Namibian Family Adventurer

I had the opportunity to discover different parts of the country, see incredible wildlife, learn about its people and history and get to know great people.

Overall we had a great time on the family trip to Namibia. We saw some amazing sights and great wildlife and had some very memorable experiences. Our children had a great time with the other kids on the trip - they all gelled immediately.

African adventure with something for all family members: climbing the sand dunes in the early hours to sit and watch the sun come up, desert colour palatte, sand-boarding at speed, the contrasts of colonial Swakopmund, township tour and an education in Herero history, game drives in Etosha - hearing jackals howling whilst in your tent at night, sitting through dark hours watching the animals at the water hole, searching for those elusive leopards, closing windows at Waterberg lodge to stop the baboons climbing in and sharing a terrace with the warthogs, watching an orphaned baby oryx being fed from a bottle. And of course Jonas' famous BBQ dinners - with stories around the fire from Jack afterwards! Hundreds of photos and a travel diary to try and store the memories in a more organised fashion. Thank you again for a fantastic holiday!

Six of us went on this trip - parents and offspring aged 14, 18, 21 and 23, and we all agree that it is one of the best experiences we have ever had. The Itinerary is well thought out and there is a good distribution of camping and non-camping days. All the campsites were interesting and all toilet and washing facilities were at least acceptable but usually excellent and spotless. Most of the campsites had swimming pools which were, um, refreshing! The Lodges were clean and comfortable and there were good facilities for charging electrical equipment at Lodges, campsites and even in the Van. These factors were not, of course, the highlights of the holiday but they helped to make it run smoothly as we are by no means hardened campers - we like our bit of adventure, but we like our warm showers as well!

This was a wonderful trip for so many reasons - the adventure, the scenery, the food, the company, the organisation and the animals to name a few. Three families and two guides who had never met before the trip soon melded into a happy group. The trip starts in the desert and the early rise to climb Dune 45 was blooming' cold! However, it was worth it and Jonas' porridge soon warmed us up. Swapokmund was a short re-entry into civilisation and gave the opportunity for a variety of trips. We did the seal colony boat trip and the flight over the desert. Both great (although the latter made some passengers feel extremely queasy). The bush men drawings were really interesting and then the trip to Etosha was just wonderful - particularly sitting by the waterhole in the evening watching rhinos wander in and out. The campsites were great. The Etosha ones very busy and the others very quiet. Food cooked by Jonas was great. As another reviewer has said it's amazing to see what he could knock up on a camp fire. Stews, steaks, cakes and bread. The lodges came at welcome intervals. One was a little like a deserted military camp but the beds were comfy. That and the lunchtime food at the NWR resorts (the Etosha campsites) are the only negatives I think. The whole trip passed quickly but it felt like we'd been away from home for a month. It was wonderful mental relaxation.