Mariental

You will be collected between 08:00 and 08:45 from your hotel in Windhoek. We will then start our tour heading into the Kalahari Desert. The Kalahari is a fossil desert, not a true desert as it receives too much rain. Its enchanting landscape is made up of small red dunes, golden grass and deep blue skies. It stretches across 7 countries, including Namibia, South Africa and Botswana. Our lodge is strategically situated in the centre of the Kalahari in an area peppered with Camelthorn trees. It is built with thatch and blessed with a staggering stone pool which attracts the occasional Oryx. Accommodation is in rondavel-style thatched huts which look out over the captivating landscape of the desert. In the afternoon you will enjoy a sundowner drive with the lodge to experience this magical place and spot some of the animals which live here, including several variety of antelope and zebra.

Mariental

Mariental Situated in south central Namibia, fringing the Kalahari Desert, the city of Mariental lies along the TransNamib railway and serves as the Hardap Region’s commercial and administrative capital. It provides an important petrol stop before heading west to Sesriem to view the red-orange dunes of Sossusvlei. Mariental is located close to magnificent the Hardap Dam, which is the largest reservoir in Namibia. The Hardap Irrigation Scheme has breathed life into this arid terrain, which is now fertile with farmlands covered in citrus, melons, lucerne, wine and maize, and dotted with ostrich farms. The dam is a popular holiday resort which draws city slickers from Windhoek and offers an array of watersports, scenic walks, and abundant wildlife in a 20000-hectare nature reserve set on its western bank; where visitors can spot rhino, ostrich, antelope, springbok and a variety of bird species.

Namib-Naukluft Park

Just after breakfast we will have a walk with the local bushmen found in the area. Later we will travel from the small red dunes of the east to the towering dunes in the west. Our journey will take us past small villages and spectacular scenery. Lunch will be served along the way. We aim to arrive at our lodge in the early afternoon. We will enjoy a nice cold drink at the lodge and also make use of the pool. There is optional activities that can be booked with the lodge.

Deadvlei

Dead Vlei This ancient clay pan was once an oasis, studded with acacias and fed by a river that suddenly changed course, leaving the earth to dry up along with the trees it previously supported. So dry were the climatic conditions that the trees never decomposed – instead they were entirely leached of moisture so that today, 900 years later, they remain as desiccated, blackened sentinels dotting the pan’s cracked surface. Surrounded by the red-pink dunes of the Namibia Desert, they create a surreal spectacle that is a photographer's dream.

Dune 45

Dune 45 Named for its location 45 kilometres past the town of Sesriem, Dune 45 is renowned for its elegant shape, which – along with its position close to the road – have earned it the distinction of ‘most photographed dune in the world’. If you’re not keen for the strenuous hike to the top of Big Daddy, Dune 45 is a more forgiving alternative, standing at only 80 metres and featuring a much gentler gradient.

Sesriem Canyon

Sesriem Canyon Hike Sesriem Canyon, a deep chasm carved through the rocks by water, is a striking natural feature of the area that is best explored on foot. Stony walls rise up sharply on both sides of the canyon, while birds roost in its crags and lizards dart along the ledges. The canyon’s name was coined when early settlers used it as a water source, using six lengths of leather (‘ses riem – six thongs) tied together to lower buckets into the water at the base of canyon.)

Swakopmund

Namibia is a land of contrasts. Today we will move from desert to sea, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn and traversing the Gaub and Kuiseb passes. As we climb out the dry river bed at the bottom of Kuiseb Canyon, a spectacular desert landscape unfolds before us. We will stop over in Walvis Bay to visit the lagoon. The Walvis Bay lagoon is is one of the richest and most important wetlands in southern Africa. It is home to many water birds including Great and Lesser flamingos, Damara terns, pelicans and avocets. We will also visit the salt works. We continue to Swakopmund along the scenic coastal road, with dunes on one side and the cold Atlantic on the other side of the road. Dinner will be at a local restaurant in Swakopmund.

Tropic of Capricorn Sign

Encircling the earth at approximately 23.5 degrees south of the equator, the Tropic of Capricorn passes through a marked lying some 40 km (25 mi) north of a crossroads; a signpost marks the spot.

Walvis Bay

Swakopmund is a charming seaside town characterized by German colonial architecture, palm-lined streets, great restaurants, plenty of shops and beautiful beaches. Today, you will be free to explore. The town offers plenty to do including a good museum and aquarium. Various optional activities can also be arranged. These include a boat tour (with oysters and champagne), scenic flights and micro-light flights over the desert, fishing trips (either from the beach or a boat), desert tours, quad-biking in the desert, sandboarding and skydiving. Your guide will discuss all your options and offer to make pre-bookings. Note that all extra activities in Swakopmund are subject to availability and are made at the client's own risk and expense. Dinner is at the client's own expense today.

Swakopmund

Swakopmund Set along Namibia's spectacularly scenic coast, the seaside town of Swakopmund is known for its wide-open avenues, colonial architecture, and its surrounding otherworldly desert terrain. Founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South West Africa, Swakopmund is often described as being more German than Germany. Now a seaside resort town, Swakopmund is the capital of the Skeleton Coast tourism area and has plenty to keep visitors happy. The quirky mix of German and Namibian influences, adventure options, laid-back atmosphere and cool sea breeze make it a very popular Namibian destination. Visitors can look forward to a number of exciting activities including: quad biking, horse riding, paragliding, fishing, sightseeing and fascinating desert tours.

Damaraland

Today we head to Damaraland along the Skeleton Coast. We will stop at the vast seal colony at Cape Cross, north of Swakopmund. Here you are able to get up close to thousands of wild Cape fur seals and observe them in their natural environment. We continue to the small town of Uis. Uis is an old mining town and one of the best places to buy semi-precious stones for which Namibia is famous. Here rough amethyst, tourmaline and other stones can be found at bargain prices. We pass by the Brandberg, the highest mountain in Namibia, and arrive in Twyfelfontein in the afternoon.

Cape Cross

Cape Cross Seal Colony This colony of Cape Fur Seals is one of the largest in the world, home to approximately 80 000 to 100 000 of these so-called 'seals', which are in fact a species of sea lion. Day trips to the colony are offered and the seals can be viewed from a walkway at a distance of roughly 200 metres.

Twyfelfontein

Twyfelfontein Set in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia, Twylfelfontein is a spectacularly scenic area, featuring one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock art in Africa. The name ‘Twyfelfontein’ translates to ‘Fountain of Doubt’, which refers to the perennial spring situated in the impressive Huab valley flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain. It was this spring that attracted Stone Age hunters over six thousand years ago, and it was during this time that the extensive group of rock engravings and paintings were produced. Visitors can look forward to basing themselves at some wonderfully shady campsites along the Aba-Huab riverbed, while exploring over thirty different sites of these sacred records of ritual practices relating to traditional hunter-gatherer communities.

Palmwag

This morning we will visit the Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock art in Africa. Visitors can view some 2500 Stone Age rock engravings at 17 rock art sites. There are an additional 13 sites displaying rock paintings. We will travel to Palmwag, passing by the village of Bersig. We will join local trackers from the Torra Conservancy on an afternoon desert rhino tour, then continue to the lodge. Palmwag Lodge is situated in the Palmwag Concession in northern Damaraland. This part of the world is blessed with table mountains and spectacular scenery. Abundant wildlife such as mountain zebra, kudu, springbok, giraffe, lion, desert adapted elephant, the endangered black rhino and many other species occur here. Dinner will be served at the lodge.

Palmwag

Palmwag Palmwag is a nature reserve idyllically located along a palm-lined tributary of the Uniab River. Water is scarce in this area, so the river’s presence often lures elephants closer to the camps. Palmwag is situated halfway between Swakopmund and Etosha, and is the ideal base from which to see the sights of the Kunene region or embark on one of the many local hiking trails. The reserve is notable for its unusual species of palm tree, the hyphaena pertesiana, and for being home to the largest population of south-western black rhinos in Africa. Animal lovers can also get a peek at leopard, lion, cheetah, mountain zebra, Angolan giraffe, springbok, kudu, and African bush elephant.

Etosha National Park

Today we will continue towards the Etosha National Park passing by Kamanjab. We will stop at the Otjikandero Himba Orphanage Village. The Himba are one of the last tribes in Africa living strictly within their tradition. We will have the opportunity to see them in their natural environment as well as observe their culture and gain an in depth insight into their traditional way of life. We will then continue to our lodge just outside the south gate of Etosha. If time allows, we will enjoy an afternoon game drive inside the park and return back just before sunset. The Etosha National Park is home to over 100 mammal species, 340 bird species and 110 reptile species. Larger mammals include lion, elephant, leopard, giraffe, cheetah, hyena, springbok, zebra and eland. Animals, particularly during the dry season, are dependent on the many waterholes found in the park, and these serve as great places for game viewing.

Otjikandero Himba Orphan Village

Otjikandero Himba Orphanage Village Otjikandero Himba Orphanage Village is located close to the local Kamanjab cattle farm in Himba Village. The village is inhabited by Himba kids, who are taken care of by volunteer mothers. All the children are raised in the traditional way, although a few of them have been slightly westernised because of the school they attend. Otjikandero Himba Orphanage Village is funded by the money received from tours to the village. Funds are used for medical purposes, food and other basic needs. Tourists will have the opportunity to see the Himba people in their natural environment as well as observe their culture. Excellent photo opportunities are also available.

Etosha National Park

Today we will spend most of the day searching for animals. We will visit a number of waterholes and stop to view the Etosha Pan, also known as the “place of dry water”. This extensive, flat depression is about 5,000 km2 and a place of shimmering mirages. Seeing large herds of game in this setting is a unique experience. We may stop at Halali to have lunch, before returning to our lodge. The game viewing in this area is usually excellent, with close-up views of springboks, zebras, impalas, giraffes, gemsboks and plenty of birds and other animals.

Etosha National Park

Etosha Pan Aeons ago, Etosha Pan was the bed of a vast lake; today what remains is a glittering, silvery-green salt pan that stretches across roughly 5000 square kilometres. Etosha is protected by the Etosha Pan National Park surrounded by savannah plains and woodlands supporting large herds of elephants. When dry, the pan sustains little life except for the algae that gives it its distinctive colour, and migratory birds that use it as a pit stop, but with heavy rain it becomes a shallow lake where flamingos breed, pelicans wade and feed, and a variety of mammal species come to quench their thirst, including leopards, lions, white rhinos, hunting dogs and antelopes.

Okonjima Game Reserve

Day Itinerary Morning game drive before we depart the park. We will continue further south towards the south closer to Windhoek. On our way back to Windhoek we will pass smaller towns. We will arrive in time at Okonjima africat cheetah farm for lunch. Later in the afternoon you will do a africat activity.

Okonjima Game Reserve

Okonjima - The AfriCat Foundation Okonjima Nature Reserve in central Namibia is home to The AfriCat Foundation. It has grown significantly since it was established as a welfare organisation in the early 1990s and registered as a non-profit organisation in 1993. Today, AfriCat’s mission is the long-term conservation of some of Namibia’s large carnivores – such as brown hyaena, leopard and cheetah, all of which can be seen during an environmental education visit to Okonjima.

Windhoek

On our return to Windhoek we will stop by the small town of Okahandja. Here we will visit the biggest craft market in Namibia. The stalls are operated on a co-operative basis by the local community and the market is a good place to do last-minute shopping for truly African souvenirs. If you have your flight today, your guide will transfer you to the airport or drop you off at your post accommodation booked by you.