Gondwana Travel Centre
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 1993)
- Member Of:
- Namibia Tourism Board
- Tour Types:
- Self-drive mid-range & luxury tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $66 to $1,379 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
CA
Email Gill | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely helpful travel planners for Namibia!
Our Cardboard Box consultant Anita made our entire Namibia trip possible! We had a lot of difficulty trying to arrange the trip on our own and Anita organized everything for us according to our specific interests and desired budget. We particularly liked this company because they will custom tailor the trip exactly how you want it. They were very responsive to our emails etc. before our trip and everything went extremely smoothly once we were in Namibia. All of the hotels and bookings were great. They also provide you with helpful material regarding driving routes and restaurants etc. on arrival. Namibia is amazing and is at the top of our list of recommendations!
ES
Email Mikel | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Simple and perfect
The best complement is that form the first contact I had with them all my expectation have been fulfilled.
Communication clear, friendly and bringing solutions and new ideas.
If you want don´t like bad surprises and want to have everything under control, do not hesitate to try them.
IT
Email Marco | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
efficiency in everything
precise, punctual and professional. I found in Cardboard box Travel a reliable partner to better organize an excellent safari.
IT
Email Stefano Borsa | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Everything went as expected
We planned to visit Namibia quite late in the year (march-april) and Cardboard Box Travel Shop (Lilly in particular) was the only Travel Agent that tried (and indeed was able) to set up a tour for us...
So
IT
Email Sean | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Broken head and eyeglasses, downgraded to poorer accommodation, standard scams with optionals etc...
We encountered:
- one broken head and eyeglasses
During the exit from the 4x4 vehicle at DINE 45, the driver opened all doors that could rotate 180 degrees and did not secure them. The back door curved and hit the head of my colleague who had already come out of the vehicle and then crash his glasses and he got hematoma on his head. This only happened due to negligence of drivers and guides. We have seen other drivers unloading passengers and holdin the doors in place so that a similar problem would not happen.
- downgraded to poorer accommodation
When we booked the trip, they confirmed our stay (2 days) at Namibia Desert Lodge and instead we were in a campsite with no internet in anything that looked like a tent.
- standard scams with optionals
During the trip we went to a lodge where we were told we could go and watch some wild animals in the cage. They did not let us know that we had to pay for it. Only later, they asked us to pay about $ 10 per person. Everybody in the group was surprised and the guide later said he warned us that we could watch animals "only if we want." But he did not say that if we want we have to pay for it and that this activity is not included.
- a minibus that was constantly drowned
They have been late for more than 1 hour when taking over the hotel for the first day. Explanation: Vehicle problem. I do not know what they did in those hours, but the vehicle we were on for 6 days and over 2000 km was a permanent breakdown and it was not pleasant to stay in the middle of the road with a broken vehicle and the first village 100 km away.
- we were stolen money from the minibus while there was no one around the minibus, only the driver
The last day, only a 2 hours before the end of the trip, we stopped at a lodge for lunch. Until then, the drivers (who is also the guide) was always sitting during the lunch and the dinner with us (group of 7) at the same table. This time not. We were alone in a restaurant inside the lodge, there were no people around. The driver moved away from the group. We left inside the minibus a bag with my colleague's wallet. The money was stolen from the wallet: not all the money was stolen, but only a few large banknotes. We realised this when arrived to the hotel.
I asked the agency to give me an explanation on these issues (and many other things I did not even mentioned here) but they mostly refuse responsibility. I demanded a refund and I told them that if they decided to make a refund, that would be to the account of the humanitarian organisation I will indicate to them. I do not want a refund, but someone who has accomplished this kind of service needs to bear responsibility for it. Apart from the agency I will write more reviews on the internet, it is even more a responsibility of the tour operator (SWA SAFARI).
Sorry for my bad english but I will write other reports on Italian and Spanish (my mother tongues).
CA
Email Barbara and Erich Baumann | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Self drive tour with itinerary and bookings from Lily and 4X4 rental from Tristan ran like clockwork
Arranged everything online and Lily provided custom made itinerary and bookings, and Tristan provided the 4x4 truck from Cardboard Box. Responses online were professional and efficient. From the moment we arrived in Windhoek we were in good hands. We were transported by Raymond their driver and at the office received friendly attention to everything we needed including Tristan's personal service with our almost brand new 4X4 Toyota truck. All Lily's accommodation bookings worked beautifully (although we met some people whose paid and confirmed bookings from other travel agents didn't work in two places). Earlier I had tried to create our own itinerary and book accommodations in Namibia and Botswana but it was too difficult. We could not have done this remarkable and great self drive tour without the Cardboard Box Travel Shop. We feel fortunate that we found them. We highly recommend the Cardboard Box Travel Shop Namibia if you want a self drive tour in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and/or South Africa. Thank you to everyone at the office - especially Lily and Tristan.
Email Nigel and Lydia | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Self Drive 16 day Namibia tour coordinated by Cardboard Box Travel Shop
Our experience booking through Cardboard Box Travel Shop was excellent - from the communication and planning before the trip to the welcome pack on arrival and the flawless adventure we had. Cardboard box sorted our car hire and all the accommodations based on an itinerary which we refined with them before finalising the booking. Lodgings which other firms had been unable to secure (such as those inside Etosha) were not only available to us, on arrival they were clearly at the top end of what was on offer in each of the sites.
Everything was smooth and efficient and we had an amazing time in an incredible country. We are very happy to recommend this company to anyone seeking to do the same!
FR
Email Stephanie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
An efficient and nice support to make our trip a wonderful experience!
It was really easy to prepare our trip with our contact at Cardboard Box Travel Shop. The information and proposals provided were accurate and we had quick answers to our questions.
The living up was as great as expected and we had no bad surprise in the lodges nor in the prebooked activities.
If we ever have the opportunity to come again to Namibia, we will go Black with Cardboard Box Travel Shop to organise the trip.
IT
Email Luca Guerrieri | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fully supportive in planning, outstanding performance in supporting during the trip
Great know-how to pick the right itinerary and solutions, very fast in asnwering to tons of requests I made, and very supportive during the trip to manage small incidents
BE
Email Stefan Lanckvrind | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Dedicated to deliver a perfect experience with top quality arrangements.
The whole journey was perfect: the right rental car company, value for money lodges, information and support.
