| D1: Windhoek (39 km) |
| Meet and Greet |
| | - | Be met at Windhoek Airport by one of our experienced guides, who will explain your itinerary and give you valuable advice, as well as information to make your trip run smoothly and be utterly unforgettable. Our guide will answer any questions you may have, hand over all the travel documents that you may need such as maps and vouchers, and escort you to your designated transportation. |
| | - | Pick up your vehicle Europcar NA Classic Max Category P b:7-13 days at Windhoek - Drop Off Windhoek (Day 12) - 12 days  |
| | - | Dinner: River Crossing Lodge |
| | - | Overnight: River Crossing Lodge (Standard Room - Dinner, Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D2: Windhoek - Kalahari (287 km) |
| Kalahari Visit(n) • Nature Drive(o) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Travel to Kalahari |
| | - | Be blown away by the haunting beauty of the Kalahari Desert. Extending over an area of 500,000 km², the Kalahari covers most of Botswana - where it is known as the Kgalagadi - some areas of South Africa, and south-eastern Namibia. Contrary to what the notion of 'desert' might suggest, the Kalahari has a semi-arid climate and receives an average annual rainfall of 100 mm (as opposed to a maximum of 25 mm for a true desert). The rains enable a multitude of life to flourish across the red sands that transform into grassy plains at times of higher rainfall, and numerous species of mammals and birds inhabit the Kalahari, as do the San Bushmen, southern Africa's oldest human inhabitants. The solitary expanses evoke a sense of isolation, yet its lunar landscapes, varied fauna and flora and ancient tribes make the Kalahari an enriching experience. (n) (n) |
| | - | Nature Drive. This is the perfect way of getting acquainted with the Kalahari Desert. The colourful display of dunes, grass and sky unfolds in its most glorious splendour just before sunset (Optional rates: D2:Kalahari Nature Drive) |
| | - | Dinner: Kalahari Anib Lodge |
| | - | Overnight: Kalahari Anib Lodge (Comfort Room - Dinner Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D3: Kalahari - Namib-Naukluft (305 km) |
| Namib-Naukluft Introduction(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Prepare to be mesmerised as you explore the enormous Namib-Naukluft National Park. The park covers an area of just under 50 000 km2, and is the largest nature conservation area in Namibia, and the fourth largest in the world. This is a vast, remote area encompassing dramatic landscapes, from an impressive mountain massif to desert plains and high dunes, to deep gorges and an estuarine lagoon. The Naukluft area is situated north-west of Maltahöhe on the road to the coastal town of Swakopmund at the edge of the Namib Desert. Amid the semi-desert landscape and mountainous escarpment, mountain zebra and other species of game can be found. Sesriem, the main entrance gate to the park, lies west of the Naukluft mountains, where the Tsauchab River disappears dramatically down a steep gorge at a huge, dried-up pan, called Sossusvlei. Here, the towering dunes, reaching up to 300 m high - among the tallest dunes in the world - extend as far as the eye can see, and their multi-coloured hues vary from pale apricot to vivid reds and oranges. Sandwich Harbour, 42 km south of the port of Walvis Bay, is a large, reed-lined marine lagoon home to many coastal and freshwater birds and only accessibly by 4x4 vehicles. (n) (n) |
| | - | Dinner: Sossusvlei Lodge |
| | - | Overnight: Sossusvlei Lodge (Standard Room - Dinner Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D4: Namib-Naukluft (129 km) |
| Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei (Shuttle)(n) • Sesriem Canyon(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Travel by 4x4 shuttle to the incredible site of Sossusvlei. Meaning 'dead-end marsh', Sossusvlei is a salt pan surrounded by ancient dunes that are among the highest in the world, reaching up to 300-400 metres. Visitors from all around the world come to capture haunting images of the towering coral-hued dunes. Skeletal remnants of 550-year-old dead camelthorn trees rise from another dry lake, the Dead Vlei, in stark contrast against its surrounding sea of sand. While it may seem that this stark environment could not sustain life, many species of plants and animals have adapted to the harsh conditions, among them the gemsbok (oryx), which can survive without water for weeks. (n) (n) |
| | - | Stare into the abyss at the Sesriem Canyon located 4,5 km from the Sesriem gate to the Namib-Naukluft National Park. The 50 metre-deep gorge was formed by the Tsauchab River as a result of millions of years of erosion, and is one the few places in the Namib Desert that holds water all year round - there are water pools at the bottom of the canyon even in the dry season. Early Afrikaans explorers tied six (ses) leather ropes (riem) together to pull buckets of water from the canyon for their livestock. (n) (n) |
| | - | Dinner: Sossusvlei Lodge |
| | - | Overnight: Sossusvlei Lodge (Standard Room - Dinner Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D5: Namib-Naukluft - Swakopmund |
| Kuiseb Canyon(n) • Moon Landscape and Welwitschia Mirabilis(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Travel to Namib-Naukluft |
| | - | Capture hypnotic scenic images at the Kuiseb Canyon. The ephemeral Kuiseb River has carved an impressive nine kilometre long canyon which can be seen from the C14 road close to the town of Solitaire. This river is the dividing line between the endless rocky plains of the north and the sand dunes that end near the Orange River. After the rainy season in the summer, the Kuiseb River mostly dries up but some water remains at the canyon. Klipspringer, leopard, hyena, jackal and springbok can sometimes be spotted. (n) (n) |
| | - | Travel to Swakopmund |
| | - | Walk on the moon Namibian-style at the Namib Moon Landscape, a name given to a part of the valley of the Swakop River near Swakopmund. The lunar-type landscape, eroded by thousands of years of wind and rain, is awe-inspiring. The river that flows from time to time at the bottom of the valley brings a short-lived period of fertility to the region and the water allows some plants to survive in this hostile environment. Man tried to cultivate parts of this valley for agriculture at the beginning of the previous century, with little success due to the harshness of the environment. Discover the Welwitschia mirabilis, a botanical curiosity that is found almost exclusively in areas of fog of the Namib Desert. Some specimens are older than 1500 years. (n) (n) |
| | - | Overnight: Organic Square Guesthouse (Standard Room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D6: Swakopmund |
| Dolphin Cruise(o) • Swakopmund Orientation(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Inhale the fresh, salty air as you prepare for a marine dolphin motorboat cruise to Pelican Point. The calm waters of Walvis Bay's lagoon are teeming with marine life. The cruise traverses the oyster lines, Walvis Bay Harbour and Pelican Point with its iconic lighthouse, where Cape fur seals play in the waves and come right up to the boat. Further out bottlenose and heaviside dolphins swim alongside the boat, and whales can be spotted between July and November. Flamingos, pelicans and even jackass penguins are common sightings during the cruise. Light lunch with oysters served on board. (Optional rates: D6:Walvis Bay Marine Dolphin Cruise) |
| | - | Soak up the salty sea breeze on an orientation tour of Swakopmund. A popular seaside resort providing visitors respite from the heat of the desert, the town is a quirky mix of German architecture, stemming from its origins as a harbour town for German South West Africa, and the African love for adrenalin. To this day, the town's main inhabitants and visitors are German-speaking, preserving European heritage at the edge of the Namib Desert. The harbour activities were moved to Walvis Bay in 1915 but tourism continues to thrive as visitors come to see the incongruous Baltic Sea architecture among palm tree-lined streets, and participate in the plethora of outdoor activities on offer. The most iconic remnant of the German colonial era in Swakopmund is the ornate Victorian Hohenzollern building, dominated by a figure of Atlas holding the world upon his shoulders. Other prominent examples of German architecture dating from the early 1900s include the Prinzessin Rupprecht Rezidenz (originally a military hospital and now a hotel), the Woermannhaus (1905), the youth hostel, the Lutheran Church on Post Street (1911), the court, the railway station which is also now a hotel (1901), the buildings on Sam Nujoma Avenue (previously Kaiser Wilhelm Strasse), the Arnold Shad Promenade, and the metal pier which was built in 1915, and recently rescued from dereliction. (n) (n) |
| | - | Overnight: Organic Square Guesthouse (Standard Room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D7: Swakopmund - Twyfelfontein |
| Twyfelfontein World Heritage Site(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Travel to Twyfelfontein |
| | - | Read the pictures that paint a thousand words at the site of Twyvelfontein in the heart of Damaraland. With over 2 500 rock engravings dating back 6 000 years to the hunter-gatherers of the Stone Age, as well as numerous Khoikhoi rock painting sites estimated to be 2 000 years old, Twyfelfontein has one of the largest concentrations of rock petroglyphs in Africa, and was declared Namibia's first World Heritage Site in 2007. The ancient engravings and paintings depict the lives of lost communities and the animals with whom they shared the landscape. Twyfelfontein is translated to 'doubtful spring' in Afrikaans, referring to the /Ui-//aes spring that that lies within the valley along the slopes of the sandstone plateau. (n) (n) |
| | - | Dinner: Twyfelfontein Country Lodge |
| | - | Overnight: Twyfelfontein Country Lodge (Standard Room - Dinner, Bed and Breakfast (FIT)) |
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| D8: Twyfelfontein - Etosha |
| Petrified Forest(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Touch trees of stone with a visit to the Petrified Forest, a remarkable site of fossilised tree trunks dating back to the paleontological era. Geological research has revealed that these trees belong to the pine family, and were washed down the continent in a massive flood to their current site, buried beneath hundreds of metres of sediment. Over millions of years, the pressure caused the organic material to be replaced by silica and completely transformed the trees into stone. The effects of erosion have exposed these tree relics, including two trees measuring up to 45 metres. (n) (n) |
| | - | Travel to Etosha |
| | - | Overnight at the Rest Camp: Okaukuejo Rest Camp (Double Room (A) - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D9: Etosha |
| Etosha Central Game Drive Full Day(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Sweep through the wilderness on a full day game drive in the Etosha National Park. Proclaimed a game reserve in 1907, Etosha spreads over 22 270km2 of saline desert, mopane forests and grassy scrublands. The park's most distinctive feature is the Etosha Pan, once a lake and now a massive white, salty depression that fills with pockets of pools after infrequent rains, attracting up to 1-million flamingos which use the pan as a breeding ground. The rain pools, along with approximately 30 waterholes and springs across the reserve, sustain an abundance of wildlife, including 340 bird and 114 mammal species, as well as some rarities like the Damara dik-dik, the black-faced impala and the Egyptian vulture. (n) (n) |
| | - | Overnight: Halali Rest Camp (Double Room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D10: Etosha |
| Etosha East Morning Game Drive(n) • Guided Night Drive(o) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Energise your senses on a morning safari in your tour vehicle (coach, minibus or car) in the eastern sector of the Etosha National Park. Enter the Von Lindequist Gate at sunrise and visit the numerous waterholes fed by springs and artesian fountains where you may encounter many species of animals such as black-faced impala, eland, giraffe, gemsbok, elephant, black rhino and lion. The picturesque Fischer's Pan - named after the park's first game warden - attracts thousands of flamingos and other waterbirds during the rainy season. Stop at Namutoni for refreshments and to observe the waterhole it overlooks. Namutoni has a Beau Geste charm and the historic fortress was once the northernmost German outpost and is now a national monument. (n) (n) |
| | - | Guided Night Drive (Optional rates: D10: Guided Night Drive) |
| | - | Overnight at the Rest Camp: Namutoni Rest Camp (Double Room - Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D11: Etosha - Otjiwarongo |
| The cheetah Project (o) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Travel to Otjiwarongo |
| | - | The cheetah Project (Optional rates: D11:The Cheetah Project) |
| | - | Dinner: Okonjima Plains Camp |
| | - | Overnight: Okonjima Plains Camp (Standard Room - Dinner Bed and Breakfast) |
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| D12: Otjiwarongo - Windhoek |
| Windhoek tour(n) |
| | - | Breakfast |
| | - | Travel to Windhoek |
| | - | Saunter the sidewalks on a city tour of Windhoek. The capital of Namibia lies at an altitude of 1 654 metres within the Khomashochland, a hilly plateau in the centre of the country. With its unique blend of European and African architecture, history and culture, the tranquil city has a slightly vintage feel. Its first inhabitants named the city as a "place of vapour, water or fire" due to the numerous hot water springs in the area. Following the arrival of the Germans in 1890 the city grew around a fortress, or the Alte Feste, and the Tintenpalast (Ink Palace), Namibia's parliament building. The Christuskirche, built in neo-Gothic / Art Nouveau style, rises above the city showcasing the German architectural influence of the time. (n) (n) |
