Slipping standards in Etosha are worrisome

ANNEMARIE SAINSBURY WRITES:We have just returned from a 6 day visit to the Etosha Pan, spending 2 nights each in Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo.As usual, (this is my 6th visit) the game experience was amazing. However, our group had some serious reservations about the standards, and the attitude of the staff.1) Quite a lot of the staff at the "welcoming" desks are surly, unfriendly, and in spite of greeting them warmly they treated us as if we were a nuisance. They do not explain things clearly and then look at you as if you are stupid. They are obviously not trained in public relations and it should be explained that the visitors are their clients.2) The restaurant staff at Namutoni and Halali were very friendly and the food was good. However the paying system for dinner is antiquated at all the camps and it took us up to 45 minutes to pay for our meal because of the queue.3) The food in Okaukuejo was generally very poor and the staff unhelpful. They ran out of cups for tea and coffee and then gave us cups without saucers and this was 1 ½ hours before breakfast was closing. There were no side plates for toast so guests carried their toast back to the tables in their hands. We were given steak knives at breakfast – you cannot scoop the butter out of the plastic sachets with a pointed knife. An ordinary knife would be better for breakfast. There were no muffins and no omelettes. There were not enough staff and we had to order eggs with only fried and scrambled available and it took a long time to come. People want a quick breakfast to get out of camp to view game. One morning the tables were not even laid at 06h00 and nothing was ready. The instructions say breakfast is available from 06h00.4) Our biggest shock was the state of the toilet stops in the Park. They are utterly disgusting, unusable, and filthy and they stink. Truly absolutely horrific for international visitors. This results in people using the bush and leaving dirty tissue paper all over the place.5) There is only one reasonable picnic stop and that is on the Pan near the Etosha lookout. But the toilet there was revolting and filthy and the rubbish bin had not been cleared for ages.6) Signage throughout the Park is very poor and has not been upgraded since at least 2012. I enclose a photo of one sign as an example.7) In Namutoni and Okuakuejo the wooden poles put together for fencing are falling apart which leads to a lack of privacy for the occupants and it looks shabby.8) At the Okaukuejo waterhole the weeds are growing through the loose stones which makes the area look very shabby and unkempt.9) The gates outside rooms in Namutoni did not close.10) Most of the time we had no plugs, often bed side lights did not work, showers squirt all over the place instead of downwards on our bodies, shelves to hold toiletries are broken.11) The family cottage at Okaukuejo waterhole had no hot water, bedside lights did not work, and the lights in one bath room did not work – not good enough for R4 000 per day.12) Used shower gel and shampoo was not replaced. I do not know what the policy is.I am sorry to complain but there are many people here in South Africa who find the slipping standards in Etosha very sad and distressing. We are all proud Africans but we could not be proud of what is happening in Etosha Pan. Maybe some people say, well, this is Africa. But that is not true. I have travelled in other African countries and have had no reason to complain.

Slipping standards in Etosha are worrisome

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Republikein 2025-12-01

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Slipping standards in Etosha are worrisome

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Republikein 2025-12-01

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