On arrival at Windhoek Airport you proceed to the Arrivals hall. Here you are met by our guide for the start of your Namibian tour. You are transferred to Hotel Thule for your overnight stay.
Note we may use Hilltop Lodge as an alternative.
Day at leisure
Today the adventure begins! Our guide will collect you to set off across an extraordinary range of desert habitats and “moonscapes” on your way to the famous dunes at Sossusvlei for your two night stay at either Desert Homestead or Kulala Desert Lodge (Upgrade option).
The following morning (Day 3) you rise with the sun to see one of the most exhilarating sights in Namibia – the towering dunes of Sossusvlei, some of the largest in the world, rising more than 1000 feet above the desert. Many of our visitors lose their hearts to Namibia after seeing Sossusvlei. This is paradise for the photographer, as the shadows create a magnificent contrast of colours. Marvel at the gemsbok and other animals that manage to survive in these dry conditions. The energetic can climb one of the dunes for a panorama of the endless dune landscape and the changing play of light. This excursion will be with your guide in your private vehicle.
You leave the Namib Naukluft after breakfast and travel to the German colonial resort of Swakopmund. The drive over the gravel plains of the northern Namib Desert is another long drive. But as you travel across the stark and hauntingly beautiful desert plains you will note that, although seemingly barren, this area is home to a surprising number of animals, including, ostrich, oryx and springbok.
During your stay in Swakopmund, depending on your interests, you can visit Walvis Bay inhabited by Flamingos and waders, or visit the Welwitschia “forest” and the surreal landscape of the “Moon Mountains”, an area of deep chasms and interesting geological features. Alternatively Swakopmund provides a welcome resting place where you can meander along the beach, enjoy superb seafood or marvel at the High German architecture. Dinner is for your own account so that you can sample some of the excellent sea food restaurants in Swakopmund.
Upgrade Option: The Delight Hotel
visit the Welwitschia “forest” and the surreal landscape of the Moon Mountains
Journey up the coast, via Africa’s largest seal colony at Cape Cross, seeing a little of the infamous Skeleton Coast en route. Imagine the horror of early explorers whose shipwrecks lie strewn along the shore, doomed by treacherous fogs and currents. Then cut inland towards the Burnt Mountain, Twyffelfontein and the Petrified Forest.
Mowani Mountain Camp, meaning “place of god”, lies amongst rugged boulders with sweeping panoramic views over Damaraland. Styled as an African village, a cluster of six thatched dome-shaped structures echo the surrounding boulders. The sides of the bar, lounge and dining areas are open giving a cool feel even on the hottest day.
Activities on offer include nature drives, and guided excursions to the Twyffelfontein Engravings.
Note: In the summer months, we will book its sister lodge, Camp Kipwe as an alternative because they have air-conditioned rooms.
Head further north into Damaraland, to Grootberg Lodge for your two night stay. Damaraland is one of our favourite areas of Namibia – its innate beauty intensified by the solitude and the sense of freedom it engenders.
Today you continue to Etosha where you stay overnight at a guest lodge south of Anderson Gate.
Upgrade Option: Etosha Oberland Lodge
Today you travel through Etosha National Park, game-viewing en route towards the Eastern side of the Park where you stay Mushara Lodge which is adjacent to the park.
Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives into the eastern side of the park.
Upgrade option: Onguma Tented Camp
This morning you head south back to Windhoek in time for your onward flight.
