Joan and Ken, North Vancouver BC | Namibia | Oct 2019

Hi Thierry, We had a wonderful six weeks in Africa, it really does get under your skin. It was nice to end with the Namibia Ultimate Safari trip, as it was a mix of experiences. Our guide Tim Smith was excellent: organized, knowledgeable, and passionate about his work. There was a lot of driving, but we are glad we saw the country this way as we saw some beautiful landscapes and got some idea of how the people live and the issues and challenges they face. We liked the accommodations, Camp Kipwe being our favourite. As many reviews have stated, Sossus Dune Lodge was the least nice of the lodges, but it was perfectly fine, and ideally situated for the early morning trip to Sossusvlei. We wouldn’t want to have missed climbing Big Daddy as the sun rose, and being there ahead of almost everyone else. That was a highlight. The one thing we felt uncomfortable with was the visit to the Himba Village. We know they wish to keep their traditional life, but it is too bad that they have to depend on tourists to do so.  We also had the impression that Ultimate Safaris is the kind of local tour operator we like to travel with, trying to promote responsible eco tourism and giving back to the community. Ken has suggested they include a modest increase to Ultimate rates to purchase carbon offsets for the diesel consumed on tours. We loved the Peech Hotel which you recommended, and the tour you organized to the Cradle of Humankind was very good. Joan and Ken