Secret Namibia
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, NTB & TOSCO
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $242 to $3,025 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Sarah | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great holiday booking, lack of support during holiday
I'll start by saying that we had an amazing experience and loved our holiday. Secret Namibia were helpful and patient with our requirements and booked an amazing trip for us. What left us sad was the lack of care and support that we received in the immediate run up to the trip and during it. We had to ask for a detailed itinerary in the days before our departure (which turned out to be little more than a list of where we were booked ie it didn't include any useful information about transfers, timings, what to expect, what tipping was etc etc), and we were told we would receive a printed version on our arrival (we never received anything). They suggested a transfer from our hotel in Windhoek the morning of our departure, for which we were charged the equivalent of £70 for a 5 min ride in a friend's car where the mess had to be moved off the back seat to allow us to sit down, and were we were just dumped in the airport car park with no further instructions. When we had delays and problems during the trip our pilot and his company had to solve the issues himself and Secret Namibia contacts us to 2 days later to say they hoped we were ok, but with no apology for non contact. For a trip of a lifetime, Secret Namibia are the only part that we feel let down with. Go to Namibia, but perhaps find another agency to book it through.
Email Frank | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
happy with the whole experience, except for handover at the end which was very poor
We were happy with the pick-up arrangements, although our contact was late arriving at the airport and the vehicle was good (there were a few minor problems but given that we were travelling on bumpy, gravel roads this is fair enough). The accommodation ranged from good to excellent and the country itself is really spectacular.
However, the handback at the end was dreadful. I had a lot to do in Windhoek, including looking after a young child. The handback time was delayed which necessitated me hanging around my hotel and, when someone eventually turned up there was no apology for the inconvenience I has been caused. The representative then tried to charge me an exorbitant sum for not returning with a full tank (fortunately I had photographed the fuel gauge at the start of the trip which showed it had been handed over half-full). As the full gauge showed 60km less than we had started she then tried again to charge me an exorbitant amount to make up the balance (I went to a petrol station and filled up with for 25% of the price she wanted). Given the very large amount of money I had spent with the company and the generally positive experience we'd had, this was a very poor way to end the trip . We will return to Namibia but not with Secret Namibia
Email Mr De Ru | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very knowledgeable and helpful
I'll start off by saying that the service we received from Secret Namibia was out of this world. They were always super fast with their responses and their knowledge on the destinations and lodges were spot on.
Every little detail was taken care of, we did not have to think about anything during our safari. They also go the extra mile with the care package they put together for us, it's almost as if they knew exactly who we are. As far as luxury tour operators go, I'd say Secret Namibia is one of the best I have dealt with.
We did a 16 day fly-in safari visiting the following places and lodges.
Sossusvlei / Little Kulala - absolutely amazing
Swakopmund / Strand Hotel (do the Sandwich Harbour Tour)
Damaraland / Onduli Ridge - do the 3 night stay to get the full experience, totally worth it.
Skeleton Coast / Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp - have to rate this as one of the best places I've stayed at in the world, and the experiences they have on offer is unforgettable.
Kaokoland / Serra Cafema - Initially we were not going to go so far north, but our safari consultant insisted that we go and it ended up being our 2nd favourite place of the entire safari.
Etosha / Camp Kala - Its a new lodge and the attention to detail was excellent, the game viewing was also much better than in many other game parks in southern Africa.
The food at all the lodges was also extremely good. They also cater for guests with various dietary requirements. (my partner is Vegan)
We are already considering doing another trip to Namibia, the country has so much to offer and if you are on the fence about going to Namibia, get off and go, you will not be disappointed.
Email Maria | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Second time, and they delivered again — flawlessly
We used Secret Namibia for the second time to plan our Christmas and New Year family holiday, and once again Chrizell and the team delivered beyond expectations.
Planning this trip was no small feat. We were a group of three adults and three children aged 2, 4 and 10, which made finding suitable accommodation genuinely challenging — many lodges in Namibia don't accept very young children. Chrizell navigated all of this seamlessly, curating a wonderful self-drive itinerary that took us through Doro Nawas, Etosha (staying at Oberland Lodge) and Waterberg. Every property was a perfect fit for our diverse group, balancing the needs of toddlers with those of adults who wanted an active, immersive Namibian experience.
The communication throughout the planning process was excellent — responsive, thoughtful and proactive. Chrizell took the time to really understand what we were looking for and made sure every detail was considered. On the ground, everything ran without a single hiccup, which is a real testament to how well the trip was organised.
The value for money was outstanding, and most importantly, the holiday delivered exactly what was promised: an unforgettable, active family adventure in one of the world's most spectacular countries.
The fact that we returned to Secret Namibia for a second time says everything. We will without doubt be back for a third.
Email Freddie & Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding service, incredible trip!
Jessica was wonderful. We chose Secret Namibia because they were the most responsive and helpful when we were planning our trip, and they continued helping us just the same all the way to the end of the trip. Jessica answered all our questions quickly via Whatsapp while we were there, and the itinerary was everything we hoped it would be.
To give a little feedback, we could have been prompted earlier to book activities as this was pretty crucial, and we were glad to have done so only a couple of days beforehand. We were told there would be signal, but there is no signal in 90% of the roads- including the in-car WiFi. And the individual stops each had their quirks - Epacha Game Lodge & Spa is a very ambitious site, but it's quite far from Etosha, and the actual Spa wasn't as good as it was designed to be. We missed the actual Spitzkoppe because our lodge was a while away and we didn't know how to get there, however Ai Aba Rock Painting Lodge where we stayed was a great tour highlight. And the accommodation at Waterberg Wilderness Lodge was not great, although the conservation park was amazing.
The app was a great help, and the logistics generally ran pretty smoothly, with Jessica on Whatsapp to help where required. Overall we had a wonderful trip.
PT
Email Matt D | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Namibian Self-Driving Safari
Chrizell at Secret Namibia was fantastic to work with. We laid out basically where we were interested in going and what we liked/disliked and she created a complete plan and made all bookings for everything from a 4x4 to hotels, activities, and transfers. If we had any questions or issues she was right there for us (including getting us a Wi-Fi hot spot when it turned out our international data plans didn't include Namibia for some reason).
The places we stayed were all top-notch and we received excellent service everywhere we went including Windhoek, the deserts of Kalahari and Namib, Swakopmund, and Damaraland. We highly recommend Secret Namibia.
ES
Email Bozena | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible destination, fantastic support - highly recommended!
We had the most incredible experience with Secret Namibia! From the very beginning, the booking process was super smooth. Jessica went above and beyond to make all of our wishes come true. We had last-minute changes to our itinerary, lodges, and even dates, and she was always so accommodating, patient, and efficient.
During the trip, Jessica continued to provide outstanding support. Whenever we needed something in-country—whether it was booking or adjusting plans last minute—she was always available and made everything happen seamlessly. Thanks to her dedication and care, our vacation truly turned into a dream trip.
We couldn’t recommend Secret Namibia highly enough. If you’re planning a trip to Namibia, you can trust Jessica and her team to create an unforgettable experience.
Email Richard | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Well organised and busy schedule to see lots with great guide and driver.
Highly recommended for an enjoyable, busy but stress free visit. We were a group of 12 friends and relatives on a nine day tour. It was a fairly intense trip (lots of 6.30am starts) but we wanted to see as much as possible as we will probably only do this once. (Note that Namibian roads can be a bit bumpy!). Our guide and driver were very friendly and helpful and really helped make it a fun tour and everything ran to plan. We particularly enjoyed the day around the dunes and canyons near Sesriem and the trips around Swakopmond ( boat trip and 4*4 dunes trip) plus the sundowner and rhino drives near Sossusvlei and Waterburg respectively. Hotels were all very comfortable. We particularly liked the Desert Homestead Lodge near Sossusvlei and the Damara Mopane Lodge near Gondwana. The dinner on the last night up the tower in Windhoek city centre was a nice way to finish. If planning to do a tour of Windhoek, I would suggest the parliament/museums etc in the centre, rather than the open air markets.
Unexpected Surprises - Fantastic Holiday
I had shopped around for a safari trip of of our dreams for our honeymoon. I gave several operators a broad outline of what we wanted.
Secret Namibia came back with the closest to what we wanted. I asked them to add a trip to the Okavango Delta and that was done promptly.
In the end, our trip was Victoria Falls, Okavango Delta, Sossusvlei, Skeleton Coast, Etosha and ended in Na'an Ku Se. Travel was mainly by shared charter plane.
It all went nearly as we had dreamed. The add on to the trip to the Okavango Delta ended up being the best part of the trip.
One piece of advice - if you want to get close to the animals, go to Botswana. The jeeps are allowed to go off road and you can get to within metres of the animals. Whereas in Namibia, the jeeps have to stay on the Road, so you can only look at the animals from afar.
Three months on from the vacation, my wife is still going over the pics and updating Instagram
Email Walt & Devi | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible! Everything was very hands by the team.
My wife and I did a 14 day in country self drive tour. Our only regret is we wish we could have done 21 days. The lodges we stayed at were absolutely stunning and to really enjoy them would be a minimum of three nights. The distance between lodges might appear close, if the roads were paved but since they are dirt, well you get the picture.