Namibia Tours in Summer

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.

This tour to Kruger National Park and Namibia was excellent. It was better than I imagined with the local CEO's making the trip easy for my husband and me to relax, knowing we were in safe, experienced hands.

This tour is full on, early mornings, a lot of travelling, not much exercise and lots of good food. We had a lovely group of fellow travellers and great tour guide. The country is beautiful, an ever changing landscape as you drive. The game drives were my highlight but others in the group said the sand dunes or the activity at Walvis Bay. Not relaxing but a brilliant holiday seeing a completely different county in landscape and culture.

Fabulous experience, just felt we couldn’t gel as well with everyone because of joining the tour halfway through, personally for me when booking a G Adventure tour again, it will be a question that I would ask whether it is the start of a tour or halfway through. As I only want to start at the beginning of a tour. Overall, a wonderful overview and intro into Africa.