Wildlife & Dunes of Namibia

We arrive in Windhoek and are joined by our without-flight guests. We’ll enjoy an afternoon city tour of Windhoek, the vibrant heart of Namibia. Discover the unique blend of tradition and modernity that makes this a must-see destination. Later, we’ll enjoy dinner at Windhoek's famous restaurant, Joe's Beerhouse.  With an extensive menu catering for all tastes and classic and signature cocktails including non-alcoholic Joe’s is a great place for your welcome dinner.

After breakfast we’ll travel into the majestic Namib Desert which means “place where there is nothing”. This is the world’s oldest desert stretching along the
Atlantic coast of Namibia, Angola and South Africa. Despite its name the desert rich with biodiversity, ancient cultures and incredible moving seas of red sands that
form mega-dunes. On arrival at our eco-friendly camp settle into your cabin and then take a stroll to the tops of dunes to see the vastness of the desert. Make your
way to the wide central deck and enjoy a sundowner while watching the sunset before a delicious dinner is served.

An early start gets us on the road for our all day excursion to Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei
and Sesriem Canyon. Sossusvlei is a salt and clay pan surrounded by towering red
dunes. Dead Vlei (dead marsh) is a stark white clay pan dotted with dead camel
thorn trees that are 600 years old. The dark skeletons rising out of the white pan
with the surrounding red dunes and bright blue skies create a surreal atmosphere
and is a photographer’s dream.
After our visit we continue on to our lodge where we take a sundowner drive in the
petrified dunes of the Gondwana Namib Park. These dunes solidified into sandstone
during wetter periods from 20 to 8 million years ago. They are richly coloured from
red brown to golden and are especially beautiful at sunset.

Enjoy the stillness of the morning with a sunrise walk over the dunes. Leaving our lodge we head to the town of Solitaire on the edge of the Namib Naukluft National Park. We stop at a small bakery founded by Percy 'Moose' McGregor a Scottish adventurer who included a German apple pie in his range of baked goods. His pie and warm welcome quickly caught on and visitors come from near and far to sample his famous pie. Who would have thought you would find a favourite humble dessert in the middle of Namibia. From here we continue our drive through spectacular scenery to our next accommodation, in the Naukluft National Park

After breakfast, we depart for the coastal town of Swakopmund, where we'll be staying for the next two nights. The valleys of the Swakop River form an otherworldly landscape and is likened to the moon's surface. It came into existence as the river cut through the softer surface deposits. These soft materials were laid down some 460 million years ago when the area's climate was wet.  Swakopmund is a bustling seaside town characterised by 19th-century German
colonial architecture. On arrival in the town, we check into the hotel, and you will have free time until we head out for dinner in a local restaurant.

Today we visit Walvis Bay Lagoon and join one of the catamarans for a marine cruise. We hope to spot dolphins, whales, turtles, seals and mola mola (sunfish). Our initial route takes us past oyster farms as we approach Pelican Point with its landmark lighthouse and 60,000 resident Cape Fur Seals. On the south side of Walvis Bay is a great lagoon that attracts tens of thousands of birds, including many flamingos. The lagoon, salt pans and the bird sanctuary which form the Walvis Bay Wetlands are one of the most important coastal wetlands of southern Africa. Tea and coffee is served on board.  Following our marine adventure, we will return to our Swakopmund hotel, and the
rest of the day is at leisure.

Today we leave the coast and head into Damaraland. We will visit amazing
Twyfelfontein, home to ancient rock engravings and petroglyphs created by the
indigenous San people. Modern estimates suggest there are around 5,000
engravings with 2,000 in the main area. We will also visit the Damara Living
Museum. Living museums in Africa are social enterprises aimed at maintaining
ancient cultures and traditions especially for the younger generations and for
providing a source of income to marginalised groups. The museum is an interactive
experience with a reconstructed village where you will see how Damara people lived
in the past. We will arrive at our lodge in the late afternoon and then head out for a
guided sundowners walk.

Discover small native wildlife and the drought-resistant flora on a morning hike with
a knowledgeable local guide. The wildlife in this area include Namaqua Rock Rats,
Lesser Red Musk Shrew and Damara Mole Rat. Look to the skies for a range of birds
including Monteiro's Hornbill, Rock runner, White-tailed Shrike, Carp's Tit and
Rüppell's Parrot. You may also see raptures such as Verreaux's Eagle, Peregrine
Falcon and Egyptian Vulture.
After lunch we take a scenic drive to search for the larger wildlife endemic to this
region. These include desert Elephants, Black Rhino, Gemsbok (Oryx), Springbok,
Kudu, Hartmann's Mountain Zebra, Giraffe, Lion and Cheetah. Return to our lodge
for leisure time.

Travel across the wide-open plains of the Damaraland to the dry riverbed of the
Uniab River which forms a prominent green belt in the desert. This is an ephemeral
river, meaning it is usually dry but flows often underground. The lush vegetation is
an attraction to the local wildlife.
We travel on and receive a warm welcome from the Himba people in Ozohere
village. They are semi-nomadic pastoralists, herding cattle and goats. They have a
distinct culture, rich traditions, and a striking appearance, especially the women's
red ochre body paint which symbolises beauty and also protects the skin. We
continue on to our lodge for the next two nights and are welcomed by an iced tea.
After settling in, dinner will be served.

Leaving Damaraland behind our journey takes us to the vast salt pans and diverse wildlife of the Etosha National Park.  Widely considered to the one of the best national parks in the world its vast
shimmering salt pan attracts a wide range of wildlife to its waterholes providing
incredible viewing. While usually dry and white, during the rainy season it can
become a shallow lake which attracts flamingos and other waterbirds. On arrival at
our lodge, settle in, grad a drink from the bar and take in the views of the vast
expanse of mopane woodland from the deck. Tomorrow, we head out on a full day
game drive.

Full Day in Etosha National Park with our own guide and private vehicles. Once we pass the park gates, we will be on the watch for wildlife, stopping whenever they are close - we may even have to stop while they cross the road in front of us - wildlife has the right of way!  The wildlife are free roaming, and
we hope to see lions, elephants, leopards, black and white rhinos (4 of the big 5)
along with zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and antelope. 

We will stop at one of the park restaurants for lunch and then head out again for the
afternoon to continue our search for wonderful wildlife. On return to our lodge
there is time to freshen up and relax before dinner which is sure to be filled with
conversation about the day.

After breakfast we depart for Otjiwarongo in the Waterberg region. On the way we visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund. The CCF works to develop best practices that benefit the entire ecosystem upon which the cheetah depends. This beautiful big cat is under threat of extinction in the wild. Once widespread in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and into central India they now only inhabit  10% of their original range.  We will see the CCFs Ambassador Cheetahs while learning about the programs that address the concerns for wildlife populations and the human communities that share the landscape.  Settle into your chalet overlooking a waterhole at our lodge for the next two nights.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and free time this morning. This afternoon we take a
guided walk around the Otjiwa reserve. The lodge’s expert guides know this area
like the back of their hands. From the smallest insects to 4 legged wildlife, you will
learn all about Namibia’s natural world and enjoy walking in the wild.

After breakfast we travel back to our starting point Windhoek International airport
for your homebound flights..

With-flight guests arrive back in the UK