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:
- $78 to $1,045 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
SI
Email Igor | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great African experience with Blue Crane Safaris
Great trip in Africa ! Our 14 days Self drive trip from Windhoek to Victoria Falls has ended a few day ago and we had to write this review to share the great experiance we had. After we had checked a lot of offers for our holidays - traveling through Namibia to Botswana and than Victoria Falls we had chosen Blue Crane Safaris and that was for sure the best possible decision. They offered good price, they responded to all of our emails in very short term, they suggested what to visit, which roads shall we take and many many more. They had really helped us a lot. When my son was sick almost in the middle of the desert they gave us all the informations about the nearest doctor and helped us organize meeting with the doctor. The next thing is the car we get... It was almost brand new car. Really great car for driving across gravel roads. Not to mention accomodations which was all above our expectations. We choose medium price level accomodations but that were in our opinion almost all luxurious level and consequently the food was great and there was plenty of choice every day. So a brief summary, You have to book you holidays with Blue Crane Safaris and you will be amazed with all the beauty that Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa has to offer. A big thanks again to our agent Mr. Derek Jacobs who helped us organizing that outstanding vacations, and we will for sure meet again one day.
Igor
DE
Email Ursula Raimann | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nice, friendly, well organized and experienced team. Customer friendly & excellent service
My husband and me did two tours in Namibia. One in 2010 and one in 2015. Both tours were booked and organizied by Blue Crane Safari. The whole team is well organized and experienced. From our guide we learned a lot about the nature, history and the differnent cultures. They know the right places, the most beautiful lodges and included customer spezific extra tours if possible. We highly recommend Blue Crane Safari for your next trip to Namibia.
CA
Email Susan Pairaudeau | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A fantastic trip that far exceeded our expectations.
We were a group of six, myself and my husband in our mid 70s, our daughter and husband in their late 40s (who live in another country) and their children, a girl aged 9 and a boy, 7, on a 27 day (including the days of arrival and departure) trip through Namibia in late July through August 2015. The intention was to hire a self drive 4x4 vehicle and have a family holiday while we were still able to travel and our grandchildren would be old enough to remember it. However, I was unable to find a vehicle with six seats using the major operators. With time running out (about six weeks before we were due to arrive) I emailed multiple companies I found on the internet and received an almost immediate reply from Derek Jacobs at Blue Crane Safaris. He explained that we could do the itinerary I had sent him with a 2 wheel drive and suggested a van and trailer combo which he could supply but also offered to organise the whole trip with a driver and cook for a very reasonable price. We decided to take him up on the fully organised trip and after numerous back and forth emails an itinerary was settled and I sent a deposit. Then cold feet set in. I knew nothing about this company and could only find two small reviews on the web and I started to worry that the very reasonable price was, in fact, too cheap and that the whole trip was going to be a disaster. So it was with great relief and delight that everything went like clockwork. We were met and debriefed on arrival by Derek's charming mother-in-law Troudy. The next morning we were picked up by our driver, Rusten, and cook, Job, both of whom also guided, and then met the ebullient Derek, reviewed the itinerary and we were off.
What followed was a really fantastic trip - magical day following magical day, all of us enthralled by the scenery and the animals. We had a roughly 60%/40% mixture of camping and hotels, mostly small, simple hotels though some were more luxurious than others but all were very clean and pleasant and had everything we needed and the campsites were very well equipped with clean flush toilets and hot showers. We had good tents with thick mattresses and camp cots if wanted; the sleeping bags were rather thin but we had two each which we needed as nights were cool. A large camp table and chairs were provided and a camp kitchen.
The vehicle was quite new and in excellent condition with good seat belts for every seat and we pulled a trailer for the camping equipment. We had only one flat tire despite many gravel roads, some quite rough.
But the best part was our great crew, Rusten and Job, who are friends and work really well together, so there was never any tension and always a lovely atmosphere. Rusten is an excellent, careful driver with great decision making skills so we had complete confidence in his ability and judgement. He knew the country and the routes very well and was also able to give us many insights into Namibia and its peoples. Job cooked up good, tasty food every day while we were camping; cereals and eggs for breakfast, nice crispy rolls with cheeses and cold meats and salads for lunch with an occasional hot dog much to the delight of our grandchildren. For dinner, grills or very tasty big, one pot stews with rice or pasta - all on a wood fire so we had the added delight of a camp fire to sit around at night. Both Rusten and Job were excellent spotters so we saw lots of wildlife all over the country. They were also really good with the children, both of whom became very attached to them and were sad to leave.
Our trip was a counterclockwise circuit from Windhoek - Waterberg Plateau, Etosha, Opuwo, Sesfontein, Palmwag, Twyfellfontein, Skeleton Coast at Terrace Bay and Cape Cross, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Sossusvlei, Luderitz, Orange river, Fish River Canyon, Mariental and back to Windhoek. The extra side trips that Derek had suggested over and above those I had requested, turned out to be some of the best of the trip - a 4x4 day trip up a dry river valley from Sesfontein in search of desert elephants, and a walk in the bush with the San people, speaking their click language. He was also very accommodating when I made a couple of last minute changes the day before the trip started - no problem!!
In summary, it all turned out to be a really well organised but very relaxed trip through an amazing and very beautiful country which far exceeded our expectations in every respect.
Email Margaret Mckenna | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Friendly and professional service all the way!
Thanks to Derek and his team at Blue Crane Safaris who planned and organised a perfectly executed itinerary for our first Self-Drive in Namibia. What a beautiful country to experience with changes in the landscape around almost every corner!
Derek was always available to assist or advise, and went over and above our expectations to ensure our safety, comfort and overall enjoyment for a memorable journey.
We will be back for another trip and plan to travel with Blue Crane again!
CH
Email Andrea | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent safari surpassed our expectations
In June 2014, my husband and myself (55 and 56 years old), my mother (80 years) and my daughter (22 years) did the Namibian Experience Safari with Derek Jacobs, owner of Blue Crane Safaris. From the planning phase during which all our questions were answered promptly all through the safari our experience was excellent. Derek organised everything to perfection, chose wonderful lodges and was able to answer all our questions about his country, its history, landscape and animals. He went out of his way to make sure we saw wild animals wherever possible, but we never felt we were in any danger. He was also great company and we shared many nice evenings with interesting discussions and a lot of laughs with him.
Thanks to Blue Crane Safaris and to Derek we have had a great family holiday experience - to be recommended without any reservations!
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.
US
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.