Our Team
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:
- $93 to $1,240 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
AT
Email Karin | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Taking the time to arrange itinerary, accommodation, and a guide to meet our demands & expectations
We used Blue Crane for our visit in 2016. When we decided one trip to Namibia was not enough, we contacted Derek again; there was no need to 'shop around' as the service was exceptional, and the prices then, as now, provided exceptional value for money. Emails and calls are always promptly responded to, and our suggestions, changes or general questions are quickly answered.
On this visit, we wished to travel north from Windhoek, across the Zambezi/Caprivi region, to Victoria Falls, through the Okavango and back to Windhoek. Derek continued with waitlisting us for our desired accommodation and arranged fly-in and boat-in transport to off-the-track lodges. We had, except where the isolation offered only one hotel standard, exceptional quality lodges and hotels... and the food? Fantastic. Everywhere.
But of course, it was about the culture and wildlife, and here Namibia really shines!
It was a significant advantage to have a private guide the whole trip, hearing the names and behaviours of the wildlife and history, geology, and geography of Namibia from a true local, our guide, Me-Gusto, who also attended to all the logistics around our daily life.
Derek ensured we did not visit 'commercialised' cultural tourist events, choosing by-and-for locations, including the Living Museum of the Ju/'Hoansi-San. Similarly, we stayed (yet again, it is an unforgettable location) at Africat Foundation's accommodation, Okonjima Lodge. In addition to the range of free-ranging animals sighted there, including leopards and cheetahs, we were blessed to see herds of buffalo, elephants, crocodiles and hippopotamuses (my personal highlight) at Serondela Lodge.
Botswana was a new territory completely, and the Okavango did not disappoint. Our stay at Hyena Pan was 5-star, with only some slight irritations with the local guides (Me-Gusto could not escort us on this part of the stay). Leaving Botswana for the dunes and Sossusvlei, a breathtaking balloon trip over the desert (with Namib Sky, who have their own charitable foundation and support local artisans and school children), before leaving Windhoek after a fulfilling 21 days of touring.
As a final note, we had special needs on the trip, and as 'seniors', our pace may be somewhat slower than others may choose to travel. Derek took all this into account and was very patient with the numerous changes to dates, duration of stays, and even the number of passengers: we were ultimately joined by family from Australia, which meant changing the trip to ensure they got to see sights we had experienced before.
Blue Crane Safaris Namibia offers set package tours, and I am sure the same care and attention we received would also be offered to those clients.
BG
Email Ilian Shopov | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Two Excellent Consecutive Trips (back to back) in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe!
I took two groups of friends and travellers on two consecutive (back to back) safaris in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe with Blue Crane Safaris in August-September 2021. The trips were planned for the same period in 2020, but due to covid pandemic we did them this year. The owner of the company Derek went away out of the ordinary work in order to facilitate these very complex, fully customeized and logistically difficult itineraries during very hard for travel times (different entry requirements for the different countries, change of flights by the airlines, organizing PCR tests etc.)
Derek managed to organize everything in a perfect manner, following us from the office in Windhoek every step of the way and facilitating changes that emerged for one reason or another (some of the groups participants required detours while during the trips). He was also working very patiently for year and a half prior to the beginning of the tours - accommodation bookings, changes, extra tours, payments etc. Lots and lots of hard work, which finally paid off - we had fabulous tours during very difficult to travel times - 12 people total for the first trip (Namibia - Botswana - Zimbabwe) and 8 people total for the second trip (Zimbabwe - Botswana).
These were mixed accommodated and basic camping trips executed in a highly professional manner. We used two great air-conditioned 4X4 safari vehicles with pop-up roofs, pulling two trailers with baggage and camping equipment - all in excellent condition.
I would like to mention with great pleasure the two guides that we had (Sedney and Gavin), as well as the helper for the camping nights (Francis). They worked really hard - driving long hours, setting up and breaking camps during camping nights, cooking, bying supplies, spotting wildlife during the game drives in the parks and reserves, arranging extra activities, PCR tests, keeping constant tourch with the head office in Windhoek. Thank you, guys for the wonderful job your hard work and your friendship!
Itineraries:
1-st tour. Windhoek - Sesriem - Walvis Bay (Sandwich Harbour) - Spitzkoppe - Etosha NP - Bwabwata NP - Nkasa Rupara NP in Namibia plus Chobe National Park in Botswana and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
2-nd tour. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe - Chobe National Park - Savuti - Khwai Concession - Moremi Game Reserve - Maun in Botswana (full day Okavango Delta motor boat tour and a scenic flight over the delta while in Maun).
I would strongly recommend Blue Crane Safaris for any type of tour in Namibia and the neighbouring countries without any hesitation and I hope that I will have the privilege to use their services again in the near future.
Email Genevieve Van Gysen | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Fantastic, breathtaking, informative, Blue Crane went above and beyond - we loved our camping safari
Blue Crane Safaris were professional (always), friendly, extremely knowledgeable and went above and beyond in all facets of our camping tour of beautiful Namibia. Me-Gusto and David were friendly, polite and always professional. They always found practical solutions to any teething problems (which were never due to anything within their control). Thoroughly recommend Blue Crane to friends and family!
Email Daniel | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A wonderful tour, in a wonderful country!
Our 15 day Namibian Highlights tour was fabulous. Blue Crane Safaris provided us with a comfortable, well maintained vehicle, driven by Sedney our excellent driver/guide. Sedney has great knowledge of his country, it's history & culture, & the wildlife. We were very well looked after, & felt safe the whole time. This tour takes in many parts of the country, & is a great way to see the diverse features & landscapes that Namibia has to offer. We would definitely travel to Namibia again, & Derek & the team at Blue Crane would be the people to talk with to arrange it.
Email Filipa Ferreira | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing experience in Namibia
Amazing experience in Namibia - the country is beautiful by it self. We've arranged for a 3 days tour with Blue Crane and it was perfect - a car for only the two of us + guide that tried to attend our requests of what to do and what to see. The country is massive so you have to drive a lot of time to get anywhere but once you are in the middle of the desert or in a hot air balloon it's worth it.
Email Carin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
a well-planned and wonderful trip
We worked with Derek on planning a 12-day tour of Namibia, visiting all the usual highlights. Derek did an excellent job of answering all my questions, booking wonderful lodges, and keeping us updated. And John, our guide, took good care of us, gave us lots of insight into Namibia, and was a very safe driver. He also responded with good humor to our two small children, who were sometimes challenging in their own ways. We saw a great deal of wildlife and the country was very beautiful! I certainly recommend Bluecrane and we were glad to have worked with them.
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.
