Travel reviews by B-C Family from USA
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
3
Lodges stayed in
10
Excursions taken
0
My Jun 2013 trip
Namibia and 2 other countries between 28 Jun 2013 and 12 Jul 2013
"The trip was spectacular and worked out very well, perfect mix of places, good amount of time spent everywhere. Desert and rivers provided a good mix of wildlife and scenery, we were never bored looking for animals, always discovering new ones. We also enjoyed seeing the villages and a living museum. A bit more contact with locals would have been nice.
We loved the self drive and the ability to explore things on our own. While expecting a bit more adventure, it was surprisingly comfortable and easy, which was fine.
Maruska was wonderful in putting this together for us, she knew the places well, was very helpful and patient.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Looking up locations on a google map was important to me (especially off the path campgrounds), would be nice to have a google map that showed all places of interest (with lat/longs that one can use to enter in one's own google map search)
As much as we wished to get away, Wifi is becoming important for many travelers, and it would be good to collect that info (uptime and speed) and pass it on to the lodges. Elegant guest house and Mushara had good wifi. Ngepi was slow, Muchenje pretty spotty with several outages. Victoria Safari camp had expensive one, Victoria Falls Hotel had good ones for guests.
For guest support on the road, calling is often hard, it might be useful to have email addresses to contact local agents."
We loved the self drive and the ability to explore things on our own. While expecting a bit more adventure, it was surprisingly comfortable and easy, which was fine.
Maruska was wonderful in putting this together for us, she knew the places well, was very helpful and patient.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Looking up locations on a google map was important to me (especially off the path campgrounds), would be nice to have a google map that showed all places of interest (with lat/longs that one can use to enter in one's own google map search)
As much as we wished to get away, Wifi is becoming important for many travelers, and it would be good to collect that info (uptime and speed) and pass it on to the lodges. Elegant guest house and Mushara had good wifi. Ngepi was slow, Muchenje pretty spotty with several outages. Victoria Safari camp had expensive one, Victoria Falls Hotel had good ones for guests.
For guest support on the road, calling is often hard, it might be useful to have email addresses to contact local agents."
Arranged By Maruska AdyeRowe
Elegant Guesthouse
"Elegant Guesthouse review"
1 night
Arrived
28 Jun 2013
"nice place for a windhoek stop, very helpful people"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Etosha Safari Camp
"Etosha Safari Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
29 Jun 2013
"grassy camp spots, limited abilities for campfires, clean warm showers, can take advantage of food and entertainment at lodge"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Average
Food
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Halali Camp
"Halali Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
30 Jun 2013
"Crowded, dusty camp sites. But location inside the park and walk to lit water hole make up for it.
Staff not very helpful in recommending where to go when."
Staff not very helpful in recommending where to go when."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Food
Average
Facilities
Average
Service
Average
Activities
Good
Mushara Bush Camp
"Mushara Bush Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
1 Jul 2013
"Very nice place, comfortable tented rooms with hot water bottle, very nice common area to hang out with fire places , wifi, etc.
Very friendly staff and great service."
Very friendly staff and great service."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Hakusembe River Lodge
"Hakusembe Lodge review"
1 night
Arrived
3 Jul 2013
"nice, comfortable place, friendly service. Good stop on the way to Caprivi"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Average
Service
Good
Activities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Ngepi Camp (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Ngepi Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
4 Jul 2013
"Fun, funky place, nice campsite location on river, a bit cramped in parking spot with roof tent. Heard plenty of hippos, but didn't see them.
Staff is friendly, but feels a bit "too cool" to go out of their way.
Surprised to find wifi, though a but slow."
Staff is friendly, but feels a bit "too cool" to go out of their way.
Surprised to find wifi, though a but slow."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Food
Average
Facilities
Average
Service
Average
Activities
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Nambwa Campsite (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Nambwa Campsite review"
2 nights
Arrived
6 Jul 2013
"Nambwa was our favorite spot, with elephants, hippo, monkeys and leopard walking through the camp.
Enjoyed the adventurous 4x4 drive, crossing water, seeing game.
The place even had wood powerde hot showers.
Booking is a problem. It was overbooked both days (presumably due to the south african vacation). First night we stayed in an overflow spot, then shared one on the river. Spitzkoppe reservations were turned away since they haven't paid the community.
I imagine this to become more popular, as they are almost done building a new office at the turn off the road. Maybe they can improve the booking process."
Enjoyed the adventurous 4x4 drive, crossing water, seeing game.
The place even had wood powerde hot showers.
Booking is a problem. It was overbooked both days (presumably due to the south african vacation). First night we stayed in an overflow spot, then shared one on the river. Spitzkoppe reservations were turned away since they haven't paid the community.
I imagine this to become more popular, as they are almost done building a new office at the turn off the road. Maybe they can improve the booking process."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Activities
Good
Service
Average
Facilities
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Muchenje Safari Lodge
"Muchenje Safari Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
8 Jul 2013
"People were so wonderful. Enjoyed the shared tables with staff and guides. Ocean was a great, fun guide. The staff gave my son am unprompted birthday cake and performance.
Place is very nice, with a beautiful view over the river valley. The packed activities didn't leave much time to enjoy it enough.
We enjoyed us tremendously, but to mention areas of improvements: wifi was spotty, and the staff could have been more helpful with rearranging the car drop off (I assume they don't get many self drivers)."
Place is very nice, with a beautiful view over the river valley. The packed activities didn't leave much time to enjoy it enough.
We enjoyed us tremendously, but to mention areas of improvements: wifi was spotty, and the staff could have been more helpful with rearranging the car drop off (I assume they don't get many self drivers)."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Lokuthula Lodges (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Lokuthula Lodges review"
1 night
Arrived
10 Jul 2013
"Lodges are a bit run down, kitchen and grill don't make much sense for current use. Boma restaurant and pool were not much used. We mostly used the adjacent Safari lodge.
Falls were great (especially Zimbabwean side), rafting was a thrill though not for the faint of heart.
In hindsight, it would have been great if the vic falls hotel had availability (downtown location, great view, free wifi)"
Falls were great (especially Zimbabwean side), rafting was a thrill though not for the faint of heart.
In hindsight, it would have been great if the vic falls hotel had availability (downtown location, great view, free wifi)"
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Average
Service
Average
Activities
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Facilities
Average
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge
"Victoria Falls Safari Lodge review"
1 night
Arrived
11 Jul 2013
"Nice place with view of water hole, though water hole did not have many animals. Good food.
Booking activities was easy, free shuttle down town. Though we would have preferred a downtown location."
Booking activities was easy, free shuttle down town. Though we would have preferred a downtown location."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Good