Namibia Highlight lodge safari 'de luxe'
(11 days - Namibia )

Visiting the most famous places in Namibia:  This Safari will inspire you through its endless, red glowing dunes near Sossusvlei, which can reach beyond a height of 300 meters. Visit the untouched Tsondab Valley Reserve to realize the living Namib Desert, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean; enjoy strolling down the alleys and beach at the typical colonial town of Swakopmund. You will walk in the footsteps of the ancient inhabitants and view rock engravings. Game viewing in the famous Etosha National Park with it’s free roaming herds of Zebra, Elephants, and occasional larger predators like leopards and lions in Namibia’s wide open savanna. Round off your safaris with a visit to the Waterberg Plateau, boasting a unique fauna and flora.

Day 1: Arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport, where your safari guide will meet you. After a short drive to the capital city of Namibia, Windhoek, the road takes you through the Khomas-highland, via the Spreetshoogte Pass. This is one of Namibia’s most spectacular Mountain passes, dropping down in to the Namib Desert, where the Namib Naukluft Park stretches along the vast length of the Namib Desert – the oldest desert in the world. Arriving at the Lodge in the afternoon, in time to take a splash in the pool, relax and enjoy the sunset in the desert.
Accommodation Lodge near Sossusvlei – Sesriem – Namib Desert

Day 2: Early morning wake up, for the drive to Sossusvlei. You will be rewarded for getting up early. The beautiful colours and magnificent contrasts that appear dawn and change the unique desert landscapes after sunrise. We enter the Namib Naukluft Park to visit the famous Sossusvlei, driving along the highest dunes of the world. The Tsauchab River fills the Sossusvlei every four to five years. Spectacular scenes unfold after sunrise, being the best time for photography. In the so-called “vlei“, which is a clay depression that can be filled with water we will have some coffee and a picnic breakfast amongst the se giant dunes. Later you will have the opportunity to climb a dune. Feel the fine sand slipping through your hands, smell the dry fresh air and feel the liberating exhilaration on top of the desert. Leaving the Sossusvlei, we spare a short visit to the Sesriem Canyon, which was cut out of the desert conglomerate by the Tsauchab River. Returning to the Lodge for a late lunch. The afternoon is at you disposal for relaxation at the swimming pool. Optionally you can participate in a scenic flight over the dunes, along the southern Skeleton Coast and the Kuiseb Canyon.
Accommodation Lodge near Sossusvlei – Sesriem – Namib Desert

Day 3: Today we drive through the Namib Naukluft Park, north via the Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons. Visiting the waterhole Ganab and Hotsas in the desert with good possibilities to se some typical desert adapted antelope coming to drink at these life-giving waterholes. Picnic along the route under some big Camelthorn trees. We stop at the Welwitschia plains, where these old and ancient desert plants grow. Continuing through the lichen fields and along the moon landscape we reach the coastal town of Swakopmund in the afternoon. After check-in you will have some time to explore this pleasant little small town, with reminiscent of the German colonial era. Enjoy an evening dinner at one of the restaurants in Swakopmund with some typical seafood cuisine.
Accommodation Hotel/Pension - Swakopmund – Atlantic Coast

Day 4: The day is free for you to spend your leisure time. You can participate in a dolphin cruise along in the Lagoon of Walvisbay, where you will have memorable encounters with seals, dolphins, flamingo’s and other marine bird life. Get to know the ocean with the knowledge of your skipper, Snacks, champagne and fresh oysters on board round of the 4-hour boat cruise. Back in Swakopmund you can go for some afternoon shopping, visit the crystal gallery, the museum, the aquarium or go for a guided quad bike drive in the dunes.
Accommodation Hotel/Pension - Swakopmund – Atlantic Coast

Day 5: Departure from Swakopmund, north along the coast to Cape Cross, where we visit one of the largest seal colonies in Namibia. Turning inland we drive along the Brandberg Mountain, via Uis through the Damaraland to Twyfelfontein. Picnic en route. Visit the Bunt Mountain and the Organ Pipes in the afternoon. These are geologically interesting sites in this arid Damaraland.
Accommodation Twyfelfontein Lodge - Damaraland

Day 6: Twyfelfontein is a well-known cultural heritage site, where a large number of ancient rock engravings and some rock paintings can be seen. After breakfast we take a walk on the slopes of the surrounding sandstone formations. This will bring you close to this interesting form of art from the early periods of civilisation in Namibia. Afterwards we leave Twyfelfontein to visit the Petrified Forest near Khorixas before continuing to the Hobatere Lodge near the western border of the Etosha National Park. This is a 30 000 hectare concession area in the more arid Damaraland with typical wildlife like the Hartmann’s Zebra, Springbuck, Giraffe, Elephants and Lions. This area is also well known for some of the Namibian endemic bird species. In the afternoon you can partake in a game drive with a knowledgeable guide in this concession. After dinner there is the highlight of a night drive to view the nocturnal animals of the African bush. For those who want to relax at the poolside, you can watch the game coming to drink at the waterhole near the lodge, which can even be frequented by elephants amongst others.
Accommodation Hobatere Lodge – Damaraland – Western Etosha

Optional itinerary:
Scenic charter flight into the Kaokoveld, Epupa – visit the Ovahimba
After your guided walk to the Twyfelfontein rock engravings your pilot and Cessna await you at the Twyfelfontein Airstrip. Departure for a scenic flight over the Palmwag concession area in the Damaraland to the Skeleton Coast. Along the beach of the Atlantic Ocean, passing over the Hoanib River delta, via Amspoort in search of the unique desert dwelling elephants. Continuing north to the clay castle formations in the Hoarusib River, with higher altitude flying over the Giraffe Mountains to Epupa, circling the magnificent Epupa Falls before landing. In Epupa you are welcomed by a paradise created by Makalani Palms bordering the Kunene River. Afternoon walk to the Epupa Falls and along the Kunene River. Enjoy the sunset from the mountain with a view of the Kunene River valley. You will meet the people of the Kaokoveld – the Himba. Still living traditionally as semi-nomadic cattle herdsman. You will spend the night in a luxury tented Camp on the bank of the Kunene River. The water plunging down the falls and the wind blowing through the palm leaves is like an African lullaby.
Accommodation Epupa luxury tented Camp – Epupa - Kaokoveld

Day 7: After a good breakfast we enter the famous Etosha National Park through the Galton Gate in the west. We spend the day with game viewing, while driving through the lesser know western part of Etosha. This area is not accessible to the public and tourists. The landscape in the western part is more mountainous and rugged with sighting of the typical Hartmann’s Zebra. Picnic lunch along the route. Etosha stretches over an area of 22 279 square kilometres and is well know for its abundance of wild life and the big white plains. Giraffe, Antelopes, Elephants, Rhino’s and the occasional large predators roam the grass savanna and the Mopane-savanna. Arrival at the Okaukuejo Rest Camp in the afternoon.
This rest camp has a flood lit waterhole where game viewing can be done through out the night. The chance to see the endangered Black Rhino at the waterhole in the evening is good, especially in the dry season.
Accommodation Okaukuejo Rest Camp – Etosha National Park

Optional itinerary:
Return flight from Epupa to Outjo
Early morning breakfast on the banks of the Kunene, where after you visit a typical Ovahimba village. Here your guide and translator will give you an insight into the daily lives and culture of this semi-nomadic tribe. Before your transfer to the Epupa airstrip you will pay a short visit to a traditional Ovahimba gravesite. Take-off for the return flight to the Outjo Airfield. Here your guide will meet up with you again for a short drive to the Etosha National Park. On arrival in the Park you will have the first game encounters for the afternoon.
Accommodation Okaukuejo Rest Camp – Etosha National Park

Day 8: Early morning departure on a game drive through the Etosha Park. Along the route we visit various waterholes where most of the game congregates. The Etosha Park has a total area of 22 000 square kilometres, half the size of Switzerland! Through open plain, Mopane-savanna and Acacia-savanna we drive east toward Namutoni. In the afternoon we leave Etosha through the Von Lindequist Gate to check in at the wonderful Mushara Lodge.
Accommodation Mushara Lodge – Etosha

Day 9: Today we leave for a morning game drive into the Etosha National Park. Best game viewing is early in the morning and with some luck you might encounter a leopard, lions, elephants and a lot of typical Namibian wildlife. You’ll be back for a light lunch at the Lodge and have time to relax at the pool during the hot time of the day. Afternoon game drive in Etosha Park until sunset.
Accommodation Mushara Lodge – Etosha

Day 10: We leave Etosha behind and drive to the little mining town of Tsumeb, visit the Otjikoto Lake, a small Museum and the Hoba Meteorite, which weighs app. 60 tons, on our way to the Waterberg. Picnic en route. Arrival at the Waterberg in the afternoon. If time allows you can partake in an afternoon game drive. The Waterberg is famous for the variety of unique fauna and flora on the slopes of this sandstone plateau. Sit around the campfire in the evening and try to spot a shooting star.
Accommodation Lodge near Waterberg

Day 11: After breakfast you have the opportunity to partake in a guided walk onto the Waterberg Plateau, which is rewarded with a magnificent view over the savanna of the Omaheke Region. You might encounter a klipspringer, a rock dassie, a Roan antelope or even a Cape buffalo. After the walk onto the plateau we depart for Windhoek. A short visit to the woodcarvers and crafts market in Okahandja before arriving in Windhoek. Your safari guide will take you to the Hosea Kutako International Airport for your departure flight or spend some more holidays in Namibia with Ndandi Safaris
End of Tour