Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs J from Coventry

"For us, Olive Grove was a ideal place for our first night stay: easy to find, with secure parking; a friendly welcome; a short walk from a shopping area with a supermarket to stock up with fruit and water, a phone shop to buy a SIM card (15 N$), and a bottle shop if needed. There is access to the internet to let friends and family know you have arrived safely, and after a long journey it was good to be able to eat in and not have to worry about finding a restaurant.

Dinner was a set three-course menu, with a choice of meat, and was delicious. It was a pleasant surprise to find complmentary port and chocolates in our room after dinner, and even more pleasant to find hot water bottles in the bed!

The room itself wa spacious with excellent shower and bathroom facilities, although after the sun went down it was not lit well enough to repack after the journey, but that was completed next morning before an excellent breakfast (The "Norwegian" breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs is highly recommended.)"

"We stayed only one night at Bullsport, as a stopover between Windhoek and Sesriem, but wished we had stayed longer. We arrived in early afternoon, in time to take one of the self-guided walks on the farm, strolling until sundown under a wide clear blue sky watching springbok and kudu, weaver birds and guinea fowl.

Our "luxury" room was spacious and bright, with a big bathroom, good shower, and separate toilet. There were eight of us sitting down for dinner around the large farmhouse table, our friendly host Ernst Sauber, three of his family and staff, two other guests, and ourselves, the only two with English as their first language. Despite that, we were never left out of the conversation, and indeed, hearing what our fellow guests had done during their two-night stay, we decided to take a trip next morning to a rock-arch in the mountains.

So after a hearty breakfast we set off with our guide, David, in an open-sded 4x4, well wrapped up in hat, fleece and gloves. After a short drive along the road he headed for the hills up a steep twisting stoney track. Along the way David pointed out mountain zebra and stopped to show us various plants and bushes, explaining their nutritional and medicinal properties. Stopping at the top, we were led along a "zebra trail" down into a gorge from which there was a short scramble to the impressive rock-arch. The drive back down the mountain was, let's say, exhilarating, and we were in awe at David's off-road driving skills as well as his knowledge of the plants and animals.

We wished we had stopped another day to do more walking in the mountains, and would certainly recommend Bullsport, not just as a stopover on the way to Sesriem, but as a destination in its own right."

"From his welcome with cold drinks and warm smiles to his insistence on taking time as we left to print out his recommendations of where - and where not - to eat in Swakopmund, Thomas was a most attentive and engaging host.

The setting is stunning, the communal areas are spacious and luxurious, the thatched bungalows are compact but comfortable and well-appointed, the staff are friendly and attentive, and the food is exceptional. We can't remember eating a better steak than the one served on our first night, and we could have eaten the home-made bread all day.

Our excursion to Sossusvlei next morning involved a 6:15 start after a full breakfast at 5:30. Petrus, our driver and guide, explained the formation of the spectacular landscape; showed us the insects, the reptiles, the birds and the animals; led us up the ridge of Big Daddy dune - slowly - and showed us how to descend into Dead Vlei - quickly. The "picnic lunch" that followed was a splendid affair - table cloth and linen napkins, chilled wine, and delicious food to Hoodia standards. A memorable day was finished off by a walk into Sesriem Canyon before a return to Hoodia - and a welcome with hot towels from Thomas - ten hours after we had set off. It was a memorable day.

Thomas and Henreza and their cheerful hard-working team really do set the standard for lodge hospitality."

"For us, Central Guest House was an ideal place to stay for three days in Swakopmund. It was easy to find, with secure off-street parking, and a 5-minute walk away from the centre and sea front. Our room (No. 5) was spacious and well equipped, and it was nice to be able to hang up clothes in a big wardrobe for a change. The communal lounge was ideal for one of us to spead out and write postcards, while the other reported home via the internet. Owners and staff were friendly and exceptionally helpful - phoning to confirm the arrangements for our outings with Turnstone Tours and Eco Marine, arranging an early breakfast on a Sunday so we could get to Walvis Bay on time for our trip, and getting laundry done on a Sunday too.

We have no hesitation in recommending Central - if we ever returned to Swakopmund we would be very happy to stay there
again.

Whilst in Swakopmund these guests took a day excursion to the coast south of Swakopmund. This is what they said about it: Educational and exhilarating - what a day !
On our trip to Sandwich Harbour we were lucky enough to have Bruno Nebe all to ourselves for the day. And what a day - the driving was exhilarating, the wildlife was fascinating, and the views from the top of the dunes by the sea were spectacular. And all this came with Bruno's good company and intimate knowledge of the natural history and cultural history of Namibia. Oh - and a delicious spread of home-cooked food for lunch.

They also opted for a kayaking excursion on Walvis Bay Lagoon upon which they commented: And we would also want to return with Jeanne and her husband to kayak with the seals at Pelican Point. Paddling around the placid bay with excitable seals, eager to jump like dolphins right beside you, and even nibble playfully at your paddle, was a magical experience. Jeanne even takes photos and videos to e-mail back to you at home so you can re-live the experience."

"Our hosts in Swakopmund advised us to delay our departure for Cape Cross until the afternoon since the wind had shifted to the east and there was a risk of sandstorms early in the day. But we made good time driving north on the salt road and arrived in time to visit the fur seal colony, have a pleasant walk along the deserted endless beach, and return to the lodge to watch the sun setting over the ocean.

Our ground floor room was big, with doors opening on to a small patio and the beach.The bathroom with shower was small but functional. With no heating in the room we expected it to be cold during the night, so left all the lights on while we went for dinner, which certainly took the chill off. With only four other guests staying overnight the large dining room was not exactly cosy, but the meal and smiling service made up for that. A set menu starter of beef carpaccio was followed by tasty butternut squash soup, a choice of sole on the bone or oryx steak, and pumpkin pie to finish. The oryx steak was tender enough to be cut with the fish knife used for the sole and the whole meal was probably the best of the holiday.

Staff were friendly and helpful, even allowing use of the PC at reception to access the internet."

"The iced home-made lemonade on arrival was much appreciated after the long drive from Cape Cross, but the welcome was a bit on the cool side too. The location and accommodation was, however, superb. Our secluded thatched chalet sat snugly between the granite boulders, with roll-up canvas walls giving views over the surrounding bush. Inside, the chalet was the most spacious we encountered, with lots of storage space, double washbasins, and inside shower and toilet.

Walking from the chalet to the communal areas there are countless birds, basking lizards, scampering dassies, and, at night, the odd small snake. The sundowner spot, with drinks and snacks on hand, is spectacular, both at sunset and sunrise. Food is of a high standard, but when the camp is full the service from the kitchen can be somewhat slow.

On the day we arrived the guides had not managed to find any desert elephants, which had left the nearby river bed to go up into the mountains. But next day, our guide Athan was determined to find them, which he did with skill, persistence, and much checking of the age of the dung we encountered on the way. It made the early chilly start and long drive worthwhile.

Mowani also offers guided tours to the Twyfelfontein rock engravings, to the organ pipes, and to the Damaraland Living Museum, but these are all very close and we chose to visit them in our own vehicle, particularly since you have have a guide when you get there anyway."

"The climb up the Grootberg pass from the west is spectacular, with zebra and oryx grazing in the valley below the summit. Having parked our 2WD vehicle at the lodge gate at the top of the pass we were driven up the steep rocky path to the lodge itself on the plateau overlooking the Klip Valley.

Our chalet was conveniently close to the main lodge, and was simple, but clean and comfortable. Hot water is provided by individual solar panels on the roof of each chalet and we were advised to have our showers in the evening in case the hot water ran out, but in fact there was still planty left in the morning.

We had arrived in the early afternoon, hoping to take a short self-guided walk on the plateau, but two lions had been spotted the day before and walks were forbidden. Instead we spent a leisurely couple of hours sipping coffee on the terrace in the sunshine, writing postcards, photographing the pigeons as they flew in to drink the water from the swimming pool, and ourselves drinking in the views of the valley, the light and shadow constantly changing with the shifting of the sun.

The set dinner was excellent, served by smiling friendly staff who rounded off the evening with an exuberant sing-song.

We wished we had stayed another night and taken the opportunity to track rhino or visit a Himba village."

"Having read the reviews about surly staff, mediocre food, problems with credit cards, and jackals near the restaurant, we did not have high expectations, particularly since the chalets were fully booked and we only had a double room. But we were pleasantly surprised. Of course, with over 100 rooms and a campsite, the standard of food and service is not going to match that in a lodge with a couple of dozen guests at most. But the room was very good, with plenty of space for luggage and travel paraphernalia, with even a sitting area with two sofas and a low table in between. The bathroom was small but adequate.

The buildings in the camp are well spaced out and it never felt crowded. Eating is cafeteria-style, with a good choice of salads and soup for dinner, two choices of grilled meat with vegetables, followed by a selection of fruit salad, sorbet, or fruit fritters. Not fine dining, but not bad either, and with no problem to pay by credit card. We did make a point of getting to both breakfast and dinner before 7 o'clock, however, after which the queues got a bit longer.

It was convenient to have a post office and general store on site - but be warned, the queues at the store before closing time get very long as campers stock up on beer for their barbecues !

Check-in and check-out were quick and trouble free as far as we were concerned."

"We were greeted by Linda with a cold drink and a friendly smile, which set the tone for our stay. The stone, wood and canvas "tents" at Mushara are scattered in the bush, connected by gravel pathways (luggage is taken by trolley so hasn't got to be lugged by you) to the main lodge with its restaurant, bar, comfy chairs, wood fire, curio shop and internet access (for a modest charge).

The tents are comfortable and well appointed with a verandah on which to relax and watch the passing warthogs and impala.

A beating drum indicates that the 3-course set dinner is ready to be served - in our case spinach and feta cheese in filo pastry follwed by eland steak and crepe suzette with ice cream. Quite delicious. During dinner the camp staff had rolled down the canvas sides of the tent and put welcome hot water bottles in the bed.

We only stayed one night after we left Etosha, but were impressed by the relaxed and friendly atmosphere at the camp."

"We arrived at Okonjima just after 2 p.m., in good time to be shown around, have the various activity options explained to us, unpack our stuff in View Room #1, and get back to the main building in time to meet our guide Jonas over cake and tea.

That afternoon we tracked cheetahs, first in an open-sided 4x4, but then on foot to within 20ft of three of them, which was exciting.

Dinner is served for everyone at 7 o'clock so there is time for night activities, and on the first night we chose our own ingredients to be stir fried for us with rice and noodles, which was very tasty. On the second night everyone was sitting up at 7 prompt, but there must have been a hiccup in the kitchen because the soup was slow to arrive and cold, and the main course took even longer. The game stroganoff in filo pastry, timbale of rice, plus squash and broccoli, was too ambitious to be able to plate up and serve hot to the whole group. But that was a minor disappointment to set against the whole experience.

After dinner on day one we went, well wrapped up, on a chilly night drive for about an hour and a half, We saw the usual game, standing or lying in the bush, but also a lot of smaller mammals and porcupine that are rarely seen by day.

It was a chilly start next morning too, when we set out with Jonas before sunrise to radio-track leopard. The windproof lined jackets we were given kept us warm but also provided essential protection from the thorns and branches as we crashed through the undergrowth. The radio signal had indicated where the leopard was, but the only way to get to it was by some serious off-road driving through the bush. When the mother was found we could see she had just made a kill of a baby warthog and Jonas knew that she would soon leave the kill to go and fetch her 4-month old cub so it could have its share. Tracking the mother back and forth, Jonas's skill and persistence paid off and we were treated to the sight of mother and cub making their way back to the kill. That was a real highlight, not just of Okonjima, but of our whole trip.

That afternoon was to be our last in Namibia (on this trip at least) so we spent a leisurely couple of hours walking one of the self-guided trails. As the sun went down we gazed through the panoramic window of our room as the oryx gingerly approached the water hole, the wart hogs knelt to graze, and the guinea fowl strutted back and forth. Wonderful !"