Travel reviews by Mr W from Michigan, USA

"When I got off the plane at Johannesburg after a 19 hour flight, I was tired. It was nice to have a room nearby, so I could get my early flight to Windhoek with no trouble.

There was plenty of help for luggage and directions. A nice young lady at the baggage rack walked with me to the hotel. She introduced me to her friend that showed me how to find my flight to Windhoek in the morning."

"When I selected Okonjima Plains Camp, I was thinking of the United States zoo's. I expected to take pictures of cats in large cages or fenced in areas The ex-farm is a wildlife preserve and it was my introduction to Africa's enormous wildlife diversity, nothing like it on earth.

I went on 4 guided trips which made me late leaving, but I had to make the gamble. Their wild cats and dogs have radio collars and the guides have no trouble finding them. We searched for the cheetahs, wild dogs, leopards and found them all. I loved watching the three legged dog trying to keep up with the others. I toured the AfriCat Foundation and then became a donor.

If I had returned home after my 2 day stay there, the trip would have been a success. I have taken both wolf and Cougar classes in Yellowstone Park but the experience can't match Okonjima Camp. Yellowstone's approach is hands off, which maybe more realistic but observations are at a cold distance. Cat observations are close at Okonjima which makes outstanding wildlife photos.

Food was outstanding. My room had a large picture window where I watched herds of African animals go by. I captured this scene with my camera. There is nothing close to this in the United States, if it were the price would be out of reach."

"I left Okonjima late and had to search for a SD card for my camera. I had equipment problems at Okonjima which put me on the road to Nhoma at night which is not a good idea. From Michigan, I had experience driving in snow but no experience driving on Namibia's dirt roads. I spun into a ditch and flatten my tire, at night. I was rescued by locals who were fantastic. I tip them and took their picture.

Tourism is Namibia's 2nd industry and they handle it well. Namibia is very tourist friendly and supportive. I shared the Nhoma camp with a National Geographic film crew. They told me to not drive at night. I told them that I got this chance to see everything and will depend on the power of God.

Hiking with the Bushmen, watching them start fires with sticks, filming the women dancing etc. was unbelievable. I had a lot of "one on one" time with my Bushmen guides. I asked Estelle, the manger at Nhoma, to write a book, it would not be possible to describe the village and people in a few words. Words from people that see my pictures are "once in a life time" but I refuse to believe that."

"I entered Etosha from the east gate late in the day, as usual, still pressing my fantastic luck. The worst thing that could happen was being locked out of Okaukuejo camp and sleeping with the lions. Then there she was a lady lion walking next to my car. I had to film her quickly as well as the elephants so I could get to Okaukuejo before they locked the gates, but I did not make it in time. I blew the horn and they let me in.

I spent the next day watching lions at a water hole and got a good look at a rhino that dropped by. I took the late night guided tour but it was crowded and did not see much. Our guide went in the opposite direction when a lion roared. But the morning tour was the opposite, only me and the guide. We were with 50 feet of a pair of lions that were sitting then mating.

I arranged my next adventure to see the himba. My guide met me at the park exit. We went to see the himba between Etosha and Twyfelfontein."

"Of course I arrived there late. I signed up for the bushmen rock art tour and the desert elephant tour. Both were fantastic. It was actually the Bushmen and rock art that led me to Namibia. My original plan was to go to Kruger Park in South Africa and film wildlife.

A guide was on holiday so the manager drove us. Great guy, friendly and knowledgeable. He told me that their choir/staff was award winning and one of the best around, they sang to us after dinner. I am an African American and found the cultural experience to be very enlightening and up lifting."

"I bought a bow and arrow set from the Bushmen at Nhoma and it was too long to fit in my luggage. The staff at Elegant guesthouse advised me that it would have to be wrapped with bubble wrap to carry on to the airplane. She searched storage and found some bubble wrap, then wrapped my bow. I carried it onto the air plane with no problem until I arrived in the States. The airlines then put the bow with the luggage and it safely arrived home."