Reviews of Desert Rhino Camp

"We drove from Sesfontein to the meeting point for Desert Rhino Camp en route we saw 5 Giraffe, numerous Zebra & Springbok roadside. We were met by our guide William and after a drink and snack he drove us to the camp seeing 1 Giraffe on our way. The Camp was very nice and we had a lovely tent. Very quite only 1 other group of 5 ladies staying there.

William took myself & husband for a sundowner drive and then we came back and had a brief chat with the Save the Rhino guys who would be out trekking with us the following day. We were then driven out along with the other ladies for a fabulous BBQ bush dinner. The staff were incredible here. They introduced dinner every night with not only their fabulous singing but watching them describe the dinner menu in English & Local was like watching a show in a theatre. Was truly spectacular and something we have never witnessed before on our travels.

The 2 of us set off the following morning along with our guide William in search of the desert adapted black rhino. After about 4 hours of hard driving the SRT team who were in another vehicle told us they had found 2 coming towards us in the distance. We got out and followed the team on foot a little way. The 2 rhino were in the very far distance but to be honest you needed binoculars to see them. We watched for a few minutes and they then ran off.

We were told that they had unfortunately smelt our vehicle which made them turn away. So we were unlucky not to have the experience of seeing them up close. Very disappointed! We then had a nice picnic lunch and a further 5 hour hard drive back to camp where no more rhino sightings occurred. We did see 3 giraffe, some springbok and a jackal.

We were told upon arrival back we were now the only 2 guests staying at the camp for the next 2 days which was very nice and they set a lovely table up for us around the pool with a delicious dinner.

The following day we opted out of another day of Rhino trekking as we found it too hard going the previous day driving for nearly 10 hours (extremely bumpy with the wind in your face) without seeing much. Instead we relaxed around the pool and enjoyed their wonderful hospitality.

William drove us the following morning back to our car (1 1/2 hours). He was a superb guide and it was just unfortunate that we didn't get to see rhino's closer, nevertheless overall it was a great experience to stay here." See all these reviews: 21n in Namibia

"Excellent camp with amazing staff.

The rhino tracking is great (assuming they don't run away immediately).

The staff at the camp is amazing and will do whatever is needed to give you a great stay.

Comment on private guide at Desert Rhino Camp:

Excellent guiding with a lot of patience (needed here).

We spent multiple days looking for the elephants and the guide was always willing to help and do his best (despite lack of luck right up until the end)" See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia; 2n in Botswana

"Great scenery and comfortable, fairly basic camp.

Good rhino sighting.

Saw meerkats.

Springs near camp dry now so longer drives to find wildlife." See all these reviews: 11n in Botswana; 7n in Namibia

"Desert Rhino Camp is a "must" if considering Damaraland. Being able to track and approach black rhinos on foot with the Save the Rhino Trust was truly a remarkable experience.

We immediately connected with our personable and knowledgeable guide Rechie, who always went above and beyond to make our time memorable. As my "birthday present," Rechie gifted us not one, but two black rhino sightings and approaches in one day. And after learning of a sighting of two lionesses (which we had previously tried to locate), Rechie quickly whisked us from camp just before our departing flight to see them; such a thrilling experience!

While the accommodations are not as luxurious as some of the other Wilderness lodges, we found the tents to be very comfortable, cozy, and perfectly situated!" See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia

"The Grootberg Pass is potentially treacherous for drivers with limited/no experience on gravel roads. It surprised us that the speed limit was as high as it was, considering the condition of the roads (gravel/narrow/sheer/high). We would advise drivers to be more cautious, and not drive at the speed that was recommended. We saw an over turned truck among other vehicles that had come off the road and fallen down into the valleys. (We are experienced drivers who have driven on many gravel roads with divets/pot holes/ corrugations etcetera). We would recommend a 5 hour drive, rather than 4 hour from Ongava to Desert Rhino - not only due to road conditions, but also to enjoy the amazing scenery. The drive was so scenic, we would have liked to have stopped more - but we were already taking longer than anticipated...

We were met at the gate by the staff member who was expecting us. Our guide William was waiting patiently for us. He welcomed us and told us not to worry about the fact that we were late (we had apologized as we felt guilty, we hate being tardy, we had left with plenty of time to spare...). We enjoyed the beer, water and food that he had provided. The drive to the camp was great, there were a few animals spotted along the way.

Upon arrival, we had a lovely greeting. We loved the singing and the refreshing towel and beverage. We had a very warm welcome and a great introduction to the camp. The grounds were fantastic! The accommodation was clean and comfortable, we enjoyed the lounge and the pool. The service of drinks by the pool, and the entertainment/friendliness of the staff was appreciated. We had fun playing Scrabble with Selena! The setting of accommodation provided a real sense of being part of nature and being able to enjoy it to the fullest potential.

Our game drives were unreal. Seeing the rhinoceroses from such a close distance was spectacular. It is wonderful that you provide the opportunity to go out with the trackers and be part of the important conservation projects and research that you conduct. We thoroughly enjoyed the information talks that the guides provided whilst we were out. We had a Chinese visitor and his interpreter on our stay and it was great to see the staff have such patience and enthusiasm as conversations were translated for his benefit - it was a nice feeling to have see multiple languages being spoken and shared.

The sundowners with drinks and nibbles out in the amazing setting was incredible. It was really unbelievable - actually brought tears to my eyes (that's me - Tania - 'the girl'), my husband was also in awe and describes it as transcendental!

William was a thoughtful and wonderful guide. He knew that we enjoyed Gin, so he brought along some special local Gin on our second night. He also knew that we enjoyed the stargazing and laid out the blanket for us, provided an incredible torch, and knowledge!

The food was wonderful, fresh and tasty. We appreciated the fresh fruit, and the cookies that were available all of the time.

The Barman/Artist was very friendly and efficient. He was polite and it was lovely having a chat with him.

Highly recommend this location - please make time." See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia

"I loved this staff who exudes joy!

Our guide and rhino trackers were the best!

Cannot say enough about our good experience here." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia; 3n in Botswana

"Really nice to be in a remote location. Be prepared for an African massage, but it's well worth it. We did expect to be doing more tracking on foot, as we did on a previous visit some years ago, but I guess the abilities of other clients in camp sometimes determine the agenda.

Bons was an excellent guide and gave us a great time. His never ending enthusiasm and passion was so good to see. We were reasonably sure that during our stay we would see rhino, but seeing them on every drive was incredible. We were hopeful that we might see elephants, and although we thought it extremely unlikely, also hoped that we might see lions. We had extremely good sightings of them all, and in such an amazing environment.

Bons made our stay very memorable and enjoyable. He was always keen to get out before daybreak and last to get back in camp. It was great to be able to maximise the time game viewing. It's well worth the effort to get up in time to see the sunrise. And for us, being able to spend time watching the elephants and not rush back to camp or some shade for lunch made it even more special. Our shade from the vehicle was plenty…we can eat any time, but we can’t watch desert elephants any time!

The camp was nicely laid out with very comfortable Meru-style tents proving that rustic can feel luxurious. All the staff were very attentive and friendly, and Selma was always so happy and full of beans." See all these reviews: 22n in Namibia

"This camp was the highlight of my holiday. Expert guiding in a desert environment which was stunning. This though is not an experience for those who are on a first time safari and want to see lots of animals. Although I was incredibly lucky in my experiences—see below, there are few animals given the desert, and they are hard to locate.
I had the great fortune to see desert adapted lion on two separate consecutive drives—different animals as well. Again another drive produced five black rhino, including the opportunity to approach them on foot. Desert elephant were also seen and included a close encounter at a water hole.
The camp and the team which run it deserve praise; particularly as it is in the middle of nowhere. It is also the case that guests may experience some cultural aspects of the local people." See all these reviews: 10n in Namibia

"Our guide Bons was superb. Very nice helpful staff. Management was superb. Nice touches like hot water bottles when the temperature dropped.

Trying really hard." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia; 1n in South Africa

"What an experience - a luxury tent set in a lunar landscape.

Our guide Moses was excellent and, together with a great team of trackers, we were lucky enough to get close, on foot, to a black Rhino (we made sure that we were even closer to our Safari Truck!).

Great game drives, great staff and food and we ended up with a camp fire meal out in the bush." See all these reviews: 9n in Namibia