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:
- $138 to $1,105 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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.
US
Email Tom H | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
BLUECRANE IS EXCELLENT IN ALL RESPECTS!
Bluecrane was great in all aspects of my two weeks in Namibia - Markus my guide was outstanding, the hotels, perfect, great food and an exceptional visit to Etosha National Park - actually saw two sets of lions and a set of leopards mating, black rhinos, an aardvark and more. I have been to over 150 countries and this was one of my best trips!
US
Email Adam B | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Family-friendly trip of a lifetime with Blue Crane!
It's hard to know where to start but Blue Crane Safari consistently went above and beyond to help my family (me, my wife, and two young daughters) have a trip through southern Africa that far exceeded our (already very high!) expectations! From the initial planning phase, Jamie was super responsive, answered all our questions, made suggestions based on our interests, and helped us to secure bookings that seemed impossible to get from here in the US. She put together an itinerary through Namibia, Botswana, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe that hit all the main highlights we wanted to see, and included a mix of kid-friendly activities. The amazing thing about the itinerary was that for 18 days, it never felt redundant. Every day built on things we had previously learned and then provided new experiences.
Me-Gusto, our guide, was phenomenal. His breadth of knowledge about flora, fauna, geology, astronomy, culture and history were incredible. He was funny, entertaining, polite, and he did everything possible to keep our kids comfortable and safe along the way.
I'd been looking forward to taking a trip like this with my family for as long as I can remember. The cost and time it takes to get to and experience southern Africa from the US really made us think of it as a once-in-a-lifetime trip so we wanted to make sure we did it right, and I couldn't have been happier with how it all turned out!
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Email Laurie McAndish King | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One of our best travel experiences ever!
I am so happy to enthusiastically recommend Blue Crane Safaris! From our initial emails with Derek, who helped us plan the perfect tour for our group of 5, to the trip itself, with our amazing guide Me-Gusto, the folks at Blue Crane went above and beyond to make this a remarkable visit. I'm a travel writer, and have traveled extensively around the world—this was absolutely a first-class experience. Me-Gusto was wonderful company, and taught us about Namibia's natural history, wildlife, botany, culture, history, and geology. He got us to the right place at the right time for amazing photos, and took into account the individual interests and abilities of everyone in our group.
Email Su Elliot | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An extremely well organised and efficiently run company.
Booking the tour was very straightforward and all my pre tour queries were answered by return. The tour itself exceeded my expectations. Accommodations are varied but all of a high standard and food to suit all tastes.
You do spend a lot of time on the road but there are plenty of activities, lunch stops, photo stops and ever changing scenery to look out on. It's a brilliant mix of culture and wildlife in stunning landscapes with unforgettable moments; climbing Dune 45, being surrounded by wild horses, watching thousand of seals, flamingoes, pelicans, walking through a ghost town...... the list is endless.
Excellent value for money
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Email Sharon Chan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Detail service
Marcus is very wonderful, concerning details and very acknowledge guide. Five of us love him and he is very responsible and on schedule for everything.
Marcus is highly recommend as your tour guide in Namibia!
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Email Michele | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Blue Crane Tours is an excellent tour operator with a professional, attentive and experienced team.
I went on the 15 day Namibian Highlights tour - everything went very smoothly. Jamie in the front office promptly answered my queries as I booked the tour and Frank our tour guide was very knowledgeable and attentive to the group. There is a lot of time in the car but there are frequent activities and a diverse landscape to keep you entertained.
IT
Email Mikrotour - Elena | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The best partner for a trip to Namibia, reliability and professionalism assured!
No words will ever be enough to thank Blue Crane Safaris Namibia for organizing the best private tour of my life!
Everything was more than perfectly organized! As a travel agent, I am very happy to have found Blue Crane to be the ideal partner for future trips of my clients as well, as their personalized and tailor made service can meet the needs of any traveler
From the first moment I contacted them, I felt that I was dealing with a truly knowledgeable and competent staff; in particular Jamie, in the early stages of trip design, was very attentive, thoughtful, and quick to understand our needs.
I am convinced in saying that this tour to Namibia was by far the one that gave me the strongest emotions.
Besides the wonders of a spectacular country, I am sure that the presence of the fantastic guide Sebe was decisive.
He is a very knowledgeable, attentive and caring guide, as well as a guy with a heart, helpful and full of humanity. We are truly grateful for having him accompany us. I arrived in Namibia as a tourist and left as a friend.
His friendliness really overwhelmed us!
On a practical level, the tour was perfectly organized; the vehicle was comfortable and our guide took great care to make sure we always found it clean and tidy. The accommodations that were recommended to us were spectacular, very comfortable and in dream locations.
The experience with this tour operator was vastly above expectations I can do nothing but 100% recommend it for your next trip to Namibia.
EE
Email Kevin Probert | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Superbly organised 15-day Safari
We chose the 15-day Safari which gave a good balance between culture, history and nature. We discovered that Namibia is very varied, even the climate - we travelled from the cooler, even foggy climate of the coast to baking temperatures in Damaraland. Taking this trip, bear in mind that there will be a lot of driving, but even the long road journeys were interesting. Our guide/driver Markus was very informative and looked after us well. When we were planning the trip, Derek in the office communicated with us promply and effectively. Blue Crane Safaris are not cheap, but we feel our money was well spent. Accommodation was upmarket. Food was excellent and exceeded our expectations. At the coast, try the oysters! We have always lived near the sea, but never had so much good seafood. Inland we were able to try a variety of game meats. We felt really spoilt on this trip.
Email Sam | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professional tour operator created a fantastic trip
Thank you for the excellent tour you organised for us, we thoroughly enjoyed it. Communication with the office team was always prompt and professional. Whilst this type of holiday is generally expensive, the tour was good value for money, especially when compared to quotes from other operators. Most of the lodges booked by Blue Crane exceeded our expectations, with excellent service, lovely accommodation and memorable experiences. Frank was a brilliant guide, ensuring that the whole trip flowed seamlessly with no stress on our part. He happily accommodated our wishes, whilst answering all of our questions. We will definitely recommend Blue Crane and Namibia to our friends and family.
