Travel reviews by D & K from Texas

"Loved the spacious room.

Dinner and breakfast were excellent."

"The accommodations were excellent, the food was great and the staff friendly and very helpful. This was a larger place than we usually stay in, but the layout and staff made it felt like a smaller, more intimate camp. When we had electrical problems with our equipment, the staff was responsive, diligent and helpful.

There was a big sandstorm across the area that disrupted travel and local activities and deposited dust on everything. The staff did an amazing job of cleaning and restoring the camp to its normal state. Additionally, the guide and staff re-arranged our schedule and we were able to experience all the activities we planned before we left.

After being delayed twice by weather, we took our incredible balloon ride the morning of our departure. We're very glad we booked 3 nights or we wouldn't have been able to do all our planned activities."

"Very convenient location with large rooms, helpful staff and delicious breakfast. It was nice to have an secure, enclosed place for our car with a remote control to open the gate when entering or leaving.

The staff was very helpful, providing recommendations and directions to places all over the city. The owner was actively involved with helping the guests and making sure their needs were fully met. The breakfast selection and quality was above average, although we had to rush through it the first day to go kayaking.

Our only regret is that we stayed in Swakopmund only 2 nights. We spent the first half of our free day on a Kayaking with Seals excursion, leaving little time for seeing the sights in the town. In hindsight, we'd stay a third night Swakopmund."

"As the descriptions of the camp say, tracking rhinos is the focus of the activities at this camp. Rhino tracking was a major highlight of our trip.

The first day, we spent hours tracking a rhino before the guides showed us where to hide and the rhino walked right in front of us. We thought we'd used up our luck, but on the second day, the trackers found and tracked a group of 3 rhinos which we were able to walk up on and observe without them knowing we were there. Although we were very lucky, there's no guarantee of seeing a rhino on a given day, so we're glad we stayed 3 nights.

We also enjoyed this camp very much. It is and feels like a small and intimate camp. The staff were most welcoming as they greeted us with singing upon arrival and departure. We enjoyed sitting at a communal table and visiting with other guests during meals. Although some may not like it, we enjoyed staying someplace with no cell service or Internet."

"Ongava Lodge is very picturesque. The common area and the chalets are located on a hill overlooking a private reserve and a man-made waterhole.

The waterhole had animals coming and going throughout the day and night, including black and white rhino, lions, giraffe, zebra, kudu, oryx and many more. The photographic hide allowed us to see the animals up close and get some incredible photos. Game drives on the reserve were great. The large private reserve has a large and diverse collection of wildlife but without large crowds. One highlight was watching half a dozen male elephants swimming and playing/fighting with one another in a deep water hole.

We felt that the game drive experience in Etosha Park was inferior to driving in the reserve because of the large number of vehicles and other visitors you must share most of your experiences with.

Our chalet was large and comfortable and had a large porch overlooking the waterhole (which was also visible from a large window above the bathroom sink). It was great to watch zebras and kudu walking in front of our chalet as we brushed our teeth. The food was excellent and the dining deck is perched on a hill overlooking the reserve and the watering hole."

"Okonjima Bush Camp is in a fenced private reserve that is a sanctuary for cheetah, leopards and other big cats. The camp is inside the reserve, but a fence separates the camp area from the cats. It has kilometers of well-marked, maintained trails on which guests can hike. The camp has 9 widely spaced chalets connected by groomed lighted paths. The common area is large, airy and, like the entire camp, is attractively decorated. Unlike the other camps we stayed at in Namibia, it has a green lawn and landscaping.

The guides track leopards and cheetahs with radio collars. Even using a radio direction finder, it was exciting to track find a large cat. We were excited when we tracked a female leopard and found it in a tree eating a warthog. We were thrilled when its "teenage" cub showed up to take away kill. We watched a major drama unfold in front of us as they sparred with one another.

Tracking and finding a cheetah on foot was a thrill. The guide allowed us to approach and observe at very close range.

Visiting the AfricaCat center and learning about the history, mission and activities of its program was interesting. However, seeing the cheetahs living in restricted fenced areas was a let down after tracking them in the "wild"."