Reviews of trips to Windhoek
1100 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Windhoek.
"Excellent holiday - exceeding expectations"
The holiday wasn't one of Expert Africa's standard holidays. We spent some time working out the itinerary with them. That was time well spent and their expert advice was invaluable. Thanks very much to Gwynneth and also Nick for his advice on Botswana early on.
A couple of specific comments which don't fit in elsewhere:
1. We had two flights with Mack Air and had a good experience with them both times: friendly pilots and good flights. In addition, we had arranged for suitcases to be flown on separately from Maun to Kasane. This was handled efficiently and there was no difficulty retreiving the suitcases at Kasane airport.
2. We had a transfer with Wilderness Safaris from Kasane airport to Victorial Falls. This was handled efficiently so that we were able to complete the border formalities on entering Zimbabwe without a hitch.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
No - well organised holiday, plenty of helpful information." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 7 on a Namibia trip
"3 weeks in Namibia"
As with the earlier comment regarding our choice of vehicle, we do have a further issue with information provided in the Bradt guide which states that Namibia is an inexpensive country to visit. We are not new to Southern Africa and have previously spent time in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana. We found Namibia to be easily the most expensive country in terms of accommodation, food, guided trips and souvenirs/artefacts. Again we mention this because of the connection between the author of the Bradt guide and Expert Africa." Read full review: 20 nights in Africa; 20 on a Namibia trip
"My Sep 2012 trip"
Sabina sorted out a great itinerary that managed to fit in everything we wanted, and we stayed in some fantastic places. Overall, the trip exceeded our expectations. The country is huge but so easy to drive yourself around, and it's almost impossible to get lost. The drives are a great part of the holiday, indeed.
We met lovely people, did so much but managed to feel very relaxed, and saw amazing scenery and more animals than we ever imagined. We felt totally away from everyday life, and had experiences we will never forget." Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 8 on a Namibia trip
"Namibia was all we hoped for ..and more."
Namibia is one of the friendliest place you could ask to holiday.
Namibia has some of the best game viewing one could hope for." Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 20 on a Namibia trip
"My Sep 2012 trip"
"My Sep 2012 trip"
If we did this trip again, we would spend 3 nights rather than two in some locations to allow for a bit of relaxation time. We stayed in 10 locations and the longest stays were 2 nights. Allowing for travelling (usually between 5 and 7 hours between camps) this meant we only had one full day in any location. Inevitably, we did as much as we could on these full days. The overall effect was we saw a lot but were quite tired by the end of the holiday.
The scenery driving round some parts of the country was awesome. Game viewing in Etosha was not as good as Botswana last year and large areas of the park had been destroyed by fire.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Bo good to be able to fly more directly to Windhoek (e.g. via Frankfurt). Build more relaxation time into your suggested self-drive holidays." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 17 on a Namibia trip
"My Aug 2012 trip"
Most of the lodges are so nice one wants to live there, at least for a long time. Gwynneth was extremely helpful and efficient when we needed her (we had to made some last minute arrangements because we were not able to cross the border to Botswana - our fault) but she fixed it and the outcome was excellent" Read full review: 11 nights in Africa; 5 on a Namibia trip
"A wonderjul experience"
"My Aug 2012 trip"
We LOVED Namibia and had great experiences with the sights and the people. We are quite well traveled and feel our Namibia trip really impressed us and we aren't easy to impress. With the exception of Okaukejo our lodging and meals were just wonderful, though lodging and meals aren't why we travel. We travel to experience and touch and be touched by the people of the world. You provided us with such wonderful experiences while being honest about the driving conditions and other things.
We highly recommend Expert travel and of course our dear Saskia.
Thank you." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Namibia trip
"My Aug 2012 trip"
I'd also like to mention the other activities we booked:
- Sea kayaking at Walvis Bay with Jeanne: probably the surprise hit of the trip. We had no idea what this would be like, and were all thrilled by what fun it was. Jeanne is such an enthusiastic guide.
- hot air ballooning: amazing, what an experience. And followed by an excellent breakfast hosted by the charismatic pilots. I'm so glad we decided to splash out on this." Read full review: 15 nights in Africa; 7 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.
