Travel reviews by Mr M & Ms B from Brussels
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
8
Excursions taken
0
A wonderful time in Namibia
Namibia between 12 Aug 2014 and 28 Aug 2014
"Overall, we had a wonderful time in Namibia and we would like to thank Sabina for arranging such an interesting and varied trip for us at very short notice. Expert Africa's careful planning allowed us to take home some great memories from our first trip to Africa and we are grateful that the itinerary included such a variety of landscapes and attractions.
Below we outline a few little issues solely for the purpose of providing assistance to future travelers (We are thoroughly satisfied with the service by the Expert Africa team and would not hesitate to rely on them again in the future).
We felt that the last full day of gravel road travel between Swakopmund and Doro Nawas was the least enjoyable day of the holiday, partly due to the fact that by that stage we had done a lot of gravel road driving and partly due to the fact that the itinerary between Uis and Doro Nawas was over a really bumpy stretch of road (both C35 and D2612) and our main concern was that the rented car would be damaged. We could neither admire the fantastic scenery outside the car nor fully focus on the - atrocious at times - road. We also did not expect that people would stand by the roadside and wave empty water bottles trying to get water from tourists, which obviously posed a dilemma for us.
The area around Uis and Khorixas seemed to us very deprived and we felt somewhat voyeuristic merely driving through as tourists. The area also felt quite unsafe - at one point we stopped at a roadside picnic table just to be surprised by a small truck full of men, one of whom got out and started hassling us for money. Similarly, on the way to Etosha and after visiting the Petrified Forest, we were asked by the official guide there to give a lift to one of his colleagues to Khorixas. As we obliged, we were instantly asked by the guest passenger if we could take on board two others. Our refusal to do so was ill-received. It appears that it is a common practice at that attraction to pressure tourists into giving lifts to staff members.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
We think it would be useful to highlight the following points to future travelers:
1) additional spare tyre (second one) takes up a lot of space in the boot and it may make it awkward to pack and transport the luggage;
2) certain stretches of gravel roads are very rough and it would be good to clarify, who would be responsible for damaged suspension, should it happen;
3) the last stop gave us little time to enjoy the location, therefore it may be useful to consider accommodation in closer proximity to the airport;
4) it would be useful to clarify, how clean the rented car should be on the return;
5) it would be useful to warn tourists (especially those who have spare space in their cars) that at certain locations they may be asked for a lift by the guides;
6) we found that at some locations the full range of activities presented on Expert Africa leaflets were not on offer (e.g. guided walks at Buellsport Farm, night walks at Sossus Dune Lodge);
7) we would advise not to attend night drive safaris at Okaukuejo - the price is high and one normally sees much more during the day while driving around the park;
8) on tarmac roads one usually is not able to drive safely beyond 100 km/h due to warthogs roaming by the roadside - we almost had an accident because of them;
9) Perhaps advise guests to bring a travel kettle and hair dryer with them as they are not provided as a matter of course."
Below we outline a few little issues solely for the purpose of providing assistance to future travelers (We are thoroughly satisfied with the service by the Expert Africa team and would not hesitate to rely on them again in the future).
We felt that the last full day of gravel road travel between Swakopmund and Doro Nawas was the least enjoyable day of the holiday, partly due to the fact that by that stage we had done a lot of gravel road driving and partly due to the fact that the itinerary between Uis and Doro Nawas was over a really bumpy stretch of road (both C35 and D2612) and our main concern was that the rented car would be damaged. We could neither admire the fantastic scenery outside the car nor fully focus on the - atrocious at times - road. We also did not expect that people would stand by the roadside and wave empty water bottles trying to get water from tourists, which obviously posed a dilemma for us.
The area around Uis and Khorixas seemed to us very deprived and we felt somewhat voyeuristic merely driving through as tourists. The area also felt quite unsafe - at one point we stopped at a roadside picnic table just to be surprised by a small truck full of men, one of whom got out and started hassling us for money. Similarly, on the way to Etosha and after visiting the Petrified Forest, we were asked by the official guide there to give a lift to one of his colleagues to Khorixas. As we obliged, we were instantly asked by the guest passenger if we could take on board two others. Our refusal to do so was ill-received. It appears that it is a common practice at that attraction to pressure tourists into giving lifts to staff members.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
We think it would be useful to highlight the following points to future travelers:
1) additional spare tyre (second one) takes up a lot of space in the boot and it may make it awkward to pack and transport the luggage;
2) certain stretches of gravel roads are very rough and it would be good to clarify, who would be responsible for damaged suspension, should it happen;
3) the last stop gave us little time to enjoy the location, therefore it may be useful to consider accommodation in closer proximity to the airport;
4) it would be useful to clarify, how clean the rented car should be on the return;
5) it would be useful to warn tourists (especially those who have spare space in their cars) that at certain locations they may be asked for a lift by the guides;
6) we found that at some locations the full range of activities presented on Expert Africa leaflets were not on offer (e.g. guided walks at Buellsport Farm, night walks at Sossus Dune Lodge);
7) we would advise not to attend night drive safaris at Okaukuejo - the price is high and one normally sees much more during the day while driving around the park;
8) on tarmac roads one usually is not able to drive safely beyond 100 km/h due to warthogs roaming by the roadside - we almost had an accident because of them;
9) Perhaps advise guests to bring a travel kettle and hair dryer with them as they are not provided as a matter of course."
Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo
Olive Grove
"Olive Grove - quality accommodation"
1 night
Arrived
13 Aug 2014
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
BullsPort Lodge and Farm
"Bullsport Guest Farm - a curiosity"
2 nights
Arrived
14 Aug 2014
"Bullsport Farm is worth a short visit and served us well as a pit-stop on the way to Sossusvlei. The proprietor is a Namibian farmer of German descent.
Dinners at Bullsport are communal affairs, where guests sit down to dine with the proprietors each night. The food is simple and homely. The rooms are clean and sufficiently well-furnished for a short stay. A number of well-orgnised activities are offered during the day.
The facilities could have been better: no safe in the room, no Wi-Fi in the room."
Dinners at Bullsport are communal affairs, where guests sit down to dine with the proprietors each night. The food is simple and homely. The rooms are clean and sufficiently well-furnished for a short stay. A number of well-orgnised activities are offered during the day.
The facilities could have been better: no safe in the room, no Wi-Fi in the room."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Average
Sossus Dune Lodge
"Wonderful stay at Sossus Dune Lodge"
2 nights
Arrived
16 Aug 2014
"Our stay at Sossus Dune Lodge was very memorable. The staff in the lodge were very polite and friendly. The guest facilities were very well laid out with stunning views over the surrounding desert and dunes. The cottages were very cosy inside.
The nearby Sesriem Canyon located just 15 min. walk from the lodge is a great place for a relaxing stroll. The lodge is a great staging place for visiting the Sossusvlei. The meals were very tasty, although the portions could be slightly bigger.
We did not take part in the activities offered by the lodge, therefore we cannot comment on this aspect of the accommodation."
The nearby Sesriem Canyon located just 15 min. walk from the lodge is a great place for a relaxing stroll. The lodge is a great staging place for visiting the Sossusvlei. The meals were very tasty, although the portions could be slightly bigger.
We did not take part in the activities offered by the lodge, therefore we cannot comment on this aspect of the accommodation."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Sam's Giardino
"Sam takes great care of his guests"
2 nights
Arrived
18 Aug 2014
"A visit at Sam's was a great experience. Sam takes great care of his guests, looking after them personally during meals and entertaining them through interesting conversation. Sam helped us to confirm our activity arrangements for the next day.
The room was comfortable, although due to the coastal location it felt a bit damp by comparison with our previous desert lodge. The food was excellent, both breakfast and dinner, and we wished we had dinner in the lodge on both nights of our stay, as on the first evening our restaurant outing was not very enjoyable.
The dinner at Sam's was much tastier, served in a pleasant, cosy setting."
The room was comfortable, although due to the coastal location it felt a bit damp by comparison with our previous desert lodge. The food was excellent, both breakfast and dinner, and we wished we had dinner in the lodge on both nights of our stay, as on the first evening our restaurant outing was not very enjoyable.
The dinner at Sam's was much tastier, served in a pleasant, cosy setting."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Doro Nawas
"Focus on frills at the expense of basics"
2 nights
Arrived
20 Aug 2014
"Our experience of Doro Nawas was a 'mixed bag'. Ultimately, we would cut this stop from our itinerary if planning another holiday to Namibia. The location, while very beautiful, felt uncomfortably isolated. The drive there on very bad gravel roads was unpleasant.
The main lodge was beautifully designed and offered spectacular panoramic views, however the gravel pathways between the chalets and the main lodge were badly lit at night and could have been tended to better, given that luggage had to be hauled over them.
The guest chalets were spacious and clean but they felt less cosy than Sossus Dune Lodge as they were quite dark, both in terms of lighting and decor. The lack of tea-making facilities in the room was disappointing. There was also no Wi-Fi access.
The staff and guides were friendly. We did feel however that too much emphasis was placed on entertaining guests at the expense of meeting some basics needs. For example, staff tended to clear plates before guests were finished with their meals, and arrangements for lunch were not clarified by the guide/manager as the morning game drive concluded, despite lunch being included in the price of the drive.
We were happy to move on from Doro Nawas."
The main lodge was beautifully designed and offered spectacular panoramic views, however the gravel pathways between the chalets and the main lodge were badly lit at night and could have been tended to better, given that luggage had to be hauled over them.
The guest chalets were spacious and clean but they felt less cosy than Sossus Dune Lodge as they were quite dark, both in terms of lighting and decor. The lack of tea-making facilities in the room was disappointing. There was also no Wi-Fi access.
The staff and guides were friendly. We did feel however that too much emphasis was placed on entertaining guests at the expense of meeting some basics needs. For example, staff tended to clear plates before guests were finished with their meals, and arrangements for lunch were not clarified by the guide/manager as the morning game drive concluded, despite lunch being included in the price of the drive.
We were happy to move on from Doro Nawas."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Average
Service
Average
Activities
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Facilities
Average
Okaukuejo Camp
"Okaukuejo Camp - sorry we stayed here"
2 nights
Arrived
22 Aug 2014
"Okaukuejo is undoubtedly the best waterhole in Etosha park. The down side to this is that people appear to be willing to put up with bad accommodation conditions just to stay near it. Okaukeujo camp was like a badly run social housing project.
Our kitchenette was filthy with clear build-up of long-term dirt. The sink in the bathroom was blocked. The mosquito net over the bed was shabby, the walls needed to be repainted and the interior doors and the wire mesh over the windows needed to be replaced.
Staff were unprofessional. The night drive guide was mute for the majority of the three-hour excursion and gave monosyllabic responses to the guests questions about the animals. Reception staff were slow to advise guests on which queue to join in order to sign up for drives / check in. We were also asked by a very pushy waiter in the self-serve restaurant to provide him with a written reference!
We would advise future travelers not to stay at Okaukuejo camp. Staying at one of the privately run lodges outside Etosha would be far more enjoyable."
Our kitchenette was filthy with clear build-up of long-term dirt. The sink in the bathroom was blocked. The mosquito net over the bed was shabby, the walls needed to be repainted and the interior doors and the wire mesh over the windows needed to be replaced.
Staff were unprofessional. The night drive guide was mute for the majority of the three-hour excursion and gave monosyllabic responses to the guests questions about the animals. Reception staff were slow to advise guests on which queue to join in order to sign up for drives / check in. We were also asked by a very pushy waiter in the self-serve restaurant to provide him with a written reference!
We would advise future travelers not to stay at Okaukuejo camp. Staying at one of the privately run lodges outside Etosha would be far more enjoyable."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor
Location
Excellent
Service
Poor
Activities
Terrible
Rooms
Terrible
Food
Poor
Facilities
Terrible
Onguma Tented Camp
"Onguma Tented Camp - the high point of trip"
2 nights
Arrived
24 Aug 2014
"The camp was beautifully constructed and tastefully decorated.
The rooms were spotlessly clean and had Wi-Fi access, a safe and tea-making facilities. The staff were professional and friendly but not overbearing. The guide was knowledgeable and pleasant to talk to. The food was delicious.
We highly recommend this camp. Staying at Onguma was the high point of our holiday."
The rooms were spotlessly clean and had Wi-Fi access, a safe and tea-making facilities. The staff were professional and friendly but not overbearing. The guide was knowledgeable and pleasant to talk to. The food was delicious.
We highly recommend this camp. Staying at Onguma was the high point of our holiday."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Ondudu Safari Lodge
"Top range lodge located in a stunning setting"
1 night
Arrived
26 Aug 2014
"The lodge is beautifully built into the surrounding mountains. The chalets were comfortable and spacious with large terraces. The staff were polite and friendly. The meals were delicious and the breakfast was served in a very customer friendly manner. The lodge is very much worth a visit.
The only issue was that as this was our last overnight stop before the return flight, we did not get to enjoy the fantastic location and the facilities as much as we would have wished. We did not take part in any activities organized by the lodge for the same reason.
We also felt that the lodge is too far from the airport to be a last stop in any itinerary."
The only issue was that as this was our last overnight stop before the return flight, we did not get to enjoy the fantastic location and the facilities as much as we would have wished. We did not take part in any activities organized by the lodge for the same reason.
We also felt that the lodge is too far from the airport to be a last stop in any itinerary."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
All staff members were professional and pleasant to deal with and the manager had a good rapport with her staff. The rooms were very clean and nicely decorated with Namibian touches. Wi-fi access was good in the room. The food was excellent both at breakfast and at dinner. The Olive Grove team successfully managed to create a laid-back atmosphere for guests, while providing a very high standard of service.
We did not take part in activities at this location so cannot comment on this aspect of the accommodation."