Travel reviews by Devon Pollard from UK

"We arrived early (about 10am) and, although our room wasn't ready, we were invited to relax in the garden and it was only a matter of a few minutes before we could settle in. The room (a triple) was spacious and clean, with a small private courtyard, from which we saw 12 species of bird - to my husband's delight!

Our host, Gisela, was friendly and welcoming and we were free to come and go as we pleased for the rest of the day.

There was a wide variety on offer for breakfast, ranging from fresh fruit to cereals, yogurts and the option of a cooked breakfast (egg & bacon)."

"Our room (a triple) was relatively small but adequate for our needs, warm and comfortable, overlooking the garden.

Sam is a fount of local knowledge and provided all the information we needed to make the most of our stay.

A nice touch is the galleried area where we could help ourselves to a variety of hot drinks whenever we liked. The lounge, adjacent to the dining area, was also available to us to watch television or browse through any of the illustrated books provided.

Sam would have been happy to book trips for us had we wished him to do so.

Breakfast was plentiful, with lots of choice. Staff were unobtrusive and efficient."

"The approach to the Lodge is by way of a 'D' class road which we felt, in hindsight, would have been better tackled in a 4 x 4 vehicle. However, after a bumpy drive, the Lodge doesn't disappoint. Our chalet was hot, although a ceiling fan kept the air circulating. We did not need the woollen blankets provided! The room was comfortable and clean with a fantastic view, particularly at sunrise.

The evening meal, a buffet, was good, but did not cater for younger tastebuds. A highlight was the after-dinner entertainment, when many of the staff, still in uniform, performed local songs. Breakfast was good, with plenty of choice.

The staff were friendly and helpful.

(Would recommend other travellers are booked on at least a half board basis since there is nowhere else in the vicinity to take an evening meal)."

"Although we were anticipating two tents, on arrival we were informed a camp bed had been put into one tent, allowing us to stay together as a family.

The tents were well furnished and the static beds comfortable - a hot water bottle in the evening was welcome. The bucket shower was a new experience and, when required, hot water was provided. In the absence of running water, a flask each of cold and 'hot' water was placed at the sink. The hot water wasn't always.

Camp staff and guides were very attentive and we were particularly impressed by the waiting staff (female), who remembered from day to day what drinks we preferred! Our guide, Harry, was knowledgeable about the wildlife and plant life we encountered. We were delighted to observe a female rhino and her calf from a distance, having tracked a short distance on foot. One of our highlights and all credit to the trackers!

The dining tent was nicely set out in the evening and a single dining table ensured we mixed with other guests. The meals were good, although there was no choice young people.

We were able to take part in game drives in the morning and afternoon/early evening at which we saw a good selection of the wildlife and amazing scenery."

"We had a warm welcome to the Lodge and were informed of the activities. No sooner had we put our cases into our chalet when we spotted a herd of elephants right outside! Great photo opportunity.

The room itself was a little 'tired' and could do with refurbishment, but the beds were comfortable and an extra mosquito net was provided promptly for our daughter when we asked.

The watering hole close to the chalets attracted a variety of wildlife and we were especially pleased to see a mother giraffe and her calf drinking there as, according to the guide, this was the first time in the 17 years he had been working there that this had happened.

The evening meal was the best we had, with plenty of choice. The al fresco dining area was pretty when lit up in the evening which made for a lovely atmosphere.

The night game drive was less impressive. We saw little and, it was unfortunate that the guides, on spotting an animal, often didn't dwell long enough on it to enable us to see it clearly.

Breakfast again presented us with lots from which to choose in an unhurried manner. Again taken outside, it was a real treat to share our meal with several species of bird which visited."

"Another Wilderness Safari camp, so high standards expected and we were not disappointed.

Our hosts, Wendy and Cameron were superb, meeting us promptly on arrival with welcome cold flannels, followed by a soft drink. The tents were beautifully furnished and the outdoor shower, whilst enclosed to preserve modesty, allowed us a stunning view of the clear night sky. We were met and escorted promptly to and from our tents after dark and our luggage was delivered to the tents. Hot water bottles again.

We went on an afternoon game drive and viewed a number of different types of antelope and our guide, Binius, went to great lengths to ensure we saw white rhino up close and personal. We, along with others from the main camp, were able to track on foot for a short distance.

Cameron's knowledge of the stars and his after dinner anecdotes made you feel more like a member of the family than a short term visitor. We were also able to view a porcupine at close quarters since there is a semi tame one which visits in the evenings.
One night was not enough here.

The next morning we had a game drive into Etosha for several hours. Again Binius, through radio contact with colleagues, enabled us to get a good view of two lionesses at a watering hole.

To ensure we used our time to the best possible advantage, Wendy and Cameron arranged for us to take a packed lunch with us that day. There was plenty to eat and a good choice of food."

"Our detached chalet was gorgeous, affording privacy and all mod cons in a 'bush' setting. The chalet was clean and tidied twice a day. Our daughter's bed was to the same standard as ours and positioned so that she too had her own space. Nice to see a hairdryer again after several days!

Part of the chalet was of solid construction and part canvas so that, when we returned from our morning activity, the canvas part was rolled up enabling us to sit quietly and observe the several species of bird which came to feed outside when we scattered the seed provided - a very nice touch.

Although there was a gap of several hours following the morning activity, we personally did not feel this was detrimental, having been up since 5.30am it was good to have a rest.

Lunch is not provided in the full board package as 'brunch' is served on returning from the morning drive, at 9.30am. Tea is then served at around 3pm, prior to the afternoon drive. Lunch can be requested to order, at an additional cost.

The staff were polite and attentive and always on hand to answer queries. Our guide, Sanel, was excellent. Her knowledge of plants and the animals with which she works was very apparent. She was also a great ambassador for the AfriCat Foundation, giving us lots of information about all aspects of their work.

We were able to track cheetah on foot - a great experience and view a leopard at close quarters. The game drive to and from the rehabilitation areas gave us close up views of giraffe, warthog and species of antelope. The night drive, to view porcupine feeding, was less exciting, but nevertheless interesting.

Witnessing the resident cheetahs close to (an occasionally almost on) our game drive vehicle was fantastic. A nice bonus was seeing the rare wild dogs which live at the foundation."