$5,253 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateArrival
Arrival
Day 1
The Weinberg Windhoek, Windhoek
The Weinberg Windhoek, Windhoek
Once your flight arrive, your guide from Bluecrane Safaris will pick you up from the airport which is about 42 km outside of Windhoek. You will be dropped off at your accommodation in Windhoek after a brief meet and greet. Later today around 15h00 pm, your guide will meet you for the afternoon city tour of Windhoek and Katatura township for 3 hours.
Tonight's dinner is not included, but you can ask your guide or the reception to book you a table at the two restaurants near the hotel.
- Main Destination:
- Windhoek (City)
- Accommodation:
- The Weinberg
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Windhoek - Kalahari Region
Windhoek - Kalahari Region
You will be picked up between 8:00 and 8:45 a.m. from Windhoek. You will travel south to 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.
Your 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. Your accommodation is in rondavel-style thatched huts which look out over the captivating landscape of the desert. The ambience is enhanced with indigenous décor and is home to a fine collection of San artefacts.
Later in the day, you will enjoy a sundowner on the Kalahari dunes.
- Main Destination:
- Kalahari Region
- Accommodation:
- Zebra Kalahari Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3-4
Kalahari Desert- Canyon Lodge - Fish River Canyon
Kalahari Desert- Canyon Lodge - Fish River Canyon
This morning we continue southwards to Namibia's Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world.
On our journey we will stop at the quiver tree forest, then stop for lunch. A large Quivertree Forest with thousands of quiver trees, close by a piece of land where a lot of Mesosaurus fossils have been found and additionally a picturesque dolerite rock field. We will then continue to the fish river canyon where we will stay for 2 nights.
- Main Destination:
- Fish River Canyon (|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld TP)
- Accommodation:
- Canyon Lodge
Wildlife in |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld TP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Fish River Canyon – Luderitz
Fish River Canyon – Luderitz
After an early start and breakfast we will head for Lüderitz on Namibia's south coast. On the way, we will look out for the wild horses of the Namib. These beautiful, feral horses roam the sparsely vegetated plains of the Namib Desert in small groups, having somehow adapted to the harsh environment. Their origins are a mystery although several theories exist.
We aim to arrive in Lüderitz during the late afternoon. This charming town is sandwiched between the sands of the Namib and the wild South Atlantic. It is renowned for its old world charm and distinctly German colonial architecture and is home to a wide variety of aquatic birds. Large numbers of flamingos, cormorants and seagulls inhabit the shallow lagoon here. We will learn more about its history and the south in general.
Dinner will be at our award-winning accommodation, the Lüderitz Nest Hotel.
- Main Destination:
- Lüderitz (Town)
- Accommodation:
- Luderitz Nest Hotel
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6-7
Namib Desert - Desert Homestead Lodge
Namib Desert - Desert Homestead Lodge
Just before you leave Luderitz, you will visit the famous Kolmanskop ghost town. You will learn about the history of the town and how the first diamond was found here by a railway worker. After your visit to Kolmanskop, you will proceed to the Namib Desert. On your way, you will stop for lunch in Aus. After lunch, you will continue north into the Namib desert, arriving in the afternoon. Dinner will be served at the lodge.
You will wake up early the next morning to catch the soft light of the sunrise over the desert. In the cool of the morning, you will take a walk, during which you will have a good chance of seeing gemsboks, springboks, and ostriches. You will spend the rest of the morning in and around Sossusvlei and then drive to Sossusvlei for lunch, passing by the famous “Dune 45”. As the day cools in the late afternoon, you will go on a short excursion to Sesriem Canyon before returning to your lodge.
- Main Destination:
- Sossusvlei (Sand Dunes)
- Accommodation:
- Desert Homestead Lodge
Wildlife in Namib-Naukluft NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8-9
Namib Desert – Strand Hotel, Swakopmund
Namib Desert – Strand Hotel, Swakopmund
Namibia is a country of contrasts. Today you will trade the desert for the sea. You will cross the Tropic of Capricorn and transverse both the Gaub and Kuiseb pass, driving down to the dry river bed at the bottom of the Kuiseb Canyon before climbing up the other side. You will enjoy spectacular desert landscapes unfold before you as you drive. Once you arrive at the coast, make a stop in Walvis Bay to visit the salt works and enjoy views of the flamingoes and other birds in the lagoons. Your dinner tonight will be at one of the local restaurants in Swakopmund.
The next day is a free day with plenty of time for you to explore. Swakopmund is a very pleasant seaside town with lots of shops, a good stretch of beach (although the Atlantic is quite cold here), and an open-air curio market. Alternatively, there are various optional activities that can be arranged. These include a boat tour (with oysters and champagne). You will eat dinner at a different restaurant in Swakopmund.
- Main Destination:
- Swakopmund (City)
- Accommodation:
- Strand Hotel Swakopmund
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 10
Swakopmund – Damaraland- Twyfelfontein Country Lodge
Swakopmund – Damaraland- Twyfelfontein Country Lodge
Today, you will continue to Damaraland along the Skeleton Coast. You will stop at the vast seal colony at Cape Cross, north of Swakopmund. Here you will be able to get up close to thousands of wild Cape fur seals and observe them in their natural environment.
You will 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.
You will pass by the Brandberg, the highest mountain in Namibia, and visit the Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage Site which features one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock art in Africa. You can view about 2,500 Stone Age rock engravings at 17 rock art sites. There are an additional 13 sites displaying rock paintings.
You will arrive at your lodge in time for sunset.
- Main Destination:
- Damaraland
- Accommodation:
- Twyfelfontein Country Lodge
Wildlife in Damaraland
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 11
Damaraland – Palmwag Lodge Gondwana Collection, Palmwag
Damaraland – Palmwag Lodge Gondwana Collection, Palmwag
You will travel on to Palmwag. 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 zebras, kudus, springboks, giraffes, lions, desert-adapted elephants, endangered black rhinos, and many other species occur here.
This morning you will search for desert elephants. Damaraland is the ideal place for desert-adapted elephants and many rhinos and elephants move around the Palmwag concession area. With luck on your side, you will spot them. The animals here are specially adapted to the harsh desert conditions.
- Main Destination:
- Palmwag (Damaraland)
- Accommodation:
- Palmwag Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 12
Palmwag – Etosha National Park
Palmwag – Etosha National Park
Today, you will drive into the desert mountains of Damaraland, one of the last true wildernesses of southern Africa and home to the Himba people. During the morning or just after lunch, you will visit the Otjikandero Himba Village. The Himba are one of the last tribes in Africa living strictly within their tradition. There will be a special guide for your time there, who will translate for you and introduce you to the Ovahimba people. You will learn about their marriage customs and traditional food and also visit the “holy fire”.
You will continue to your private lodge just outside the south gate of the Etosha National Park. Etosha Safari Lodge is set on a hillock overlooking sprawling mopane woodland. The chalets each have their own private verandah with panoramic views. The main area offers a spacious deck, dining area, bar, lounge, and three swimming pools. If time allows, you will enjoy an afternoon game drive inside the park and return just before sunset.
- Main Destination:
- Etosha National Park
- Accommodation:
- Etosha Safari Lodge
Wildlife in Etosha NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 13
Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park
Today you will spend most of the day game driving. You will visit a number of waterholes and make a stop at the Etosha Pan, the “place of dry water”. The pan is an extensive flat depression of about 5,000 sq km. This great, white expanse is a place of shimmering mirages, and being able to see large herds of game in this setting makes Etosha a unique experience in Africa. You may stop at Halali Middle Camp to have lunch before you continue your game drive back to your lodge. The game viewing is usually excellent with close views of springboks, zebras, impalas, giraffes, gemsboks, and plenty of birds. If you are lucky, you may also have some close encounters with elephants and lions. In the evening, you may enjoy a glass of wine and experience a fabulous dinner at your lodge.
- Main Destination:
- Etosha National Park
- Accommodation:
- Etosha Safari Lodge
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 14
Etosha - Okonjima Nature Reserve
Etosha - Okonjima Nature Reserve
Today you will head south towards Okonjima. The lodge is home to the AfriCat Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the long-term conservation of Namibia's large carnivores, notably cheetahs and leopards. You will visit the Africat Project area and meet some of the cheetahs or accompany our guides as they monitor the progress of the cheetahs in the Tusk Rehabilitation camp. Okonjima is home to over forty cheetahs, many of whom were separated from their mothers before they learned how to survive on their own. The Rehabilitation Camp gives these cheetahs the opportunity to learn survival skills, such as hunting, in a closely monitored environment. Successful cheetahs are relocated to parks and game farms. Over 250 species of birds are found in the area, including Namibian endemics such as Carps Black Tit, Hartlaub's Francolin, and the Damara Rock Runner. The abundance of animals, birdlife, and spectacular scenery make Okonjima a photographer's dream.
- Main Destination:
- Okonjima Nature Reserve
- Accommodation:
- Okonjima Plains Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 15
Okonjima - Windhoek
Okonjima - Windhoek
This morning after breakfast, you will depart back to Windhoek through the small town of Okahandja with the biggest craft market in Namibia. You will stop to explore the market and perhaps buy some souvenirs before heading back to Windhoek. The local community operates the stalls on a cooperative basis and the market is a good place to do last-minute shopping for truly Namibian souvenirs. The aim is to arrive back in the city just in time for your flight. At the airport, your guide will assist you in checking in for your flight. Here he will greet you and hope to see you guys again in the future.
- Main Destination:
- Hosea Kutako International Airport (Windhoek)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
