Rate: R 63 000.00 per person sharing
Minimum 8 person
Maximum 10 person
Tour includes:
• 18 days guided tour, fuel, vehicle, English/German speaking guide
• 17 nights accommodation as per itinerary
• Meals as per itinerary
• Entrance/conservation fees
• Game drives as per itinerary
• Boat tour
• Guided desert tour
Day 1, night 1
Windhoek to Kalahari
After meeting your guide, we board the tour vehicle to start our safari with a drive south out of the capital city of Namibia, Windhoek.
We continue south on the main north / south route into what is called the Kalahari or Kalahari Desert as it is sometimes incorrectly referred to as. It is an area that is characterized by parallel lines of shifting red sand dunes interspersed with shallow valleys of waving grassland and dotted with characteristic Camel thorn trees and other interesting shrubs and trees. These provide both shade and a rich source of good food for the browsers as well as some of the grazing animals.
Here we find herds of Zebra, Giraffe, stately Oryx or Gemsbok as they are called in this part of the world. Eland, the largest of the African antelope, can be viewed as well as smaller creatures such as Meerkats and Ground Squirrels.
The area is renowned for its bird life with the almost surreal nests of the sociable weavers being built on any obliging tree or telegraph pole.
These huge structures, made from twigs, straw and grass are home to the weavers as well as to other birds and small creatures that seek shelter in these convenient mega homes.
We check into our comfortable lodge for the next two days.
Overnight Kalahari Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 2, night 2
Kalahari Lodge
One of the best ways to experience Africa up close and personal is to board an open game drive vehicle with a knowledgeable guide and take a two to three hour drives out into the veld. Veld is the South African word for the „Great Outdoors“ here you will get to see a wide variety of wildlife from Springbok, Gemsbok, Blue Wildebeest and many others including the largest of them all. There are many colourful birds including the busy, energetic Sociable Weavers mentioned above, Zebra and Ostrich can be found in amongst the stunning scenery of the rich valleys and tall red sand dunes.
We return to the lodge for a delicious breakfast before relaxing for the hot part of the day around the swimming pools in this oasis in the savannas.
As the shadows start to stretch across the grasslands we board the open 4 x 4 vehicle to view the amazing wildlife in this beautiful part of the world before returning to the lodge for a well prepared dinner and a good night’s rest in this peaceful environment.
Overnight Kalahari Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 3, night 3
Kalahari to Namib desert
After a hearty breakfast we check out of our lodge and board the tour vehicle as we make our way west to Mariental a small center on the north / south arterial route before heading west to the early settlement of Maltahöhe established in 1899 by Henning von Burgersdorff and named after his wife Malta. The settlement went through a tourism boom which has subsequently dropped off, but it is still home to the oldest country hotel in Namibia, the Maltahöhe Hotel which was founded in 1907.
Continuing west we reach our destination where we do a hike through the beautiful, petrified dunes in the Namib desert before making our way to the lodge for a deserved and delicious evening meal and a peaceful nights rest in this calming, desert country
Overnight, Namib Desert lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 4, night 4
Sossusvlei Namib Desert
The best time to view the wonders of the Sossusvlei dunes is at sunrise. To do this we need to get up early in order to catch the sun rising above the eastern horizon.
The dunes which are some of the highest in the world lay on a north / south axis, the result is that when the sun rises in the east, the west facing side of the dunes remain in deep shade giving contrasting views of the sunlit, east facing slopes, creating spectacular views and great photographic opportunities.
Once at the dunes we take our time to view, experience and photograph this beautiful landscape before taking a four-wheel drive shuttle to get closer to the dunes so as to be able to climb them.
After climbing the dunes, we return via the Sesriem Canyon and then back to our lodge to relax around the pool during the heat of the day.
Overnight, Namib Desert lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 5, night 5
Namib desert to Swakopmund
After a good breakfast we board our tour vehicle and head north through the desert, passed the Kuiseb and Ghaub river gorges with spectacular vistas all around as we cross from south to north over the Tropic of Capricorn and approach the area where Henno Martin and Hermann Korn took to the desert to avoid the conflict of the Second World War that played itself out in this far flung desert wilderness.
Here we stop and take a short hike to view the remains of the shelter these two geologists built for themselves and where they survived the harsh conditions of this seemingly waterless landscape. We are continuing our journey north through the Namib-Naukluft national Park to Walvis Bay then on the short coastal stretch to our overnight accommodation in a comfortable hotel in the picturesque German, colonial port city of Swakopmund.
Overnight, Hotel Swakopmund, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 6, night 6
Swakopmund
After breakfast we board the tour vehicle and drive the short distance to Walvis Bay.
Here we board the boat for a 3-hour fun filled tour that takes you along Walvis Bay’s tidal lagoon, home to abundant bird life and marine animals, making our way to Pelican Point and Seal Colony. On board we enjoy fresh oysters with some sparkling wine onboard and learn about the local ecosystem and have some interactions with “regular guests on board our catamarans”.
Overnight, Hotel Swakopmund, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 7, night 7
Swakopmund
We head out into the desert at 8:00 am to see the wonders of the creatures in this arid region. The „living desert tour” will take you on this unforgettable four-wheel drive tour into the dune belt south of Swakopmund.
You will be guided through a picturesque, if seemingly barren, landscape to find the hidden treasures as we track chameleons, snakes, skinks, scorpions, lizards, geckos and other small creatures and learn more about the desert ecology of the region. This amazing tour ends on a dune overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Informative and environmentally conscious, with lots to see, learn about, experience and photograph.
After the tour we arrive back in Swakopmund for a relaxing afternoon exploring the town before taking your evening meal.
Overnight, Hotel Swakopmund, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 8, night 8
Swakopmund to Mount Etjo
After a full breakfast and a sad goodbye to the characterful Swakopmund, we swing northeast and make our way inland once again.
It is spectacular countryside, particularly the huge Spitzkoppe.
These are huge granite outcrops or inselbergs that protrude above the surrounding plains. They are more than 120 million years old and rise about 1,728 metres (5,669 ft) above sea level.
After the Spitzkoppe we head north on a scenic drive to our overnight accommodation at one of the oldest Safari lodges in Namibia.
After checking in we take a relaxing swim in the pool before joining your ranger for a game drive in the nature reserve that is home to an abundance of wildlife.
We return to the lodge in time to freshen up before the evening meal in the lodge restaurant and a good night’s rest in these peaceful surroundings.
Overnight Mount Etjo Safari Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 9, night 9
Mount Etjo to Etosha National Park
We meet for breakfast with the excitement of knowing that we are going to be heading into one of the world‘s great game viewing areas in the renowned Etosha National Park.
The park is named after the expansive salt pan that occupies the central portions of the park, the actual pan itself is the largest of its kind in Africa. The word Etosha means „great white area “.
Because the park falls within an arid zone the savanna vegetation is mostly short and scrub like with larger thorn trees found in the drainage lines and along the mostly dry water courses. The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife such as Lion, Elephant, Leopard Giraffe, Cheetah and Hyena. Springbok, Wildebeest and Oryx (locally referred to as Gemsbok) can be seen in big herds crossing the plains, with two species of Zebra. There is a wide variety of birds, both large and small to keep the birders entertained.
The park is a naturalists and photographers dream come true.
Each of the main camps in the park have a floodlit waterhole where one can sit in comfort and watch as the wildlife comes down to drink water and interact with one another each evening. In addition to the flood lite waterholes most of the camps offer a photographic hide from which to sit and take photographs from.
As we leave our last overnight stop, we head north towards the park and enter at a southern gate. Here we check into the park before continuing the short distance to our overnight rest camp where we check into our accommodation. After settling in we prepare for the excitement of our first game drive in the park.
We return to the camp in time to freshen up for our evening meal. All of the accommodation is situated inside the park, so we are entertained by the sounds of the night while staying here. Listen for the sharp call of the Jackal or the eerie whooping of the hyena may alert you to an evening kill close by or the deep resonance of a pride of lions calling in the dark will bring home the fact that, here you are in the very heart of Africa.
Enjoy the nightlife at the floodlit waterhole or just enjoy your night‘s rest with the sounds that surround you.
Overnight Etosha National Park Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 10, night 10
Etosha National Park – Okakuejio
Getting the best experience in a national park means getting to bed early and rising again early the next morning, to be in time to catch the first light and setting out from the overnight rest camp as early as possible.
We do this to ensure that we get the best chance at catching the evening predators, the Hyena and Lion, Jackal and the shy Leopard before they head for shady thickets and long grass to lie up during the heat of the day.
Further afield as the day heats up, we make our way to the waterholes where the wildlife will congregate in their herds, some in the sparse shade of a thorn tree, while others stand out on the open plains waiting for the Elephants, their thick skins plastered in shades of dark grey mud, with alternative layers of powdery white dust.
Here enormous great bulls dominate everyone while the females and the calves hustle between the tree stump like legs to get a drink of fresh water, the youngsters screeching in frustration at the selfish adults.
Here the heat haze creates eerie apparitions creating long legged Zebra, like stretched, striped Giraffe, waiting impatiently for their turn at the water‘s edge. There is always something to see at these waterholes, Jackal moving quietly but quickly through the throng of animals, a pair of huge Kori Bustards bending their knees gently to lower their heads to water level to drink the lifesaving water.
Hundreds of thousands of skittish Red Bill Queleas flock like dark clouds to the water’s edge to claim their few life giving drops of water before swirling off in another dark cloud as they make their way back to their feeding ground.
A ceaseless parade of wildlife, each with its own needs of the same life-giving fluid that lies liquidly in these shallow depressions.
Overnight Etosha National Park Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Optional extra: game drive in the parks open game drive vehicle
Day 11, night 11
Etosha National Park – Halali
We wake with the sun rise and depart early to be ready at the best time to find and view the wildlife in this huge National Park.
We return to camp for breakfast before checking out to depart for a second overnight rest camp further to east of where we have been staying. We view the wildlife enroute before checking into our new accommodation and take lunch in the camp restaurant and a rest before boarding the tour vehicle for the afternoon / evening game drive. We return to our rest camp to freshen up before the evening meal and a good night‘s rest listening to the sounds of the African night.
Overnight Etosha National Park Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Optional extra: game drive in the parks open game drive vehicle
Day 12, night 12
Etosha National Park to a lodge on the outside of the park.
Wake early and depart along the southern side of the salt-encrusted pan, game viewing along the way and reach the Namutoni Camp by about lunchtime.
We leave the National Park in the afternoon and check into our lodge on the outskirts of the park, situated in beautiful gardens. It is the perfect place to sit around the pool and recount the stories of the last few days in the magnificent Etosha National Park.
Freshen up after a full day and take our evening meal in the lodge restaurant.
Overnight Mokuti Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 13, night 13
Lodge near Etosha to Waterberg Plateau
After breakfast we head south to the interesting Cheetah Conservation Fund to the east of Otjiwarongo. Here we take an interesting, guided tour of the Cheetahs and the facilities before saying farewell to our new friendship with the fastest animal on our planet, we drive through Otjiwarongo with its bulging curio markets to our overnight stop on the famous Waterberg Plateau Park.
Not only is this place loaded with history from the former German colonial period and the 1904 Herero and Nama conflict, but it is also a place of scenic beauty with a wide diversity of bird and animal life that can be enjoyed on foot.
Overnight Waterberg Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 14, night 14
Waterberg Plateau
We depart for a special game drive onto the plateau to see the African buffalo and other rare antelopes if we are lucky. We also climb the Waterberg to experience the unique view over the Sandveld from the top.
Overnight Waterberg Lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast
Day 15, night 15
Waterberg Plateau to Erindi private game reserve
We have now reached the furthest point of our safari tour, where we begin to return back in a southerly direction making our way to Namibia’s largest private game reserve, Erindi Private Game Reserve situated in the central areas of Namibia.
Here we encounter a very special experience with nature and some of the people who are synonymous the wild areas of the country, the Bushmen and women who make these beautiful, rugged areas their home.
Game drives in open game drive vehicles are the primary activity and all other specialised activities depend on the availability of the game drive vehicles and the specialist guides required to conduct the specialist activities. An experience of a lifetime awaits you here.
Overnight Private game reserve, full board
Day 16, night 16
Erindi private game reserve
We spend the full day dedicated to the enjoyment of this the largest privately owned game reserve in Namibia. A wonderland of wide open savannas, filled with both big and small game.
A sheer treasure trove of African Wildlife ranging from the largest land mammal, the African Elephant to Lions, Leopard and even walking with Cheetah in the wild.
We observe a diverse and varied birdlife and learn so much from the indigenous Bushmen and their life skill in the African bush.
Overnight Private game reserve, full board
Day 17, night 17
Private game reserve to Windhoek
After a good breakfast we finally check out of this wilderness paradise and make our way to the capital of Namibia, Windhoek.
We stop off to visit a social enterprise and training centre for local, underprivileged women. Penduka trust was established in 1992. Training is given to the ladies, after which the artisans become part of the Penduka Village production team, earning a fair income from sales of their unique handmade products. Penduka is self-supporting, except for large investments and is based in Katutura, the former black township of Windhoek.
In Windhoek we take a last stroll before heading to the airport where we started almost 3 weeks ago.
Overnight at Hotel and farewell dinner
Day 18
Windhoek to airport
This day is reserved for your outbound flight from Hosea Kutako International Airport
End of services
Tour includes:
• 18 days guided tour, fuel, vehicle, English/German speaking guide
• 17 nights accommodation as per itinerary
• Meals as per itinerary
• Entrance/conservation fees
• Game drives as per itinerary
• Boat tour
• Guided desert tour
Tour excludes:
• Bar bills
• Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
• Private shopping
• Flights
• Gratuities
• Optional extras
Rate: R 63 000.00 per person sharing
Minimum 8 person
Maximum 10 person
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