Day 1: Etosha National Park, Namibia

Our journey starts at 07:00. Embark on an unforgettable journey into the heart of Namibia’s Etosha National Park. This day-long adventure begins with a convenient pickup from your Windhoek accommodation. After a brief pre-departure briefing, we’ll venture north, stopping in the charming town of Otjiwarongo to stock up on essentials.

With an area of slightly more than 22,000 square kilometers, Etosha is home to 114 species of mammals, 350 species of birds, 110 species of reptiles, an endless amount of insects, and, in a somewhat strange turn of events, just one species of fish. While we take a tour of the park and stop at the numerous waterholes along the way, there’s a strong chance that we’ll spot many of these interesting creatures. We try to arrive at our lodge in Halali just before dusk so that guests have time to unwind. Each room features an en-suite bathroom and tea/coffee making facilities. All guests are required to be in camp by nightfall.

In Etosha, the “game show” never ends when the sun sets. There are floodlit waterholes at each Etosha camp, providing additional chances to see wildlife. The waterhole in Halali, named Moringa because of the plentiful moringa plants in the area, is easily accessible on foot from the lodging. It is highly suggested that you make one or more visits to Moringa this evening, as several animals are known to frequent the waterhole during the night, including the critically endangered black rhino and elephant.

Accommodation: Halali Camp
Meals: Snack pack, Dinner
Included Highlight: Otjiwarongo
Distance: ± 500 km

Day 2: Etosha Village, near Anderson Gate, Namibia

We want to make the most of our entire day to tour Etosha. The park gates open at first light, and we try to leave as soon as the sun rises. First thing in the morning is an excellent time to capture large cats returning from their hunt, and early morning is generally a great period for game viewing.

We go back to Halali for breakfast and to load up the car before we venture out into the park to hunt large game. Water is the most limited natural resource in the desert region of Etosha. Nonetheless, there are a lot of man-made and natural waterholes in this area, and our game-viewing strategy is to visit as many of them as we can. Here, we’re hoping that the game will come to us while the animals quench their thirst and get some much-needed water.

We travel to our lodging, which is a short distance away and offers a cozy, roomy twin share room with a contemporary en-suite bathroom, after leaving Etosha at the Anderson gate close to twilight. A perfect place to unwind, take in the beauty all about you, and sit back. Our guide cooks a delicious dinner this evening.

Accommodation: Halali Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Included Highlight: Etosha Pan
Distance: ± 70 km

Day 3: Swakopmund, Namibia

Our goal is to leave for the road by 07:30 today, following breakfast. We’re taking the scenic route and heading toward the Skeleton Coast. We take the main route south first, passing the small town of Outjo, and then continue westward, picking up the gravel road as we pass into Damaraland.

Damaraland is well known for its landscape, which includes mountains, large open areas, tall koppies (little hills), rounded pink granite rocks, and open meadows with a big sky. We also get to meet some of the locals because there are a number of unofficial stores along our route today that provide handcrafted, locally produced mementos.

Ladies from the Himba, Herero, and Damara tribes are typically represented here, and they are typically dressed in traditional garb. This is a great place to make a small purchase to directly boost the local economy. We carry on through the breathtaking scenery, stopping for a quick picnic lunch beneath the Brandberg, Namibia’s tallest peak. This enormous rock, which is 2,573 meters above sea level and made of pink-tinged granite, rises from the desert bottom.

We head westward and soon find ourselves at the coast, where the cold Atlantic Ocean awaits us. With its eerie mountains and desolate beaches, it is easy to see why Namibia’s entire coastline is referred to as the “Skeleton Coast.” Ships are forced onto the beach by a combination of the wind, the waves, and the massive banks of fog. The numerous sailors who were stranded here in the past faced the dire possibility of dying slowly from exposure and without access to fresh water, food, or assistance. They considered their shipmates who perished with their vessel to be the fortunate ones.

The next shipwreck we visit is more recent as we continue south on the coast road. 2008 saw the beaching of The Zeila, a fishing trawler, 15 kilometers south of the tiny settlement of Henties Bay. She was an ancient ship that was being towed, having been sold for scrap. Like many other vessels before her, she was caught in the surf and currents when the cable broke, stranding her on the shore. She is in an ideal position for pictures, lying rather close to the coast.

After completing the last portion of our journey, we arrive in Swakopmund and settle into the conveniently located A La Mer Hotel. From here, it’s easy to explore the town on foot. Captain Kurt von François of the German Empire’s imperial colonial force established Swakopmund in 1892. In 1890, he also established Windhoek. The town is bordered to the north, east, and south by the massive Namib Desert sand dunes, and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. To put it mildly, it’s an intriguing place. The German language is still widely spoken, and there are still plenty of examples of German colonial architecture to be seen.

There are some really great restaurants in Swakopmund; once more, your guide can assist you with recommendations and reservations.

Accommodation: Hotel A La Mer
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Included Highlight: Skeleton Coast, Damaraland, The Zeila Shipwreck (Henties Bay)
Distance: ± 510 km

Day 4: Swakopmund to Sesriem, Namib Desert

We only leave Swakopmund this morning at 11:30 in order to make the most of our stay at the shore and have plenty of time to explore the town. Alternatively, if you would want, there are a ton of additional alternative activities this morning. If you want to rush down a sand dune at sixty kilometers per hour, quad biking and sand boarding are also highly popular options for thrill-seekers.

We leave Swakopmund and drive east into the desert about 11:30. First we traverse the Namib gravel plains, which are broad stretches of level, ostensibly desolate land interspersed with massive mountain inselbergs. This afternoon, we will cross two mountain crossings. The first is the formidable Kuiseb Pass, where we will follow the road from the summit of the mountains, descending sharply into the canyon that the Kuiseb River has formed over eons as it flows to the coastal town of Walvis Bay. We ascend from the river’s banks and cross the pass, passing through the peak country and arriving at the second, more intimate canyon of the Gaub River, which is a tributary of the Kuiseb. After leaving the mountains behind, we cross the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5 degrees south nearly instantly on a level road. At this fortunate location, there is a marker, and we pause for pictures.

Back on our route to our today’s goal, the entrance to Sossusvlei and the dunes at Sesriem. We set up tent beneath a massive, old camelthorn tree, from which we can see the tall red dunes of the world’s oldest desert, looking forward to our day tomorrow.

Accommodation: Sesriem Oshana Campsite
Meals: Breakfast
Included Highlight: Kuiseb River, Tropic of Capricorn
Optional Activity: Quad Biking, Sand Boarding
Distance: ± 350 km

Day 5: Sossusvlei in Namib Naukluft Park

This morning, it’s all about the sunrise over the dunes, which calls for an early start. We will travel 45 km to reach our first destination, Dune 45, from Sesriem during the early morning twilight and darkness.

Sunrise and sunset are the ideal times to take pictures of the dunes. At this point, the towering sand dunes are encased in shade on one side and radiating an apricot red or orange on the other. This time of day, the depth of field is extraordinary. When we get at Dune 45, we go up to a viewpoint in time for sunrise, where we can observe the colors changing and growing as the light changes. After returning to the car for a quick breakfast, we continue driving the final few kilometers to the 2×4 car park, where all cars with two wheels must stop. From this point on, the final 5km to Sossusvlei itself is through the historic Tsauchab Riverbed.

A four-wheel drive shuttle service is available to take us across the sandy riverbed. We will travel to Dead Vlei, an ancient pan entirely encircled by sand that is remarkably home to skeletal, dead camelthorn trees. We have time to stroll about the area and climb one of the world’s highest dunes, which towers 300 meters above us. The views are breathtaking and well-known. The river can no longer find its original way to the Atlantic after heavy rains in the Naukluft Mountains, where it rises. This can cause Sossusvlei to become swamped and create a lake that lasts for several months.

Our transportation through the sandy riverbed will be provided by a 4×4 shuttle service. We’re going to Dead Vlei, an old pan that’s entirely encircled by sand and remarkably full of skeletal, dead camelthorn trees. We have time to stroll around and hike up some of the world’s highest dunes, which stand 300 meters above us and offer breathtaking, world-famous views. You can choose to walk back to our camp through the desert after this, if you’d like.

Accommodation: Sesriem Oshana Campsite
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Dune 45, Tsauchab River, Dead Vlei, Sesriem Canyon, Elim Dune
Distance: ± 120 km

Day 6: Klein Aus Vista, Namib Desert

Today we have a beautiful journey over vast grasslands, mountains, and a constantly changing desert landscape. The little town of Aus, which is perched in the Aus Mountains above the Namib Desert plains, is our target as we continue our lengthy trek south.

During World War II, the South African army established a prisoner of war camp at Aus to keep German captives.

Today, we are going to Klein Aus Vista, which is situated inside the exclusive Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park and somewhat outside of Aus. We plan to come early in the afternoon so that we can set up tent and take use of the property’s unguided hiking paths to stretch our legs. There are vast, open vistas in the area, and we’re hoping for an amazing sunset.

Accommodation: Klein Aus Vista Campsite
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Aus Mountains
Distance: ± 350 km

Day 7: Kolmanskop and Luderitz, Namibia

Once more, we set out early, but this time we have the luxury of a properly surfaced tar road. On our leisurely drive towards the seaside, we venture past meadows and wide stretches of desert. This region is home to wild horses suited to the desert, so we must keep a close eye out for these incredible animals. The genuine desert ecology does not include horses, and it is unclear where they originated.

We are traveling to Kolmanskop, a ghost village approximately 15 kilometers from Luderitz, a harbor town. When Kolmanskop was abandoned, the desert began to gradually reclaim the settlement. We will pause at Kolmanskop, which is still a remarkable sight today, for a guided tour of the town and the chance to take pictures of this unusual and fascinating location.

We swiftly travel the final few kilometers from Kolmanskop to Luderitz, which is renowned for its distinctive and vibrant colonial-style buildings. As we travel to the historical monument at Diaz Point, we take in the beautiful surroundings as we drive out onto the Luderitz peninsula. We take advantage of the second chance to observe the desert horses as we make our way back to Klein Aus Vista, arriving in time for a sundowner.

Accommodation: Klein Aus Vista Campsite
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Kolmanskop, Diaz Point
Distance: ± 250 km

Day 8: Quiver Tree Forest, Namibia

It’s a lengthy drive today, but we spend the early morning using the tar road. Although we are traveling east, we will shortly make another turn to the south to finish traveling across Namibia’s southern region. The amazing Fish River Canyon, which is situated in the /Ai-/Ais Richtersveldt Transfrontier National Park, will be our first major destination this morning. It’s a quick drive from the Hobas gate, where we enter the park, to the major vantage point overlooking Fish River Canyon.

The views from this largest of nature’s sculptures, second only in scale to Arizona’s Grand Canyon, are breathtaking. Even though it is difficult to leave such a striking sight, we continue our trek, turning our heads once more to the north as the canyon signifies the conclusion of our southern leg. We are traveling to Keetmanshoop, the major political and economic hub of southern Namibia. We will make a brief halt here before moving on to the Quiver Tree Forest for our overnight camp.

As we sit around our campfire for the final time on this final night of our safari, we should take some time to think back on our incredible journey.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Highlight: Fish River Canyon, Keetmanshoop
Distance: ± 550 km

Day 9: Windhoek, Namibia

Today, when we return to Windhoek, we continue north and enjoy the comfort of traveling only on the main tar road—no gravel road “African Massage” to deal with. It is impossible to go a significant distance in Namibia without coming across interesting locations, and there are plenty worth noting today. The country is teeming with unique things.

We can see a tall mountain peak in the distance, to the west, after traveling about 80 miles from Keetmanshoop. This is another volcano, but a rather peculiar one: Brukkaros. Although Brukkaros is too far away to be on this agenda, it is an interesting sight to watch out for on our drive. Steam produced volcanoes are quite unusual. We are going to go 150 miles today and come across a signpost for a place called Gibeon.

After our trip, if you have time in Windhoek, it’s worthwhile to visit the Post Street Mall in the city center to see the public exhibit of Gibeon meteorites. We will pause for a short lunch along the way today as we continue northward on our adventure through the tiny towns of Mariental and Rehoboth. Our goal is to return to Windhoek by late afternoon. You will be dropped off at your lodging inside the boundaries of Windhoek City. We advise against scheduling departure flights for today.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Optional Highlight: Post Street Mall
Distance: ± 500 km

Onward Travel Plans

Due to circumstances beyond our control while on tour (such as border crossings, traffic, breakdowns and delays, etc), the end time on the last day cannot be guaranteed. Therefore we strongly recommend you stay the night and fly out the next day. Please consult with your booking consultant.