Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs M from Hagley
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
17
Excursions taken
2
Magical five week self drive in Namibia
Namibia between 10 May 2024 and 12 Jun 2024
"Fantastic experience or series of experiences. Lots of highlights. Country is very clean. The people are so proud of their country and are very friendly and hospitable.
Many different animals from penguins , seals and flamingoes on the coast to lions, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, leopards and cheetahs in the parks. Too many species of antelope to list and the same goes for birds. At least six types of eagle, alone.
In addition to the wildlife, the geology is astonishing. So many different styles of desert – not just the famous dunes – and so many different mountains with rocks of all sorts of shapes and sizes and minerals.
Three nights wild camping with a guide in Damaraland was an unforgettable experience.
We didn’t find the driving as difficult as we had thought – although a 4 x 4 is essential and we left the really difficult bits (e.g. sand dunes and canyons) to experienced guides.
Can’t wait to go back. Still plenty more to explore."
Many different animals from penguins , seals and flamingoes on the coast to lions, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, leopards and cheetahs in the parks. Too many species of antelope to list and the same goes for birds. At least six types of eagle, alone.
In addition to the wildlife, the geology is astonishing. So many different styles of desert – not just the famous dunes – and so many different mountains with rocks of all sorts of shapes and sizes and minerals.
Three nights wild camping with a guide in Damaraland was an unforgettable experience.
We didn’t find the driving as difficult as we had thought – although a 4 x 4 is essential and we left the really difficult bits (e.g. sand dunes and canyons) to experienced guides.
Can’t wait to go back. Still plenty more to explore."
Arranged By Tom Morris
Olive Grove
"Comfortable"
1 night
Arrived
11 May 2024
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch
"Super Sundowner"
2 nights
Arrived
12 May 2024
"Stunning location and the game drive/sundowner was excellent.
Also, the lodge does a good astronomy lesson given by Panda who was also our great guide on the drive.
Good but not exceptional food and some of the staff could have been a little more engaged."
Also, the lodge does a good astronomy lesson given by Panda who was also our great guide on the drive.
Good but not exceptional food and some of the staff could have been a little more engaged."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Eland
1 sighting
Giraffe
1 sighting
Oryx
6 sightings
White Rhino
2 sightings
Wildebeest
5 sightings
Quiver Inn (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Excellent B & B"
1 night
Arrived
14 May 2024
"Very good B & B for an overnight stop on the way down south.
Accommodation clean with small kitchen. Secure parking but no safe.
Breakfast next door in modern café was great. Would happily recommend."
Accommodation clean with small kitchen. Secure parking but no safe.
Breakfast next door in modern café was great. Would happily recommend."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Fish River Lodge
"Location, location, location !"
2 nights
Arrived
15 May 2024
"Superb location and friendly staff.
View over the canyon is spectacular. Great drive into the canyon - a long day (9 hours) and very bumpy but a wonderful experience.
Lunch and a swim at a rock pool were very well organised. Breakfast and dinner good although the choice was limited because of the remote location.
Like most places we stayed, there was complimentary tea and cake in the afternoon."
View over the canyon is spectacular. Great drive into the canyon - a long day (9 hours) and very bumpy but a wonderful experience.
Lunch and a swim at a rock pool were very well organised. Breakfast and dinner good although the choice was limited because of the remote location.
Like most places we stayed, there was complimentary tea and cake in the afternoon."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Zebra
1 sighting
Fish River Canyon day trip
"Long, bumpy, hot.... and great"
16 May 2024 • All-day excursion
Spectacular.
Refreshing swim and barbeque lunch were a great interlude in a 9 hour bumpy, hot but fascinating day
Refreshing swim and barbeque lunch were a great interlude in a 9 hour bumpy, hot but fascinating day
Cormorant House (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Great seaside break"
2 nights
Arrived
17 May 2024
"Excellent place to stay in Luderitz.
Good location with a wonderful view. Secure parking outside room. Comfortable room with kitchenette.
Self catering but very easy to find your way around the town with a number of very good restaurants and cafes for breakfast and dinner .
Halifax Island boat trip with Heiko Metzger (Zeepaard tours) absolutely amazing."
Good location with a wonderful view. Secure parking outside room. Comfortable room with kitchenette.
Self catering but very easy to find your way around the town with a number of very good restaurants and cafes for breakfast and dinner .
Halifax Island boat trip with Heiko Metzger (Zeepaard tours) absolutely amazing."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Duwisib Guestfarm (Not currently featured by Expert Africa)
"Friendly welcome"
1 night
Arrived
19 May 2024
"Excellent place to stop over during the long trip from the South to the dunes of Sossusvlei.
Very welcoming host, Johannes, and good wholesome food. The Boboti was delicious.
Interesting crafts for sale – some made by local women on the farm."
Very welcoming host, Johannes, and good wholesome food. The Boboti was delicious.
Interesting crafts for sale – some made by local women on the farm."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Not currently featured by Expert Africa
Hoodia Desert Lodge
"Tip top"
2 nights
Arrived
20 May 2024
"High Class Resort run very efficiently with an emphasis on quality, but the service is very friendly.
Day trip to the dunes was excellent. Knowledgeable guide and well organised. Parking right outside individual chalets which was helpful.
Chalets really well planned and well appointed as you would expect. Food absolutely top notch.
A couple of minor points (really down to our own preferences rather than any lack of quality). We did not particularly like the choice of background music and we prefer a more sociable sundowner rather than one geared up to honeymoon couples."
Day trip to the dunes was excellent. Knowledgeable guide and well organised. Parking right outside individual chalets which was helpful.
Chalets really well planned and well appointed as you would expect. Food absolutely top notch.
A couple of minor points (really down to our own preferences rather than any lack of quality). We did not particularly like the choice of background music and we prefer a more sociable sundowner rather than one geared up to honeymoon couples."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Oryx
Many sightings
Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion
"Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion review"
21 May 2024 • All-day excursion
Brilliant guide who made the whole experience very memorable.
Excellent
The Stiltz
"Quirky hotel overlooking the flamingoes"
2 nights
Arrived
22 May 2024
"Very pleasant place to stay in Swakop.
Friendly staff, good breakfast and plenty of great restaurants for dinner within an easy taxi ride. Or even within walking distance to a welcoming beach bar with good food.
We had Room 7 with a wonderful view of the flamingoes and camels – yes, camels ! – from the balcony.
Good laundry service.
Staff really helpful in booking restaurants and taxis but suggest booking top restaurants before you arrive, if you can. They fill up days in advance."
Friendly staff, good breakfast and plenty of great restaurants for dinner within an easy taxi ride. Or even within walking distance to a welcoming beach bar with good food.
We had Room 7 with a wonderful view of the flamingoes and camels – yes, camels ! – from the balcony.
Good laundry service.
Staff really helpful in booking restaurants and taxis but suggest booking top restaurants before you arrive, if you can. They fill up days in advance."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Cornerstone Guesthouse
"Lovely guesthouse"
1 night
Arrived
27 May 2024
"Only stayed one night on our return from the desert but would certainly recommend this lovely guesthouse.
Very pleasant (new) owners and staff. Breakfast really good."
Very pleasant (new) owners and staff. Breakfast really good."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Spitzkoppen Lodge
"Unique setting"
2 nights
Arrived
28 May 2024
"Definitely one of the highlights of our 5 week trip.
Superb location. Extremely friendly and efficient staff. Great chef and knowledgeable guides.
Variety of small game/mammals and birds/, lizards etc. Great laundry service too.
Highly recommended."
Superb location. Extremely friendly and efficient staff. Great chef and knowledgeable guides.
Variety of small game/mammals and birds/, lizards etc. Great laundry service too.
Highly recommended."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Zebra
4 sightings
Camp Kipwe
"First Class"
1 night
Arrived
30 May 2024
"Another high class resort, usefully located near the sights in Twyfelfontein.
Very luxurious. Good food and service. Only spent one night so did not take part in their activities.
Note : Recent big price rise in entrance fees for sights to around 250 – 270 Namibian Dollars for international visitors."
Very luxurious. Good food and service. Only spent one night so did not take part in their activities.
Note : Recent big price rise in entrance fees for sights to around 250 – 270 Namibian Dollars for international visitors."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Grootberg Lodge
"Unforgettable"
2 nights
Arrived
31 May 2024
"We liked this even more than its sister lodge in Fish River.
The views of the pass are spectcular. It is really exciting to be able to photograph eagles from above !
Also many other birds – lovebirds, hornbills etc and (although we did not personally go) the rhino tracking was very well received.
After a few thousand kilometres of driving, we treated ourselves to massages and were not disappointed. Very well trained and thoughtful practitioners.
Rooms simple but comfortable with a fantastic view.
The staff here are happy, relaxed and very friendly and helpful.
Great fire in the restaurant to keep you warm (absolutely necessary in June)."
The views of the pass are spectcular. It is really exciting to be able to photograph eagles from above !
Also many other birds – lovebirds, hornbills etc and (although we did not personally go) the rhino tracking was very well received.
After a few thousand kilometres of driving, we treated ourselves to massages and were not disappointed. Very well trained and thoughtful practitioners.
Rooms simple but comfortable with a fantastic view.
The staff here are happy, relaxed and very friendly and helpful.
Great fire in the restaurant to keep you warm (absolutely necessary in June)."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Hobatere Lodge
"Floodlit waterhole"
2 nights
Arrived
2 Jun 2024
"The fourth lodge in the Fish River/Stiltz/Grootberg/Hobatere Group.
Has the advantage of having a waterhole close at hand (lit up at night) and the game drives are wonderful.
Lions, elephants, giraffe and some less familiar animals too. We were lucky to see aardvark, aardwolf and jackal on a spectacular night drive.
A lovely location but, of the four, the one which could most do with a little TLC. Some of the furnishings are a little tired. Nevertheless, the quality of the staff and guiding was excellent."
Has the advantage of having a waterhole close at hand (lit up at night) and the game drives are wonderful.
Lions, elephants, giraffe and some less familiar animals too. We were lucky to see aardvark, aardwolf and jackal on a spectacular night drive.
A lovely location but, of the four, the one which could most do with a little TLC. Some of the furnishings are a little tired. Nevertheless, the quality of the staff and guiding was excellent."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Aardvark
1 sighting
Elephant
4 sightings
Giraffe
6 sightings
Lion
2 sightings
Oryx
2 sightings
Zebra
3 sightings
Okaukuejo Camp
"All about the waterhole"
2 nights
Arrived
4 Jun 2024
"A very large government run camp with all that that implies.
Food quality not up to the other resorts and fairly basic accommodation. One of the game drives was very poor indeed but, interestingly, the other was as good as we experienced anywhere.
It is not a question of what you see, it is a question of how knowledgeable the guide is and if they can be bothered to impart that knowledge.
Has a waterhole lit up in the evening where rhino, zebra, wildebeest and elephant regularly come to drink."
Food quality not up to the other resorts and fairly basic accommodation. One of the game drives was very poor indeed but, interestingly, the other was as good as we experienced anywhere.
It is not a question of what you see, it is a question of how knowledgeable the guide is and if they can be bothered to impart that knowledge.
Has a waterhole lit up in the evening where rhino, zebra, wildebeest and elephant regularly come to drink."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Rooms
Poor
Food
Poor
Facilities
Good
Service
Average
Activities
Average
Sightings report
Black Rhino
7 sightings
Cheetah
1 sighting
Eland
1 sighting
Elephant
4 sightings
Giraffe
4 sightings
Lion
1 sighting
Oryx
10+ sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Onguma Bush Camp
"Hope to return"
2 nights
Arrived
6 Jun 2024
"Luxurious resort to rival Hoodia and Kipwe – and with a waterhole overlooked by the restaurant.
Great food with very relaxed and friendly service.
Good gamedrive/sundowner and a lovely sunset.
Another of our favourites."
Great food with very relaxed and friendly service.
Good gamedrive/sundowner and a lovely sunset.
Another of our favourites."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
2 sightings
Giraffe
3 sightings
Oryx
2 sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
Wildebeest
2 sightings
Zebra
2 sightings
Frans Indongo Lodge
"Antelope Central !"
2 nights
Arrived
8 Jun 2024
"Arrived here after a detour to the Hoba Meteorite (well worth a visit).
Comfortable and friendly resort with a waterhole overlooked from the sun deck.
Totally different species of antelope here, many brought in from South Africa. Sable, Roan, Eland as well as some of the more common varieties.
Food and staff very good.
A very early start to get to the Cheetah Conservation (CCF) but absolutely worth the trip."
Comfortable and friendly resort with a waterhole overlooked from the sun deck.
Totally different species of antelope here, many brought in from South Africa. Sable, Roan, Eland as well as some of the more common varieties.
Food and staff very good.
A very early start to get to the Cheetah Conservation (CCF) but absolutely worth the trip."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Sightings report
Cheetah
2 sightings
Eland
1 sighting
Oryx
4 sightings
Roan antelope
2 sightings
Sable antelope
2 sightings
Wildebeest
3 sightings
Zebra
2 sightings
Galton House
"Nothing too much trouble"
2 nights
Arrived
10 Jun 2024
"Wonderful reception from the Manager, Koenie Louw and his staff.
Nice room, great facilities and pool, super breakfast, very helpful in finding and booking restaurants etc.
Relaxed way to end our five week trip in Namibia.
Would definitely recommend for a stay in Windhoek. Who needs the Hilton ?"
Nice room, great facilities and pool, super breakfast, very helpful in finding and booking restaurants etc.
Relaxed way to end our five week trip in Namibia.
Would definitely recommend for a stay in Windhoek. Who needs the Hilton ?"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Perfectly fine for a first night stop to get your bearings and recover from the flight."