You arrive in Windhoek today where you will be met by Helen and your guide and driven the short distance into the city for your fist night in Namibia.
We will be staying in the lovely Hotel Thule which sits high on a hill overlooking Windhoek and has an excellent restaurant and terraced bar.
After a hearty breakfast we set off along the main tar road heading north until we get to Okonjima Nature Reserve, home of the Africat Foundation.
Here we have 2 opportunities to go out into the 54,000 acre reserve in search of the wildlife but in particular Okonjima's resident leopards. The foundation has been studying these magnificent creatures for decades and the rangers are excellent at finding them for close-up viewings. We will also have chance to walk with white rhino along with the rhino guardians, which is an exhilarating and a rare privilege
We leave Okonjima this morning and head north once more through Otijarongo and the small town of Otavi.
Our destination is Otavi Valley Vineyards and Thonningii Wine Cellar 13km out of town.
Both vineyards follows sustainable, natural winemaking techniques, ensuring that each bottle reflects the region’s distinct character. We will have time for a wine tasting and tour followed by a delicious lunch before heading north towards Tsumeb and our overnight accommodation at Ohange Lodge. You will be staying in Mountain Huts that all face the floodlit waterhole where a variety of wildlife species come to drink through the daytime and throughout the night
After breakfast we move on north to the eastern gate of Etosha National Park.
The park is half the size of Switzerland and is well known for its abundant wildlife which congregate in huge numbers around the spring fed waterholes dotted around the park.
We have 2 nights to explore the eastern side of Etosha with its productive waterholes and spectacular views of the giant Etosha Pan.
This area contains the majority of the park's giraffe who feed on the acacia trees as well as having several large prides of lion and is the best area to find cheetah who hunt along the pan's edge.
Today we travel all the way across the park to the central area of Okaukuejo Camp stopping at key waterholes along the way. We will stop at Halali Camp for lunch and will arrive at Okaukuejo in time for sunset.
Your accommodation will be in waterhole bungalows just a few metres from the viewing area. At dusk large elephant herds appear for their nightly drink and dust bathe around the water's edge. At night the floodlights come on and it is very common to see rare black rhino drinking throughout the night.
Today we leave the peace and quiet of Etosha and hit the tar road again travelling south towards the Erongo mountains to the small town of Omaruru stopping at Kristall Kellerei for lunch and wine and gin tasting en route. Run and owned by Michael Weder, Kristall Kellerei is the oldest vineyard in Namibia and has experimented with the French white wine grape Colombard. This grape is still grown in south-western France. Despite the high sugar content, due to the daily sunlight, it retains its acidity and can cope with the demanding weather conditions of Namibia. The Colombard is ideal for making brandy (Nappa) and the much sought after date brandy of the Kristall winery. (Limited edition of 400 bottles).
Our overnight stop is Kashana Guesthouse which is in town. The lodge has nice accommodation and a much respected restaurant
Today we head west into the spectacular Erongo Mountains stopping at Erongo Mountain Winery along the way which is best known for its unique whisky, Ondjaba.
The Winery is situated along the Omaruru river at 1200m above sea level and surrounded by the beautiful rugged mountains of the Erongo region (Namibia). This trailblazing and innovative boutique winery is pioneering the Namibian wine industry, carving out its legacy in the arid dry granite rock.
After our tour and tasting we can visit ‘The Jewel’ Restaurant which offers the unique opportunity to indulge in excellent cuisine paired beautifully with Erongo's exceptional wines and liqueurs. here we can enjoy a unique menu of delicious game stakes, salads and desserts, many of which feature our Namibian-made wines and spirits.
For our overnight stop we will stay at the beautiful Ai-Aiba Rock Painting Lodge which nestles between huge bright red boulders in a dramatic landscape of golden grasses, rocky outcrops and distant mountains.
We leave the desert behind us today and head towards the Skeleton Coast and the quirky town of Swkopmund.
Here we will have 2 nights staying at Cornerstone Guesthouse which is centrally located and set within beautiful gardens.
There is an enormous choice of activities on offer in Swakopmund. Our personal favourites are time out in the towering coastal sand dunes that border the Atlantic to see the rare desert wildlife of the Namib Desert or going out on the ocean on a seal and dolphin tour where the wildlife often joins you on the boat.
On both nights we'll eat at the award winning "Tug" restaurant where Helen can talk us through some cocktails and we can taste a variety of wine from the restaurant's extensive wine list
We leave Swakopmund this morning to get back to the capital.
The good tar road takes us through the Namib Desert and down into Windhoek.
We will be staying at Utopia, sister lodge to the Neuras Winery. Here we can enjoy a tasting with some of Neuras' best known wines and enjoy a sumptuous dinner at world famous "Joe's Beerhouse" where we can reflect on our safari through the wildlife and wineries of Namibia.
Today your guide will drive you back to the airport in good time for your onward flight home or to your next destination
