On arrival you will be met by the car rental company representative and transferred to their offices in Windhoek to complete all rental procedures. Once done, we'll arrange for you to meet with our meet and greet representative to hand over your travel documents and travel package including your map.
We start your Namibian adventure with an easy 200 kilometer drive, the majority of this is on good tarred road to Okonjima Plains Camp.
It is worth waking early and heading out on your game drive as soon as the gates open at sunrise. Animals are most active in the cool of the day (early morning and late afternoon) and in order to maximise your chances of good viewings it is worth imitating their behaviour. The roads in Etosha are unsealed gravel roads but are in reasonable condition - and the general tourist behaviour is to drive between various waterholes searching for animals.As the day gets hotter head for shade, and lunch, at one of the parks three camps, Okaukuejo, Namutoni or Halali. When things start to cool down again head out for another game drive. With two days of self-driving in the Park you should have sightings of most of the parks inhabitants (although be warned the cats are notoriously hard to find - and of course what you see is determined by luck and more importantly your ability to spot wildlife).
It is worth waking early and heading out on your game drive as soon as the gates open at sunrise. Animals are most active in the cool of the day (early morning and late afternoon) and in order to maximise your chances of good viewings it is worth imitating their behaviour. The roads in Etosha are unsealed gravel roads but are in reasonable condition - and the general tourist behaviour is to drive between various waterholes searching for animals.As the day gets hotter head for shade, and lunch, at one of the parks three camps, Okaukuejo, Namutoni or Halali. When things start to cool down again head out for another game drive. With two days of self-driving in the Park you should have sightings of most of the parks inhabitants (although be warned the cats are notoriously hard to find - and of course what you see is determined by luck and more importantly your ability to spot wildlife).
On your way to Rundu and the Kavango region you will notice that as you pass through the veterinary check-point, the landscape changes quite dramatically and suddenly there are small, traditionally built huts along the side of the road and the comings-and-goings of village life. Entering Hakusembe River Lodge at the end of the winding gravel track, you are greeted with a refreshing image of green lawn, large trees, a collection of thatched chalets and a strip of sparkling river.
Today you have the opportunity to experience the many riches the river has to offer. Take a leisurely boat trip on the Kwando River and relish the magic of this water-Eden. Spot the abundant bird species, crocodiles sunning themselves on the banks and the pods of hippos among the waterlilies. A highlight of your stay is the guided trip into the Bwabwata National Park, beginning with a boat cruise on the Kwando River.
From Namushasha River Lodge drive in an easterly direction along the C49 to Katima Mulilo. The road passes through the Mdumu and Nkasa Rupara national parks and wildlife can often be seen along the roadside. Look out for herds of elephant crossing the road and, further on, for the domestic animals of the settlements.
Katima Mulilo is a good place to fill up with fuel and pick up essentials before departing for the Kasane Border.
Chobe Safari Lodge offers a variety of excursions including a full day Tour to the Victoria Falls.
Continue to Nata Lodge. After check-in the rest of the day is at leisure and could be used to explore the surrounding area in own rental vehicle or to take part on an optional activity (at own expense), such as a sundowner drive or you can simply relax on the pool deck and spot a variety of birds.
The safari
3 days / 2 nights
You climb on a 4 x 4 vehicle and bash around on dirt tracks for approx. one and half hours (the actual time depends on the season and conditions of the road) and you’ll be dropped at the mokoro station in the southern part of the delta.
A mokoro poler will be introduced to you – he or she will be your boatman and guide throughout the trip. Depending on the length of the trip, you can expect to spend a few hours poling on the mokoro, having lunch along the way, and doing game walks into the bush.
If you are overnighting, the poler will find a beautiful island campsite and help you collect some firewood for cooking. Remember, this is the bush and there are no facilities – it’s back to basics: no showers, no toilets.
While you are on the trip, remember to listen to your guide – he has grown up and lived in this area most of his life. He will not only show you many fascinating things, he will also keep you out of trouble while you’re in the bush. The polers do not carry firearms on the walks and you may well encounter elephant, hippo, or even lion.
At the end of your tour, an Audi Camp vehicle will pick you up at a prearranged time and bring you back to base camp in Maun.
We provide everything for a basic camp (no shower or toilet) as well as food and drinking water etc but remember everything needs to fit into a mokoro!
(Rates include return road transfer, entrance fees into the concession area, mokoro, guide/polers, all camping equipment, all meals and a cook to prepare the meals – excludes drinks, these can be purchased from Audi Camp before departure).
You will get back to Maun later in the afternoon as so its best to spend another night in Maun before heading for Ghanzi the next day.
After a leisurely breakfast, you head back to your vehicle and drive south to a lodge located just south of Ghanzi, some 350 kilometers away. Thakadu Camp's comfortable Meru-style tents are built on wooden decks and are set amongst ancient leadwood trees, providing much needed shady in the hotter months. The main area overlooks a calcrete pan and floodlit waterhole which attracts game such as eland, kudu, impala, wildebeest and other animals suited to this area of the Kalahari. Game drives can be arranged or you may prefer to learn about the traditional skills of the Bushmen who in the past have lived so effectively in this harsh environment. If you are interested in local arts and crafts then it is worth stopping at the Kuru Museum and Cultural Centre in D'Kar which showcases a number of contemporary local San artists.
It is around 550 kilometers back to Windhoek and therefore one of the longest drives you will have to undertake. However, the road along this stretch is normally in good condition and after leaving Botswana, livestock wandering the roads should no longer be an issue. There is not much of interest along this route and not many places to stop for lunch (Gobabis is probably the only real option).
