Fourteen Day Namibian Highlights

A special round trip starts and finishes in Windhoek with departures on Mondays and Saturdays all year.

You will visit central Namibia including the main attractions of Namibia ; Etosha National Park, Kaokoland, Skeleton Coast and the sand dunes at the Sesriem and Sossusvlei. You will also visit Vinkerklip, Lake Otjikoto, the Petrified Forests, and the Bushmen Engravings at Twfelfontein, the Organ Pipes, Cape Cross,Seal Colony, Swakopmund, and Walvis Bay Lagoon on the Skeleton Coast, Fish River and Kovertree in the South and then back to Windhoek

Windhoek - Etosha National Park, Namutoni (350km)

You will be collected from your accomodation in Windhoek on the morning of departure between 07h00 and 08h00 and should be on the road by 08h30. Travelling via the community wood carving market in the town of Okahandja, about 80km north of Windhoek, we continue north, past Otjiwarongo, Otavi and Tsumeb towns.We aim to be at Namutoni , Etosha National Park , the main tourist attraction in Namibia in time for an afternoon game drive. Here we will find an ideal campsite for your first night at Namutoni Camp.

Day Two (B.L.D)

Namutoni

An early start as we head out for an early morning drive; we will visit some of the waterholes in the area hoping to catch some of Etosha's biggest game out for an early morning drink. The game drive around the Okaukuejo area is one of the best in the park. We will cover some of the different waterholes from wooded areas to open savannas and in the rainy season, the wetlands. Back to the camp, like on day one we take a shorter game drive in the late afternoon, driving out to one of the waterholes popular with game, waiting for the animals to come to the waterhole. Dinner is served on an open camp fire.

Day Three (B.L.D.)

Namutoni - Okaukuejo, Etosha

A full days' drive , we again leave early to enjoy the cool morning air . 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 new species that are not normally seen on the Namutoni side of the park. We stop at Halali for a rest and leisurely lunch. There is also 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 to Okaukuejo camp. Okaukuejo is famous for its waterholes. It has been described as on of the "best game viewing opportunities in Southern Africa". Situated on the doorstep of our campsite , black rhinos, elephants, lions and numerous species of antelope are often seen.

Halali named after a German hunting tune signaling the end of a successful hunt, opened in 1967.The name therefore evokes the idea that the days of hunting are forever in this area. The camp includes a waterhole where game viewing is possible at night.

Okaukuejo was initially established as one of four control posts to help stop the spread of foot and mouth disease and also to serve as a post to inhibit illegal hunting and gun-running. Unfortunately, the fort which was originally built in 1901 has long since been dissembled. At night the waterhole is lit with flood lights, enabling guests to observe the spectacle of animals visiting it.

Driving from Okaukuejo to the west, in "Grünewald", one comes across the most curious looking trees in the area.As seen on the picture to the left , these trees "Moringa ovafilia" form the so called Ghost Tree

Day Four (B.L.D)
Okaukuejo - Himba Village, Kamanjab

We drive early through the western part of the park .Only organized tours can drive past the western gate of the park. After the park we drive to the Himba Village then late in the afternoon we will visit local villages. Your guide will organize a visit to local villages. Backt thecamp, dinner will be served on open fire.

Day Five (B.L.D)

Today we will stop at some villages for more photographs and meet some locals on the way to Brandberg Camp. We are well into desert elephants and other game such as springboks, ostriches and gemsbok. Brandberg campsite is right in the middle of the the wilderness providing basic facilities with star lit showers and pool bar. We aim to arrive in the early afternoon and have time to relax in the shade before making a late afternoon walk. There is also a viewing platform on the afternoon walk which is a great place to watch the sun set; there is a good chance of seeing desert elephants.

Day Six (B.L.)

Brandberg - Swakopmund (300km)

A beautiful Damaraland scenery, this morning. We will visit the White Lady paintings at the Brandberg Mountain (2573 m). Then we will drive directly to the White Lady site and make a few minutes stop at a small village called Uis for fuel and shopping.We will then drive directly to the west and cross the gravel plains on our way to the Atlantic Ocean and then the Seal Colony at Cape Cross.Here at certain times of the year there can be as many as 100 000 cape fur seals in attendance.The next destination is Swakopmund, stopping for lunch en-route and the trip is designed to allow people to relax, either with the group or on their own. Breakfast is provided. This is to allow you to plan your time 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 cafés and restaurants. The seafood in Swakopmund is superb. Your guide will offer to organize a group meal in a local restaurant for this evening. There are no suitable camp sites available in Swakopmund, so we really make the most of being back to civilisation by staying in hotel chalets.

Day Seven

Swakopmund (Chalet accommodation)

Today is a free day; the idea is to allow time for everybody to do their own things. Swakopmund is a very pleasent seaside town with lots of shops, a good stretch of the 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 changed , including aeroplane and micro light flights over the desert, scenic drives, fishing trips, both from the beach or boat, four wheel motorcycle trips into the desert  over the sand dunes around Swakopmund and sand boarding trips on the dunes , sky diving, surfing, bird watching and many other activities are available. Your guide will discuss all the possible options with you before you reach Swakopmund and will offer to make bookings prior to 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.

Day Eight

Swakopmund - Sesriem, Sossusvlei (350 km)

An early start, at 09h00 we drive a little further down the coast to the port town of Walvis Bay. South of the town there is a large marine lagoon which is home to a vast array of marine bird life, in particular flamingoes. We will make a short visit to the lagoon to see birds and then drive to Walvis Bay to collect any last minute supplies before heading out into the desert. The first part of our journey today takes us across more of the seemingly endless Namib gravel plains. The landscape suddenly changes and we are into the mountain desert. We traverse both the Kuiseb and the Guab passes, during which we will walk down to the river beds at the bottom of the canyons and then climb the long steep road to the top and view the spectacular panoramas the mountains give us.

Day Nine (B.L.D.)

A pre-dam start to see the sunrise in the dunes. From our campsite we drive a further 60 km into the desert and have our breakfast as the colours change and grow across the landscape. To reach Sossusvlei itself we must then walk for the least five kilometres through the dunes. The walk is like nothing else . 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. Ancient mineral pans, stunted camel-thorn trees and the chance of seeing a gemsbok or maybe an ostrich make the photo opporunities perferct.

We spend the morning in and around Sossusvlei (there is a good chance of getting a lift in a four wheel drive vehicle for the return 5km walk and there is often a four wheel drive shuttle available in both directions for a small extra charge), but as the day wears on we return to the our camp for lunch and to escape the heat of the day.Back into the the usual rythm of relaxing in the shade and eating ice cream beside the swimming pool, or having siesta, or both. As the day cools off in the aftrenoon we will take a short excursion to the Sesriem Canyon.

Day Ten (B.L.D.)300km

An early start heading further south passing by the beautiful mountain landscape on our way to Aus. We will set up the tents, make lunch and have opportunities to take photographs around the camping site and will have an hour's sunset walk. Back to the campsite, dinner will be served on an open camp fire.

Day Eleven (B.L.D.) 250km

An early start to Luderitz whereby we will visit the very popular Kolmanskop and Diaz Point. Your guide can organize a boat ride for you(at your expense). Lunch will a group meal again at your expense. We then head back to Aus.

Day Twelve (B.L.D.) 250km

On this day we will visit the Ai-Ais, the well known hotsprings of Ai-Ais (Nama for "firewater") are situated approximately 80km south from the main view point. The camp was opened in 1971, however, only a year later the Fish River came down in flood and destroyed most of the camp. It has been rebuilt since and features luxury bungalows as well as camping and caravan sites. Other facilities include a shop, an open-air swimming pool, a licensed restaurant, a public spa complex, tennis courts and a filling station.

In 1965, Ai-Ais was declared a game park and fours years later the boundaries were extended to incorporate the Fish River Canyon. In 1989, the rugged Huns Mountain Area west of thecanyon also became incorporated into the area, it now reaches a total size of 346 117 ha. This area though has not been made accessible to the public.

People who want to go on the 85km hike are advised to book well in advance at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in Windhoek, the hike is very popular! Hikers need 4 to 5 days to complete this scenic 85km route which follows the dry riverbed from the northern look out points and ends at Ai-Ais. Due to possible flash flooding of the river as well as extreme summer temperatures, the route is only open from 1 May to 30 September. It is essential to take a sleeping bag and all the necessary foodand water along with you.

Day Thirteen

AiAis - Quiver Tree Forest

At camp we will visit the Quiver Tree Forest, these two attractions, approximately 25km north-east of Keetmanshoop on the Farm Gariganus are well worth the visit.

The trees at Gariganus Farm are between 200 and 300 years old and as no other accumulation of trees has been found in the area , the forest has been declared a national monument in 1955.

Quiver trees are not actually trees; they are a type of aloe (aloe Dichotoma), so called because the branches fork "dicotomously". These wierd looking plants dot the landscape in this part of the world and are locally common, however they are one of the world's rarerest flora species.

Day Fourteen