Reviews

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 41-50 of 59 Reviews
Kylie Burnley   –  
Australia AU
Visited: June 2015 Reviewed: Jun 29, 2015

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

A beautiful Safari throughout Botswanna and Namibia- First Trip to Africa
5/5

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!!!

Faysa Anthony   –  
France FR
Visited: October 2014 Reviewed: Nov 29, 2014

Email Faysa Anthony  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Land tour of Namibia
5/5

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.

Dandan & Michel   –  
Canada CA
Visited: September 2014 Reviewed: Nov 6, 2014

Email Dandan & Michel  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Trip of a lifetime
5/5

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!

The Damn Danes   –  
Denmark DK
Visited: July 2014 Reviewed: Sep 25, 2014

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

CrissCross and Thinus are the best!!
5/5

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.

Jan and Becky   –  
United States US
Visited: July 2014 Reviewed: Aug 17, 2014

65+ years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Tailor Made Safari
5/5

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.

Petra and Julian Visited: June 2014 Reviewed: Aug 6, 2014

Wonderful safari holiday in Namibia and Botswana
5/5

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!

Julie Olive   –  
Australia AU
Visited: June 2014 Reviewed: Aug 3, 2014

50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Awesome
5/5

Thinus met us at the airport and within a few minutes I knew my niece and I were in good hands. Thinus was able to identify readily what we wanted to achieve on our trip through Namibia and he delivered. My niece had been before and Thinus was able to provide her with new experiences that exceeded expectations. It was my first trip and I was also extremely pleased. I wanted to see animals and the shots I got as an inexperienced photographer are fantastic. Thinus just knew where to take us and some of his 'detours' were the best part of our 10 day journey. He left us wanting more which for me was the real indication of a great trip. In a heartbeat I would return to Namibia with Thinus as our guide.

Cory Newman   –  
Australia AU
Visited: June 2014 Reviewed: Jul 22, 2014

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Unforgettable!
5/5

I travel to Africa every year and this year I brought my aunty with me. I did a self drive tour last time I was in Namibia and it was no where as good as the experience we had with Criss cross. Thinus tailored the tour to our exact needs and his wealth of knowledge was invaluable. We had a magical time, always felt safe and highly recommend Criss cross. This was my 7th year travelling to Africa and this tour was by far the best value for money, the best tour guide I have ever had and the best itinerary as we created it with Thinus's help. You will never regret travelling with crisscross.

Cory Newman   –  
Australia AU
Visited: June 2014 Reviewed: Jul 18, 2014

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

An incredible adventure with safety and style.
5/5

Communication from Australia to Namibia prior to our departure was nerve racking as you don't know who to trust. Crisscross put together a tailored trip and delivered the moment we arrived. My Aunty and I couldn't speak highly enough of our experience. If your going to Africa and want the experience of a lifetime... This is it!!!!!

Elna   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: June 2014 Reviewed: Jun 25, 2014

65+ years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

CrissCross Safaris is an affordable, well organised and experienced operator.
5/5

A short overview of my 2014 Safari in Namibia with Cory and Julie.

Thanks to the pleasant atmosphere, courtesy of CrissCross Safaris, the tour consisted of one highlight after another.

The landscapes were impressive and cycled like a screen saver through thick bush, open grassy plains and red dunes in the Namib desert. Wild animals came to make our acqaintance around every corner. Even the roads, although gravel, were in a fair to good condition, making our driving experience safe and comfortable.

To get that close to the wildlife in the Etosha Nature Reserve was truly an experience of note. The water holes also did not disappoint with a wide variety of animals ranging from giraffe, elephants, rhinos, lions and various different species of antilope. The birdlife is also abundant, colourful and keeps things interesting.

Our visit to the Ovahimba kraal was very interesting and the guide did a good job of intruducing us to the Ovahimba lifestyle, culture and customs.

Touring through Namibia means long distance driving, but the accommodation in the lodges more than makes up for that. very tidy, clean and the personnel are courtious and friendly. All meals were very well prepared and tasty, and plentiful. Namibia left me with the impression that it is a safe place to visit and the people relaxed and friendly. It is a very interesting country to visit and has so much to offer tourists.

I want to thank and commend our guide, Thinus, from CrissCross Safaris, who always makes the safety and enjoyment of his guests first priority. Thinus also shares his enormous wealth of knowledge about Namibia, its history, attractions, culture and people in a very entertaining and informative manner. And when the going gets tough, he is always ready with a little joke to uplift the spirits of the tour group.

Average User Rating
5.0/5
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