Upon arrival at the Windhoek International Airport, you will be met by a representative who will transfer you to Olive Grove Guest House and assist you with check-in at the hotel. Here you will be provided with everything you will need for your self-drive safari; from your accommodation vouchers to a map marked with your route and a full safari briefing.
A representative of the car rental company will deliver your vehicle at the guest house today and give you a full vehicle briefing.
Spend 1 night at The Olive Grove Guest House
After breakfast today you will depart from Olive Grove Guesthouse in a southerly direction and drive to Hoodia Desert Lodge, located in the Sossusvlei Area.
You stay includes a sundowner drive and a guided Sossusvlei Excursion including lunch in the dunes.
Spend 2 nights at Hoodia Desert Lodge, Sossusvlei Area.
“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy” – Ernest Hemingway
Sossusvlei Excursion with exclusive “Out of Africa” Dune Picnic Lunch
Hoodia Desert Lodge Activities included:
- 1 x Sundowner Drive
- 1 x Sossusvlei Excursion
The Experience
Living and working in this beautiful environment we experienced that the information which the traveller received before departing from his home, about the Sossusvlei Area, are mostly poor and limited.
Therefore we decided to share our enthusiasm and knowledge about the magical Namib Desert with our guests, encouraging them to join us for an individual and unforgettable experience to discover the secrets of the desert.
Our aim is to deliver a unique “off beaten tracks” experience in nature and we focus on places which are rarely mentioned in guide books – especially today facing an overwhelming increase of tourist in SSV area.
Start from the Lodge after breakfast, before sunrise with our professional guide in our 4X4 Safari Vehicle.
We include in the price of our Sossusvlei Excursions Entrance Fees, Food, Snacks, Water, Cool Drinks, Juices, Lunch Wine and Beer.
The guides are carrying water and snacks while climbing the dunes with our guests.
Sun Downer Experience
The Experience
Our Lodge is surrounded by magnificent landscapes with a breath-taking view heading west over the red sand dunes. That fact allows us to experience fantastic sun sets nearly every day of the year.
We offer our guests with pleasure a sun set drive taking them out to a special place on one of our hills to give them the opportunity to witness this breath-taking spectacle.
Here we love to give our guests an intimate experience allowing them privacy in leaving them alone on a romantic spot without any danger.
The setup is very sophisticated and includes table, table cloth, chairs, fine decoration and a chandelier to give our guests a warm light after sun set. We offer freshly prepared snacks and traditional sun downer drinks. For our Honeymoon guests we offer with compliments a bottle of fine South African sparkling wine.
Approx. 45min after sun set we pick our guests up and bring them back to the lodge. We experienced in the past how much our guest appreciate this treatment for body and soul.
We include in the price of our Sun Downer traditional sun downer drinks like Gin Tonic or Campari Orange, Beer, House Wines, Juices, Cool Drinks and Water.
This morning you depart from Hoodia Desert Lodge after an early breakfast and make your way to the coastal town of Swakopmund. Upon arrival, you will check into your accommodation and can spend the remainder of the day at leisure, exploring the coastal town of Swakopmund. Dinner tonight can be enjoyed at a restaurant of your choice, at own cost.
Spend 2 nights at The Cornerstone Guesthouse.
Embark on a half day Living Dunes Experience departing at 08h30
Spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Enjoy the day/s at leisure in Swakopmund, below are some suggested activities and sightseeing to do (excluded from your pricing):
Visit Walvis Bay Lagoon: thirty kilometres south of Swakopmund this protected lagoon is one of the most valuable wetland sites along the entire west coast of Africa. This haven is a phenomenal spectacle which often supports more than 150 000 birds.
Enjoy the scenic distinctive German architecture: remnants of a previous era that have been preserved. Most of the town’s attractions are easy to find, so take a morning stroll exploring.
Enjoy the numerous restaurants: there are around 50 restaurants within the town. A visit would not be complete without trying some local German cuisine, although there are various other restaurant-types and trendy street cafes.
Explore the Namib: join a Living Desert Tours, a 4×4 drive through the dunes outside town. The Namib is an ideal habitat for reptiles and beetles, and is home to some fascinating plant life.
Barter with a Local: Try your hand at bartering for traditional crafts at the market directly opposite the Old Prison on the road to Henties Bay. Here one finds crafts like clay pots, Caprivian wood carvings and abstract tin animals. There is also a busy curio market in the lighthouse area of the promenade.
Experience the Skeleton Coast: Drive to Cape Cross. Lichens grow profusely on the Namib coast, and the turn-off to Cape Cross is a perfect place to stop and take a closer look at colourful lichen fields, with hues of red, yellow, orange and green. The drive culminates in a visit to the 100 000-strong Cape fur seal colony at Cape Cross Seal Reserve, which are resident year round.
Quad Bike across the Dunes: Swakopmund is also Namibia’s adventure capital. Quad biking in specially designated areas south of town is the ideal option for those looking for something a little more vigorous. Travelling through the dune belt allows for incredible vistas of this unique landscape.
Adventure activities: Swakopmund is considered the adventure capital of Namibia. Enjoy sandboarding, Sky diving , Mountain Biking, kayaking or a sundowner cruise.
This morning after an early breakfast, hop into your rental car and drive to Camp Kipwe, which is located in the heart of Damaraland.
Camp Kipwe activities included:
- 1 x Twyfelfontein, Burnt Mountain and Organ Pipes Excursion (+- 2 hours in the afternoon) including drinks
- 1 x Elephant / Nature Drive (+- 4 to 6 hours in the morning) including drinks
Spend 2 nights at Camp Kipwe.
Climb into an open-air vehicle and experience the rush of Africa. Mowani’s local guides share with their guests an intimate knowledge and respect for the land that they have built up over a lifetime. With new insight into local traditions, you will come to fully appreciate the geology, botany and wildlife of the area. Local villagers are welcoming and keen to share their experiences.
Elephant and Dune drives (+/- 4-6 hours in the morning) to explore the area with your knowledgeable guide - searching for the rare desert adapted Elephants.
Nature walks in the areas surrounding the camp to explore the smaller details of the bush up close and personal.
Lounging by the pool, or relaxing on your private deck is also a wonderful way to enjoy the spectacular surroundings.
Visits to Twyfelfontein, with its wealth of ancient rock engravings, and the wonders of the Organ Pipes are within easy driving distance of Mowani/Kipwe. (+/- 2 hours in the afternoon).
Depart for Etosha Mountain Lodge situated in the Etosha Heights Private Reserve.
Spend 1 night at Etosha Mountain Lodge.
Etosha Mountain Lodge activities included:
- Scheduled guided game drives into the Etosha Heights Private Nature Reserve.
“I hope you have an experience that alters the course of your life because, after Africa, nothing has ever been the same” – Suzanne Evans
Today you depart on an extended game through Etosha National Park travelling from South to East making your way in your rental vehicle to Mushara Bush Camp.
Spend 2 nights at Mushara Bush Camp.
Explore The Etosha National Park with Mushara Bush Camp.
Mushara Bush Camp activities included:
- 1 x Am Etosha Game Drive
- 1 x Pm Etosha Game Drive
Etosha National Park, proclaimed in 1907, is one of Southern Africa’s finest and most important game reserves. The park covers an area of 22,270 km² and is home to dozens of mammal and reptile species, several amphibian species, more than 300 bird species and even one species of fish. The 4,731 km² salt pan, the largest of its kind in Africa, is the centre piece of the park. The pan’s shimmering white crust of salt crystals extends as far as the eye can see. In previous times this was a lake the size of Holland fed by several rivers, probably including the Kunene as well. When the rivers gradually changed their course the water in the lake started to evaporate until only the huge dry depression remained. The San (Bushmen) tell a rather gripping legend about the formation of Etosha Pan: in a raid on a village all the men and children were murdered, only the women were spared. One of them was so distraught about the death of her family that she cried and cried until her tears had formed a massive lake. When the lake dried up nothing was left apart from a huge white pan.
Etosha National Park covers a vast area which is under protection since German colonial rule and has since become one of the most productive game parks in Africa – with 114 mammal species, 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species, 340 bird species and one species of fish.
Great numbers of plains game such as zebra, kudu, Oryx, wildebeest, giraffe, springbok, impala and eland abound on the grasslands while elephants can also be seen in large herds.Lions dominate the predator food chain and cleverly use the waterholes as hunting grounds, while smaller predators like the black-backed jackal trot about seemingly oblivious to the presence of humans. Since every animal needs water there is constant coming and going at the waterholes. Traffic rules are simple: the stronger one always has the right of way. The diversity of species drinking at the same time can be staggering. This is the place to watch Namibia’s greatest daily wildlife dramas unfold. On our game drives guests experience fascinating perspectives of wildlife in Etosha. Our vehicles, designed for any weather condition, are spacious and comfortable and offer 360 degree unobstructed views from elevated seats. We receive up-to-date information on game movement and therefore have a high success rate for spotting game.
Take a leisurely drive down south to Windhoek.
Spend 1 night at Villa Violet.
After breakfast, check out and make your way back to the airport. Drop off your hire car.
