Andre
CrissCross Namibia Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2003)
- Member Of:
- NTB & TASA
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $550 to $2,000 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CA
Email DTeoh | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A review of the Lodges and Company
My husband and I went on a 21d overland Safari with Crisscross. We were accompanied by Thinus himself. Rather than going into details about where to go, I would like to review CrissCross as well as some of the lodges we stayed at rather than Namibia itself which is a must do location for Safari.
Communication with this company and their response time is superb, especially when you consider that when Thinus is on the road, wifi is sketchy and that he may be limited in how often he could see to business. I found this company to be highly responsive and excellent in providing several options and listing suggestions. I am an avid researcher and all their suggestions were what we were looking for after. Kudos to the support staff as well as the organization that they maintain. Please understand that in Namibia, as well developed in infrastructure for an African nation it is, there are still small barriers that would make it difficult towards organization but this company overcomes this well.
A criticism I would have of the company is that during the organization part there isn't a clear idea of the amount of driving and time required in a vehicle. Distances that are covered at highway speed in developed nations take much, much longer. As such, much of my distress during our safari was the amount of time spent cooped up in a vehicle. I would have appreciated knowing in advance the approximate time it would take to journey from one destination to another. I find being stationary in a car exhausting (more so than a very active day) so would have really appreciated either a few extra days to recoup. The car is a comfortable 4x4 and was very reliable for our long journey. However, now knowing the distances that need to be covered and the very straight, unfortunately repetitious scenery (not many villages or natural sights) I think I would have changed my safari and included some flights instead.
The Lodges presented as choice were amazing. Paying more to stay at certain locations are definitely recommended. In my opinion places to "splash out" include (in order of importance): 1. Mowani camp in Dmamaraland (this is a must! I would never think of staying anywhere else and when I sleep I wish to dream of the scenery here), 2. the Premier Waterhole room in Okaukejo (too bad there wasn't room service! food here was terrible but the Waterhole is superb!), 3. Hoodia Lodge in Sossusliev (unless staying in the park which is also a nice option).
Other highly recommended lodges or trips for interest and for uniqueness: 1. Senyati (very hot rooms but a real introduction to Elephant herd behavior...did you know they line up for water? so polite); 2. Ndhovu (Hippos outside your tent...need I say more? Yes because they have a resident Hippo named Chomp who is adorable); 3. Tenting in the Okavango.
CrissCross managed to find us an outfitter (maun_backpackers.com) that did camping in the Okavango Delta (Botswana side). This was by far my favourite part of this entire safari. We're talking about real camping here, not a lodge and I loved it. I would highly recommend this over any other tour if you love to camp. Elephants, hyenas, the possibility of wild dogs, tracking a black rhino, swimming in the Okavango... all experiences that I wouldn't have thought possible unless you camp.
Finally, I would like to recommend Thinus as a guide. He is an excellent source of information for history as well as provides a unique view and opinion on the Apartheid movement that I had not considered before. I did initially have an issue with Thinus smoking while we were on game drives, but after letting him know of this, he desisted. It would have been nice if he opted first not to smoke around us nonsmokers rather than needing me to bring this to his attention. In addition, please be aware that your guide is with you the entire time, even for meals. If you're looking for a romantic holiday or special time with your significant other to reconnect, you may want to tell your guide. We asked to have several dinners by ourselves just to give us time to spend together as a couple. A suggestion I have for the company is to clarify expectations with your guests regarding smoking and meals at the start of the tour. It would have made some uncomfortable situations less of an issue.
The strengths of this company lies in its organization as well as ability to provide guests with a variety of tour options at various price points. I would recommend CrissCross Namibia.
Email Ryan Yuk | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
What a gentleman! Best trip of my life.
My dad and I just completed a 10 day trip across Namibia with Thinus. We had an absolutely amazing time exploring Namibia with Thinus. CrissCross was very responsive from the beginning when I contacted bunch of Namibian tour operators to put my itinerary together. Thinus works on the itinerary/pricing himself so he knows all the places of interest and he has stayed at the lodges he recommends. I'm not that picky when it comes to hotels and food but I liked every spot he picked for us. He is a Namibia native (with a very cool family history) and was very knowledgeable about every region we visited. It was also a special treat to visit his childhood village in Damaraland. I really hope to return to Namibia at some point and explore the rest of Namibia I did not get to see this time with Thinus. I highly highly recommend Thinus if you are looking for a guide who is courteous, punctual, not annoying, funny (understated sense of humor), a great driver, and all around will ensure a fantastic time in Namibia for you. I have no complaints about my trip. It was the best trip experience I've had in my life so far (and I've been to over 50 countries, so not saying it lightly). Thanks so much Thinus (and Helene)!
CN
Email James Wu | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wonderful trip with a five-star guide
We three families from China experienced a memorable 10-day trip during Aug 8-17 with Thinus. This is our first time to Africa, so we did a lot of prep work by dozens of emails with Helena of Crisscross to confirm all details of the trip, she is a kindly Madam with quick response, never minding of any trouble we caused.
The whole trip is organized perfect by Thinus, our guide and driver, from the moment of picking up at airport to the departure. As a son of Damaraland farmer who once named Twyfelfontein, he is affectionate to the land and very knowledgeable about the history, nature of Namibia, as well as wildlife. As a pre-employee of the government organization, he is familiar with local society, economy, culture, we really learned lots of knowledge from him while enjoying the stunning landscape and diverse scenery. If not limited by our poor oral English, we must have a more deeply communication with him and learn more.
Our trip had a compact itinerary and almost each day had a long driving, from one place to another, Thinus spared no effort to ensure us safe and comfort, he always asked whether what we see meet our expectation and tried his best to find more animals in Etosha, to make us more time shopping in Swakopmund.
In a word, Thinus is such a kind, attentive, friendly gentleman that we can’t imagine if we could have a wonderful trip without him. He and his Crisscross are really the best.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This safari trip more than met our expectations
My husband and I travelled with Thinus for the two week trip in a 4 WD vehicle, starting in Windhoek, visiting the Erindi Private Game Reserve, Etosha National Park, the Kavango Region, the Caprivi Strip, and Chobe National Park. We also visited the San Bushmen which was a very moving experience and one we would highly recommend. We saw large numbers of game, both huge herds of the many antelopes (springbok, impala, kudu etc), wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, elephants, and smaller family groups of hippos, giraffes and wild dogs. We also saw all these animals up close and personal at the waterholes. The highlights were seeing 2 cheetahs, 2 sightings of leopards and 6 different sightings of lions, including 3 small lion cubs. We loved it all, especially the luxury tented accommodation which we opted for on a couple of occasions. The whole trip was very well organised and ran smoothly without any problems. Thinus was an attentive guide and very well informed, not only about wildlife, but about Namibia in general. We would very much recommend this safari company.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A beautiful Safari throughout Botswanna and Namibia- First Trip to Africa
This was my first trip to Africa and Criss Cross Namibia was wonderful from the get go. Travelling with a friend who had travelled with Thinus before, made booking with Criss Cross Namibia a must. Thinus is a wonderful guide with a wealth of local knowledge throughout not only Namibia but Botswanna as well. I instantly felt comfortable with Thinus as our guide and looked forward to our time with him. From Chobe National Park, to the Okavango Delta, through Etosha national park, Twyfelfontein to the coastal Swakopmund in Namibia Thinus made me feel safe and cared for. I highly recommend using Criss Cross Namibia for any Africa trips!!!
FR
Email Faysa Anthony | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Land tour of Namibia
We were picked up at the airport by Thinus with a warm smile and welcome. The week we spent with him was interesting with beautiful scenery. He was very knowledgeable and a real gentleman. We stayed in good lodges in different locations. Sossusvlei was amazing with wonderful dunes and interesting landscapes. The accomodation was beautiful as was the choir in the lodge that sang for us. We stopped at a lagoon side view in Swakopmund for lunch as then saw the Pelicans. Damaraland was very different. Thinus our guide grew up there and had stories concerning his childhood. His courage impressed us in sharing these memories that are so intimate to him. The views at sunset were beautiful and the village we visited a fond memory that lives on. Etosha was much more a traditional saphari but the richness in animals was extraordinary. We saw herds of elephants, several lions, zebras amongst many other animals.
Namibia is a large country. The people are very friendly, the scenery due to the lack of water very different and well worth visiting. With Thinus one is in safe experienced hands. We would recommend him without any hesitation. At the end of our trip we had not just a tour guide but a new friend.
CA
Email Dandan & Michel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime
We did our first safari trip with CrissCross Safari for 21 day, we were very lucky to have Thinus as our guide.
We selected CrissCross based on the reviews on safaribookings.com. Thinus and his team was very responsive from beginning of inquire, all the way to end. They developed the detailed itinerary, to which were incorporated some specifics we had identified. We trusted CrissCross and were well rewarded.
During the trip, every day was an adventure. We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we knew there will be something exciting awaiting for us, all thanks to Thinus excellent planning and vast knowledge of the area, culture, animal…!
A great guide will make a huge difference to your safari trip! That became obvious when we started sharing photos with other guests in various lodges we visited, and all were jealous of all we had seen.
The dedication of the guide, his intimate knowledge of all areas visited, the choice of hotels, the right balance of activity and rest periods, made this trip a true trip of a lifetime
If there is way to give 6 stars, I would!
DK
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
CrissCross and Thinus are the best!!
When we began this holiday, we expected beautiful scenery and magnificent wildlife, but our three week travel with CrissCross (and Thinus, our guide and the owner of CrissCross) turned out to be much more than this - it was a real adventure. Our itinerary was perfectly planned and our accomodations were great, especially the lodges in Damaraland. What he had planned was way more than we could have ever expected. Throughout the journey Thinus continued to fascinate with his large culturel, historical and political knowledge of Namibia. We fondly remember all the personal anecdotes and hilarious stories told during the evenings while eating lovely meals (preferingly different kind of game) and drinking great wine. We especially enjoyed Damaraland and the great sand dunes in Sossusvlei! Thinus and the people we met on this trip was so accommodating and outgoing, and the experiences during the three weeks from Windhoek all the way through Etosha National Park to Victoria Falls were countless, and it all went incredibly fast. We strongly recommend CrissCross, and all hope to be back one day.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Tailor Made Safari
After we thoroughly compared several different agencies, we choose CrissCross Safari Travel Agency. We planned our trip a year in advance and were most impressed with the attention CrissCross employees took to tailor make our trip itinerary reflect our wishes and budget. They really listened, made great suggestions, and quickly responded to us.
Our trip to Victoria Falls, Botswana and Namibia was even better than we anticipated. Our main goals of this trip were to observe the wildlife and scenery, have an opportunity to visit various cultural groups, and see the petroglyphs in Namibia. We had a great time doing all of these activities plus we had opportunities to meet many interesting people along the way. Our trip was well paced and our accommodations, both tented camps and hotels were wonderful.
Our guide, Thinus Blaauw, the owner of CrissCross, shared his knowledge, great stories, and fun personality each day of our trip. He is also an excellent and safe driver. We are very happy that we chose CrissCross, and definitely recommend them.
Wonderful safari holiday in Namibia and Botswana
We had an amazing holiday!
The CrissCross team (Helene & Thinus) put together a great itinerary and managed to fit us in with 3 months notice (not nearly long enough apparently. Take note!). Communication was clear and prompt and everyting went according to plan. We have have no problem whatsoever in recommending CrissCross for a personal, reliable service.
Thinus knows the parks incredibly well. He is a goldmine of detail on all the wildlife, and of course the people and country. On our very first evening we saw dozens of elephant, zebra and warthog come to a waterhole to drink - we'll never forget that introduction to safari! We were fortunate to have Thinus as our driver, guide and spotter! He was always in a good mood and was good company throughout.
The accommodation that CrissCross selected was generally excellent (there was one lodge we were slightly disappointed with, but we did book late) and catering was good to superb. We preferred the smaller lodges.
All in all we have wonderful memories of great holiday - thank you!