Travel reviews by P and J from SF
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
12
Excursions taken
1
My Aug 2024 trip
Namibia and 1 other country between 28 Aug 2024 and 22 Sep 2024
"This was an epic trip. We both agree it was the best we have ever taken. Maruska was so helpful with first designing it and then with questions we had along the way. She even helped with getting us tickets to Robbens Island when it was sold out!
At times it felt like too much driving but I wouldn't have wanted to cut out anything. Probably just added more time. I really liked that we were in Swakopmund in the middle of the trip to have some city time between lodges. Also having stays at two different ends of Etosha with a drive through the middle. The lodges were all so wonderful and fun. Also being met at the airport before and at the end by Wilderness Safaris was so helpful. They waited in line for sim cards while we did rental car. Got us on our way quicker.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not really. You did say somewhere that the shortest route is not always the fastest. We wish we had listened as we followed our cars GPS on first day and ended up hours behind schedule and at the start of darkness. Warned not to drive after dark so that was stressful on our first day.
We felt we had lots of info."
At times it felt like too much driving but I wouldn't have wanted to cut out anything. Probably just added more time. I really liked that we were in Swakopmund in the middle of the trip to have some city time between lodges. Also having stays at two different ends of Etosha with a drive through the middle. The lodges were all so wonderful and fun. Also being met at the airport before and at the end by Wilderness Safaris was so helpful. They waited in line for sim cards while we did rental car. Got us on our way quicker.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Not really. You did say somewhere that the shortest route is not always the fastest. We wish we had listened as we followed our cars GPS on first day and ended up hours behind schedule and at the start of darkness. Warned not to drive after dark so that was stressful on our first day.
We felt we had lots of info."
Arranged By Maruska AdyeRowe
Acorn House
"Acorn House review"
4 nights
Arrived
29 Aug 2024
"Acorn House was a wonderful welcome to start the trip. We arrived at night to a fire in the sitting room and complimentary port wine. The staff were super helpful in helping us navigate around town and offering suggestions. Breakfast was excellent. The house itself is beautiful and in a convenient neighborhood with easy access to public transportation."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Kalahari Anib Lodge
"Kalahari Anib Lodge review"
1 night
Arrived
2 Sep 2024
"We messed up on our way from Windhoek to the lodge. We took a gravel road and got here almost after dark. Had to leave early the next day and could not go on any of the walks. The staff were nice.
Not so fond of the food. Large buffet style.
Culture shock our first night! So many German tourists. My husband, who is a black African was asked by someone to bring him a cocktail! Not the lodges fault but it is a large place so a bit overwhelming."
Not so fond of the food. Large buffet style.
Culture shock our first night! So many German tourists. My husband, who is a black African was asked by someone to bring him a cocktail! Not the lodges fault but it is a large place so a bit overwhelming."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Canyon Roadhouse
"Canyon Roadhouse review"
2 nights
Arrived
3 Sep 2024
"The staff here were very nice. Rooms OK, nothing special. Food nothing special but you do have choices from the menu versus a buffet, which is nice. After a long drive, we were going to join a guided tour, but the tours don't take off from the Roadhouse. You have to drive a bit which defeats the purpose. We did drive ourselves to Fish River Canyon which is actually not that far and did enjoy that along with a nice walk.
New experience for us is to ask for water at dinner and get plastic bottles. We really try and avoid plastic. I learned to check this in advance so we brought our own water to meals.
There is a lovely gin distillery, coffee shop and bakery on C37 before the roadhouse. We stopped on the way there and the way back."
New experience for us is to ask for water at dinner and get plastic bottles. We really try and avoid plastic. I learned to check this in advance so we brought our own water to meals.
There is a lovely gin distillery, coffee shop and bakery on C37 before the roadhouse. We stopped on the way there and the way back."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Sightings report
Oryx
2 sightings
Eagle's Nest
"Eagle's Nest review"
1 night
Arrived
5 Sep 2024
"We rated Eagles Nest good vs. Excellent due to the reception area and some of the service. The receptionist was pushy to sell tours and did not tell us about options for dinner outside of the buffet. Since the lodge was 7KM from our chalet we did not want to go back there after dark. I had read that the lodge offered meals to take to the chalet. Our chalet itself, was gorgeous. Set into the mountain itself with huge rocks for the back wall. It was set up for cooking. We did a great hike and returned to the lodge. The next receptionist offered us the menu for making meals in our chalet. We ended up getting charcuterie, sandwiches and wine. It was a cool night so we lit a fire and watched the sun set over the dessert. Did all work out!"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Sightings report
Oryx
1 sighting
Desert Homestead
"Desert Homestead review"
2 nights
Arrived
6 Sep 2024
"Desert Homestead was beautiful. The chalets are spaced to look out big windows onto the dessert. They make their own water. The staff are very much fun and they go out of their way to make meals and snacks special. The guided tours were well done."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Oryx
2 sightings
Cornerstone Guesthouse
"Cornerstone Guesthouse review"
3 nights
Arrived
8 Sep 2024
"Nice location for exploring the city. Perfect timing to hit a city in the middle of our trip."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Coast and Sandwich Harbour
"Coast and Sandwich Harbour review"
10 Sep 2024 • All-day excursion
We had such a good time on this tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable. We saw many flamingoes. We had an exhilarating ride in the sand dunes, including a steep drop to the ocean. Lovely lunch at the ocean. Learned more about the dessert animals and plants.
Excellent
Ai Aiba Lodge
"Ai Aiba Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
11 Sep 2024
"Beautiful chalets spread out to face the dessert and hills. Interesting tour of the rock paintings. Also walked to the San Living Museum with a guide. Lovely lodge with visiting wart hogs."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Giraffe
2 sightings
Oryx
1 sighting
Doro Nawas
"Doro Nawas review"
2 nights
Arrived
13 Sep 2024
"Beautiful lodge and chalets that have outside showers and possible to roll your bed on the patio for sleeping. Too bad it was too cold to take advantage of that. Really great staff that go out of their way too please you. They make their own carbonated water which I really appreciated. Great food. They even had a barbecue on the roof with blankets and water bottles (bush babies). I was missing walking but you were told you could not walk trails without a guide?
Did take a tour to see dessert adapted elephants. Exciting!"
Did take a tour to see dessert adapted elephants. Exciting!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
2 sightings
Vreugde Guest Farm
"Vreugde Guest Farm review"
2 nights
Arrived
15 Sep 2024
"Rooms are nothing special. Pretty grounds and set up for outside eating. Very nice and knowledgeable owners. Helped us plan our time self driving in Etosha. Good planning to be outside the middle gate of park. We toured some of the Western part of park one day and then drove through the part to the Eastern gate and our next stop. Magnificent wildlife viewing both days. Really good food here with much of it from the farm itself. Walking trails which I needed after so much driving!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
2 sightings
Giraffe
3 sightings
Oryx
3 sightings
Roan antelope
1 sighting
White Rhino
1 sighting
Wildebeest
1 sighting
Zebra
2 sightings
Mushara Bush Camp
"Mushara Bush Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
17 Sep 2024
"Lovely tents surrounded by trees. Nice pool with a big horn bill hanging around. Had a great safari with just the two of us. Guide found us the cats that had been alluding us."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Cheetah
2 sightings
Eland
1 sighting
Elephant
Many sightings
Giraffe
Many sightings
Leopard
1 sighting
Lion
2 sightings
Oryx
2 sightings
Frans Indongo Lodge
"Frans Indongo Lodge review"
1 night
Arrived
19 Sep 2024
"Nice deck overlooking a watering hole with interesting game."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Sable antelope
1 sighting
Wildebeest
1 sighting
Villa Violet
"Villa Violet review"
1 night
Arrived
20 Sep 2024
"Good stay in Windhoek. Helpful with getting rides."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good