This affordable
budget safari has been designed to operate during Namibia’s ‘Green
Season’.
The style is full
participation camping with no frills attached.
Price per
person: 01 January 2012 – 30 June 2012 - N$ 4,500.00 + Local
Payment: N$ 1,500.00 to be paid in cash on day of tour
Minimum number of
people requirement: four
Departures will start
on a Saturday subject to a minimum of four guests traveling. There is no
single supplement. Collection time is between 08:00 & 08:30 from
anywhere within the Windhoek city limits.
Safari Tour Overview
| Day |
Destinations |
Accommodation |
Meals |
| Sat |
Windhoek –
Onguma Reserve /
border of Etosha – Namutoni side |
Camping |
L, D |
| Sun |
Okaukuejo
Resort |
Camping |
B, L, D |
| Mon |
Damaraland –
Twyfelfontein |
Camping |
B, L, D |
| Tue |
Swakopmund |
Camping |
B, L |
| Wed |
Swakopmund |
Camping |
B |
| Thur |
Swakopmund –
Namib Desert |
Camping |
B, L, D |
| Fri |
Namib Desert |
Camping |
B, L, D |
| Sat |
Namib Desert
– Windhoek |
Camping |
B, L |
B = Breakfast; L =
Lunch; D = Dinner
Safari Tour Details
Saturday
Windhoek – Onguma Game Reserve (530 km) (LD) (camping)
You will
be collected between 08:00 & 08:30.
We 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.
We
continue north to the town of Otjiwarongo which provides a convenient
stop over on route to the north of the country. As, with most towns in
central Namibia the name Otjiwarongo originates from the Herero
language, which translated means “place of the fat cattle” or
“beautiful place”. Given the central role that cattle play in the
Herero culture, both meanings are appropriate. The town was officially
founded in 1906 upon the arrival of the narrow gauge railway linking the
important mining center of Tsumeb and the coastal town of Swakopmund.
The next
stop will be at Tsumeb, From 1905 the town of Tsumeb was closely linked
with the mining industry, but mining operations have since been scaled
down considerably. The colorful jacarandas, flamboyant trees and
bougainvillea that line Tsumeb streets have earned it the name of
Namibia’s garden town.
Our
destination today is a private Game Reserve situated outside Etosha
National Park, on the Namutoni side, we aim to arrive in mid afternoon,
affording us time to set up camp.
Situated
on the eastern side of Etosha, bordering Fischers Pan the Reserve has
more than 20,000 hectares of protected land and wildlife. The Reserve
boasts over thirty different animal species consisting of plain game
including kudu, giraffe, eland, oryx, hartebeest, zebra, impala and many
more roam freely as well as predators such as lion, cheetah and leopard
being common residents of the area.
Sunday
Onguma – Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park. (game drive) (BLD) (camping)
A full
day’s game driving. We leave Onguma as soon as the National Park
entrance gates open 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.
We
overnight camping style at Okaukuejo Resort situated inside the National
Park. In the evening, there is a floodlit waterhole for you to enjoy
viewing more wildlife at your leisure.
Monday
Etosha – Twyfelfontein. (350km) (BLD) (camping)
Leaving
the Etosha area we begin our journey south with a relatively short drive
to the small town of Outjo.
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 to overnight on the
banks of a dry riverbed near the ancient Bushman rock engravings at
Twyfelfontein.
Visit the
organ pipes and burnt mountain. Optional extra: making use of a local
guide guests can conduct a short guided tour to Twyfelfontein (meaning
doubtful fountain) is a massive, open-air art gallery of great interest
to international rock art connoisseurs. Regarded as one of the richest
collections in Africa, this treasure house left by stone-age artists is
the first site in Namibia to be given recognition by UNESCO as a World
Heritage Site.
Tuesday
Twyfelfontein – Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast (410 km) (BL) (camping)
From here
we head deeper into the desert and pass Namibia’s highest mountain,
The Brandberg, (2573 m).
We make a
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. Our final 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.
Wednesday
Swakopmund (camping)
Today is a
free day. The idea is to allow time for everybody to do their own
activity, even if that is just relaxin! 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
Thursday
Swakopmund – Namib Desert area (300 km) (BLD) (camping)
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.
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 and from here it is
only a short distance to our next stop, the tiny town of Solitaire.
Optional extra: visit the ‘N/a’an ku se and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt
Foundation’, a 500 hectare Conservation Center which hosts an
educational center and wildlife tracking within the purpose built
enclosures and receive information on the carnivore surveillance in the
greater Namib area.
We aim to
arrive at our camp during the late afternoon and watch the colours glow
and change on distant mountains to the east.
Friday
Namib Desert – Sesriem / Sossusvlei – Namib Desert (220 km) (BLD)
(camping)
A pre dawn
start is essential this morning as we want to catch the soft light of
the sunrise on the desert. After passing through Sesriem, the gateway to
the dunes and driving into the heart of the dune field, we reach
Sossusvlei itself by walking the last 5 km through the dunes.
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, the walk is like nothing else. Ancient mineral pans, stunted
camel thorn 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 Sesriem
canyon before heading back to our campsite for overnight.
Saturday
Sesriem area – Windhoek (320 km) (BL)
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.
