Namibia, Vic Falls, and Botswana Signature Journey

Welcome to 🇳🇦 Namibia!

• Meet our representative and your private Guide and Driver upon your arrival at Windhoek International Airport [WDH]
• Overland scenic drive through the Naukluft Mountains to the Namib Desert
• Stay at The Elegant Desert Lodge for 2 nights
• On the second day, enjoy the excursions to Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei and Sesriem Canyon.

Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei

It is one of the most extraordinary sights in Namibia, if not the world. The eternally shifting red dunes tower 300 m over the Namib desert (the
the oldest desert in the world) and its ancient clay pans. The dunes in the Namib Naukluft Park formed on the coast and gradually shifted inland for millions of years. This endless wind pushing sand ever forward creates the fantastic shapes for which Sossusvlei has become so famous. The pans rarely get water, but on rare occasions, the Namib does see rain, and the pans spring into life. Trees once grew here, but these have long since died, their dried and blackened skeletons still standing 900 years later. To experience the true beauty of these vast structures, they should be climbed at sunrise or sunset when the colors and shapes transform before your eyes. The gates to the dunes open an hour before sunrise. Then, a 60km drive along the tar road through the park before you reach the famous pans. Along this road, you will see a sign for Dune 45; this is an excellent place to watch the sunrise over the dunes. It is also a slightly easier dune to climb. If you prefer to avoid the crowds, keep driving to Dead Vlei. The last 5km is through deep sand and is for 4x4 vehicles; the signs for Dead Vlei and experience the extraordinary beauty of this pan before anyone else arrives.

Namib-Naukluft National Park

Namib-Naukluft National Park is located on the western side of Namibia between the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean through the beginning of the Great Escarpment, which extends into South Africa. The park covers an area of 19,216 square miles (49,768 sq km), creating the largest national park in Africa and the fourth largest in the world.  It is a renowned park featuring the splendor of the Namib Desert. The Namib Desert is at the heart of the national park.  As the oldest desert in the world, it displays brilliantly colored dunes that are considered some of the largest in the world. The landscapes include remarkable mountains, naturally carved canyons, tremendous gravel plains, and towering and captivating dunes. Many of the dunes serve as landmarks as well as individual attractions.  Dune 45, Elim Dune, and Big Daddy are some of the most famous dunes.  Salt and clay pans are iconic attractions in the national park. Sossusvlei, Hiddenvlei, and Deadvlei are three of the most visited pans.  Sossusvlei is the most renowned; however, all three are known to be home to wildlife attracted to the salt. The dunes are some of the most popular features of the national park.

The park administration has developed asphalt roads that make seeing many of the more famous dunes and surrounding landscapes easy. One of the best ways to truly appreciate the dunes' majestic nature is from above.  Taking a scenic flight or balloon ride over the dunes is captivating as it allows you to truly capture the astounding size of the dunes and the endless sea of rolling desert. Along with the dunes, the park is characterized by rocky outcrops and rock formations locally known as kopjes and inselbergs.  These rock formations are usually comprised of granite, feldspar, and sandstone. As the desert moves closer to the shoreline, the terrain is characterized by lagoons, mudflats, and wetlands.  This terrain and vegetation attract hundreds of thousands of birds, creating a birdwatcher’s haven.

Welcome to the 🌊 Atlantic Ocean!

• Overland scenic drive through the Namib Naukluft National Park to the Ocean shore
• Enjoy your dinner on Swakopmund waterfront
• Stay at Swakopmund Sands Hotel for 1 night

Swakopmund

It looks like being in Germany! Swakopmund, known as Swakop in Namibia, is the country’s biggest coastal town and a resort for Namibians on holiday. The city’s German origins are quite pronounced in beautiful old German colonial buildings throughout the city, making an even starker contrast for this town sitting at the edge of the Namib Desert. Why would we like our clients to stay in Swakopmund? Beautiful dunes, a vibrant city, and above all, Sandwich Harbour. Once you obtain the permit (instructions will be given), you drive along a beautiful dune chain adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, zigzagging the original railway line between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. This is an opportunity for a detailed look at the formation of ‘the world’s oldest desert’ and the bird paradise surrounding you. The dramatic landscape will capture your imagination as soon as you get close to the dunes and the ocean. It will quickly become clear why Sandwich Harbour is often described as inaccessible! Spring tides and shifting sands ensure an unpredictable route, but as you approach the towering, wind-sculptured dunes at the edge of Sandwich Harbour, there is a sense of entering a different world. You will drive on a thin stretch of sand between the dunes and the ocean. A truly unique experience.

Welcome to Damaraland!

• Overland scenic drive through the Damaraland to the border of Etosha NP
• Afternoon game drive safari in Etosha NP
• Stay at Toshari Lodge for 1 night

Damaraland

The name of this region comes from the Damara people who live here and constitute a large share of its very low population. The region is also home
to a variety of game including zebra, giraffe, antelope, elephant, and black rhino. Damaraland is famous for its numerous, intriguing natural landmarks such as the Petrified Forest, the volcanic Burnt Mountain, and the basalt Organ Pipes, a peculiar geological feature comprising numerous 12-foot high dolerite columns. Damaraland incorporates the Brandberg, Twyfelfontein, and Spitzkoppe and is also renowned for its incredible prehistoric rock paintings and engravings. Brandberg means ‘fire mountain’ and is so-called because of the setting sun's effect on its western face. At 8,550 feet, its summit is Namibia’s highest peak. Here, you will find the Tsisab and Numas ravines, both displaying many weird and wonderful rock paintings.

Welcome to Unesco World Heritage of Etosha National Park!

• Full-day safari in the  Etosha NP from the south-western gate to the eastern gate
• Enjoy the game drives around Etosha waterholes
• Stay at Mokuti Etosha Lodge for 1 night

Etosha National Park

Regarded by safari enthusiasts as one of Africa's greatest wildlife sanctuaries, Etosha National Park - dominated by its enormous shimmering salt pan - is an area of wild savannah, umbrella thorn acacias, and mopane woodland and is home to a fantastic array of animals. The park measures 22,935 sq km, while all the pans cover more than 4,730 sq km. Despite its arid appearance, the park is packed with familiar faces and protects over 100 species of mammal, 16 species of reptile, and 340 species of bird. The name "Etosha" means "great white place of dry water" and comes from the Etosha Pan, a vast, flat, saline desert. When a good rainy season occurs, the normally dry river channels carry water to this gentle depression turning it into a shallow lagoon. This unusual oasis then becomes a busy watering hole as it draws in a variety of animals and, for a few days each year, thousands of flamingos and pelicans. You are likely to see elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards, Burchell's zebra, and desert specialists like Springbok and the handsome Gemsbok. It's also one of the best places in southern Africa to spot the endangered cheetah and black rhino, not to mention rare antelope species like black-faced impala, Damara dik-dik, and roan antelope. The birds include an exciting blend of savannah, wetland, and semi-desert birds such as korhaan, marabou, yellow-billed hornbill, ostrich, white-backed vulture, and the enormous kori bustard, which can exceed 15kg in weight. Visitors are free to explore the pans in their own vehicles, and detailed maps and game guides are offered on entry.

• Overland scenic drive to Windhoek
• Stay at Olive Grove Guesthouse for 1 night

• Private road transfer from your hotel in Windhoek to Windhoek International Airport [WDH]
• ✈️ Scheduled shared flight to Victoria Falls International Airport [VFA], Zimbabwe
• Shared transfer to your hotel in Victoria Falls town
• Stay at Pioneers Victoria Falls for 2 nights

Enjoy the majestic Victoria Falls!

• Free day in Victoria Falls
• Victoria Falls National Park - Zimbabwe
• Victoria Falls National Park -Zambia
• Zambezi cruise

Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls are without doubt one of the world’s most remarkable sights. They occur where the enormous Zambezi (over a mile wide at this stage) plummets 350 feet into a steep gorge sending up swirls of spray to a background of thunderous noise. With an average of 550,000 cubic m of water passing over the falls every minute, it is the largest curtain of water in the world. The Falls are actually split into a number of separate waterfalls owing to the small islands dotted along the top of the Falls that interrupt the curtain of water. From west to east, they are called the Devil’s Cataract, the Main Falls, the Horseshoe Falls, the Rainbow Falls, and the Eastern Cataract. The higher water levels towards the end of the rainy season (around May) mean that the spray coming off the Falls is even greater than usual. The result is a dense, swirling mist that soaks everyone and everything beneath it. Wearing waterproof clothing is useless as the water is like a fine shower coming from every angle and will drench you in a matter of seconds. But once you catch your first glimpse of the Falls, this unceremonious dousing will be the last thing on your mind! The spray from the plunging water sustains a rich microclimate around the Falls: an important and very interesting rainforest that contains plant species rarely found anywhere else in Zambia or Zimbabwe. Beneath the bird-filled canopy of the forest, there are small antelope, monkeys, and baboons. Near the Falls, you are likely to see fish eagles, Egyptian geese, kingfishers, many different kinds of bee-eaters, ibis and other storks, egrets and herons. If you are extremely lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the rare Taita falcon. Rock pratincoles are also very rare yet can often be seen dancing along the rocks at the water’s edge looking for insects. The collared palm thrush is another rarity, occasionally spotted in the forest around the Falls.

• Shared road transfer to Kazungula Zimbabwe - Botswana border crossing
• Shared road transfer from Kazungula to your lodge
• Enjoy the game drive safaris in Chobe NP
• Enjoy the boat cruises on the Chobe River
• Stay Chobe Safari Lodge for 2 nights

Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park lies in the far north-eastern corner of Botswana. It is well-watered by the Chobe River and is home to a dense and varied population of game. The spectacular river runs through the northern part of the Chobe National Park and this perennial water supply attracts an abundance of birds and beasts, the river banks are teeming with thirsty creatures it is wonderful to park up and see what comes down to drink. The Savuti Marshes in the west and the Linyanti swamps in the northeast also attract a huge amount of wildlife, and particularly during the wet season extraordinary birdlife. A major feature of Chobe National Park is its elephant population, currently estimated to be approximately 120,000. These elephants are migratory as they journey on a seasonal basis from the Chobe and Linyanti rivers during the wet season to the pans in the southeast of the park where they go during the rains, a journey of up to 240 km.

• Shared road transfer to Kasane [BBK] Airport
• 🛩️ Shared light aircraft flight BBK - Khwai airstrip
• Shared transfer and safari in Khwai River Community Area
• Enjoy your morning,  afternoon, and exciting night game drive safaris
• Join guided walking safaris
• Explore the river in mokoro excursions (subject to water levels)
• Stay at Saguni Safari Lodge for 2 nights

Khwai Community Area

On the outskirts of the beautifully preserved Moremi Game Reserve is a wildlife-prolific and varied ecosystem that provides a patchwork of lagoons, shallow flooded pans, open grass plains, and woodland forests. The Khwai area is, without a doubt, one of the most scenic regions in Botswana. The Khwai community, adjacent to the northern region of Moremi Game Reserve, has a population of just 400 people who are predominantly of either BaBukakhwe or River Bushmen descent. They are an inspirational example of a local community that lives in peaceful harmony with wildlife. The Khwai Concession is a 180,000 he area situated in the northeastern Okavango next to the Moremi Game Reserve. It was formed by the local Khwai villagers and is managed by the Khwai Development Trust. The area used to be a hunting concession but is now actively managed as a conservation area. The villagers took over the site when they moved out of the Moremi region when the Moremi Game Reserve was formed. The local community now runs eco-tourism initiatives, actively conserves the environment, and manages the concession wildlife.

• Shared transfer and safari to Khwai airstrip
• 🛩️ Shared light aircraft flight Khwai airstrip - Okavango airstrip
• Shared transfer and safari to your camp
• Enjoy your morning,  afternoon, and evening game drive safaris
• Join guided walking safaris
• Interact with local communities in a village visit
• Seasonal fishing 
• Short boat cruises (subject to water levels)
• Explore the river in mokoro excursions (subject to water levels)
• Stay at Kadizora Camp for 2 nights

Okavango Delta

We strongly recommend you to read a bit more about this fantastic place, an ecosystem unique in the World. The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It's known for its sprawling grassy plains, which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. The Moremi Game Reserve occupies the east and central areas of the region. Here, dugout canoes (called mokoro) are used to navigate past hippos, elephants, and crocodiles. On dry land, wildlife includes lions, leopards, giraffes, and rhinos.

The Okavango Delta is a unique pulsing wetland. More correctly an alluvial fan, the delta covers between 6 and 15 000 square miles of the Kalahari Desert in northern Botswana and owes its existence to the Okavango (Kavango) River which flows from the Angolan highlands, across Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, and into the harsh Kalahari Desert.

The 1000th site to be inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2014, the Okavango Delta is an important wildlife area protected by both the Moremi Game Reserve, on its eastern edge, and the numerous wildlife concessions within Ngamiland.

• Shared transfer and safari to Okavango airstrip
• 🛩️ Shared light aircraft flight Okavango airstrip - Maun International Airport [MUB]

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