Reviews of safaris to Namib-Naukluft National Park

"Namibia is an incredible country and Expert Africa organised everything very well and Martha in particular was there at the end of the phone whenever I had a question, her advice was invaluable.

A few negatives that are worth mentioning but should never stop any one from going are:

The gravel roads can be pretty hairy in a 2WD and had we had the funds, we would have much preferred to be in a 4WD as you feel every single bump in the road (so if you have the money get a 4WD). We had to drive extra slow in order to avoid damage to the car (especially the tyres) and the undercarriage (which is uninsurable) - with the gravel sometimes building up so high it's unavoidable to have a rock or two hit the underneath. The gravel roads can make the journeys tiresome, long and stressful. In sum, it is quite miraculous that there was no major damage to the car and in the end we only had a chip on the windscreen, so actually we are testament to the fact that the journey we did was do-able in a 2WD, it's just really not ideal. I felt like the mental stress the roads put on you should be emphasised more by the guide book and Expert Africa as we weren't quite prepared for how mentally exhausting the journeys would be as we were constantly worried we were going to seriously damage the car. When we hit tar roads again on the way to Windhoek we were elated!

Namibia is still very much in transition from its colonial days and much of the effects of colonialism are still present. Segregation of black and white people is still very much a part of life and almost all of the money / businesses are still in the hands of white Namibians. There's not much to be done about that as a tourist except be mindful of it. I felt I should have researched this before travelling so that it wasn't such an unpleasant surprise, it's very hard not to notice it. We came across blatant instances of racism from locals, especially at Bullsport (from a guest) but this is mostly among the older generation who still refer to Namibia vehemently as South West Africa. I feel silly for not having researched the country's colonial history more fully however i expected it to be just that, history, but considering the effects are still so prevalent, I think it should be emphasised more in the book and by Expert Africa, to younger, more naive travellers, like myself, admittedly. In Swakopmund it was most noticeable. We had some great chats to some black Namibians, who were happy to talk about their views on it and the staff at the Tug were so friendly, inviting and a lot of fun to while away an evening at the bar with.

On a Swakopmund note - the local tourist market in Swakopmund was quite overwhelming, they have some great things there and i bought some souvenirs but when we went we were pretty much the only tourists so all of the sellers were vying for our attention, it was difficult to get out of there, perhaps worth noting in the guide book.

As for the positives:

We were the only ones on the road for miles at some points, this country is still relatively un-visited by tourists so you feel like you're uncovering a hidden gem, everything is so pristine.

The different landscapes, the wildlife, the culture and the people are so amazing, i have never been any where like it. I often say I won't go back to the same place as there's too many other places to see but I might have to make an exception for Namibia. . .maybe when i can afford a 4wd!

It seemed mostly visited by retirees but we couldn't see why, this is the ultimate African road trip, everywhere we went was safe and friendly and it's cheap. The safari was first class, we saw every animal there was to see. Okonjima was fantastic and the landscapes second to none. Namibia has mountains, stunning desert dunes, cities, beaches and flat savannahs that stretch on for thousands of mile, it has everything.

I can't recommend this destination and Expert Africa highly enough, it's just a matter of time before the crowds discover it.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Martha was excellent, helpful, knowledgable and friendly, she helped us tailor our itinerary to our needs and budget, can't recommend her highly enough.

Two small things, there was a mix up at Sossus Dune Lodge where it was written on one of our itineraries that we were on a DBB basis but when we arrived they only had us down as BB so we aren't sure if we ended up paying twice?

The other thing again minor but worth noting, one day I called up to speak to Martha who wasn't available so I chatted to Sabina instead, who was very friendly and informative however, i called up to ask why it was that we couldn't fit Sandwich Harbour into our day seeing the seals and she explained it was because there wasn't enough time, completely fine however she wanted to emphasise the point by informing me some tourists were killed the week before rushing to get to Sandwich Harbour, which was information i probably could have done without having already been a bit nervous about the amount of driving on gravel roads we had to do, a case of too much information!" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip

"Truly amazing trip!" Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 8 on a Namibia trip

"We had a great time on this trip. Namibia is probably the most beautiful country we've ever been.

Our itinerary was probably not the most common for first-time visitors as we skipped some of the more popular destinations. The main goal was to see a variety of desert environments in a relatively slow pace. We also wanted to try self-driving in Africa while not covering too much distance.

Exert Africa came up with a part-fly, part-drive itinerary which took into account our requests and which we enjoyed greatly. The most impressive part was probably that the team managed all this despite our very late trip planning and booking (2-3 weeks before our travel date)." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip

"We had an amazing time in Africa and loved our trip. All the places to stay were nice and pretty much everything we did was enjoyable.

Most disappointing thing was cancelled balloon flight but that was out of anyone's control.

Thank you for arranging it and we would definitely recommend Namibia and Expert Africa to others. Didn't want to come home!" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip

"Expert Africa were amazing. They spend a lot of time with me shaping the trip and advising me of the accommodation options. I found their recommendations spot on and the accommodation they booked was superb with a very individual and varied feel. The majority of the accommodation had a very personalised feel.

Sabina is worthy of particular mention, as she really knew Namibia well and so was able to give accurate and re-assuring advice. She was always courteous and nothing was too much trouble. Expert Africa give superb attention to detail and provide lots of useful information before the trip, which ensures the trip goes smoothly. Any issues, which were limited during or after the trip were dealt with very quickly and efficiently.

I would recommend Expert Africa without reservation.

The website is also very helpful when researching your trip." Read full review: 23 nights in Africa; 12 on a Namibia trip

"Everything other than the mix-up over the booking at Doro Nawas was very good. We felt that the booking issue was dealt with satisfactorily thanks to the efforts of all concerned.

It was the first time our daughter and son-in-law have visited Namibia the they found it thoroughly enjoyable. In particular they were highly impressed with the breathtaking landscape and stunning wildlife." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Namibia trip

"We love travelling in Namibia. The landscapes, the emptiness, the never ending points of interest and the feeling of being a welcome guest in a happy and well adjusted stable African country makes it a special place. To be able to eat game was a delight after Zambia, but then the German style breakfasts fail to hit the heights of a Zambian breakfast so ... But it's not all about the food!

Thank you Tracy and Expert Africa. You put together a fantastic holiday rather late in the day. It was perfectly paced and suited us absolutely. Whilst the internet may work for some holidays, the local knowledge you combined with a genuine interest in, and understanding of, what we wanted to achieve was invaluable and so much appreciated." Read full review: 20 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip

"We feel like our holiday in Namibia was really long and that is because we did so many different things in very different areas. And everywhere we went there was another highlight!

The standard of accommodation, the knowledge and enthusiasm of the guides and lodge/camp staff was all fantastic. We had 2 older teenagers this us and there were no complaints about the lack of wifi as they were too enthralled.

What we all noticed was how peaceful it was. No planes, very few cars, not many people. Great scenery, lots of amazing animals and lots and lots of stars!" Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 16 on a Namibia trip

"We loved our trip, it was fantastic.

Namibia is a varied and unspoilt country and being there was a privilege. Etosha totally lived up to it's billing as one of the best wildlife locations in Africa, we saw rhino repeatedly as well as lion, leopard and black faced impala.

The desert landscapes are remarkable and walking barefoot across the salt at Dead Vlei was a unique experience, as was climbing Dune 45. The wildlife (birds and mammals), the welcoming people, stunning landscape and starry southern skies will all live in our memories, we love still finding desert sand in our trainers." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip

"We had wonderful time." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip