Travel reviews by Mrs S from Brentford
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
3
Lodges stayed in
12
Excursions taken
0
Memorable experiences in Namibia & Botswana
Namibia and 2 other countries between 24 Oct 2016 and 14 Nov 2016
Our itinerary in Namibia took us to a variety of places and experiences that were all very different from each other, and each worth the visit. In Botswana it was mainly about the wildlife, though we also enjoyed the beautiful setting of the Okavenga Delta and meeting lots of Botswanans, who without exception were friendly and welcoming.
Finally, except for not getting the type of vehicle we were expecting (though Bidvest & Tracy from Expert Africa did contact us to offer to change, which we decided against) every aspect of the organisation of the trip went without a hitch. We were also impressed that the company paid the difference in flight prices between Windhoek & Maun after Air Namibia cancelled all these flights from the beginning of November and we had to be rebooked onto SA Airways."
Arranged By Tracy Lederer

Haus Sonneneck
"Pleasant guesthouse in Windhoek"

Desert Homestead
"Great stay at Desert Homestead"
We varied between us on our opinions of the food at dinner although we agreed that the self-service afternoon tea + cake was very good. The outdoor restaurant and lounge area were beautifully presented. Our first sundowner drive of the holiday - with a spectacular sunset!
Our self-drive excursion to Sussusvlei was easy though longer than we expected. We had a wonderful day exploring the remarkable & unforgettable landscapes and took some stunning photos....it would be difficult to take a poor one of the stark beauty and contrasting colours. The lodge provided us with a substantial and tasty picnic lunch."

Villa Margherita
"Excellent guesthouse in centre of Swakopmund"
The activities offered seemed rather expensive so we made our own arrangements with a local travel agency - collected from the guesthouse for a boat trip from Walvis Bay, which was brilliant!"

Twyfelfontein Country Lodge
"Desert elephants & rock art at Twyfelfontein "
Lovely comfortable chalets with private patios and great views across the desert.
However, the restaurant is a shambles and lacks any management whatsoever - we had to lay our own tables for all the breakfasts and dinners that we had there. Also the buffet food was often not replenished until asked...There were piles of dirty plates and cutlery left at various points around the restaurant, there just didn't appear to be enough staff - the few that were available spent all their time taking drinks orders and bringing them from the bar. And the lighting was so poor at dinner that it was almost impossible to identify what we were eating...."

Okaukuejo Camp
"Okaukuejo Camp review"
Chalets fairly basic and functional but ok, good air conditioning (recently installed).
The restaurant was as shambolic as the one at Twylfontein, and the food only poor to average - the worst food of our whole trip. The lighting was inadequate and again we had to lay our own tables. At breakfast the floor was covered with litter and food from the previous night's dinner."

Mushara Bush Camp
"Peace & luxury at Mushara Bush Camp"
A large and clean pool, delicious food including a barbeque under the stars at dinner. Lovely staff who couldn't have been more helpful and friendly, especially Hilma the manager.
We would love to have stayed longer than 1 night."

Galton House
"Stylish guest house in the capital"
Lovely ensuite rooms, refreshing pool, delicious locally sourced food, including a freshly-baked cake for afternoon tea.....& a good packed breakfast (ready at 4.30a.m) for our very early departure to the airport"

Thamalakane River Lodge
"Thamalakane River Lodge review"
The guy who took us on an evening trip on the river unfortunately believed that it was appropriate to give us a good photo op by antagonising the local hippos with his boat to the extent that they would rise out of the water. Then at checkout a very miserable receptionist insisted that one one of our party had to walk back to her room to retrieve the key that she had left in the door - the same receptionist then took about 10 minutes to find change for a 100 pula banknote, while the minibus to the airport was waiting......the driver was very helpful though at all times and especially with getting all the guests checked in at the correct desks for our various flights."

Pom Pom Camp
"Pom Pom Camp was our favourite place to stay"
The Pom Pom concession is varied and very beautiful even at the end of the dry season. We loved our Mokoro boat trip - so close to so many beautiful birds - and our young guide was so knowledgeable.
We were taken out on our game drives by Max, an experienced and expert guide who took us to every part of the concession in the 2 days we were there, and found some remarkable wildlife for us including hyena cubs and a pack of wild dogs. All the staff were friendly, warm and welcoming."

Khwai Lediba
"Khwai Tented Camp review"
Delicious food, small and intimate setting, lovely staff. Excellent game drives, varied & abundant wildlife including leopards, wild dogs, and huge numbers of hippo!
We very much hope the staff who were so friendly and welcoming & mainly local, and were to be laid off due to closure of the camp, will be re-employed when the new camp opens."

Chobe River Lodge
"Relaxing small lodge by the Chobe River"
River trip was magical, many animals and birds observed, the only slightly sour note being that the drinks were not included in the quite expensive trip price.
This was the most expensive place that we stayed - all extras (drinks, trips, food etc) were significantly more expensive than at other accommodation."

Ilala Lodge
"Ilala Lodge review"
Within walking distance of the Victoria Falls NP entrance & the pleasant town of Victoria Falls with its restaurants and variety of tourist shops, including some authentic African craft sellers.
We ate only breakfast at the hotel, which consisted of a good buffet and a variety of cooked dishes which were also good."
A good place to stay on our first night - roomy if sparsely furnished accommodation with comfortable beds. Good breakfast, eggs cooked to order.
Pretty grounds, pool out of use due to water restrictions."