Namibian Family Adventurer

Customer Reviews

• JO

  Jean-Luc

  · August 21st, 2023
  Very good package offered by Exodus,...
  Show more
  

  Exodus Adventure Travels commented on this review

  We are so happy to hear that you had a great time on our Namibian Family Adventurer tour and we really appreciate you sharing your thoughts and providing us with feedback. Thanks so much for taking the time for this review and we can’t wait to have you... Show more
  Trip date: August 2023
• A

  Nicola Hunter

  · December 7th, 2010
  This was a wonderful holiday for all members of the family. We took our 2 children aged 6 and 8 and they were captivated for the whole trip. So much to see from the wonderful landscapes to the wildlife. A great mix of camping and lodges - just perfect!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Seeing a herd of 23 elephants appear from nowhere and file down to the waterhole.Climbing the dunes at sunriseGoing out on the boat at Swakopmund to see the dolphins and sealsWhat did you think of your group leader?Excellent.  Very well informed, great with the children.  Very organised and friendly.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?You do need a range of clothes suitable for both hot and cold weather especially when you go to the coast and it is damp & chilly - a real contrast to the desert!Is there anything else you would like to add?The most wonderful experience - I want to go again!!
  Show more
  Trip date: December 2010
• A

  Lesley Macintyre

  · September 14th, 2009
  A fabulous trip to a stunningly beautiful and captivating country. We were not really sure what to expect but with like minded travellers and a lead group who we feel were second to none, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip - even tthe camping. An experience holiday at its best.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Watching the sun rise over the desert at 6am - awesome.  Seems strange that it is the same sun as everywhere else in the world and yet so different!!  I was most struck by the absolute peace and quiet of the desert - no cars, no alarms, no nothing - just peace perfect peace - its an eerie feeling. Also the sky at night - there is no light polution there and you can see so much more of the night sky - breathtaking to see shooting stars.  The dark does however make the camping a liitle scary as you can literally see nothing!! Take a good torch.What did you think of your group leader?Our leader and driver was Rhonny ably assisted by Jonas (chef) and Simon (general helper).  They were fantastic - knowledgable, patient, fun, keen to assist us in any way and to make sure we got he most from the trip.  They were able to answer most of what we asked and if they did  come across something they did not know the answer to they made it their business to find out. Rhonnys knowledge of animals is incredible and he can spot a cheetah at 200m!!  The food prepared by Jonas was simple but good and in plentiful supply.  Its amazing what he can do with 2 cooking pots over an open fire!!Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Whilst the trip is split between camping and 'hotel' rooms dont expect any luxury here.  The camping is basic with communal washing and toilet facilities.  Rooms ar e clean but simple. I would advise anyone going on this trip to take older clothes with them - stuff that doesn't matter getting dirty and dusty.  Certainly nothing flash or fancy - cut off trousers, T shirts etc are the norm. I took brand new trainers and within a day or so were filthy with the dust and sand. We went in August and fantastic hot clear days but the temperature drops quickly at night - you do need a good fleece.  I would also advise parents of younger children to think carefully about whether this holiday is suitable because of the amount of driving that is involved - we did around 1700 miles in 2 weeks -  as they could get bored and fractious.  We had teenagers and by the end they had had enough of the travelling.  Take lots of memory cards for the camera and DO DO DO get camera cases - we lost 2 camers to the effects of sand.  Dont take good luggage - it is on and off he vehicle everyday and gets dirty.Is there anything else you would like to add?This is one of sthe most memorable holidays I've ever had - normally we do beach resorts and never get to see anything of the country itself.  This holiday gives you the ideal opprtunity to see a really wide variety of landscapes - from desert to mountains, from the Atlantic coast to canyons - you see it all.  The people are very friendly, English is spoken everywhere, beer is cheap and the wine delicious (its all from South Africa).  Nothing prepares you for your very first sighting of elephants and zebras and lions and giraffes - one of the highlights of the trip.  A fabuous experience - it has tempted us to try another far flung holiday some time soon.
  Show more
  Trip date: September 2009
• A

  Helen Taylor

  · October 4th, 2007
  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?It was all inspirational but the thing that stands out most was the wildlife. We had expected to be amazed by the animals in Etosha National Park but hadn't realized that there would be so much wildlife to spot in the other areas we visited.  The night we spent wild camping was the best (although we had initially dreaded it!)...laying in our tent, looking at the stars through the ventilation panal, in total silence apart from the sounds of wild animals, and in the morning following the animal tracks and spotting unusual lizzards, birds and other creatures...the toilet at that stop was pretty inspirational too; a hole in the ground with a seat over it, but where else could you sit on the loo and look out onto miles and miles of unspoilt nature. It was also lovely to see our grandson, Jack (9yrs and a total computer games addict), going off with newly made friends, spotters guide in hand, getting excited about the many interesting things we saw. He also thought it was the best holiday ever and rated it even better than Disneyland!What did you think of your group leader?When we met our group leader, Obi, and his assistant, Randy, I did wonder if, being Africans, they would realize just how ignorant we were of what was or was not dangerous.  I needn't have worried as they were wonderful.  They told us if we needed to be careful and at no time did we feel unsafe.  In addition they both had a phenomenal knowledge of the history, traditions and wildlife of Namibia which made every day interesting, even for the children.  They were always good humoured with us and with each other and always had time to answer questions or to point out special things to us.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Travelling around in the truck with the windows open blows your hair around until it is just one big knot so unless your hair is really short take plenty of hairbands and a hat.There were enough places to buy water and other drinks so we didn't really need our own water bottles.Take cameras and binoculars with the best  zooms you can afford.Try to take more than one pair of binoculars per family as when something is spotted everyone wants to use them all at the same time.Be considerate to your fellow travellers and your guides as their happiness could make or break the enjoyment of your holiday.We came back with loads of photos and many happy memories so decided to use the Exodus photo service and make them into a book which we found very good and well worth the money.Is there anything else you would like to add?We would just like to say a big thank you to the rest of our group as they were all such lovely people to be with.
  Show more
  Trip date: October 2007
• A

  Emily Weston

  · October 4th, 2007
  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?During a day trip within Namibia you probably would not get much variation in the landscape. On this trip, over the course of two weeks, you visit sand dunes, desert, coast, savannah, scrub and magnificent rock formations. This does mean alot of driving, but it is rarely boring.The wildlife action really begins in the north of the country, our group were amazingly lucky to witness the transit of a herd of desert elephants through the camp at Brandberg and the killing of 2 zebra by lionesses in Etosha. The latter was thrilling but highly emotional as we followed the hunt, the successful kills and the wildlife entourage the kills attracted. All this within 100 meters of the safari vehicle! What did you think of your group leader?The leader, Murray, and the camp assistant, Jonas, were excellent in every way.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?You spend alot of time in the vehicle on some heavily corrugated roads so it is not the trip for you if you have a bad back!Don't expect to lose weight on this trip - the food is very good, especially considering the availability of supplies in some areas.You will have to use some dodgy toilets at times, just hold your nose.Don't come if you are a shopaholic - little opportunity to go shopping (thank goodness).Is there anything else you would like to add?Having such effective leaders relieved us of so much responsibility that we were really able to enjoy what was on offer without having to think about any of the logistics. We hadn't anticipated how relaxing this would be!
  Show more
  Trip date: October 2007
• A

  Claire Seaborne

  · September 3rd, 2013
  This trip exceeded our expectations. There was never a dull moment and always something different to see or do.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Climbing the "Big Mama" sand dune in the heat of the desert sun and then running and jumping all the way down. Watching animals in their natural environment coming to drink at the waterholes. The elephants seemed to be having such fun rolling in the mud and completely submerging themselves, apart from snorkel like trunks, under the water. Seeing the Milky Way so vividly in the black night sky.What did you think of your group leader?Shane was excellent. He had amazing local knowledge and went out of his way to be helpful.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?If you travel in August you won't need a raincoat but make sure you have enough layers of warm clothes for cold nights and early mornings. It was 1C when we landed in Windhoek.Is there anything else you would like to add?This was a fabulous way to experience a taste of Africa. All of the wildlife you can imagine, incredible landscapes that are so different from England and arid conditions that have to be experienced to be believed. The security of having local guides meant we were able to relax completely without the worry of working out where to go and what to see. Tents were put up and taken down, meals were prepared and washed up and happy campers enjoyed a worry free holiday.
  Show more
  Trip date: September 2013
• A

  Ethel Hickton

  · September 13th, 2012
  A family holiday providing varied experiences and great fun for all ages.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Experiencing the fantastic Dunes and the desert environment with a guide/tour leader who had an amazing knowledge of creatures and plants and who was able to engage children and adults in his explanations. The second, equally brilliant experience was seeing so many animals and birds in their own environment - looking out for these made the long journeys pass quickly. What did you think of your group leader?Our 2 Leaders were equally amazingly good.  The first for his knowledge of his country and his ability to pass on this knowledge and interest to all family members and the second for his equally good knowledge but also for his fantastic meals - incredibly good - being family recipes in some instances and each day received with amazement that he could produce such good, varied food at all times.  The good natured way in which they managed the children enabled them to enjoy the holiday - giving them some freedom to spend their energy, and their patience in answering all questions in depth and so the young people will have learned a great deal about a culture different from their own.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Be prepared for lengthy journeys between centres which are largely on rough roads.Is there anything else you would like to add?This is the second Exodus holiday I have had this year.  The first was very different the Simeon Mountain Trek, Ethiopia and both, though being different, have been excellent in similar respects ie organisation, food (very important on a holiday expecially when in a different culture), leaders (knowledge, attitude and enthusiasm).
  Show more
  Trip date: September 2012
• A

  Amanda Ruback

  · August 21st, 2012
  A family trip of a lifetime. Everything worked - the Exodus description of the trip was accurate giving us a good sense of what we could expect and the reality exceeded our expectations.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Watching the sun rise over the sand dunes at Sossusvlei on my daughter's 18th birthday was something very special.  But quadbiking on the dunes at Swakupmond was thrilling in a completely different way.  Seeing the landscape change from dunes to scrub desert to lush-ish green covered mountains as we travelled north through the country was pretty amazing.  And then all those incredible birds and animals.  How one can become nonchalant about seeing springbok, zebra, giraffes, warthogs, baboons, the seal colony, elephants and even rhino seems unthinkable but then add a lion with its kill; two lionesses with their cubs, cheetahs, hyenas and even a rare sighting of a leopard with photography opportunities to die for and words begin to fail me...Plus the fact that we are the least likely family ever to sleep under canvas and yet we loved it... all.What did you think of your group leader?Franz was terrific.  He struck the balance between sharing his knowledge of the country and its inhabitants (of all kinds) and giving us the space to spend family time together.  We drove along looking left and right and straight ahead learning about Namibia's history, its economic, political and cultural context, and came home much more knowledgeable about the birds and animals, the geography and geology and so on.  He was really well organised and prepared us fully for each day and all activities.  And he had a great sense of humour too. And accompanied by Jonas, who cooked for us brilliantly, they were a great pair for whom nothing was too much trouble.  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?If you go in the summer months; do take lots of warm clothing.  We didn't really have enough and there were nights and early mornings when warm gloves, woolly hats, ski jackets and thermals would have been useful. Don't expect to have much time to read and relax.  We took books that didn't even come out of our bags. And there is quite a lot of bus travel; so do take this into account.Is there anything else you would like to add?I would heartily recommend this trip and the luxury of having a teenage departure meant that the itinerary was adapted to meet the needs of the group.  We also loved the balance of camping and nights in lodges.
  Show more
  Trip date: August 2012
• A

  Anne Tiffin

  · June 24th, 2011
  Brilliant family holiday with lots of variety and something for everyone. We travelled as our last big family holiday before our eldest son- 18 went to uni, we also have a 15 year old son and we all agreed it was probably our best holiday yet.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Too many to choose just one moment but sunrise over the sanddunes and the amazing variety and numbers of animals at the waterhole in Etosha were real highlights. Also camping- the stars and animal noises at night, we especially enjoyed the last campsite with no elecricity and no-one else there.What did you think of your group leader?Shane and Jonas were brilliant, very knowledgable about the country and animals [the food was also really good and tasted all the better for being cooked and eaten in the open air].Do you have any advice for potential travellers?It can be cool at night and on the skeleton coast but also very warm further north so take plenty of layers. Malaria tablets weren't necessary when we went. Lots of early starts and busy days.Is there anything else you would like to add?Lots of travelling which wasn't a problem for us but could possibly be for smaller children, our truck kept breaking down which took up time to fix. Would highly recommend the kayaking at Swakopmund and the sandboarding- you'll not do it anywhere else and the setting was lovely with a beautiful sunset over the dunes!!
  Show more
  Trip date: June 2011
• A

  Nicola Hunter

  · December 7th, 2010
  This was a wonderful holiday for all members of the family. We took our 2 children aged 6 and 8 and they were captivated for the whole trip. So much to see from the wonderful landscapes to the wildlife. A great mix of camping and lodges - just perfect!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Seeing a herd of 23 elephants appear from nowhere and file down to the waterhole.Climbing the dunes at sunriseGoing out on the boat at Swakopmund to see the dolphins and sealsWhat did you think of your group leader?Excellent. Very well informed, great with the children. Very organised and friendly.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?You do need a range of clothes suitable for both hot and cold weather especially when you go to the coast and it is damp & chilly - a real contrast to the desert!Is there anything else you would like to add?The most wonderful experience - I want to go again!!
  Show more
  Trip date: December 2010