Hi all, the second load of washing is now on so it's time to write a review! This was another excellent tour from JY and I enjoyed it from start to finish. The itinerary was very good, but Yvette Barnett, our superb tour manager, tweaked it a number of times so that we got the very best from our time in Namibia (more about Yvette later!).
For me the highlights of the tour were in Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Etosha. Everything about our stay in Sossusvlei was wonderful - the lodge and its location next to the petrified dunes, the sundowner jeep ride with fantastic views and especially the tour the next day to the largest dunes in the world. We arrived at sunrise and got marvellous photos of light and shade which are not possible at other times of day. Next Yvette had a surprise for us, which was not part of the scheduled itinerary - a walk over the dunes to Deadvlei, with its unique and iconic landscape (the photo in the brochure wrongly identified as the "petrified forest" is actually Deadvlei). I was so glad we were taken there and I got some great photos. Yvette is going to recommend to JY that it be included in all future departures and it was certainly a massive highlight for me - thank you Yvette!
In Swakopmund I did both the optional excursions and am very glad I did - to be honest, I wasn't expecting that much from the boat trip except that it would probably be an enjoyable experience and it certainly surpassed all my expectations! We saw many pelicans, some of which landed on our boat, as did a seal. We also saw dolphins, flamingoes and an incredible amount of cormorants circling the boat, as well as a huge seal colony. An unexpected occurance happened when one of the group unfortunately was sprayed with an abundance of pelican poo as it flew overhead!! Poor Michelle, she took this encounter with great good humour and we all descended into hysterical laughter for a considerable period of time - in my defence, I must say that I was splattered too but nowhere near to the same extent! That afternoon I did the township tour which was interesting and it ended with a choir singing very movingly to us - an unforgettable experience. Again Yvette tweaked the timings so that all of us had time to wander around Swakopmund (even those doing the two excursions) and I was able to take photos of the lovely colonial buildings.
Etosha was always going to be a highlight for me as I love wildlife. The first game drive was somewhat disappointing but it ended on a high when we saw a huge herd of elephants at the waterhole at sunset. The next two days we saw an abundance of wildlife - huge numbers of elephants, giraffes, various species of antelope including kudu, springbok and oryx, we saw zebra, warthogs and more - and we saw two lions and a lioness!
The Namibian landscape varies between sandy desert, barren rocky landscapes, scrubby bush and mountain ranges. It certainly was a haven for photography and we saw many fascinating landscapes throughout the tour. I really enjoyed the comfort stop in Solitaire, with its artistic displays of old wrecked cars and machinery - and I got some photos of a lone meerkat as well! On our final day, Yvette arranged for us to leave the hotel at 9.30am, so instead of waiting aimlessly at the hotel for our departure to the airport, we had an hour and a half to wander around Windhoek and I was delighted to have this opportunity - the new national museum is spectacular and tells the story of Namibia's colonial past and struggle for independence. Don't miss visiting, if you get the opportunity.
The hotels and lodges ranged from acceptable to very good - with the accommodation in Windhoek being the most basic. We all enjoyed the lodges and a number of people asked me to mention that we all really liked the second lodge in Etosha! The best lodge was at Sossusvlei, just a wonderful experience. The ladies in the group asked me to mention that hairdryers were not available, so if you like to dry your hair, bring one with you! I think all had tea/coffee making facilities. All the lodges/hotels had international sockets bar one - so if you need to charge cameras/phones every night bring a South African adapter with you. Otherwise you should be fine using the sockets in the rooms.
The food throughout was very good and meat lovers will be thrilled with the chance to try springbok, oryx, kudu and more! I enjoyed all the meals and put on half a stone while I was away, which I think speaks for itself! At lunchtimes, we often had toasted sandwiches, which were very tasty. Service could be slow, but you just accept this as the African way of doing things! No one had any serious stomach problems during the tour.
Regarding health matters and other things to look out for - most of the group had been advised to take Malarone because of the higher risk of malaria in Etosha. I saw a couple of mosquitoes in Windhoek and just one while in Etosha. I don't think anyone got a mossie bite, although a couple of people got smaller insect bites. So May is a good time to go, from this perspective. Some of us broke out in a mild rash, which coincided with the time we started taking the Malarone. I took it in South Africa and didn't have any side effects at all - but I think this time it was probably a combination of the Malarone and very hard water in Namibia. A good number of the group reported that their skin had become very dry, so you might like to take skin lotion with you and a fast acting anti-histamine like Piriton in case you do get a mild rash.
The weather was dry throughout, but much colder in the mornings and late evenings than we had been expecting! The weather was unseasonably cooler than usual, so if you go at this time of year another year, your experience could be different to ours. However, I would advise bringing a light jumper and a fleece with you just in case. Blankets are provided on the game drives and we were very glad of them for the early morning starts!
There were 22 on our tour and a friendly bunch they were too; everyone mixed well together and there were no cliques. As mentioned above, Yvette our tour manger was fantastic and is up there with the very best I've ever had. She knew the country well, despite last being there ten years ago! She was clear in everything she told us and was full of useful hints and advice. It was fantastic that she took a flexible approach to the itinerary - we saw everything we were supposed to, but she adapted the timings to ensure we got the very best out of every experience. Yvette is one of JY's most experienced tour mangers - she reckons she's done just about the whole brochure several times over, so if you get her as your TM you are very fortunate and in very safe hands. Our local guide/driver Leonard was also excellent and a very safe driver, particularly along the bumpy roads! The coach was comfortable and had a toilet for emergencies. We had regular comfort stops along the way, so it was never used!
I think I've said quite enough at this stage and hopefully the others from the trip who use the forum will fill in any bits I've left out. This is a really great tour and I'm glad I went at this time of year, as we avoided high temperatures and were not bothered with the dreaded mossies! Any questions, I'd be glad to answer them. And if you are in any doubt about doing this holiday - go for it, I am positive you won't be disappointed!!
Best wishes,
Bob
