After your arrival at the international airport, you will proceed to Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia. You will find your accommodation in a quiet neighborhood, close to the city centre with its afro / european flair and a peaceful atmosphere. In the evening you will enjoy the typical Namibia cuisine in one of the several restaurants in the city
Leaving Windhoek, you will travel into the largest sand mass on Earth, the Kalahari Desert. The Bushman refer to it as the “Soul of the World”, an emotive description for this area! With its deep red sand dunes and endless grass plains interspersed together with acacia and shrubs, this is the only form of survival ressource for a vast amount of adapted wildlife. You will enjoy the opportunity to experience the fauna and flora that has survived this desert environment.
Today your journey will take you to the Namib Desert, often referred to as the world's oldest desert. Namibia gets it's name from the Namib so it should come as no surprise to discover that the entire western section of the country is part of the Namib. Of course the Namib spreads beyond the borders of Namibia and sprawls into southern Angola and the northern Cape Province of South Africa. A section of the central Namib Desert incorporates The Namib Naukluft Park, one of the largest national parks in Africa, as well as the Naukluft Mountains. The park is a combination of the Namib Desert Park and the Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park as well as sections of the Diamond Area. This area alltogether is just less than 50,000km2 and its main attractions are Sossusvlei, Sandwich Harbour and the Naukluft hiking and four wheel drive trails. Sossusvlei is the one attraction that should not be missed while you are in Namibia; the dunes are amazing and even though this is a popular tourist destination it is still easy to gain a sense of solitude while climbing one of the dunes or walking to the deadvlei. A sundowner activity will be the perfect way to end the day
Today you will go on a guided Sossusvlei excursion. At dawn you will enjoy a sunrise excursion to the highest dunes in the world. The variety of colours and shapes are fantastic.
You will have an early departure via Solitaire and the Ghaub and Kuiseb passes to reach Swakopmund, Namibia’s premier holiday resort, that is characterised by a wealth of well-preserved German colonial buildings. Streets names serve as reminders of formers colonial rulers and administrators, while German is still widely spoken. Well-known historic buildings include Woermann House, the old State Railway Station, Alte Kaserne (Old Fort) and the old Magistrate’s Court which now serves as State House in Swakopmund. You will have the rest of the day to yourself to relaxe.
You will spend the day at leisure in Swakopmund and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of this coastal town, nestling between the desert and the Atlantic ocean. The promenades, palm trees and beautiful gardens remind of a European seaside resort. Magnificent buildings dating back to the turn of the century give the city its charm. Excursion like boat cruises from Walvis Bay, quad-biking in the nearby dunes or scenic flights can be booked in town. The Marine Aquarium, the interesting Swakopmund Museum, the open wood market and the Kristal Galerie are worth a visit. The Kristal Galerie houses the largest known crystal cluster in the world.
Today you will reach the famous Damaraland. Damaraland is one of the most scenic areas in Namibia, a huge, untamed, ruggedly beautiful region that offers a more adventurous challenge. Here there are prehistoric water courses with open plains and grasslands, massive granite koppies and deep gorges. Towards the west, the geography changes dramatically with endless sandy lands, that incredibly are able to sustain small, but wide-ranging, populations of desert-adapted elephants, black rhinos, giraffes, ostriches and springboks. These animals have adapted their lifestyles to survive the harshness of the sun- blistered, almost waterless desert spaces. Elephants can travel up to 70km in a day in search of food and water and unusually do not destroy trees in their quest for food. Together, Damaraland and Kaokoland are known as the Kaokoveld.
Before your departure to Kaoland you will have a 2hr safari to visit some of Damaraland's most famous attractions including the Burnt Mountain, the Organ Pipes and the highlight of your trip over 2,500 rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, a World Heritage Site. You will then depart to Kaokoland. Kaokoland is one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Southern Africa. It is a world of incredible mountain scenery, a refuge for the rare desert dwelling elephant, black rhino and giraffe and the home of the Himba people. Although it is harsh and offers little respite at midday, the rugged landscape is especially attractive during the early morning and late afternoon when it is transformed into softly glowing pastel shades. Further north, the Otjihipa Mountains rise abruptly above the Namib floor to form the eastern boundary of the Marienfluss, while the west of the valley is defined by the Hartmann Mountains. Kaokoland differs greatly from Damaraland in terms of accessibility and infrastructure. While quite a bit of Damaraland is isolated, Kaokoland for the biggest part of it is empty. With 16,000 or so inhabitants, 5,000 of them Himba, Kaokoland has a population density of only one person to every two square kilometers which is about a quarter of the national average. Upon arrival you will explore the Kaokoland area.
You will visit a typical small Himba village to experience their traditional way of life. Women milk the cattle and goats, create beautiful jewelery, build houses and fetch water and firewood. An interesting and hugely enjoyable insight into the lives of people living and surviving in a harsh desert environment.
The Epupa Falls sit on the Kunene River on the border of Angola and Namibia in an area commonly known as Kaokoland. They are created by a series of cascades that drop a total of 60m over a distance of about 1.5km. At one point it reaches a total width of about 500m. This feature is also known as Monte Negro Falls in Angola. The name Epupa is a Herero word for the plumes of spray created by falling water. You will have an enjoyable excursion to finish off your visit in Kaokoland. You will be driven to a koppie that overlooks Epupa Falls for a drink and a snack as the sun sets.
You will have a half-day morning guided trip on the Kunene River. You will watch or photograph birds hunting on the riverbanks, searching for seeds and insects. Expect to see Cinderella waxbills, Rüppell's korhaan, bee-eaters, kingfishers, lovebirds, weavers and sunbirds. You will then depart to Etosha National Park. Upon arrival, preferably, go for late afternoon game drives.
The Etosha National Park, is one of Africa’s great game parks. Centred around the vast expanse of the Etosha Pan, the park is a sanctuary to the largest population of the western subspecies of the black rhino, white rhino, large herds of elephants, the stiriking black-faced impala, lions and a profusion of other animals and birds. A whole day of game viewing in the Etosha National Park lies ahead of you. You will drive along the vast saltpan with stops at various waterholes and game viewing en route.
A worthwhile way to experience the peacefulness and atmosphere of the Onguma Reserves wilderness is to participate in an early morning bush walk. Your guide, an experienced armed ranger, is able to identify footprints left by large predators and some of the big herbivores. You need to have a basic level of fitness but the emphasis is on a leisurely activity, learning about the inhabitants of the bush . More activities may include Rhino research drives and game drives.
After a hearty breakfast you will continue via Tsumeb and Otjiwarongo to reach Okonjima Lodge which is situated halfway between Windhoek and Etosha National Park. The lodge is home to The AfriCat Foundation, a non-profit organization, committed to the long-term conservation of Namibia's large carnivires, notably cheetahs and leopards. You will see the Bushman Trail, which offers an opportunity to experience a day in the life of a Bushman. Along an easy walking trail, highlighted with information on the way, the art of making traditional artefact's can be learned, as well as how the San adapted and survived in such an unforgiving, wilderness environment. There are other guided and self-guided walking trails, some up to 8kms in length available, for those who prefer to enjoy their time in the solitude of the wild. Cheetahs and leopards can be seen from a game-viewing vehicle.
Transfer to the airport on time for your flight.
