You arrive at Hosea Kutako Airport today where you will be met by the transfer driver from your hotel who will drive you into Windhoek to your first night's accommodation, Hotel Thule. The hotel sits high on a hill overlooking the city and has a good restaurant and a lovely al fresco terrace.
After breakfast the driver from Hotel Thule will take you nearby Eros Airport for your short flight to Katima Mulilo where you will be met by the driver from Zambezi Mubala Lodge who will drive you to the boat station where you will be collected by your captain and continue your journey on the river.
Zambezi Mubala sits on the banks of the river and activities include sunrise and sunset cruises and guided walks to the carmine bee-eater colony where 3,500 birds can be seen going in and out of their nest tunnels
Today you will return to Mpacha ( Katima Mulilo ) airport where your vehicle will be waiting for you.
From here you travel east along the Caprivi Strip through Bwabwata National Park until you get to Nunda River Lodge on the banks of the Okavango River.
The lodge is just a short drive to Mahango National Park which straddles the river with 2 distinct areas and has a wealth of wildlife including over 400 species of birds.
You head west this morning past the town of Rundu and on to Hakusembe River Lodge which sits on the banks of the Cubango/Okavango River with Angola on the opposite side.
The lodge sits in beautiful grounds and is a haven for birdlife
There is a veterinary checkpoint en route to prevent the spread of foot and mouth. and the officers will ask you details of your travel arrangements and will check you are not carrying meat products. They may spray your tyres with disinfectant and ask you to step on a disinfected pad. Once checked they will wave you on your way.
Travelling south and west today into Namibia this morning you go through Grootfontein and Tsumeb until you get to Etosha National Park and the Von Lindquist Gate. ( a good lunch stop is Roy's Rest Camp north of Grootfontein )
Your next 3 nights will be spent in Namutoni Camp which is known for its key local waterholes and great opportunities for finding cheetah.
Today you head to the central area of Etosha to Halali Camp.
This area is dominated by both mopane woodland and open plains that roll all the way down to the giant salt pan. The floodlit waterhole is a real bonus at this camp with large herds of elephants coming nightly to drink and bathe along with frequent sightings of black rhino.
The waterhole viewing area is high up on rocks with the waterhole below you. To get the best view you will need to get there before sunset so you can sit on one of the front seats/rocks. It is helpful to take a head torch with you.
The camp is home to several species of owls and the best way to find them is by asking the security guards who generally know where they roost. Honey badgers are often seen at night around the camp as are bush babies.
Further west you'll find Okaukuejo Camp with its world famous floodlit waterhole and you'll be staying in one of the air conditioned chalets next to the pool so you'll be able to watch the wildlife come and go throughout the day and night.
A full day today to travel across the whole of western Etosha stopping at key waterholes along the way before leaving the park via the Galton Gate on the western boundary.
From here you you head a few kilometres further north until you get to the gates of the Hobatere Reserve and you'll find the lodge a further 16km into the bush.
Hobatere is one of Namibia's oldest lodges and has a wealth of wildlife in the reserve and the bird life is also prolific
An early start for you today with a journey south on mainly gravel roads until you get to the Brandberg Mountain and your overnight stop at Brandberg White Lady Lodge.
This afternoon you can enjoy an afternoon desert elephant drive with the resident expert as you search for the elephants along the dry Ugab River which passes through some stunning mountain scenery.
You continue south west today until you reach the Atlantic at Henties Bay. From here you follow the coastline for an hour until you get to Swakopmund, the adventure capital of Namibia.
There are many different activities on offer at the coast and two of our favourites are going out with the local Namib expert who will take you out into the dunes in search of the desert dwellers that keep this ancient desert alive, followed by a visit to nearby Walvis Bay with its wealth of birdlife in the lagoons and salt pans
A long drive through the desert today, through 2 canyons and over the Tropic of Capricorn until you get to Sesriem, the gateway to Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei.
You have 2 nights here to explore Namibia's most famous sand dunes which are amongst the highest in the world.
Your accommodation is inside the National Park so you will be able to head for the dunes before the park gates open and get back to the lodge after sunset
After another hearty breakfast you drive back to Solitaire before turning right towards Windhoek over the Spreetshoogte Pass. This is a very high pass and the view from the top is spectacular.
This is the most scenic route back to Windhoek but ensure you give yourself enough time to get back to the car hire depot where you can drop off your vehicle before being transferred to River Crossing Lodge which is just outside of the city
Today we will organise a transfer from your lodge back to the airport in good time for your onward flights
