Day one
Windhoek – Okonjima (300 km
We will travel north, stopping at small towns along the way including
Okahandja, where we have time to visit Namibia’s largest wood
carving market. The market is operated on a local co-operative
basis and is one of the best places to shop for truly Namibian
souvenirs.
Okonjima is the home of the Africat
Foundation, a specialist conservation concern that centers its
operations around the African Big Cats, particularly the cheetah.
This afternoon you will be taken on a tour during which you will be
able to meet, close-up-and-personal, some of the cheetah that are
going through the Africat rehabilitation program. Most of the
animals currently living at Okonjima have been rescued from various
desperate situations, being orphaned or caught in a trap, and the aim
of rehabilitation process is to attempt to re-introduce them into the
wild. After our educational tour we will
return to camp and prepare for dinner under the African stars.
Day two
Okonjima - Namutoni, Etosha National Park (300 km)
An early start and continuing north we
pass through some small towns, making short stops for fresh supplies
and fuel. Our first main port of call today is the mysterious
Lake Otjikoto. Otjikoto is in fact Namibia's largest permanent natural
lake and we take time here to rest a little and learn something about
the history of this unusual landmark. Continuing on to Namutoni camp in
Etosha National Park we again aim to arrive in time for lunch, giving
us time to relax before heading out into the park during the cool of
the late afternoon for our first game drive.
After your evening meal there are still
more chances to see Etosha's big game at Namutoni's floodlit
waterhole. Situated on the boundary of the camp and easily
reachable on foot, elephants are regular visitors here and there is a
good chance of seeing other species of game as well.
Day three
Namutoni - Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park
A full day's game driving. We
again leave early to enjoy the cool morning air as we game drive our
way through Etosha to Halali camp, situated in the middle of the
park. Along the way we visit several
waterholes and are afforded splendid views of the massive Etosha
Pan. The game viewing is usually excellent and we have the
chance to tick off a few new species that are not normally seen on the
Namutoni side of the park.
We stop at Halali for a rest and a
leisurely lunch. There is time to visit the Halali waterhole and
to make use of the swimming pool and bar facilities before continuing
on our way and game driving down to Okaukuejo camp. Okaukuejo is famous for its waterhole,
which has been described as one of the "best game viewing
opportunities in Southern Africa". Situated on the doorstep
of our camp, black rhino, elephant, lion and numerous species of
antelope are usually seen.
Day four
Okaukuejo – Oase Himba Village, Kamanjab (300km)
Leaving Etosha we begin our journey
south with a relatively short drive to the small town of Kamanjab
where we will make a short stop here before continuing on to find the
Himba Tribesmen.
This is the only traditionally
functioning Himba community outside the far north Kaokoland region of
Namibia These tribes-people have migrated here, lifestyle and customs
intact, and are following their traditional way-of-life in their
village on a farm. Oase Village is located about 15 to 20 km
outside Kamanjab, the exact location of the site varies as the Himba
occasionally roam to a new location.
During the afternoon we will be invited
into Oase Village and will meet with the locals. We will have a
specialist guide for the time we are there, who will be able to
translate for us and will introduce us to this “alternative
lifestyle”. We will learn about marriage customs, traditional
food and the mysteries of the local religion, “Holy Fire”. We will make our camp about 150 meters
from the village “Kraal” to ensure both our and our hosts privacy
Day five
Oase Village – Brandberg Mountain (400km) (BLD) (camping)
Today we head into one of the most
beautiful desert regions in Namibia, Damaraland. We drive south
to the capital of this region, the small town of Khorixas, and then
take a detour to the west, traveling via the Petrified Forest
geological site, to visit the ancient Bushman rock engravings at
Twyfelfontien. At both these locations we will have local guides
to conduct us on a short guided tour. From here we head deeper into the
desert to Namibia’s highest mountain, The Brandberg, (2573 m).
Brandberg Mountain is an ancient Bushman spiritual site and tonight we
will sleep in a community campsite under the shadow of this giant
granite monolith.
Day six
Brandberg Mountain – Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast (200 km)
Starting early to enjoy the cool of the
morning we will hike, “into” the mountain with our guide to see
the world famous “White Lady” rock painting. Attributed to
the Bushman artists, the white lady panel is believed by some to be in
excess of 20 000 years old. Back on the road and more beautiful
Damaraland scenery this morning, we make our first stop in the small
town of Uis, an old mining town, and one of the best places to buy
semi-precious stones, for which Namibia is famous. Here, rough
Amethyst, Tourmaline etc can be found at bargain prices.
From here we turn directly west and
cross the “gravel plains” on our way to the Atlantic Ocean and the
Skeleton Coast. Meeting the ocean at Henties Bay, we first head
north along the coast to visit the seal colony at Cape Cross.
Here at certain times of the year there can be as many as 100,000 Cape
Fur seals in attendance. The next destination is Swakopmund,
following the Skeleton Coast into Namibia's premier seaside
town.
The Swakopmund section of the trip is
designed to allow people to relax either with the group, or on their
own. Only breakfast is provided, this is to allow you to plan
your time here with as much flexibility as possible and not to be tied
to group meal times. It also gives you the chance to sample some
of the excellent local cafes and restaurants. The seafood in
Swakopmund is superb. Your guide will offer to organize a group
meal in a local restaurant for this evening. Participation is
recommended but by no means required. Dinner this evening in not included in
the price of the safari and will be for the client’s own account
Day seven
Swakopmund
Today is a free day. The idea is
to allow time for everybody to do their own thing. Swakopmund is
a very pleasant seaside town with lots of shops, a good stretch of
beach (although the Atlantic here is quite cold) and an open-air curio
market. There is also a very good museum and the Namibian
National Marine Aquarium is located in Swakopmund.
Alternatively, there are various
optional activities that can be arranged. These include plane
and micro-light flights over the desert, scenic drives, fishing trips
(both from the beach or in a boat), four-wheel motorcycle (quad bike)
trips into the desert and over the sand dunes around Swakopmund, sand
boarding trips (also in the dunes), skydiving, surfing, bird-watching
and many other activities are available. Your tour guide will discuss all the
possible options with you before you reach Swakopmund and will offer
to make bookings in advance of your arrival. (N.B. All
extra activities and excursions in Swakopmund are subject to
availability and are made at the clients’ own risk and expense).
Dinner this evening is not included in
the price of the safari and will be for the client’s own account
Day eight
Swakopmund - Sesriem (300 km)
We first make a stop at Walvis Bay,
situated about 40 km south of Swakopmund. South of the town
there is a large marine lagoon which is home to a vast array of marine
bird-life, in particular flamingos. We will make a short visit to the lagoon to see the birds and a short
visit to Walvis Bay to collect any last minute supplies before once
again heading out into the desert. The second part of our
journey today takes us across more of the seemingly endless Namib
gravel plains. Then the landscape suddenly changes and we are
into the mountain desert.
We traverse both the Kuiseb and Gaub
passes, driving both times to the river beds at the bottom of the
canyons and then climbing the long steep road to the top and the
spectacular panoramas the mountains give us. Again the scenery
changes as we make our way down to the dune fields at Sesriem.
We cross some open grass savannah and
farmlands before the terrain begins to give way to the immense red
sand dune desert of the Namib. We aim to arrive at Sesriem
during the late afternoon and we have time to drive out to one of the
nearby dunes to watch the colors on distant mountains to the east,
glow and change.
Day nine
Sesriem - Sossusvlei - Sesriem (150 km)
A pre-dawn start to see the sunrise in
the dunes. We drive a further 60 km into the desert and have our
breakfast as the colours grow across the landscape.
To reach Sossusvlei itself we walk for
the last 5 km through the dunes. The walk is like nothing else,
in the cool of the morning, with soft sunlight just beginning to play
over the dunes creating a sharp light and shadow contrast across the
whole desert. Ancient mineral pans, stunted camel horn trees and
the chance of seeing a gemsbok or maybe an ostrich make the photo
opportunities perfect.
We spend the morning in and around
Sossusvlei, also visiting “Dune 45”, and as the day wears on we
return to Sesriem for lunch and to escape the heat of the
afternoon. As the day cools off in the late afternoon we will
take a short excursion to the Sesriem Canyon.
Day ten
Sesriem - Windhoek (450 km)
After breakfast we begin our journey,
over the mountains and along scenic roads, back to Windhoek. We
will travel over the Naukluft Mountains and also the Khomas Hochland
range, through beautiful Remhoogte Pass on our way back to
civilization.
We are due back into the city around 15:00
and you will be dropped off at your accommodation on our return.
