Elizabeth_S

I'm starting my Namibia research - I see several agents who have self drive itineraries you can customize. Wondering if there are pros/cons to going that route - do they have greater buying power? good infrastructure while in Country? or is it pretty much to same to just book myself?

Thanks!

Elizabeth_S

ttt

Patty

I booked our Namibia itinerary myself. I was originally going to use Cardboard Box which gets good reviews here but there was one accommodation I wanted which they didn't book and in order for the car rental insurance on my Amex to be effective the car needed to be booked directly with the rental company and not through a third party. I don't think we would've saved any money going through Cardboard Box. It was really easy to deal with the lodges in Namibia as almost all of them took credit cards and answered emails very promptly (not the case in many other parts of Africa). We didn't try to book any NWR restcamps though so I don't know how they are to work with nor did we use Wilderness Safari accommodations which I believe cannot be booked directly.

Elizabeth_S

Thanks Patty - and thank you very much for your Amex comment - I plan to rely on Amex for some insurance so no matter what I do will carve off the car rental separately.

BTW - your trip report is terrific and the photos are lovely!

tockoloshe

Hi Elizabeth
We booked everything ourselves, as Patty said it's very easy to deal with lodges/guest houses directly via email, and we booked the vehicle separately. What time of year are you going (can mean a big difference in rental/accommodation rates)? Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) for Etosha, Waterberg Plateau etc) are also easy to deal with by phone, if you phone them with your requirements they usually confirm and accept payment by fax. The 'Namibia Bradt Travel Guide' by Chris McIntyre is excellent for planning your trip.

Elizabeth_S

tockoloshe - we are going in late February for approx 18 days. I have the Bradt guide and find it terrific. Thanks for your comments.

laurenanne

Elizabeth-did you end up taking this trip? We are planning a self-drive for next January. Wondering how you found the weather- hot and rainy?- during february. Did you end up booking yourself? We are using cardboard box, although I feel I could just book myself anyway.

Glad I read that note about AMEX though. Was already thinking of doing the car rental ourselves to begin with, and now that I know about the 3rd party insurance angle, we will definitely do so!
Lauren

Elizabeth_S

laurenanne - We were we did do the trip and had a great time!

We spent 2 weeks in Namibia the latter part of February - so our weather might have been a bit different than that in January.

We used a local TA in Swakopmuch who I highly recommend - she got better prices for us than I could have booked myself - would you like her contact info?

What is your itinerary?

Re car insurance - we used our VISA card in the end - but there are alot of car rental/insurance issues I would be happy to review with you

Elizabeth_S

Oops - forgot to post the link to our blog - it's unfinished but lots of pictures of sand!

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/africa/g-namibia/

Elizabeth_S

Nice typos - I was on the phone while I was answering your post - should really use the preview function!

laurenanne

Hi,
thanks for the quick response. How was the weather in February anyway? If there was rain, did you have any driving issues?
And did you rent a 4x4?

Our itinerary is as follows:
Arrive Windhoek, depart for Frans Indongo lodge x 1 night
2x onguma bush camp (or mushara debating)
2x okakuejo bush chalet
2x Grootberg lodge in north damaraland
1x erongo wilderness lodge in erongo mts
3x swakopmund- at alternative space guest house, but looking at other options
2x desert homestead (also looking at alternatives- Hoodia, sossus lodge in the actual park)
return car to windhoek, stay a night, depart home to NYC

I am in the middle of using cardboard box for the lodging since the rates they quoted me are the same rates quoted by the lodges - there doesn't seem to be any mark-up, so it seems easier that I then just pay them and get vouchers rather than do it all myself. I have the time to do it myself, but have been told there is no value on that (people on tripadvisor).

We are planning to book our own car. Would like some car rental company recs if you have one or some.

How was the car rental experience? Any problems? You mentioned working through the issues with me...

And- did you love it?
lauren

laurenanne

As to your travel agent- who was she? She got better rates than the rack rate direct from the hotels/lodges? If that is the case, then yes, I should probably speak with her. But not sure if you stayed in the same category as we are planning, which is mid-range accommodation.

laurenanne

Also, the lodges marked bush camp are in etosha. How did you find it in February? See many animals?
Reading your blog right now......

jbean1016

I am leaving for Namibia on August 18th - to see my daughter who is teaching in northern Namibia. Her sister and I will be joining her for 2 weeks driving around the country. I have finished all my bookings - wish I had found Cardboard Box first - but they finished up my bookings. Now the car rental. I am overwhelmed in how to do this. I saw on this blog you might have recommendations of rental agencies. Also what to do about CDW etc. I have VISA and AMEX if that makes a difference. I also saw on one blog about buying excess insurance for about $100 dollars - is this worth it? My understanding from my daughter is that the roads that we will travel will mostly be paved, maybe some gravel. Any help will be greatly appreciated. thanks

Elizabeth_S

Where will you be traveling - in/around Rundu?

spassvogel

As Namibia has great landscapes but is wildlife wise a ROGUE nation I would not like to decide on any guest farm or even private concession - except Wilderness Safaris! - based on all the hunting (ALL big cats incl. Cheetah!) going on. NOBODY to trust there!

It's not the infrastructure which is mostly excellent what bothers me here but the lack of ethics.

Also such DMC's like Nature Friend safaris do sell hunting concessions for photographic safaris.

I have ONE (!) really honest, decent and reliable DMC: http://www.abenteuerafrika.com/

Ask for HILMAR TONNEMACHER, the owner and state what you are after.

Happy planing!

Discover_Namibia

I am sorry but that is such a sweeping generalisation it is amazing. To suggest that most guestfarms and private concessions here are involved in hunting of big cats is totally untrue and is damaging to the reputation of this country as a tourist destination.

There are perhaps a handful of places that are issued with the relevant licence to hunt big cats, I competely disagree with this practice, but you make it sound like every farm in the country is out and about popping leopards between the eyes and this is false.

Namibia places great importance on its wildlife and the protection of endangered species.

There was an incident fairly recently where a tourist hunter came over here and shot a collared lion in an protected conservancy without the licence and let me tell you the authorities reigned down all hell onto him.

spassvogel

Discover Nambia
I won't argue but let talk facts:

Hunting concession:
http://www.onguma.com/

Hunting farms Namibia:
http://www.google.de/#hl=de&source=h...af8ac6c91bfd9b

spassvogel

Discover_Namibia

If I lived in NAM I wouldn't probably know what's goin on - as many South African friends simply don't know about the lion breeders and canned hunters in their neighborhood.

But please accept when other have researched the facts who are involved in getting all those disclosed who conduct unethical hunting.

And believe me - Namibia is one of the most ROGUE nations in Southern Africa:

http://www.namibianhuntingsafaris.co...ah_hunting.htm

General info:

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...pards-2010.cfm

Sorry Elisabeth - I didn't want to hijack that thread.

Happy travels!

Discover_Namibia

I also don't want to get into an arguement about this but you seem to be suggesting that if you stay on a guestfarm in Namibia then there is a good chance they are involved in big cat hunting and that simply isn't the case.

I do live in Namibia, but assure you I don't have my head in the sand about this subject and have done considerable research also.

There are a lot of hunting farms in Namibia but very few that specialise in this type of hunting, most if you check deal primarily in your antelope hunting which is popular over here. Some do list cheetah and leopard but in nearly all cases you will see that this is extremely limited and there are lots of restrictions.

There is a quota system for the amount of animals that are allowed to be hunted, and very strict rules and guidelines on the manner in which they may be hunted.
For interests sake, as you seem to be singling out Namibia the figures are as follows for 2010

Botswana : 130
Ethiopia : 500
Kenya : 80
Malawi : 50
Mozambique : 120
Namibia : 250
South Africa : 150
Tanzania : 500
Uganda : 28
Zambia : 300
Zimbabwe : 500

Now I don't agree with the hunting of big cats, it actually turns my stomach, but think that it isn't fair to single out Namibia in this practice.

Anyway, lets get this thread back on topic jbean1016.... where will you be staying when you are in Namibia. I live over here so will be able to let you know if any of the roads you will be travelling on will be in the slightest bit difficult.