Route: HKIA to Windhoek
Distance: 48km
Journey: You will be met in the arrivals hall of our International airport and transferred into the city of Windhoek. Remainder of day at leisure. Depending on your arrival time we suggest joining a short City & Katutura tour / Penduka - Craft market.
Route: Windhoek to Okonjima:
Distance: 220 km
Journey: After breakfast your car rental agency will collect you and take you to their premises to complete rental contract and do a vehicle check with you. From here you head off on your Namibian holiday.
Okonjima Nature Reserve is equally famed for frequent leopard, brown hyaena and pangolin sightings on its safaris, as well as The AfriCat Foundation. Since being founded in 1991, AfriCat’s mission has been to make significant contributions to conservation, while trying to ensure the survival of Namibia’s predators in their natural habitat. It undertakes research and environmental education projects.
Leopard tracking: many of the leopards are radio-collared for their protection and as part of the density research project through AfriCat's conservation initiative. They roam freely and hunt within the 200sq km reserve.
Specialized activities: Rhino tracking on foot & Pangolin tracking are offered weather permitting and at management discretion.
Endangered Species drive: This game-drive allows more time to enjoy and understand the Okonjima Nature Reserve as a natural island bound ecosystem. As the private, Nature Reserve was established primarily to conserve some of our more threatened mammal species, it provides an increased chance to encounter these relatively rare animals. This is once again assisted by the AfriCat Foundation’s research projects on the shy Brown Hyena, Aardvark, Bat-eared fox and Rhino. There are more than 40 mammal species within the Okonjima Nature Reserve, both large and small as well as a good representation of the typical flora. At the discretion of your guide, there may be the chance to view some of these animals, large or small.
No pre-bookings needed: Night hide (for guests at Bush Camp only) and Night Drive are offered weather permitting and at management discretion.
Route: Okonjima to Onguma
Distance: 350 km
Journey: An early morning activity before you depart, either to the AfriCat Foundation or leopard tracking before you head north via the towns of Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb to a private reserve situated on the eastern border of Etosha National Park.
As well as being a popular safari lodge, the Onguma Nature Reserve provides a unique sanctuary for wildlife populations, including the critically endangered Black Rhino. In 1993 black rhino numbers dropped by a staggering 96%, which is when Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism decided to take matters into their own hands and set up the ambitious Black Rhino Custodianship Programme. Since then, all black rhino in Namibia are state owned; the concept of Namibia’s Black Rhino Custodianship Program is that breeding populations of black rhino are relocated to suitable habitat where the landholders are willing and able to undertake the responsibility of providing care and security to them.
As the custodians of this unique nature reserve, it is our duty to help and protect the wildlife within for the survival of the species. Not only Rhino, but all animals. Without our input and protection, wildlife will go extinct very soon as greed and power dictate demand.
Visiting Onguma is not only about experiencing wildlife in a natural environment, more importantly it is about helping to protect it.
Onguma sundowner drive
Journey: Own game drives into Etosha National Park or book onto one of the many lodge activities.
Route: Onguma to Ongava
Distance: 200 km +
Journey: Enter the world renown Etosha National Park, this will be in your rental touring vehicle as you traverse from the Namutoni region to Okaukuejo. Ongava Reserve which shares a common boundary with the Etosha National Park and is considered one of the finest private game reserves in the region, enjoying global recognition for exceptional conservation, ground breaking research and exciting safari adventures. Cutting edge research into the genetics of Ongava’s rhino population is just one example of how the work being done at Ongava is making a difference to conservation not only in Namibia but also throughout Africa. As the base for ORC, Anderssons at Ongava provides an interactive hub for guests to learn about conservation science, where cutting edge technology meets hands on, field-based research.
Route: Ongava to Grootberg Lodge
Distance: 245km
Journey: Your travels today take you through commercial farmlands to the Etendeka Plateau and one of our community conservation success stories - Grootberg Lodge perched over the Klip River plateau. 12 000 hectares have been set aside by the #Khoadi//Hoas community for conservation and tourism, and it is through this pristine wilderness that you can explore either on foot or by car to encounter the inhabitants of this remote area. The lodge is a landmark in the Namibian tourism industry as its revenue streams provide direct benefits to the community: not only employment but also assistance in mitigating the human-wildlife conflict via specific funds set aside by the business in conjunction with continuous monitoring of the wildlife thanks to the cooperation of Grootberg guides with SRT (Save The Rhino Trust) and the community shepherds. The lodge also supports other conservancy’s projects, e.g. by purchasing vegetables grown by the local farmers, by financing an education fund and by collecting garbage to minimise pollution in the area.
Grootberg Lodge sunset drive
Journey: We suggest taking joining either the rhino or elephant tracking programs today, ending off your day with a scenic drive or sundowner.
Route: Grootberg Lodge to Camp Kipwe
Distance: 130 km
Journey: Travel down the Grootberg Pass exploring more of Damaraland where the flora and fauna have adapted perfectly to the harsh weather conditions. Areas of interest include the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO world heritage sight. In addition geological sites such as the Organ pipes and Burnt Mountain are worth a visit and for a great cultural experience visit the Damara Living Museum.
The Lodge prides itself in being a part of the conservancy they operate in. They invest in the backbone of their structure, our people, through amongst other training and are currently in the process of setting up a community vegetable garden so as to purchase vegetables from a community-based vegetable garden in the conservancy as well as supporting other projects such as the expansion of the waterhole to ensure a herd of 18 elephants have enough to drink when they pay a visit. Their interests span far beyond the conservancy with support of the desert lion project. To preserve their natural environment, indigenous plants which are harvested and replanted around the lodge and waterhole. They ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ all refuse and use energy saving bulbs as well as solar geysers to reduce the carbon footprint.
Route: Camp Kipwe to Swakopmun
Distance: 322 km
Journey: The mining town of Uis would be your first stop today, the settlement was established in 1958 when it was a tin mining hub, today it is well known for its local mineral wealth although the open pit mine has closed there are some 3600 inhabitants. Being on the main road between the coast and interior as well as at the base of the Brandberg Mountain, Namibia's highest peak, Uis sees a reasonable amount of traffic, by Namibian standards.
Once you've crossed the gravel plains to reach the coastal road we suggest you head north to visit Cape Cross seal Reserve before heading down past the town of Henties Bay to Swakopmund.
Journey: Day at leisure in this coastal town - there are quite a number of optional activities, in addition to those listed there is also sandboarding, quad biking, Swakopmund cultural tours, and scenic flights over the coastline and interior.
Route: Swakopmund to NamibRand Nature Reserve
Distance: 432 km
Journey: An early start is recommended today. You can either travel to Walvis Bay and head inland from there, or drive to the Moon Landscape and Welwitschia Plains before heading down to the Namib Desert.
Travel via the Kuiseb and Gaub Canyons to the settlement of Solitaire and on to the NamibRand Nature Reserve.
A private nature reserve established to help protect and conserve the unique ecology and wildlife of the south-west Namib Desert. Conserving the pro-Namib, the area along the eastern edge of the Namib Desert, is critically important in order to facilitate seasonal migratory wildlife routes and to protect biodiversity. It is probably the largest private nature reserve in southern Africa, extending over an area of more than 200,000 ha. The Reserve shares a 100km border with the Namib-Naukluft National Park in the west and is bordered in the east by the imposing Nubib Mountains. Virtually all facets of the Namib Desert are represented on the Reserve – sand and gravel plains and stretches of savanna alternate with mountain ranges, inselbergs and vegetated dune belts.
Please note: the NamibRand Nature Reserve does not offer drives to Sossusvlei or Dead Vlei, all activities are based on their Reserve only. For travelers wanting to visit Sossusvlei this is best done by adding a night prior to arrival at Wolwedans after your stay in Swakopmund, This would allow an early morning visit to the dunes (best time to view) before heading down to the lodge to arrive in time for lunch and an afternoon activity (both optional extras).
Route: NamibRand Nature Reserve to Windhoek
Distance: 390 km
Journey: Your drive today takes you back to Windhoek via the town of Rehoboth.
Please note: outbound flights to be booked for late afternoon / early evening, alternatively spend the night in Windhoek and depart Namibia the following day.
