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
BR
Email Leticia Mendes | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Experience
The communication with the agency was done by email and they were very quick to respond and give all the informations.
My expectations were exceeded, the guides were very professional and helpful.
Namibia is a beautiful country.
I highly recommend Blue Crane.
Wonderful 3-day desert tour!
I had a great time on the Blue Crane Safari Tour to the Namib desert. Eventhough we only had 3 days, we saw so many beatiful things: breathtaking nightskys, wild animals, beautiful sunrise on the top of sand dunes... Blue Crane organised everything - camping equipment, food, entertainment ;) Sammy was a great guide!
IT
Email Mario | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Etosha reserve and the Namib Desert in semi private tour!
I have just come back from a 10 days tour that included some of the major spots in Namibia (Etosha Park, Damaraland, Swakupmund and the coast, the Namib Desert). I have to say that I have organized this trip only 7 days before departure and I found and very good assistance with great professionality by Traudy. I had no worries with the airport transfer and the nights at arrival and departure in Windhoek , and received all suggestions and and advices needed before departure. At arrival everything was perfectly organized and the good surprise was that the tour took place with 3 travellers only (me and 2 nice american), with a brand new Toyota 4x4, which is a "plus" regarding comfort and security in a 3000 Km trip mainly on dust roads! The guide, Elton, was an excellent driver and behaved with capability and prudence in all circumstances. It was enjoyable to spend hours also in the car, with the feeling of being alone sometimes, in the immense landscapes of Namibia. Camp equipments and campsites were all perfect and we had sufficient time to enjoy the beauties of the places that we visited. Meals were all excellent! I have to say that the main feeling is that I found was I was looking for: the chance of visiting the places I wanted to see, living the days with the perception away from the tourism masses, in a safe way. I would recommend to travel across Namibia with Blue Crane, and for sure whatever is your type of expectation I have seen that it can be discussed in advance with the staff in order to program what best fits to the traveller intention.
IT
Email Antonella - Milan | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good in planning and organizing - but the guide was terrible and too many lodges were changed
I joined a 17 days taylor-made safari planned for another lady (2 people being the minimum needed to have the tour going), so it was the two of us + guide (a free -lance, first time working for Blue crane Safaris, named Ronnie).
The booking part was really easy and Traudy very helpful and fast in giving information and answers.
1) The other lady (who over the past 2 years had been organizing this Safari with BCS had been confirmed that we would have a Bluecrane guide, and only the day when she arrived she was informed that we would have a free lance instead; I was told by Traudy that this guy was working for them for the first time, but came highly recommended; I told her it was not a problem for me, as long as he was a good guide.
Sadly, he wasn't; not to bother you with a long list of smaller events, I will just mention 2: Sussusvlei Dunes, he started climbing Big Daddy running like crazy (I am very sportive, a marathon runner and fit; the other lady was none of this) for 10 minutes, without even turning his head to check if we were ok (knowing the other lady would surely have problems); then, when he saw she couldn't breath (she had to call him and ask him to wait) he said "well, maybe it's better we don't climb the dune and go down to take pictures to the deadvlei; I WANTED to climb the dune up to the top, and asked him how much time I would have to do it. He gave me one hour to climb it, come down, and go and see the deadvlei, and finally go back to the parking site. I asked him: are you sure that is at all feasible? and he said "it depends on how fit you are". Well, I thought then I could make it and I did arrive half way without stopping, and saw already 30 minutes had gone - so I said to myself there is no way I can make it up there and back in 30 minutes. Not even Usain Bolt could do that! I had to give up, quickly run down to see the deadvlei, take some pictures veeery fast, and run to the parking. I was more than 10 minutes late, and breathless for the run, and mad for not being able to enjoy the most iconic site of Namibia.
All of this rush to do what? to be at the Lodge at 4 PM doing NOTHING!
Second episode: at Swakopmund he tried to book an activity for us, asking 2000N$ for an activity which cost 1200 N$ (and telling us he had got "a very special price...SURE it was SPECIAL); I checked prices on the internet - telling him - and when I found the prices without adding any comment I just told him "Thank you, I have found it at 1200N$ so we'll book ourselves, no worries".
And there would be many more episodes; the most annoying thing is that, even when you caught him doing something really wrong, HE would get mad and say we were wrong, and he never did those things. It's all "misunderstandings" (and I have to say it was pretty annoying, after sending me feedback to BCS, to be told that "they were all misunderstandings". Well I am old enough and an extremely experienced traveler, for work and leisure... I think I can tell a misunderstanding from something else)
The only good thing I have to say - to be fair - is that he was a very good driver and organized in terms of documents/diesel filling/ practical things like those. As a guide, the only days when I saw him really passionate (and willing to use the whole day instead of cutting it short) it was in Etosha, doing game drives. However his English (I think it was a language problem, although I am not sure) was not very good, so many times if you would ask you questions you would not be able to get answers.
And he was complaining all the time this tour was very hard on him, lots of km, the program was wrong, etc etc etc..
A good Guide is the most important thing on a Safari, he/she can make it awesome or poor... I understand it was just 2 people on the Safari, but it was 17 days and we had paid a good amount of money, so...
Then, it was also very annoying that MANY Lodges were changed from the plan, and we had no information until the day we started the Tour (Sussusvlei one not even at that point - we found out during the tour)
- Camelthorn lodge has become Anib Kalahari Desert
- Sossusvlei Lodge has become Namib Desert (Sossusvlei being INSIDE the park gates, Namib Desert being ONE HOUR AWAY - so, no sunrise or sunset on the dunes since only who is INSIDE the gates can enjoy those, due the closing times of the gates)
- Palmwag lodge has become Khowari (2 nights): Palmwag being right AT the gates, Khowari one hour away (so, 2 hours drive added in the day JUST to go back and forth)
- Epupa Falls lodge has become Opwo Country Lodge (again ... hours wasted in the car and all the activities mentioned in the initial program -rafting, birdwatching, sundowner) DISAPPEARED
- Epacha lodge became Eagle (these two might be similar)
This is not my first Safari, and I know that it MAY happen that ONE/TWO Lodges may have a last minute problem and need to be changed (but should be changed to an EQUAL Lodge); however, since we had booked in February and were asked a 25% advance payment (needed to block reservations at Lodges), and we only paid the balance in July - I think there was plenty of time to inform us about the changes (if the Lodges were full) and have prices RE-ADJUSTED accordingly before we paid the balance.
So, I am sorry but I cannot say I am fully satisfied, because I really think that there were several things that were not fair and quite annoying. I saw many excellent reviews (which is also the reason why I chose BCS) and I am sorry having to say that my experience was different.
All the above being said, Namibia is so wonderful, that I loved it anyhow; I always try to see the glass half full and do not let external events take away my smile, so I focused on how lucky I was to be there and was happy for that. Nonetheless, concerning how high the cost of these kinds of Safari are, I think it is fair that I share my experience so that visitors are informed, and BCS (whom I had already sent me my feedback) can improve (if they want) their service.
Email Michael | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The only way to see so much wildlife .Namibia and Botswana have it all.
A great adventure with a lot of travelling which was the only way to see the wonderful things we experienced on the way.
FR
Email Huvet -Eliot | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip in Namibia -10 days
We had a super trip in namibia -4 pax -10 days with Blue Crane Safaris.
Our guide Melican was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and he was a very good driver too.
The road trip and hotels selection was perfect , except in Etoshas park , old resort ....
I would highly recommended Blue Crane Safaris who is very professional agency and I would definitely use them again should I be back in bostwana and Niagara Falls...
IE
Email Maria | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful Trip to Etosha!
We had a wonderful 3 day trip to Etosha with Blue Crane Safaris. Our guide Raymond was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and we had good fun with them too.
The team in the office were also really helpful and it was a pleasure organising our trip with them.
I would highly recommended Blue Crane Safaris and Raymond as a guide and I would definitely use them again should I be back in Namibia.
CH
Email Luisa and Monika | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great support
We booked our self drive tour in Namibia at Blue Crane Safaris. They planed and pre paid everything for us, the lodges, meals... our car was great and they helped us with every question we had! It was a pleasure for us to book our tour with the guys from Blue Crane Safaris. They were all very friendly and helpfull. Thanks a lot for everything and we hope to see you soon again!
US
Email Barbara J. Fontinel Yarar | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Namibia-Trip of a Lifetime-Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast, Etosha, Luderitz, Sossosvlei, Fish River Cy
Namibia is truly a magical and timeless destination providing diverse natural landscapes & abundant wildlife and big game. Bluecrane Safaris' designed an itinerary that was perfect for our 'self-drive' experience. Even though my two adult children and I were unaccustomed to driving on the left side of the road on 90% gravel and sand in a 4X4, we felt confident and comfortable the entire time knowing that Bluecrane, specifically Derek, was available to assist. We even experienced a blowout on our drive to Etosha but was met in the middle of our trip by Derek to provide us replacement spare (even though we had an extra one left). Outstanding customer service! Namibian's are extremely friendly and customer service focused and take tremendous pride in providing a consistent outstanding experience. I would recommend Bluecrane Safaris and Namibia. Though I've never hesitated going to any country, even if I don't speak their language, but going to Namibia English is their primary language.
Email Steve S | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing 18 day private tour
In October my wife and I went on an amazing 18 day private tour with Blue Crane Safaris and we couldn't be happier.
From the first contact when we were initially looking at small group tours through to the final booking of what became a bespoke private tour, Derek was always prompt in his responses and patient with my many questions.
Our tour covered both the south and north of Namibia over 18 days and we travelled 4,500km including Windhoek, Intu Afrika Kalahari Game Reserve, Fish River Canyon, Luderitz, Namib, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Twyfelfontein, Palmwag, Etosha National Park and Otjiwarongo.
We enjoyed beautiful scenery, had some great experiences and saw spectacular wildlife. The accommodation was very good and included some amazing properties.
The safari vehicle was very clean, comfortable, spacious and well air-conditioned with sliding windows and a pop-top roof for 360 degree views and photos.
Our driver/guide Frank was exceptional - a skilled driver, with detailed knowledge of the country and its wildlife, a great sense of humour and a lovely guy.
Thank you Derek and Frank we had a great time.
We highly recommend Blue Crane Safaris.
