Travel reviews by Mr B & Mrs C from Glasgow
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
9
Excursions taken
0
Well organised trip of a lifetime!
Namibia between 1 Apr 2017 and 15 Apr 2017
"BEST NATURE EXPERIENCES
The first antelope by side of road - day1
Sitting on veranda at first lodge - afternoon of day 1 - watching antelopes , warthog family , lots of birds .
Close enough ( 6 ft) to cheetahs to hear them purr - Day 2
Mongoose pack being harried by 2/3 hawks - herding? - day 3.
Warthog Male trying to kill youngsters - because Female then goes into heat!?
All alone at waterhole in empty west Etosha watching 25 giraffes of all sexes and ages and then enthralled by the herd galloping away - because I spooked them by getting out of car!!
Bird with corn cricket in beak - bashing it on branch like on an anvil
Chasing 'flocks' of hornbills along Hornbill Highway in far north east Etosha !
The noise of seals at Cape Cross - especially deep bellow of males!
Flamingos sieving the water as the tide came in ( went out?) leaving puddles behind
The garden at Mushara Lodge - mongoose hunting snakes in long grass - dik dik grazing - wart hogs grazing and fighting - lots of birds - very cold swimming pool
Elephants coming to Hobaterre lodge waterhole - could reach out and touch but must not!
Lizards everywhere - especially at Erongo - all colours - all sizes!
Huge flocks of cormorants at Cape Cross !
Thousands of pelicans , flamingos , shore birds in Walvis Bay. Watching the pelicans fishing by diving from 10 metres up!"
The first antelope by side of road - day1
Sitting on veranda at first lodge - afternoon of day 1 - watching antelopes , warthog family , lots of birds .
Close enough ( 6 ft) to cheetahs to hear them purr - Day 2
Mongoose pack being harried by 2/3 hawks - herding? - day 3.
Warthog Male trying to kill youngsters - because Female then goes into heat!?
All alone at waterhole in empty west Etosha watching 25 giraffes of all sexes and ages and then enthralled by the herd galloping away - because I spooked them by getting out of car!!
Bird with corn cricket in beak - bashing it on branch like on an anvil
Chasing 'flocks' of hornbills along Hornbill Highway in far north east Etosha !
The noise of seals at Cape Cross - especially deep bellow of males!
Flamingos sieving the water as the tide came in ( went out?) leaving puddles behind
The garden at Mushara Lodge - mongoose hunting snakes in long grass - dik dik grazing - wart hogs grazing and fighting - lots of birds - very cold swimming pool
Elephants coming to Hobaterre lodge waterhole - could reach out and touch but must not!
Lizards everywhere - especially at Erongo - all colours - all sizes!
Huge flocks of cormorants at Cape Cross !
Thousands of pelicans , flamingos , shore birds in Walvis Bay. Watching the pelicans fishing by diving from 10 metres up!"
Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo
Haus Sonneneck
"Ordinary B&B "
1 night
Arrived
1 Apr 2017
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor
Location
Average
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Okonjima Plains Camp
"Cheetah visit is a must do!"
1 night
Arrived
2 Apr 2017
"We arrived early . Room was ready . A commercial hotel welcome - no singing , lemonade or towels as at later lodges . Just sign here , and here , and here . Superb room close to the centre and car parked just outside .
Within 10 minutes we are sitting on a veranda day bed watching giraffe , ostrich , springbok , other antelopes , eagles through 600mm lens or binoculars . It was entralling . It was only our second day - we were easily impressed - but it is still a vivid memory ! A warthog family patrolling the long grass within a stones throw occupied us for an hour or two! Small birds everywhere including a pair building a nest just above our heads within the veranda roof .
Food was good - no choice except rare game - but service cool and erratic . Very few moths . Large outside terrace with fire pit good before and after dinner . Cheetah visit was superb ! You are so close - 2 metres - you can hear them purr . Cheetah visit was also a game drive and on our second day was great for close up zebra , antelope , ostrich and wildebeest ."
Within 10 minutes we are sitting on a veranda day bed watching giraffe , ostrich , springbok , other antelopes , eagles through 600mm lens or binoculars . It was entralling . It was only our second day - we were easily impressed - but it is still a vivid memory ! A warthog family patrolling the long grass within a stones throw occupied us for an hour or two! Small birds everywhere including a pair building a nest just above our heads within the veranda roof .
Food was good - no choice except rare game - but service cool and erratic . Very few moths . Large outside terrace with fire pit good before and after dinner . Cheetah visit was superb ! You are so close - 2 metres - you can hear them purr . Cheetah visit was also a game drive and on our second day was great for close up zebra , antelope , ostrich and wildebeest ."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Poor
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Doro Nawas
"Doro Nawas review"
2 nights
Arrived
3 Apr 2017
"The name was right out of Game of Thrones and the location was too . On a small kopje surrounded by nothing but desert and mountains . No people . No animals . Nothing moves as it is 40C. And there is no air conditioning and the enticing outside shower has a concrete floor which is too hot to stand on!
The view from excellent breakfast , lunch , drinks and dinner (with a choice ) was unparalleled ."
The view from excellent breakfast , lunch , drinks and dinner (with a choice ) was unparalleled ."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Hobatere Lodge
"Views of game from veranda was superb"
2 nights
Arrived
5 Apr 2017
"We stayed 2 nights and used the lodge as base to explore the western end of Etosha for two days . This part of Etosha was empty of people and animals - except an exceptional experience of a herd of 25 giraffe at one waterhole. We had medium sized room in a terrace . It was adequate.
All the staff were friendly and we had many interesting conversations with manager and guides . The food was superb one night - an African version of a Chicken Kiev - and on second night an average game steak . Both dinners marred by moths both outside and inside . ( But it is the African wilderness?!) We saw elephant close up from veranda but little else even on a late afternoon game drive - very disappointing .
The 18k drive up a gravel track ( not a road) to the lodge is - in my opinion - not suitable except for 4 wheel drive . Thanks to Wilderness Travel we had received an upgrade to a brand new 4X automatic . It had only 9k on clock and it became a high light of my holiday as we covered 3700k fast and in comfort !"
All the staff were friendly and we had many interesting conversations with manager and guides . The food was superb one night - an African version of a Chicken Kiev - and on second night an average game steak . Both dinners marred by moths both outside and inside . ( But it is the African wilderness?!) We saw elephant close up from veranda but little else even on a late afternoon game drive - very disappointing .
The 18k drive up a gravel track ( not a road) to the lodge is - in my opinion - not suitable except for 4 wheel drive . Thanks to Wilderness Travel we had received an upgrade to a brand new 4X automatic . It had only 9k on clock and it became a high light of my holiday as we covered 3700k fast and in comfort !"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Anderssons Camp, Namibia (this camp has since closed)
"The waterhole was a holiday highlight!"
1 night
Arrived
7 Apr 2017
"Warm welcome with ice cold very tasty lemonade and towels . Luggage whisked to room - no hassle . Dinner excellent .
The after dinner waterhole experience was a holiday highlight - very close to antelope , a male rhino , a female rhino with calf and whirling above our heads a troupe of night jars ."
The after dinner waterhole experience was a holiday highlight - very close to antelope , a male rhino , a female rhino with calf and whirling above our heads a troupe of night jars ."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Excellent
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Mushara Lodge
"The best lodge "
2 nights
Arrived
8 Apr 2017
"We spent 2 weeks in Namibia , drove 3500 k and stayed in 7 lodges . All well organised by Sabina at Expert Africa . All lodges had strengths but Mushara was our favourite .
We stayed 2 nights in room 2 - a separate cottage - very private rear veranda - wifi - air conditioning - very easy to use shower - very large room with space for everything . Huge 5 star central lounge with very good coffee and cake . Breakfast on terrace with warthogs and barbecue dinner in boma excellent .
Big garden had cool pool , warthog family , mongoose hunting in long grass(snakes?) dik dik , numerous birds and enough space for privacy . Staff friendly and efficient - a rare combination achieved seldom ."
We stayed 2 nights in room 2 - a separate cottage - very private rear veranda - wifi - air conditioning - very easy to use shower - very large room with space for everything . Huge 5 star central lounge with very good coffee and cake . Breakfast on terrace with warthogs and barbecue dinner in boma excellent .
Big garden had cool pool , warthog family , mongoose hunting in long grass(snakes?) dik dik , numerous birds and enough space for privacy . Staff friendly and efficient - a rare combination achieved seldom ."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Ondudu Safari Lodge
"The free guided walks were superb."
1 night
Arrived
10 Apr 2017
"Wonderful big tent set in the huge boulders . Free guided walk - to top of baboon kopje - was very interesting . Guide excellent with stories of growing up in Namibia at frequent rest stops!
Superb game for moonlight dinner on deck . Staff friendly . Breakfast tray brought to table was a full continental - cold meat , cheese , home made bread , yoghurts . Dassies ( Rock Hyrax?) , lovebirds , baboons and loads of lizards!"
Superb game for moonlight dinner on deck . Staff friendly . Breakfast tray brought to table was a full continental - cold meat , cheese , home made bread , yoghurts . Dassies ( Rock Hyrax?) , lovebirds , baboons and loads of lizards!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Lagoon Lodge
"Probably best coffee in world!"
3 nights
Arrived
11 Apr 2017
"Some bad news . I am slightly handicapped - cannot walk very far! The excellent Sabina at Expert Africa had informed all the accommodation in advance . All of the other 6 lodges had taken this in account . Here we had a back door entrance , a long walk with our luggage ( no help offered) , many steps , a small room and a doorway sized window/door to the tiny balcony.
Some good news . 'The coffee is good because it is the coffee we drink ' - said the patron in response to my compliment . He was warm , charming , interested in us as people and customers . He is the greatest asset of the loge. The roof top deck is a hidden asset . Superb location a road away from sea.
I loved the sea schemed decor in our room with the wardrobes as changing huts - brilliant . My wife hated it as OTT. Breakfast good with excellent pastries ."
Some good news . 'The coffee is good because it is the coffee we drink ' - said the patron in response to my compliment . He was warm , charming , interested in us as people and customers . He is the greatest asset of the loge. The roof top deck is a hidden asset . Superb location a road away from sea.
I loved the sea schemed decor in our room with the wardrobes as changing huts - brilliant . My wife hated it as OTT. Breakfast good with excellent pastries ."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Avani Windhoek Hotel
"Good easy undercover parking and bell boy"
1 night
Arrived
14 Apr 2017
"Modern down town hotel . Breakfast excellent choice of food . Good bars , shops and restaurants nearby .
No problem to have late check out as flight late afternoon. Roof top pool small but we had it to ourselves."
No problem to have late check out as flight late afternoon. Roof top pool small but we had it to ourselves."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
A bit deflated by experience and Joes Beer Restaurant did not make up for deficiencies."