Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs C from Droitwich
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
9
Excursions taken
1
My Jul 2016 trip
Namibia between 4 Jul 2016 and 23 Jul 2016
"All comments have been made. With regards to my comments on the car hire I realise that that was by far the most common vehicle but maybe you travel agents should put a bit of pressure on them to look at alternative types. If we had had 4 people in the vehicle then their luggage would have been severely damaged by sliding around and being covered in dirt. At the very least there should have been straps provided to hold things in place.
We were very impressed with Wilderness Safaris. As I mentioned they came with us to the car hire place and out to the vehicle and helped us sort both the paperwork and the vehicle checks.
At the end they then took us through the express check in desk thus avoiding a lengthy queue. Excellent service.
All in all a very good trip, even if a little tiring and stressful at times with the driving (but we didn't get a puncture). Frankly I am amazed that you even recommend a standard two wheel drive car over those roads. We saw virtually no other cars like that.
Its an interesting point but you don't actually need the 4WD facility but you do need the ground clearance and chunky wheels/tyres.
Finally thank you for organising the trip, everything worked fine."
We were very impressed with Wilderness Safaris. As I mentioned they came with us to the car hire place and out to the vehicle and helped us sort both the paperwork and the vehicle checks.
At the end they then took us through the express check in desk thus avoiding a lengthy queue. Excellent service.
All in all a very good trip, even if a little tiring and stressful at times with the driving (but we didn't get a puncture). Frankly I am amazed that you even recommend a standard two wheel drive car over those roads. We saw virtually no other cars like that.
Its an interesting point but you don't actually need the 4WD facility but you do need the ground clearance and chunky wheels/tyres.
Finally thank you for organising the trip, everything worked fine."
Arranged By Tracy Lederer
Elegant Guesthouse
"Elegant Guesthouse review"
1 night
Arrived
5 Jul 2016
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Service
Excellent
BullsPort Lodge and Farm
"Bullsport Guest Farm review"
2 nights
Arrived
6 Jul 2016
"Again very helpful staff. Nice to be able to mix with the owners at meal times (even invited us into their own home to watch the football) Had a good trip up into the mountains followed by a rather long and difficult walk back. Definitely worth breaking the journey for a couple of nights."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sossus Dune Lodge
"Sossus Dune Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
8 Jul 2016
"Good to be able to stay inside the park so that we could get out for sunrise etc. I think we had the best lodge opposite the water hole which was good.
Staff were helpful although never quite sure whether things were going to happen, but they did so no problems.
Nearly missed the Balloon flight due to high winds for three days but got it on the morning we were due to leave for Swakopmund.
Wonderful experience, not to be missed.
Both the lodge and we were surprised that you had only booked us B&B. There was nowhere else to go for a meal so why not half board and save us messing around having to queue up to pay."
Staff were helpful although never quite sure whether things were going to happen, but they did so no problems.
Nearly missed the Balloon flight due to high winds for three days but got it on the morning we were due to leave for Swakopmund.
Wonderful experience, not to be missed.
Both the lodge and we were surprised that you had only booked us B&B. There was nowhere else to go for a meal so why not half board and save us messing around having to queue up to pay."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Feedback response
We were surprised to hear that the staff at Sossus Dune Lodge expressed their concern at us booking on B&B basis, as this is the only board basis available to pre-book here. We would be delighted to book Sossus Dune Lodge to include dinner, as we agree this would make so much more sense given the fact there is nowhere else to go and eat, but unfortunately we do not have this option available when booking.
Southern Africa Manager
Cornerstone Guesthouse
"Cornerstone Guesthouse review"
2 nights
Arrived
11 Jul 2016
"Again very nice and with helpful and friendly staff.
The Turnstone tour was very good, great leader, but unfortunately we couldn't get to Sandwich Bay because the sand dunes had moved into the sea due to the previous high winds but still a very good day. He certainly found us lots of wildlife and birds."
The Turnstone tour was very good, great leader, but unfortunately we couldn't get to Sandwich Bay because the sand dunes had moved into the sea due to the previous high winds but still a very good day. He certainly found us lots of wildlife and birds."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Coast and Sandwich Harbour
"Excellent"
12 Jul 2016 • All-day excursion
see previous entry
Excellent
Doro Nawas
"Doro Nawas review"
2 nights
Arrived
13 Jul 2016
"Great to be welcomed by local singing and hearing the local dialect with its 'clicking' sounds. An amazing location even if the building itself was somewhat strange and not very scenic. First night we were taken out for a meal in the bush which was great.
Had a good trip to find Elephants, which we did eventually. Excellent guide and very knowledgeable.
The rock paintings which we did by ourselves were fascinating."
Had a good trip to find Elephants, which we did eventually. Excellent guide and very knowledgeable.
The rock paintings which we did by ourselves were fascinating."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Okaukuejo Camp
"Okaukuejo Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
15 Jul 2016
"As we had been let to expect this was not up the high standards of the previous lodges, however it was perfectly acceptable for us as a room to just sleep in, as was the restaurant even if we had to queue up to get our food.
The slight inadequacies of the place were easily made up for by the closeness to the waterhole. This was amazing to just watch the animals come in to drink. We spent an entire afternoon just watching a herd of Elephants with some very young ones drinking and it was fascinating to watch the interaction between the group.
The following day we spent driving around ourselves and found a Leopard and a couple of Lionesses, amongst many other animals.
We did not have any problems with noise as had been led to expect even though our room was right next to the camp site and there was certainly no problem round the waterhole."
The slight inadequacies of the place were easily made up for by the closeness to the waterhole. This was amazing to just watch the animals come in to drink. We spent an entire afternoon just watching a herd of Elephants with some very young ones drinking and it was fascinating to watch the interaction between the group.
The following day we spent driving around ourselves and found a Leopard and a couple of Lionesses, amongst many other animals.
We did not have any problems with noise as had been led to expect even though our room was right next to the camp site and there was certainly no problem round the waterhole."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Halali Camp
"Halali Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
17 Jul 2016
"Comments pretty much as for Okaukuejo camp as regards the accommodation although the room was of better quality and size.
We were rather disappointed with the waterhole both as regards its location and the number of animals seen (only one small herd of Elephants)
A good central location with plenty of waterholes around the area and a good midway location within the park."
We were rather disappointed with the waterhole both as regards its location and the number of animals seen (only one small herd of Elephants)
A good central location with plenty of waterholes around the area and a good midway location within the park."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Mushara Bush Camp
"Mushara Bush Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
18 Jul 2016
"An interesting one this. Somewhat disconcerted that there was nowhere to lock anything away (even the room) other than a small safe. As we had some fairly expensive camera equipment with us that meant we had to carry everything around with us (even to the restaurant). Maybe worth mentioning that aspect. Maybe that is the situation with all canvas camps.
The central area and restaurant were excellent and the staff were very good, helpful and friendly."
The central area and restaurant were excellent and the staff were very good, helpful and friendly."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Okonjima Plains Camp
"Okonjima Plains Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
20 Jul 2016
"When we arrived we found that we had been upgraded to the Bush Camp which was very luxurious and a nice surprise for our last couple of nights. A pity we couldn't make more use of it with so many trips available.
The staff, restaurant and central area were also excellent as were the guided trips to see the Leopards and Cheetahs.
I think our only comment would be that we didn't realise how far off the main road the camp was (aprox 30km and 30 mins extra drive) which meant we arrived too late for that days game drive. That is definitely worth mentioning for future clients.
We were certainly very pleased to have asked to go there as it wasn't on your original itinerary."
The staff, restaurant and central area were also excellent as were the guided trips to see the Leopards and Cheetahs.
I think our only comment would be that we didn't realise how far off the main road the camp was (aprox 30km and 30 mins extra drive) which meant we arrived too late for that days game drive. That is definitely worth mentioning for future clients.
We were certainly very pleased to have asked to go there as it wasn't on your original itinerary."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Feedback response
Although we do often discuss the driving distance off the road, we have taken note of the above comment and added this information to the section on Okonjima within our final travel document that we send out to our travellers.
Southern Africa Manager
They were also very helpful when it came to dealing with a large unpleasant spider in the room in the middle of the night."