2024 18-DAY NAMIBIA, DELTA, CHOBE & VIC FALLS (LUXURY) S/D

SOSSUSVLEI EXCURSION
• Drive to the Sossusvlei dunes in a safari 4x4 vehicle accompanied by a Guide with in-depth knowledge of the area
• Departure seasonally, depending on national park opening hours. Activity is possible in the early morning or afternoon ( in the morning preferably for photography – departing before sunrise. In the afternoon preferably for experiencing the dunes more in private, fewer visitors will be there)
• Minimum of 2 guests or single supplement applicable; small groups only (maximum of 9 guests per vehicle)
• Activity duration is approx. 1⁄2 a day (approx. 6 – 7 hours)
• Rate includes a picnic in the dunes, guide, water, entrance fees

SUNDOWNER DRIVE
On the Witwater Wilderness Reserve – 7000 ha.
• A relaxing way to end the day and enjoy beautiful views and a sundowner with drinks and snacks
• Starts in the afternoon, and lasts 2 – 2 1⁄2 hours, departure times change seasonally; guests are back at the lodge just before dinner
• minimum of 2 guests or a single supplement applicable, max. 9 guests per vehicle
• opportunity to come face to face with the nature of the Namib in a safari 4x4 vehicle
• Includes sundowner drinks and snacks

OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA

• Quad biking
• Hot air ballooning
• Scenic flights
The staff at Desert Homestead Lodge and Desert Homestead Outpost will be happy to organize all activities of other providers in the area.
An employee of the lodges informs the guests in detail about the start and departure times, depending on the season, as well as about meeting points, equipment, clothes etc. of the activities of the next day during the dinner.
For participation in afternoon activities, check-in is necessary until 2 pm. In the case of a later arrival, it is not possible to guarantee a performance or attendance due to the different start times.

EXPERIENCE THE NAMIB

DESERT ON HORSEBACK

For the more adventurous of spirit, Desert Homestead Lodge offers a unique experience where guests can ride out onto the private reserve and sleep out in nature. The reserve is situated in between the majestic red sand sea of the Namib Desert and the rugged Naukluft mountains.

Leaving the stables and lodge behind, an unforgettable journey set off through wide open plains riding over a varied terrain changing from soft, sandy, stretched open fields, to rockier mountain trails, through dry riverbeds, under social weavers nests and around camelthorn trees.

The experienced guide will eagerly tell more about the environment, fauna and flora. Riders are almost guaranteed to come across a herd or two of grazing Oryx, springbok, or Zebra and some varieties of smaller carnivores, such as Jackal and bat-eared foxes.

Riding takes place at a comfortable pace so that everyone feels comfortable. Slower riders can hang back while more experienced riders go for long stretched-out gallops over grassy plains while winding the way towards the tented Camp, where refreshments await for a truly remarkable sundowner with magnificent views. After watching the sunset over the majestic mountains it’s time to kick off the boots, relax and enjoy the Namibian night skies. While Dinner gets ready on the campfire true Namibian style a refreshing shower awaits.

Dinner is served next to the crackling fire whilst conversation is sure to revert to the days riding. Then it’s time to retire to the comfortable tent or even a stretcher outside, for those who prefer to sleep out in nature under starry skies to get some rest before the next day’s riding.

Riders will wake up the next morning to the smell of coffee brewing and bacon and eggs cooking over an open fire while watching the horses being prepared for the next stretch of riding. After a hearty breakfast, it is time to stretch the legs once again and set off on horses who eagerly await the rest of the adventure.

The Strand Hotel Activity & Adventure Travel Office, staffed by local professional Travel Consultants, will help Guests plan their sojourn in Swakopmund ensuring they experience and enjoy all on offer in Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and along this exciting and very unique Southern Atlantic coastline and neighbouring Namib Desert. Their sole objective is making sure that every guest's stay is personalised and filled with interesting, exciting, educational and cultural activities and adventures.

It provides:
* Airline Re-confirmations
* Car & Bicycle Hire
* Transfer Arrangements
* Restaurant Reservations
* Shopping Advice & Information
* Personalised Consultation

Guided afternoon/evening game drives take place on the private Ongava Game Reserve. The reserve is famed for its population of rhino as well as lion and other game such as antelope, including endemic black-faced impala. Private vehicles can be booked at an extra cost (subject to availability).

Full- or half-day guided morning game drives in the Etosha National Park, Namibia’s prime savannah wilderness area (with a packed lunch on full day). See the massive saltpan as well as the perennial springs that provide the water required by the Park’s high-density big game population, including its elephant population. Private vehicles can be booked at an extra cost (subject to availability).

Offered seasonally and subject to an available walking guide, nature walks through the area take in the abundant array of life, small and large; with a chance of potentially approaching white rhino.

The hide is a fantastic place to relax and while the hours away up close and personal with wildlife slaking its thirst at the camp waterhole. This arid environment where little water occurs makes this a popular drinking spot for game.

Guests can interface with science and research across the Ongava Game Reserve and part of this experience is an immersion into the world of natural history and science at the new Ongava Visitor Centre. With dozens of in-depth displays that feature information on the geology, animals, plants and ecological functioning of this fascinating region, guests are encouraged to meander through the self-guided exhibition area.

The Dream Cruiser is Onguma's newest and most unique under the stars sleep-out experience.

Arriving in time to enjoy sundowners and take a tour of your overnight accommodation, this sleep out in the wilderness of the reserve is on our custom built Land Cruiser, featuring a full bathroom on the lower deck and a bedroom with lounge area on the upper deck.

A night on the Dream Cruiser calls for al fresco picnic-style dining is delivered by our chef for you to enjoy as the evening turns to night and the stars dance in all their glory.
A ranger is on call via a two-way radio, so make the most of this time and relax in the safety and complete comfort of this unique space.

After a good night's rest, you can enjoy morning tea/coffee with homemade rusks before being collected for breakfast at the lodge.

Onguma's fabulous new water-level hide affords guests a great opportunity to calmly sit and enjoy nature unobserved. Amateur and professional photographers alike love the angles and light from this equipped hide.

There is a small ablution facility nearby, benches from which to view the surroundings and lots of windows and vantage points for creative camera angles.

Onguma Nature Reserve consists of 34 000 hectares of Namibian wilderness & is home to numerous plains game, more than 300 bird species ​and even 4 of the Big 5. ​The Reserve boasts over thirty different animal species. Plains game roam freely on the Reserve and predators although not always easy to spot, are nevertheless common residents of the area. Lions and Cheetahs are frequently seen and often heard. There is a healthy black rhino and leopard population and hyenas are also often seen and heard.

Etosha is a 22 750km² wildlife sanctuary in Namibia – one of Africa’s most stable and accessible countries. Etosha, meaning ‘place of dry water’, and refers to a flat calcrete depression (or pan) of about 5 000km². The ‘Pan’ (overlooked by the Onguma Reserve) provides a great, parched, silver-white backdrop of shimmering mirages to an area of semi-arid savannah grassland and thorn scrub. The pan itself contains water only after very good rains and sometimes for only a few days each year, but is enough to stimulate the growth of a blue-green algae which lures thousands of flamingos.

Africa takes on a new perspective when you experience it on foot as the first explorers did. A bush walk is a unique physical, mental and spiritual adventure through nature. Experience the sights, smells and sounds of the Namibian bush by conducting an early morning leisurely walk accompanied by one of our experienced armed rangers.

​Johan, our resident therapist, is a professional massage therapist with over 15 years experience, having lived and worked at renowned Wellness Centres in Asia and Africa. His passion for and dedication to massage therapy originated in the East, where he was trained and educated from the best teachers in their respective fields. Having the opportunity to spend considerable time with monks in Thailand, has also led him to incorporate focused awareness into his massage therapies.

We offer:
- Therapeutic Full Body Massage - 60 min – N$ 850 / 90 min
- Lymphatic Drainage Massage - 60 min
- Back Neck & Shoulder Massage - 45 min – N$ 600 / 60 min
- Head & Face Massage - 45 min
- Thai Foot Massage - 45 min
- Unique Combination of Therapeutic Massage & Thai Yoga Massage - 90 min

Visit a Traditional Village nearby Divava Okavango Resort.

The Kavango inhabitants will welcome visitors to their village and show how they grow crops, prepare food and drinks and much more. Visitors will learn about their culture and watch their traditional dances.

This amazing National Park is only at 10 minutes drive from Divava Okavango Resort and offers guests a very good chance to spot four out of the Big Five!

Elephants, Buffalo, Lion and Leopard are very present in this park and easy to spot. This park is much smaller then the Etosha National Park and perfect to visit for only a few hours. Visiting Mahangu National Park is an absolute must! Visitors can do it with their own car and follow the roadsigns or take a guided tour with on of Divava Okavango's game drive vehicles.

Discover the Okavango River and its surroundings on one of Divava Okavango's boat cruises.

Explore the river on either a small or large boat, heading down stream where you will see Hippo, Crocodile, an enormous variety of Birdlife and much more! The guide will tell you everything you wish to know about the amazing nature and wildlife in and around the river.

Just before sundown the cruise will head up stream from the Resort, to the Popa Falls to watch the sunset with some refreshments and snacks.

Fishing is another fun and unique activity at Divava Okavango Resort! Go out on the mighty Okavango River for a few hours and catch some on the world’s most unique species like Tigerfish, Tilapia and Catfish!

The Buffalo Game Park is possibly less well-known than the Mahango National Park but also definitely worth a visit.
The park has many narrow roads some of which may not be accessible year-round, as the Okavango can break its banks if we experience a good rainy season.

You might see Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Crocodiles, Roan Antelope or one of the almost 400 bird species that have been recorded in West Caprivi.

The Popa Falls only qualify as a 'water fall' in Namibia, which has the distinction of being the driest country in Southern Africa. The Popa Falls is about 1.2km wide, and has a total drop off of about 4 meters.

However, this stunning setting creates the perfect ambience for a sun-downer boat cruise or island lunch.
The sound of the Popa Falls can be heard from Resort and provides the ideal soundtrack while relaxing in the Spa or enjoying dinner at the Restaurant.

Game drives are conducted with a professional guide in specially-designed vehicles this allows unhindered game viewing and photography.

Explore the Okavango Deltaʼs crystal clear waterways by motorboat, and enjoy the magnificent variety of bird, plant and reptile species found in the area.

Visit the Kanana Private Heronry, one of the largest breeding sights in Southern Africa.

Mokoro activities provide the chance to experience the incredible aquatic wildlife of the Okavango Delta, such as sitatunga, fish eagles, painted reed frogs and malachite kingfishers. Climb aboard a Mokoro with your ʻpolerʼ and enjoy exploring the Okavango Deltaʼs tranquil waterways.

Take a guided bush walk to gain a detailed understanding of this diverse environment, which features gems such as red lechwe bounding through marshy areas, a kaleidoscope of birdlife, plus predators and big game. Walks can also be taken on small islands where the extraordinary Pelʼs Fishing Owl is known to nest.

Fishing enthusiasts can enjoy motorboat trips to some of the Okavango Deltaʼs best fishing spots, for a chance to experience the beautiful surroundings before landing a variety of species such as tilapia and tiger fish, African pike and sharp tooth catfish.

Game drives often continuing into the evening offering the opportunity of seeing nocturnal inhabitants of the area.

Families can enjoy their guided walks accompanied by a young explorers Specialist Family guide.

Immerse yourself in a walking focused safari experience with our specialist guide.

The Sleep Out Deck offers guests a panoramic view and the opportunity to spend the night under the magnificent African night sky.

No Chobe safari is complete without experiencing the beauty of the Chobe River and its incredible wildlife by boat.

The riverboats are specifically designed to ensure each passenger can take in the magnificent Chobe views in complete comfort from anywhere on the boat. Owing to the flexibility in seating arrangements and the flat deck, the boats are ideal for keen wildlife photographers, with ample space for equipment and the freedom to photograph from any angle.

Unlike any other water-based activity in Botswana, the game viewing while on a river safari in Chobe is unsurpassed anywhere in Botswana. Elephants line the water’s edge, hippo congregate in lagoons, hundreds of antelope and giraffe make their way to the water and sightings of predators along the river banks are common.

All of the boats at Chobe Game Lodge are solar-electric powered boats – a clean and quiet way to enjoy a boat safari and another first for tourism in Africa.

Owing to the location of Chobe Game Lodge inside the Chobe National Park, early-morning game drives set off as soon as the park opens, giving you the best chance of tracking predators while they are still active. The afternoon drives depart the lodge in the late afternoon (the exact time is dependent on the season), only returning at park closure time after sunset, thus maximising the time you spend out in the park to enjoy those special sightings.

The drives follow the course of the Chobe River as your experienced guide interprets the bush signs and tracks in search of the resident wildlife. Elephant encounters are common and huge herds of buffalo abound. The ever-present impala and the majestic giraffe are both common residents, while sightings of the puku antelope are also on offer. Predators are plentiful in the northern region of the Chobe National Park, and excellent sightings of lion, wild dog and leopard are to be had.

The Chobe Game Lodge vehicles are open 4WD game viewers redesigned to make your trip comfortable and your viewing experience astonishing. Included in the fleet are several silent, CO2 emission-free electric vehicles designed to further enhance your Chobe safari.

Birding is spectacular with Schalows turaco, barred owlet and white-browed coucal resident in the gardens as well as rosythroated longclaw, western-banded snake-eagle and hooded vulture among a few of the 450 species of the Chobe region.

A guided tour of “the Victoria Falls”, situated merely 7km from Old Drift Lodge, is included in the nightly rate, but excludes park fees, which are payable direct. This excursion can be booked in conjunction with a lunch at the Lookout Café.

Africa has an air of romance that sets her apart from anywhere else in the world. However, it is upon stepping into the Victoria Falls rainforest that guests are truly swept off their feet. There is no finer ambience than the gentle roar of the waterfall. The trees grow so closely together that their branches entwine, and their soft, wet drip across the stone path that weaves through this natural wonder. Submerge yourself in the fragrance of the fauna and the playful fauna in this enchanting and awe-inspiring space. A guided tour is included in the nightly rate, excluding park fees. Satisfy your wanderlust by visiting the more beautiful of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Morning and afternoon game drives in 4 x 4 game viewing vehicles will take you along the Zambezi River through the Zambezi National Park. Game that can be seen include elephants, buffalo, kudu, giraffe, zebra, eland, impala, warthogs, lion, wild dog and on occasions, cheetah. Tea baskets and snacks will be taken on the morning drives and Sundowners and snacks on the afternoon game drives.

Old Drift has two luxury 10 seater pontoon boats which will be used for morning and afternoon river safaris. Drinks and snacks will be provided on both safaris.

Morning and afternoon walking safaris will take place along the river but also in the spring lines of Zambezi National Park. Guests will be accompanied by a Professional Guide. Please note that children U 16 years are not permitted on walking safaris.

Guests have the option to enjoy a lunch at the Lookout Café, inclusive of drinks.

This can be booked in conjunction with the Tour of the Falls or for the adrenalin lovers, after they have taken part in any of the high wire activities that take place at the “Lookout”.