Namibia Explorer 19 days

These drives are the perfect way to getting acquainted with the Kalahari Desert. The approx. 3 hour morning or sunset drive with panoramic views across the Kalahari dunes is something to remember forever.

Join a 2-hour morning drive with a dedicated tour guide. After a leisurely drive guests will arrive at one of the red dunes. The red sand of the dunes invites all children to play. The family will spend some relaxed time on the dunes with coffee and hot chocolate. The guide will share some interesting facts on fauna and flora with the children (and their parents). Morning only. Subject to availability. Rate enquiries directly at the Lodge.

Explore the Kalahari on foot and on your own initiative. A trail map is available at the reception.

Explore the Kalahari on electric fat-bikes. Pedal through the Gondwana Kalahari Park on selected routes. Self-guided, subject to availability.

Explore the Kalahari on foot with a guide. May only be booked directly at the lodge.

Ready for a thrilling but safe experience? Join our guided night walk (3km) with UV light and a laser pointer after dinner. May only be booked directly at the lodge.

Experience the wild expanse of the Gondwana Canyon Park where the fences of ten farms were dismantled to recreate a Namibian Eden. Take a guided drive to the Fish River Canyon to be inspired by new perspectives. Celebrate sunrise amidst the quiver trees and sunset from a hillock, overlooking spectacular scenery. The Canyon lodges are comfortable havens to take a break from the road. Explore and discover the ancient wonderland, or simply luxuriate in the peace, lounging at the poolside, snoozing in the coolness of your chalet or sitting on the terrace dipping into a book.

This hike (about 6 km) takes you right into Gondwana Canyon Park. You are accompanied by a guide who will gladly share his knowledge about the fascinating desert landscape around the canyon. This tour does not include the Fish River Canyon. (Approx. 3 hours)

We drive you to a spot with a grand view. Watch the sunrise while enjoying coffee and tea. Then we walk back the short distance to the lodge. This tour does not include the Fish River Canyon. (Approx. 1 hour)

Especially for guests who want a break from the wheel or those on a fly-in safari. You are taken to the two major lookout points along the Fish River Canyon. Our guide will tell you all about the canyon's fascinating geology. (Approx. 3 hours)

The 3 hour drive is the perfect opportunity for you to acquaint yourself with the geology, flora and fauna of the Gondwana Canyon Park. This tour does not include the Fish River Canyon. It starts at Canyon Lodge or Canyon Village. Approx. 3 hours

All guests are invited to wrap up the day with a short excursion to our very own ‘local’ mountain. Have a drink and watch the sun go down.

Self-guided trip to the Wild Horses viewpoint at Garub

Lüderitz is just 120km away and the ghost town of Kolmanskop only 115km (tar road). Klein-Aus Vista is the ideal starting point for a trip to both places. 20km from Aus, on the way to or back from Luderitz, visit the Garub water hole where the wild horses and several other animals of the desert plains can be found.

Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park, (God’s Window), min. 4 persons per excursion

Explore the flora and fauna of the Succulent Karoo desert on your own. You have five different hiking trails to choose from. They are well marked and take you through the wildly romantic scenery of the Aus Mountains. Duration: between 2 and 5 hours

There is a choice of different routes on well marked trails : varying from 18 km to 35 km - mostly single track trails, recommended for riders with intermediate skills - Rent dual suspension bikes.

These drives in the late afternoon present an opportunity to experience the incredible scenic beauty of Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park at dusk. (min. 3 persons per excursion)

EXPERIENCE THE NAMIB
DESERT ON HORSEBACK
For the more adventurous 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 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 day 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.

This experience can be tailored. There are three different offers.
The ‚Namib Night‘ begins in the afternoon and consists of two stages of riding and one overnight stay in tents. The ‚Desert Experience‘ begins early in the morning and has three stages slightly
longer riding with an overnight stay in tents.
‚Stars of the Namib‘ with five stages of riding and two overnight stays (Namib Outpost / tented camp) offers a very intense experience for horse lovers, coupled with the exploration of nature in the Namib Desert. Riding to the next destination is done during the cooler time of the day while enjoying some lunch and downtime during the heat of the day.
Horses vary from very tame and easy to ride -even if for those who have never ridden before-, to ones that are just as easily manageable, but willing and able to give a more exciting ride.
Beginners are just as welcome to join on this adventure as more experienced riders.

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 6 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 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. 6 guests per vehicle
• Includes sundowner-drinks and snacks

OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA

• Quad biking
• Hot air ballooning
• Scenic flights
The team at Desert Homestead Lodge will be happy to organize all activities of other providers in the area.
The reception team 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 p.m. In the case of a later arrival, it is not possible to guarantee a performance or attendance due to the different start times.

From the guesthouse, guests can take a 15-minute walk along the beach to reach our private beach breakfast setup. Enjoy the Atlantic Ocean while sitting on a small dune having breakfast. Afterwards take a leisurely walk back to the guesthouse.

Available for max. 4 pax.

Marvel at the rich vegetation with the possibility to encounter desert adapted elephants in the dry Aba-Huab River valley. Our experienced field guides will take you on an exciting nature drive, filled with interesting facts pertaining to the area, its history and wildlife. Be on the lookout to spot birds of prey, antelope, fairy circles, Welwitchia Mirabilis and many other interesting geological formations. Our guides have an excellent record for tracking down herds of free roaming desert adapted elephants and will do their best to meet up with these magnificent giants. Ample time is allowed to take pictures and exchange information about endemic fauna and flora.

The nature drive returns over valleys of savannah, small dunes, the dry river bed and interesting geological formations. A stop at Welwitchia Hill allows guests to disembark the vehicle and enjoy a lovely sundowner in an unspoilt nature setting. Take as many pictures as you like of the sun setting across the desert-like savannah plains and distant mountains. This is Africa at its best.

After the sundowner, guests return to the lodge to freshen up and enjoy a delicious buffet dinner.

Guests are required to meet their guide at Reception 15 minutes prior to departure time for a meet and greet session. The guide will give a general introduction of the tour and highlight specific safety and environmental regulations that need to be adhered to. Guests are encouraged to make use of this opportunity to inform their guide of specific fields of interest such as photography, birding, animal behaviour, etc. The guide will structure the tour to focus on these areas of interest.

Departure time:15h00

Included:Mineral water, soft drinks, beers and sparkling wine.
Duration:3.5 – 4.0 hours

Guests are advised to have sufficient protection against the sun and to take warms clothes along during winter times.

Bookings can be made in advance, or at reception.

A trip to the Rock engravings & paintings, The Burnt Mountain and The Organ Pipes accompanied by a resident guide. Many of the rock formations are the products of prehistoric volcanic action. Fascinating plants in the area include the Welwitschia Mirabilis, the Moringa and a variety of Commiphora species.

Rock engravings: The engravings have very few depictions of humans; by far the majority of the engravings at Twyfelfontein depict animals and their spoor. The rock engravings at Twyfelfontein revealed a deeper understanding of the world to the hunters and the gatherers that lived there in the past.

Organ Pipes: These masses of perpendicular dolerite pillars are located down the riverbed and formed by the intrusion of volcanic rock dolerite about 120 million years ago.

Burnt Mountain: Located a couple of kilometers from the Organ Pipes and visible from the road. The Karoo limestones which formed the mountain were deposited around 200 million years ago. About 120 million years ago, the same period the Organ Pipes were formed, volcanic lava intruded the limestones and metamorphism giving the mountain its distinctive colour.

Departure time: 08h00 (after breakfast)
Included:Mineral water & soft drinks
Duration:Approximately 3 hours

1. Traditional Life in the village:
Experience the daily routine in a traditional museum, including traditional blacksmith (making of weapons and tools), tanning of leather (production of traditional clothes), jewellery and crafts, dancing, singing and traditional games, Holy Fire and fire making and more.

2. Bushwalk:
Follow us on a bushwalk where the women collect plants from the bush for food, perfume and medicine and where the men show you how to set up traps, snares and how they used to hunt in the old times.

3. Traditional Life & Bushwalk:
Combines programs 1 & 2 for the complete traditional Damara experience.

Children policy
0 - 2 yrs free of charge
3 - 12 yrs half price

Guided morning and afternoon hiking trails are available. During these trails you can encounter fascinating plants in the area, including the Welwitschia mirabilis, the Moringa and a variety of Commiphora species.

Morning trails will start 30 minutes before sunrise. Afternoon trails start approximately 1 hour before sunset to allow guests time to get back to the Lodge before dark.The duration of the walk will be determined by the guide, considering the speed and capabilities of each guest.

A minimum 2 guests & maximum 10 guests per guide.

This is a drive to the Adam & Eve Rock to view engravings and a small bushman painting before continuing to the Real Adam & Eve painting. The story behind the paintings & engravings will be explained by the guide.

Departure time: Mornings only - Please enquire at reception for the departure time.
Included:Mineral water & soft drinks
Duration:Approximately 1.5 hours
Distance:20km & then a 10 minute walk to the site & again 10 minute walk to the parking
Elevation: 12 meters

Explore the national park with our guides who are familiar with the waterholes and the animals that visit them. Let them introduce you to African wildlife from the elevated seat of a game vehicle. Early mornings or late afternoons provide the best game viewing times. And, after Etosha enchantment return to the lodge to dive into the cool waters of the pools. Dine on the veranda under a dome of stars, sit next to a blazing fire or watch the ruby sun sink gracefully into the landscape. Be at peace.

Explore the National Park and its amazing wildlife in a 9-seater game vehicle. Refreshments, snacks, entrance fees to the National Park and passenger liability insurance are included.

Explore the national park with our guides who are familiar with the waterholes and the animals that visit them. Let them introduce you to African wildlife from the elevated seat of a game vehicle. Early mornings or late afternoons provide the best game viewing times. And, after Etosha enchantment return to the lodge to dive into the cool waters of the pools. Dine on the veranda under a dome of stars, sit next to a blazing fire or watch the ruby sun sink gracefully into the landscape. Be at peace.

Explore the National Park and its amazing wildlife in a 9-seater game vehicle. Refreshments, snacks, entrance fees to the National Park and passenger liability insurance are included. Departing morning or afternoon.

Hire our 7-seater VW Kombi for your private game drive in Etosha National Park, equipped with opening side windows, skylight, fridge, drinks and snacks. An unparalleled, social safari experience! (Guide on request at an additional cost)

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 by 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. He has also upskilled three ladies from Onguma and they too are available and receiving great reviews!

Namibia can offer a truly memorable and interactive experience in the wilderness for families travelling with children by offering children's accommodation, specially designed game drives for children, activities and meals.

Onguma Nature Reserve welcomes children to explore and experience the uniqueness of the untamed African bush with its many wild animals both the big and small!

At Onguma Bush Camp there has always been an emphasis on family and the Lodge encourages families. The staff go out of their way to make sure the young ones have the time of their lives and the parents get their own satisfying safari experience. The bushveld of Onguma is a wild wonderland, a child's dream come true, and the Lodge delights in being able to share her secrets with the next generation.

Revitalise yourself in the pool or relax in a lounger on the poolside sundeck.

You are invited on a journey of peace and tranquillity to relax and restore body, mind and soul, and experience the unique silent language and vocabulary of strokes and pressures.

Kindly note that our massage therapists are not based at Immanuel Lodge, therefore we ask you to pre-book the treatments. Massages are done one after the other but couple massages are available on request.

A horse riding experience not to be missed. Ride on and around the Khomas mountains with our experienced partner, just a 20 min drive from Immanuel Lodge.

Take a drive to Namibia's first Guest Farm located just north of Windhoek.

Experience Namibia at it's best with game drives starting at the farm and going all the way to surrounding farms.

Take an exciting up-close drive, see and take pictures of leopards and cheetahs from as close at 10 - 15 m away.

A horse riding experience not to be forgotten anytime soon. Ride on and around the farm with a local guide.

Take a drive up to Okapuka Ranch of gently rolling plains and bush land savannah that extend towards the horizon. The land afoot the Otjihavera mountains. Home to a large variety of birds and mammals.

Take time to feed the lions. Go on game drives around the farm and enjoy the beauty of the ranch during the day.

Take a drive to Naankuse Lodge & Wildlife Sanctuary. Experience first hand the beauty of coexistence of wildlife and people.

Explore the lodge, take walks with the animals. Experience first hand a day in the life of the San Bushmen by joining them on a hunt.