Travel reviews by Jonathan from Newcastle
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
8
Excursions taken
1
My Jul 2022 trip
Namibia between 17 Jul 2022 and 30 Jul 2022
"The trip had to be postponed three times due to personal circumstances and covid so it wasn't the easiest to arrange. However, when it finally happened it was superb. We were originally looking to organise it ourselves but so glad we used Expert Africa for a number of reasons:
1. Their recommendations on hotels and advice on an itinerary. All the hotels were fantastic and without the advice, we'd have ended up driving in the dark which is not recommended
2. The price they charged for the hotels was no more expensive than booking direct and occasionally cheaper
3. When one of the hotels on the trip closed for refurbishment, they recommended and booked a replacement for us immediately, in line with the itenary.
4. For the first two trips we booked the Fish River Canyon ourselves which was a real hassle, sometime there were spaces available on a certain date, sometime not. Once we realised Expert Africa could do it for us, it was so much easier. They booked and changed it in-line with the itinarey.
5. The small things - being met at Windhoek airport by a representative who took us to the office in the airport so we could get organised, help us with car pick-up. The map we were given with our route marked on it along with the location of the hotels and time to drive between them (not obvious) plus the Namibia book, nice wallet to store all our paper work made it all feel very professional
6. Flexibility in changing our trip each year, rebooking the hotels plus advice given when we asked"
1. Their recommendations on hotels and advice on an itinerary. All the hotels were fantastic and without the advice, we'd have ended up driving in the dark which is not recommended
2. The price they charged for the hotels was no more expensive than booking direct and occasionally cheaper
3. When one of the hotels on the trip closed for refurbishment, they recommended and booked a replacement for us immediately, in line with the itenary.
4. For the first two trips we booked the Fish River Canyon ourselves which was a real hassle, sometime there were spaces available on a certain date, sometime not. Once we realised Expert Africa could do it for us, it was so much easier. They booked and changed it in-line with the itinarey.
5. The small things - being met at Windhoek airport by a representative who took us to the office in the airport so we could get organised, help us with car pick-up. The map we were given with our route marked on it along with the location of the hotels and time to drive between them (not obvious) plus the Namibia book, nice wallet to store all our paper work made it all feel very professional
6. Flexibility in changing our trip each year, rebooking the hotels plus advice given when we asked"
Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo
River Crossing
"River Crossing review"
1 night
Arrived
17 Jul 2022
"Check-in very friendly, rooms spacious and functional, view from deck bar superb, evening meal ok, breakfast good, location great for a first night stop after arriving."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch
"Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch review"
1 night
Arrived
18 Jul 2022
"We had rooms near the pool but there were other rooms further from the hotel reception with probably better views of the game reserve.
Nice pool, great bar, very friendly staff, great location set in its own little game reserve with plenty of animals walking around. Evening meal was superb and a good breakfast. Quite a long drive from the main road. One room had no window but the other had a view out into the reserve."
Nice pool, great bar, very friendly staff, great location set in its own little game reserve with plenty of animals walking around. Evening meal was superb and a good breakfast. Quite a long drive from the main road. One room had no window but the other had a view out into the reserve."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Eland
2 sightings
Meerkat
10+ sightings
Oryx
5 sightings
Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa
"Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa review"
1 night
Arrived
19 Jul 2022
"Government run and rather run down. Service on first night very, very slow, restaurant very basic, rooms large but dark and basic.
Fine for setting off and getting organised for the Fish River Canyon trek. Very limited wifi and phone reception.
Ran out of beer on the last night. Food basic but ok."
Fine for setting off and getting organised for the Fish River Canyon trek. Very limited wifi and phone reception.
Ran out of beer on the last night. Food basic but ok."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Good
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Poor
Food
Average
Sightings report
Oryx
4 sightings
Fish River Hike
"Fish River Hike review"
4 nights
Arrived
20 Jul 2022
"A fantastic hike, spectacular scenery, nobody else around, places to swim and cool down all in a wonderful setting.
If you're used to walking and have trained then its relatively easy - 65Km in five days across various surface (boulders, rock, loose sand, compact sand) if you take all the short cuts but if you haven't, you will struggle."
If you're used to walking and have trained then its relatively easy - 65Km in five days across various surface (boulders, rock, loose sand, compact sand) if you take all the short cuts but if you haven't, you will struggle."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Lodge not featured by Expert Africa
Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa
"Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa review"
1 night
Arrived
24 Jul 2022
"See previous review of the same hotel"
Average
Kanaan Desert Retreat
"Kanaan Desert Retreat review"
1 night
Arrived
25 Jul 2022
"Unbelievable location, built on the edge of a hillside overlooking miles and miles of savanah. Huts basic, with hot water only in the afternoon and evening as heated by the sun but when you're this remote, its part of the experience.
Watching the sunset and the sunrise from the hut balcony ...with animals and birds walking on the plains below. Only a few rooms which adds to the relaxed and intermitate feel. The restaurant has similar views, dinner and breakfast was excellent, staff very friendly.
Would love to go back and spend a couple of nights there."
Watching the sunset and the sunrise from the hut balcony ...with animals and birds walking on the plains below. Only a few rooms which adds to the relaxed and intermitate feel. The restaurant has similar views, dinner and breakfast was excellent, staff very friendly.
Would love to go back and spend a couple of nights there."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Sightings report
Oryx
4 sightings
Hoodia Desert Lodge
"Hoodia Desert Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
26 Jul 2022
"Wow, what a place.
Kanaan was fantastic for its views and location but this hotel was the highlight of the trip, so glad we had two nights here. Rooms beautiful and set apart, location great, main hotel building beautiful, lovely bar, fabulous restaurant and food, staff wonderful, sundowners on the little hill next to the hotel spectacular, trip to the dunes and meal in the bush wonderful.
We so want to go back again."
Kanaan was fantastic for its views and location but this hotel was the highlight of the trip, so glad we had two nights here. Rooms beautiful and set apart, location great, main hotel building beautiful, lovely bar, fabulous restaurant and food, staff wonderful, sundowners on the little hill next to the hotel spectacular, trip to the dunes and meal in the bush wonderful.
We so want to go back again."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Sightings report
Oryx
10+ sightings
Zebra
10+ sightings
Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion
"Hoodia Sossusvlei excursion review"
27 Jul 2022 • All-day excursion
A really nive and very knowledgable guide, took us away from the crowds, listened to what we wanted to do, scenery spectacular, lunch location beautiful and all to ourselves, very out of Africa - food and drink selection perfect.
Excellent
Strand Hotel
"Strand Hotel review"
2 nights
Arrived
28 Jul 2022
"A new hotel compared to all the previous ones so a bit of a shock to the system. However, location great, fish restaurant good, steak bar nice, staff unbelievably friendly and helpfull, rooms lovely with a great view over the ocean.
There was some work going on which meant that the other couple we were staying with had to exit the hotel and walk round the back to get to reception but no more than a small inconveniece.
Breakfast was unbelievable - everything from Oysters to cakes to cereals to cold platter to full cooked breakfast, as good as anywhere we've been."
There was some work going on which meant that the other couple we were staying with had to exit the hotel and walk round the back to get to reception but no more than a small inconveniece.
Breakfast was unbelievable - everything from Oysters to cakes to cereals to cold platter to full cooked breakfast, as good as anywhere we've been."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent