Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs W from RSA
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
5
Excursions taken
1
My 2021 Namibia trip
Namibia between 26 Jun 2021 and 11 Jul 2021
"Our long awaited (and postponed and covid-adjusted) Namibia trip was a very special experience. We are so grateful to Maruska for her help and advice in making some difficult decisions.
We loved the country, the roads (after all the gravel roads we found the tar roads very boring:), the different landscapes and we were very grateful to drive nearly 3000 km without any car trouble, not even a puncture!
We enjoyed the famous dunes, the deserts, the Cape Cross seals, the beautiful town Swakopmund , the rock engravings, the flamingo's at Walvis Bay, the water holes at Etosha, the memorial museum in Windhoek.
What would be our highlight in all of these? Probably the dunes, as that is something so unique to this area. Next Etosha's animals stand out in their numbers, compared to what we are used to in South Africa.
To have over a hundred springbok, zebra, wildebeest together with smaller groups of ostrich, elephant, oryx and giraffe all at one water hole is absolutely amazing.
Thank you Maruska, for sorting out all the accommodation, planning the trip as a whole, making helpful suggestions, postponing all the accommodations and adjusting again to include covid test on the way back. It made all the difference!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No idea, to be honest. Just very happy we were able to travel with your guidance and suggestions.
Also the knowledge that if something went wrong we would be able to receive all the help we might need. That was very reassuring.
Thank you again."
We loved the country, the roads (after all the gravel roads we found the tar roads very boring:), the different landscapes and we were very grateful to drive nearly 3000 km without any car trouble, not even a puncture!
We enjoyed the famous dunes, the deserts, the Cape Cross seals, the beautiful town Swakopmund , the rock engravings, the flamingo's at Walvis Bay, the water holes at Etosha, the memorial museum in Windhoek.
What would be our highlight in all of these? Probably the dunes, as that is something so unique to this area. Next Etosha's animals stand out in their numbers, compared to what we are used to in South Africa.
To have over a hundred springbok, zebra, wildebeest together with smaller groups of ostrich, elephant, oryx and giraffe all at one water hole is absolutely amazing.
Thank you Maruska, for sorting out all the accommodation, planning the trip as a whole, making helpful suggestions, postponing all the accommodations and adjusting again to include covid test on the way back. It made all the difference!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No idea, to be honest. Just very happy we were able to travel with your guidance and suggestions.
Also the knowledge that if something went wrong we would be able to receive all the help we might need. That was very reassuring.
Thank you again."
Arranged By Maruska AdyeRowe
Cornerstone Guesthouse
"Cornerstone Guesthouse review"
4 nights
Arrived
29 Jun 2021
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Desert tour
"Desert Tour review"
1 Jul 2021 • Morning excursion
We enjoyed the informative tour, with a clearly very knowledgeable guide.
It was a special experience to drive in a landrover through the dunes, dry riverbeds and rocky landscapes (learned about dolomite and dolorite layers) , to learn about all that lives and grows in these areas. The welwitchia was of course one of our favourites and we had lots of opportunities to make photos.
We also enjoyed a nice tuna salad lunch under the trees, properly with table and chairs, and were quite satisfied when we came home.
It was a special experience to drive in a landrover through the dunes, dry riverbeds and rocky landscapes (learned about dolomite and dolorite layers) , to learn about all that lives and grows in these areas. The welwitchia was of course one of our favourites and we had lots of opportunities to make photos.
We also enjoyed a nice tuna salad lunch under the trees, properly with table and chairs, and were quite satisfied when we came home.
Twyfelfontein Country Lodge
"Twyfelfontein Country Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
3 Jul 2021
"Twyfelfontein's location is beautiful, it's built almost into the rocks around the place. The views are special from the lounge / bar area and the restaurant.
The rooms are small but clean and neat. There was aircon, which was great as it was quite hot, even in winter. The meals were fine, not great, but sufficient.
We made trips to the Rock engraving site (very worhwhile), to the Organ Pipes and Burning Mountain.
When we left we saw desert Elephant quite close to the Lodge area."
The rooms are small but clean and neat. There was aircon, which was great as it was quite hot, even in winter. The meals were fine, not great, but sufficient.
We made trips to the Rock engraving site (very worhwhile), to the Organ Pipes and Burning Mountain.
When we left we saw desert Elephant quite close to the Lodge area."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Sightings report
Elephant
1 sighting
Halali Camp
"Halali Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
5 Jul 2021
"Halali camp is spacious, as are the bush chalets. They are a bit shabby, but it was lovely to have so much space for all our things, and to be able to make tea and coffee in our room. The water hole on the verge of the camp was excellent. We saw elephant and black rhino quite close up.
The meals in the restaurant were not great but ok.
There were not many visitors, again because of the lockdown, but it was a bonus for us that we could get all our meals here."
The meals in the restaurant were not great but ok.
There were not many visitors, again because of the lockdown, but it was a bonus for us that we could get all our meals here."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Facilities
Good
Sightings report
Black Rhino
1 sighting
Elephant
1 sighting
Giraffe
1 sighting
Oryx
10+ sightings
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Okaukuejo Camp
"Okaukuejo Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
6 Jul 2021
"As this is the main camp it's quite spacious and attractively built, with the restaurant, pools and offices close by. The chalets are spacious and shabby, just as in Halali. We enjoyed the space and coffee making option. We also enjoyed the restaurant for coffee, meals while using wifi.
The water hole is right in the camp and very popular.
Meals were again average."
The water hole is right in the camp and very popular.
Meals were again average."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Facilities
Good
Sightings report
Elephant
5 sightings
Giraffe
6 sightings
Lion
1 sighting
Oryx
10+ sightings
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Villa Violet
"Villa Violet review"
2 nights
Arrived
9 Jul 2021
"Same as visit on arrival. [Ed: see below!]"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
The room was very spacious, there was a lounge suite and a twin bed in the room with space to spare! The bathroom was also really large and modern. So for the first time we could really unpack, have our laundry done and find time for working on our photos, journal etc but of course also make trips.
The staff was very helpful and pleasant. Breakfast was good.
The location was also fine, we could walk into town, but unfortunately we could not go for a coffee or lunch as all places were closed because of lockdown.
From Swakopmund we also visited the Cape Cross Seal colony, very impressive. A trip to Walvis Bay was also interesting, seeing the flamingo's and walking along the waterfront."