Duration: | 10 Day(s) - 9 Night(s) |
Tour Category: | Classic Tours |
Waterberg Region - Etosha South - Damaraland - Swakopmund - Sossusvlei - Windhoek
Included:
9 night’s accommodation as per tour summary
All services as listed above
English speaking guide
Suitable vehicle as above or Similar including Fuel
Porterages
Water onboard the vehicle
Passenger Liability insurance
Entrance fees and activities as listed above
15% VAT
Tourism Levy
Excluded:
All other flights and flight-related taxes and levies
All expenses of a personal nature
All other Activities, Entry Fees & Dinners
All other services not listed above
Travel Insurances.
Day 1: Otjiwa Safari Lodge, Waterberg Region
Waterberg Region
Situated just south of the renowned Etosha National Park, the Waterberg Region encompasses the magnificent Waterberg Plateau National Park and the farming districts from Outjo and Otjiwarongo in the west, to Grootfontein and Tsumeb in the east. Tranquil, vast, and breathtakingly beautiful, the Waterberg region is known for its natural attractions including undulating bushveld hills, deep gorges, clear streams, and magnificent mountains.
The area features many game reserves which are home to an array of wildlife including the endangered roan and sable antelopes, rhino, blue wildebeests, Cape vulture, and much more. Visitors can look forward to hiking through spectacular landscapes, jumping on a safari to the Waterberg Plateau, and immersing themselves in the local Herero culture.
Day Itinerary
On arrival at Hosea Kutako International airport, the group is met by a respective language guide who will brief them about the tour before driving via Windhoek to Otjiwarango. On your way, you will stop over in Okahandja and visit a local craft market.
Overnight: Otjiwa Safari Lodge
Otjiwa is one of the most diverse Namibian destinations and not only a stop-over or gateway en-route the world famous Etosha National Park and Damara- or Kaokoland in the west or the Water-berg Plateau in the east. Otjiwa Safari Lodge offers much more than our unique and fragile nature that varies from savannah to acacia forest. Otjiwa enhances the animal welfare of not only some endangered and several rare species as well as a tremendous birdlife collection.
We encourage also day visitors to share our interest in Game drives, Angling, Canoeing, Mountain biking, Star Gazing, Hiking Swimming, and Rhino tracking. Otjiwa sets the stage for unique romantic Weddings, Team Building, other special events, and Conferences. Our superb restaurant serves gourmet dishes as well as a variety on excellent home-style Namibian meat.
Activities
Morning
Okahandja Craft Market - South
Optional
Morning
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Okahandja Craft Market - South
This craft market is Okahandja’s best-known tourist attraction. Woodcarvers from all over, and as far as the Kavango Region of north-eastern Namibia, who practice their ancient skills come here to sell their goods. Since wood is not resistant to the wear and tear of time, wood sculptures survive less well than other forms of art and are therefore an important hidden element in the art history of many cultures.
The wood-and-thatch market is situated next to the main road at the town’s entrance and exit. Choose from a wide variety of hand-carved wooden artifacts such as animals, bowls, or jewelry boxes.
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Midway between the spectacular Etosha National Park and the capital city of Windhoek, lies the well-known Okonjima Nature Reserve. The 22 000 ha nature reserve is home to Afri-CAT, a carnivore sanctuary, which gives the captive cats a second chance to be released back into the wild and become completely independent hunters in a protected area right in the middle of commercial cattle farmland.
Visitors can enjoy a stay at a variety of excellent accommodation options including everything from luxury villas to secluded camping. Enjoy thrilling cat tracking guided safaris, leopard-spotting, off-road night drives, and learn about local San culture along the Bushmen trail.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 2: Etosha Safari Camp Gondwana Collection Namibia, Etosha South
Etosha South
Located just south of the boundary of Etosha National Park in northwestern Namibia, Etosha South makes up the southern region of this wild paradise. Ongava Private Game Reserve shares the southern boundary with Etosha National Park and offers an array of luxury lodges overlooking picturesque landscapes dotted with abundant wildlife. The national park can be accessed via the southern entrance at Andersson’s Gate. Visitors can catch a glimpse of a variety of wildlife including lions, giraffes, elephants, white and black rhinos, and a multitude of plains game.
Popular activities include game drives, tracking rhinos on foot, guided nature walks, or watching the sunset over this magnificent landscape.
Day Itinerary
After breakfast, you drive to Etosha National Park and your stay would be on the southern part of the park (outside). Before reaching the gate to the park we will visit a Traditional Himba Village. Later in the afternoon we enter the park and start our first game drive.
Overnight: Etosha Safari Camp Gondwana Collection Namibia
Etosha Safari Camp is located 10 km south of Andersson Gate on the C 38 (Etosha National Park).
Tap toes to an African beat in the novel Oshebeena Bar and relax at this friendly Camp, 10 kilometers from Etosha National Park. 50 chalets, shaded by mopane trees, and a grassy campsite provide a comfortable home from which to explore the abundant animal kingdom. Legendary.
Activities
Morning
Omapha Himba Village
Afternoon
Etosha Game Drive
Omapha Himba Village
Omapha Himba Village in Etosha South, Namibia, is home to the indigenous Himba tribe, who are half-nomadic people. The people are famous for maintaining the traditional way of life of their ancestors up to recent times. External influences have not polluted them, and this reflects in the way they dress, cook, trade, interact and live. An array of wildlife can be seen roaming freely close to the village. Guided tours are offered, and guests can look forward to exploring the village in its natural environment.
Etosha Game Drive
Game drive through Etosha National Park searching for predators, plains game, reptiles & birds.
Game drives are conducted in custom-built safari vehicles with a pop-up roof and large opening windows to maximize photographic opportunities.
Depending on the time of year, these game drives take many different routes but most often focus around the waterholes where you are most likely to see a variety of wildlife taking the chance to get a drink and swim.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 3: Etosha Safari Camp Gondwana Collection Namibia, Etosha South
Day Itinerary
Today is a full-day game drive in open-sided 4 x 4 vehicles. Visiting various water holes and the Etosha pan.
Activities
Morning
Etosha Game Drive
Game drive through Etosha National Park searching for predators, plains game, reptiles & birds.
Game drives are conducted in custom-built safari vehicles with a pop-up roof and large opening windows to maximize photographic opportunities.
Depending on the time of year, these game drives take many different routes but most often focus around the waterholes where you are most likely to see a variety of wildlife taking the chance to get a drink and swim.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 4: Damara Mopane Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia, Damaraland
Damaraland
This vast desert landscape is known as one of the most beautiful regions in Namibia. Huge, untamed, and ruggedly beautiful, Damaraland is an exceptionally scenic landscape featuring open plains, ancient valleys, and spectacular rock formations.
The major attractions are the sacred Spitzkoppe, the Brandberg, Twyfelfontein, Vingerklip and the otherworldly Petrified Forest. Visitors can take in the dramatic vistas, catch a glimpse of the rare desert-adapted elephant, and enjoy spectacular stargazing in crystal-clear night skies from one of the many safari camps dotting Damaraland.
Other popular activities include guided drives, nature walks, and visiting the local communities. Don’t miss the opportunity to view Damaraland's world-famous ancient rock art.
Day Itinerary
After breakfast, you depart Etosha and drive to Damaraland which is the geological heaven of Namibia. On your way, you will stop at Petrified Forest and later visit the World Heritage Site of Twyfelfontein.
Overnight: Damara Mopane Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia
Damara Mopane Lodge is located 20 km east of Khorixas on the C 39 (Damaraland).
Built-in a labyrinth design, this innovative lodge has 55 chalets, each with its own vegetable garden. Savor the charm from your stoep where sunflowers peep over walls, refresh in the pool, visit the Twyfelfontein rock engravings 100km away and watch the sun sink into mopane woodland.
Activities
Morning
Petrified Forest
Afternoon
Twyfelfontein Rock Art
Optional
Morning
Damara Living Museum
Petrified Forest
Situated approximately 50 kilometers west of the town of Khorixas, in an area of the open veld, lies a large deposit of massive tree trunks that have "turned to stone" through a process of diagenesis. These petrified tree trunks are up to 34metres long, 6 meters in circumference, and are approximately 260 million years old. Due to the lack of root or branch remains, it’s believed that the trees were washed down an ancient river to the site in a massive flood.
Twyfelfontein Rock Art
Twyfelfontein is a World Heritage Site boasting one of the richest rock art concentrations in Africa. Thousands of tourists come to this site each year to view some 2, 500 Stone Age rock engravings. The area is home to 17 rock art sites, which collectively encompass 212 engraved stone slabs. There are an additional 13 sites displaying rock paintings.
Damara Living Museum
Observe and experience the traditional Damara way of life right in the heart of their traditional homelands. A unique opportunity to see a way of life that is slowly dying out.
Open daily.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 5: Swakopmund Sands Hotel, Swakopmund
Swakopmund
Set along Namibia's spectacularly scenic coast, the seaside town of Swakopmund is known for its wide-open avenues, colonial architecture, and its surrounding otherworldly desert terrain. Founded in 1892 as the main harbor for German Southwest Africa, Swakopmund is often described as being more German than Germany. Now a seaside resort town, Swakopmund is the capital of the Skeleton Coast tourism area and has plenty to keep visitors happy. The quirky mix of German and Namibian influences, adventure options, laid-back atmosphere, and cool sea breeze make it a very popular Namibian destination.
Visitors can look forward to a number of exciting activities including quad biking, horse riding, paragliding, fishing, sightseeing, and fascinating desert tours.
Day Itinerary
Today we depart Damaraland and drive to the coastal town of Swakopmund. Our drive is via Uis and a detour to visit the Seals at Cape Cross Seal colony. Arrival in Swakopmund in the afternoon.
Overnight: Swakopmund Sands Hotel
The Swakopmund Sands is a literary minutes’ walk away from the very popular Jetty and TUG restaurants as well as other tourist attractions and yet you have total privacy once on the premises. Each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV, safe, heating, fridge, as well as tea and coffee facilities for your convenience. A laundry service is available for same-day delivery.
Each bathroom has a hairdryer and shaving facilities and all international power points can be used. In the morning you will be able to enjoy a sumptuous buffet breakfast in a very relaxing and tranquil dining area.
Activities
Afternoon
Cape Cross Seal Colony
Optional
Afternoon
Sossusfly Scenic Flight
Cape Cross Seal Colony
This colony of Cape Fur Seals is one of the largest in the world, home to approximately 80 000 to 100 000 of these so-called 'seals', which are in fact a species of sea lion. Day trips to the colony are offered and the seals can be viewed from a walkway at a distance of roughly 200 meters.
Sossusfly Scenic Flight
The Sossusfly Scenic Flight is a flight that gives visitors the opportunity to experience a birds-eye view of the most spectacular scenery of the Namib Desert. The flight covers the desert and the Southern Skeleton Coast from the air. The flight includes a low-level flight along the green Kuiseb to the Kuiseb Canyon, as well as the coastline. Highlights of the flight include Tsondablei, Sossusvlei area, diamond camps, shipwrecks, Sandwich Harbour, salt works, Walvis Bay, Longbeach, and Swakopmund.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 6: Swakopmund Sands Hotel, Swakopmund
Day Itinerary
Today you have the day at leisure or you can book any of the optional activities available in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.
Optional
Morning
Catamaran Charters
Afternoon
Sandwich Harbour
Morning
Living Desert Tours
Afternoon
Desert Explorers Quad Biking 2 Hour Explorer Tour
Catamaran Charters
The Catamaran Charters Team invites you aboard the 45ft Royal Cape Sailing Catamaran Silverwind, or the 60ft Simon Sailing Catamaran Silversand, or the 40ft Admiral Motorised Catamaran Silvermoon, to enjoy an adventure-packed tour to Pelican Point and Walvis Bay’s beautiful bay area.
The chances of encountering dolphins, whales, turtles, seals, and Mola Mola (sunfish) make the search for the marine big 5 and adventurous tour by enjoying sparkling wine, fresh oysters, and other mouth-watering snacks aboard the spacious and comfortable catamarans.
Sandwich Harbour
Located roughly 50 kilometers from Walvis Bay, Sandwich Harbour is a natural lagoon framed by sand dunes on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. It is a prime angling and bird-watching site, with countless sea birds coming to feed on the rich fish population, including rare white pelican and vivid flocks of pink flamingos.
Living Desert Tours
The Living Desert Tour is a unique 4x4 adventure that specializes in bringing the desert to life while sharing the awesome beauty of the Namib Desert with travelers from all over the world. The coastal dune belt may seem barren and lifeless to many people, but in fact, it is alive with a fascinating variety of little desert-adapted animals, which are able to survive on the life-giving fog which consistently rolls in from the cold Atlantic Ocean.
Come see the Dancing White Lady Spider (Carparachne aureoflava) cartwheel 44 turns per second down a dune to escape the enemy. Admire the transparent Namib Dune Gecko (Pachydactylus rangei) with webbed feet that are equivalent to snowshoes. Learn about the different beetles and insects and how they survive in the dune desert.
Follow in the tracks of a legless Lizard (Fitsimmon’s Burrowing Skink), observe Sand Diving Lizards (Meroles Anchieta) dancing on the hot sand, Sidewinder Snakes (Perinquey’s Adder), Desert Chameleons, and many more fascinating creatures. Learn about the geology, structure, and formation of the desert, and admire the vast and beautiful landscapes while enjoying a scenic dune drive combined with fun and adrenalin.
Desert Explorers Quad Biking 2 Hour Explorer Tour
Located in Swakopmund, Namibia. Desert Explorers Quad Biking 2 Hour Explorer Tour takes visitors on a pleasant guided quad bike tour to explore the different plant and animal life of the Namib Desert. During a variety of stops along the way, visitors can learn a little about the creatures of the desert.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 7: Namib Desert Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia, Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei
Located in the scenic Namib-Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei is where you will find the iconic red sand dunes of the Namib. The clear blue skies contrast with the giant red dunes to make this one of the most scenic natural wonders of Africa and a photographer's heaven.
This awe-inspiring destination is possibly Namibia's premier attraction, with its unique dunes rising to almost 400 meters-some of the highest in the world. These iconic dunes come alive in morning and evening light and draw photography enthusiasts from around the globe. Sossusvlei is home to a variety of desert wildlife including oryx, springbok, ostrich, and a variety of reptiles.
Visitors can climb 'Big Daddy', one of Sossusvlei’s tallest dunes; explore Deadvlei, a white, salt, claypan dotted with ancient trees; or for the more extravagant, scenic flights and hot air ballooning are on offer, followed by a once-in-a-lifetime champagne breakfast amidst these majestic dunes.
Day Itinerary
After early morning breakfast, you drive to Sossusvlei. Your drive is via the scenic route which passes through the Namib Nauklfut park.
Overnight: Namib Desert Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia
Namib Desert Lodge is located 60 km north of Sesriem on the C 19 (Sossusvlei Area).
Set below striking fossilized dunes, the comfortable lodge provides a spectacular experience of an ancient desert. 65 rooms, two swimming pools, and a waterhole are surrounded by sandy splendor. Breathe in the grandeur on a sunset drive and feel the earth underfoot. Relax in the arms of the Namib.
Activities
Morning
Welwitschia
Morning
The Moon Landscape
Morning
Kuiseb Pass
Recommended
Lunch
Solitaire
The Moon Landscape
This area is traversed by the Tropic of Capricorn and is mostly flat, although some scenic canyons and elevations are found in some areas, for example in the Moon Valley system. While most of the soil is rocky, sand dunes are still occasionally found in this region; for example, sand dunes occupy much of the coastline between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.
The location can be accessed via a picturesque drive through Namib-Naukluft Park. An eerie mysterious landscape has been constructed through years of erosion of soft layers of earth that were deposited in this area over 450 million years ago.
Kuiseb Pass
Kuiseb Pass takes you through the Kuiseb Canyon, the watercourse of which only flows occasionally but often enough to halt the advance of the red sands of the Namib.
Solitaire
Situated in the Khomas region of Central Namibia, the desert town of Solitaire serves as an oasis in the Namib Desert. There is not much to do or see in the small village of Solitaire, but it nevertheless, it is an important stop on the way to the ancient dunes of Sossusvlei as it provides the only petrol station, general store, and post office between Sossusvlei and Walvis Bay.
Solitaire also has a small bar and is renowned for its famous apple pie- said to be the best in Namibia. Home to a luxury desert lodge, a motel, and a campsite, visitors can easily find comfortable accommodation in Solitaire. Enjoy a scenic sundowner with views of the spectacular Namib desert, hike, bike through the unspoiled natural scenery, and visit the local Cheetah Sanctuary.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 8: Namib Desert Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia, Sossusvlei
Day Itinerary
Today requires an early morning wake-up to visit the dunes of Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon. Returning to the lodge in the late afternoon.
Activities
Morning
Dune 45
Morning
Dead Vlei
Afternoon
Sesriem Canyon
Dune 45
Named for its location 45 kilometers past the town of Sesriem, Dune 45 is renowned for its elegant shape, which – along with its position close to the road – has earned it the distinction of ‘most photographed dune in the world’. If you’re not keen on the strenuous hike to the top of Big Daddy, Dune 45 is a more forgiving alternative, standing at only 80 meters and featuring a much gentler gradient.
Dead Vlei
This ancient clay pan was once an oasis, studded with acacias and fed by a river that suddenly changed course, leaving the earth to dry up along with the trees it previously supported. So dry were the climatic conditions that the trees never decomposed – instead they were entirely leached of moisture so that today, 900 years later, they remain as desiccated, blackened sentinels dotting the pan’s cracked surface. Surrounded by the red-pink dunes of the Namibia Desert, they create a surreal spectacle that is a photographer's dream.
Sesriem Canyon
Sesriem Canyon, a deep chasm carved through the rocks by water, is a striking natural feature of the area that is best explored on foot. Stony walls rise up sharply on both sides of the canyon, while birds roost in its crags and lizards dart along the ledges. The canyon’s name was coined when early settlers used it as a water source, using six lengths of leather (‘ses riem – six thongs) tied together to lower buckets into the water at the base of the canyon.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 9: Windhoek Country Club Resort & Casino, Windhoek
Windhoek
Situated in Central Namibia, the cosmopolitan city of Windhoek serves as the capital of the country. It is home to an international airport and a plethora of restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, and accommodation options.
The city is clean, safe, and well-organized, with a colonial legacy that is reflected in its many German eateries and shops, and the widespread use of the German language. Windhoek has an interesting mix of historical architecture and modern buildings, many of which are worth a look, including the Alte Feste an old fort, the 1896 Christuskirche Christ Church, and the more contemporary Supreme Court.
Day Itinerary
After a late breakfast, you drive back to Windhoek. On arrival in Windhoek, you embark on a Windhoek City and township tour.
Overnight: Windhoek Country Club Resort & Casino
Developed as a resort within the city, the Windhoek Country Club Resort offers businessmen, conference delegates, or families the best of both worlds. The resort’s unique combination of exceptional service, luxury accommodation, and tranquil setting has ensured that it remains the final word in comfort and entertainment in Namibia. Enjoy a rendezvous with Lady Luck at the Desert Jewel Casino, play a round of golf on the superb 18-hole golf course, relax in the lazy river or take in any one of Windhoek’s cultural sites
Activities
Afternoon
Windhoek City Tour
Windhoek City Tour
City Tour of Windhoek’s historical buildings & monuments as well as the suburbs of Khomasdal, Katutura & Ludwigsdorf.
Basis
Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast
Day 10: End of Itinerary
Day Itinerary
Today you bid farewell to your guide at Hosea Kutako International airport and fly back home.
Basis
Bed and Breakfast