The lions, elephants and rhinos that roam the Namibian landscape had an unexpected visitor when 15-year-old Hugo made his wild wish.

Hugo, who was diagnosed with acute myelogenus leukemia, has always been fascinated with world travel, foreign cultures, and especially wild animals. He asked the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Hudson Valley to quench his thirst for adventure with a safari in Namibia, a country near the southern tip of Africa.

Getting to Namibia required a 20-hour trip, but once he arrived, Hugo saw the most breathtaking and wild landscapes imaginable, from the Skeleton Coast, rich with African wildlife, to the Namib Desert, home to the world’s most magnificent sand dunes. Wildland Adventures, a company specializing in “worldwide explorations for active and inquisitive travelers” hosted Hugo on his Namibian trek.

Hugo and his dad discovered firsthand what it felt like to summit the giant mountains of sand. After their arrival, the pair hiked what’s believed to be the world’s tallest dune – dubbed “Big Daddy” by the locals – rising 1,200 feet above the desert floor. They also learned that going down a dune was a lot faster than going up, sandboarding at thrilling speeds.

But for Hugo, nothing compared to the thrill of seeing all the African animals he’d grown up reading about. He and his family jumped in a jeep and visited the natural habitats of giraffes, rhinos, antelope and two different species of elephants. The adventure continued after sundown as they made camp in tents in the bush.

“A lion slept outside our tent one night,” Hugo excitedly recalled. “It woke us up by calling to its family.”

For Hugo, the highlight of the trip came when he got to “hang out” at a cheetah preserve. He smiled recalling how he got to feed one of the cheetahs there. “It began to really like me and felt comfortable around me. It would come up and rub up against me and purr. I think I bonded with that cheetah.”

Hugo hated to leave this amazing country, with the dramatic scenery and wildlife that had begun to feel like home. But when he returned to home to the United States, he had a camera full of photos and 10 days’ worth of stories to share with friends and family.

“I met a lot of nice and fun people including locals…the Namibians are some of the most friendly people I have ever met in my travels,” Hugo said.