Travel reviews by Family T from Scotland
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
6
Excursions taken
0
Namib Desert, Damaraland, Etosha self-drive
Namibia between 22 Dec 2024 and 5 Jan 2025
"We visited Namibia with our family of seven adults in December 2024/January 2025. We chose to self-drive in two 4WD cars, traveling from Windhoek to the Namib Desert, to Swakopmund, Damaraland, Etosha, and finally Okonjima, before returning to Windhoek, a distance of 2000 kilometers in two weeks. We believe our itinerary allowed us to experience different desert and savannah environments, with their different wildlife species, without feeling we were driving too much.
We had chosen Namibia as none of the family except one had ever been to Africa on safari, and we wanted a special experience as my husband and I were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. It is fair to say this holiday is the best holiday any of us have ever had. Namibia is such a beautiful and varied country, it blew us away. We stayed in extremely comfortable lodges, which were all without exception outstanding. The staff were helpful and kind. The food delicious. The guides knowledgable and entertaining. And we saw so many different animals! If it hadn't started to rain hard on our last day I think we may never have left.
Expert Africa, and specifically Sabina, did a brilliant job organising the logistics: everything worked as per plan - the route and accommodation descriptions were accurate, the lodges expected us, the cars were brand new and drove well, and the supporting information provided relevant and useful.
Thank you very much for our holiday of a lifetime!"
We had chosen Namibia as none of the family except one had ever been to Africa on safari, and we wanted a special experience as my husband and I were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. It is fair to say this holiday is the best holiday any of us have ever had. Namibia is such a beautiful and varied country, it blew us away. We stayed in extremely comfortable lodges, which were all without exception outstanding. The staff were helpful and kind. The food delicious. The guides knowledgable and entertaining. And we saw so many different animals! If it hadn't started to rain hard on our last day I think we may never have left.
Expert Africa, and specifically Sabina, did a brilliant job organising the logistics: everything worked as per plan - the route and accommodation descriptions were accurate, the lodges expected us, the cars were brand new and drove well, and the supporting information provided relevant and useful.
Thank you very much for our holiday of a lifetime!"
Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo
Weinberg Hotel
"Weinberg Hotel review"
1 night
Arrived
22 Dec 2024
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Kwessi Dunes
"Kwessi Dunes review"
3 nights
Arrived
23 Dec 2024
"We loved Kwessi Dunes. The setting in the desert is unreal, the lodge extremely comfortable, and the staff so helpful and kind.
Watching oryxes drinking at the waterhole while we were in the swimming pool was magical. We stayed over Christmas and really appreciated the extra effort the staff made to help us experience an African Christmas - lots of food, and African singing and dancing!
Our guide Papa-G took us to climb the highest dune at Sossusvlei, quad biking around Kwessi, as well as out on a couple of sundowner drives, and was so interesting and well-informed. We highly recommend a stay at Kwessi Dunes.
We stayed here at the start of our self-drive holiday which we think worked well, as we might not have been so excited about seeing oryxes or ostriches if we had come here after visiting the game reserves in the north of Namibia."
Watching oryxes drinking at the waterhole while we were in the swimming pool was magical. We stayed over Christmas and really appreciated the extra effort the staff made to help us experience an African Christmas - lots of food, and African singing and dancing!
Our guide Papa-G took us to climb the highest dune at Sossusvlei, quad biking around Kwessi, as well as out on a couple of sundowner drives, and was so interesting and well-informed. We highly recommend a stay at Kwessi Dunes.
We stayed here at the start of our self-drive holiday which we think worked well, as we might not have been so excited about seeing oryxes or ostriches if we had come here after visiting the game reserves in the north of Namibia."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Oryx
10+ sightings
The Delight
"The Delight review"
2 nights
Arrived
26 Dec 2024
"We stayed at The Delight for a couple of nights, to break the journey from the Namib Desert to Damaraland on our self-drive holiday, and found it comfortable and clean.
The location in the centre of Swakopmund is good, close to the centre with its' shops/restaurants/museums.
Breakfast was superb."
The location in the centre of Swakopmund is good, close to the centre with its' shops/restaurants/museums.
Breakfast was superb."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Doro Nawas
"Doro Nawas review"
2 nights
Arrived
28 Dec 2024
"Doro Nawas was an unexpected highlight.
Having read the mixed reviews online before our visit, we weren't sure what to expect, but the lodge was amazing, with superb views over the desert/savannah, as well as a pool, and very comfortable cabins.
We enjoyed sleeping outside under the stars.
The food was delicious and one evening was served on the rooftop terrace- so special.
All the staff were incredibly kind and helpful. Our guide Stephanus was extremely well informed and not only showed us the desert-adapted elephants we had come to see, but when he heard that one of our group was a big fan of giraffes, took us to another valley to see a small breeding herd."
Having read the mixed reviews online before our visit, we weren't sure what to expect, but the lodge was amazing, with superb views over the desert/savannah, as well as a pool, and very comfortable cabins.
We enjoyed sleeping outside under the stars.
The food was delicious and one evening was served on the rooftop terrace- so special.
All the staff were incredibly kind and helpful. Our guide Stephanus was extremely well informed and not only showed us the desert-adapted elephants we had come to see, but when he heard that one of our group was a big fan of giraffes, took us to another valley to see a small breeding herd."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
8 sightings
Ongava Lodge
"Ongava Lodge review"
3 nights
Arrived
30 Dec 2024
"Ongava Lodge is such a magical place.
Set in a reserve that feels like a tiny bit of paradise, the lodge itself is extremely comfortable. The staff went out of their way to ensure we had everything we asked for.
The food was delicious. Walking to our cabins every night with an armed guard was a fun new experience, but in fact we never felt unsafe. We stayed at Ongava Lodge over New Year, and loved the efforts the staff made to ensure we had a fun New Year's Eve party.
Our guide Teacher was so knowledgable, and seemed to know the area backwards - we were blown away by the numerous animals we saw: elephants with babies, elephants swimming, lions, white rhinos with babies, but also zebra, wildebeest, antelopes of all types and sizes, warthogs, ostriches, guinea fowl, mongoose, hyraxes.
Teacher took us rhino tracking on foot, which was a unique way to experience the African bush and highly recommended.
We also visited the Discovery Centre and again highly recommend this, as it gave us a comprehensive insight into the Namibian environment and wild life."
Set in a reserve that feels like a tiny bit of paradise, the lodge itself is extremely comfortable. The staff went out of their way to ensure we had everything we asked for.
The food was delicious. Walking to our cabins every night with an armed guard was a fun new experience, but in fact we never felt unsafe. We stayed at Ongava Lodge over New Year, and loved the efforts the staff made to ensure we had a fun New Year's Eve party.
Our guide Teacher was so knowledgable, and seemed to know the area backwards - we were blown away by the numerous animals we saw: elephants with babies, elephants swimming, lions, white rhinos with babies, but also zebra, wildebeest, antelopes of all types and sizes, warthogs, ostriches, guinea fowl, mongoose, hyraxes.
Teacher took us rhino tracking on foot, which was a unique way to experience the African bush and highly recommended.
We also visited the Discovery Centre and again highly recommend this, as it gave us a comprehensive insight into the Namibian environment and wild life."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Elephant
10+ sightings
Giraffe
4 sightings
Lion
5 sightings
Oryx
5 sightings
White Rhino
9 sightings
Wildebeest
7 sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Okonjima Bush Camp
"Okonjima Bush Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
2 Jan 2025
"We choose Okonjima Bush Camp as the last stop on our self-drive holiday, to try and see leopards and pangolin, as these animals are so elusive and difficult to spot, but there seemed to be a decent chance at this reserve.
Our guide Matthew was extremely knowledgable about all the wildlife, and our safari drives were interesting and entertaining. Matthew went above and beyond to ensure we saw leopards, and on our very last night, even a pangolin.
Besides the game drives, we also enjoyed guided walks and visited the Africat foundation. It was sobering to see the last few cheetahs still living at the Africat foundation, and hear about the difficulties of managing human/wildlife interactions.
The lodge and cabins at Okonjima were extremely comfortable, and the food was excellent. The staff were helpful and kind.
We were able to stay at the lodge until midday on our last day as we had a late flight home."
Our guide Matthew was extremely knowledgable about all the wildlife, and our safari drives were interesting and entertaining. Matthew went above and beyond to ensure we saw leopards, and on our very last night, even a pangolin.
Besides the game drives, we also enjoyed guided walks and visited the Africat foundation. It was sobering to see the last few cheetahs still living at the Africat foundation, and hear about the difficulties of managing human/wildlife interactions.
The lodge and cabins at Okonjima were extremely comfortable, and the food was excellent. The staff were helpful and kind.
We were able to stay at the lodge until midday on our last day as we had a late flight home."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Giraffe
10+ sightings
Leopard
4 sightings
Oryx
10+ sightings
Pangolin
1 sighting
Sable antelope
3 sightings
White Rhino
2 sightings
Wildebeest
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
The staff were very helpful and kind."