Travel reviews by John from Braintree
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
3
Lodges stayed in
11
Excursions taken
0
My May 2022 trip
Namibia and 2 other countries between 18 May 2022 and 9 Jun 2022
The food was generally very good but we did notice that when we went from one Wilderness Safaris Lodge to another the food options were rather similar because they seemed to work off the same menus!
In retrospect, we would have liked three nights somewhere. Perhaps at Ongava? If we were to have cut a destination it would probably have been one of Nxamaseri or Kazile Island Lodge where you are in both cases on the river, although we liked them both in their different ways.
The driving was generally OK but we did have three long days of driving early on almost wholly on untarred roads. Later on in Caprivi the roads were excellent. We got one puncture - caused by a screw and not the roads!
Whilst we were warned it would be cold at night it was more than that. In a lot of places it did not warm up until the afternoon, when it did become hot. We happened to encounter a lot of windy days which made it worse. On game drives you are perched up in an open sided vehicle and so the airspeed makes the cold seem much worse than the temperature would suggest. We took fleeces and gilets but a wind proof coat would have been better than a fleece. That said May still seemed a good time to go, however, because it was before the coldest time, and after the rainy season, and the lodges were not very busy and so there were no big crowds on the game drives.
Star attractions:
- Sesriem and the dunes
- Damaraland and the Daro Nawas lodge
- Ongava
- Muchenje"
Arranged By Tom Morris
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Villa Violet
"Villa Violet review"
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Kulala Desert Lodge
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
We particularly appreciated the log fire in the evenings.
Our guide was fantastic."
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Brown Hyena
1 sighting
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Oryx
Many sightings
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Villa Margherita
"Villa Margherita review"
A lot of people only stay one night in Swapokmund, but whilst there is not too much to do there but we were happy to have a quiet day in the town after a full on few days with early starts and two long drives."
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Doro Nawas
"Doro Nawas review"
Dinner on the upstairs terrace was very atmospheric as was wheeling out the beds to sleep under the stars."
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Elephant
10+ sightings
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Giraffe
1 sighting
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Ongava Tented Camp
"Ongava Tented Camp review"
The guide was excellent.
Could have stayed longer."
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Black Rhino
1 sighting
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Giraffe
1 sighting
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Lion
10+ sightings
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Oryx
2 sightings
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White Rhino
7 sightings
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Wildebeest
1 sighting
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Zebra
Many sightings
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Onguma Tented Camp
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
Guides less good."
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Elephant
5 sightings
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Giraffe
10+ sightings
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Oryx
1 sighting
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Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
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Wildebeest
Many sightings
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Zebra
Many sightings
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Taranga Safari Lodge
"Taranga Safari Lodge review"
Excellent staff and enjoyable sunset cruise."
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Nxamaseri Lodge
"Nxamaseri Lodge review"
It was cold and windy in the tent and in the communal areas.
Better birds than the Caprivi."
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Hippo
10+ sightings
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Kazile Island Lodge
"Kazile Island Lodge review"
Rooms good. Guide was good.
Wonderful evening drive with view of very large herd of elephant."
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Elephant
10+ sightings
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Giraffe
7 sightings
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Hippo
Many sightings
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Sitatunga
1 sighting
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Zebra
Many sightings
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Muchenje Safari Lodge
"Muchenje Safari Lodge review"
Owners/Managers very much present and involved.
Fantastic guide and excellent game viewing."
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Buffalo
10+ sightings
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Elephant
10+ sightings
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Giraffe
10+ sightings
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Hippo
10+ sightings
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Leopard
1 sighting
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Lion
3 sightings
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Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
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Zebra
10+ sightings
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Batonka Guest Lodge
"Batonka Guest Lodge review"
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Elephant
5 sightings
The owner was very helpful with advice."