Discover Namibia - Camping

Traveler Reviews

• 

  ron

  October 24th, 2018
  3.5
  Pre-tour information For the most part, the pre-tour information on the itinerary, transport, accommodation,...
  Pre-tour information For the most part, the pre-tour information on the itinerary, transport, accommodation, excursions, conditions and so on was fairly accurate. There are three points where changes are needed. 1. Temperatures. Our tour started at the beginning of October, on the cusp between the colder winter months and the hot summer. It was much hotter than I expected with daytime temperatures reaching or exceeding the mid to high 30s most days. My impression that it would be cooler than this was reinforced by the Swakopmund temperature chart you include in the trip notes. From this I expected mid teens to low 20s. I did not know that Swakopmund is by far the coldest place that we visited. If you are going to show any temperature charts, these should be representative of the general conditions that travellers are likely to experience in Namibia as a whole. The tour was actually run by a local company, Mabaruli and I found this statement on their website: “October is the hottest month in Namibia with temperatures above 40°C”. Why was that information not added to the Exodus website? If I had known that in advance I seriously doubt that I would have chosen October for this tour. 2. Activity level. The trip was described as “Leisurely/Moderate” and at level 2 on a 10-point scale. There is no way that this is accurate. While there is a lot of time spent sitting in the truck doing nothing more than looking out of the window, when activity is required it was very tiring in the heat of the day. Bear in mind that there is no upper age limit for this tour and I think that everyone on our tour was over 50. What might be leisurely for a 20 year old may not be for a septuagenarian like me. 3. Initial meeting. There was no information on the time and place of the initial tour meeting on day 1. This should be specified clearly and unequivocally. Then everyone would know what to do and could arrange their travel plans around this meeting. Itinerary Overall I was satisfied with the itinerary. Maybe some minor tinkering is needed (eg. two hours at the craft market on day 12 was too long) but there were no major deficiencies. Staff There were three staff: Ronney, the tour leader, and two camp assistants, Happy and Jonas. Ronney was responsible for the overall arrangements, acting as guide while on the road, and as the full-time driver. This is too much for one person and it is no wonder that he was somewhat grumpy at times. One of the camp assistants should be a qualified driver and be able to relieve the tour leader of some or all of the driving responsibilities. Happy and Jonas were responsible for preparing the meals, setting up and breaking camp. Both were lovely blokes, always ready to help with a smile. Happy was a bit reserved at first but warmed up after a few days. Transport The truck was quite comfortable and reasonably roomy with two spare seats that were used for excess luggage (backpacks and so on). However, it was not well designed for the purpose. There were two pairs of windows at the front, above the driver's cabin. However, there was a wide solid horizontal panel between them that was exactly at eye level for anyone of normal height. As a result, forward vision was very limited. That is a ridiculous design for a safari truck. The roof opened for “game viewing” but there was nowhere near enough room for all of the passengers and we had to stand on the seats to get high enough to see. I don't know what can be done about this but the truck was certainly not fit for the purpose. We saw other trucks on our travels where everyone could simply stand up and see. Such trucks should be used for future tours. The trip notes say “People are expected to move around to permit everyone a chance to have a window seat.” One couple hogged the prime position (the front left seats) for the entire tour and declined to move. Allegedly this was because one of them suffered from travel sickness. The tour leader should have been more assertive, insisting that everyone got a turn in that prime position. People who suffer from travel sickness should not go on tours that will exacerbate their condition, or take suitable medication to combat the problem. A couple of days into the tour I noticed that one of the rear tyres was totally worn out, with the canvas showing through. The truck should never have been sent out in that condition. A couple of days later a tyre blew out but it turned out to be a new tyre that had been installed to replace the bad one, probably while we were in Swakopmund. It took an hour for the spare tyre to be put on. This blew out within 15 minutes so clearly the spare tyre were not in a suitable condition. We limped the rest of the way to Sophienhof camp with this flat tyre. The next day we were dumped in Outjo while four new types were being obtained. We were told this would take two hours. It took more than four hours, with no communication from the tour leader in the meantime. I realise that time is a bit elastic in Namibia but that is no excuse for keeping us in the dark. We had no choice but to sit and twiddle our thumbs waiting where we were told we would be picked up. We missed half a day in Etosha, the most important tourist destination in Namibia. Hotels The Prost Hotel in Swakopmund was perfect. Beautiful rooms, great breakfast and well situated close to the centre of town. The two hotels in Windhoek were not so good and the logic for using a different starting and finishing hotel was unclear. I would prefer that the starting and finishing hotel were the same. The Arebbusch Lodge is too far from the centre of town. However, this was not my major objection. Near the restaurant and bar there is a very nice pool area with umbrellas, tables, chairs and loungers. This was off-limits to us, being reserved for residents in “The Square”. The pool that we could use was small, a bit dirty, far away, and lacked umbrellas, tables, chairs and loungers. It was totally inadequate. You should not patronise a hotel that practises such blatant discrimination against some of its guests. The Utopia Boutique is also inconvenient in its location, really not near to anything. Moreover, it was disappointing to find that some of our group had nice, airy rooms around the pool area while others (including us) had small dark rooms with no view at all except for a blank wall. We are all on tour together, paying the same price, and should have similar accommodation. If the Utopia Boutique cannot satisfy this requirement, then go somewhere else, preferably within safe walking distance from the centre of Windhoek. When we arrived at the Utopia Boutique mid-afternoon there was a noisy party going on next door but we were told that if it wasn't quiet by 9 pm reception would call the police. The trouble was, reception closed at 8 pm and there was nobody around to take action. Eventually, at 10.30 pm, I found a security guard who said he would phone the manager who would then phone the police. The management should have made sure that someone was available in reception at 9 pm to deal with the noise if it was continuing. Maybe the partying was a one-off event and would not happen again but the hotel should have made sure that we were not disturbed. Campsites The campsites were a mixed bag. The first one, Sesriem, was quite poor. Our site was a long walk from the bar, shop and restaurant. The pool was a bit closer but it was so poorly maintained that it was uninviting. The toilet and shower block closest to our site was in very bad condition. The two sites in Etosha were acceptable, while Solitaire and Sophienhof were both very good. Brandberg was nice except that it was a very long and dusty walk to the bar and pool area. The worst one was Waterberg. While the campsite itself was fine, to get to the bar and pool involved a very long walk up hill. And when you finally arrived, the pool was an absolute disgrace, full of slimy green algae. Meals The meals provided were generally good to exceptional, particularly the dinners where Happy and Jonas went to great efforts to provide variety and to allow for the special dietary requirements of two of our group. Quantity was never an issue; sometimes the amount left over was something of an embarrassment in a country where there are some very poor people. There is one meal that requires special mention, and that is the dreadful buffet dinner at Waterberg. This was not included in the tour and turned out to be the worst, and most expensive, meal that we had in Namibia. With nowhere else to eat, and nothing on offer apart from the buffet, we had no choice. This should definitely be deleted in future, substituting an included dinner at one of the other campsites such as the ones in Etosha. Paid excursions We went on two excursions in Swakopmund. In the morning we chose the Sossusfly joy flight. We had high expectations of this flight, especially considering the very high price of $N460 each for just over 2 hours. We were quite disappointed, especially by the Skeleton Coast which was obscured by fog. I suspected that this was a common occurrence and later found out that there is fog for 4 days out of 5. Another problem was that what you saw depended on which side of the plane you were on. Usually, in these types of flights, the pilot makes sure that everything is seen by passengers on both sides. You should not be recommending this flight. In the afternoon, we went on Charly's Namib Desert tour. The minibus was very comfortable and Borden, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and likeable. It was a terrific four hours. We travelled through the 'moonscape' where we were told about the history, geology, flora and fauna. The main focus was on the plants and they were presented in an interesting and informative manner. There were plenty of stops to photograph the weird landscape. Overall we were extremely satisfied with this tour. Ron Duggleby October 2018Show more
  Traveled in October 2018
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  Susan Hardy

  January 25th, 2012
  4
  A wonderful holiday with fantastic varied scenery with so much to see. A vast country with inevitably a lot of road...
  A wonderful holiday with fantastic varied scenery with so much to see. A vast country with inevitably a lot of road travel but the roads are good and we were well looked after throughout. We were surprised at the excellent camp sites with power points, and generally good modern shower/toilet facilities. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The amazing sunrises and sunsets, Death Valley and the sand dunes, seal and dolphin watching, the sight of 21 elephants of all ages coming to the waterhole at night (just when I didn't have my camera! and lion cubs playing by the side of a waterhole.   Breakfast at Solitaire Guest Ranch with an oryx ever so gently putting her nose over my shoulder to sniff my cereal, first one side and then the other! What did you think of your group leader? Sam was knowledgeable, always ready to answer our questions and looked after us well. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? We went the last week in August/first week in September and the nights really are very, very cold so take warm clothing.   Also very cold for early morning game drives when the canvas roof was rolled back on the truck! Not a cheap destination but where we did eat out the meals were excellent - and do try the local fish - delicious! Is there anything else you would like to add? I can thoroughly recommend this holiday.   Travel arrangements all went smoothly and nearly all of our stops were excellent.   Camp sites were good and our cook produced some very tasty meals for us over the camp fire!Show more
  Traveled in December 2011
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  Kathleen Wilken

  January 4th, 2012
  5
  This was one of the best holidays I've ever had - Namibia should be on everyone's bucket list. The breathtaking...
  This was one of the best holidays I've ever had - Namibia should be on everyone's bucket list. The breathtaking variety of scenery, the excellent roads and facilities, the lovely friendly welcomes and of course the excellent company of my fellow travellers all combined to make this an unforgettable experience. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There is no one favourite bit - so much of it was so memorable.  Delicious fat creamy oysters, the lionesses and 2 cubs plus the white rhinos on a night drive at Etosha, the Etosha pan itself, a herd of 30 elephants at a water hole, the dunes, the scenic flight over Sossusvlei and the coast (even if the first hour was spent desparately trying not to throw up), the beautiful embroidery, the stars (we had a new moon in the middle of the trip), the birds, the banter, the joy of hot cleansing showers almost every day. What did you think of your group leader? Sam was great - very experienced, patient and knowledgeable.  Jonas is an excellent cook and we had a good variety of food cooked on open fires - even a birthday cake, not to mention his almost encyclopedic knowledge of birds.  And finally, Ya, who made up the triumverate, allowing tents to be erected and lunch ready within an hour.  All unfailingly good humoured and helpful. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? For anyone considering taking this trip - do it - you won't be disappointed. Is there anything else you would like to add? The only thing I would change is, in addition to a single room/tent supplement, a supplement for an extra mattress - I'm not as bendy as I used to be!!!!Show more
  Traveled in December 2011
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  Sarah Lawrence

  September 7th, 2011
  4
  It wasn't a particularly relaxing holiday but it was well worth all of the early starts and hours spent travelling as...
  It wasn't a particularly relaxing holiday but it was well worth all of the early starts and hours spent travelling as we had a wonderful time. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Some of our highlights included seeing the massive seal colony at Cape Cross, walking to Deadvlei (hard going but beautiful), arriving at Etosha and spending hours and hours sitting at a waterhole watching many animals come and go. What did you think of your group leader? Our guide was fantastic. He was friendly, helpful, informative and well-organised and really couldn't have done anything more for us. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? My advice for potential travellers would be to expect to spend a lot of time covered in sand and to bring warm clothes, a very warm sleeping bag (if travelling in Winter) and a (head) torch. Is there anything else you would like to add? There really was a lot packed into this trip and we were glad that we were able to see so much of this fascinating country. Obviously the accommodation was quite basic as it was mostly in tents and we didn't have a lot of sleep as it got very cold and on a couple of nights it was also really windy. However, the campsites were generally quite well-equipped and the food was much better than I expected. The dinners, in particular, were excellent - especially given what the assistants had to work with. I would definitely recommend this holiday for those who want something a bit different.Show more
  Traveled in August 2011
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  David Shelton

  August 21st, 2011
  4
  This trip was excellent value for money. We saw a lot of Namibia, the game park was brilliant and our guides were...
  This trip was excellent value for money. We saw a lot of Namibia, the game park was brilliant and our guides were first class. If you want a trip to get a good snapshot of Namibia this will easily meet your needs. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? We saw 30 lions in one day at Etosha - and some were very close to our vehicle! Also, the ancient rock art and petrified forest were pretty amazing. What did you think of your group leader? Ronnie and Joseph were excellent - very professional, good cooks, very good at spotting animals and great fun to be with. They worked very hard and looked after our party of 11 extremely well.   Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Depending when you travel to Namibia be prepared for cold nights - the trip notes are very accurate in this respect. Also, Swakopmund is probably the best place for gifts - there is plenty at the craft market on the last day, but if you want to use gift shops Swakopmund is best. Is there anything else you would like to add? The food is excellent and there is plenty of it - also, for the meals not covered in the trip cost there is a lot  of choice and food is not expensive. Be prepared for some bumpy roads - but that is a small price to pay for the sites and animals you will see. The lodges at Etosha are very good (as the upgrade suggests) otherwise our best lodge was at Solitaire with its many "pet" animals. If you go in July/August the days will be clear, sunny and warm (you may get sea-mist at Swakopmund) and there is no rain. As it is winter you have a great chance to see the animals and there are no unpleasant bugs to distract you!Show more
  Traveled in July 2011
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  Mark Sargeant

  August 17th, 2011
  5
  An excellent two weeks visiting the spectacular and varied landscapes of Namibia. A high number of fascinating and...
  An excellent two weeks visiting the spectacular and varied landscapes of Namibia. A high number of fascinating and immensely enjoyable experiences in a country deserving of more visitors What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Every day had some terrific highlights but the most inspiring include1. The sight of NINE lion cubs playing together just metres away from us at Etosha with three very imposing female adults in the background. I have been very lucky with wildlife sightings on previous trips but this topped most of them as we spent a great time photographing them.2. The terrific waterholes at Etosha, watching the great herds of herbivores nervously come to drink during the day, and the sight of three rhinos and their calves at night.3. Skydive at Swakopmund. As exhilirating a ten minutes as you could wish for as you fly for 20 minutes over the Skeleton Coast before hurtling down to earth in the hands of a very friendly and professional crew.4. Climbing Dune 45 to observe a spectacular sunrise and have wonderful views of the colours of the dunes changing.5. Cape Cross seal colony - a mesmirising experience watching 1000s of seals frolic in the sea and behave on land just inches away from you. What did you think of your group leader? Samora was terrific. A really nice guy who was expert on all things Namibian from flora and fauna, culture, history etc. He also gave two excellent recommendations for dinner in Swakopmund and had this magical ability to identify a variety of raptor from 400 metres away (whilst driving!).Jonas and Jackson were superb cooks, creating really tasty and filling dinners. Very friendly guys, they worked extremely hard to put up her tents quickly and so the group could enjoy the time before sunset. Both came out of their beds in the freezing cold at 2am during to make sure all of our tents were pegged down after hurricane type winds threatened to blow us away at a campsite in Solitaire!! We all owed them a big debt. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If travelling in the Namibian winter make sure you pack gloves, thick fleeces and hats as past sunset it is freezing cold!Stack up on snacks during the regular stops as there is understandably quite a bit of driving time.  Is there anything else you would like to add? An excellent holiday and itinery covering most of this vast country's highlights. It was also great to see our guide Samora (and all the other tour guides in Etosha) being very responsible and not driving off-road to get closer to the wildlife. Operators in Kenya do not abide by the regulations a lot of the time and must disturb the animals.Show more
  Traveled in July 2011
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  Gareth Williams

  December 21st, 2010
  4
  I was anticipating a great holiday and I was not disappointed! There was so much variety within the trip that it was...
  I was anticipating a great holiday and I was not disappointed! There was so much variety within the trip that it was sometimes hard to believe you were still in the same country. Namibia and its people are a joy and I would heartily recommend this trip to any avid Exodus traveller. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? It would be obvious to say that Etosha National Park held many of the trip highlights as we encountered so many wild animals up close, much closer than I previously imagined.The wildlife highlight for me was at the evening waterhole in Okaukeujo when a herd of approximtely 40 elephants trundled in for their nighttime liquid refreshment. The range in size and age of the elephants was awe inspiring and the obvious connection between them all was truly amazing. This was exemplified when a big cat attack was made on a young calf towards the rear of the viewing area and the older maternal cows stampeded into action to protect one of their young. The ensuing duel was both tense and heart rending as we all watched to see if the elephants would see off their attacker. Triumphantly they did and it was a special moment seeing them all traipse off slowly into the distant darkness, once again safe within their extended family herd. I felt very priviledged and humbled to have witnessed such a scene. What did you think of your group leader? Our tour leader was Sam and he was keen to make sure that we fully absorbed all we could about Namibia's history, geography, wildlife and culture in the space of two weeks. He was obviously prepared to within an inch of his life and he never failed to answer a question raised by the group across a variety of subjects.One moment in the trip exemplified Sam's dedication to the job more than any other. A member of the group inadvertently wandered off from the prescribed trail (as instructed by Sam) whilst we were walking over one of the highly impressive dunes in the Sossusvlei region. Sam literally leapt into action and after 45 minutes of worry and concern for the rest of the group, particularly for the lost man's two teenage sons, Sam found him and called for back up. Fifteen minutes and a lot of scrambling later, two of us helped Sam and the driver to literally drag this man up a steep, very sandy and slippery, red hot dune and finally to saftey. It was unnerving to see how quickly the desert heat had affected the lost man and doubtless without Sam's quick actions things could have ended up a lot worse. That gentleman has a lot to thank Sam for! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The only major problem on the trip was the flight on the way out and specifically the connection in Johannesburg to join the flight to Windhoek. The initial flight from Heathrow to Jo'burg was slightly delayed but because the connection time of just over one hour in Jo'burg was so tight every member of the group missed the scheduled flight to Windhoek. We all eventually arrived at our final destination safe and sound but via different flights and arrival times. This is clearly not an ideal start to any trip, especially after you have been travelling for almost three-quarters of a day. I would advise anyone to check with Exodus what the connection time is in South Africa in order to avoid the unfortunate circumstance we all found ourselves in. If enough travellers check and demand a minimum time of, say, 90 minutes then Exodus will be obliged to fulfil traveller requirements. I would imagine enough people from my group mentioned this on their feedback form and that Exodus are already fully aware of the situation we found ourselves in.Other tips: make sure you take binoculars, a wide brimmed sun hat and plenty of patience - sometimes the animals prove to be a little elusive and seem to be playing a game of hide and seek. Is there anything else you would like to add? I would definitely advise anyone to go on this trip. I had never been on safari before and the 4 days game viewing certainly whetted my appetite for more in the future. However, the holiday was so much more than just animal spotting and bird watching:The dunes and salt/clay pan at Sossusvlei are truly inspiring and somewhat eerie, a genuine classic photo opportunity;Swakopmund on the coast has some excellent facilities and I went quad biking across the dunes just outside the town, which was sensational and made me feel like a kid again. Watching the waves roll in along the beach seemed very strange having travelled through a desert landscape the previous few days;The sheer size of the seal colony at Cape Cross is beyond what any of us imagined......along with the smell;The cheetah conservation centre shows a different side to the big cat population and makes you realise how lucky we are to have such a variety of animals to watch and admire;The outstanding views from the top of the Waterberg plateau, worth all the effort of the 20 minute climb.Overall you should go, it is worth every penny. I doubt anyone returns from this trip disappointed and you experience so many aspects of Namibia it is hard to believe you were there for only a fortnight. Check it out and see what you think for yourself. Show more
  Traveled in November 2010
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  Jonathan Grice

  November 18th, 2010
  4
  A great trip, from the hot barren desert and dunes to getting up close to the wildlife we really were discovering...
  A great trip, from the hot barren desert and dunes to getting up close to the wildlife we really were discovering Namibia. Although I may have had doubts about camping at first this was definitely the best way to make the most of the experience. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? They kept coming as the trip went on, first climbing Dune 45 in time to see the sun rise over the dunes and desert. Giving way to a bull elephant as he crossed our track. Parked up a few feet from a pride of lions with curious cubs padding up to look at us! Sitting in silence as the sun set and stars came out at a waterhole and loosing count of the animals that came down to drink. Finally our leader getting a call and rushing us to a clear view of a leopard in a tree with his springbok kill. So many to choose from! What did you think of your group leader? Ronney and his team were excellent, dealing with punctures on the vehicle with efficency and good humour as well as managing the camps and meals. Ronney's knowledge seemed unexhaustable and his ability to spot and identify wildlife including birds in trees while driving at some speed over rough terrain was very impressive. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't worry about the camping aspect of the trip, this is the best way to get the real experience and the facilities at the camps were very good.  I would recommend including a good pillow in your luggage! Is there anything else you would like to add? I would ask Exodus to look again at the implications of switching to the later flight from Jo'burg to Windhoek. By the time we had got through immigration, changed money (very slow processes) and repaired a puncture on the vehicle just as we left the airport it was very late when we got to the first camp at Melrose Farm and the crew still had to erect the tents and cook a meal. It would be better to have the first night in Windhoek itself as there are places to stay that cannot be much more costly than that camp.We had 5 puncures/breakdowns (4 in the first week) and it seemed that our vehicle was not in as good condition as that used for the Exodus Lodge trip that accompanied us around Namibia. This did lead to delays in arriving at camps with the knock on effect on setting up and meal times. It is important that the camping trip has a reliable vehicle so that we can arrive and set up camp in good time to relax after the long drives. Stoping at the 'craft village' on the way back to Windhoek at the end was not a pleasant experience due to the pressurised selling attitude. When we got to Windhoek we found, as recommended by someone on the trip, a craft cooperative operating in the old brewery centrewhich was much more relaxed. We would havepreferred to forgo the fist stop and spend more time (and money) here as we also felt it was more beneficial to the locals producing the goods.These points did not signifcantly detract from our enjoyment of the trip but would have improved it and I include them as recomendations for future consideration.Show more
  Traveled in October 2010
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  Alydia Seidell

  November 17th, 2010
  5
  the trip to Namibia was absolutely great. The best way to experience the country is by camping. You are so close to...
  the trip to Namibia was absolutely great. The best way to experience the country is by camping. You are so close to nature and a good group dynamic is nice; with your fellow travellers, the tour guide and helpers.... you're one big happy family. I was pleasantly surprised that with 50 years I was amongst the "youngsters"The country is enormous but even the long trips through the desert were inspiring. However, after many hours on gravel roads one gets a bit shaky, but all that was quickly forgotten after a nice lunch or a fantastic dinner prepared by our helpers Joseph and Tuhafeni. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? the sand dunes, the vast and empty spaces..... but the most inspiring...... the waterholes by night in Etosha...... it is one breathtaking opera. For an enthusiastic amateur photographer like me it was sheer paradise; evening sunsets with giraffes posing as cardboard cut outs in front of your camera. I could have spent weeks just at these waterholes. What did you think of your group leader? Ronnie our group leader has eyes that see 360 degrees and 50km distance. No bird or animal escaped from his eyes. His knowledge was also impressive. We saw and knew so much more about animal and bird life. What I really liked that Ronnie, Joseph and Tuhafeni had great respect for the environment. No food was ever thrown away but discreetly given to locals and animals were King.    Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Go camping in Namibia!!Show more
  Traveled in October 2010
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  Richard Allen

  November 4th, 2010
  5
  Wanted to do this since seeing programme about desert elephants years ago. Emphatically not disappointed! What was...
  Wanted to do this since seeing programme about desert elephants years ago. Emphatically not disappointed! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Daylight elephant viewing at the first glimpse of the waterhole......didn't expect it to be that close or instant What did you think of your group leader? Great guy, difficult job. Driving all day, in charge all the time, brilliantly knowledgeable about all the wildlife.Able to spot a lions whisker behind a blade of grass 500m away whilst driving at 70kph!!  Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take swimming costume. Almost all of the sites have a) cold beer b) swimming pools. Both unexpected and most welcome Is there anything else you would like to add? Where to next?Show more
  Traveled in October 2010