Travel reviews by Peter from Stockton

"We had a great time at the Victoria Falls Hotel. We stayed there a couple of days to acclimate ourselves to the time difference between the USA west coast and Africa. The staff was so friendly and helpful. Our room in the Stables wing was excellent with a nice private balcony to sit on. The food was great for every meal. The staff arranged for us to get our Covid tests at the hotel so we could continue our trip into Botswana.

We did two activities while we were there, the bridge tour and a sunset cruise. The bridge tour is quite interesting as you get to walk on the catwalks underneath the bridge with a very knowledgeable guide.

We had a great sundowner cruise on the Pure Africa Zambezi Explorer on the Signature deck. The canapés were excellent and we saw several elephants playing in the river. We were met back on the dock by more elephants eating their way around the neighborhood.

It is an easy walk from the hotel to the falls and we spent a couple of hours touring the falls by ourselves. The water was quite low this time of year but still well worth seeing."

"Jacana Camp is located on a little island on the open floodplains of Jao Flats in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. When the water is high it is surrounded by water; this time of year it is not, but the landscape is still so beautiful.

Our experience here will be hard to beat. We heard lions, leopards and hyenas at night along with many, many birds. Animal and bird sightings were outstanding. A few of our favorite sightings: newborn hippo, tsessebe, lion, bushbuck and dung beetle (no kidding, there’s a lot of drama taking place in a pile of elephant dung!) We had dinner outside under the stars and lunch along a waterway. Sundowners in a different location (including a mokoro experience) were always beautiful. The food was delicious, the staff made us feel right at home and our guide, Gora, was the best.

Thanks to camp manager, Abu, for creating such a welcoming experience."

"Little Vumbura will always be memorable as the place where we first saw a leopard in the wild. Our guide, “Gee”, was alerted to his presence by the distress calls of vervet monkeys. That was our first morning game drive and we went on to see lions, wild dogs, giraffe (including a youngster who had not yet lost its umbilical cord) and so much more. Peter and Gee had a successful evening fishing for tiger fish (they have very long teeth and are too bony to be good eating so it was catch-and-release only.)

The camp is on an island so we heard many hippos overnight along with lions and many birds. The night sounds of Africa are beautiful. Also, you start and end every game drive with a boat trip.

Be alert walking to your accommodations. One night our walkway was blocked by a Kudu, another morning there were elephant tracks when we returned from breakfast that weren't there when we went to breakfast."

"Every Wilderness Safaris camp has its own feel and charm. DumaTau is luxurious and comfortable but does not separate you from the scents and sounds of the wild. The sounds of the African night are extraordinary at DumaTau.

The camp is located on Osprey Lagoon along the Linyanti River between two elephant crossings. Rooms are connected to the central outdoor dining area, bar and fire pits by raised walkways.

We saw countless elephants using these ancient crossings in small groups and larger family groups. The older elephants help the little ones swim across the river and we often watched juvenile males wrestle with each other as they completed the crossing. Truly, this is a magical experience.

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, on the northernmost fringe of Botswana, is rich in wildlife and the habitat is varied. We enjoyed driving safaris, a boat safari to photograph elephants swimming the river (at a respectful distance) and a walking safari. Viewing animals on foot is very different than from a vehicle. When on the vehicle you could get very close to the animals but when on foot they are very nervous and run away. Even the lions we came across while walking ran away but later the same ones allowed us to drive up very close. While not running, we did end our walking safari at that point and go back to the vehicle.

We were guided by Peter, an experienced and knowledgeable guide, who gave us a truly memorable experience. He spotted leopards, lions, many birds, countless elephants and he even found a chameleon - something I’ve long wanted to see in the wild. We saw the first newborn impala of the season.

I felt very emotional leaving DumaTau and we cannot thank Peter enough for the quality experience."

"Mombo Camp was our final stop in the Okavango Delta. This Wilderness Safaris camp is the perfect combination of luxury, abundant game viewing, beautiful and varied scenery and outstanding service. The perfect way to end our stay in Botswana.

The weather started off hot, then cooled with rain before warming again. We had many leopard and lion sightings thanks to Ollie’s tracking skills. For the first time we watched them do more than sleep. And we saw so many birds. It was such a pleasure to be guided by someone so skilled who is also a photographer.

Alfred, who a certified sommelier, and chef Tonderai, create fabulous food and wine pairings - requiring long discussions and tastings late into the night. No one in camp has more fun than they do! As wine lovers we appreciated the perfect pairings they created.

Botswana’s Okavango Delta is a paradise. The landscape is varied and beautiful even when the water is not at its highest. And the wildlife viewing is outstanding.

Camp staff have been financially impacted by COVID. Many were at home without income for a year or more. Even now not all camps are open and there are not many guests in some camps. All guests must have a negative COVID PCR test before entering the country. Camp staff are masked and tested before coming to camp. And Wilderness has facilitated COVID vaccinations for staff and their families.

The people need us to visit. And when there are no tourists visiting, animals are at risk through increased poaching pressure. This is an excellent time to visit Botswana."

"We spent one night here as a buffer between the Botswana and Namibia parts of our trip.

It was an excellent choice, close to the Eros airport, quiet, excellent food and comfortable. We would definitely stay here again even for multiple nights.

The staff was friendly and very helpful."

"Namibia is all about wide-open spaces, interesting geology, red dunes of the ancient Namib Desert and the night sky. We found it was the perfect counterpoint to the lushness of Botswana’s Okavango Delta and it is one of our favorite places on Earth.

Our first stop in Namibia was Little Kulala in the 27,000-hectare Kulala Wildernesses Reserve near Sossusvlei. Accommodations were more than comfortable and the food was delicious. And there is an underground wine cellar where you-know-who had dinner.

Heavy rains at the beginning of 2021 have the landscape looking almost lush, even in this harsh, desert environment. We saw many more springbok and oryx than on a previous visit.

Our time at Little Kulala was enriched by Markus’ guiding; his knowledge of the area’s flora, fauna and geology is extensive. And his knowledge of the night sky is unsurpassed. He quizzed us on Africa’s big 5, little 5 and the ugly 5. There was no slacking off in his safari vehicle.

Our morning in Sossusvlei began looking for footprints in the sand at a stop along the way where we spotted the pretty Dune Lark, endemic to Namibia’s dunes. Later in the morning, it was Markus’ easy manner that encouraged us to the top of Big Daddy, the 325-meter dune that provides a sweeping view of Deadvlei, Hiddenvlei and way beyond. And we practically had Big Daddy all to ourselves.

We enjoyed an early-morning hot air balloon ride, in spite of the 4am wakeup call, and the breakfast accompanied by sparkling wine that followed. Sunsets here are unsurpassed and be sure to get a look at the night sky when you’re here. Namibia should be on your to-visit list."

"The views around Wilderness Safaris’ Damaraland Camp and in the Torra Conservancy go on forever. The red earth is punctuated by ash bushes, euphorbia and the occasional shepherd’s tree. Look in another direction and you will see jumbles of rocks of every color, mountains of all shapes and eventually the wide, sandy Huab riverbed. And there are vistas that are otherworldly. It is a landscape that is at the same time harsh and so beautiful it will move you to tears.

The sight of a small family of desert-adapted elephants moving slowly across this vast, dry environment feels very lonely. Black rhino call this part of Namibia home as well. They are studied and kept safe through the efforts of Save the Rhino Trust whose trackers are in the field every day. These animals are magnificent, even when viewed from a great distance. Giraffe wander the vastness and watch safari vehicles bouncing along the rocky roads with curiosity. Springbok head for the hills when they hear us coming. Guinea fowl, aka ‘government chickens’ because no one owns them, wander in small flocks. We were fortunate to spot a family of double-banded sandgrouse with newly hatched chicks. It is amazing how many animals can exist is this difficult environment.

Damaraland camp is less fancy than any of the other camps we stayed in during this trip to Africa, but that doesn’t matter at all. The individual rooms are more than comfortable, and on a chilly evening we were thrilled to find hot water bottles in our bed when we returned from dinner. Camp manager Helen (of Troy), who called us Nancy (Drew) and Peter (Pan), has created a fun and musical camp atmosphere. The camp staff are the best and the food was outstanding.

Damaraland Camp put an exclamation point at the end of our best visit to Africa yet. You won’t want to miss it when you visit Namibia.

Note: The roads are very rough in this area if you have a sensitive back but that did not bother us."

"Welcoming staff and delicious cool beverage upon arrival.

On this visit we had a large, comfortable room upstairs with a balcony where we ate breakfast. Breakfast was excellent (beginning with fruit and coffee and finishing with eggs and bacon) and a couple of other surprises.

Room and grounds, including pool, were impeccably clean. Staff was helpful in arranging transportation into town for us."

"We spent one night at Kalahari Anib Lodge on our drive from Windhoek to the Fish River Lodge. It was welcoming and fun.

Our room was small, but clean and artfully decorated. Grounds were well kept, including pool, and wildlife have free run of the grounds, which is really enjoyable. Our room had outdoor seating with a view of the grounds and pool.

We enjoyed the evening game drive and sundowner. We saw lots of animals, some we had never seen before. The Kalahari was in bloom and beautiful at the time of our visit near the end of September. We enjoyed lunch and dinner on the patio and enjoyed the campfire after dinner.

Highly recommended."

"Food, service and accommodation at the Fish River Lodge were impeccable.

Rooms are large and artfully decorated. Large porch overlooks the Fish River Canyon. The lodge itself has outstanding views of the canyon with a pool lots of room to sit outside. Be prepared for windy conditions, weather is variable, and we were provided with earplugs for nighttime use. We only needed them one night.

We also enjoyed the two day hiking package, which was outstanding. Our guide, Andy, was knowledgeable and tailored our daily hikes according to our preference for distance and difficulty. Camps were unique with roomy tents, comfortable cots with sheets and duvets. Bucket showers were welcome as was hot water in the morning to wash up.

Food was excellent, on a par with what we enjoyed at the Lodge. We were amazed that they were able to provide the same quality, but from a camp kitchen. Breakfast and dinner were prepared in camp and we carried our bag lunch and water with us each day."

"Our first impression of Kalahari Red Dunes Lodge was that it had seen better days, but our first impression was wrong. Once we stepped into the Lodge and then saw our room we were very impressed.

The rooms are very large and the most artful of any accommodation we had on this trip. There was a large sitting room, beautifully appointed covered outdoor siting area and outdoor shower. Bed was comfortable with mosquito netting and the bathroom included a large, open shower. Rooms were air-conditioned.

We were surprised by the delicious, multi-course dinner. Wine selection was good. Breakfast included fruit and yogurt plus a hot option.

We enjoyed the evening game drive and sundowner with game sightings. The area that is remote to the lodge has a wild feel, but the area around the lodge didn't seem quite as natural because feed is put out for the animals. That said, it was fun to watch the meerkats as we ate breakfast."

"This was our second stay during our time in Namibia. We had a smaller, downstairs room near the pool. Same attention to detail by the staff and same great breakfast.

We left some luggage on our first stay and only taken what we needed to the Fish River Lodge. Now we were able to switch to what we needed for the safari portion of our trip and left the other luggage. We would pick it up on our last stay before we left Namibia."

"We initially booked Desert Rhino Camp in order to fill time between the other camps we wanted to visit, but it was one of the true highlights of our trip. The rhino viewing experience and learning about the work of Save the Rhino Trust Namibia made this visit very special. We were impressed with the work of the trust and how respectful the guest viewing of the animals is.

The landscape is beautiful, we saw many Welwitschia plants (Namibia's national plant), and we spent one evening viewing a family of spotted hyena. One morning we were able to view a rhino mother and her calf with the help of expert Save the Rhino Trust trackers. Afterwards we enjoyed lunch in the bush with a presentation by the trackers.

The camp is rustic, but still luxurious. Meru-style tents are roomy with ensuite toilet and shower. The lodge is open air with sweeping views and a fire pit. Food was delicious and tables were set beautifully for meals. Service was excellent. We had a very special experience one evening, but it's a surprise for when you visit."

"The landscape is stark, but the lodge and rooms are far from that. This is the most striking Wilderness Safaris camp we have stayed at. The camp design is other worldly and accommodations luxurious. Rooms are very large and comfortable with views over a wide valley. En-suite bathroom includes double sinks, large open shower and separate toilet. Each "tent" includes a large, raised, covered stating area that includes a sofa, table and chairs and an outdoor refrigerator.

A highlight of this trip is a drive along the Hoanib River bed to the Skeleton Coast. The landscape changes constantly during the several-hour drive. The ocean along the skeleton coast is spectacular. I could have done without the stinky visit to the fur seal colony.

Evening and morning game drives along the Hoanib River bed were really beautiful and we saw many more animals than we expected. We saw all three of the resident elephant families, many oryx, a large tower of giraffe (that happened to amble by during one sundowner) and steenbok. We also enjoyed a presentation by a local brown hyena researcher. This camp has so much to offer."

"After recent floods Serra Cafema had to be rebuilt and had only been open three weeks before our arrival. It is spectacular! Raised walkways connect each thatch-roofed chalet to the main lodge. Our chalet overlooked the rapids along the Kunene River. Rooms are very large and include a large outdoor living and dining space and deck.

Food was outstanding and be prepared for dining surprises.

The pace here is slower than most safari camps and it is a perfect place to end your trip to Namibia. It is all about the scenery at this camp and the Himba people. The Hartmann Valley is wide and covered in grass. Jagged mountains and sand dunes ring the valley. Our visit to a Himba village was very enjoyable.

We appreciated the ability to tailor our activities at this camp. One morning we preferred to take a scenic drive rather than quad biking. Our guide, Limbo, was happy to accommodate our request."

"We ended our visit to Namibia at the Hilltop Guesthouse where we retrieved our luggage and had an evening to pack for the rest of our trip in Africa. The staff, as with both other visits, were excellent. We left too early the next morning to enjoy breakfast, but the owner surprised us with coffee in our room.

Our room this time was not as nice as the others we stayed in. Primarily, the shower floor very steep and difficult to stand on. Otherwise our room was comfortable and impeccably clean.

We really appreciate being able to leave our extra luggage at the Hilltop Guesthouse during the safari portion of our trip. Thank you!"