Description

DAY 1 (THU) WINDHOEK
Upon arrive in Windhoek, you are met and transferred to you hotel.

Balance of the day is free at leisure.

DAY 2 (FRI) WINDHOEK > SWAKOPMUND
A transfer takes you to the coastal town of Swakopmund. Upon your arrival in the early afternoon you check into your hotel.

With palm-lined streets and seaside promenades, Swakopmund is a popular holiday destination in Namibia. Its pleasant summer climate and long stretched beaches attract anglers and surfers from all over Southern Africa. For the international guest, Swakopmund is a bohemian mix of German architecture and African rhythms, a laid back attitude with adrenalin activities, misty mornings and desert heat. It is colourful, it is vibrant, but most of all, it is pure fun.

DAY 3 (SAT) SWAKOPMUND
Swakopmund is often fondly referred to as the “playground of Namibia”, it has numerous activities ranging from, adventure to exploring the fascinating features of the Namib Desert and the animals and plants that occur and survive here. Embrace the relaxed pace of this idyllic coastal town whilst enjoying coffee and freshly baked pastries in one of the many café’s.

Alternatively explore the rugged, sweltering desert on a day tour, or view this awesome, environment from the air on a scenic flight. Find your inner child and push adrenaline to its limits with extreme adventures such as skydiving over the desert or quad biking and sandboarding on the dunes.

Take time to get the feel of this quaint town with its historic buildings, museums, shopping arcades and beach bar that has transformed into its own personality by the vibrant use of colour and the bohemian lifestyle.

DAY 4: (SUN) SWAKOPMUND > DAMARALAND
On long yet interesting and scenic roads we head further north, traveling past the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain (2.579m), into the Damaraland, one of the least populated and geologically diverse
areas in Africa. This harsh, rocky environment is home to the elusive desert elephant, the black rhino and free-roaming antelope species.

Accompanied by a local Damara guide we visit Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO heritage site where Bushman communities engraved and painted over 2.500 pictures some 6.000 years ago! After a visit to the nearby Living Museum of the Damara we proceed to the Petrified Forest – a geological phenomenon depicting the creation and metamorphosis of wood into stone amongst some of the oldest landmasses on Earth. Here we also see the Welwitschia mirabilis plant – the oldest living desert plant on Earth.

DAY 5 (MON) DAMARALAND > ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK
After a relaxed breakfast, we travel towards the Etosha National Park, famous for its vast amount of wildlife. Once we have reached our camp located just outside of the National Park, we head onto our first safari into the National Park. Together with our guide we explore the various waterholes located
close to Okaukuejo and the Anderson gate.

Optional and time permitting open vehicle game drives can be booked with the lodge.

DAY 6 (TUE) ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK
The day is devoted purely to the abundant wildlife found in the Etosha National Park, which surrounds a parched salt desert known as the Etosha Pan. The park is home to 4 of the Big Five – elephant, lion, leopard and rhino. The Park was proclaimed as Namibia’s first conservation area in 1907 by the then Governor, von Lindequist. Despite the size of the Etosha National Park, only the southern edge of the pan is accessible to visitors.

Game viewing in the park is largely focussed around the waterholes, some of which are spring fed and some supplied from a borehole, ideal places to sit and watch over 114 different game species, or for an avid birder, in excess of 340 bird species. Popular game species such as giraffe, blue wildebeest, plains and mountain zebra, hyena, lion, leopard, antelopes such as kudu, oryx, eland, as well as some of the endangered species such as Black rhino, cheetah and the black-faced impala are all found here. An extensive network of roads link the over 30 water holes allowing visitors the opportunity of an extensive game viewing safari over the stretch of the park as each different area will provide different encounters.

DAY 7 (WED) ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK
Today your guide again takes you on a game drive in the Etosha National Park, or optionally you can book an open game drive park drive with the lodge. We may encounter animal species we have not seen the previous day and look forward to any new surprises at the different waterholes visited.

The Etosha Pan dominates the park. This salt pan desert, which is nearly completely enclosed by the park and is lined by numerous watering holes, is roughly 130 km long and as wide as 50 km in places. During Etosha’s notorious dry spells the pan is a deathly place, lying parched and cracked under the molten African sun.

It is claimed that game viewing is best during the dry spells as animals will then congregate closer to water. But even in the rainy season the park remains an abundant wildlife haven. You then have the pleasure of experiencing the rebirth of life as the young foals, cubs and chicks are seen frolicking with their parents and the sprouting new green shrubs and grasses create a pleasing green oasis. In the afternoon we travel back to our lodge, where we enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure.

DAY 8 (THU) DEPARTURE
After breakfast we travel back through the centre of the country exposing bushland savannah to the capital in the centre of the country. Time permitting, en-route we may stop at the famous wood carvers market in Okahandja or the craft market in the main street in Windhoek to pick up a last few souvenirs. Windhoek is a cosmopolitan melting pot of European architecture with African culture, with a variety of good restaurants to choose from.

You will be dropped off at your accommodation of choice, or transferred to the airport for your outward flight.