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Mica Prazak
Etosha
Chad seemed to have the magic touch, because we managed to see all the animals we could have expected and some we didn't. He was patient, helpful and was a really good listener. He truly loves this country and this geography; as he said, Namibia makes sense to him, and that realization really enhanced the tour. He loved seeing these wonders unfold as much as we did.
Desmond was awesome. He remained in the camp, prepared the meals and the sleeping arrangements, and had wonderful localized advice. If there was a mysterious noise in the middle of the night, he would tell you exactly what it was in the morning. I really liked him, and was invaluable to our experience.
The park was both expansive and compact. I will explain.
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The permanent campground (Wild Cherry is the only tour company that offers this) is surrounded with everything one would need. A charging station for your camera batteries and electronics. A food vendor, bathroom facilities, a restaurant, and for the hotter afternoons a swimming pool. But for me what made the location incredible, were the vantage points at perimeter of the camp. Firstly, at the southwest corner of the camp is a hidden and unmarked observational gem. Basically you are standing in shaded bush, but you can watch very closely as all the animals pass only metres in front of you on their way to the water hole. If you are patient and quiet, they won't even notice you. Of course, the Water Hole is a sight too. At any given moment, 24 hours a day, you will see a parade of coexisting animals quenching their thirst. The elephants were the big showboats, and the rhinos seemed to be nocturnal.So that is the element of the 'Etosha Dream' that is in your control. Once you get in the back of the truck, Chad had a pretty instinctual sense of where to go. A viewing platform above the truck sits nine people, and comes with comfortable seating and blankets for the cold mornings (we went in August). The roads wind endlessly through the massive park, and from your vantage point you can observe from higher up. This allows you to see giraffes poke their heads up curiously, and Gnus, Zebras, Impala, and Springboks weaving through the landscape.
With Wild Cherry's 3D/2N tour you get to have two morning and two evening game rides. We seemed to see more animals in the evening, but our rarer sightings (lions, hyenas, and leopards) were all in the morning. And in between, the water hole is always at your disposal in camp. Basically, if you really wanted to, you could be observing animals 24 hours a day. Just don't miss Desmond's meals. He has mastered hearty food on the barbeque.
Final Thoughts
My experience with Wild Cherry was wonderful. Things were done at a very comfortable pace and the itinerary was ideal. Etosha is a quiet and epic place, and the employees at this company embrace that spirit on the game rides. A little information is given, but there is a joy in the quiet wonder shared by everyone. Chad, Sydney, and Desmond really want you to enjoy your experience. And with Chad at the wheel you are going to find unbelievable moments.
TIPS
-Bring a tripod on the game rides. If you are using a phone or digital camera, bring a bean bag or a resting pad (a beanie works well too) to test your camera on for smoother shots
- To capture intimate moments of animals who are closer to the car, remember that you often have a better vantage point than Chad does at the wheel. Just knock on the roof and he will happily stop. Remember, it's your safari and it may be your only one.
- Don't try and take selfies with the animals behind you. You will be shaded and they will be in bright light and the image will be awkward and disjointed. Take the best photo possible of the animals in their habitat. That's what your friends and family will want to see.
- Start some conversations with strangers at the water hole. Too often, these camps become really independent; many of the people around you have rather amazing stories and backgrounds. Yet, you happen to be in the same spot at the same time. That is neat.
- I recommend bringing about 800-1000 Namibian currency.
- You have to pay for WiFi. But really, just put it away. It was so enjoyable to be away from it all, watching and hearing animals; also the sunrise, sunset, and night time sky is far more impressive than anything on your phone.
I had an unforgettable experience. I will be sure to recommend Wild Cherry if any friends or family end up in Namibia.
An amazing adventure
We booked a bespoke tour with Safpol Safari's and they sub contracted out locally based Fire Lily Tours, Wilfried our guide , and owner was excellent with wonderful local knowledge of Namibia , and always ready to stop for us to take pictures, our vehicle was a large 4 wheel drive with plenty of boot space. All the local people we met on route were very friendly helpful.
The weather for us was very good, as we live in the middle east, the generally warm days and cool sometimes cold evenings were perfect.
Accommodation was generally very good as was the food, but as we rarely got to stay more than one night because of our itinerary
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and lack of more time, we didn't get the chance to look around most of the venues - arriving late afternoon and departing at 08.00, because of the travelling distances involved.The experience was wonderful, the people and whole country are a highlight, just beware when planning the distances involved, we averaged over 300 km a day on top of our site seeing.
Claire Ryan
AU
Visited:
July 2018
Reviewed: Aug 18, 2018
Email Claire Ryan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Our safari in to Namibia was superb
Right from the start our guide George made our trip to Etosha National Park informative and enjoyable. His knowledge of the country and of Etosha was great. The wildlife was wonderful to see and George had obviously spent quite some time in that area, as he knew just where to go for animal spotting. He was a very pleasant man who was attentive to our needs. The accommodation was as advertised, clean and comfortable. We could not fault the meals also. Dealing with Martha at Wild Wind Tours was excellent right from our first enquiry. We would thoroughly recommend this tour company.
Nina
CH
Visited:
July 2018
Reviewed: Jul 30, 2018
Email Nina | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful trip!
We really enjoied our self drive trip in Namibia. We had a very diversified route. Wildlife with a lot of animals, mountains, ocean and desert. Food in Namibia is absolutely delicious and you don‘t have to worry about hygiene at all. We experienced Namibia as a very safe country where you can walk through towns after sunset as well. Even the restrooms at the fuel stations were very clean which was quite a surprise for me. The roads are in a very good condition - even better than in Southern Europe!! We wouldn’t book a gps for a furure trip, it’s not necessary at all. We stayed in beatiful lodges with incredible friendly and helpful staff.
Szilvia
GB
Visited:
April 2018
Reviewed: Jun 11, 2018
Email Szilvia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
Namibia is a wonderful country! I loved everything about it. The wildlife, people, accommodation, the weather, food and my guide was fantastic.
The highlight was when we saw many different animals around a waterhole, I felt I was dreaming.
I had an amazing time there, I loved every moment of it!
I am sure that I will return soon.
Wonderful 2 weeks in Namibia
We had a fantastic time in Namibia. The tour organized by Wild Wind Safaris was nicely organized and fully met our expecations. All of the lodges we stayed at were good and the food nice. The different landscapes were stunning and the wildlife is beautiful. The price you pay for seeing all this is that you are spending a lot of time in the car on the road but this you know in advance as the country is big and there a many gravel roads where you cannot drive very fast. We had a really excellent guide who shared a lot of information with us and gave us many insights about the country, the people and the different tribes.
Wonderful wilderness
We loved Namibia, it was so remote in places we felt like we had the country to ourselves on the road and it has not been spoilt yet by tourism. The wildlife in Etosha was great, we had some lovely sightings. The campsites could be improved (some staff were a bit rude and toilet paper kept running out!) but the sites were lovely. The weather was lovely and warm with some rain overnight. Sussouvlei was amazing, Ive never seen a landscape like it and we loved the long drives through the remote mountain passes. We already miss this beautiful country.
Stefan
Visited:
February 2017
Reviewed: Nov 20, 2017
Email Stefan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Just a beautiful place to travel to and you can find anything from desert to bush safari.
ronmcbride66
GB
Visited:
September 2016
Reviewed: Jan 8, 2017
Email ronmcbride66 | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The country is vast and sparsely populated. It is SAFE. The road system is good. The country has an amazing diversity with vast sand dunes, coastal experiences along the Skeleton Coast, beautiful mountains and Etosha. Accommodation ranges from camping, guest farms and lodges, some of which are really top-of-the-range: one at Doro Nawas, may have 7 light aircraft on its airstrip. Trips thus can be self-drive or fly-in ... or a personal guide can drive visitors around. The experience is breath-taking. The urban centres of Windhoek and Swakopmund are interesting with a pleasant ambience.
Ben
GB
Visited:
November 2016
Reviewed: Dec 10, 2016
Email Ben | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Namibia - 3 Day Desert Safari
We did the 3 day desert Safari. Had a fantastic time - this is certainly an experience not to miss. The guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. The food was good. As someone who hates camping, I found this part of the trip tolerable. Shower block was clean.