Namibia classic

Day 1: Windhoek

On arrival at Windhoek Airport you will be met by our representative and driven to your hotel for a Meet and Greet. The remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure to visit the city center. Overnight accommodation at your hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

Accommodation at Belvedere Boutique Hotel or similar
Bed and Breakfast

Day 2: Windhoek – Namib Desert

Departing from Windhoek, today’s journey continues over the “Khomas Hochland” highland region in a westerly direction towards the great escarpment. Descend the escarpment via Namibia’s highest mountain pass, Spreetshoogte, to enter the central Namib Region. Late afternoon arrival at your camp. Overnight accommodation and dinner. Picnic lunch included on route.

Accommodation at Desert Homestead Outpost or similar
Half board (Lunch picnic included)

Day 3: Namib Desert

After breakfast you will drive along the path of the ancient Tschaub River into the Namib Sand Sea including a visit to the famed Sossusvlei, Dune 45 and Deadvlei. Sossusvlei, with its monumentally high dunes, the shadows of their sinuous crests continually changing as the day waxes and wanes, is one of the most surprisingly stunning place in Namibia, with huge star-shaped mountains of sand, the highest estimated at 25 m. The warm colors of the sand, ranging from pale apricot to brick orange and deep red, contrast vividly with the impressive white, sometimes silvery, surfaces of the deflationary clay pans at some of their bases. You will be back at the lodge for lunch. We suggest an afternoon excursion to the Sesriem Canyon, a small yet picturesque canyon carved over millions of years into the Tschaub River.

Accommodation at Desert Homestead Outpost or similar
Half board

Day 4: Namib Desert – Swakopmund

Departing from the central Namib Region today’s route continues in a northerly direction along the eastern boundary of the Namib Naukluft Park passing through the small settlement of Solitaire on route to the Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons. Continue across the “gravel plains” of the Namib Desert on route towards Namibia’s premier coastal resort town, Swakopmund. On route you will stop to visit “Moon Valley”, a lunar landscape of eroded hills and valleys carved by the Swakop river. In the area you can admire Namibia’s ancient plant species, the “Welwitshia mirabilis”, one of a kind plants consisting of two leaves, a stem base and roots: carbon dating tells us that on average, welwitschias are 500-600 years old, although some of the larger specimens are thought to be 2000 years old. Late afternoon arrival and overnight accommodation in one of the nice little boutique hotels/ guest houses available in Swakopmund. (Dinner this evening will be at a local restaurant and it is for clients own account.)

Accommodation at The Stiltz Lodge or Desert Breeze Lodge or similar
Bed and Breakfast

Day 5: Swakopmund

From Swakopmund you can take an excursion to Namibia’s largest commercial harbor, Walvis Bay and the Walvis Bay Lagoon, protected under the RAMSAR Convention as an important wetland. The lagoon is renowned for its seasonal abundance of both the Greater and Lesser Flamingo species. The remainder of the day will be at leisure to explore Namibia’s premier coastal resort town, Swakopmund, a pretty town nestled between desert and ocean which beauty is enhanced by lush green lawns, palm trees and carefully tended gardens. It offers a good selection of restaurants and coffee shops selling traditional German cakes and pastries, while the coastline and the desert respectively offer many options for adventure or relaxation.
The various activities available from Swakopmund include: scenic flights over Sossusvlei, the Skeleton Coast and Swakopmund; dolphin and seal catamaran cruise from Walvis Bay; ballooning; quad biking; sandboarding; sandwich harbor tour in 4×4.

Accommodation at The Stiltz Lodge or Desert Breeze Lodge or similar
Bed and Breakfast

Day 6: Swakopmund – Twyfelfontein

Early morning departure from Swakopmund in a northerly direction on route through the National West Coast Recreational Area towards the small fishing town of Henties Bay. Stop along the way for a visit to the Cape Fur Seal Colony at Cape Cross. In 1486, the first European to set foot on the coast of Namibia, Diego Câo, erected a cross in honor of John 1st of Portugal at a site now known as Cape Cross, 115 km north of Swakopmund. But Cape Cross is not an historical site only, it hosts a breeding colony of Cape Fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus), one of the most populated in the world, during the breeding season in November and December, there may be up to 210 000 seals at Cape Cross. Visitors can view the seals from a 200m walkway, constructed of recycled plastic suitable for wheelchairs. The journey continues towards east crossing the “gravel plains” towards the abandoned mining town of Uis, and Namibia’s highest Mountain Range. The Brandberg is 2573m at its highest point and renowned for the famous work of bushmen art, “the White Lady”. Late afternoon arrival and overnight accommodation at your lodge.

Accommodation at Twyfelfontein Country Lodge or Camp Kipwe Lodge or similar
Half board

Day 7: Twyfelfontein

Early in the morning you will discover Twyfelfontein: it is one of the richest areas of rock engravings and bushmen paintings in Namibia. A guided walking excursion will be take you to some of the engraving sites. Interesting geological features in the area include also the Burnt Mountain, the dolomite columns known as the “Organ Pipes” and the Petrified Forest, where you can admire approximately 50 examples of petrified trees dating back some 260 million years.

Accommodation at Twyfelfontein Country Lodge or Camp Kipwe Lodge or similar
Half board

Day 8: Twyfelfontein – Etosha

Early in the morning you will discover Twyfelfontein: it is one of the richest areas of rock engravings and bushmen paintings in Namibia. A guided walking excursion will be conducted to some of the engraving sites. Interesting geological features in the area include the Burnt Mountain and the dolomite columns known as the “Organ Pipes”. The journey will continue towards the small town of Khorixas with a stop along the way to visit the Petrified Forest, with approximately 50 examples of petrified trees dating back some 260 million years. From Khorixas continue on route towards the small town of Outjo. This small farming centre has its origins as a hunting and trading center and was first inhabited by the early European explorer Tom Lambert in 1880. Another landmark along your itinerary is Vingerklip or “Rock Finger” a geological formation which reminds the shape of a huge rock finger, in the Ugab River Valley, it is a 35 meter high monolith which balances on the top of a conical hill, formed approximately 30 million years ago by water erosion. From Outjo continue in a northerly direction for a late afternoon arrival in the Etosha National Park. Overnight accommodation and dinner. Late evenings can be spent game viewing at the floodlit waterhole.

Accommodation at Okaukuejo Rest Camp
Half board

Day 9: Etosha

Today will be spent game viewing as you cross the Etosha National Park from the central Okaukuejo Region to the eastern Namutoni Region. The National Park spans an area of 22.270 square kilometres and gets its name from the large Etosha Pan, which is almost entirely within the park. Etosha, meaning “place of dry water”, is a huge, flat pan of about 5.000 square kilometres. The pan provides a great, parched, silver-white backdrop of shimmering mirage to an area of semi-arid savannah grassland. The pan fills with water briefly in the summer, then converts to a shallow lagoon teeming with flamingos and pelicans. In contrast, the surrounding bush and grasslands provide habitat for Etosha’s diverse wildlife. Overnight accommodation at your camp on a full board basis. Evenings can be spent game viewing at the floodlit waterholes.

Accommodation at Mushara Bush Lodge
Full board

Day 10: Etosha National Park – Otjiwarongo

Today you will leave Etosha National Park and head south via the towns of Outjo and Otjiwarongo.
Arrival at your lodge in time to participate in an afternoon activity. Afternoon activities include an introduction to work conducted by the AfriCat Foundation. This unique program will enable you to learn more about Namibia’s most beautiful cats and is also renowned for the excellent opportunities for viewing and photographing both leopard and cheetah. An evening activity to the local viewing hide provides the ideal opportunity to view some of the more elusive Namibian nocturnal mammals.

Accommodation at Okonjima Main Camp or similar
Half board and 1 activity

Day 11: Otjiwarongo – Windhoek – Departure

After an optional early morning activity depart Okonjima Lodge and return to Windhoek via the small town of Okahandja. Okahandja is one of Namibia’s oldest established settlements and is the administrative centre of the Herero-speaking people. Many of the former Herero leaders are buried here and an annual procession through the town to the Herero graves commemorate those who died during the wars against the Nama and Germans. At Okahandja, you can visit the open-air wood carving market and the Herero Graves.
Continue on to the Windhoek International Airport for your departure flight. Please note that check-in time is at least two hours prior to flight departure.
At Okahandja you could visit the local wood carving market. Proceed to the Windhoek International Airport for your departure flight.

NOTES:

• The above itinerary can be planned in three different ways: on a self drive – with a private driver – with a private guide. Please enquiry for the solution which suits your needs.
• The above suggested hotels/ lodges are medium to3*/ 4* to keep the price more affordable, please enquiry if you wish an alternative itinerary with 5* properties.