Permanent lodges &
tented camps in private concessions with hotel overnight
12 nights /
13 days
This is a safari which
Combines Wilderness lodges, hotel and fully serviced Discoverer camping
in private concession areas.
SAFARI
COST &
DEPARTURES ON REQUEST
If a guest is willing to share and
we can match with another guest of the same gender, the single
supplement will not be charged. However, if there is no suitable match,
the single supplement surcharge will apply.
Namibia is a land of stunning landscapes, endless skies, barren deserts,
rugged mountains and spectacular wildlife – and the Great Namibian
Journey encompasses it all. This cross-section explores the dunes of Sossusvlei
and the Namib Desert, the stark beauty of
the Skeleton Coast, amazing marine life
just off Swakopmund, the volcanic
rock-strewn landscape of Damaraland and the
game-filled savannah of Etosha.
The activities provide a wide range of
differing impressions, dolphin cruises with
private beach lunch, to hiking and cycling in Damaraland,
walking in the Namib's great dunes and
interacting with traditional Himba people.
This safari combines the exclusive
luxurious lodges of Wilderness Safaris with the remote locations of
private Discoverer campsites, in unique Meru-style tents.
The style of accommodation in the
private Discoverer campsites takes you back to the era of Africa’s
exploration. Pure linens of heavy cottons, brass bucket showers and
basins, separate flushing toilets and shower areas all add to the
atmosphere, while comforts and amenities are elegantly provided.
Discoverer camping aims to
bring the guest closer to nature, by means of a lively campfire,
hurricane lanterns, wide-ranging activities and a warm atmosphere
complimenting the comfort and added luxury of the lodges visited.
Discoverer camps are specifically outfitted to ensure that old-style
camping feel with a clear emphasis on necessary and stylish comfortable
interiors, creating a peerless wilderness experience.
Guide: The entire
safari is guided and hosted by a professional trained guide with
in-depth knowledge and experienced knowledge that creates an unsurpassed
seamless safari experience.
Exclusive
experience: Most areas in which we travel are private concessions,
with Discoverer campsites being for the sole use of Discoverer Safari
guests. At the lodges and hotels en route we have the chance to meet
other Wilderness Safaris guests.
Routes: To maximize guests’
travel time, a variety of travel modes that bring out the best of each
area is used: flying in private charters and overland transfers provide
both a bird’s-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting
landscapes of Namibia.
Itinerary
DAYS 1 -
2; (2 Nights)
KULALA WILDERNESS CAMP, Sossusvlei
From Windhoek, travel by vehicle approximately 380km to Kulala
Wilderness Camp, enjoying awe-inspiring views of the mountains and the
desert floor – on a clear day you can see the fog banks of the
Skeleton Coast. En route, we enjoy a lunch close to the Khomas Hochland
escarpment, reaching onto sweeping vistas below.
One of the most enduring impressions of
this area is the early morning light on the sea of vivid orange dunes of
Sossusvlei, some as high as 300 metres. Afternoon activities include
nature walks, drives to scenic viewpoints and marveling at the unique
Namib fauna and flora in the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve.
Kulala Wilderness Camp lies at the foot of
a mountain facing west to catch the majestic Namibian sunsets. It
comprises 9 tents on elevated wooden decks which are linked to the main
dining room, bar, reception area and swimming pool by pathways. The
interiors are simple yet stylish and each tent has 220V lighting and an
en-suite bathroom with solar-heated water. There is a fully stocked bar
and traditional 3-course dinners are served. At night, lanterns light up
the main area. On the edge of the oldest desert in the world, wildlife
here is sparse but fascinating. Sightings of animals such as springbok,
gemsbok, ostrich, bat-eared fox and aardwolf are exciting in these
rugged conditions.
DAY
3 - 4; (2 Nights)
HANSA HOTEL, Swakopmund
Travel 280km by road north-west via the Kuiseb Canyon with its
dark, craggy canyons and via a moon-like landscape of flat gravel
plains (with stops along the way that include viewing the
extraordinary Welwitschia plants). We arrive at the grand Hansa Hotel
in Swakopmund in the late afternoon.
On our second day we explore the
ice-blue Atlantic coast, from the port towns of Walvis Bay and
Swakopmund to its incredible marine mammals. A private boat cruise at
Walvis Bay and down the coast to Sandwich Harbour (weather permitting)
provides a unique chance to see the diverse pelagic (ocean-going) bird-life,
Cape fur seals and rare Heavyside’s dolphins up close. This activity
is rounded off with a private seafood lunch, before returning to the
hotel in the afternoon. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to
explore the charming town of Swakopmund before meeting in the evening
for dinner.
The grand three-star Hansa Hotel forms
part of Swakopmund's architectural culture and dates back to 1905; it is
said to be one of the oldest buildings in the town. It is ideally
situated in the center of Swakopmund within easy walking distance of
town and the beach. The luxury of the hotel, its excellent cuisine and
friendly service are well known and appreciated countrywide and
overseas.
DAY 5; (1
Night)
DAMARALAND CAMP, Damaraland
Travel approximately 280km, partly up the legendary Skeleton
Coast (named for the numerous shipwrecks the treacherous shores have
claimed over the years) to the Cape Cross seal colony with thousands of
Cape fur seals. (We’ll visit Cape Cross only if we have not seen large
populations of seals on the boat cruise from Walvis Bay.) From here we
drive the back roads through the game productive Ugab riverbed,
traveling north past the Brandberg Mountain – the second largest
monolith on earth – to Damaraland. This all-day excursion with lunch
en route ends with our arrival at Damaraland Camp
Damaraland is a land of stark desert
beauty. Early morning mists, generated by the clash between the icy
Atlantic Ocean and the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast, drift
inland along the canyons, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of
the region. Rare succulent plants abound in this harsh countryside. Our
activities include explorations on foot, by mountain bike or 4x4
vehicles, viewing springbok, gemsbok and ostrich, and tracking the
unique desert-adapted elephant..
Damaraland Camp accommodates guests in 10
comfortable tented rooms, with en-suite facilities including flush
toilets and showers with hot and cold running water. (Laundry facilities
are limited due to the low rainfall in the area). The dining room and
pub are combined under canvas, and an open fire is enjoyed on calm
evenings. A lovely feature of the camp is its unique rock pool.
DAYS 6 -7;
(2 Nights)
DESERT RHINO CAMP, Damaraland
We depart Damaraland Camp and drive into the Huab riverbed to
search for desert-adapted elephants, before heading north to the
mountainous and rocky paradise of the massive Palmwag Concession.
Desert Rhino Camp is situated in the
enormous private Palmwag Reserve in north-west Namibia, between Etosha
and the Skeleton Coast – few places on the planet can offer this level
of privacy and wilderness experience.
This reserve has a number of freshwater
springs that support healthy populations of animals including
desert-adapted back rhino and elephant as well as large populations of
the rare Hartmann's mountain zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, springbok and
kudu. The predator population is the largest outside of the Etosha
National Park including lion, cheetah, leopard, and brown and spotted hyena.
Bird life is prolific and diverse featuring most of Namibia's endemics.
Welwitschia plants (ancient and highly unusual succulents) dot the plain
in front of the camp. The specialty of the area is its growing
population of the rare desert-adapted black rhino (the largest
concentration in the world outside a national park), which are monitored
and protected by the Save the Rhino Trust.
Desert Rhino Camp accommodates guests
in 7 large East African-style Meru tents, each with an en-suite bathroom
and a classic bucket shower that is filled with hot water whenever
needed. Lights are powered by solar panels and the tented dining room
offers uninterrupted views of the desert and mountains. On the second
day, the highlight is rhino tracking on foot or by vehicle; other
activities include day and night nature drives.
DAYS 8 -
9; (2 Nights)
ONGAVA TENTED CAMP, Etosha National Park
We depart Palmwag eastward on an extended combination wildlife
viewing (first part of the drive) and transfer drive of approximately
350km to Etosha National Park, where we experience the pinnacle of game
viewing – but accommodated in the privacy of an exclusive bush camp
situated on an extensive private game reserve, Ongava, just on the
outside of Etosha.
Activities include day and night
drives, walks and hides. Within Etosha we visit numerous perennial
springs and pans, encountering a myriad of differing species.
Ongava Tented Camp comprises 10 large
comfortable walk-in tents, each with en-suite facilities, including
flush toilet and a hot shower. All meals are enjoyed in the thatched
dining area that overlooks an active waterhole. There is a small pool in
which to cool off as well.
DAYS 10 -
12; (3 Nights)
SKELETON COAST RESEARCH CAMP, Skeleton Coast
National Park
Enjoy a breathtaking scenic flight over dramatic desert
landscapes to the exclusive Skeleton Coast Research Camp situated in a
private concession in the Skeleton Coast Park.
This is one of the most inhospitable
but hauntingly beautiful places on the planet: desolate and uninhabited.
It has everything, from roaring sand dunes, windswept plains, towering
canyons and saltpans to seal colonies and shipwrecks. Full-day
explorations in 4x4 Land Rovers will take all these in, picnicking on
the way. Included are cultural visits to the remote villages of the
Himba people.
Skeleton Coast Research Camp comprises
5 Meru-style tents nestled between granite rocks. Surrounded by pure
wilderness, this camp is truly remote and the perfect setting for a
serviced style of camping. The camp is outfitted with necessary comforts
and equipment, essential elements to the old and relaxed manner of early
explorers.
DAY 13
Charter flight to Windhoek
Say farewell to the
adventure as we return by air charter to Windhoek, arriving at
approximately 4pm late afternoon. Connect with your flight out in
the afternoon or evening.
SAFARI
NOTES:
• Each departure is guaranteed from a minimum of 2 confirmed guests,
with a maximum of 8 guests per safari.
•Guests need to arrive in Windhoek no later than 09h00 on the day of
departure for the Great Namibian Journey. If guests arrive after this
time, they will need to be chartered to their first camp, at an extra
cost. Please ensure that the international flights connect.
• Children from the age of 12 are welcome on all scheduled departures.
For groups with children under 12, we recommend a private tailor-made
safari, on request. For guests over the age of 75, a certified medical
certificate of full health must be provided.
• Luggage limitation of 12 kg per person in a soft bag. This limit
includes camera equipment and hand luggage. Passengers weighing
more than 100kg (220 lbs) must please advise us in advance, as an extra
seat will then have to be cost into the package for safety purposes.
• Due to situations beyond our control, a substitute a lodge or
location of comparable quality may be used on the safari. This will be
advised timeously.
• Laundry service will not be available at Damaraland Camp and
Skeleton Coast Research Camp due to water shortages in these areas.
Laundry will also not be possible in Swakopmund, as that is only a one
night stop.
• We gladly arrange competitively priced flexible tailor-made
departures, subject to availability of space.
• If a guest is willing to share and we can match with another guest
of the same gender, the single supplement will not be charged. However,
if there is no suitable match, the single supplement surcharge will
apply. No triple rooms are accepted.
• Please note that all scheduled Exploration safaris operate with a
minimum of two guests. Should all other bookings on an Exploration
cancel or that there is only a single guest booked, we will convert the
booking to an FIT package, which is in all likelihood subject to a
higher price.
• Bilingual safaris: This service aims to facilitate a greater
level of experience for guests that do not speak English fluently. These
safaris will be led by a guide; however there may be a translator to
assist the guide. Please note on all bilingual safari dates that the
guide or translator’s home language is English. This additional free
service does not guarantee the level of fluency and depending on group
dynamics a varying amount of the foreign language will be spoken.
• Flashlights/ torches: Please ensure that a minimum 2-D cell
flashlight is brought on safari, with spare batteries. Head lamps are
also useful. Wilderness Safaris does not supply flashlights.
• Camera battery charging facilities: Please note that a 12V cigarette
lighter adaptor will be required (that is compatible with camera make)
on this safari for charging batteries while on game drive or transfer
drives. 110/ 240V outlets are available at the permanent lodges; however
Skeleton Coast Research Camp only has 12V electricity.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Accommodation on a per person sharing basis, all meals from lunch on Day
1, drinks (except premium brands) while at Wilderness Safaris camps,
national park fees, laundry (except at Hansa Hotel, Damaraland Camp and
Skeleton Coast Research Camp), activities and all internal charters as
specified in the detailed itinerary.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Flights (other than specified in the detailed safari itinerary), visas,
compulsory insurance, all relevant entry and departure government taxes,
all drinks while in Swakopmund (and at Hansa Hotel), all personal
purchases (including curios, spirit liquors, telephone calls etc.),
gratuities, optional extra activities, pre and post safari tours and
meals or accommodation before or after the safari.
