Tour Overview
The Sossusvlei sand dunes are massive - some up to 300m high. They create a unique world and if you're lucky you may catch sight of an oryx. At Dead Vlei the white ground contrasts sharply with the red dunes, blue sky and gnarled black trees.
Seals & Flamingos
Heading north, a world of activity awaits! At Swakopmund you can try sandboarding, go dolphin spotting or enjoy kayaking, followed by wildlife encounters with flamingos at Walvis Bay and thousands of fur-seals at Cape Cross.
Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is a spectacular place to view big game and watching rhinos and elephants come down to the waterholes to drink is truly unforgettable. You'll also visit a Himba village to experience this culture and way of life.
Cheetah Conservation
Finally you'll make friends at the Cheetah Conservation Foundation, getting close to some of the resident big cats and learning about the efforts to protect them.
Responsible Travel
You will visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund, which is involved in conservation strategy. Our visit provides funding and you can learn about the work that's done here to protect them, as well as get close to some of the resident big cats.
Day by Day Itinerary
Clients travelling Land Only (i.e. not on our group flights from London) should make their own way to the joining point in Windhoek (day two of the itinerary). You will receive full details of exactly where to meet your Group Leader on the Joining Instructions which will be sent to you 2-3 weeks before your trip starts. For information on when the trip ends please refer to the itinerary as described below.Day 1: Depart London
Overnight flights from London to Windhoek.
Day 2: Sesriem / Sossusvlei
First of all you traverse the Khomas Hochland highlands and stop for lunch at one of the incredible viewpoints along the way, before descending to the Namib Desert. You'll stop at Solitaire for refreshments at a wayside station, seemingly set in a time warp and filled with all manner of goods and curios; the apple pie is pretty good! Your destination is close and you can now appreciate the enormous beauty of the Namib as you settle in to your guesthouse. (Driving time approx. 350km/5hrs) (BL) Guesthouse with swimming pool - 2 nights (LD)
Solitare Guestfarm - a family-run lodge with character, a pool to relax in and great views over the Namib Desert.
Day 3: Sossusvlei sand dunes; Dead Vlei & Sesriem Canyon
You rise well before dawn and drive in darkness to the park gates which open with the first rays of light. As the sun rises you'll drive into the heart of the desert to witness an incredible sight. In the morning light the desert flushes with colour that deepens and changes as the sun's rays strike the quartz sand from an ever-higher angle as the sun climbs. The spectacle is breathtaking. The endless expanse of the legendary wind-sculpted 'walking dunes' has to be seen to be believed. Far from all looking alike, dunes of different areas have distinctive shapes and characteristics. Your guide will explain about the curious mechanics of this unstable landscape and discover the natural world living within and around it. At the end of an ancient river course lies Sossusvlei where if you are lucky you may spot a striking gemsbok. From here it is approximately a 1km walk to Dead Vlei - a white clay pan set amidst red dunes with gnarled black trees over 1000 years old. During your time in the area it is well worth the stiff climb to the top of one of the 300m high dunes (reputedly the highest on earth) for the view. Equally impressive is the silence and the tremendous sense of isolation. As the temperature rises it forces you out of the desert and back to Sesriem. Here you have lunch and can rest until late afternoon when you visit Sesriem Gorge, a wonderland of rock formations where the desert floor has been cut by the force of water. For those wanting to truly appreciate the vastness of the desert, here you can take a flight over the dunes (optional); the view is nothing short of magical. It's about an hour's drive to return to your guest house. (BLD)
Day 4: Swakopmund; via Walvis Bay
Travel through Kuiseb Canyon where the dry river cuts an amazing path through the desert landscape and then see the rocks give way to sand as you get closer to the dune fields. After visiting Walvis Bay with its flamingos and pelicans, you finally reach Swakopmund; set on the Atlantic coast this is Namibia's second city. When Namibia was declared a German protectorate in 1884, the new colonial masters set to looking for an appropriate site for their principal port and capital city. At that time the most obvious choice for a deep water port was Walvis Bay but this had been annexed by the British some years earlier. Indeed Walvis Bay remained a British and later South African enclave even up until after Namibian independence in 1990. Due to the abundance of fresh water and a chance landing by a German gunboat, this site at the mouth of the Swakop River - just 30km north of Walvis Bay - was settled and developed throughout years of German administration. Today Swakopmund has a pleasant seaside feel and the German architectural influence is everywhere to be found. Tonight you have the opportunity to dine in a restaurant; an ideal opportunity to savour fresh seafood from the Atlantic, a juicy kudu steak or even Black Forest gateau! Lodge / Hotel - 2 nights (BL)
Swakopmund Beach Lodge - A small lodge situated right on the beach.
Hotel Garni Adler - A small, friendly hotel at the beach with en-suite rooms.
Day 5: Swakopmund; optional activities
There is plenty to do in and around Swakopmund. You can take a trip off the coast to go dolphin spotting or you could choose something for a bit more adrenalin such as sand-boarding. For those looking to see more of the country there are overflights from here to go in search of elusive desert elephants and see shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast. Alternatively you can relax on the beach and see the largest quartz crystal in the world. Those brave enough might take a dip in the ocean - but be warned, the water is pretty cold here! (B)
Day 6: Brandberg; via Cape Cross seal colony and skeleton coast
Heading north by road you follow the Skeleton Coast - so named by mariners who saw many whale bones strewn on its inhospitable shores. You'll stop to visit Cape Cross Seal Reserve which protects up to 100,000 Cape Fur Seals (a species of sea-lion). The sight, noise and smell are incredible as the vast mass of animals huddle together with jackals prowling at the edges, hoping for an easy meal. After crossing the gravel plains of the Namib Desert you skirt the granite massif of Namibia's highest mountain, the 'Brandberg' (2573m) which glows a spectacular deep red colour at sunset. En route, watch out for the extremely elusive desert elephants. It's hard to imagine that these animals can live in such a harsh environment. Springbok however inhabit the plains, while the more rocky areas attract klipspringer and Mountain zebra. (Driving time approx. 320 km / 5 hours)
Lodge with swimming pool - 1 night (BLD)
White Lady Lodge - a small lodge with great views of the Brandberg. The main building has a cosy bar and restaurant as well as a small pool. Most of the rooms are individual chalets with terraces set out amongst the trees.
Day 7: Himba Village; Twyfeltfontein rock art
Driving through spectacular countryside with numerous granite outcrops, you arrive at Twyfelfontein where you visit an ancient Bushman site to see rock engravings carved into petrified sand dunes (approx. 150km/2hrs). Over 2500 petroglyphs, some of which date back over 6000 years to the early Stone Age, depict a variety of animals, including some no longer found in the region.
From here you continue to the Himba village of Kamanjab. (approx. 250 km/3hrs) The Himba are one of the most traditional of African people with a semi-nomadic lifestyle, raising goats and cattle.The Himba have clung to their traditions and the beautiful Himba women are noted for their intricate hairstyles and traditional jewellery. As Himba women wear few clothes apart from a loin cloth or goatskin mini-skirt, they rub their bodies with red ochre and fat to protect themselves from the sun; this also gives their appearance a rich red colour. Himba jewellery is made in intricate designs from iron or shell. Their homesteads are cone-shaped structures made from palm leaves, mud and cattle dung. During the course of a year the family will move from one home to another in search of grazing for the animals. You spend the afternoon on a guided visit to the village to learn more about this fascinating way of life. Guesthouse - 1 night (BLD)
Oase Guesthouse - a small, simply furnished, friendly guesthouse
Day 8: Etosha NP
Continuing your drive north through picturesque farm country you arrive in Etosha National Park in time for a game drive. (approx. 300km/4 hours) Namibia's highly-renowned premier game park is huge - almost the size of Belgium - with excellent facilities. You stay first in Okaukuejo. Once the site of a fort, it's now the administrative headquarters of the park and the views at sunset from the top of its circular tower are renowned; it's possible to see as far as the unpronounceable Ondundozonananandana Mountains! However, the highlight of your first night in Etosha is an evening spent at the waterhole, where you have an excellent chance of viewing the rare black rhino and other animals not usually seen by day.
Bungalows with swimming pool - 1 night (BLD)
Okaukuejo Camp - two bedroom bungalows with shared bathroom, kitchen, BBQ area and air conditioning.
Day 9: Etosha NP; game drives
Early in the morning, you will go in search of a multitude of animals and birds. At the park's heart is the enormous Etosha Pan, a shallow, salty depression that once may have been a lakebed, but now only fills with shallow water in exceptionally wet years. Around its perimeter, numerous perennial waterholes attract great concentrations of wildlife. Four endangered species live here: black rhinoceros, black-faced impala, Hartmann's mountain zebra and the tiny damara dik-dik. As you are crossing the park you'll stop for lunch at Halali rest camp where you can also relax by the pool through the heat of the day. As it begins to cool off you head out again and add to your growing list of species spotted: elephant, giraffe, zebra, springbok, blue wildebeest, red hartebeest, gemsbok, kudu, eland, plus the carnivores: lion, cheetah, possibly leopard, spotted and brown hyena, and black-backed jackal. The long bird list includes more than 320 species - from ostrich and flamingo to the rare Wahlberg's eagle, and the Klaas' cuckoo. Bungalows with swimming pool - 2 nights (BLD)
Namutoni Camp - two-bedroom bungalows with shared bathroom, kitchen, BBQ area and air conditioning.
or Halali Camp - two-bedroom and four-bed family room bungalows with air conditioning.
Day 10: Etosha Np; game viewing
Today you'll take both morning and afternoon game drives in the eastern area of the park. Heading out early is a great time to see wildlife and you may be lucky to spot large herds of zebra and oryx (known locally as gemsbok) having a morning drink. You'll return to the rest camp for lunch and to avoid the hottest part of the day, before it is time to go off again in search of more animals. (BLD)
Please note: Night stops in the Etosha National Park may alter depending on game concentrations and local conditions
Day 11: Waterberg; Cheetah Conservation Foundation
This morning you take a final game drive in the park before leaving Etosha and heading south through the mining town of Tsumeb and past Otiwarongo to the Waterberg Plateau. The local Herero people call this area Oueverumue meaning 'narrow gate' and the sandstone mountain is an impressive sight as it surges out of the bushveld plain. The area offers a good contrast to other areas you have visited. In the afternoon you'll visit The Cheetah Conservation Fund centre. This charitable organisation is dedicated to protecting the beautiful and endangered cheetah. Namibia has more cheetahs than any other country in the world and the fund performs crucial work to protect them as well as being involved in scientific research and education programs. The centre explains about this important work and is also where they re-habilitate animals before releasing them back into the wild. Driving time approximately 5 hours.
Bungalows with swimming pool - 1 night (BLD)
Day 12: Drive to Windhoek
After a leisurely morning you'll drive south on a flat, well-surfaced road to Windhoek (approximately 400 km/5 hours). Crossing the heartland of the Herero-speaking people, there'll be a stop in Okahandja where there are some excellent wood-carving markets. On arrival in Windhoek you'll check-in to your accommodation. Free evening. Hotel - 1 night (BL)
Day 13: Fly to London
Most of the day is free to relax and explore the city. Windhoek is a relatively quiet city especially compared to other capital cities. Much of the architecture bears German influence and there are several old buildings of interest. You may also choose to take a look at a couple of the city's small museums. Look out for the Gibeon Meteorite Fountain where 31 large meteorites from the Gibeon shower (the largest known meteorite shower to fall to Earth) are mounted on steel columns. The trip ends for Land Only passengers whilst later in the day those taking the group flights to London will transfer to the airport for their overnight flights. (B)
Day 14: Arrive London
