NAMIBIA FLYING SAFARI

Days 1 & 2:

Namibia is awe-inspiringly impressive from all angles, but viewing the landscapes from a small plane, high in the sky, is magical. This flying safari begins in Windhoek, where you’ll meet your pilot and take to the skies for the flight to Kwessi Dunes in the NamibRand Nature Reserve. As you near the reserve, you’ll fly over the iconic, blood-red dunes stretching for as far as the eye can see.

Accommodation:

2 nights at Kwessi Dunes, a classic canvas-and-thatch lodge in the heart of the striking NamibRand Nature Reserve that offers an escape from the modern world and a chance to reconnect with the wild.

Activities:

•Day trip to the dunes of Sossusvlei (included).

•Morning and afternoon scenic drives and walks in the NamibRand Nature Reserve.

•Quad biking.

•Hot air ballooning and heli flights(at an extra cost).

•Star gazing; the NamibRand is Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve

Days 3 & 4:

This morning, it’s back to the plane for a flight towards the Atlantic Coast. As the plane veers northwards, you’ll pass the Eduard Bohlen, one of the most famous shipwrecks on the coastline that came adrift in 1909, as well as Conception Bay and Sandwich Harbour. You’ll then land in Swakopmund for a seafood lunch and a brief tour of the quaint town, before continuing north in the plane. This dramatic coastline was nicknamed the “gates to hell” by Portuguese sailors who had to navigate the powerful currents in their quest to round the Cape of Good Hope, and the Atlantic Ocean’s power is visible from the air as it hits the rocky coastline. From the air, glimpses of the remnants of shipwrecks are still visible and a stark reminder of nature’s power. The plane will then turn inland toward the Hoanib Valley and it’s now that you’ll start to appreciate the mind-boggling vastness of the country.

Accommodation:

2 nights at Hoanib Valley Camp, an elegant tented camp located amongst the towering mountains and sand dunes of north-western Namibia.

Activities:

•Morning and afternoon desert game drives to search for desert-adapted giraffe, elephant, lion and rhino.

•Learn about the giraffe research conducted in the area.

•Nature walks through the dry riverbeds and dunes.

•Spending a morning or afternoon with the local Himba communities

Days 5 & 6:

Today, you’ll swap two wings for four wheels for the drive to the Skeleton Coast. The full-day journey is one of the most spectacular drives on the continent, and you will travel along the ephemeral Hoanib River, home to large herds of elephant. From there, the route follows the course of the Hoarusib River, where dry plains give way to a clay-baked landscape, and as the salty sea breeze begins to pick up, so the landscape turns to white sand dunes.

Accommodation:

2 nights at the award-winning Shipwreck Lodge, designed to resemble the shipwrecks that line the hauntingly beautiful Skeleton Coast.

Activities:

•Trips to the Mowe Bay seal colony, including stops at the Suiderkusand Karimona shipwrecks, Westies diamond mine, and the remains of the Ventura Bomber.

•Sundowner drives to the roaring dunes.

•Full day 4x4 Hoarusib River excursions, including the Clay Castles and wildlife spotting.

•Beach lunches

.•Quad biking and sand boarding.

After a morning activity, wave farewell to the Skeleton Coast as you take off Mowe Bay en-route back to Windhoek 

ADDITIONAL EXRA: 

For those not ready to say goodbye just yet, you can add on an additional 2 nights in the Etosha Heights Private Reserve. A 60,000 hectare private reserve the boarders the world famous Etosha National Park. 

The reserve offers unspoiled landscapes and a sense of tranquility. Wildlife-wise you'll find lion, cheetah, and many of Namibia's fascinating desert species, but the reserve is probably most famous for its strong population of black and white rhino.