Reviews of trips to Windhoek
1100 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Windhoek.
"My Jun 2015 trip"
I drove 1,200 miles and took over I,000 photographs loved every minute." Read full review: 16 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip
"UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE"
"Honeymoon may 2015"
Good advice .
No hiccups
No complaints
Memorable trip!!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Be a bit more specific as to what is included/excluded in the all in price.
Eg """"Imported drinks """"in my book are drinks not made in Namibia.
After 4 days I realised that this wasn't so!!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 13 on a Namibia trip
"My May 2015 trip"
It was also a very nice itinerary, suited to our particular interests and preferences. We would have liked to be more active since we aren't used to spending so much time in vehicles, but recognize that the nature of the trip made this very difficult. Game drives made it possible to see much more, from a closer distance, with less hazard.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Overall, the trip was very well organized. We stayed in some spectacular places.
Having the customized map and letter really helped in terms of self-drive navigation. (Two small points: The location for Okonjima was too far north for the actual turn off. Also, there were a couple of inconsistencies between the letter and the actual itinerary that looked like they were 'left overs' from a previous version of the letter.)
In terms of the overall itinerary, the trip was very well organized. If we were to do it again, we would make very few changes. We might skip BullsPort (but then wouldn't have walked at all!). We could also have skipped Mushara Bush Camp, except that we did need somewhere to overnight in about that location. Maybe we could have stayed inside the park? We loved having a waterhole chalet in Etosha and that was really a highlight. Footsteps was an interesting experience and might have been more important to us if we hadn't spent the previous 4 days kayaking and walking in the delta with a different outfitter." Read full review: 31 nights in Africa; 19 on a Namibia trip
"My May 2015 trip"
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Some comments sent already [Ed: in lodge review pages - linked to below], no major suggestions, all went really well. Many thanks!" Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip
"Brilliant: a stunning holiday experience"
"Great experience in Namibia"
We loved visiting Terrace Bay and the drive up the Skeleton Coast - although a bit awed by the remoteness. Swakupmund was fun, with a great day out travelling to Sandwich harbour and back. Etendeka was another great experience as was the time we spent in Etosha. Erongo was great place to finish the trip.
Sabina's suggestions (don't spend two nights at Terrace Bay, try Mushara Bush Camp) were excellent. We really appreciate her phoning us when we had broken down to check we were OK and being looked after and confirming that the replacement vehicle was on its way. Also impressed by Wilderness Safaris who co-ordinated the replacement vehicle with Bidvest and the transfer from Okaukuejo while we were waiting for it to be delivered from Windhoek.
We were enormously impressed by the back up when we had a problem with the vehicle. It was very reassuring that were not coping with it alone. THANK YOU!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
After our experience with the original car we would be inclined to book a 4x4 next time to ensure we had a more robust vehicle.
Driving on the roads we travelled wasn't a problem but the original car we had an ineffective handbrake (not spotted on delivery and not actually much of a problem parking on the flat) and a very soggy passenger seat. It seems that it had been subjected to hard treatment which may be why it broke down." Read full review: 17 nights in Africa; 15 on a Namibia trip
"A wonderful 5-week adventure"
I expected it to be all desert, but I never knew how many different kinds of desert there are and what amazing landscapes and geology Namibia has. Nor did I realise what a fantastic variety of wildlife and birds there are.
We chose to have a driver/guide and it was well worth every penny - he not only took all the strain of the long drives, he was also an astonishing fund of knowledge and expertise. WIthout him, we would not have seen half the things we did, nor appreciated what we did see half as much.
Then we had 9 days in the Okavango Delta, a truly amazing place where the concentration and variety of wildlife is quite extraordinary. Very good guides provided by the lodges to find all the animals. The days were filled with great experiences.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
We had a fanatastic time and no complaints at all. However, we did find that quite a few of the lodges etc were really rather over the top in their attempts to emulate 4- or 5-star hotels. It's a matter of personal preference, but we actually felt more comfortable in the places that didn't try quite so hard and were perhaps a little more authentic in their atmosphere - like Etendeka and Kwara.
If I had known better what the range of options was, I could probably have explained this to Tracy at the beginning. So my suggestion would be that your agents could maybe spend a little more time getting to know what the client's expectations are and what kind of experiences they are looking for, and discuss the options, to enable them to make better-informed choices.
My impression is that, because I didn't have a limited budget, the assumption was that we would automatically prefer the most up-market places; that doesn't apply to us and maybe others are the same." Read full review: 35 nights in Africa; 25 on a Namibia trip
"My Apr 2015 trip"
"One of our Best Trips Ever"
Of course a lot of that is because the country of Namibia has so much to offer. It is probably the safest and easiest country on the continent for independent travel. It also helps that it has a lot of very dramatic scenery and fascinating people and wildlife. But Expert Africa also played a large role in making this trip memorable. They know Namibia very well and booked us into the best lodges in the best regions of the country.
Because of Expert Africa everything went very smoothly on our trip. I recommend them without any reservation.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Keep up the great job!" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 18 on a Namibia trip
Where 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.
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.
GocheGanas
For somewhere to really pamper yourself, Gocheganas Lodge & Spa offers wildlife combined with extensive wellness treatments.
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.
