Highlights
* fly into the colorful small capital city of Windhoek
* see the vast red sands of the Kalahari Desert
* walk around the Sossusvlei Dunes and Sesriem Canyon
* enjoy the coastal city of Swakopmund, considered the country’s best beach resort area
* marvel at the varied wildlife in Sandwich Harbor and Walvis Bay Lagoon, featuring flamingoes, cormorants and pelicans
* see unusual plants, like the Welwitschia Mirabilis, which was around in the time of the dinosaurs!
* go on safari with a variety of “desert-adapted” animals like lions and elephants in the Damaraland and Etosha national parks
* see 2,000 year old petroglyphs etched into the limestone rock walls
* see charming towns with German colonial architecture
* enjoy delicious local cuisine and try the Namibian-brewed beer
* stay in charming hotels, lodges, and tented camps
Trip price includes
11 nights in comfortable hotels and tented camps (all with en suite bathroom)
Not included
ITINERARY
Days 1 – 4: Windhoek, Kalahari Red Dunes, Namib Desert
Fly into Windhoek’s international airport, which currently has direct connections to Munich and Frankfurt. The next day we head south to the Kalahari Desert, a spectacular expanse of red dunes which erupt with color and vegetation after the first rains. Given its relative inaccessibility, it is one of Africa’s last frontiers, and we explore it this afternoon during a panoramic safari. We then head west to the Namib Desert, which is the oldest in the world (~50 million years old!) with massive dunes reaching all the way to the ocean; some are 300 m (980 ft) high and span 32 km (20 mi) long. We will visit the dramatic Sossusvlei Dunes and Sesriem Canyon, 40 m (130 ft) deep and 1 km (.6 mi) long, carved out by the Tsauchab river.
Days 5 – 8: The Atlantic Coast (Swakopmund, Valley of the Moon, Sandwich Harbour) & Damaraland (Cape Cross sea lion colony, Petrified Forest, Twyfelfontein rock carving site, elephant safari)
Head northwest to Swakopmund, a colonial town with surprising German colonial architecture. It is considered the best beach resort in Namibia, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Namib Desert. On our way we will visit the “Valley of the Moon,” so named because of the complex of erosion and canyons created over the course of millennia by the course of the Swakop river. The area is abundant with Welwitschia mirabilis, extraordinary plants considered “living fossils” for their ability to live several thousand years. We will also visit the breathtaking natural wonder of Sandwich Harbour, one of the richest and most unique wetlands in southern Africa. See a lagoon that houses some 200,000 birds – including flamingos, cormorants and great white pelicans – among the sand and reeds. This marine sanctuary also has a wall of high dunes that plunge into the ocean, creating breathtaking scenery and unique landscapes. After a short break at the Walvis Bay Lagoon to admire the flamingos, the 4x4s take us to the first dunes and the Kuiseb River Delta, where you can see animals such as springbok and jackals. To reach Sandwich Harbour we will have to drive on the shoreline, defying the tides and climbing dunes.
Our next destination is the Damaraland, home to desert-adapted elephants, rhinos, and lions, as well as oryx, springbok and hundreds of bird species. You’ll see how the elephants have elongated limbs and broader soles in order to handle the extreme conditions and can travel long distances in search of water. See the world’s largest breeding colony of Cape Fur seals, located in the windswept Cape Cross beach reserve; the Petrified Forest, the largest accumulation of fossilized logs in southern Africa; Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage site with over 2,000 petroglyphs and rock paintings; and an elephant tracking activity in the Ugab River where guests can join the EHRA team searching for desert elephants to study their behavior. It’s a great opportunity to also see Zebra, Kudu, Oryx, Springbok, Ostrich, Giraffe, and more!
Days 9 – 11: The Etosha National Park
The Etosha National Park is in northern Namibia and its name in the Oshivambo language means “great white place,” referring to the color of the salt desert that makes up 25% of the park. We will spend two days visiting Etosha Heights, one of the largest private reserves in Namibia, and the East Etosha National Park, where we will spend a whole day on safari. The Etosha Eights, with its distinctive landscape of plains, salt pans and numerous waterholes, attracts large numbers of birds and game, including giraffe, elephant, lion, kudu, oryx and black and white rhino. It’s actually a protected area for rhino conservation, boasting one of the largest populations in Namibia.
Days 12 & 13: Return to Windhoek and End of Tour
Transfer south towards Windhoek and relax at our lodge, just 30 minutes north of Windhoek but still immersed in nature and surrounded by a private game reserve. On Day 13 we transfer back to the Hosea Kutako International Airport for departures.
Note: there’s more driving than usual on this tour but it’s worth it to see the highlights of this amazing country!