Travel reviews by Drs M & R from UK
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
2
Countries visited
2
Lodges stayed in
23
Excursions taken
0
My May 2022 trip
Namibia between 24 May 2022 and 8 Jun 2022
"I am mindful this tour has been rebooked twice due to Covid - although we usually do our own bookings for other than Namibia, in this instance glad we had Expert Africa who did us proud, minimising hassle.
The trip was a success.
There were a couple of bookings where we took advice and just possibly we would have preferred our slightly less cautious personal choices!"
The trip was a success.
There were a couple of bookings where we took advice and just possibly we would have preferred our slightly less cautious personal choices!"
Arranged By Tom Morris
Ai Aiba Lodge
"Ai Aiba Lodge review"
1 night
Arrived
25 May 2022
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Camp Mara
"Camp Mara review"
1 night
Arrived
26 May 2022
"We were the only guests.
Accommodation was as good as we had anywhere. Obviously no additional frills here, but good location. Owner ate with us which wasn't really our style.
Bird feeding and nearby dry river walk very good. Would recommend for those wanting a less corporate experience."
Accommodation was as good as we had anywhere. Obviously no additional frills here, but good location. Owner ate with us which wasn't really our style.
Bird feeding and nearby dry river walk very good. Would recommend for those wanting a less corporate experience."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Lodge not featured by Expert Africa
Khowarib Lodge
"Khowarib Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
27 May 2022
"Lovely accommodation and nice location.
Suspect they would have preferred we took up the tours, but we walked upriver ourselves. Food patchy - have never had a sausage roll served for starters with masterchef swirls.....and when desert was running out we were served half a panna cotta each with no explanation. Filled out the feedback form and they were a tad combative - of course the holiday was booked a couple of years ago and we expected internet.
There is no internet here which was the worst of any place we stayed - they have cancelled it because of the cost and are not planning to reinstate."
Suspect they would have preferred we took up the tours, but we walked upriver ourselves. Food patchy - have never had a sausage roll served for starters with masterchef swirls.....and when desert was running out we were served half a panna cotta each with no explanation. Filled out the feedback form and they were a tad combative - of course the holiday was booked a couple of years ago and we expected internet.
There is no internet here which was the worst of any place we stayed - they have cancelled it because of the cost and are not planning to reinstate."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Average
Epupa Camp
"Epupa Camp review"
3 nights
Arrived
29 May 2022
"We had wanted to stay in the region of Kunene River Lodge but ended up with 3 nights here - too much, we should have stuck to our guns!
Good guided walk upriver and good sundowner overlooking the falls. Nice location. Accommodation and food was OK but no plugs in rooms so had to charge devices on outside table.
Internet very patchy and slightly surly staff. Didn't even see the cinderella waxwing - or whatever it was we were looking for!"
Good guided walk upriver and good sundowner overlooking the falls. Nice location. Accommodation and food was OK but no plugs in rooms so had to charge devices on outside table.
Internet very patchy and slightly surly staff. Didn't even see the cinderella waxwing - or whatever it was we were looking for!"
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Activities
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Facilities
Poor
Hobatere Lodge
"Hobatere Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
1 Jun 2022
"Perfectly nice lodge and food - helpful staff (re tyre).
However, this lodge is accessed by a rough road where you can't get out of your car. This would be OK except you cannot drive around on your own for game - you have to take a tour.
We were not particularly lucky with sightings and spent some of our time in the newly opened western Etosha."
However, this lodge is accessed by a rough road where you can't get out of your car. This would be OK except you cannot drive around on your own for game - you have to take a tour.
We were not particularly lucky with sightings and spent some of our time in the newly opened western Etosha."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Okaukuejo Camp
"Okaukuejo Camp review"
2 nights
Arrived
3 Jun 2022
"Been here before - accommodation OK but food less good.
Pretty touristy but central in the park."
Pretty touristy but central in the park."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Halali Camp
"Halali Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
5 Jun 2022
"Been here before - nice new accommodation and good waterhole sightings. Food and experience generally better than Okaukuejo.
In general, I am thinking that with the opening of western Etosha and some new lodges, we will pick lodges at the western and eastern boundaries, but still run by park authorities, next time so that we get better coverage."
In general, I am thinking that with the opening of western Etosha and some new lodges, we will pick lodges at the western and eastern boundaries, but still run by park authorities, next time so that we get better coverage."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Okonjima Plains Camp
"Okonjima Plains Camp review"
1 night
Arrived
6 Jun 2022
"Well one of us was only tempted by this lodge as he got to see a pangolin!
I was not so dismissive of the rescue Africat project and did a very good tour. This was by far the best accommodation and food and slickest operation we had booked.
Even the less upmarket room was stellar and we paid a lot I suspect. Worth every penny - thoroughly enjoyed."
I was not so dismissive of the rescue Africat project and did a very good tour. This was by far the best accommodation and food and slickest operation we had booked.
Even the less upmarket room was stellar and we paid a lot I suspect. Worth every penny - thoroughly enjoyed."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
excellent
Namibia and 1 other country between 12 Aug 2009 and 31 Aug 2009
"thoroughly enjoyed ourselves....would do very little different if starting again. it should be said that we had very fixed ideas long before contacting Expert Africa, and it was a bit of a debate whether to book through you or do it ourselves. Because of this my comments below are frugal and at times we might have been a handful for Sabina. I have to say I am very glad we booked with you and that we were assigned one person...Sabina.
Sabina's advice to stay a couple of nights in some places was probably correct and at Sossus Dunes Lodge and Erongo we could have certainly done with the extra night. We booked flights independently and then Air Namibia stopped flying from the UK. We weren't allowed onto the replacement BA flight at Heathrow and if Expert Africa hadn't sorted it at a moments notice we wouldn't have got there!
Sabina had to rebook everything because of the revised flights which would have been difficult for us alone. We had an accident and we were really grateful for the support from you that was always available on the end of the phone. I should also say that if you hadn't made extra insurance readily available, we would now be very out of pocket...naively we would have thought that the car hire would cover it.
Suggestions for improvement:
no since approaching perfection!
I would certainly recommend you...and my photos are already drumming up new business!"
Sabina's advice to stay a couple of nights in some places was probably correct and at Sossus Dunes Lodge and Erongo we could have certainly done with the extra night. We booked flights independently and then Air Namibia stopped flying from the UK. We weren't allowed onto the replacement BA flight at Heathrow and if Expert Africa hadn't sorted it at a moments notice we wouldn't have got there!
Sabina had to rebook everything because of the revised flights which would have been difficult for us alone. We had an accident and we were really grateful for the support from you that was always available on the end of the phone. I should also say that if you hadn't made extra insurance readily available, we would now be very out of pocket...naively we would have thought that the car hire would cover it.
Suggestions for improvement:
no since approaching perfection!
I would certainly recommend you...and my photos are already drumming up new business!"
Arranged By Sabina Hekandjo
UOA
"Sylvanette Guest House Okahandja"
1 night
Arrived
12 Aug 2009
"We stayed here independently of Expert Africa because I knew the new owners a little from the UK.
This is a very nice little B&B. It is in a suburban street so not good for views. However at only an hour north of Windhoek, we chose to stay here rather than in the capital on the first night. It is central for travelling the following day to other destinations.
The rooms were very clean and comfortable and the hospitality excellent. There is a large hotel a couple of kms away with a good restaraunt for the evening."
This is a very nice little B&B. It is in a suburban street so not good for views. However at only an hour north of Windhoek, we chose to stay here rather than in the capital on the first night. It is central for travelling the following day to other destinations.
The rooms were very clean and comfortable and the hospitality excellent. There is a large hotel a couple of kms away with a good restaraunt for the evening."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Lodge not featured by Expert Africa
Namibgrens Guest Farm
"mixed review for Namibgrens Guest Farm"
1 night
Arrived
13 Aug 2009
"I think we chose this one because of location and a particular bird species! We were the only guests booked into the B&B part.
We had an en suite room in a separate building at the back of the farm, which was clean and pleasant. The hostess was very pleasant and attentive, but despite there being some seating and a bar, at night it was dead and we ate on our own in a large dining room in the main house....so it wasn't very jolly.
This was one of many views on Namibian lifestyle.......I'm glad I went but I'm unlikely to return."
We had an en suite room in a separate building at the back of the farm, which was clean and pleasant. The hostess was very pleasant and attentive, but despite there being some seating and a bar, at night it was dead and we ate on our own in a large dining room in the main house....so it wasn't very jolly.
This was one of many views on Namibian lifestyle.......I'm glad I went but I'm unlikely to return."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Lodge not featured by Expert Africa
Sossus Dune Lodge
"Sossus Dune Lodge - first posh grass roof"
1 night
Arrived
14 Aug 2009
"Recommended to us - we had our own grass roof and timber chalet with luxurious bedding.
Accomodation could not be faulted. Run by the park extremely well. Very handy for early morning trip to dunes.
Wish we had stayed here a day longer - bad judgement on our part. I have no complaints about the food served in the restaraunt... but everything else was so amazing...."
Accomodation could not be faulted. Run by the park extremely well. Very handy for early morning trip to dunes.
Wish we had stayed here a day longer - bad judgement on our part. I have no complaints about the food served in the restaraunt... but everything else was so amazing...."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Lagoon Lodge
"Lagoon Lodge - a nice surprise"
2 nights
Arrived
15 Aug 2009
"We stayed here because one of us wanted to look at birds in Walvis Bay! This is not a location I would have normally chosen but I enjoyed the stay very much.
Room was nice and separate - own front door on the bay. Run by a French couple - so breakfast was a cut above most other breakfasts! They looked after us extremely well. The first evening we ate at the Raft which is the best known fish restaraunt in Walvis Bay and written up well in all the guidebooks. The guidebooks are wrong, our hosts were right....very mediocre.
Second night we succumbed to advice from our hosts and went to their French friends new restaraunt....supposedly fusion but seemed pretty North African to me. This was the best food I had in Namibia by a million miles. Called Lyon des Salles I think. Sadly my pal had too bad a cold to taste it!"
Room was nice and separate - own front door on the bay. Run by a French couple - so breakfast was a cut above most other breakfasts! They looked after us extremely well. The first evening we ate at the Raft which is the best known fish restaraunt in Walvis Bay and written up well in all the guidebooks. The guidebooks are wrong, our hosts were right....very mediocre.
Second night we succumbed to advice from our hosts and went to their French friends new restaraunt....supposedly fusion but seemed pretty North African to me. This was the best food I had in Namibia by a million miles. Called Lyon des Salles I think. Sadly my pal had too bad a cold to taste it!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Brandberg White Lady Lodge
"Brandberg White Lady - small rock paintings"
1 night
Arrived
17 Aug 2009
"We stayed here en route to Etosha. It was recommended to us. It was our token rock paintings day. Rock paintings were nice but very small.
I wasn't prepared for this being such a beautiful location. Again a separate chalet - travel by car to lodge for dinner to avoid elephants...which we didn't see. The lodge grounds were very nice and being a largish lodge there was a good enclosed area floodlit for a beer.
Food was fine...but light much of the food we had, not a highlight."
I wasn't prepared for this being such a beautiful location. Again a separate chalet - travel by car to lodge for dinner to avoid elephants...which we didn't see. The lodge grounds were very nice and being a largish lodge there was a good enclosed area floodlit for a beer.
Food was fine...but light much of the food we had, not a highlight."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Rustig Toko Lodge
"Rustig Toko - I enjoyed this"
1 night
Arrived
18 Aug 2009
"This lodge is near but not in Etosha and I think maybe suffers for that. The room we had was excellent. The grounds are lovely. We went on a night drive and saw a few things which was fun. Food...as for a number of places was at large tables.....I am sufficiently antisocial that I don't always enjoy this.
Owner seemed slightly downbeat considering it was such a nice lodge."
Owner seemed slightly downbeat considering it was such a nice lodge."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Lodge not featured by Expert Africa
Okaukuejo Camp
"two chalets - take the pricey one!"
2 nights
Arrived
19 Aug 2009
"Okauhuejo - so much wildlife it is overwhelming. Run within the park so necessarily a bit touristy and impersonal.
The restaraunt facilities are what you would expect from such a large operation - fine but not splendid!
We had a good chalet one night and the best waterhole chalet the other. However much it cost, the second one was worth it - to be able to sit in a palatial bed looking out over a balcony and floodlit waterhole and see lions in the early hours of the morning cannot be surpassed."
The restaraunt facilities are what you would expect from such a large operation - fine but not splendid!
We had a good chalet one night and the best waterhole chalet the other. However much it cost, the second one was worth it - to be able to sit in a palatial bed looking out over a balcony and floodlit waterhole and see lions in the early hours of the morning cannot be surpassed."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Food
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Halali Camp
"a different view of Etosha"
1 night
Arrived
21 Aug 2009
"going east in Etosha the lanscape and game changes.
Halali was a little more wooded than Okaukuejo. again a lovely stay."
Halali was a little more wooded than Okaukuejo. again a lovely stay."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Food
Good
Rooms
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Onguma Forest Camp
"a nice lodge even though outside park!"
1 night
Arrived
22 Aug 2009
"we didn't do much in our one night here....having just left Etosha at the last possible minute.....but I must say the rooms and hospitality were excellent.
eating outside in the wood at night was memorable."
eating outside in the wood at night was memorable."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Shamvura Camp
"Shamvura for birders"
2 nights
Arrived
23 Aug 2009
"this was maybe our most unusual stop. it was picked for the birding expertise! here is plenty of camping here but we had the chalet. we were the only guests so ate with the owners Mark and Charlie and their family of otters and a goat! it was certainly one of the friendliest and most characterful stops.
our car had just been hit by some drunk drivers and we were given plenty of support to sort the mess and extract an accident report from the police. my average rating for the room is perhaps a reflection that up to this point I had been amazed at the quality of accomodation I got for my money in Namibia ie I had been spoilt. Shamvura is a bit more basic."
our car had just been hit by some drunk drivers and we were given plenty of support to sort the mess and extract an accident report from the police. my average rating for the room is perhaps a reflection that up to this point I had been amazed at the quality of accomodation I got for my money in Namibia ie I had been spoilt. Shamvura is a bit more basic."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Lodge not featured by Expert Africa
Ndhovu Safari Lodge
"lovely but for the hippos"
1 night
Arrived
25 Aug 2009
"tented accomodation right on the edge of the Okavango...I was frightened of the hippos..... very good hospitality and a nice deck over the river.
food was served at large tables...which I don't like....however we did end up with good company. despite marking this as excellent, I am not convinced that this was the most interesting place to stay."
food was served at large tables...which I don't like....however we did end up with good company. despite marking this as excellent, I am not convinced that this was the most interesting place to stay."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Shakawe River Lodge
"beautiful location"
2 nights
Arrived
26 Aug 2009
"I remember some debate over booking this one. It was our only stop in Botswana.
the location is lovely. this had one big plus for us....it was our only stop where we were able to eat with Botswana 'locals' also staying here...everywhere else we were on our own or with tourists primarily German, Italian and S. African. the rooms were fine but did feel slightly in need of a makeover......it felt like the owners were running out of puff. nevertheless the hospitality was good and nicely non invasive.
of course this is a quiet location after the hurly burly of Etosha. maybe Botswana is a more relaxed country than Namibia?"
the location is lovely. this had one big plus for us....it was our only stop where we were able to eat with Botswana 'locals' also staying here...everywhere else we were on our own or with tourists primarily German, Italian and S. African. the rooms were fine but did feel slightly in need of a makeover......it felt like the owners were running out of puff. nevertheless the hospitality was good and nicely non invasive.
of course this is a quiet location after the hurly burly of Etosha. maybe Botswana is a more relaxed country than Namibia?"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Hakusembe River Lodge
"smart lodge"
1 night
Arrived
28 Aug 2009
"all the marks I have awarded here are excellent but my overall score is good...I wonder why? we had genuinely been trying to get a twin bedded room. there was a bit of confusion as to which chalet we would get...the one we got was extremely nice but this was one of the rare instances when our twin bedded strategy did not work well...large double plus small extra! this gets one of my rare excellent for food scores...because it was the best food and best cooked kudu I had in any of this type of lodge. a bit like Ndhovu, I'm not convinced this was an exciting place to stay...but certainly relaxing with a nice deck over the river."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Frans Indongo Lodge
"very smart just not quite right for us"
1 night
Arrived
29 Aug 2009
"a lovely lodge very well run. some of the best accomodation we had. it just felt slightly corporate ...probably due to this being the only TV in bedroom we had.
My travelling companion was very sniffy about imported game...which I think was our problem not a problem with the lodge!"
My travelling companion was very sniffy about imported game...which I think was our problem not a problem with the lodge!"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Erongo Wilderness Lodge
"spectacular location"
1 night
Arrived
30 Aug 2009
"this has to be visited for its spectacular location.
Tented accomodation in the mountains is great. a pity this was our last night...it was the only night we could get....worth booking for 2 nights a year ahead!
wildlife is more low key than before but still special and different."
Tented accomodation in the mountains is great. a pity this was our last night...it was the only night we could get....worth booking for 2 nights a year ahead!
wildlife is more low key than before but still special and different."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Helpful staff - a guide advised us on finding a black mongoose - though we were unsuccessful! No negatives - possibly a few too many tourists for us.
We have been to Namibia before and have rather specific agendas. Hence, we tend not to go on organised tours - preferring to do our own thing without other people - and didn't fill out the sightings booklet."