Travel reviews by Mr C & Ms B from Macclesfi

"This was the third time we had started our Namibian trip here, and the experience was as good as ever.

Bettina is a charming an attentive host, and the lodge is a great place to relax for a day or two after a long journey.

There are no formal activities, but the hide and ability to do bush walks is good."

"Torgos hasn't featured on the Expert Africa website, and we were therefore very surprised to find how good it was.

Its location in respect of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park - only 5km from the Mata-Mata border post made it easy to do day trips into the park, and we saw a good amount of game in this very attractive area.

The lodge itself has great accommodation (we were in a luxury tented chalet) and is run by Danny and Yvonne who did everything possible to enhance our stay.

The sundowner trip around the farm was excellent, as was the food."

"This lodge is all about the view, being perched on the canyon edge. Its very modern with large, comfortable contemporary rooms. The service was good and staff friendly.

We experienced the famous Fish River Canyon hot gale force wind one night, and now know why ear plugs were issued on check-in!

We did the sundowner drive and a self-guided sunrise walk, both of which were excellent.

Unless walking in the canyon (not an option at the time of year we were there), a full day is an appropriate stay."

"The self-catering cottage was adequate and comfortable.

It is a little far from the centre of Luderitz, restaurants etc to make walking a comfortable option.
We arrived on a Sunday, and as the guide book suggests Luderitz closes all day, so choice was limited.

The owner was most helpful, and the breakfast arrangements with Kairos Cottage next door worked well"

"After a lot of badgering in the weeks before we went, Peter the owner of the Desert Horse Inn and Eagle's Nest (the normal accommodation of which was full when we booked) offered (reluctantly) to let us have the two small bungalows at Eagle's Nest normally used by guides etc. And were we glad! Eagle's Nest is a stunning location that truly reflects the wilderness nature of a Namibian Safari.

The bungalows were, to say the least, compact, but wonderfully and innovatively equipped - although with kitchen, bathroom and toilet and sleeping in the same room, many couples may not have liked it!
We were fine however.

We bought the braai packs for evening meals and had the breakfast packs supplied, and just enjoyed the peace and quiet and the stunning views.

The facilities at the Desert Horse Inn were excellent, although we were so happy at Eagle's Nest we didn't use them, and Peter and his team were excellent too.

We will definitely return here - but would like to experience the full-sized accommodation!"

"Comfortable spacious lodge in nice grounds with a lovely swimming pool.

We used it as a base to go to Sossusvlei one day (we had been there before), but in truth it is a little far away on bad roads."

"The lodge changed ownership recently and the new managers Niekie and Gerde had only been there for about 3 months. A lovely couple - we were the only guests there that evening - and we had an excellent meal with them, Gerde even printing off the recipe of the excellent and unusual starter she had made.

The lodge is set in stunning scenery, and the room we had was built into a dune. It was very hot during our stay, and the room was a little difficult to cool.

We went on the sundowner farm drive which was interesting, with quite a lot of game on show.

We liked Barchan Dune last time we stayed there, and still do"

"Comfortable accommodation, excellent service and friendly staff.
The walk from the chalet to the restaurant, pool etc was quite long and involved walking across an open dirt area through wandering animals, which was not pleasant at night.

The facilities were excellent, with the swimming pool by far the best we encountered on our entire trip.

We went on the late afternoon drive, which was a little disappointing as the guide/driver was not very communicative or knowledgeable.

All in all a comfortable stay, near Windhoek and convenient for the beginning or end of a trip, but more of a hotel than a traditional lodge."

"Very comfortable accommodation, set in lovely grounds with a nice pool.

The rooms are big and airy and the veranda outside was an ideal place to sit, relax and watch the plentiful birdlife."

"Interesting accommodation with the bedroom and bathroom in separate buildings on a big deck - a torch is advisable at night! Very comfortable with a large bath and a shower, and a huge bed. The deck overlooked the river with plenty of human activity on the Angolan side and there was a-lot of birdlife in the surrounding trees, so always plenty to watch.

We spent two mornings on fishing activity, which was hugely enjoyable, although we didn't worry the fish!

The new owners are on site and are both hospitable and very easy to talk to, which makes this lodge an intimate and friendly place to stay."

"This was the third time we have stayed at Onguma Tree Top and we still love it, although some of the fixtures and fittings are starting to look a bit tired, and the reeds in the waterhole urgently need greatly reducing (apparently this is going to happen very shortly).

All the staff here are very attentive and it is a wonderful place to relax.

Unfortunately we arrived just after torrential rains which had left the surrounding bush saturated, which affected the areas of the reserve that the sundowner drive could access, but this was still a very worthwhile activity"

"The main attraction of this camp is the waterhole, which was still busy despite the recent rains in Etosha. Our waterhole chalet was modern but fairly cramped, but its position opposite the waterhole was good as we just had to walk a few yards to the seats around it. Watching several elephants and their calves bathing at 4.00am was magical!

The other advantage of the camp is that you can exit into Etosha at sunrise for an early morning game drive ( even though the deterioration in Etosha's roads in the last couple of years can make this uncomfortable). This is certainly the best time to see game.

The camp is large and can be noisy (especially from the campsite). The restaurant, although not cheap, provides reasonable food although its management is somewhat chaotic albeit the staff are very friendly.

One of the swimming pools was out of use and had not been drained and looked disgusting!"

"Very comfortable room - large, beautifully appointed, with an outside deck overlooking the bush with plenty of game/birdlife to watch.
The restaurant/pool etc was quite a walk away, but was no problem.

We went on the cheetah, leopard and night hide activities. All were good, but the leopard tracking activity was outstanding, with the guide Rohan brilliant. The activity coincided with a huge thunderstorm, which turned the sand rivers into real rivers - something we had never seen before.

It was a great place to end our trip, although it is a good 3.5hr drive back to the airport which could be problematic if there are any hold-ups on the roadwork stricken B1."

"Only an hour on a good gravel road from Windhoek Airport, this made the perfect start to our trip, as it did on our last visit to Namibia!

The welcome was friendly, the accommodation and food (provided by a long-standing accomplished chef) excellent, and the pool facilities very comfortable. There is also the added bonus of being able to go for walks in the bush, and the waterhole which provided our first porcupine sighting.

All in all, a great place to relax for a couple of days after long flights etc."

"Very spacious and well appointed room in an interesting art-decoish building. There is a lovely small enclosed garden in which to relax and watch the birds nest-building and drinking at the bottles provided.

Whilst we did not eat dinner here as there are so many good eating places to explore in Swakopmund, the breakfasts were excellent. The location is perfect - quiet, but a very short walk from all the town's attractions. There was no secure parking available so we parked in an on-street parking bay directly alongside the guesthouse and we left nothing in the vehicle overnight for complete peace of mind.

Staff very friendly and helpful, if at times a little over-enthusiastic in trying to sell the massages available."

"Beautifully appointed tents set amongst stunning rocky hills. The accommodation had a great sitting out area where we could relax and watch the many birds, lizards etc.which we were most content to do rather than attempt the well defined walking trails available on what were very hot days.

The camp's restaurant and bar area was comfortable and when the weather was good, dining on the terrace overlooking a floodlit water hole and beneath a star studded sky was wonderful.

All the camp staff were extremely helpful and friendly. We felt very welcome and well looked after."

"Our bush chalet was very close to the excellent floodlit waterhole where we enjoyed seeing rhino and elephant at night as well as many other animals during the day. The accommodation was perfectly adequate and more spacious and better appointed than we remembered from our visit of 3 years ago with convenient car parking and a nice outside seating area.

The food was also very reasonable for such a large camp, and the staff were friendly and helpful although the service in the restaurant seemed a little haphazard

We went on the night drive, and although many of the animals decided not to show themselves that night, being driven around the bush with a starry sky and the occasional flash of lightning in the distance was still a worthwhile and enjoyable experience,"

"Spacious accommodation in a well appointed bush chalet. Parking was very convenient right outside the chalet and there was a good outdoor seating area looking onto trees.

The restaurant was comfortable, with outside covered seating and the food was good for the type of camp. We did experience difficulty getting a drink when we arrived mid-afternoon - there appeared to be no bar open outside of restaurant hours.

The waterhole at this camp is quite a long walk from the accommodation and common areas and appeared (on our one visit) to be far less frequented than some others within Etosha.

The swimming pool looked inviting, although we did not use it, and we did no activities as we did our own early morning game drive."

"The accommodation here is wonderful with the open, well appointed room overlooking a well frequented waterhole. Lying in bed listening to the night bush sounds is the most magical experience and this camp is perfect for it.

All the staff are friendly and helpful, and the food cooked in front of you is excellent and imaginatively presented. The ambience of the common areas and the communal dining table makes for a great opportunity for sharing stories and conversation with other guests

We did both a night drive (not advertised or recommended by the camp, but at our request), and an excellent sun-downer drive (shared with 4 guests from tented camp), and Justin the guide on both occasions was both friendly and very knowledgeable.

Whilst there is no swimming pool at Tree Top, we were invited to use the facilities at the nearby Tented Camp where we also had an excellent lunch.

This was the second time we had stayed at this camp. It was our favourite on the first trip and remained so on this. Our only regret was that we only stayed 2 nights this time."

"A comfortable overnight stop to break a long journey. The rooms were spacious and well appointed, and the terrace of the restaurant with its view of Angola across the river was a good place to spend some time.

Everything about the lodge was pleasant without being spectacular, and for us it served its purpose well."

"Nice roomy tented accommodation with fully enclosed ensuite, on the banks of the river and set amongst trees that were teeming with birdlife. It was nice in the night to hear the hippos grunting happily and then to wake to the sound of glorious birdsong in the early morning. Elements of the camp did however look a little tired.

The camp is located a short drive from the Mahango National Park and we did an early morning self-drive through this which was excellent.

The camp food was good - we especially liked the smoked zebra on the breakfast meat platter!- and the staff and service were good, even though the friendly host and hostess were apparently leaving the camp a few days after our departure. Communal dining enhanced the evening at the camp

We went on the sun-downer river trip which was enjoyable both for the trip and the company of two of the other guests."

"Excellent arrangements for meeting self-drive guests, car minding and transportation to and from the camp.

Although the exceedingly low water levels in the delta meant that the noises of wild animals heard from the camp had been replaced by cowbells and braying donkeys from nearby grazing animals, this did not detract from this water based experience. Our private guide Adam was brilliant, and we thoroughly enjoyed the fishing trips and makoro activities on the beautiful water-lilly covered waters. The birdlife was stunning - every bit as good as we were expecting.

The camp accommodation was spacious enough, but appeared to be in need of some refurbishment, (which is apparently due early 2017). For example, holes in the mosquito nets.

The common areas were pleasant, with a nice camp fire area and a communal dining table to encourage sociable evening chat. The lack of modern-day trappings such as Wi-fi, cell phone coverage and mains electricity enhances the wilderness experience to which the camp aspires.

The food was a little disappointing. Breakfasts and light lunches were reasonable, but the evening meals were not inspired, and the 'lamb chops' served on our third night were actually inedible. The staff however were all friendly and attentive and the service was good."

"We were not expecting too much from this overnight stop at Ghanzi in the middle of the Kalahari highway, but we were most pleasantly surprised.

The room was a chalet on a lawn adjacent to a really good swimming pool and it was nicely appointed with all the trappings that would be found in a modern motel type room. Everything was very clean and comfortable. There was also a lot of secure parking.

The food in the hotel was really good - we had a late snack lunch in a pleasant courtyard space, and an evening meal in the restaurant where the Botswanan beef steak was beautiful. Breakfast the next morning was also very good. All the restaurant staff did a great job and were friendly and attentive.

All in all this was a lovely surprise package"

"A wonderful place to stay for the last two nights of our trip. A huge room, beautifully appointed in the manner of an international hotel. Set on a lovely private estate, the facilities of this spa are extremely good and whilst not a 'wilderness' experience or a camp it is certainly a good place to stop for a couple of nights' luxury before facing a long journey home.

Facilities include a large swimming pool on a lawn with a view over a large area of bush and more distant mountain. The bush is a well-stocked game conservancy and our binoculars therefore got more use than the Kindles!

We did go on an excellent sun-downer drive with a number of other guests, and whilst the conservancy is somewhat managed, the variety of wildlife is impressive - we saw game here that we had seen nowhere else on this trip.

Food at the resort was excellent, and the dining facilities offered both indoor and outdoor seating.

Only an hour's drive from the airport, this was a great place to end our trip"

"Perfect location for the start or end of holiday. Very relaxing and good accommodation.

Food very good and owner and staff all helpful. Nice pool and the very good hide was a surprise bonus."

"Uniquely constructed accommodation in stunning landscape offering great sunset shadow views.

Welcoming and entertaining hosts supplied good food and copious quantities of wine, and dining with them in their home was a pleasure and most informative in respect of Namibian life and local knowledge etc.. We were too tired that day to partake of the offered sundowner drive but other guests enjoyed it.

A great place for a one or two night stay"

"Superbly designed and constructed spacious and clean chalets, very private with stunning views and game wandering past the deck. We sat for many hours on the deck with binoculars just watching. The lounge/bar/restaurant were excellent as was the food. The staff were very friendly and helpful although the bar service was sometimes a little slow.

We went on a sundowner drive to the dunes with a really good guide, who was extremely informative in respect of the location and also in respect of Namibian life. The three of us were lucky enough to have the desert to ourselves that evening! This enthused us to get up early and make our own trip to watch sunrise the next day."

"We were given the largest room (basically an apartment) as we were staying 4 nights, although the downside of this was that the outside seating for the room was in the carpark rather than the garden. However we were glad of the space as the standard rooms may be slightly small for an extended stay.

The whole property was spotlessly clean and very well equipped. Breakfasts were superb and the owner and staff very friendly and helpful.

Whilst in Swakopmund, we arranged for these travellers to take a day-trip to Sandwich Harbour. The commented about it:

"Sandwich Harbour - a day in the dunes: Excellent"

A marvellous day with driver and guide Ernest who was unbelievably knowledgeable and so obviously passionate about the geology, birds, flora and fauna of this beautiful area. We were taken on a 3 hour walk through the (muddy) lagoon and dunes and the drive to Sandwich along the beach and back through the dunes (necessitated by high tide) was simply stunning. Whilst the excellent picnic lunch had to be taken in a wind-sheltered hollow rather than on top of a dune which Ernest would have preferred in less windy conditions, it was still a memorable meal.

Whilst the trip appears to be relatively expensive, the personal nature of it, attention to detail and the wonderful location make it unmissable if staying in Swakopmund for a few days."

"We changed our itinerary and did not stay at Terrace Bay."

"Spacious, stylish and very clean accommodation in a camp with stunning views from everywhere within it. The attention to detail within the rooms was impressive.

The staff were all extremely friendly, helpful and professional and were obviously (justly) proud of their camp and very happy to be working there. They could not do enough for their guests.

The food and service were excellent -the only minor observation is that the excellent breakfast buffet should be better protected from the attentions of the local bird population!

It was so hot during our stay that we decided to relax in the camp facilities rather than go on the offered activities. The highlight for us however was the facility to wheel the comfortable beds onto the deck at night, gaze at the shooting stars and passing satellites and sleep beneath the amazing sky before waking to see stunning sunrise colours.

Whilst not affecting us in any way, we would observe that the distance and terrain between chalets, restaurant etc might make this a difficult camp for anyone with impaired mobility."

"Up the sides and on top of a hill, this camp provides stunning views over the game-filled plains, and the opportunity to sit with binoculars and observe. The downside of the position is that the distance and incline between restaurant/pool/bar etc and the individual chalets is difficult. Whilst there is a buggy that provides a degree of transport, this is not 'door to door' within the camp, is not always readily available and makes life even more difficult for anyone walking on the pathway, which is not wide enough for the buggy and a pedestrian to pass! The camp is certainly not suited to anyone with impaired mobility.

The accommodation itself is on the small side, and for a newish camp somewhat disappointing. It was also not altogether clean, and the level of maintenance (light bulbs, cracked glass etc) seemed low, making us think that the camp could deteriorate quite quickly. This is probably caused through the apparent staffing situation, as whilst all the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful, there just did not seem enough of them to service the camp efficiently or fully. This lead to poor service in the restaurant and bar, with the sight of staff doubling up on reception/waiting/bar and even maintenance work! Having said that, when food in the restaurant did arrive, it was good.

We preferred to go on our own game drives rather than those offered, and there were plenty of waterholes, and game within a very short distance of the camp, so there was no disappointment with this aspect.

We were a little surprised to encounter a family with a 1 year old baby which understandably made its lack of appreciation of the heat and its surroundings loudly heard. In our opinion this camp is really unsuited for young children in respect of its position, the fact that it is unfenced etc.and its overall facilities"

"We were very pleasantly surprised by this big family-friendly camp. The accommodation (a waterhole chalet) whilst on the small side was comfortable and clean and the room facilities (including the air conditioning) good. The restaurant and communal areas were also good, and well maintained and the food, given the high volume and self service nature of it was excellent. All the staff were friendly and helpful

The star of this camp is obviously the waterhole. With the surrounding seating, floodlighting etc and the abundance of game coming to it throughout the day and night, the stay here was really good"

"This place is just wonderful - a real bush experience. The tree house was brilliantly constructed and room facilities terrific. Overlooking the waterhole (complete with a pair of sleeping lions for much of the stay) we could sit on the deck for much of the day just watching the animals and birds, with periodic wanderings along the walkway to the lovely lounge/bar/restaurant area for a drink or light lunch.

The staff here were brilliant too. Very personal and attentive service, food beautifully cooked in the open kitchen and presented personally by the chef. Nothing too much trouble for them.

We went on both a night drive and a sundowner drive here, and both were excellent. The guide was great and the variety of animals (and snakes!) spotted impressive.

Sleeping in the tree house with the front open and the sounds of the night was awesome. Being woken by lions roaring or hyenas cackling was a terrific experience. Our only regret was that we didn't spend longer here."

"This stay was the one big disappointment of our holiday. Our room, whilst adequate in size, looked somewhat tired, and frankly not very clean, and this was reflected in other parts of the property and grounds. The sunbeds by the pool rested on dirt/mud rather than grass etc, and the grounds looked more like an ex- farmyard rather than the gardens of a fairly large guesthouse.

The restaurant was crowded for the one sitting evening meal, and the food, whilst adequate was nowhere near the standard that we had come to love in Namibia.

Halfway through the evening meal a large electrical storm knocked out the mains electricity. Whilst the staff reacted promptly with candles and struck up the generator, it was announced that the latter was too noisy to operate all night and that it would be switched off in half an hour's time (9.00pm!). This lead to a very uncomfortable night as it was extremely hot and humid and one of the features that had attracted us to the place was the provision of air conditioning. The generator was not restarted until 7.00am. A long night!

Whilst we obviously do not criticise the staff for the electricity failure, we do think that accommodation of this size (and cost) should have the facility to cope with such an occurrence, which according to the relief manager was not a rare event, with outages lasting for many hours or days. As on this occasion there was no indication as to when power would be restored, we decided not to spoil our trip by risking the prospect of another miserable night and checked out and went on to spend our final night in Windhoek.

Two positive points. Once we had decided to check out a day early, the staff were very helpful in telephoning etc to assist us to arrange accommodation in Windhoek. The terrible road (26km of it) that you warn of to get to the property, is undergoing major reconstruction and should eventually be much better."