DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 1 TO 2: OFF TO NAMIB DESERT & ENJOY THE SANDS OF SOSSUSVLEI

After meeting one of our experienced team leader at the lodge, to advise you on everything you want to know about your trip, we will start making our way to our first destination; iconic Sossusvlei. You will have plenty of time to explore this scenic landscape as you check into your budget level Lodge for two nights.

Rising hundreds of feet above the surface of Namib-Naukluft National Park, the dunes of Sossusvlei are among the most photogenic in the world. Deep shades of gold, ochre and bronze depending on the time of day, they are a favourite with visitors to this desert country. Dune 45 is popular to climb at sunrise while nearby Dead Vlei – literally an ancient wetland that is now parched dry and studded with desiccated tree stumps – is an otherworldly place that must be seen to be believed.

MAIN DESTINATION: Sossusvlei

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: Visit Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei, Dune 45, Elim Dune & Sesriem Canyon

Accommodation Budget Level: Affordable / Mid-Range

MEAL PLAN: Breakfast x 1, Dinner x 2 & Drinking water ( Lunch & Other drinks not included

DISTANCE COVERED & TRAVEL TIME: 365km ( 5 to 6 hours)

DAY 3 TO 4: INTO GERMAN COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE & HISTORY OF SWAKOPMUND

A fascinating drive today takes you northwest through the ever changing desert landscapes of the Namib Naukluft National Park, including the impressive Gaub and Kuiseb canyons.

You will meet the coast at the port town of Walvis Bay and then continue north to Swakopmund where you can enjoy the pleasant seaside location and cooler coastal air for your next two nights.

Swakopmund must be one of the most unique towns in all of Africa. Lying on the Atlantic shore and frequently cocooned by fogs off the ocean, it is a treasure trove of Germanic architecture dating back to the 1800s when Namibia was colonised by Germany. Quaint old houses and shops in retro colours dominate the town’s centre and it is not unusual to see German cuisine on the menus of Swakopmund’s cosy restaurants.

MAIN DESTINATION: Swakopmund

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Quad bike, Surf the Sand, Living Desert, Trail Desert on horseback, Township tours, Cruise the Bay, Balloon on the Coast, etc

ACCOMMODATION BUDGET LEVEL: Affordable/ Mid-Range

MEAL PLAN: Breakfast x 2 & Drinking Water on drives

DISTANCE COVERED & TRAVEL TIME: 345km ( 4 to 5 hours)

DAY 5 TO 6: VIEW FROM SPITZKOPPE & HIKING WITH THE SAN IN ERONGO MOUNTAINS

Head north along the Skeleton Coast stopping at a shipwreck, and onward to Cape Cross seal colony where you can witness thousands of fur seals spread along the beach by the pounding Atlantic Ocean. From here continue to Spitzkoppe, a magnificent inselberg rising above the flat plains set in the Namib Desert. For those interested, your guide will take you on a guided tour to look at some of the strange, eroded rock formations as well as ancient paintings, left on the rocks by Bushman thousands of years ago. Others can explore on their own or simply relax.

SAN & ANCIENT ROCK ART Short hike through the awakening nature in the cool morning hours. After a hearty farm breakfast, you will set off on another hike, this time together with representatives of the San. You will understand how the indigenous people of Namibia used to make fires, built traps and hunted. In the afternoon we go in a 4x4 and on foot across the extensive farm area to ancient rock paintings! Enjoy the sunset in style with a cool drink in your hand and the view. Walking time approx. 1.5 + 1.5 hours, easy.

MAIN DESTINATION: Erongo Mountains

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: Living Museum of San People, Guided Rock Art & Sundowner, Bush Walk, Live in the Village

ACCOMMODATION BUDGET LEVEL: Affordable/ Mid-Range

MEAL PLAN: Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 1, Dinner x 2 & Drinking Water on drives

DISTANCE COVERED & TRAVEL TIME: 205km ( 2 to 3 hours)

DAY 7: Tribal Culture in Damaraland & Air Art Gallery

After breakfast, you continue into the Damaraland where you visit Twyfelfontein, a World Heritage Site and an “open-air art gallery” that boasts over 2500 different Bushman rock engravings and rock paintings. Close to Twyfelfontein, you can also visit a traditional Damara village, the original inhabitants of Damaraland. Afterwards, visit the Petrified Forest where pre-historic tree trunks jut out between patches of Welwitschia plants.

MAIN DESTINATION: Damaraland Mountains

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Visit original culture and traditions of the Damara community at the Damara living museum. The petrified forest is also worth a visit.

ACCOMMODATION BUDGET LEVEL: Affordable/ Mid-Range

MEAL PLAN: Breakfast x 1, Dinner x 1 & Drinking Water on drives

DISTANCE COVERED & TRAVEL TIME: 220km ( 3 to 4 hours)

DAY 8 TO 10: THE BEST OF ETOSHA PANS & ITS WATERHOLES

After a relaxed breakfast, you can visit a traditional Himba village and meet these proud and statuesque people. The Himba still adhere to their traditional values and cultures and are one of the last genuinely nomadic people on Earth and then we head off to the famous Etosha beckons. Now it's time to concentrate and keep your eyes open - every bend, every water hole has new surprises in store! A special highlight is the evening at the waterhole of your camp. It is illuminated in the dark and is well attended! Especially rhinos come by often.

We will visit a number of waterholes and stop to view the Etosha Pan, also known as the " place of dry water ". At Namutoni, we will be able to relax at the swimming pool or waterhole before a late afternoon game drive. The game viewing here is usually excellent, with close-up views of springboks, zebras, impalas, giraffes, gemsboks and plenty of birds.

MAIN DESTINATION: Etosha National Park

ACTIVITIES INCLUDED: Game Drives, Animal Tracking, Landscape Photography, Bird Watching

ACCOMMODATION BUDGET LEVEL: Affordable / Mid-Range

MEAL PLAN: Breakfast x 3, lunches x 2, Dinner x 3 & Drinking Water ( Other drinks not included)

DISTANCE COVERED & TRAVEL TIME: 307km ( 4 to 5 hours)

DAY 11: WATERBERG PLATEAU NATIONAL PARK

The Waterberg Region incorporates the Waterberg Plateau National Park and the farming districts from Outjo and Otjiwarongo in the west to Grootfontein and Tsumeb in the north.

The special feature of the Waterberg are its springs. The rainwater seeps through the porous sandstone of the mountain until it meets hardly permeable clay deposits. Due to the abundance of water the area features a very special flora. Many of the plants are marked on the hiking trails in the park.

From early on, the water-rich springs on the Waterberg must have attracted people. Rock paintings which are attributed to the San have been found on the mountain. The first whites to explore the area were Galton and Andersson. In the middle of the 19th century, the mountain became the focal point of communal life for the Herero.

The Waterberg gained fame through the decisive battle between the Germans and Herero on 11 August 1904, when the Herero were beaten and escaped into the Omaheke desert.

MAIN DESTINATION: Waterberg Plateau National Park

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Game Drives, Animal Tracking, Landscape Photography, Bird Watching

ACCOMMODATION BUDGET LEVEL: Affordable / Mid-Range

MEAL PLAN: Breakfast x 1, Dinner x 1 & Drinking Water ( Other drinks not included)

DISTANCE COVERED & TRAVEL TIME: 279km ( 3 to 4 hours)

Day 12: HOMEWARD BOUND & TOUR TERMINATES

After breakfast, we travel back through the centre of the country exposing bush land savannah to the capital in the centre of the country. Time permitting, en route we may stop at the famous wood carvers market on the way or the craft market in the main street in Windhoek to pick up the last few souvenirs. Windhoek is a cosmopolitan melting pot of European architecture with African culture, with a variety of excellent restaurants to choose from. You will be dropped off at your accommodation of choice, or transferred to the airport for your outward flight.

MAIN DESTINATION: Windhoek

MEAL PLAN: Breakfast

DISTANCE COVERED & TRAVEL TIME: 232km ( 3 to 4 hours)