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
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent Service and Great Value!
We traveled all over the country with Thinus Blaauw/Criss Cross Namibia Safaris during our one month visit in Namibia. The destination cannot be beat for sheer diversity in landscape - from the lush north to the desolate Skeleton Coast to the dry and arid Kalahari. Excellent game viewing at Etosha National Park and lots of opportunities to meet with locals - the Himba in the northwest and Bushman in the east (among others!) - makes it possible to learn a lot in a short period of time. Thinus did an excellent job customizing an itinerary to fit our interests and budget. He is very knowledgeable about the country and its history having grown up and worked in the Namibian government. We recommend him highly and look forward to touring with him again in Botswana this summer.
DK
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Thinus is a 5 star operator!
We have travelled with Thinus and CrissCross the last three times we have been in Africa, and we're returning again this December. Once again we and our friends have a tailor-made trip ahead of us, that we have designed from scratch with Thinus: This time we're starting in Namibia, then we cross into Botswana and then end up in Zambia. 3 weeks of wilderness and wildlife. Cannot wait to return!
Apart from being the best tour operator we've ever travelled with in Africa, CrissCross is 100% locally owned - meaning that all your money spend on any trip (apart from the flight tickets, of course) will end up in the hands of people actually living in Africa, which we find is very important. Mind you, most tour operators offering trips to Africal these days are in fact based out-side of the continent, hence only part of the investment you make, when you book a trip to this fantastic continent, will in fact benefit people living on it. Worth a consideration - and one other reason why Thinus and CrissCross come very highly recommended from us and all friends we have travelled with to date.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent quality for a reasonable price + family friendly!
My family (2 adults + 2 kids age 7 and 9) went on a two-week desert-safari in Namibia with CrissCross Namibia in Jan 2013, with a stop-over in Livingstone to see Vic Falls. We have been planning to go on a trip like this for a while and since we live in Ethiopia and had already done safaris in Tanzania and South Africa we wanted to focus exclusively on deserts in Namibia. We searched the web for tour operators that would provide us with the best fit and the best deal. By far, out of close to 10 companies we contacted, the most responsive and accommodating was Thinus, the owners of CrissCross. Not only was he listening to what we wanted (!), but he also gave us very good ideas where to go and stay (so that it was good quality but not overpriced), was flexible (and there were many changes in flight schedules), accommodating (we changed the order of activities many times on the road depending on the weather and kids’ wellbeing) and never “pushy”. Therefore we went with him, which turned out to be an excellent choice. The trip was what we have expected and much more. We would not change a single thing about it if we were to do it again (well maybe just add a few more days if we could :) It was perfect - the places to visit, lodges, hiking trails, the pace, activities, etc. Staring with Sosussvlei gave us all, urban creatures, an unforgettable feel of the desert starting early in the morning (at 5:30am!!!), in the middle of the day when the sand must be about 50C to sundown at the dunes. Few days in Swakopmund filled with activities in the morning (e.g., quad biking, sandboarding, catamaran, 4x4 desert tour, living desert tour) and lazying around the beach in the afternoons were great. Cross Cape Lodge is a beautiful place and I wish we could stay there longer. Finally Damaraland with so many places to hike, explore, learn was a real treat for avid hikers like us. Having said all this, I do want to emphasize that without Thinus the trip would not have been the same – his knowledge of the country, sense of humor, kindness - were essential ingredients to make our trip unforgettable. I would recommend CrissCross to anybody who wants excellent quality for a reasonable price. Thank you very much Thinus!