Andrea and her family kicked off their holiday unwinding on the beaches of Mauritius, soaking up the sun, relaxing and even taking in a hike to the summit of LeMorne mountain. They stayed at LUX Le Morne, on the island’s South Coast and had this to say about it; “Great food and service and lovely facilities in general. The main buffet restaurant is very good. Staff are super friendly and helpful.” Andrea also suggested that if you’re planning a stay at LUX Le Morne to book the alternative “east” and “beach” restaurants before arrival, as both have limited availability.
Andrea's photos from LUX Le Morne, Mauritius
Andrea's photos from LUX Le Morne, Mauritius
The family flew from Mauritius to Johannesburg and spent the night at Montecasino, in the Palazzo Hotel. They spent two nights here to take in the Montecasino experience before flying on to Windhoek to begin their Nambia adventure.
“Montecasino is a very unusual experience! The hotel is quite serene and well-managed - but the Montecasino complex is insane!!! We were quite overwhelmed by the noise, the crowds and the incredible interior structure of the place - quite an experience!”
Andrea and her family stayed at the Palazzo Hotel in Montecasino
When they arrived in Nambia they were driven to Omaanda to begin their safari. Located just a 30-minute drive from Windhoek, with incredible views at every turn this is an ideal welcome to this rich and diverse country. Andrea thought so too.
“Starting at Omaanda was the perfect introduction to Namibia and the idea of being in the bush. On entering the reserve we were greeted by 5 Giraffe crossing the road… so perfect it almost seemed stage-managed! The rooms, location, service and food were all spectacular. Everyone loved it, and really loved the tours on offer in the Na’an Ku’se reserve next door. The team at Omaanda arranged a spectacular full day for us there - we did the Cheetah Walk, the Carnivore feeding and a sunset game drive, all with the same guide, who was very knowledgable. The rooms were gorgeous, very well-equipped, and beautifully designed. The open fire and full window from the bath overlooking the watering holes went down a storm… and the gin bar with the sunset behind has become our family chat screensaver picture.”
Their first stop in Namibia was Omaanda lodge
They took a scenic flight to the NamibRand Nature Reserve and settled into Kwessi Dunes for three nights, where they explored the dunes of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei, went quad biking and spent a night sleeping under the stars. They had also booked a balloon flight; an experience we always highly recommend in this area, which was unfortunately cancelled due to winds, for which they received a full refund.
“We were blown away by the landing in the desert, and to be greeted by Papa G, our guide while we were there. Kwessi Dunes has a very particular vibe about it - we really felt part of a community there, and all teared up at the singing from the team. Everyone took advantage of the spa treatments, and we loved the quad bikes and the trip to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. Again Papa G was a delight, and super knowledgeable about the flora and fauna, the geology, astronomy and history etc. We all spent some time in the Skybeds and experienced the incredible dark sky and amazing shooting stars.”
Here are some great snap shots of their time at Kwessi Dunes
Finally they made their way to Ongava Tented Camp in Namibia famous Etosha National Park for a few days before flying back to Windhoek to meet their flight home.
“It really is deep within the bush, and you feel like you’re an old-school safari explorer from days gone by. Here we were totally spoilt with visitors to the watering hole outside the dining area. And also visitors to the swimming pool! Overwhelmed by the elephants a mere 6 feet away, draining the swimming pool. In 36 hours we noted over 45 species of animals and birds…. And again, it felt like a true exploration, not like a safari park with endless vehicles. The trip to Etosha was fascinating, but an incredibly long day - but we were all glad we did it. Again, we had an amazing guide in Jason, whose knowledge and enthusiasm were infectious. The team were great, and the towels and drinks on return each time, were always welcome.”
Beautiful, ensuite tented rooms at Ongava
Up close encounters at Ongava!
The wildlife of Etosha National Park
Andrea worked closely with Josh Flatman and Carmen and Toon in our concierge team on her trip and here’s what she had to say about her experience.
“All in all, we have all absolutely felt privileged and humbled by the experiences we had in Namibia, and all fallen for the country. Josh, the itinerary and the order in which we visited the camps was quite inspired. You took the brief well and delivered more than I was hoping for. The ecological aspect of each camp, the quality of each, the guides, the food, the excursions and the transfers were pretty much top notch all the way. Thank you so very much for putting together the trip of a lifetime, which will live on in our memories (and thousands of photos!) for many years to come.”
We'd like to extend a big, warm thank you Andrea and her family for her feedback and for her amazing photographs!