Blue Crane Safaris Namibia
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- NTB & TOSCO
- Tour Types:
- Mid-range & luxury tours with set start dates and a fixed itinerary
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $81 to $1,077 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
US
Email Patti | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Blue Crane was able to engage both parents and teens in a fun, educational way.
Our family of four travelled on a 20 day private tour of Namibia with Blue Crane. I originally sent out a request to multiple tour companies with all of the activities we wanted to experience. Blue Crane was the most prompt and reliable in communication and were willing to work with all of my unique ideas. From the time we were picked up at the airport, until we were waiting online for the return flight, Blue Crane was there to take care of us. They made it seem effortless! Our guide provided us with so much insight into the geology, birds, animal behavior, history and culture of Namibia. Our guide and Blue Crane blew away our expectations!
BE
Email Christèle Stanislas | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We would definitely recommend travelling with Blue Crane Safaris Namibia!
We are just back from a family 12 nights tour in Namibia, which we liked a lot. From the start, the communication with Derek was smooth, quick and clear. The description of the itinerary on their interactive website is very user-friendly and pleasant to go through, and accurate: while there, we thought that indeed the descriptions reflected well reality.
We appreciated our guide Sammy a lot, very nice person, helpful, resourceful, flexible, smiling, knowledgeable about Namibia, the places, nature, animals. He is a very good and careful driver as well. We felt fully confident and relaxed every minute of the trip.
We found most accommodations fantastic and very charming - actually all of them but Okaukuejo which we were a bit disappointed with: very large place and no direct view on the waterhole from our small bedrooms-waterhole chalets, contrary to our expectations.
Small recommendations: in Etosha, we stayed for two nights in the East (beautiful Mushara Bush Camp) and two nights in the south (Okaukuejo), and went on to Twyfelfontein where we stayed for one night. We would rather recommend two nights in Mushara, one in Okaukuejo and two nights in Twyfelfontein Country Lodge. Two reasons: three nights altogether in Etosha seems enough for us and Twyfelfontein Country Lodge is absolutely stunning, in the middle of the desert - in particular those rooms with the wide view on the desert rather than those looking to the rocks behind the hotel. Also, we would recommend considering walking or cycling wherever it is possible, just great.
The driving was well balanced during the trip.
To summarise, we enjoyed every minute of the trip and would definitely recommend Blue Crane and Sammy.
IE
Email Nuala Riordan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well looked after
Were not impressed with Etosha, the accommodation and food. We had upgraded quite expensively to have a waterhole lodges, but despite this expense, we were not advised that not all waterhole lodges were adjacent to the waterhole, even those that were adjacent there was no vantage point to see the animals if the throng of others in the camp were there with their cameras - very disappointing. The lodges/cabins were very small and if you are a vegetarian as we were (and they knew in advance of our dietary requirements), having a diet of soggy Butternut squash, shrivelled carrots and Greek salad for lunch and dinner were no fun for 3 days. Me-Gusto our super guide did everything he could to sort it for us. As it was a national reserve there was no off roading and we had to stick to the roads. I would not ever re-visit this reserve. The next resort we went to was Mt Etjo, the food was divine as was the setting, the game drive was great, but as we knew we would not encounter the lions it didn't reach our ultimate. Our heart felt disappointment that caused us to curtail our four night stay here to 2 nights was the fact that the lions were confined in a separate reserve adjacent and were not free to hunt for themselves and were fed by the reserve. As a result we moved to Erindi nearby. This was a larger camp and had fantastic rooms/cabins overlooking the bush and a super pool. The food was good and the game drives were great - enhanced by the sun uppers and sun downers.
HK
Email Mr King | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A super fantastic tour - THE BEST ONE WE EVER HAVE !
We, a group of nine persons, have just finished our 3-week trip in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. All of us have the same conclusion about the trip : Far exceed our expectation !
Thousand thanks go to Derek who is extremely responsive, patient, helpful and knowledgeable. He gave us the best advice on the design of itinerary, selection of accommodation, and suggestions of perfect places for our photo-taking (this is our main purpose coming to visit these countries). We started the planning of this trip in late last year, and have exchanged probably more than a hundred emails with Derek. He never failed to reply within 24 hours, and most of all, always tried his best to address our concerns though we knew that some of our issues raised were pretty minor. No doubt, he is a super fantastic travel consultant we have every met !
The whole trip went extremely well - smooth like silk. We counted ourselves very lucky again for having Sammy and Saari as our guides / drivers. Their driving skills and knowledge about the places we visited are impeccable. This is particular true for Sammy who knows every corner and hidden places in the Etosha National Park as he had been working here for almost a decade before. Both of them are very pleasant, and wear smiles all the times. We were all impressed by their super fantastic services which made our whole journey a very comfortable and cheerful one.
The only thing we “complain” about this trip is that a traveling period of 3 weeks was still too short as, apparently, we had not enjoyed enough. The accommodations, the meals, the itinerary … actually everything in the trip were exceptionally good. In short, far exceed our expectation !
Taking this opportunity, we would like to express our profound appreciation to Derek, Sammy and Saari (indeed everyone in the Blue Crane) for giving us a super fantastic Africa experience which we would treasure forever.
All of us have no hesitation to recommend Blue Crane (in particular the three gentlemen) to our friends and relatives if any of them shows interest in travelling in Namibia. To us, Blue Crane is the best choice of tour operator (not one of) for any one coming to visit this country.
BR
Email Thais | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience!
My boyfriend and I did two tours with the Blue Crane Safaris and it was all wonderful. We went in a small group and had all the attention and care needed. Our guide Sammy made our experience even better by informing us of the local flora and fauna and catering to our every need.
BR
Email Leticia Mendes | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience
The communication with the agency was done by email and they were very quick to respond and give all the informations.
My expectations were exceeded, the guides were very professional and helpful.
Namibia is a beautiful country.
I highly recommend Blue Crane.
Wonderful 3-day desert tour!
I had a great time on the Blue Crane Safari Tour to the Namib desert. Eventhough we only had 3 days, we saw so many beatiful things: breathtaking nightskys, wild animals, beautiful sunrise on the top of sand dunes... Blue Crane organised everything - camping equipment, food, entertainment ;) Sammy was a great guide!
IT
Email Mario | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Etosha reserve and the Namib Desert in semi private tour!
I have just come back from a 10 days tour that included some of the major spots in Namibia (Etosha Park, Damaraland, Swakupmund and the coast, the Namib Desert). I have to say that I have organized this trip only 7 days before departure and I found and very good assistance with great professionality by Traudy. I had no worries with the airport transfer and the nights at arrival and departure in Windhoek , and received all suggestions and and advices needed before departure. At arrival everything was perfectly organized and the good surprise was that the tour took place with 3 travellers only (me and 2 nice american), with a brand new Toyota 4x4, which is a "plus" regarding comfort and security in a 3000 Km trip mainly on dust roads! The guide, Elton, was an excellent driver and behaved with capability and prudence in all circumstances. It was enjoyable to spend hours also in the car, with the feeling of being alone sometimes, in the immense landscapes of Namibia. Camp equipments and campsites were all perfect and we had sufficient time to enjoy the beauties of the places that we visited. Meals were all excellent! I have to say that the main feeling is that I found was I was looking for: the chance of visiting the places I wanted to see, living the days with the perception away from the tourism masses, in a safe way. I would recommend to travel across Namibia with Blue Crane, and for sure whatever is your type of expectation I have seen that it can be discussed in advance with the staff in order to program what best fits to the traveller intention.
IT
Email Antonella - Milan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good in planning and organizing - but the guide was terrible and too many lodges were changed
I joined a 17 days taylor-made safari planned for another lady (2 people being the minimum needed to have the tour going), so it was the two of us + guide (a free -lance, first time working for Blue crane Safaris, named Ronnie).
The booking part was really easy and Traudy very helpful and fast in giving information and answers.
1) The other lady (who over the past 2 years had been organizing this Safari with BCS had been confirmed that we would have a Bluecrane guide, and only the day when she arrived she was informed that we would have a free lance instead; I was told by Traudy that this guy was working for them for the first time, but came highly recommended; I told her it was not a problem for me, as long as he was a good guide.
Sadly, he wasn't; not to bother you with a long list of smaller events, I will just mention 2: Sussusvlei Dunes, he started climbing Big Daddy running like crazy (I am very sportive, a marathon runner and fit; the other lady was none of this) for 10 minutes, without even turning his head to check if we were ok (knowing the other lady would surely have problems); then, when he saw she couldn't breath (she had to call him and ask him to wait) he said "well, maybe it's better we don't climb the dune and go down to take pictures to the deadvlei; I WANTED to climb the dune up to the top, and asked him how much time I would have to do it. He gave me one hour to climb it, come down, and go and see the deadvlei, and finally go back to the parking site. I asked him: are you sure that is at all feasible? and he said "it depends on how fit you are". Well, I thought then I could make it and I did arrive half way without stopping, and saw already 30 minutes had gone - so I said to myself there is no way I can make it up there and back in 30 minutes. Not even Usain Bolt could do that! I had to give up, quickly run down to see the deadvlei, take some pictures veeery fast, and run to the parking. I was more than 10 minutes late, and breathless for the run, and mad for not being able to enjoy the most iconic site of Namibia.
All of this rush to do what? to be at the Lodge at 4 PM doing NOTHING!
Second episode: at Swakopmund he tried to book an activity for us, asking 2000N$ for an activity which cost 1200 N$ (and telling us he had got "a very special price...SURE it was SPECIAL); I checked prices on the internet - telling him - and when I found the prices without adding any comment I just told him "Thank you, I have found it at 1200N$ so we'll book ourselves, no worries".
And there would be many more episodes; the most annoying thing is that, even when you caught him doing something really wrong, HE would get mad and say we were wrong, and he never did those things. It's all "misunderstandings" (and I have to say it was pretty annoying, after sending me feedback to BCS, to be told that "they were all misunderstandings". Well I am old enough and an extremely experienced traveler, for work and leisure... I think I can tell a misunderstanding from something else)
The only good thing I have to say - to be fair - is that he was a very good driver and organized in terms of documents/diesel filling/ practical things like those. As a guide, the only days when I saw him really passionate (and willing to use the whole day instead of cutting it short) it was in Etosha, doing game drives. However his English (I think it was a language problem, although I am not sure) was not very good, so many times if you would ask you questions you would not be able to get answers.
And he was complaining all the time this tour was very hard on him, lots of km, the program was wrong, etc etc etc..
A good Guide is the most important thing on a Safari, he/she can make it awesome or poor... I understand it was just 2 people on the Safari, but it was 17 days and we had paid a good amount of money, so...
Then, it was also very annoying that MANY Lodges were changed from the plan, and we had no information until the day we started the Tour (Sussusvlei one not even at that point - we found out during the tour)
- Camelthorn lodge has become Anib Kalahari Desert
- Sossusvlei Lodge has become Namib Desert (Sossusvlei being INSIDE the park gates, Namib Desert being ONE HOUR AWAY - so, no sunrise or sunset on the dunes since only who is INSIDE the gates can enjoy those, due the closing times of the gates)
- Palmwag lodge has become Khowari (2 nights): Palmwag being right AT the gates, Khowari one hour away (so, 2 hours drive added in the day JUST to go back and forth)
- Epupa Falls lodge has become Opwo Country Lodge (again ... hours wasted in the car and all the activities mentioned in the initial program -rafting, birdwatching, sundowner) DISAPPEARED
- Epacha lodge became Eagle (these two might be similar)
This is not my first Safari, and I know that it MAY happen that ONE/TWO Lodges may have a last minute problem and need to be changed (but should be changed to an EQUAL Lodge); however, since we had booked in February and were asked a 25% advance payment (needed to block reservations at Lodges), and we only paid the balance in July - I think there was plenty of time to inform us about the changes (if the Lodges were full) and have prices RE-ADJUSTED accordingly before we paid the balance.
So, I am sorry but I cannot say I am fully satisfied, because I really think that there were several things that were not fair and quite annoying. I saw many excellent reviews (which is also the reason why I chose BCS) and I am sorry having to say that my experience was different.
All the above being said, Namibia is so wonderful, that I loved it anyhow; I always try to see the glass half full and do not let external events take away my smile, so I focused on how lucky I was to be there and was happy for that. Nonetheless, concerning how high the cost of these kinds of Safari are, I think it is fair that I share my experience so that visitors are informed, and BCS (whom I had already sent me my feedback) can improve (if they want) their service.
Email Michael | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The only way to see so much wildlife .Namibia and Botswana have it all.
A great adventure with a lot of travelling which was the only way to see the wonderful things we experienced on the way.