| Duration: | 10 Day(s) - 9 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Classic Tours |
Otjiwarongo - Etosha South - Damaraland - Swakopmund - Naukluft Mountains - Windhoek
Standard Classic Namibian Group Tour
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 on board 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: Village Boutique Hotel, Otjiwarongo
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 stopover in Okahandja and visit a local craft market.
Namibia
Located in southwestern Africa, Namibia boasts a well-developed infrastructure, some of the best tourist facilities in Africa, and an impressive list of breathtaking natural wonders. Visitors can explore the capital of Windhoek and discover the lovely coastal town of Swakopmund boasting remnants of the country’s German influence, reflected in the architecture, culture, cuisine, and the annual Oktoberfest celebrations.
To properly appreciate this extraordinary country, you will have to venture out of the cities to explore the remarkable natural landscapes Namibia has to offer. These include the impressive Fish River Canyon; the vast Etosha National Park teeming with abundant wildlife, such as lions, desert-adapted elephants, and the Hartmann's Mountain Zebra; the hauntingly beautiful Kalahari Desert; and of course the Namib Desert stretching for over 2000 km along the magnificent Atlantic Coast.
Namibia is an ideal destination for travelers seeking an unforgettable African experience in a uniquely beautiful untamed wilderness.
Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo – meaning ‘the place of fat cattle’ – is a tranquil, German-influenced town with numerous lodging options, shops, and other amenities, making it ideal for a stopover en route to Windhoek, Etosha National Park, and the Waterberg Plateau. Points of interest include a good craft market, the Cheetah Conservation Fund, and the Crocodile Ranch, where visitors can view these fascinating reptiles and, if they fancy, sample a selection of crocodile meat dishes at the ranch restaurant.
Overnight: Village Boutique Hotel
The Village Boutique Hotel (which is the newest and most modern in Otjiwarongo) is a perfect stopover on the way to Etosha and other Northern tourist sites or as the ideal weekend retreat while you visit the Cheetah Conservation, the Waterberg Plateau, and other nearby attractions.
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.
Day 2: Toshari Lodge (Etosha Gateway), Etosha South
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 in our tour vehicle
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.
Overnight: Toshari Lodge (Etosha Gateway)
Nestled on an outcrop of dolomite rocks, under a forest of Mopane and white Seringa trees, Toshari Lodge offers affordable but enchanting accommodation close to Etosha National Park. A warm welcome awaits you complimented by a refreshing cold drink on arrival. Absorb the peace and tranquility of the natural African bush as you amble through a blend of manicured lawns and rustic bush gardens to your private room.
Take a refreshing dip in the sparkling pools and enjoy wholesome Namibian cuisine, complimented with herbs and vegetables from the garden and fresh home-baked bread, in the tranquility of the striking African Lapa with its stunning photographs of local Etosha wildlife. Campsites are also available; each pitch has a private shower room with hot and cold water, 220v power point, herb garden, and braai place. Situated just off the C38 between Outjo and Okaukuejo, Toshari Lodge is ideally positioned for day visits into Etosha National Park; on your own or on expertly guided tours.
Optional
Morning
Omaha Himba Village
Afternoon
Etosha Game Drive
Omaha Himba Village
Omaha 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.
Day 3: Toshari Lodge (Etosha Gateway), 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
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.
Day 4: Buruxa Camp, Damaraland
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.
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.
Overnight: Buruxa Camp
Buruxa Camp is a beautiful luxury tented camp in Damaraland Namibia. Located just off the C35 between Uis and Khorixas. The perfect stop-over point between Swakopmund and Etosha National Park. The main area with a pool and bar are welcome after a long day on the road.
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.
Day 5: Swakopmund Sands Hotel, Swakopmund
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. Arrive in Swakopmund in the afternoon.
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.
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
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.
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
Afternoon
Sossusfly Scenic Flight
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.
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.
Day 7: Agama Lodge, Naukluft Mountains
Day Itinerary
After early morning breakfast, you drive to Sossusvlei. Your drive is via the scenic route which passes through the Namib Nauklfut park.
Naukluft Mountains
Located in Central Namibia, the Naukluft Mountains cut a fine silhouette against the vast open skies of this incredibly beautiful country. Private farms occupy the northern reaches and to the south, the range falls within the spectacular Namib-Naukluft National Park. Rising steeply from the vast plains of Central Namibia, the rugged landscape holds a fascinating history, interesting geology and boasts a variety of deep gorges, caves, small streams, and beautiful waterfalls.
These mountains support an array of wildlife including over 50 mammal species such as leopard, mountain zebra; various antelope species, and almost 200 species of bird. Popular activities include game viewing, hiking, bird watching, camping, off-roading in a four-wheel drive, and swimming in the spectacular rock pools at the Kudusrus campsite.
Overnight: Agama Lodge
At Agama Lodge, have developed a wonderful oasis. Together they started with a simple group of campsites which include well decorated and spotlessly clean ablution blocks partly open to the skies!
Recently they have added ten rustic style Chalets with modern amenities and comforts inside, while the solid roofs serve as a private viewing platform or an ideal position for stargazing at night - or even a place to sleep under the stars. The main lodge buildings incorporate a cozy bar, a friendly restaurant that serves excellent meals, and a large viewing deck for sunsets.
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 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.
Day 8: Agama Lodge, Naukluft Mountains
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.
Day 9: Windhoek Gardens Boutique Hotel, Windhoek
Day Itinerary
After a late breakfast, you drive back to Windhoek. On arrival in Windhoek, you embark on a Windhoek City and township tour.
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.
Overnight: Windhoek Gardens Boutique Hotel
Windhoek Gardens Boutique Hotel is located 5 minutes away from the center of Windhoek, making it a perfect mix of convenience and practicality. Windhoek Gardens Boutique Hotel boasts 28 uniquely Namibian-themed rooms, each with high-speed internet and an ample workstation.
All rooms are twin bedded and have en-suite bathrooms.
The gorgeously furnished modern fitted rooms combined with a restful and rustic setting offer you the perfect stopover in Windhoek. You can experience Etosha in the North to Solitaire in the South on-premises.
Activities
Afternoon
Windhoek City Tour
Afternoon
The Diamond Works
Windhoek City Tour
City Tour of Windhoek’s historical buildings & monuments as well as the suburbs of Khomasdal, Katutura & Ludwigsdorf.
The Diamond Works
At The Diamond, Works visitors can learn more about the history of diamond mining in Namibia and how this gemstone is processed. The store boasts the largest display of diamonds, semi-precious stones, jewelry, and many more in Windhoek.
Day 10: End of Itinerary
Day Itinerary
Today you bid farewell to your guide at Hosea Kutako International airport and fly back
