Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs Cape turtle dove - Twickenham

My Nov 2007 trip

On this trip, I visited Namibia between 14-Nov-2007 and 2-Dec-2007 and I travelled with 1 other person.

We are glad that we went and most of it we enjoyed but as you have probably guessed 2500 kms of gravel roads in 18 days is just too much. The long distances, the gravel roads, the lack of mobile phone coverage and the sense of isolation did give some cause for concern.

We did it - and that gives considerable satisfaction and a real sense of fulfilment, but next time? Give me a Toyota Land Cruiser!!

The clients need to be more fully informed about the roads, the distances and the general isolation experienced. For those people whose only experience of long distance travel is the M4 to Birmingham the roads of Namibia come as a bit of a shock.

Apart from that, it was a holiday of real treats and delights.

Feedback response

We often suggest to travellers that they moderate the routes they plan in Namibia. It’s a big country, and most people under-estimate the driving times and distances, and that’s why we state these so clearly in our brochure.

Many of Namibia’s roads are gravel; different people react to these in different ways. Most travellers take them in their stride – going gently (80kph at a maximum!) and appreciating the amazing scenery that is so much a part of these holidays – but a few do have difficulty in adjusting to such long roads.

This traveller’s quite right; driving in Namibia is not like driving in the UK. The distances are much larger, many roads are gravel, and there’s very little traffic. For those who enjoy the journey, travel here can be a real pleasure.

However, if you’re thinking about a trip to Namibia and you don’t like driving, then do consider our fly-in and small group guided trips, rather than a self-drive.

I stayed at and have reviewed:

Place	Overall rating
Eningu Clayhouse, Namibia 15-Nov-2007 review: Eningu Clayhouse review	Good
Zebra River Lodge, Namibia 16-Nov-2007 review: Zebra River Lodge review	Excellent
Tok Tokkie Trails, Namibia 19-Nov-2007 review: Tok Tokkie Trails review	Good
Kulala Desert Lodge, Namibia 21-Nov-2007 review: Kulala Desert Lodge review	Good
Lagoon Lodge, Namibia 23-Nov-2007 review: Lagoon Lodge review	Good
Doro Nawas, Namibia 26-Nov-2007 review: Doro Nawas review	Good
Waterberg Wilderness Lodge, Namibia 29-Nov-2007 review: Waterberg Wilderness Lodge review	Good
Heinitzburg Hotel, Namibia 30-Nov-2007 review: Heinitzburg Hotel review	Excellent