This fully-escorted tour is ideal for those who want to travel the length and breadth of Namibia without lifting a finger! Designed for small groups of up to 8 passengers who want to head off the beaten track, this fantastic 11-day adventure highlights the very best of Windhoek, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Damaraland, and Etosha National Park, and includes a range of daily activities to ensure you get the very best out of your Namibian adventure.

 

Fixed departures throughout the year. Please contact us for dates and availability. Private Tours available for groups of 4 adults and more.

 

Detailed Itinerary

 

Day 1: Windhoek

Upon arrival at Windhoek Airport, please clear immigration, collect your luggage, and proceed to the arrivals hall where your driver will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Recommended: Visit Joe’s Beer House

Overnight: Windhoek

 

Day 2: Windhoek - Sossusvlei

After breakfast today, you will transfer back to the airport where you will meet your Explorations guide and begin your journey by driving 340km (211 miles) through the Khomas Hochland mountains and down into the iconic Sossusvlei region, a driving time of approximately five hours. 

Overnight: Kulala Adventurer Camp, Sossusvlei

Meals Included: Fully Inclusive

 

Day 3: Sossusvlei

Today, you will spend a full day at Kulala Adventurer Camp on the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, a 37 000-hectare tract of land near the spectacular sights of Sossusvlei, bordering the expansive Namib Naukluft Park.

The camp, comprising dome tents under the shade, is perfect for taking in the Reserve’s expansive vistas and stark beauty and enjoys views into the Namib Naukluft National Park. Dining under the star-filled Namibian skies and watching a blood red sunset punctuated by the cacophony of barking geckos are a few highlights, as is spending unrushed quality time at the towering dunes of Sossusvlei, known for their red colouring in the early morning sunlight, accessed through our private gate which is closer to the dunes than the main park entry gate. Desert adapted wildlife such as ostrich, springbok and gemsbok can be seen on the reserve, as well as smaller creatures like bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal and Cape fox.

Other activities include day and night scenic drives and walks, and optional early morning ballooning, horse riding or quad-biking (the last three at extra cost).

Overnight: Kulala Adventurer Camp, Sossusvlei

Meals Included: Fully Inclusive

 

Day 4: Sossusvlei - Swakopmund

Today, you will depart camp early, driving through the snaking roads of the Kuiseb Canyon and out onto the expansive gravel plains before arriving in Walvis Bay and then finally driving up the skeleton coast into the quaint town of Swakopmund, a drive of about 5 -6 hours (approximately 370 km – 230 miles).

Accommodation is at the Hansa Hotel, an iconic place that forms part of Swakopmund’ s architectural culture and is said to be one of the oldest buildings in the town. It is ideally situated in the centre 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 locally and internationally. You will have an opportunity to appreciate this hotel as well as other restaurants and sights in Swakopmund over the two days.

Overnight: Hansa Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

 

Day 5: Swakopmund

Today, you will explore the ice-blue Atlantic coast, from the port town of Swakopmund to its incredible marine mammals. A “Dolphin and Seal” catamaran cruise from Walvis Bay (weather permitting) provides a wonderful opportunity to explore this beautiful bay and coastline. The cruise takes in the Oyster Platforms, where we learn about the oysters cultivated here – including tasting the delicacies – before moving on to Pelican Point to see the lighthouse. Aside from spotting diverse pelagic (ocean-going) birdlife, pelicans and flamingo, and Cape fur seals, the massive sunfish, leatherback turtles, southern right and humpback whales can be seen in season.

Overnight: Hansa Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

 

Day 6: Swakopmund - Damaraland

Today you continue your journey by road 320km (200 miles) (approximately 8-hour drive) to Damaraland, west of the Brandberg Mountain (the second largest monolith in the world after Ayer’s Rock, Australia), stopping for lunch at Ugab Save the Rhino Trust Camp. The Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) has been involved with rhino conservation in this area since the early eighties, and has been singly responsible for helping these rare animals survive and thrive, so that today this area boasts the largest concentration of black rhino anywhere on the planet outside of a national park. Community game scouts employed by the Trust as monitors are the trackers and guides.

Once in the area around Damaraland, you are in the heart of the rocky desert, an ancient glacial landscape. 

Overnight: Damaraland Adventurer Camp, Damaraland

Meals Included: Fully Inclusive

 

Day 7: Damaraland

Damaraland boasts a varied and breath-taking assortment of desert-adapted species including one of the highest concentrations of desert elephant and black rhino, and a surprisingly high diversity of wildlife including Hartmann's mountain zebra, kudu, giraffe, gemsbok, and springbok, with occasional cheetah sightings. Our activities range from nature walks, viewing the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein (a World Heritage Site), nature drives, and exploring the mountains, hills and ephemeral river beds and springs.

Overnight: Damaraland Adventurer Camp, Damaraland

Meals Included: Fully Inclusive

 

Day 8: Damaraland   

Today you will have another full day to enjoy the magnificent Damaraland Camp and the many activities on offer.

Overnight: Damaraland Adventurer Camp, Damaraland

Meals Included: Fully Inclusive

 

Day 9: Damaraland to Ongava Game Reserve

Today we drive approximately 330km (205 miles) (approximately 5 hours’ drive time) to Ongava Game Reserve on the boundary of Etosha National Park, to experience big game viewing and this iconic salt pan.

Etosha remains the highest density wildlife area within Namibia, its’ fame justly acknowledged. The salt pan (largest salt pan in the world) is speculated to be a remnant of an ancient glacial lake - today being maintained by scouring winds across its surface and sporadic ephemeral flooding. Springs along the edge of the pan attract and quench the thirst of a dense and varied conglomeration of wildlife, mixing savanna and desert species like impala and springbok. 

Overnight: Andersson’s Camp, Ongava Game Reserve

Meals Included: Fully Inclusive

 

Day 10: Ongava Game Reserve 

Today you will embark on a full day game drive into Etosha, exploring the southern roads of Etosha Pan from Okakeujo through to Halali (where we stop for lunch and relax in the cool shade watching the game coming in to drink at the waterhole), On the southern boundary of Etosha National Park and forming a buffer to the Park lies Ongava Game Reserve, a prolific 30 000ha (74130 acre) private concession. It is a haven to large concentrations of wildlife: notably lion, cheetah, black rhino, white rhino, springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, Burchell's zebra, Hartmann's mountain zebra, waterbuck, red hartebeest, giraffe, eland and the largest population of the endemic black-faced impala outside of Etosha. 

Andersson’s Camp makes for a comfortable modern day, eco-friendly exploration of the Etosha landscape. Its resurrected farmstead fronts onto a waterhole and the 20 tented guest units, each with en suite bathroom, are raised on decks for an enhanced view. To further enhance our Etosha experience and while accommodated on the private Ongava Reserve, we can enjoy night game drives and walks, while evening game viewing is enhanced with a floodlit waterhole out the front of the main area.

Overnight: Andersson’s Camp, Ongava Game Reserve

Meals Included: Fully Inclusive

 

Day 11: Departure                                             

After a final breakfast in the Namibian bush, you will drive south to Windhoek at 13h00 (approximate distance 420km / 260 miles) where the adventure ends at Windhoek International Airport.  Departure

 

Please remember, this itinerary is purely for inspiration.  

If you would like to find out more about this tour, or enquire about a similar tour, customised to suit your exact needs and requirements, please complete the contact form to receive a no-obligation tailor-made quote.

 

IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THIS TRIP

 

Accommodations on this tour (with the exception of Windhoek and Swakopmund) are specifically designed to complement the environment.

An Adventurer camp (Kulala Adventurer Camp and Damaraland Adventurer Camp): consists of 3m x 3m dome tents (maximum of two guests per tent) on a slightly raised wooden platform, covered in shade cloth, which are semi-permanent. Our dome tents are well ventilated with a mini veranda.

 

Wooden beds with mattress and crisp linen, duvets and pillows and towels and amenities (soap, shower gel and conditioning shampoo) are provided. In addition, there is a coir mat (inside) and a 12v reading light. The tents are large enough to stand in and move easily. The camps aim to provide simple camping comfort that is serviced. Hurricane lanterns and a good campfire light up the evening camp. Delicious meals are prepared around our campfire by our safari staff, creating a great atmosphere. The dining area is under the stars to ensure the ‘camping wilderness’ feel. A full dining table, director chairs and bush style stainless steel place settings and drinks glasses are set up to accentuate simple serviced comfort in pure wild areas.

 

The bathrooms will be en-suite with the entrance to the canvas-wrap open air bathroom (zip door) through the rear of tent. There is an en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet, basin and shower – with hot and cold running water available whenever guests require it.