Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many great experiences on this trip that it is difficult to single one out, so here's a few. Watching the sunrise on the crest of Dune 45 followed by the eerie scene of petrified trees at Deadvlei was remarkable. Watching sunsets across a desert landscape and the emergence of the southern hemisphere night sky in the desert at Sesriem were stunningly beautiful. Driving through Etosha N.P., seeing game close up and even coming across an old lion that had been injured in a fight and unlikely to survive was sad to see but a true reflection of what actually happens in nature. Above all, observing a male Cheetah on the prowl close to Namutoni Camp in Etosha N.P. was breathtaking. The Waterburg Plateau was like a lost world in the sky and despite the rain, a memorable place......and so many, many more.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Ronney was a first class driver and an excellent guide. While not a specialist in any particular discipline, his general knowledge of his country, its history, geography, geology, large and small animals, plants and ornithology to mention a few was outstanding. He constantly ensured our safety and well-being throughout the trip, kept us posted on the day's events and provided us with invaluable information on do's and dont's. He was very ably supported by his assistant, Jonas, who was also a very capable cook and prepared some excellent lunches and evening meals. They worked as a team and nothing was too much trouble for them. While in Etosha N.P., Ronney provided us with more game drives than we had expected and used his local knowledge and contacts to find us some great photo opportunities. I'm sure other guides and assistants are good but if you book this trip and get Ronney and Jonas, you've hit the jackpot !
Advice for Potential Travellers
You can't easily obtain Namibian Dollars before you arrive in the country (or exchange them outside) but you don't really need them as South African Rand are accepted everywhere at an exchange rate of 1:1 with no commission charged at banks or Bureau de Change. If you buy anything in Rand, change is often given in N$ which you can offload. My advice is to take some Rand to cover your day of arrival and get more when you are in Windhoek. We had the opportunity to do so before we hit the road on the first day at the Western Union office and again at Swakopmund using an ATM. Both gave very favourable rates compared to getting your currency in the UK, as did our Halifax Clarity and Revolut cards for other spending.
This trip includes Swakopmund which appears on almost all similar tour itineraries in Namibia, so quite difficult to avoid. It is a former German colonial town but only a few buildings from that era remain. If you are not into high octane activities or do not have the budget for the rather expensive optional extras (most of which we had done elsewhere), do find time to visit the excellent small museum which contains lots of information and artifacts on the history, geography, geology, plants, wildlife, etc., and a particularly good gallery describing the various native peoples that are now collectively Namibians. It's run by volunteers who really help you to enjoy the experience. Next door, there's a great little café with patio seating where you can have coffee and cake while watching the Atlantic breaking on the shoreline. For a good value, quality meal with excellent service go to Kucki's Pub for seafood or game - book a table as it was full on both nights we went.
Namibians do not consider a meal without meat a meal at all and it is served everywhere, with good portion sizes, which is good news for carnivores ! Try the Gemsbok (Oryx) - actually you'll find it difficult to avoid in the set dinners at lodges, Springbok and Kudu, all of which have a unique flavour. Vegetarians may find menus more limited and in some places even difficult to get a balanced diet.
As experienced travellers both on business and leisure, in our opinion Himba (and perhaps to a lesser extent Herero) women are further examples of female exploitation. Our route took us past a Himba village just outside Outjo where stalls are set up and women in traditional dress sell cheap (plastic) souvenirs . It was only on our arrival and when apparently prompted by their male "minder" that they started their combining their hair, applying ochre and posing for photos (which we avoided by staying in the truck with another couple). Most were just teenage girls and this may be the only way they can make a living but it saddened us to see it. As stated, this is our opinion and you must make your own decision on whether or not it is acceptable in the 21st century.
Suggestions
Our only real disappointment with the whole itinerary was the visit to the Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre on Day 4. It is described in the itinerary as "Cheetah tracking" but in fact we were driven into a fenced compound to observe a family of approximately 7 rather docile-looking cheetahs laying under a tree. In addition, the word conservation is not entirely accurate. The cheetahs are all orphaned or born into captivity and will remain in the sanctuary for life as they have not learnt any hunting skills from their mothers that would allow them to be returned to the wild. They must be fed regularly and although they could potentially be used for breeding purposes, any offspring would end up in zoos (or similar centres).
That said, it was a couple of hours in a two-week itinerary, so not much to complain about. In all other respects, this is a highly recommended tour of a fascinating country.
