2024 - SCH 10 day Namibia Family Holiday (select Sat Departures)

Day 1 - Saturday

Route:                                 Windhoek to Namib Naukluft Park

Distance:                            310 km

Collection time:            08h00 – 08h30 from any accommodation within the City of Windhoek

Journey:  we leave Windhoek travelling via the gravel roads and the Khomas Hochland mountain range, this area is one of farming communities till we reach the end of the escarpment (crossing the Tropic of Capricorn) where we descend via the Remhoogte Pass to the settlement of Solitaire.  The terrain varies dramatically as we travel to our campsite where arrival is due mid to late afternoon.  Set up camp and visit Elim dune – a great place for sundowners with the dunes behind us and the Naukluft Mountains in the distance.

Day 2 - Sunday

Route:                                 Sesriem – Sossusvlei - Sesriem

Journey:  We’ll need to be on the move an hour before dawn as we make our way through a dry riverbed and across the gravel plains towards the Namib Dunes.  We’ll stop at Dune 45 before making our way to Sossusvlei with age old sands said to be around five million years old.  Dead Vlei with its white pan and contrasting black scorched trees is also on our visit list.  Whilst this region appears to be lifeless there are a variety of animal species that have adapted to these conditions and if we’re lucky may see Oryx antelope, ostrich, springbok and don’t forget about the birdlife and reptiles that inhabit the area.  Return to our campsite for lunch, late afternoon visit to the Sesriem Canyon where the ephemeral Tsauchab River has shaped the area over millions of years.

Day 3 - Monday

Route:                                 Namib Naukluft Park to Swakopmund

Distance:                            345 km

Journey:  we leave the Sesiem area to the settlement of Solitaire, not far north of this we cross the Tropic of Capricorn.  The surrounds of the Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons provide good geological phenomenon, in addition we may see the elusive Mountain Zebra before travelling across the gravel plains of the Namib Desert with its endless horizons, our destination the Atlantic Ocean and coastal town of Swakopmund. 

Day 4 – Tuesday

Route:                                 Swakopmund (hotel or bed and breakfast)

Day at leisure to explore the town of Swakopmund or participate in one of the many activities on offer from Swakopmund or neighbouring Walvis Bay.  

Day 5 – Wednesday

Route:                                 Swakopmund to Madisa campsite

Distance:                            385 km

Journey:  We travel north along the coastline to Cape Cross Seal Reserve, home to between eighty and one hundred thousand Fur seals, endemic to southern Africa they are commonly known as “eared seals”.  Leaving the coast behind we cross the plains heading to the old mining town of Uis, our travels will take us past the Brandberg Moutain as we head into Damaraland, an area characterised by its rocky and rugged landscapes of rough, fascinating beauty.  We arrive into camp with sufficient time before setting off on a sundowner drive which meanders around the surrounding areas with spectacular views of the dunes, open plains and rock formations, ending high up on a koppi for the most spectacular African sunset.

Day 6 - Thursday

Route:                                 Madisa campsite to Taleni Africa (border Etosha National Park)

Distance:                            300 km

Journey:  This morning we accompany a local guide to view the rock engravings and rock paintings at Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The Living Museum of the Damara situated nearby allows visitors the opportunity to get to know their traditional culture, this in an attempt to reconstruct the ‘lost culture’ of the Damara People.  By visiting we contribute to the preservation of this culture.

Passing through Khorixas and on to Outjo, a mixture of communal and commercial farming land we arrive on the southern boundary of Etosha National Park, set up camp before heading off on our first Etosha game drive.

Day 7 - Friday

Route:                                 Through Etosha Okaukuejo region (Taleni Etosha) to Onguma Game Reserve

Journey:  Up before dawn, we need to be at the Andersson Gate for sunrise which is when the entrance gates open, one of the best times for game viewing is the cooler morning hours and late afternoon.  We make use of today on an extensive game drive in search of black and white rhino, elephants, lion, cheetah and the numerous species of plains game.  The drive will give you an overview of the National Park including its birdlife, flora and geology. A stop will be made at Halali, the most central of the resorts.  Exit the National Park, it’s a short journey to our overnight camping on a private nature Reserve.

Day 8 – Saturday

Route:                                 Morning and afternoon game drives into Etosha National Park

Journey:  we’ll be at the Von Lindequist gate for sunrise as we enter Etosha National Park, this day will be run as per the groups requirements, we can either do a morning game drive and return to Onguma for lunch and early afternoon at leisure before heading back into the Park for an afternoon drive OR we can take a packed lunch and spend the day in the Etosha Park, taking a break at Namutoni Resort during the heat of day returning to our campsite just before sunset.

Day 9 - Sunday

Route:                                 Onguma Game Reserve to Mount Etjo Safari Lodge

Distance:                            392 km

Journey:  continue south via the mining town of Tsumeb, south of Otjiwarongo lies Mount Etjo Safari Lodge located in the heart of the Okonjati Game Reserve.   Home to over 8000 animals and a impressive variety of bird species the Okonjati Wildlife Sanctuary is a true Conservation Area, Mount Etjo Safari Lodge is where the most important Declaration towards Namibia's Independence was signed in 1989 (The Mount Etjo Declaration).  

Three different dinosaur footprints can be found in the area, believed to date back to the Triassic (Stormberg) age, around 230 Million years ago.  Late afternoon we will join a guided game drive on the property.

Day 10 - Monday

Route:                                 Mount Etjo Safari Lodge to Windhoek

Distance:                            225 km

Journey:  After breakfast we pack up camp and return to Windhoek via the town of Okahandja, founded around 1800 by two local groups, the Herero and the Nama it is known as the Garden town of Namibia. For those wanting to fly out today, we request flights to be after 14h00.