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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs Paul from Surrey

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

1

Countries visited

1

Lodges stayed in

5

Excursions taken

2

October Honeymoon 2023

Namibia between 16 Oct 2023 and 4 Nov 2023

Trip rating: Excellent
"The trip was really great, each element was different from the next but all were really high quality.

Although we have provided some comments that may be perceived as a negative, we both agreed that we were so spoilt for good service and locations that we were being picky about little things and really these elements were down to personal preference. We wouldn't have wanted to do much more driving than we did in the time frame - it was heavy going and the air con struggled to keep up with the 40 degree heat in the car.

The wildlife spotting was superb and the arrangements really clear and well designed to our requirements - especially where we had arranged the first week of travel ourselves - nothing was too much trouble to sort. By far the best aspect of the trip was Ongava for the stay as a whole. The accommodation, location, game drives, all inclusive service and wildlife activity at the watering hole as well as the private dinner for us on our tent terrace for our honeymoon. The only thing we didn't need there was the day trip to Etosha as we drove through ourselves the next day and that took 8 hours!

This is really a much higher "class" of holiday than we are used to and (other than the tipping at the end of each stay) was really lovely to experience without any hiccups or miscommunications. We had a little bit of everything thrown in but would have liked a little less sitting on tour vehicles and a little more opportunity to walk for the two weeks we were on the self -drive.

Okonjima was the first place that truly offered it but we weren't there long enough to take advantage (one night)."

Arranged By Maruska AdyeRowe


Hoodia Desert Lodge

Hoodia Desert Lodge

"Hoodia Desert Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 24 Oct 2023
"the location was spectacular, service superb and staff very friendly.

Very quiet and tranquil, only wildlife on the reserve we saw was birds.

The rooms were huge and amenities great although we weren't able to use too much due to the drought.

Pool was a welcome relief and the pack lunch very much appreciated for the next part of our drive!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion

Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion

"Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion review"

25 Oct 2023 • All-day excursion

The trip to Sossusvlei was great and the guide very knowledgable.

Really loved the walk up the dunes away from the crowds and the search for animal tracks and spiders in the sand. Lunch out was unique and well catered.

Felt the walk to Sesriem canyon was a bit touristy and was just a walk in and out but interesting nonetheless.
Excellent
Cornerstone Guesthouse

Cornerstone Guesthouse

"Cornerstone Guesthouse review"

2 nights Arrived 26 Oct 2023
"This guesthouse was really lovely and the staff went out of their way to make it comfortable for us.

They made an extension to the bed for Tom who is 6'11 and decorated the suite with red petals and heart shaped towels to celebrate our honeymoon. It was close to amenities but in a quiet area.

We had laundry done whilst there that was quick and perfectly organised while we were out.

Whilst in Swakop we were aware of the need to be vigilant but felt very safe in the guest-house"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Coast and Sandwich Harbour

Coast and Sandwich Harbour

"Coast and Sandwich Harbour review"

27 Oct 2023 • All-day excursion

This was a mix of a tour. We weren't quite expecting the beach out to Sandwich Harbour to be so covered in dead seals and pups, it was quite macabre and unexpected.

Our tour guide was very knowledgable and seemed to be the owner and was clearly very passionate about the wildlife issues. We didn't get much history of sandwich harbour and we had to google at the top of the dunes to confirm that we were looking over it.

Not quite like the other guides, we seemed to gloss over the flamingos which were just a brief stop in a car park while tires were deflated.

An interesting day but not quite what was expected. The dune bugging to find a lunch spot was fun and the lunch lovely.
Excellent
Ongava Tented Camp

Ongava Tented Camp

"Ongava Tented Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 28 Oct 2023
"Easily the best location we stayed for wildlife and experience.

They could have made a bit more of the services on offer which were mentioned briefly on entering but no real information as to how this would be arranged, how long it would take etc. as there already seemed to be plenty organised. We asked to go to the info centre which I had read about in the Brent guide but we really had to make it happen by talking with the other guests and negotiating with the guide who seemed quite put out that we were messing with his plans.

The Curios shop was high end and expensive. The staff were really great making all sorts of efforts to remember our names and our preferences ensuring we were well looked after.

Activity at the water hole was impressive with white and black rhino, lions and giraffe frequenting the area at dinner times and plenty water buck springbok and kudu during the day. We were there while they were conducting the reserves annual census which was fascinating. Elephant and rhino approaches were unexpected but rewarding and sensitively done by the guide. Being able to spend time watching a baby elephant was particularly lovely.

The day trip to Etosha was long and very touristy with lots of driving from one spot to another just to take a photo, the guide seemed rather bored at this point and it felt a long day and rather relentless. We then had to drive all the way through Etosha the next day and felt maybe a day to relax in Ongava with a massage, trip to info centre and curios shop with a lunch at another lodge in the reserve might've been better for us in hindsight.

We did choose to stay back from the final sundowner and hang at the pool instead.

The staff put on a lovely private meal on our terrace on the last evening for our honeymoon which was unexpected and perfect"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Mushara Outpost

Mushara Outpost

"Mushara Outpost review"

2 nights Arrived 31 Oct 2023
"Another lovely lodge with views over the watering hole.

Limited wildlife that seemed quite easily spooked - we later learned there were lions on the estate escaped from Etosha which kept us up in the night with roars.

The staff were polite and quite formal in contrast to other locations we had stayed. As the drinks and lunch were not included we were asked to confirm our bill after each meal or drinks which felt a lot more transactional.

We spent the most at this location even though we didn't have long enough to organise any activities once we arrived and it really wasn't pushed as an option by staff - we would have loved to do the trip to the craft village they setup but there was no information on it obviously available and the literature in the room was outdated. This resulted in us choosing to stay and relax on the compound for the day which was a welcome break from driving on corrugated dust roads. By far the best curios shop we saw on the trip to this point and inspiring decor.

An ok stay but much more a night at a hotel than safari in Namibia.

Birdlife was pretty active compared to all other locations though."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Okonjima Plains Camp

Okonjima Plains Camp

"Okonjima Plains Camp review"

1 night Arrived 2 Nov 2023
"We were actually upgraded to the gorgeous Bush Camp. This was the most traditional luxury accommodation and the additional room with loungers overlooking the watering hole was special. We felt the pool was out of the way and not inviting us to take a dip and the activity at the watering hole was mostly birdlife and a few warthog.

The attempts to upsell on the tours was quite clear - we were more interested in the night safari after two weeks of daytime safaris and they seemed shocked we would choose not to do the leopard safari with a 50/50 chance of sighting. We just weren't sure it was a risk worth taking at the end of three weeks expenditure!

We did eventually choose to do both but were late back from the sundowner tour and waiting staff seemed unaware we had a 45 minute turn around before the next outing and had prepared a lovely private meal for us in honour of our honeymoon, we felt really bad abandoning but were being chased by the guide for the tour and had to leave most of the wine and our dessert course behind. It didn't seem very coordinated or personalised.

We were very lucky to spot 3 leopards - one without a collar and the guide was fantastically knowledgable. Any more than 6 in the truck was problematic as some guests refused to share their row or insisted on outside seats which meant Tom had to squish in the front with the driver and I had to be very mindful of others in my row that couldn't see the wildlife if I wasn't contorted in a weird shape on our row.

Curios shop was huge compared to others and actually stocked wildlife books where no-one else had - a little late on our trip though.

The walking trails were a great option but we couldn't take advantage with the short stay we had."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent

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