Windhoek Tours and Trips

We had a wonderful trip. I have wanted to visit Namibia for many years and it lived up to my hopes and expectations. It was made all the more special by our excellent leader, Kastro, who looked after us so well. He was knowledgeable, caring, an excellent driver, great at spotting animals, with a good sense of humour - a true ambassador for his country. The lodges and hotels were great accommodation; all very different in atmosphere but very comfortable, though we found Hammerstein very cold. We would have loved another night at Otijwa to enjoy the calm and elegant surroundings. The itinerary was full and varied and we enjoyed all the different elements - informed all the time by Kastro's commentary and explanations. Explore provided excellent trip notes which helped in the planning and anticipation of the trip. I would recommend that it would be better to suggest taking South African Rand in currency rather than USD to save having to find somewhere to change them. It might be good also to recommend a jacket as well as a fleece for the cold mornings, and I found my collapsible walking poles very useful on a couple of the longer walks.

This trip was hands down the best trip I’ve ever been on. From the very first day to the last day, I had the time of my life and I’m already itching to go back. During our kickstart meeting on day one, I knew we were in for a treat when we first met Sim. He engaged with the group and made it so much more comfortable being in a room full of strangers. We had a lot of rain during our time in Cape Town which forced a few plans to change, like not being able to go up Table Mountain. Sim changed our whole day around to make sure we made the best out of it and despite not going up the mountain, we had the most perfect time in the city and thoroughly enjoyed everything we had to do. In my opinion, it’s made me want to go back to experience it when it’s not raining! The game drives during the trip were brilliant too. We had the most knowledgeable guides and respectful too, not one of them crossed any boundaries with animals, especially a time when everyone was trying to follow a leopard in and there had to be at least 20 jeeps closing in, our guide, Neil (in the Delta), chose to forget about it because the poor cub would’ve been terrified and I really respected him for it. I have never felt more at peace with myself than I did during this trip. It healed something in me that I didn’t know was broken and I owe it not only to the trip itself but the trip managers, Sim and Often. Often, the Namibia trip manager, was outstanding and he always made sure everyone was feeling included. I was the youngest in the group and I never felt less than the others in the group. I will cherish the bond I created with Often in the short 7 days we were together. I wasn’t feeling too great mentally during my time in Namibia (he didn’t know that) but he helped me immensely without knowing, by just including me in conversation and making me feel welcomed. I hope he knows how great he is. Sim is a brilliant trip manager. He always went above and beyond to make sure we were enjoying our time. He joined in on activities where possible and made sure we were all comfortable. I’ve really grown to love him a lot and I will always hold him close to my heart. He has truly become like a brother to me. He uplifts everyone who is around. If you’re having a bad day, Sim will surely make it better. He creates deep and personal connections with each traveller on his trips and that is all anyone can ask for in a trip manager. He always remained professional when the time came and worked so hard to run the perfect trip (too hard sometimes). I’m unsure if i can do another contiki because Nothing! could beat this one.

A safari trip in Africa is THE bucket list adventure that we all dream about, and boy does Contiki make that dream come true. This trip traverses the incredible landscapes of four different countries, showcasing the individual gems that make each just as special as the last. From the depths of the overnight camps in Chobe National Park, Botswana and the peaks of the sandy dunes of Sossusvlei, Namibia to the thrilling sunrise game drives of Kruger National Park, South Africa and mesmerising helicopter rides over Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe. This trip is all about NATURE. You’ll never feel more grounded, more connected to the natural world. Contiki has curated the trip of all trips with this one. The highest of standards are kept across the board whether it’s the accomodation, food, activities or guides. Nothing has been overlooked and no matter your TM, they will ensure this is THE trip of a lifetime. Special shoutout to my TMs Sim & Often, two incredibly special humans that live and breath Contiki, so if you’re lucky enough to be on their trip, you’re in for a treat. Exploring every nook and cranny of Southern Africa that will only ever leave you awe inspired (and wanting more of course). There are way too many highlights of this trip to name them all, but one thing is a given, you will never thank yourself more than when you have booked this trip. Truly life changing. You won’t regret it.

Your leader was superb- very knowledgeable, patient and interesting with a great sense of humour. He went above and beyond at times. The trip notes were misleading about the White Lady Paintings walk. It is not a flat walk at all. The Makuti lodge was disappointing after the previous one. It was soulless. The Christmas dinner was a bone of contention as it was expensive and there were no other options

I really enjoyed this trip for it's impressive landscapes, big skies, wildlife and food. We covered a lot of ground - just under 3,000km - but saw so much. The accommodation was good and got increasingly better as the trip progressed. The dunes at Sossusvlei are stunning and running down them was great fun. I tried lots of new food including oryx and eland and it was all very tasty. The seal colony was bigger than I realised. There were so many young that were clearly just minutes old and the noise of it all was very unexpected. Our tour leader, Kastro, was exceptional providing us with the right amount of information, keeping us in check and dealing with an unforeseen problem with the truck without any impact on us and all with a fabulous sense of humour. I loved our picnic stops in the middle of nowhere, the incredible night skies, the jackal puppies and the small group size. Definitely a trip that I would recommend.

Just returned from an incredible cycling tour of Namibia — truly a once-in-a-lifetime adventure! 🚴‍♀️ The landscapes were stunning, the wildlife unforgettable, and the people made it even more special. Huge thanks to Gabriel, our fantastic tour leader, for his deep knowledge of the country and fascinating insights; Mr. Happy, our wonderful cook, for keeping us so well-fed and cheerful; and Mad Max, our skilled and spirited driver, for making every journey safe. The absolute highlight? Cycling through a reserve park and getting amazingly close to a rhino mum and her calf — a magical moment I’ll never forget. I’d highly recommend this tour to all nature and adventure lovers — Namibia is such a unique and special place. Just be prepared for a few nights of camping and plenty of early starts to beat the heat — it’s all part of the experience!