Self - drive Best of Namibia

This is the only access route by vehicle into the Fish River Canyon. As you journey into the depths of the canyon, you will witness first-hand the millions of years of geological upheaval when the earth’s continents separated and tectonic movement resulted in the formation of the canyon. Petrified rippled mud and glacial deposits, dramatic fault lines, rough limestone and shiny quartzite are but a few of the features you will see along the way. Guides will point out evidence of rhino that once navigated the gorges and pairs of territorial klipspringers as they feast on succulents. The drive ends at the permanent rock pools. Lunch is served before heading back to the Lodge. The duration of the excursion is approximately 7 hours.

Departure time from the Lodge – between 06h00 and 07h00 after an early breakfast | Minimum 2 guests per excursion, maximum 9 per vehicle | 50% discount for children under 12.

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These easy unguided walks along the rim of the canyon are best taken early in the morning and late afternoon when the canyon’s shadows and colours are at their most dramatic. Have a closer look at the plants and the birdlife and marvel at the vastness of the landscape and the skies. There are few places left in the world where you can truly be alone and have clean air to breathe and time to reflect. Alone on the rim of the canyon – seize the moment!

Guided walks are also available on request depending on availability of guides.

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The late afternoon drive will take you along the top of the plateau with stops at two different viewpoints for you to take photographs and experience the canyon at its most dramatic. Our guide will also explain the geology, flora and fauna along the way before you catch a glimpse of the meandering Fish River below at the last stop. Drinks and snacks will be served.

Departure: 17h00 in winter, 18h00 in summer | Minimum 2 guests per excursion – maximum 9 per vehicle | 50% discount for children under 12.

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Full Day Canyon Day Hike

Our guide will help you navigate ‘jelly legs’ gorge from the rim to the upper part of the canyon below. After traversing the rock strewn slopes there is a further descent to permanent rock-pools in the river. A refreshing swim through the craggy gorge gets you well and truly into the heart of the canyon. A picnic lunch is served before hiking back up to the Lodge.

This is a strenuous hike and requires a high level of fitness.
Departure time for this hike of 8-10 hours varies according to the season.

Trainers or hiking boots and a daypack are essential.

Half-Day Canyon Hike
The Half-Day hike takes hikers from the viewpoint into the canyon to a second view point and back up again.
Departure time for this hike of 4-5 hours varies according to the season.

Trainers or hiking boots and a daypack are essential.

The Rim to River Hike and the Canyon Day Hike can only be booked through res2@journeysnamibia.com or fishriver@journeysnamibia.com

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The guided route through harsh terrain descends steeply into the canyon via ‘jelly legs gorge’ and up again to the rim. There are no demarcated tracks adding a sense of true adventure to the experience. Whilst this hike requires significant levels of fitness – there is no need to carry heavy backpacks; a canvas bag with your personal belongings will be delivered each day to either Camp Eternity or Camp Edge where you will overnight.

You will pass intriguing desert-adapted quiver trees standing solitary against a fascinating 500 million year old geological fault. Or you might want to stop and watch a herd of the rare Hartman’s zebra as they disappear into a side canyon. On hot days you can cool off in permanent rock pools and swim between the rock faces while a Pied Kingfisher watches from a ledge above.

Camp Eternity and Camp Edge are as evocative as their names suggest. Carefully designed stone gabion shelters merge with the landscape. Meals are served under a trillion stars and when you retire to the comfort of your tent, nature’s elements – either harsh or heavenly – are close by and keep you company through the night.

The Canyon Rim to River Hike includes:

An experienced guide for a minimum of 2 guests and a maximum of 8 guests per group
Breakfast, lunch and dinner plus drinks on the trail
Night 1 at Fish River Lodge, Nights 2 and 3 at Camp Eternity and /or Camp Edge

The Rim to River Hike and the Canyon Day Hike can only be booked through res2@journeysnamibia.com or fishriver@journeysnamibia.comThe Canyon Rim to River Hike includes:

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This activity caters for visitors who do not overnight at the Fish River Lodge or not satisfied with only a fly over either. Arrive at Canyon Nature Park airstrip from where your guide will transfer you to the lodge for a wholesome breakfast. After breakfast and a short briefing you will venture further out on the plateau towards the main lookout point where there is opportunity for photography and a detailed explanation of the geology and interesting facts about the area. The duration of this activity is between 45 minutes to an hour. Guests not in a hurry to leave are welcome to book lunch on the patio, accompanied by infinite vistas dropping down from the edge of eternity. After your visit you will be transferred back to the airstrip where your plane awaits you.

•Departure time varies according to flight arrival and departing time
•Pre-booking is essential
•Guests chartering in by plane are requested to coordinate their arrival and pick up times with our
Reservations office beforehand.

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Six fat tyre bikes are available for hire to guests.
Guided rides are dependent on availability of guides.

Morning Excursion
The 22 km guided cycling excursion takes you along the rim of the canyon and with a loop back down washes and rocky outcrops interspersed with quiver trees.

Duration: ± 3.5 hours
Helmets, water and snack packs are provided.

Sundowner Excursion
This 10 km cycling excursion takes you along the rim of the canyon to a designated sundowner spot where you will be rewarded with refreshments and snacks as you watch the sun set. You cycle back to the Lodge in time for dinner.

Helmets, water, drink and snack are provided.

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Experience the wide-open spaces and the thrill of being at the edge of the canyon with a group of friends. Cycling up a remote valley you will feel the spirit of the rhino that once roamed here freely for hundreds of years.

Cyclists overnight on the edge of the canyon at the fully serviced Camp Edge and Camp Eternity, where meals, hot showers and comfortable camp beds are provided.

The 3-day Canyon Mountain Bike Trail includes:

A host at each Camp for a minimum 2 guests and a maximum of 8 guests per group
Breakfast, lunch and dinner plus drinks on the trail
The 3-day Trail does not include mountain bikes. Cyclists should bring their own mountain bikes.

Canyon Mountain Biking Trails can only be booked through res2@journeysnamibia.com or fishriver@journeysnamibia.com

If you want to 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

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Hiking Trails - Klein Aus Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Hiking Trails - Klein Aus Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Hiking Trails - Klein Aus Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Hiking Trails - Klein Aus Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

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)

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Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Discover the delights of the desert: guided tours through the impressive scenery of the Succulent Karoo desert.

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Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Lüderitz is just 120 km away and the ghost town of Kolmanskop only 115 km (tar road). Klein-Aus Vista is the ideal starting point for a trip to both places. Only 20 km from Aus, on the way to or back from Lüderitz, visit the Garub water hole where the wild horses and several other animals of the desert plains can be found. The Wild Horses of the Namib have roamed this harsh habitat since 1915 and are an experience one should not miss.

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Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

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. Dual suspension bikes available for rent.

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Credit: GondwanaCollectionNamibia

We offer a variety of safaris including a sunset, sunrise or scenic dune drive where guests can enjoy drinks and snacks and encounter a number of free-roaming wildlife species.

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Guests who love horses can sign-up to experience the majestic landscapes of Kanaan on horseback.

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One of the most popular activities at Kanaan is the Photographic Safari and Professional Photographic Tours. Photography enthusiasts will be taken to the most scenic parts of Kanaan during this safari.

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A scenic nature drive in the ephemeral Huab River and surrounding valley, including a picnic lunch, exposes visitors to unique geological formations and the possibility of sighting the elusive desert-adapted elephants and rhinos.

(Available during stays of two nights or more only)

Three open game drive cars are permanently available with guides.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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​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!

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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.

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LEOPARD TRACKING
The Leopard ‘experience’ will take you out into the Okonjima Nature Reserve and will allow you to spend more time with our experienced guides and participate in the research data collection for our long-standing leopard project and newly introduced brown hyaena programme. Some of our adult leopards are radio collared which enables the guides to track them with a specialised telemetry device contributing to frequent viewing, giving visitors an opportunity to observe these magnificent predators in their natural habitat and experience the fascinating behaviour and interactions between these two species while they compete for food. Although this significantly increases the chance of an excellent sighting, it cannot ever be guaranteed as they are wild free-roaming predators.
Morning activities (seasonal times): Departure 06:00 / 06:30 AM; Return 09:30 / 10:00 AM.
Afternoon activities (seasonal times): Departure: 15:30 / 16:00 PM; Return 19:00 / 19:30 PM.

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Leopard Tracking Credit: Crew 10

AfriCat Credit: AfriCat - Karen Codling

Leopard Tracking Credit: Crew 10

Leopard Tracking Credit: Pie Production

RHINO TRACKING on foot: (Specialized Activity) - subject to weather and availability.
On this trail, no telemetry device is used to track the rhino, the guide and guests are joined by our dedicated Okonjima anti-poaching team who have spent many hours, getting to know each individual, dedicating their time towards the fight for the conservation of the rhino in the Okonjima Nature Reserve. This activity can only be booked directly at the Lodge.

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Rhino Tracking Credit: Crew 10

Rhino Tracking Credit: Crew 10

Rhino Tracking Credit: Jandre Germishuizen

Rhino Tracking Credit: Crew 10

BROWN HYAENA TRACKING
This Hyaena ‘experience’ offers more time to appreciate and understand the Okonjima Nature Reserve as a balanced ecosystem, with a focus on the ‘secretly social’ and rare brown hyaena. Since the private nature reserve was primarily established for the conservation of some of our more vulnerable mammal species, it offers an improved opportunity to encounter these relatively rare animals.

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Brown Hyaena Tracking Credit: Freda Bauer

Brown Hyaena Tracking Credit: Freda Bauer

Brown Hyaena Tracking Credit: Freda Bauer

Brown Hyaena Tracking Credit: Crew 10

PANGOLIN TRACKING on foot: (Specialized Activity) – exclusive for guests staying 2 nights
The choice of going with the researcher or guide, will be determined by circumstances, weather and operations. Sightings are not guaranteed, as this complex, vulnerable species needs a gentle and respectful approach. Tracking on foot will be done in silence and maintaining a discreet distance. The Pangolin tracking is a specialized night/day (seasonal) activity. During the summer months this activity tends to take place between 10pm and 6am and during the winter months from 5pm to 11pm. As this would be the most active period of the day for these mostly nocturnal animals. You will join a guide and tracker on a walking trail in the dark within the 20 000ha Okonjima Nature Reserve. We limit participation to a max of 6 people per pangolin tracking. This gives the client insight into this secret life of the very endangered Ground Pangolin. A flashlight and walking shoes are compulsory.
This activity is reserved for guests that are staying for a minimum of 2 nights with us.

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Pangolin Tracking Credit: Crew 10

Pangolin Tracking Credit: Freda Bauer

Pangolin Tracking Credit: Crew 10

GAME DRIVE
Experienced guides will entertain you with their knowledge, sharing interesting and enlightening information about the history of the Okonjima Nature Reserve and the research gathered over the past 30 years of conservation on Okonjima. On this trail, no telemetry device is used to track any of the carnivores researched by the AfriCat Foundation. Wildlife is the focus of the drive. Visitors are offered insight as our guides attempt to foster a general appreciation of the natural habitat of the Nature Reserve.
Morning activities (seasonal times): Departure 06:00 / 06:30 AM; Return 09:30 / 10:00 AM.
Afternoon activities (seasonal times): Departure: 15:30 / 16:00 PM; Return 19:00 / 19:30 PM.

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Okonjima Game & Nature Drive Credit: Crew 10

Okonjima Game & Nature Drive Credit: Crew 10

Okonjima Game & Nature Drive Credit: Pie Production

Into AfriCat – behind the Science will present the current research and conservation work of the AfriCat Foundation. This experience will complement all existing Okonjima activities, offering guests a deeper understanding of the purpose, methods, and importance of AfriCat’s conservation research within the Okonjima Nature Reserve.

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Into Africat Credit: Crew 10

Into Africat Credit: Okonjima

Into Africat Credit: Freda Bauer

Into Africat Credit: Okonjima

Self-guided walking trails for those guests who want to spend some time alone in the solitude of the Okonjima 2000ha wilderness area. Maps available at reception desk.

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Nature Trails Credit: Okonjima

Nature Trails Credit: Freda Bauer

Nature Trails Credit: Pie Production

Nature Trails Credit: Pie Production