Reviews of trips to Windhoek
1054 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Windhoek.
"My Jan 2018 trip"
We loved Namibia for its variation in Landscape and friendly people.
Etosha has as much game life as Botswana.
We'd rate Wilderness Safaris as a much better, organisation than Kwando, in terms of better accommodation, better staffing, better food and wine. The airstrips always had toilets and drinks waiting. Kwando nothing.
Namibia is a must." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 10 on a Namibia trip
"My Jan 2018 trip"
Thankyou very much, we are very grateful for the best holiday!" Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 14 on a Namibia trip
"The trip of a lifetime - Namibia is amazing!"
"Excellent trip altogether"
Our mistake perhaps was trying to do so much in 28 days, we could have done with a couple of 3 day breaks as we got very tired with so much chopping & changing.
Also when trying to stipulate & stick to our budget we ended up with a lot of the venues with only B&B & not half board which meant that overall we ended up spending a lot more than we had planned." Read full review: 28 nights in Africa; 27 on a Namibia trip
"Dec 2017 Namibia trip "
In the end we did not choose the coastal route up to Torras Bay as most travelers we talked with suggested it got a bit monotonous after a well - but the road was good and outside of rain I think this would have been fine. The worst road during our trip was from Sesriem to Swakop - gravel road very bumpy in parts." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Namibia trip
"Our November 2017 Namibia trip"
The planning of our trip worked very well for us although one night less in Swakopmund and one night more somewhere else would have been perfect." Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 18 on a Namibia trip
"Our trip was absolutely one of the best!"
We also ended the holiday with a self-organised further 3 days in Kruger in South Africa, spending time and seeing incredible animals there too, with our friends from Cape Town, so in its entirety our holiday was by far one of the best we have ever had in this part of the world.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Keep doing the good job.
And - although more on the joking side - perhaps advise in more detail customers who plan to drive in Botswana about the speed limits and how strictly they are checked (and penalised!) by the Botswana police. Also, worth advising that sometimes the speed limit will be reduced from 120 to 60 in a very short distance which almost can make it impossible to get under 60 - I was done for this although doing only 67, had my licence retained (in Gumari) while I drove to the cash machine to extract Pula to pay the fine. And the potholes on Botswana roads - this was something I have never seen before and so worth tipping off the drivers to pay really close attention to them, as they can be really dangerous if you are not careful!" Read full review: 19 nights in Africa; 6 on a Namibia trip
"Namibia made easy!"
In previous trips to Namibia we had booked everything ourselves: flights, car hire and accommodation. It was great to be relieved of these tasks and to know that Expert Africa staff had visited and reviewed all the accommodation. The voucher system worked well and there were no unpleasant surprises apart from Bagatelle.
Eningu and Erongo remain our favourite lodges. Bullsport is the best place for varied walking and the Cornerstone Guesthouse gets "the attention to detail" prize. The staff at Cape Cross Lodge deserve special commendation for being so helpful and friendly. Thanks again to Expert Africa for yet another great holiday in Africa.
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Keep up the good work!" Read full review: 21 nights in Africa; 19 on a Namibia trip
"Tailor made and perfect."
Itinerary: For the wildlife, we wanted Etosha (1 week) and we wanted the Transfrontier Kgalagadi Park (5 days). Previous experience has shown Sabina to be a star at knocking together a sensible itinerary, and she managed it again. There was some difficulty finding accommodation (even in a quiet month) which meant one or two compromises had to be made. It all worked out well. If you haven't been before, it is worth saying that distances are huge and the dirt roads make them feel huger ....but then that all helps to emphasise the emptiness of Africa. It made sense to link our two parks with a visit to Soussevlei. I'm a bit ambivalent about the place. It was worth seeing the endless dunes, but the whole idea of a desert is to have a wilderness, and with only one road, you are not alone. We actually preferred the getting there and away again, 100s of kilometres with vast landscapes, and little sign of humanity (except for fences). The Transfrontier is off the beaten track and just in South Africa. It was very worthwhile (although I'd choose Etosha ahead of it (for its variety)), but there's no obvious attraction to break up the journey returning to Windhoek. Sabina did well to find a couple of comfortable lodges that had game activities on offer.
Practicalities: The journey had no glitches at all. It was so well organised. Even the 'misplaced' car hire voucher was sorted in a few minutes by Expert Africa (via Wilderness Travel). Instructions had all been clearly expressed (for example, what needed to be done to take a hire car into South Africa). We had no issues with petrol, reported in some reviews" Read full review: 25 nights in Africa; 19 on a Namibia trip
"In Toyota we trust - Namibia Nov 2017"
Very impressed with Wilderness Safaris. They appear to provide excellent training and career development for their staff." Read full review: 20 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.
Hilltop Guesthouse
A long-standing favourite, the small, owner-run Hilltop Guesthouse is comfortable, smart and good value.
Weinberg Hotel
In a quiet upmarket suburb of Klein Windhoek, the stylish Weinberg has a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and luxury facilities.
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.
Olive Exclusive
The Olive Exclusive is perhaps Windhoek's most luxurious boutique hotel but remains a friendly and unpretentious place to stay.
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.
Rivendell Guesthouse
Rivendell Guesthouse offers great value, relaxed accommodation in a homely atmosphere with helpful and extremely friendly staff.
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.
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.
Omaanda
Omaanda offers luxury accommodation and wildlife viewing within easy reach of the international airport and Windhoek City.
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.
