Travel reviews by Mr & Ms Rockjumper from UK

"We spent one night in Windhoek to catch up on sleep before driving off. The Pension Kleines Heim was on the outskirts of town in a secure spot. The staff were lovely, the room was fine and the breakfast in the open courtyard was very nice.

We walked into town but because it was Saturday afternoon, most things were closed. We wouldn't bother to do this again - next time, we'd probably stay at a lodge near the airport (which is some way out of Windhoek) and avoid the town altogether."

"We had a long drive to get to Bullsport but when we arrived we were treated to a great welcome. Our room was large, comfortable and decorated with interesting local items. The owners, Johanna and Ernst, were fantastic company.

Meals were taken with Johanna and Ernst and the other guests. The atmosphere was relaxed and relaxing. The food was fine - homely and filling (though canned fruit was disappointing). The most interesting aspect was that we had the opportunity to talk at length with the owners about their Guest Farm (in the family for several generations), and the country generally.

As to activities, we went on a drive with the owners and also on the Quiver Tree Gorge walk, both of which were interesting. Overall our few days there were an excellent way to begin our trip.

One small point - it would be nice to have the ability to make tea/coffee for ourselves at any time, either in our room or in the main house. (I know there were issues about electricity in the rooms so perhaps just a kettle and tea/coffee in the lounge would do the trick.)"

"Desert Homestead is a luxurious lodge but with an environmental ethos. The individual chalets were quite extraordinary for the detail, comfort, style and views.

The communal facilities and food were similarly luxurious and sophisticated. The staff were excellent and we felt we got First Class treatment in the middle of the desert!

We went for a short walk behind the lodge site which was worthwhile for the views. We also went on a morning excursion to Sossusvlei (with another couple at the Lodge) which seemed to be the standard package on offer. Although we enjoyed our visit, we would have liked something more tailored to our interests and focus. Instead, we felt we were only offered what everyone else was doing at exactly the same time - arrival at 6.30 for opening, climbing Vlei 42 (although we did manage to avoid this and instead climb Dead Vlei), a very quick drive through the dunes and a great deal a time spent eating an extravagant brunch (Including sparkling wine which none of us wanted). We would have preferred less time on eating and more time exploring the dunes!

Is it possible to have a more flexible option for those who want it?"

"Lagoon Lodge is a cheery yellow house on a main road going out of Walvis Bay. The owners are a lively French couple who make the place great fun. They are both artists and the rooms are furnished with some amazing wood and textile pieces created by them.

The accommodation was so comfortable and lovely that we bought our own food and ate dinner on the balcony for both nights of our stay. The breakfasts were the absolute best of the whole trip."

"We had booked a room without a sea view (to save a bit of money) but that was the wrong decision. These rooms had no views at all and were subjected to noise from the generator while it was on. We were puzzled why such rooms were offered at all, especially at these prices.

In any event, we swapped for a sea view (and paid the extra), and the room and the view were excellent. The communal facilities were like a luxury hotel but they had an odd feel because there were very few guests. Also - and in our view this is a serious crime in a place like this! - they had piped music in the dining and bar areas. I can't imagine any guest would ever want to listen to this and I would really recommend that they don't turn it on.

Our dinner was fine, though rather elaborate and fussy for our tastes. Breakfast was good.

Our only reason for staying there was to be close to the seal colony and that worked fine. However, next time we would probably aim to get to the seal colony earlier and then move on to stay somewhere else."

"Our journey to Doro Nawas was long and arduous. But when we arrived, it was an astonishing place! The lodge is part of a community conservancy project and we spent a great deal of time talking with the managers about what it is trying to achieve. It was very impressive!

The individual chalets were designed to such a high level and they were done so imaginatively, we felt we'd never seen anything like it anywhere in Europe or North America. One small design flaw - the ceiling fan only had one speed (very fast) and it would have been more comfortable to have a range of options. But otherwise it was luxury and stimulating detail and comfort all the way.

Food was similarly First Class and sophisticated. Service was fantastic.

The tours offered seemed very expensive. We chose to go to Twyflfontein to see rock carvings - and we would have liked to spend more time there. But we had an interesting drive, stopping at other places going to and coming from the site, so overall we were happy with our morning excursion."

"We stayed in a chalet near the waterhole which was expensive, too small and not worth the extra expense. The rooms had recently been refurbished and sadly, design seemed to have taken precedence over substance. The waterside rooms apparently had been single chalets subdivided into two and they were very cramped. There was a fridge (which was welcome) but you could barely open it. There was nowhere to sit except on the bed or outside, and outside it was too hot during the day and there were too many biting insects after sunset.

The restaurant was like a vast dining hall and the service was indifferent. The breakfasts were good enough. We bought our own food for dinner, but there was a very limited selection in the shop. So - it's recommended that you stock up on the way before you arrive.

However, the location was excellent. Because we were in the park, we could make the most of driving around the west side of the park."

"The room in Namutoni was (like Okaukuejo) newly refurbished and very much design-led. However the design didn't get in the way of comfort. The room was spacious and well-furnished, very stylish too.

The restaurant in Namutoni was more cheerful than Okaukuejo and although service was good, it was bit erratic. The shop was poorly stocked (as in Okaukuejo) so if you want to eat your own food (as we did for dinner), you should bring it in from elsewhere. Breakfast was fine but they may not have always had sufficient of everything for the numbers of visitors.

The site of Namutoni is imaginatively done and fun. The location is great for easy driving to waterholes and around the eastern section of the park.

We went on a night drive which was relatively expensive but had an excellent guide (Danny?)."

"The only reason for our being at Frans Indongo Lodge was to use it as a base to visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund. We had made several phone calls in advance to arrange things but when we arrived, we discovered problems. So we had to settle for a quick visit to the education centre and a walk around the facilities at the CCF. This was very disappointing - we don't know whose fault it was, but visitors should be warned. A jeep ride through the open areas to see cheetahs needs to be planned in advance, and the weekends can be a problem. Also Frans Indongo Lodge is quite a long drive away from the CCF.

The Lodge was luxurious and comfortable and the service was good. There was a largish group of tourists there when we were, and it may be the sort of place that attracts groups because of its facilities and ease of access.

Breakfast was very good. We bought our own food for dinner (from a nearby town) and the room was very spacious and comfortable to eat in."

"When we arrived at Erongo we had just spent rather too many days driving and we were delighted to be in a place where we could walk.

The location is amazing and the facilities are equally amazing. We were very comfortable and happy here, which was particularly nice since this is where we spent our last two days in Namibia

The managers were very welcoming and friendly - great hosts! The food was excellent.

We went on several walks on our own and also did a very good morning excursion with a guide."