The Wonders of Namibia

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 Utopia Boutique Hotel or similar
Bed and Breakfast

Day 2: Windhoek – Kalahari Desert

After breakfast depart Windhoek heading south through the Khomas Region towards the town of Rehoboth.
Rehoboth is home to the “Baster Community” a fiercely independent group of people who are the descendants of a group of farmers of mixed European and Khoisan blood. These people first migrated to the area from the Cape in 1870 where they established a settlement at the site of an abandoned Rhenish Mission Station. Continue south towards the small settlement of Kalkrand before heading in an easterly direction towards the western Kalahari Basin and the Intu Afrika Game Reserve.
Overnight accommodation at your hotel on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. Lunch today will be for tour own account.

Accommodation at Intu Africa Game Reserve Zebra Lodge or similar
Half board

Day 3: Mariental – Fish River Canyon

Today you will travel in a southerly direction through the southern Karas Region via the small towns of Mariental and Keetmanshoop, one of the oldest established towns in Namibia and the capital of the south. Near Keetmanshoop you have the option of visiting the “Quiver Tree Forest”, an outcrop colonized by an Aloe tree species (Aloe dichotoma), and the basalt formations of the “Giants Play Ground”, before continuing your journey towards the Fish River Canyon.
Situated on the lower quarter of the Fish River, Fish River Canyon is the most prominent jewel in Namibia’s crown for its striking natural beauty and classic raw appeal. This charming canyon region is the most frequented getaway in Namibia and for good reason. It is reputedly the second largest canyon on earth after the Grand Canyon. It houses an enormous ravine that stretches to about a 160 km long and up to 27 km wide and in places almost 550 metres deep. Overnight accommodation and dinner.

Accommodation at Fish River Lodge or similar
Half Board

Day 4: Fish River Canyon

Spend the morning visiting the Fish River Canyon. The lodge organize a daily exhilarating descent deep into the ravine, it is the only lodge that has a 4×4 access into the heart of the canyon. Experiences guides will show the guests the geological features as you journey into the depths of the canyon; enjoy a lunch at the permanent rock pools, perfect for a swim during warmer days; along the way kudus, oryx, klipspringers and mountain zebras are often seen.
The Fish River Canyon Park is in the extreme southern part of Namibia and was established in 1989 when the Ai-Ais Hot Springs, the Fish River Canyon and the Huns Mountains were all incorporated into a single protected area. Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world, measuring 160km long, up to 27 km wide and almost 550m deep. The Fish river cuts deep into the plateau which today is dry, stony and sparsely covered with hardy drought-resistant plants; it flows intermittently, usually flooding in late summer; the rest of the year it becomes a long chain of pools. Even though the flow of the river is intermittent, the water reserves that are always present attract numerous animal species including baboons, leopards and mountain zebras.

Accommodation at Fish River Lodge or similar
Half Board

Day 5: Fish River Canyon – Lüederitz

After breakfast depart heading west through the small town of Aus, famous for its’ Desert Horses, to the town of Lüederitz. The sheer isolation of Lüderitz, the curious way in which the colonial-style buildings cling to the rocks overlooking the bay, on some days a deep iridescent blue, on others grey and stormy, the crisp fresh climate, fishing boats bobbing up and down on the Atlantic horizon, penguins and seals diving beneath the waves, give the town a curious other-worldly allure.
Lüderitz was initially referred to as Angra Pequena, meaning Little Bay, by the Portuguese, whose navigator Bartolomeu Dias erected a stone cross on Dias Point on 25 July 1488; the Lüderitz Peninsula is characterized by numerous bays, lagoons and un-spoilt stretches of beach.

Accommodation at The Nest Hotel or similar
Half Board

Day 6: Lüederitz (Kolmanskop)

Today we suggest a morning visit to Kolmanskop, Namibia’s most famous ghost town.
Completely abandoned and almost covered by sand, Kolmanskop is situated about 10km inland from Lüderitz. Kolmanskop is a fascinating ghost town in the Namib Desert 20 km inland from Luderitz. Driven by the enormous wealth of the first diamond miners, residents built the village. The town, however, fell into decline after World War I when the diamond-field slowly exhausted and was ultimately abandoned 40 years later. Now tourists visit what is left of the town under the sand dunes in a surreal landscape. Before the 1900’s, diamonds were found by the thousands and there was no regulation regarding their extraction. In September of 1908, the first laws regulating the extraction of these minerals were written and a zone called “Diamond Area 1” was created and placed under control of the government (German at the time), and access was revoked to all but mine workers.

Accommodation at The Nest Hotel or similar
Half Board

Day 7: Namib Naukluft Park

Depart Lüederitz and travel north towards the Namib Naukluft Park. On the way you may wish to include a visit to the Duwisib Castle, built in 1907 by Baron Hans Heinrich von Wolf for his American heiress wife Jayta. The fort was designed by Willi Sander, renowned for designing Windhoek’s Heinitzburg Castle. Baron von Wolf was killed in the First World War in 1916 in France, his wife never returned to Duwisib Castle.
Overnight accommodation at the lodge on a dinner, bed & breakfast basis only.

Accommodation at Desert Homestead Outpost or similar
Bed and Breakfast

Day 8: Namib Desert

Conduct an early morning excursion along the path of the ancient Tsauchab River into the Namib Sand Sea including a visit to the famed Sossusvlei, Dune 45 and Dead Vlei.
Sossusvlei is the symbol of this park. In Bushmen language it means “dead end marsh”. It is actually a depressed clay pan, of roughly elliptical shape, covered in a crust of salt-rich sand, where the Tsauchab River meets the dunes and stops. A unique feature of this area are the high sand dunes of vivid pink and orange colour, testimony to the high concentrations of iron in the sand. The oldest dunes are those of a more intense reddish colour, and many of them are over 200 metres high. The highest, Big Daddy, is about 380 metres high. From Sossusvlei a short footpath takes you to the “Dead Vlei” area, a white clay pan in the middle of the monumental dunes. After an easy walk about 1km long, you arrive at “Vlei”, the site of a dried “lake”, characterized by a surreal silence and surrounded by ancient camel thorn trees, long ago dead but not decomposed. The chromatic contrasts are incredible: the black of the dead trees, the shiny white of the salty pan floor, the orange and red of the dunes, the intense blue sky….a true photographer’s paradise.In the afternoon visit Sesriem Canyon, a small yet picturesque canyon carved into the Tsauchab River over millions of years, resulting in a narrow gorge of about 1km in length. At the foot of the gorge, which plunges down 30-40 metres, are pools that become replenished after good rains. Sesriem derives its name from the time when early pioneers tied six lengths of rawhide thongs (‘Ses Rieme’) together to draw water from these pools.

Accommodation at Desert Homestead Outpost or similar
Half Board

Day 9: Namib Desert – Swakopmund

Departing from the central Namib Region, today’s journey continues in a northerly direction along the eastern boundary of the Namib Naukluft Park passing through the small settlement of Solitaire, and onwards via the Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons. Continue across the “gravel plains” of the Namib Desert towards Namibia’s premier coastal resort town, Swakopmund. You may wish to travel to Swakopmund via the erosional feature of ‘Moon Valley’ and Namibia’s ancient plant species, the ‘Welwitshia mirabilis’.
Swakopmund is considered as Namibia’s premier coastal resort and is a popular destination with Namibian’s as a welcome respite from the heat of the interior. The town is also noted for its Old World charm and relaxed atmosphere. Founded in 1892 during the period of German colonial rule it served as the territory’s main harbor for years. Today this quaint town nestled between desert and ocean is enhanced by lush green lawns, palm trees and carefully tended gardens. There is 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. Late afternoon arrival and overnight accommodation in one of the nice little boutique hotels/ guest houses available in Swakopmund.

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

Day 10: Swakopmund

Spend the day visiting the picturesque coastal towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, or taking part in some of the interesting activities on offer.
An optional extra “Dolphin Cruise” excursion may be taken from the Walvis Bay Harbour; highlights of the excursion include close encounters with Cape Fur Seals and bow riding Dolphins, as well as seeing the lagoon and flamingo colonies. Other interesting recommended activities are: 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 11: Swakopmund – Brandberg

Early departure from Swakopmund in a northerly direction through the National West Coast Recreational Area towards the small fishing town of Henties Bay. An optional visit to the Cape Fur Seal Colony at Cape Cross can be done today. Shortly after Henties Bay continue in an easterly direction, crossing the “Gravel Plains” onwards to the abandoned mining town of Uis. Continue heading north towards the Damaraland Region. This route passes 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 located not far from Twyfelfontein, 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”

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

Day 12: Opuwo

After a leisurely breakfast depart in a northerly direction through the town of Kamanjab towards Opuwo.
The Kunene or Kaokoland region is situated in the northwestern corner of Namibia and it is bordered by Angola in the north, by Owamboland and the Etosha National Park in the east, Damaraland in the south and the Atlantic Ocean (the Skeleton Coast Park forms part of Kaokoland) to the west. The landscape is extremely contrasting and varies from dry dolomite hills in the south, to towering peaks with deep gorges and chasms in the central region. To the east, the sandy, flat plains of Owamboland reach into the Kunene Region. Surrounded by low-lying hills, Opuwo, which means “the end” in Oshiherero, is a small and uninspiring town in the middle of the bush. The town grew into a permanent settlement and administrative centre for the region during the bush war prior to Independence. Opuwo’s name is indeed appropriate, as it is both the first and last place offering supplies, accommodation and tele-communication in the region.
Your overnight accommodation will be at your lodge on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis only. Lunch today will be for your own account.

Accommodation at Opuwo Country Lodge or similar
Half board

Day 13: Opuwo

Today you can participate in an optional activity to the Himba, offered by the Lodge, or you can arrange your own local guide from the Opuwo Information Centre.
The Himba are a tribe of nomadic herders, they are descendants of a group of Herero who fled into the remote north-west after having been displaced by the Nama. They have clung to their traditions and way of life; the beautiful Himba women have intricate hairstyles and traditional jewellery made from iron or shell, both men and woman wear few clothes apart from a loin cloth or goat skinned mini-skirt; they habitually rub their bodies with red ochre and fat to protect themselves from the sun which give them a rich red skin color. Himba homesteads are cone shaped structures made from palm leaves, mud and cattle dung. During the course of a year the family will move from one village to another in search of new pastures for the animals.

Accommodation at Opuwo Country Lodge or similar
Half board

Day 14: Etosha National Park

This morning you will leave Opuwo and travel south towards Kamanjab, and then on to the renowned Etosha National Park. Entrance into the Etosha National Park is via the western gate Otjivasando Gate (Galton Gate). You could arrive by midday, allowing for sufficient time in the afternoon to drive to some local waterholes to view game.
The entrance gates to the park and the rest camps are open strictly between sunrise and sunset so please plan your day’s activities accordingly and ensure that you return to the rest camp before the gates close.
Your overnight accommodation will be at your hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. Lunch and dinner today are for your own account.

Accommodation at Dolomite Resort or similar
Bed and Breakfast

Day 15: Etosha National Park

Your day is free to explore the park heading towards the central area where is the next rest camp for the overnight. Today’s Etosha National Park was proclaimed as Namibia’s first conservation area in 1907 by the then German government and is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. 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. Zebras and springboks are scattered across the endless horizon, while the numerous waterholes attract rhinos, lions, elephants and large number of antelope including the small Dik-Dik. The park is the home of 144 species of mammals including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants and giraffes as well as over 340 species of birds.

Accommodation at Okaukuejo Resort or similar
Bed and Breakfast

Day 16: Etosha National Park – Erindi Private Game Reserve

After breakfast depart and head south towards Outjo and Otjiwarongo in the direction of Okahandja.
Your overnight accommodation will be at your lodge on a full board basis, including activities.
Erindi is set on 71 000 ha of pristine wilderness with varied landscapes in a malaria-free area, from mountains to savannah to open grassland right in the heart of Namibia: Erindi Private Game Reserve is situated in the triangle between Okahandja, Otjiwarongo and Omaruru.

Accommodation at Old Traders Lodge or similar
Full Board

Day 17: Erindi Private Game Reserve – Windhoek – Departure

After an optional early morning activity (time permitting) depart Erindi and return to Windhoek via the small town of Okahandja. At Okahandja, you can visit the open-air wood carving market and the Herero.
Okahandja is one of Namibia’s oldest established settlements and it 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. 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.

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 to 3*/4* to keep the price more affordable, please enquiry if you wish an alternative itinerary with 5* properties (where available).