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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Mr K & Mrs N from UK

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

5

Countries visited

2

Lodges stayed in

47

Excursions taken

1

My Mar 2022 trip to Namibia

Namibia between 3 Mar 2022 and 25 Mar 2022

Trip rating: Excellent
"This trip was due to take place in April 2020 - we were due to travel just days after the first lockdown began - and Expert Africa, particularly Sabina Hekandjo, have supported us to ensure we were able to transfer the bookings to 2021 and then 2022 when the UK turned out to have returned to lockdown in 2021.

This was a huge amount of work - not just once but twice - with the complexity of the itinerary and changes that were needed and we really appreciated Sabina’s hard work, patience and sound advice throughout as well as Expert Africa’s commitment to their customers (and providers in Africa) ensuring our booking was honoured irrespective of time spent.

Due to Sabina’s expert knowledge and experience, our itinerary covered so many amazing aspects of Namibia yet was still relaxing and allowed time to take in each element and add activities if we wanted. The lodges were all amazing, food fantastic, people warm, friendly and welcoming, scenery beautiful and wildlife outstanding in spite of this being a ‘greener than normal’ green season.

We very much enjoyed our long awaited trip and would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone with a love for the natural world and a sense of adventure.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

The personalised service you provide is amazing, so we have no suggestions for improvement, you are already doing a great job, thank you."

Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo


Olive Grove

Olive Grove

"Olive Grove review"

1 night Arrived 3 Mar 2022
"The staff were extremely welcoming, our room was great (we had booked the executive suite) and the food of very high quality. This makes a very good place to stay for the first and / or last night of any holiday in Namibia as it is close enough to the airport for convenience but with a very personalised service. There were 3 choices for both the starter and main course at dinner, and two choices for desert. All the food was freshly cooked and of high quality at a reasonable price.

Our room had all we could ask for (except wi-fi did not reach the whole space) and the tv, although not particularly necessary, had no channels to view as it relied on internet connections (YouTube, Netflix, Amazon)."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
BullsPort Lodge and Farm

BullsPort Lodge and Farm

"BullsPort Lodge & Farm review"

1 night Arrived 4 Mar 2022
"This is a lovely guest farm but also remains a working farm. We had stayed before a number of years ago and the property remains of a high quality with very clean and comfortable rooms, excellent wi-fi coverage across the whole property (sufficient to live stream etc).

The owners and staff are exceptionally welcoming and friendly and spent time chatting to us when we were in the public areas. The food is homemade, most grown / produced in the property and that which is not, is purchased locally. We enjoyed a lovely 3 course dinner with exceptionally tasty vegetables and meat, homemade bread and with dairy elements produced from their cows. It tasted amazing. This was also true of our very fresh breakfast.

A good place to stop on the way to the dunes of Sossusvlei, with walking trails and the chance to walk the very scenic Quiver Tree Gorge."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Little Kulala

Little Kulala

"Little Kulala review"

2 nights Arrived 5 Mar 2022
"This is a beautiful, small and personal lodge. The staff were friendly, welcoming and couldn’t do enough for us. We have previously stayed at the main Kulala lodge - which was great - this was a real step ‘up’ in terms of the rooms and the levels of comfort which the lodge delivers.

The rooms have all you could need and more - personal plunge pool, a bed to sleep outdoors night or day, binoculars in case you don’t have any, rooftop access to provide a view of the desert, indoor and outdoor shower. The food was great with dinner being served on the terrace and, on our second night, a braai next to the campfire under the stars. Breakfast was served before the activities of the day started. The included activities were also great - with a dedicated and attentive guide dedicated to ensuring we were able to see and do all we wished.

On our first evening we went on a nature drive and stopped for the most amazing sunset we have ever seen; the next morning we were up and out very early in order to reach Sossusvlei and Deadvlei as close to sunrise as possible. He supported our walk up the dune next to Deadvlei and provided a lot of information on the area and the changes since the recent heavy rains. After many photos we moved on and stopped by Sossusvlei which had water (following those heavy rains in February). Amazing to see this as it happens so rarely (~11 years since last there was water).

We then stopped at Sesriem Canyon - again, with water. Beautiful to see although it was not possible to walk the canyon, just view from one end and above. That evening, Quad biking was fun and gave an opportunity to see some great views and some animals very close up as they / we passed us by.

All in all, an excellent place to stay with fantastic service and experiences."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Oyster Box Guesthouse

Oyster Box Guesthouse

"Oyster Box Guesthouse review"

2 nights Arrived 7 Mar 2022
"We were welcomed warmly in arrival by the new manager of the property (only one week since taking over). He helped us to orient ourselves (places to eat etc) and helped with our luggage.

The room (comfort with partial view) was clean and comfortable but lacked the extra little things that would lift this to another level (no kettle, hairdryer etc). Wi-fi was good though across the whole property and sufficient for live streaming. The view of the lagoon was also good and secure parking very welcome. Breakfast was good with cold / continental breakfast choices followed by cooked breakfast options.

A good measure of this property is how they dealt with the one issue that occurred whilst we were there - we turned on our tap one evening (after dinner) and found that we had no water. The manager immediately came to check and resolved the issue within just a few minutes, explaining the cause to us and ensuring that all was well before night-time. They then called the plumbing company to make sure any underlying issues were also solved (not just the immediate issue). This, and the friendly attentive service we received hopefully bodes well for a property that has had relatively negative reviews in the past and with just a little care and attention to the rooms, may well lift this above average."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Facilities
Average
Cape Cross Lodge

Cape Cross Lodge

"Cape Cross Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 9 Mar 2022
"So this was a relatively late addition to our itinerary and we were extremely pleased that we added this to our trip. The lodge is well located for the seal colony and also gives access to a part of the wild, remote skeleton coast.

The staff were friendly and welcoming. Our room was very comfortable and spacious, with indoor and outdoor seating, a large bed, huge bathroom with bath and shower and a door / view out to a terrace and the sea beyond. We were able to walk along the sand, see seals swimming in the surf and watch a number of seabirds all within meters of our room. The food was also very good (our dinner and breakfast was included but the prices and choice for those not on half board was also good). We enjoyed some exceptionally fresh oysters in addition to our meal - not just good quality but also very good value.

Well worth the stop on our way to Damaraland."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Camp Kipwe

Camp Kipwe

"Camp Kipwe review"

2 nights Arrived 10 Mar 2022
"This is a beautiful camp with friendly, helpful staff who were all exceptionally enthusiastic about the birds, wildlife and nature (Philip and KK especially).

The rooms are clean, cool and comfortable, with private, open air shower / toilet facilities. The windows are small but that helps to keep the room cool as it is crafted within the rocks. The pool area was great and the sundowner spot at the top of the rocks was very special - a great view, well serviced bar, helpful staff, snacks and the opportunity to watch the amazing sunset before descending to the main area for dinner. The food was also exceptional here and we were treated to dinner in the boma on one evening.

The desert elephant tracking was also great - our guide, Matthew, was exceptionally knowledgable about the elephants and managed to track them despite the distance that we needed to cover and abundance of grass and water. We were given a tour of the new suites that have been built at the camp - at the top of the hill, excellent views, very private and exceptionally luxurious, they are an amazing addition to an already great place to stay."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Palmwag Lodge

Palmwag Lodge

"Palmwag Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 12 Mar 2022
"Our room was comfortable with a good view across the dry river bed. We were able to watch birds from the deck at the front of our room.

The food was good - staff very accommodating and even when the restaurant was effectively closed, they still allowed us to sit in there to use the internet and were good enough to bring us drinks and still look after us.

Facilities are limited (one pool was closed so there was very little space to sit by the pool which quickly filled up) and the bar was a little disorganised with the outdoor seating being hard benches only (hence needing to use the ‘closed’ restaurant).

However, our main reason for staying here was the opportunity for rhino tracking. We had a great nature drive on our first evening with Ronnie and went out early the next morning with Rodney for rhino tracking. Both activities were excellent and good value."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Dolomite Camp

Dolomite Camp

"Dolomite Camp review"

1 night Arrived 14 Mar 2022
"Having stayed here twice before, we were not sure how this camp would have fared given the deterioration between our last two visits. We were extremely pleasantly surprised. Our room (13 - the best in the camp as it has a view in all directions and a plunge pool!) was in good order, the wooden sliding doors replaced with robust metal framed doors and decks well maintained with durable materials.

The staff were attentive, friendly and helpful (far better than on our last visit) and the food was great (two choices for main course at dinner, two choices for desert, better quality than in the other NWR camps we stayed at and at a more reasonable price).

Would certainly come back again in future."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Halali Camp

Halali Camp

"Halali Camp review"

1 night Arrived 15 Mar 2022
"We stayed in a two bed bush chalet, which was clean with good beds (appeared to be new mattresses), a decent bathroom and good air con. The kitchen area, entrance and overall decoration needs to be refreshed. The food was OK here - a couple of choices each for main course and desert, reasonably priced. Limited breakfast options likely due to low visitor numbers, off-peak and Covid restrictions, but again, acceptable in the context of what you pay to stay here.

With the amount of rain recently in the area, animal sightings sadly limited so the waterhole (our go to place in the past) was quiet but this is still a good place to stay to have access to the central and eastern areas of Etosha."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Good
Service
Average
Activities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Facilities
Poor
Namutoni Camp

Namutoni Camp

"Namutoni Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 16 Mar 2022
"Our bush chalet was clean and spacious although in need of decoration and some repair (the entrance door was split at the bottom and so not particularly secure, the air con dripped on to the floor constantly).

The dinners were good although the menu very limited - the same two choices of main course each day.

Breakfast not as good but again very low visitor numbers and still under Covid restrictions. The pool area was good but the pool itself not particularly clean."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Good
Service
Average
Activities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Facilities
Average
Mushara Bush Camp

Mushara Bush Camp

"Mushara Bush Camp review"

1 night Arrived 18 Mar 2022
"This is a lovely camp with excellent, comfortable, clean rooms and good general facilities. The pool area was well maintained. The central lodge area had plenty of comfortable seating and there was good wi-fi throughout including in the rooms.

Food at both dinner and breakfast was, as it has been in the past, excellent. The best thing, though, about this camp are the staff - they were friendly, welcoming and helpful showing genuine concern to ensure all guests were happy, well looked after and that all needs were met."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Okaukuejo Camp

Okaukuejo Camp

"Okaukuejo Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 19 Mar 2022
"We have stayed here a number of times before and always found the bush chalets to be clean and relatively comfortable. This remains the case.

The main reason for coming here has always been the amazing water hole, visited by elephants and rhinos which made the average service received you generally receive here, worth putting up with. However, all aspects (apart from the rooms) of the camp have deteriorated. The service was far worse than during previous stays (waiting staff were dis-interested at best, those cleaning the chalets leaving doors wide open even though they were no longer in the vicinity and even though we had told them they did. not need to service the room).

In addition, the food was not good - limited menu as at the other camps (understandable) but poorer quality and much higher prices than at the other camps for exactly the same food. Breakfast was slightly better than at Namutoni. Animals were sparse in this area which didn’t balance out the issues of the service and food - we appreciate that animal sightings are never guaranteed so this is effectively normally the bonus, but without them, it is difficult to overlook the issues.

The shop had very limited stock (and again was charging more than at the other camps for exactly the same items green ice creams N$4 each more at Okaukuejo than Namutoni, similarly cans of soda N$2 extra each). Many local people were visiting and having brought their own food, were able to by-pass at least the food / service issues. As international visitors and not having access to anything other than the park shop, this was not an option for us.

We would seriously consider whether to stay outside the gate in future when visiting this area of the park."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor

Location
Good
Service
Poor
Activities
Poor
Rooms
Average
Food
Poor
Facilities
Poor
Okonjima Bush Camp

Okonjima Bush Camp

"Okonjima Bush Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 22 Mar 2022
"What an amazing camp this is. We first stayed here in 2005 (when Okonjima only had one camp) and have subsequently stayed at Plains Camp twice which is a great camp, but lacks the very personalised service provided at Bush Camp.

First of all, we were warmly welcomed and shown to our chalet by Jason - a fantastic chalet with kitchen area, sitting area, fire place, indoor and outdoor shower, terrace overlooking the bush and bird feeders / bird bath right outside the window. We were privileged to be guided by Denny, who took us for all of our activities - leopard tracking, for a nature drive, for a visit to the night hide, and for the two highlights of our stay - pangolin tracking and for the Africat tour which not only allowed us to find out about the work of African foundation, but also meant we were able to see 5 cheetahs and the two lions currently being supported. Amazing!

The food and every aspect of the service here was of the highest quality. Great dinners, very fresh breakfasts (served after the morning activity with coffee and muffins before you go ) and friendly and caring staff.

This is an excellent place to stop on the way to / from Etosha but is also worth a visit in its own right, 2 nights at least, to make the most of everything that they have to offer."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Olive Grove

Olive Grove

"Olive Grove review"

1 night Arrived 24 Mar 2022
"As with our first night, the welcome here was warm and friendly, the room was clean and well prepared and food excellent and good value.

This is a perfect place to stay in order to prepare forthe hassles of a long flight home."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Our Hwange safari 2018

Zimbabwe between 27 Sep 2018 and 5 Oct 2018

Trip rating: Excellent
"We are experienced safari goers. We expected a remote adventure and that is what we got in Hwange National Park.

An added bonus was that our guide, Andrew Dalziel, was with us from start to finish and for all of our days in the park, there was just him and us - which made it a very personal trip.
His knowledge and humour was fantastic, we enjoyed our daily bush walks probably covering around 25km in the six days, and we learnt new things everyday. We got very close to elephants on a number of occasions through Andrew’s skills and he was ably assisted by Felix, one of the very long serving camp staff.

Although the animals are skittish in this park, this did not detract from our overall enjoyment. We also spotted over 135 different birds in just six days, with the most varied number of raptors we have seen in an area for a long time. There has been a lot of work undertaken on renovating water pumps in the park, with lots of new solar pumps. This means that all animals have ready access to water in most areas, which does lead to it being harder to spot the animals but certainly didn’t make our experience any less enjoyable.

The camp staff were fantastic - both in the bush camp and during the fly camping. You did not feel that anything was too much trouble at any point, whether it be breakfast in the morning, hot water for a shower or coffee after dinner. Guides and camp staff worked well together and it almost felt like being part of a family for six days.

We did not expect a guide to ourselves for the trip - as we were the only guests for the first two nights, and the only guests going fly camping, this may well have been the reason why. We felt extremely lucky to have Andrew with us - albeit that we were surprised not to have the guides mentioned on Expert Africa’s pages - very much our gain, just not what we had expected.

In many respects, this has been one of our most enjoyable safaris - we may not have seen as many mammals as in other places but the variety of birds, ability to get so close to nature and quality of guiding, alongside the friendliness of the camp staff, all made for an excellent trip. We would strongly recommend this. We feel sure any site chosen for the new camp will be as good because the people will make it so."

Victoria Falls Hotel

Victoria Falls Hotel

"Victoria Falls Hotel review"

1 night Arrived 27 Sep 2018
"The Victoria Falls Hotel does take you back to a bygone era of colonial times. The essence of history has been skilfully maintained with the artefacts, paintings and photographs of royal visits adding to the ambiance of the hotel.

You can see upgrades are being made and married to the historic building.

Service was excellent from check in, dinner on the terrace and breakfast in the morning. The grounds are impeccably kept with banded mongoose, baboons and warthogs roaming the lawns. For some reason the gate to the falls was closed which was disappointing as this meant a walk to the falls via the town.

Rooms were clean and well maintained for an historic building, air conditioning was efficient, hotel provided a very good WiFi service."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Hwange Bush Camp

Hwange Bush Camp

"Hwange Bush Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 28 Sep 2018
"Hwange Bush Camp delivers what it sets out to being a remote camp providing excellent guiding in the Hwange National Park.

Tents are comfortable and clean with flushing toilet and running water. Hot water provided for showers on request and brought to your bucket shower at the back of the tent.
Electricity is limited to lights in the tent, battery powered - charging facilities for batteries etc provided in the main area. As a remote camp there is no WiFi or phone signal which means that being away from outside contact allows you to switch off.

Food was excellent throughout our stay, breakfast by the camp fire at 5:30am, then we went out for a bush walk for 2 to 3 hours, then we had a picnic lunch out in the park and returned to camp after a sundowner at 6:30pm. This was a full on safari experience with more than 12 hours in the bush each day. We could have gone back to camp for lunch but when we were offered the opportunity to spend all day out, we jumped at it.

At present we were told the camp will be moving to a new location next year due to the proximity of a new lodge being built. The building work didn’t negatively impact our stay in any way."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Hwange Bush Camp

Hwange Bush Camp

"Hwange Bush Camp Fly Camping"

2 nights Arrived 30 Sep 2018
"The second part of the stay was fly camping. We stayed at two different sites which allowed us to see more of the National Park. When we arrived in the early evening after a full day in the bush, the fly camp had been set up with our small dome tent and bucket shower and long drop toilet at the rear of the tent.

This may not be for everyone as it is very basic on the accommodation side, but that is not why you do fly camping you do it to see more of the park and get closer to nature.
Hot water for a bucket shower was readily available on request, tent clean and welcoming.

The food provided was outstanding, set up on a proper dining table, with brilliantly coloured table cloth, china plates and cutlery, glasses etc. First night, we had spaghetti bolognase and apple crumble, second night steak/ribs followed by lemon pudding.

Again woken at 5am, breakfast by camp fire at 5:30am out on a bush walk by 6pm. each morning a bush walk for 2.5 hours not knowing what you would encounter. On our second day we followed Rhino tracks for 3km before we gave up. The move to the second camp was well managed by the team and, on arrival, again the whole camp was well set up."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Hwange Bush Camp

Hwange Bush Camp

"Hwange Bush Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 2 Oct 2018
"After fly camping we returned for a further two nights in Hwange Bush Camp.

Food continued to be excellent on both evenings, and again we decided to have picnic lunch each day to stay out in the park longer. The chef rose to the challenge and provided different food each day. Everything about the experience was superb, especially the evening dinners, shared with four other guests in camp and the camp staff and guides present on site."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Victoria Falls Hotel

Victoria Falls Hotel

"Victoria Falls Hotel review"

1 night Arrived 4 Oct 2018
"This was our second night at the hotel. [Ed: See below for their stay here earlier in their holiday.]

On arriving room we were given was better than the first with a view of the gardens, which was a nice touch.

We didn’t eat our evening meal there but breakfast was perfect the next morning."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Namibia 14 day self drive adventure

Namibia between 23 Sep 2017 and 7 Oct 2017

Trip rating: Excellent
"This was our fourth visit to Namibia and the third time we have driven ourselves, using Expert Africa to organise our trip. Booking experience as usual was efficient and timely with costings and confirmations of accommodation quickly achieved.

Comprehensive pack provides all the information you need for your trip.

Bidvest hire car provided an added bonus this year - we would definitely recommend a Ford Ranger to cope with the gravel roads.

Accommodation exactly as we expected, Etendeka Mountain Camp however was an exceptional experience and Mushara Bush Camp and Olive Exclusive did not disappoint.

Etosha in the dry season provided excellent wildlife viewing with hundreds of elephant, seven black rhino, lion encountered every day including sightings of males fighting and a kill by a waterhole. We were also lucky enough to follow a leopard for thirty minutes one morning.

We sighted just under a hundred different birds, including fifteen different raptors.

Would not hesitate to recommend this as a safe, self drive destination and price-wise, very cost effective compared to other African countries (which are priced in dollars)."

Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo


Okonjima Plains Camp

Okonjima Plains Camp

"Okonjima Plains Camp review"

1 night Arrived 23 Sep 2017
"This was our second stay at Plains Camp, we were upgraded to a view room (as one was available) which was a nice surprise and apparently standard practice.

Staff were welcoming and efficient.

The long barn which serves as lounge/bar and eating area is a great feature and the small floodlit waterhole draws a constant stream of small game animals and birds.

Our only criticism was the food offered for the evening meal - we felt it was very limited, however the breakfast was very good with a wide choice on offer.
Being a comfortable 3 hour drive from Windhoek it is a good first night stop on the way to Etosha or Damaraland."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Doro Nawas

Doro Nawas

"Doro Nawas review"

1 night Arrived 24 Sep 2017
"This was our second visit to Doro Nawas and we were not disappointed.

We came to see the Desert Adapted Elelpants and we were fortunate to view them on both the afternoon and morning game drives. Our guide (Markus) was excellent always putting the animals as his focus and respecting their personal space; some other vehicles from other lodges were not as respectful. His knowledge was impressive.

The evening meal and breakfast were to a good standard.

The room was comfortable and clean."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Etendeka Mountain Camp

Etendeka Mountain Camp

"Etendeka Mountain Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 25 Sep 2017
"Etendeka Mountain Camp surpassed our expectations. We were picked up on time at Palmwag Lodge by Boas who was to be our guide for the next two days. Drive in takes about an hour but depends on what you see, we saw giraffe, springbok, mountain zebra and jackals.

Etendeka is not a high density game area, you come here for the landscapes, night sky and being away in the wilderness. The owner, Dennis, was a great host and with his telescope educated us on the night sky.

Days here are filled with a morning walk after breakfast and a scenic game drive in the afternoon; on the walk we encountered springbok, mountain zebra and klipspringer. Numerous birds were spotted including Booted and Black Eagles.

The food was exceptional with main courses of oryx goulash and roast chicken during our stay (the chicken was exceptional!)

At night we could hear hyenas and lions vocalising in the surrounding area."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Grootberg Lodge

Grootberg Lodge

"Grootberg Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 27 Sep 2017
"We used Grootberg Lodge as a rest day for ourselves as we were travelling the short distance from Palmwag, having stayed there last year, we knew what to expect. The view from the deck down the Klip Valley is probably the best view in Namibia, utilising the sun loungers all afternoon to recharge our batteries was just what we wanted.

Took advantage of having a massage each in the small Spa. Food was to a good standard, tea and cake served in the afternoon.

We did not participate in any of the activities this time, but have had a great experience rhino tracking there in the past.

The road up is very steep to the lodge, a unique and scary drive and you need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to do this. You can leave your car at the bottom and they will transfer you up to the lodge."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Hobatere Lodge

Hobatere Lodge

"Hobatere Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 28 Sep 2017
"This was our first visit to Hobatare, we chose it due to its close proximity to Galton Gate.

Main lodge is impressive overlooking a small waterhole which attracts a myriad of birds as well as elephant and lion during our two night stay.

Food was to a good standard with a varied dinner menu each night we were there. Cooked breakfast was available as well as normal cereal and fruit. Accommodation was slightly disappointing, rooms were tired and not cleaned to a high standard.

We took an evening game drive, saw elephant and lion by the main Waterhole, other game was not prolific. Our guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about the flora and fauna.

Next day we decided to drive into Etosha and we’re rewarded with black rhino, elephant and lots of antelope and birds."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Facilities
Average
Okaukuejo Camp

Okaukuejo Camp

"Okaukuejo Camp review"

1 night Arrived 30 Sep 2017
"This was our third stay at Okaukuejo Camp so we know exactly what to expect and you must remember this is national park accommodation and not high end.

You come here for the animals which come to the waterhole, which, this time of year will guarantee large herds of elephants all day and black rhino after sunset. Sitting on the benches around the low wall of the waterhole you can easily have a mini safari without leaving the camp. However, camp is centrally located for exploring other nearby waterholes.

We had a bush chalet - which is only 75 yards from the waterhole. Basic but functional with fridge and air conditioning. At present they are refurbishing the restaurant area which apparently has been ongoing now for over 9 months. This means the buffet for all meals is set up outside in the covered verandah area. Service was very poor, tables not cleared and relaid for second sitting and a long wait for drinks - probably the worst we have encountered in 3 visits.

You can buy vouchers for wifi which worked quite well, but you can only use this in the restaurant / pool area. Shop has beer, wine and basic food items but supplies can run out."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Service
Poor
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Mushara Bush Camp

Mushara Bush Camp

"Mushara Bush Camp review"

1 night Arrived 1 Oct 2017
"Mushara Bush Camp is a little oasis just outside the eastern gate of Etosha. Elegant tents ensure a good nights sleep after exploring the park.

The main lodge is the focal point for all meals with ample casual seating for relaxing or reconnecting with the outside world with the good wifi. Food, as always, was varied and excellent.

Pool has been recently refurbished and is refreshing in the afternoon heat.

Although exiting and reentering the park through the park gate is a little time consuming, the accommodation here is worth it."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Okaukuejo Camp

Okaukuejo Camp

"Okaukuejo Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 2 Oct 2017
"We returned to Okaukuejo Camp for two nights, again staying in a bush chalet. Accommodation the same as previously noted. [Ed: see below]

Unfortunately same poor service in restaurant, maybe a little quicker as less guests visiting in the middle of the week. Decided one evening just to make rolls and have a picnic by the waterhole, which was a great decision. Again great wildlife viewing at the waterhole and fabulous sunsets.

Would also note swimming pool has been refurbished since last year which has enhanced this area.

Note of caution - the fuel station ran out of diesel during our stay so be mindful of how low your tank is getting."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Poor
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Halali Camp

Halali Camp

"Halali Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 4 Oct 2017
"This again is our third visit to Halali Camp. This camp appears to be better managed than Okaukuejo, dining is a far more pleasant experience with better service and quality of food on offer.

The buffet is far more organised and hot food was cooked to order by the jovial chef who was eager to please from cooking your steak to making your omelette in the morning.

Chalets slightly better than Okaukuejo Camp, again fridge and air conditioning.

Views of the Waterhole are from elevated platforms with plenty of shade. During the day, game viewing not prolific, however as soon as sun sets there was a steady stream of elephant, black rhino and hyena on one evening.

Good central location for exploring the middle of the national park."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Olive Exclusive

Olive Exclusive

"Olive Exclusive review"

1 night Arrived 6 Oct 2017
"For accommodation in Windhoek we do not think you can better Olive Exclusive so we did not hesitate to book it on this return trip to Namibia. Rooms are modern and sophisticated with all the luxuries you need after being on safari. Excellent shower and large soaking bath are wonderfully indulgent.

We had dinner - which was excellent - and breakfast is an event, so be prepared!

We arranged massages before we arrived, and these were reasonably priced and very relaxing - ask for Beverley.

Just 45 minutes back to the airport so a perfect place to stay at the end of the trip."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Namibia March 2016

Namibia between 16 Mar 2016 and 30 Mar 2016

Trip rating: Excellent
"We had a fantastic time and felt very well looked after from booking through to follow up on our return.

This is our second Namibian trip booked with Sabina and we were not disappointed. The advice provided on both occasions was not only helpful but also very accurate.

We will certainly book with Expert Africa again.

Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:

Could include prices with brochure to give a rough idea, it is more difficult now they are separate to have any idea whether the trips may be affordable without any information."

Feedback response

This traveller has put together a beautiful book titled 'Ghosts of the Huab River Valley' about the Desert Adapted Elephants in Namibia.
To preview or purchase a copy please click on the link here.

Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo


BullsPort Lodge and Farm

BullsPort Lodge and Farm

"Lovely place to stop on the way to Sossusvlei"

1 night Arrived 16 Mar 2016
"Our first night was spent at Bullsport, comfortable three hour drive from Windhoek airport.

Very good room, excellent dinner with the family and breakfast the next morning.

Room was better than we had expected, equal to some of the high end lodges, and the food was of very high quality. We had a very good nights rest after our long journey and were well refreshed, ready for the journey ahead."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Kulala Desert Lodge

Kulala Desert Lodge

"Wonderful location.... And even better staff"

2 nights Arrived 17 Mar 2016
"We had two nights at Kulala. The rooms are great, the food excellent and the pool, view etc all wonderful.

All of this was very well supported by extremely friendly and helpful staff - particularly Petronella who was very supportive over an issue we had with our hire car including taking multiple phone calls and staying up until late one night with us whilst we were waiting for a replacement to be delivered despite the fact that she needed to be up again for 6am managing guest check outs the next morning.

Our evening nature drive and morning drive to the sand dunes were also excellent, with dead vlei and 'big daddy' being everything we had hoped."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Image alt

Pelican Bay Hotel, Namibia (this camp has since closed)

"Standard Protea in excellent location"

1 night Arrived 19 Mar 2016
"This is a standard Protea hotel, part of a chain. Room was clean but tired (broken shelf, in need of decoration) but we chose this for the location rather than anything else.

Wonderful view of the lagoon from our ground floor room and very close to The Raft restaurant (great if you like seafood)."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Doro Nawas

Doro Nawas

"Doro Nawas - welcome from the local people"

1 night Arrived 20 Mar 2016
"Doro Nawas exceeded our expectations - the rooms are very spacious and have great views.

The food was excellent and the staff again very friendly and helpful.

Our evening drive to find the elephants also exceeded expectations, we were really lucky to find two herds together in the river bed (around 29) who walked directly towards us and then headed for the water hole where they drank and sprayed themselves with water and then dust. Our photos (and memories) are fabulous.

It is great that the staff are from the local community, they were so friendly and welcoming, you get a real feel for the true nature of Namibia."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Grootberg Lodge

Grootberg Lodge

"Tranquility at Grootberg"

3 nights Arrived 21 Mar 2016
"The restaurant, bar and pool - with their views - are all great at Grootberg.

The evening nature drive on top of the plateau gave us good views across the Klip Valley and we had a very successful day rhino tracking, walking to within 20 meters of the black rhino. As with many of the places we stayed, the staff were again very helpful and friendly.

We took advantage of the massages which were available - hot stones - very good and excellent value for money.

One word of caution, the pathways around the lodge are all very steep but well worth it for the views, the access road up to the lodge is extremely steep, while we were there three separate cars punctured tyres on the way up the half kilometre track but you have the option to leave your car at the bottom and be taken to the top in the lodge's 4 wheel drive, this is probably the best option - we did and certainly didn't regret it."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Okaukuejo Camp

Okaukuejo Camp

"Waterhole Chalet in Okaukuejo"

1 night Arrived 24 Mar 2016
"Standard rest camp - the staff we came into contact with were pretty helpful. The food was fine (excellent game meat for dinner and omelette for breakfast).

The waterhole chalet slightly disappointing as there was not a lot of space in the room with just a small fridge in the cupboard and no indoor seating area. It is, however, just 20 meters from the waterhole and so location is good.

Unfortunately, there were not many animals visiting the waterhole, due to the availability of water elsewhere.

On our one night in the waterhole chalet, we saw one elephant (early afternoon), many jackals and some springbok and impala."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Good
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Mushara Bush Camp

Mushara Bush Camp

"A friendly welcome at Mushara Bush Camp"

1 night Arrived 25 Mar 2016
"The staff welcomed us back (following our visit almost 2 years before) and everything was as good as we remembered.

Great food again, comfortable tents and basically a very comfortable place to stay just 15 minutes outside the East Etosha entrance. Good wifi connection here if required."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Halali Camp

Halali Camp

"Bush Chalet at Halali"

1 night Arrived 26 Mar 2016
"Again, standard rest camp. We stayed in a bush chalet which was in much better condition than the family room we previously stayed in at Halali. Very spacious and clean.

The food was again good (game meat for dinner was cooked perfectly). The staff were not as helpful as those at Okaukuejo but still everything was reasonable, particularly bearing in mind that this is government run and relatively low cost.

There were elephants at the waterhole and rhino as the sun went down. Waterhole seating area had trash cans overflowing but when we returned a few days later this had all been removed. We would stay here again as it's good value and better to be inside the park than taking the drive out and back in each day."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Good
Service
Poor
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Okaukuejo Camp

Okaukuejo Camp

"Bush chalet - Okaukuejo"

2 nights Arrived 27 Mar 2016
"Bush chalet much better than the waterhole chalet and we were lucky to have one only a few extra steps from the waterhole.

Lots of zebra at the waterhole this time, great at sunset.

Camp was busy with some large groups but generally staff did their best to cope well. The room attendants looking after the bush chalets clearly took pride in their work, even laying out the towels with fresh flowers. We would not hesitate to stay here again."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Good
Service
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Olive Exclusive

Olive Exclusive

"Olive Exclusive - an oasis in the city"

1 night Arrived 29 Mar 2016
"This is, in our opinion, the best place to stay in Windhoek either at the start or end of your holiday. It is only 35 mins from the airport, relatively easy to find. Being in a fairly affluent area, one down side was the guard dogs barking in the evening.

The suite we had was close to perfect - very spacious, very well decorated and furnished with good tea / coffee and min bar facilities. There was a large private terrace which was very pleasant for sitting and watching the sun go down. The laptop in the room was a nice touch. The staff were good enough to book a massage for each of us, which they currently do in your suite. Again, excellent.

Dinner was very good - each of our courses was perfectly cooked and tasted great. The breakfast was equally good with freshly baked bread and pastries, fresh fruit, cold meats and cheese and a menu of cooked options. All individually prepared and available at any time in the morning to suit guests. Unfortunately, there was building work right next door to our suite (neighbouring property). Noisy at 7 am. This didn't spoil our stay. And even with this, we would not hesitate to recommend."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent

Namibia July 2014

Namibia between 9 Jul 2014 and 20 Jul 2014

Trip rating: Excellent
"We had a great trip - we have visited Africa more than 20 times so had a good idea of what to expect. Having planned our route, Sabina helped us to refine, check what was actually possible from a driving distance perspective and find the best options available in each location.

There were some late changes, both on our part and Expert Africa's, which were handled very well. Things ran smoothly from collection of hire car to it's return almost two weeks later. Namibia is a great country to visit for a self-drive, we would highly recommend it as we would Expert Africa!"

Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo


Okonjima Plains Camp

Okonjima Plains Camp

"Okonjima Plains Camp review"

1 night Arrived 9 Jul 2014
"Very pleasant place to stay for our first night. New camp, just opened with immaculate rooms.

Meals and bar served in the very impressive glass-fronted Barn, which over looks the plains and a small waterhole. Comfortable 3 hour drive from Windhoek airport."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Mushara Bush Camp

Mushara Bush Camp

"Mushara Bush Camp review"

1 night Arrived 10 Jul 2014
"Only 10 minutes from the Von Linquist Gate. We stayed here as Expert Africa had recently visited Namutomi Camp where we had originally booked and found there to be issues. Following their concerns for our comfort and safety, we were moved to Mushara, less than 2 weeks prior to travelling.

This appears to have been a very good decision - we did pop in to Namutomi to look around and found a real mess of a building site. Mushara was very pleasant - wonderful staff (Vicktoria looked after us extremely well from arrival to check out the next morning), excellent food and good rooms. We would certainly recommend this as a good place to stay on the east side of Etosha."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Halali Camp

Halali Camp

"Halali Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 11 Jul 2014
"We have rated this as excellent - perhaps not in comparison to the private lodges but as a very good example of excellent value for money, good, clean rooms, good food and reasonable facilities, We stayed in a Family Chalet which had an outdoor terrace with braai, deck area, small kitchen area (with small electric oven, hot plate, full pots and pans etc), sitting room, two bedrooms and a shower room. All of these facilities were basic but pleasant and clean.

The buffet dinner was very good (soup or salad, choice of meat with rice, vegetables followed by choice of three desserts and coffee) - the meat was cooked to perfection every time. The shop at Halali had limited supplies. We spent two great afternoons and early evenings at the waterhole with great rhino sightings."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Okaukuejo Camp

Okaukuejo Camp

"Okaukuejo Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 13 Jul 2014
"As with Halali, the rooms here were very good (slightly better than In Halali, more recently refurbished). We stayed in a Bush Chalet which had a small sitting area with kitchen sink and fridge, large bedroom, modern shower room. The facilities in the camp were also overall very good with a well stocked shop, helpful staff across the camp, clean pool area, good restaurant.

The restaurant staff in particular gave very good service with the chef coming to speak with customers at each meal service to check everything was OK. The jewel in the crown here though is the waterhole with herds of elephants visiting on each of the two days we were here plus rhino, lion, giraffe and many herds of ungulates."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Dolomite Camp

Dolomite Camp

"Dolomite Camp review"

1 night Arrived 15 Jul 2014
"This camp is in a wonderful location and we were lucky enough to stay in room 13, one of only two rooms with direct views over the waterhole 200 m away. We were lucky enough to see lions playing around the waterhole at 5.30 am.

The rooms are amazing - wood, glass, thatch and canvas structures on stilts clinging to the side of the hill. We had a plunge pool on the deck, a separate balcony with views across the plain, a very comfortable bed and clean shower / toilet areas. The walk up the hill to the camp and to the rooms is hard going though - so guests with limited mobility will need to rely on the availability of the electric carts (these were not offered to us on arrival or on departure). The food was again very good - limited menu but very good quality.

The reason we have only rated this as 'good' is that the staff service was appalling. Very friendly and pleasant, but they were invisible at times and pretty ineffective the rest of the time. The person who escorted us to our room in the dark did not provide any light for us to get down the steps to the room, they literally just dropped us and left; on check out there were no reception staff - one poor staff member trying to take guests out on a game drive ended up taking our money for our bill and telling us he would sort it out..... At the same time as trying to get 8 waiver forms signed and get on his way for the game drive.

There are also a few minor maintenance issues that need to be addressed before they get worse (big gaps under all of the doors in the rooms letting big drafts in on all sides, the start of wood rot on some of the shower fittings, sliding doors that come off of their runners). This is a shame as it could - and should- be the jewel in the crown in the park. We would not have missed it and would go back, it is good, just have limited expectations of the staff!"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Mowani Mountain Camp

Mowani Mountain Camp

"Mowani Mountain Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 16 Jul 2014
"Stunning location amongst the granite boulders of Damaraland. First class service from start to finish - rooms are great, the pool is wonderful, the food very impressive. Don't miss the bar on top of the boulders for sunset or the morning nature game drive (we were lucky enough to see three herds of the desert elephants on our one morning drive).

The birds around the camp are also amazing - we found it hard to pull ourselves away from the birds at the bird pool. Staff great, wonderful place."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Lagoon Lodge

Lagoon Lodge

"Lagoon Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 18 Jul 2014
"Near-perfect location over-looking the lagoon at Walvis Bay. A little distance from the restaurants of the waterfront, but this wasn't too much of a problem having a hire car. There was also some noise from the road (having been completely removed from traffic for 9 days, this was probably us not being used to it!).

Helene and Wilfried were very welcoming and helpful (booking our table at the restaurant, ensuring our arrangements for our kayaking trip were all made), the breakfasts fantastic. We had dinner at the Lyon des Sables on one evening and, not only was the food excellent, the service and consideration we received was equally as good.

This was one of the few places we visited with wi-if which worked very efficiently.

We organised a trip for these travellers to go kayaking at Pelican Point. They commented:

We cannot thank Jeanne and Bernd enough for our three hour kayaking tour - it was brilliant. We were picked up at Lagoon Lodge, taken out to the point and then provided with layers of clothing, waterproofs, gloves, life jacket etc. We have previously only kayaked once before and the assurance that you do not need any experience really is genuine - the water is quite shallow and generally quite calm so we felt very safe.

The seals were all around and we got really good photos, Jeanne took videos and emailed these to us also. There were plenty of rolls provided for lunch with tea and coffee once we got back to shore before the drive back to Walvis Bay past the many flamingoes and other water birds."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Kayaking with seals

Kayaking with seals

"Pelican Point Kayaking"

19 Jul 2014 • Morning excursion

We cannot thank Jeanne and Bernd enough for our three hour kayaking tour - it was brilliant. We were picked up at Lagoon Lodge, taken out to the point and then provided with layers of clothing, waterproofs, gloves, life jacket etc. We have previously only kayaked once before and the assurance that you do not need any experience really is genuine - the water is quite shallow and generally quite calm so we felt very safe. The seals were all around and we got really good photos, Jeanne took videos and emailed these to us also. There were plenty of rolls provided for lunch with tea and coffee once we got back to shore before the drive back to Walvis Bay past the many flamingoes and other water birds.
Excellent
GocheGanas

GocheGanas

"Gocheganas Lodge & Spa review"

1 night Arrived 20 Jul 2014
"Reasonable distance from the airport (approx 1 hour ) which made this perfect for our last night before our flight home. We had a hot stones massage which was wonderfully relaxing, very good dinner and went on an early morning drive before breakfast.

Armstrong our guide was very knowledgable and took us around the very large game ranch where we saw meerkats amongst many other game! The rooms are very nice - we had a lovely sunken bath and outdoor shower (our favourite). The pool and spa areas are very good, and the views from the terrace and bar are great."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

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