myself reminiscing about my wonderful time there on a near daily basis."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Central Guest House, Namibia (this camp has since closed)
"Comfortable, convenient guest house"
2 nights
Arrived
24 May 2012
"Central Guest House was very comfortable, located in a neighborhood a close walk to the water. The service at Central Guest House is wonderful. The owner and managers are wonderfully friendly and helpful. The owner really went above and beyond to make sure our activities were correctly scheduled. They gave us great recommendations on where to eat and where to visit, and the breakfast options were unique and delicious.
Sand boarding in Swakopmund:
My husband and I had a blast sand boarding. He did the stand up boarding, while I did lie down. The latter takes no skill, and I had an absolute blast. He had a great time to, but stand up was a bit more challenging. Luckily they give everyone an opportunity to also try the lie down boarding. The staff were really helpful and fun, and I learned a lot about Namibia from them. One drawback was that along with three other groups of two and three people, the Sand Boarding company had booked a group of about 20 college-aged girls on our excursion. The girls were quite loud and the sheer size of the group really slowed things down. I thought this large group noticeably reduced the quality of our experience, and I would have preferred being told that they were coming or given the opportunity to be in a separate group. Still, it was a great experience overall, and we loved the pictures and videos. I would also suggest some wider-angle shots on the pictures and videos, to get a feel for how fast the boarders are going."
Sand boarding in Swakopmund:
My husband and I had a blast sand boarding. He did the stand up boarding, while I did lie down. The latter takes no skill, and I had an absolute blast. He had a great time to, but stand up was a bit more challenging. Luckily they give everyone an opportunity to also try the lie down boarding. The staff were really helpful and fun, and I learned a lot about Namibia from them. One drawback was that along with three other groups of two and three people, the Sand Boarding company had booked a group of about 20 college-aged girls on our excursion. The girls were quite loud and the sheer size of the group really slowed things down. I thought this large group noticeably reduced the quality of our experience, and I would have preferred being told that they were coming or given the opportunity to be in a separate group. Still, it was a great experience overall, and we loved the pictures and videos. I would also suggest some wider-angle shots on the pictures and videos, to get a feel for how fast the boarders are going."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Desert Camp
"Perfect self-catering camp"
2 nights
Arrived
26 May 2012
"We loved Desert Camp. While we also enjoy full service lodges, it was a fun experience to grill our own food, and the outdoor kitchen was very cool. The cooking equipment they provide is really fantastic, -- stainless steel cooking and dinner ware that we really wish we could find here! The "rooms" are all tented camps, which were very comfortable and had a nice rustic feel.
Desert Camp is very close to the entrance of Sossusvlei park, and it's easy to access the gas station for supplies and much needed ice cream. It's also very close to Sossusvlei Lodge where we had wonderful breakfasts near their beautiful watering hold (you can also go there for dinner if you don't feel like cooking). The pool and bar at Desert Camp were the perfect place to hang out after a hot day in the dunes, where the friendly staffed served us beers and cocktails.
This is the perfect place for a more self-catering and rustic experience. We loved our stay here."
Desert Camp is very close to the entrance of Sossusvlei park, and it's easy to access the gas station for supplies and much needed ice cream. It's also very close to Sossusvlei Lodge where we had wonderful breakfasts near their beautiful watering hold (you can also go there for dinner if you don't feel like cooking). The pool and bar at Desert Camp were the perfect place to hang out after a hot day in the dunes, where the friendly staffed served us beers and cocktails.
This is the perfect place for a more self-catering and rustic experience. We loved our stay here."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Haus Sonneneck
"Very pleasant stay"
1 night
Arrived
28 May 2012
"We stayed at Haus Sonneneck both on our way in to Namibia and on our last night.
It is such a wonderful and comfortable place to stay. My husband and I really enjoyed the location, which is a quick drive from downtown Windhoek, but in a quiet residential neighborhood that is slower-paced. The service is very pleasant and the managers are very friendly and helpful. The rooms are clean and comfortable, with nice enclosed outdoor patios."
It is such a wonderful and comfortable place to stay. My husband and I really enjoyed the location, which is a quick drive from downtown Windhoek, but in a quiet residential neighborhood that is slower-paced. The service is very pleasant and the managers are very friendly and helpful. The rooms are clean and comfortable, with nice enclosed outdoor patios."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
It's outside of downtown Windhoek, so it's a nice, quiet neighborhood, but downtown is easily accessible. The owner is wonderful and the rooms are very clean and comfortable. I loved the little cookies on our pillows!"