Travel reviews by The Baobabs from Kirk

"Arriving late and travel weary we were welcomed with cold drinks and lovely smiles. The location is fantastic, views wonderful. The staff were very accommodating and helpful; although we had only 1 night there, we were still able to participate in the trip to Sussovlei and the dunes the following day and much appreciated being able to shower afterwards before moving on.

The dune trip was amazing; we had an excellent guide in Jonathon, who had, and was eager to transmit , a vast understanding and knowledge of the area- its flora, fauna and geology. 1 night is not really sufficient to enjoy the special setting of this camp."

"A delightful friendly place with great walks and wonderful hospitality amid the most spectacular scenery and wonderful birdlife. Rob and Marianne's enthusiasm for the area is infectious , and Rob is keen to impart some of his vast knowledge of all the various "ologies". The area is famous amongst paleontologists for rare fossilised algae.

In the evenings the guests are encouraged to mix so enjoy excellent wholesome food in interesting company. The routine was flexible to fit in with guests activities and wishes. Rob helped us plan the route to our next stop, suggesting many fascinating areas to visit on the way.

This was defintiely one of our favourite places; we would like to return to to explore more of the many and varied hiking possibilities."

"A relaxed, friendly setting with good food, helpful staff and lots of lovely reference books to browse through. A good place to stay in Swakopmund.

Turnstone Tour day trip - Our guide, Ernst, and our friendly and interesting companions, made this a very special day. Ernst's knowledge and enthusiasm, and the way he managed to accommodate the many diverse interests of our group, were admirable. The whole area is so beautiful ,with a fascinating history from whaling to beef canning, and absolutely amazing birdlife. We had a wonderful long walk, and watched dolphins swimming by as we enjoyed a lovely brunch, and never met another soul."

"The main building is a rather forbidding castle like structure, which does however fit in with the surrounding rock. Iinside though is very pleasant and well laid out with an area on the roof for stargazing. The staff are incredibly friendly and open; we had a lovely waitress who announced the menu in the Damara language, with all the clicks.

We specially enjoyed the accommodation, large individual units with private patio, wonderful views, complete with outdoor shower and gheckos. We appreciated the opportunity of talking with the local staff and learning about the area from them. We thought the activites in general, apart from the early morning guided walk, were very expensive so we visited Twyfelfontein in our own car, and had more time with our own guide at a fraction of the cost!."

"A very nicely laid out camp with plenty of space and good accommodation. It was nice having a fridge and kettle. Being a large place it lacks the intimacy of the smaller lodges, but has a lovely pool area with plenty of space to relax. The food was good, seved in a very pleasant dining area (inside and out) with friendly staff. The response to a leak we had in the bathroom was rapid and efficient; every effort was made to be helpful.

The shop was adequately stocked for self caterers cooking an evening meal but short of anything suitable for a lunchtime picnic. We drove ourselves around Etosha so cannot comment on the game drives offered by the camp. As it was the rainy season, the waterholes were often almost devoid of wildlife, but having to search made it more rewarding. We saw plenty of smaller animals and many amazing and fascinating birds."

"We very much enjoyed our stay in this superbly situated intimate lodge with lovely pool area. Here again guests are encuraged to mix; our first evening dining outside with very diverse and interesting company was magical. The staff made every effort to ensure all our neeeds were catered for.

The accommodation in individual thatched cottages was excellent and the food very well presented. We would have appreciated more salad and vegetables, also brown bread for breakfast, but realise that the logistics, particularly food supply, of running a lodge in secluded areas must be unimaginably demanding. As we spent our time in Etosha we cannot comment on the organised activities."

"We were late arriving as we had explored the lovely little town of Tsumeb, but arrangements were made for us to join the evening activity, feeding some of the rescued cheetahs, which was unnatural and rather "stage managed" . Similarly viewing porcupines who get a bucket full of food every evening to attract them. Not really what we were looking for / expecting.

The following morning it was tracking tagged leopards in a vehicle, far more difficutl than one would imagine, with the guide so intent on actually finding a leopard there was hardly opportunity to learn about many of the other interesting animals and birds in the area. We do however realise that the big cats are the main attraction here and it was thrilling to eventually catch a glimpse of a leopard .

The camp area is very pleasant with inviting gardens and the food excellent. We enjoyed the informal relaxed atmosphere."

"Another superb setting for a camp though not suitable for anyone with diffulties in walking as there are lots of steps and often long wooden walkways connecting the individual tents with the restaurant and main areas. The truly amazing granite rock formations, formed by volcanic action, invite one to explore on foot. For those enjoying hiking and birdwatching, as we do, it's a great place. We also experienced 2 spectacular thunderstorms!

The food was good the staff helpful and friendly. The 2 guided walks we did were enjoyable and informative, with plenty to see and learn about, but we cannot comment on outings further afield. In the nearby town of Omaruru is a cooperative where wonderful animals are carved out of tree roots."