Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs D from Worcester

"This was fine for a first night stopover, straightforward to find from the airport and the rooms clean and comfortable. The staff helpfully booked us into Joe's Beer House which was only a short walk away (although when we returned by taxi the night porter took some rousing to let us back in). In the morning they looked after our bags after we'd checked out so we could drive into the centre of Windhoek for a look round. The little museum at the Alte Feste gave some interesting insights into struggle for Namibian independence."

"We very much enjoyed our 3 night stay here and the friendly atmosphere generated by Johanna and Ernst. The communal dining worked well with the mix of nationalities and it was good to swap stories and share plans for the following day. The room was simple but perfectly adequate.

We mainly chose Bullsport for the walking opportunities it offers and were not disappointed. One day we did Bullsport's own 12km Quiver Tree Gorge trail. Anyone who does hillwalking in the UK will have no problem with this - with the added excitement of seeing mountain zebra and kudu. The next day we did part of the Waterkloof trail in the national park - it was quite a surprise to see so much greenery and running water."

"We were hoping this was going to be a highlight of our trip and we were not wrong. Domingo was a great guide and the other guests (there were 8 of us in total) proved to be excellent company. It was obvious that everything had been very well planned. Each day's walking was not too strenous but long enough to give you a sense of achievement and the small flora and fauna were fascinating, from digging for spiders to making resurrection bush tea. We had bush showers with a view and excellent evening meals from the back-up staff at the campsites. And what 'rooms'! On the first night there was a full moon so we had a clear view of the desert landscape from our camp beds all night - absolutely stunning. A pity we had to have tents the second night because of a hyena alert. Highly recommended."

"We found Desert Homestead perfectly pleasant but nothing remarkable. That said, the room was certainly very good and the staff generally friendly and efficient. The meals were rather uninspiring - as if the kitchen were trying too hard to give their home cooking a dash of more restaurant-style flair - it just didn't quite come off.

Like most people we stayed here as a base to visit the dunes at Sossusvlei. We didn't take part in the mad rush to get to the park at sunrise but still had to queue 50 minutes for the permit, which was frustrating. Thereafter we had a very full day walking over the dunes from the parking lot to Sossusvlei itself, then Dead Vlei and finally Hidden Vlei. On the last leg the compass came in handy to get us back to the carpark and, to be honest, we could have done with a better map. It was worth staying late though for the late afternoon colours."

"This guesthouse is so conveniently sited that we just left the car in their secure parking for the duration. Nice seaside feel to the place, spacious room and excellent breakfasts. We were out most of the time so didn't see much of the hosts but got some laundry done (80N$ a bag) which was helpful. Central Swakopmund seemed safe in the evenings and we ate out at Erich's and Zur Kupferpfanne, both of which we booked up just an hour or so in advance. On the last night we had a pizza in Secret Garden's own cosy bistro.

We did the full day Sandwich Harbour trip with Turnstone Tours. Excellent day out with guides Andrew and Wayne who went all out to cram as much in as possible. On the other day we did a half day moon landscape/welwitschia excursion which we booked through the very helpful tourist office in Swakopmund."

"We were so glad to have done this drive, from the sights (and smells) of Cape Cross seal colony and the coastal wrecks to the subtly beautiful gravel plains of ever-changing colours further north.

Of course, the Terrace Bay chalets are dated and basic but everything worked and the duvets were lovely - we had the best night's sleep of the whole trip here. It was a shame there were so few other guests - only three other couples - so the restaurant lacked a bit of atmosphere. Food good though and a breakfast selection that would have fed ten times the number.

The following morning we did the short waterfall walk recommended by one of the staff - just park by the old generator shed as you cross the Uniab river and walk seawards for about 1 km . Very easy and we got a good sighting of a brown hyena at quite close quarters."

"This was another highlight of our trip. It got off to a good start with a close encounter with desert elephants and mountain zebra on the drive into camp. The tented rooms were unfussy and comfortable and having to fill and hoist your own bucket for a shower was all part of the fun. Dennis was an engaging host and Bonnie an excellent guide. The food was so good that we had to restrain ourselves from having second helpings of everything, especially the lunchtime salads. Early evening drinks round the campfire and stargazing with Dennis' telescope were added bonuses.

We settled into the routine of a morning walk, early afternoon siesta and late afternoon drive. On the drives we saw more elephants, a distant rhino and baby, and some good birds. One evening Dennis came with tracking aerial and searchlight to try and locate a lioness but without luck. On the second day it turned out we were the only guests so Bonnie took us on a slightly longer walk with a bit of easy scrambling to see some of the trees on the plateau. If we ever come again it would be great to do a full day walk in the hills - just walking through this landscape is a joy.

We'd agree that you need at least 3 night here, 2 nights doesn't do it justice."

"Arrived on a hot afternoon when the welcome drink was much appreciated. A lot of work and imagination has obviously gone into making this camp blend into the rocks. The domed huts (with outdoor bathrooms) were very stylish and we had a great view from ours. Staff friendly and efficient and an enjoyable evening meal.

We visited Twyfelfontein to see the rock engravings on the day we arrived and left early the following day so didn't have much time to explore the area. Would use Camp Kipwe again if we ever pass by."

"Considering the number of guests they process with many, like us, staying just the one night, the staff here do a pretty good job. Checking in was of necessity a bit more formal than most other places but it only took a few minutes and they had the restaurant booking sheet there too for us to fill in. We had bush chalet no.80 which was very convenient for the waterhole. Room bigger than expected and clean with a kitchen area with fridge and kettle etc.

We ate early at 6 and then spent the evening at the waterhole. Activity rather slow but four rhino, a dozen or so elephants and a few giraffe wasn't bad. The next morning there were zebra, springbok and kudu."

"Well, we chilled out for an afternoon anyway, after driving through the park from Okaukuejo, and took advantage of the spacious pool. This is a very smart lodge with welcoming staff and very comfortable tented rooms. On the first evening they did a communal braai buffet with all the tables arranged in a circle round the fire and the other night we had individual dining tables. The food was good and very well-presented.

We chose to spend a second day in Etosha ourselves, rather than do a Mushara drive. Whereas the arrival day was mostly zebra and springbok, this time it was mostly elephant and giraffe. We spent ages at one waterhole watching more than 30 elephants having their bathtime, the mums throwing water, mud and dust around like no tomorrow and the kids just larking about - absolutely fascinating."

"This place has a lot of character and an awful lot of rock dassies! We had a lovely welcome and got stuck in straightaway by doing the Eagle Walk over the granite dome behind the tented chalets, which took about an hour, and then joining up with other guests for the sundowner walk up a smaller rocky pile. The rooms were fine, though the tents are starting to look a little frayed round the edges. The food and service in the evening were both excellent.

A shame we had to leave early the next day as this is one place which would certainly repay a longer stay."