Reviews of safaris to Damaraland
1067 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Damaraland.
"My Jul 2022 trip"
Our trip had been postponed several times, re-organised and altered. However, everything went 100% according to plan. Tracy at Expert Africa proved to be a knowledgeable and informative guide and travel planner. All the lodges were expecting us as predicted and all lived up to their descriptions. Highlights were Hoodia Desert Lodge and the excursion from there, Doro Nawas and Okonjima (where we were upgraded to the Villa). The driving was straightforward and we did not encounter any problems, all roads were well-signposted and fuel stops were plentiful (all took VISA cards in our experience).
This was truly the trip of a lifetime, expertly coordinated by Expert Africa. Thank you so much for your patience throughout the pandemic, reorganising everything so well and your excellent recommendations. Next time it will be Botswana..... we will be back!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service
A minor issue but initially payment glitched through the website, but that was 2 years ago and we didn't have problems with the final payment.
The service and information we have received has been fantastic. We have recommended you to multiple friends already, as we have been boring them with our photographs! If and when we come back to Africa, we will definitely be contacting you again.
Thank you so much." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 16 on a Namibia trip
"My Namibia Jul 2022 trip"
Be prepared for driving time as dirt roads limit speed able to drive. However minimal traffic.
Excellent trip." Read full review: 24 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip
"Family of 5: June/July 2022"
If you are a family wondering whether your children will enjoy Namibia, whether the expense and the long drives and activities available will be worth it, don't hesitate a moment longer. For all of us, this was the most amazing experience of our lives. Our kids (aged 15, 12 and 8) have already asked if we can come back next year. They learned and grew so much, with incredible opportunities for learning each day and they met such warm, generous and interesting people who shared their knowledge with them and helped them fall in love with a country wildly different from their own.
Sabina was the most incredible help in organising, and reorganising our trip, with huge patience and kindness during such challenging times. Her resourcefulness made her something of a magician: pulling the right vehicle out of the hat when it seemed impossible; rearranging accommodation when I added a last minute stop; ready with last minute changes to the Covid regulations which we hadn't yet heard of. Thanks to her, we are now huge fans of Expert Africa and we wouldn't think of going anywhere else when we book our next trip.
Thank you Sabina, and thank you Namibia. You have won our hearts and our loyalty and we are deeply grateful to have met you.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
There's not a single thing we can think of....please just keep doing what you do, with our gratitude for helping us fall in love with Africa, and with travel as a family." Read full review: 24 nights in Africa; 22 on a Namibia trip
"My May 2022 trip"
Sabina was quick to communicate information and make adjustments to our itinerary. Our trip went smoothly and we felt like the information provided about accommodations and activities was representative of our experience." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip
"My May 2022 trip"
The trip was a success.
There were a couple of bookings where we took advice and just possibly we would have preferred our slightly less cautious personal choices!" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 12 on a Namibia trip
"My May 2022 trip"
Thank you to Tom tips we enjoyed a lot exploring this Country.
The only remark I have it’s maybe preparing people a bit more because the streets are really bad" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip
"Namibia: May 2022"
Justin and I had a fabulous time in Namibia; thank you so much for finally bringing this trip to life!!!" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 16 on a Namibia trip
"My May 2022 trip"
The food was generally very good but we did notice that when we went from one Wilderness Safaris Lodge to another the food options were rather similar because they seemed to work off the same menus!
In retrospect, we would have liked three nights somewhere. Perhaps at Ongava? If we were to have cut a destination it would probably have been one of Nxamaseri or Kazile Island Lodge where you are in both cases on the river, although we liked them both in their different ways.
The driving was generally OK but we did have three long days of driving early on almost wholly on untarred roads. Later on in Caprivi the roads were excellent. We got one puncture - caused by a screw and not the roads!
Whilst we were warned it would be cold at night it was more than that. In a lot of places it did not warm up until the afternoon, when it did become hot. We happened to encounter a lot of windy days which made it worse. On game drives you are perched up in an open sided vehicle and so the airspeed makes the cold seem much worse than the temperature would suggest. We took fleeces and gilets but a wind proof coat would have been better than a fleece. That said May still seemed a good time to go, however, because it was before the coldest time, and after the rainy season, and the lodges were not very busy and so there were no big crowds on the game drives.
Star attractions:
- Sesriem and the dunes
- Damaraland and the Daro Nawas lodge
- Ongava
- Muchenje" Read full review: 22 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip
"My May 2022 trip"
"My Apr 2022 Namibia trip"
Claire kept us informed, and kept up our hopes that trip would actually happen.
Our trust in Claire and Expert Africa was justified, and we had a wonderful trip. We are so glad we didn’t miss it!
We particularly liked the amazing landscapes in Namibia, and the contact we had with the local people at the lodges." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip
Where to stay in Damaraland
Our suggestions for safari camps in Damaraland
Doro Nawas
Comfortable rooms and a convenient location make the community run Doro Nawas a great base for exploring Damaraland.
Mowani Mountain Camp
Mowani is a beautiful and stylish mountain retreat in southern Damaraland; it makes a great base for visits toTwyfelfontein.
Damaraland Camp
Setting the standard for community partnerships, Damaraland Camp offers a beautiful location, a range of activities – and a genuine welcome.
Desert Rhino Camp
Desert Rhino Camp offers a rare opportunity to track black rhino on foot in one of the last true wilderness areas – an amazing experience.
Camp Kipwe
With unusual, igloo-like rooms, open-air bathrooms and beautiful scenery, Camp Kipwe is well placed for nature and cultural excursions.
Etendeka Camp
Etendeka is an owner-run camp in the remote and less visited north of Damaraland. The camp is renowned for it's spectacular guided walking trails.
Grootberg Lodge
On the edge of an ancient plateau Grootberg Lodge has a stunning location and arguably the best views of any lodge in Namibia.
Twyfelfontein C'try Lod.
A large lodge set among the rocks, Twyfelfontein Country Lodge is a convenient base for visiting the rock engravings, which are only 4km away.
Spitzkoppen Lodge
Spitzkoppen Lodge provides stylish accommodation in an area of scenic grandeur with guided access to sites of ancient Bushman rock art.
Palmwag Lodge
Palmwag Lodge has a great location by a spring in the Uniab River and offers access to an area where you can see a variety of desert-dwelling animals.
Huab Lodge
Huab is a classic little Namibian Lodge which is slightly off the beaten track in a lesser visited part of Damaraland.
Brandberg White Lady
Brandberg White Lady Lodge, nestled at the foot of its namesake, makes a good base from which to visit bushman rock paintings including the 'White Lady'.
Vingerklip Lodge
Vingerklip Lodge occupies a lovely location, but is a little too far east for guests to visit Damaraland's main attractions.
Khowarib Lodge
Khowarib Lodge has a great location overlooking the Hoanib River. This is one of the few places to offer authentic Himba village visits.
Malansrus Camp
Within easy reach of Twyfelfontein, Malansrus offers a simple but comfortable base for visits to the rock engravings or seek out desert-adapted elephants.
White Lady B & B
White Lady B&B, a small, comfortable guesthouse, offers a stepping stone to the sites of southern Damaraland.
Etendeka Walking Trail
The Etendeka Walking Trail promises to offer a back-to-basics walking and camping experience in one of Namibia's most remote and untouched wilderness areas.
Brandberg Restcamp
Brandberg Restcamp is a simple, no-frills place, close to many attractions, offering sundowner drives, guided hikes up the Brandberg and game drives .
Onduli Ridge
Onduli Ridge is a luxurious, low-impact luxury camp offering top-notch guiding in a remote wilderness area of Damaraland.
Ugab Terrace Lodge
Ugab Terrace Lodge is a comfortable stopover between Damaraland and Etosha National Park or Namibia’s Central Highlands.
Ozondjou Trails
The simple Ozondjou Trails gives a unique perspective on living with Damaraland’s desert-adapted elephants and how tourism is key to protecting them and the livelihood of the people.
Damara Mopane Lodge
Damara Mopane Lodge is a large 60 room lodge surrounded by beautiful gardens. It can be used as a comfortable stopover between Etosha and the Skeleton Coast
Huab Under Canvas
Huab under Canvas is a no thrills bush camp offering top notch guiding in a remote wilderness area of Damaraland.
Palmwag Sleep-out
Palmwag Sleep-out is a simple camping experience and a great way to enjoy the remote beauty of the vast Palmwag Concession
Camp Doros
Small, intimate and with excellent eco-credentials, Camp Doros is set above an ephemeral river within a remote community concession of Damaraland.
Sorris Sorris Lodge
Overlooking the Brandberg Massif, Sorris Sorris is probably the most luxurious lodge in southern Damaraland.
