My wife and I just got back from 7+ weeks in these countries. Kenya and Tanzania were safaris set up by our travel group. Namibia was on our won with a couple weeks volunteering and two weeks driving around on our own. We're not pretending to be experts but here is our trip in a nutshell.
We stayed in some really nice places and a few pretty average ones. Everyone we met were friendly and helpful but there were some outstanding people I'd like to mention:
Ansta, the proprietor of The Farmhouse Restaurant and lodge in Outjo. She is a dynamo and can't do enough to make your Namibia stay enjoyable. My wife lost her wallet at Etosha Natl Park on a trip Ansta arranged. Ansta kept working with the park and others to find it. After more than a week it was found by Rolf Heinrich, Roga Safaris who remembered Ansta was looking for it. Rolf hand delivered it to Ansta in Outjo.
Andre and Madeline Jacobs, Blue Bushman Lodge, Kamanjab. They've been operating a hunting lodge and have branched into tourist accommodations. Really friendly and great hosts. Madeline cooks up terrific game schnitzel.
Donovan and Lucia who have a little dining setup at the Remhoogte Pass on C-24 between Rehoboth and Solitaire. They spent a lot of time with us talking about their life there, the area and history. Grilled cheese and tomato sandwich with lemon Ice Tea N$100.
Namibia is a great place to visit with scattered but beautiful things to see. The place is amazingly clean. We saw more trash the first mile in Portland than in all of Namibia.
If we do go back though, we'll rent a pickup rather than an SUV.
Seven years of drought has been really tough for everyone there. We wish them well.

Glad you had a great trip. Namibia is still an amazing place even in this devastating drought. But the wildlife is amazingly resilient and the moment we get water the place will explode with life. When that happens you must come back.

Very cool. What did you see in Kenya?

My wife says we should go back after the drought is broken.
I took my 'puter in to Costco yesterday because it was acting up. The young salesman and I were BSing and he tells me he was raised in Kenya. Several years ago before the drought, he and his family were attempting to cross Etoshia in their Landcruiser. They got stuck, buried. They set up camp and his Dad took off on foot to get to a ranger post. It took him four days. Got help and they got out but like he said, for those four days they had no idea if they would get out alive.

In Kenya we went to the Maasai Mara, which we didn't go to last time. We saw everything you would expect to see including the "Five Amigo's" which are five young male Cheeta's who hunt together. They have an entourage of about 25 safari rigs following them wherever they go. We bailed after about ten minutes. While in the Maasai we went to two really pretty areas the Sand River country and the Black Rock country. Lost the crowd as well. We did see one Black Rhino in Kenya and another in Etosha Nayt'l Park in Namibia.

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Originally posted by nobull00:
In Kenya we went to the Maasai Mara, which we didn't go to last time. We saw everything you would expect to see including the "Five Amigo's" which are five young male Cheeta's who hunt together. They have an entourage of about 25 safari rigs following them wherever they go. We bailed after about ten minutes. While in the Maasai we went to two really pretty areas the Sand River country and the Black Rock country. Lost the crowd as well. We did see one Black Rhino in Kenya and another in Etosha Nayt'l Park in Namibia.

Very good. Losing the crowds is why I went during the rains and north when I was there this year. We were the only people in Meru. Saw quite a few black rhino - very cool animals. Missed the cheetahs except for a glance right on the equator on the way to Adamsons falls. Stunning country.

My wife just told me there is a new story in National Geographic about poisoning at a private game ranch in the Maasai Mara.