Reviews of trips to Windhoek
1104 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Windhoek.
"Namib Desert, Damaraland, Etosha self-drive"
We had chosen Namibia as none of the family except one had ever been to Africa on safari, and we wanted a special experience as my husband and I were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. It is fair to say this holiday is the best holiday any of us have ever had. Namibia is such a beautiful and varied country, it blew us away. We stayed in extremely comfortable lodges, which were all without exception outstanding. The staff were helpful and kind. The food delicious. The guides knowledgable and entertaining. And we saw so many different animals! If it hadn't started to rain hard on our last day I think we may never have left.
Expert Africa, and specifically Sabina, did a brilliant job organising the logistics: everything worked as per plan - the route and accommodation descriptions were accurate, the lodges expected us, the cars were brand new and drove well, and the supporting information provided relevant and useful.
Thank you very much for our holiday of a lifetime!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip
"My Dec 2024 trip"
We take a 2-3 week trip every year, and usually do it fully independently. For this trip, I had planned out the full trip, and then we decided for fun to see what ExpertAfrica would quote, thinking it would be higher. It turned out to be about 30% cheaper! And on top of that, Maruska provided a lot of benefits we would have otherwise missed out on.
For example, we booked rather far ahead (over a year), and Maruska was able to make the bookings even though they weren't available yet on some hotels websites.
She was also able to determine that a couple would be closed over the holidays and recommended alternatives.
Her step-by-step directions between lodges was also excellent, better than both Google Maps and our physical map.
I'd definitely recommend ExpertAfrica to my friends (or anyone!) and we will be using ExpertAfrica again if we're headed to a country tha ExpertAfrica offers trips to.
Thanks for helping make our trip so memorable!" Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 16 on a Namibia trip
"My Dec 2024 trip to Namibia"
It was difficult to know what to do/where to go but Tracy was really helpful from the start. She was extremely knowledgable about the places we wanted to visit and gave us some great information before we then went off and did some research. We then came back to Tracy to ask more questions and look at an itinerary and accommodation in more detail.
We knew were going for 'scenery' rather than wildlife and having done our research our trip met or exceeded our expectations on every level. It was also good to know that Expert Africa was there should we have experienced any problems.
I can't speak highly enough of Expert Africa and particular thanks to Tracy for all her help.
Comments on our Private Guide
We quickly built a good rapport with Usko. We were a little concerned about spending so much time with our guide as there was only my husband and I but needn't have worried. Usko was delightful and was happy to listen to how we wanted the trip to go in terms of leaving time from each lodge, how many stops we wanted to make en route etc.
He told us we didn't need to 'make conversation' but could just enjoy the views from the vehicle and ask questions if we wanted to know anything. He was very knowledgable and always pointed out places of interest/wildlife/flora and fauna, landscapes etc. It made the days easy and relaxing (for us!).
He also told us that some evenings he wouldn't join us for dinner so that we could have time together. Usko made the trip really stress free, our cases were loaded/unloaded and delivered and collected from our rooms. He was an excellent driver especially on the bumpy gravel roads and soft sand at Sossusvlei!
The picnics we enjoyed en route some days were amazing! A proper table, camping chairs, tablecloth and delicious food in 'the middle of nowhere'. Usko really made the trip for us, we felt in incredibly safe hands knowing that if there were any problems that he was fully equipped to deal with them." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 11 on a Namibia trip
"My Nov 2024 trip"
I don't know what Tom said to Europcar but their treatment of us was exceptional.
We also appreciated Grace meeting us at the airport and seeing us through.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
None - all excellent." Read full review: 13 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip
"My Oct 2024 trip"
Would’ve been helpful to have a realistic time of each journey as we found Google underestimated each one by about an hour!
Great choice of lodges - enjoyed them all. Although Ongava Tented by far the favourite." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip
"My Oct 2024 trip"
The lodges were all fantastic. The scenery is a landscape photographer’s dream. People we came across were all very friendly, helpful and happy to see us.
The food was much better than we had anticipated. Animals were very plentiful - I even saw a honey badger!
The lodge game drives were all really excellent with good, very knowledgeable guides.
All in all, a terrific experience and we will recommend Expert Africa to all." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip
"My Oct 2024 trip"
Partly due to booking late in the day we sorted our own flights from Manchester. The route is to Addis Ababa and then change for Windhoek. There is also an hour downtime at Geneva on the longer leg as some passengers get on/off. Another time I might prefer to change at Frankfurt and then go direct to Windhoek.
The driving is a challenge, especially as it was all down to me. You need the height of a big 4WD to protect you against the worst of the roads and elevate you for spotting wildlife. Make sure you have a coolbox included. This came up almost by accident in discussion but is an essential. Unless you fancy drinking 'bathwater' as you bounce along then you'll need one.
Food, drink, incidentals, fuel and generous tips are not very costly for us. Our main expense was the cost of trips we hadn't pre-booked but it gave us some flexibility. We recommend doing the hot air balloon trip.
The wildlife survey is a little misleading. It omits bird and sea life entirely. Presumably, it lists the animals that people are most interested in but we saw lots of other animals, large and small, that are unlisted. For example, we saw a striped jackel between the road and dunes near Walvis Bay and much more." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip
"My Oct 2024 trip"
Expert Africa and great with suggestions and organising. I had one hic up when I needed to back track and then come back again so I forfeited that route as the roads in Namibia have deteriorated over the years in my opinion. I think a great deal more lobbying is needed by lodges and tour operators to get those roads sorted out. Certainly back tracking makes no sense.
I love Namibia and this will not be the last time I visit." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 16 on a Namibia trip
"My Oct 2024 trip"
Sabina was very helpful and enhanced our experience. It was fun to go and meet her in Windhoek." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 17 on a Namibia trip
"My Oct 2024 trip"
Sabina was remarkably good about tailoring this to our requests and interests.
She always had good suggestions, and arranged a last minute change to our itinerary at our request.
Sabina was clearly knowledgeable and most helpful in every way." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 16 on a Namibia trip
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Inspire meWhere to stay in Windhoek
Our suggestions for places to stay in Windhoek
Olive Grove
In a quiet Windhoek suburb, Olive Grove is one of our favourite guesthouses: stylish, with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and excellent food.
Galton House
A cool stylish sanctuary in a quiet suburb of Windhoek, Galton House boasts a pool and a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Elegant Guesthouse
The Elegant Guesthouse is a friendly, comfortable establishment with a lovely, tranquil garden, and is a good choice for an overnight stay in Windhoek.
River Crossing
Secluded on a private game reserve between Windhoek and the international airport, River Crossing is a tranquil place to start or end a trip.
Villa Violet
Villa Violet is a friendly, owner-run guesthouse in a residential area of Windhoek, just a few minutes' drive from the city centre and numerous restaurants.
Haus Sonneneck
Haus Sonneneck was one of Windhoek's best pensions just a few minutes' drive away from the city centre, however it has now closed.
Weinberg Hotel
In a quiet upmarket suburb of Klein Windhoek, the stylish Weinberg has a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and luxury facilities.
Olive Exclusive
The Olive Exclusive is perhaps Windhoek's most luxurious boutique hotel but remains a friendly and unpretentious place to stay.
GocheGanas
For somewhere to really pamper yourself, Gocheganas Lodge & Spa offers wildlife combined with extensive wellness treatments.
Heinitzburg Hotel
One of the oldest hotels in Windhoek, the Heinitzberg occupies a great hill-top location but can feel like a relic of a bygone era.
Etango Ranch G. Farm
Etango offers simple, clean, comfortable accommodation and it’s the closest accommodation to Windhoek International Airport.
Immanuel Wilderness
Within easy reach of Windhoek, Immanuel Wilderness Lodge is a good overnight option for those who don't wish to stay in the city.
Sun Karros Daan Viljoen
Situated within the Daan Viljoen Nature reserve Sun Karros is a simple lodge with gentle game viewing and bird watching opportunities.
Omaanda
Omaanda offers luxury accommodation and wildlife viewing within easy reach of the international airport and Windhoek City.
Avani Windhoek Hotel
The Avani Windhoek Hotel and Casino lack the personal touch of Windhoeks smaller guesthouses but is well located in the heart of the city.
Hotel Thule
Windhoek’s Hotel Pension Thule offers stunning views across the city and a reputable in-house restaurant, within easy reach of the international airport.
Ti Melen
Overlooking Avis Dam, Ti Melen is on the outskirts of Windhoek, yet only 10-minutes from the city's amenities.
Desert Express
The Desert Express runs from Windhoek to Swakopmund on set departures. Recently this schedule has been somewhat erratic.
