Reviews: Coast and Sandwich Harbour

"Ernest - our guide for the day - couldnot have been more delightful and knowledgeable. We were lucky to have him. We didn't make it to Sandwich Harbour in the end, due to impassable terrain. We felt it should have been made clear at the start of the day that this might be the case. We ourselves didn't really mind but another man on a colleague's trip alongside us, did mind and decided to walk himself all the way there.

We did spend 45 minutes approx digging up sand to try to clear the way for the trucks. Again, we nor our sons, minded and saw it as part of an adventure. But a quite elderly couple were not so happy. I think the guide needs to be quite honest at the start of the day that Sandwich Harbour is hard to reach at times and we might not make it there or certainly the tour operators need to let the tourists booking the trip know this in advance in order to avoid disappointment. If we are warned, then we can't be disappointed.

Everyone has to respect nature and that it is just not possible to predict things. We really enjoyed Ernest's evident expertise and the dune driving thrilled the boys! Picnic might have offered some beers and not just sodas for the price one is paying. Great driving and learnt a lot from Ernest about birdlife and flora and fauna. Excellent guide.Interesting to talk about his life in Namibia and his family too." Read more about this whole safari

"The Turnstone Tours trip down the Skeleton Coast with Ernst the guide, was great fun and well worth it. Ernst enthusiastically showed us the local flora, fauna and landscape, with very good explanations, and talked passionately about the wider environmental issues.

He also demonstrated some spectacular landrover driving, culminating in flying off the crest of a huge dune. The trip was made even better by the company – we shared the landrover with a very amusing group of Italians, and laughed a lot." Read more about this whole safari

"A brilliant trip with Ernest, just us and an Italian couple. I was a little disappointed not to be able to get to Sandwich harbour because of high tides, but we visited the dunes, walked along the coast and then went out on to the lagoon with a fantastic number of birds, particularly flamingoes and terns. A nice lunch also. A really exceptional full day. Ernst took us to places we would never have been able to get to and made everythng perfect with his explanations and his interest in us as well as Namibia." Read more about this whole safari

"We had a great day with Ernst, who was extremely knowledgeable about the area.

The home-cooked lunch was also absolutely delicious!" Read more about this whole safari

"Sadly, my wife had to swap our car, so it was just I who undertook this trip. Eleanor met me and we picked up an experienced guide (Peter) at his home in Walvis Bay. Peter provided the main focus during the day, and he was a really nice person. We drove around the dunes, but Eleanor (who did all the driving) was quite concerned about getting lost (not on that day, with Peter to guide her, but the next day when she was going out again with a group on her own...), and also of not turning the Land Rover over on the inclines.

A picnic lunch was set out while I climbed a dune at Sandwich Harbour, but I'm not a great one for salads which may have upset my hosts. We then drove back, and took several routes as Eleanor discussed with Peter which would be best for the next day. I really didn't mind, but it was a strange experience with the onus on the next trip rather than looking after me." Read more about this whole safari

"excellent" Read more about this whole safari

"excellent trip - informative, interesting and what a picnic!" Read more about this whole safari

"Our guide, Ernst, and our friendly and interesting companions, made this a very special day. Ernst's knowledge and enthusiasm, and the way he managed to accommodate the many diverse interests of our group, were admirable. The whole area is so beautiful ,with a fascinating history from whaling to beef canning, and absolutely amazing birdlife. We had a wonderful long walk, and watched dolphins swimming by as we enjoyed a lovely brunch, and never met another soul." Read more about this whole safari

"Our guide was Ian Walker and we shared the tour with a French family also staying at Lagoon Lodge in Walvis Bay. The tour was great - Ian is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced. We spent a full day looking at everything on the way to, and from and around Sandwich Harbour. We were able to get out of the car for a few walks, and also to look for lizards, snakes etc. It really was one of the best excursions of our trip." Read more about this whole safari

"The day trip to Sandwich Harbour with Turnstone Tours was terrific. We didn't have the owner as guide, instead we had Ernest (Arentz) who helps out - and he was great.

A very well informed and sympathetic character, who was fascinating on the evolution of the spits and bars there over the distant past, and how it is all changing rapidly now, as well as the ecology of it all and the more recent history of the settlement there.

And his driving to squeeze through just before high tide, then up and over the big dune for us to hear the roaring sands surfing down with the engine off: well, it was so impressive that one of us declined the opportunity on the grounds of vertigo." Read more about this whole safari