Raw and mysterious Namibia

This morning, your guide will pick you up from your accommodation or from Windhoek/Hosea Kutako International Airport (if you arrive before 07:00). You'll set out on a safari vehicle with a private guide southwest through the scenic highlands of Khomas Hochland, leaving the Great Fault and reaching the Namib Desert. You will also stop for a picnic in a picturesque place. In the early afternoon you will arrive at Dead Valley Lodge, where you will spend two nights exploring the attractions of the Namib Desert with your guide. If there is still time, your guide will take you to Sesriem Canyon or Elim Dunes. Or you can just relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings at Dead Valley Lodge.

Sesriem Canyon is a narrow, 1,5-kilometer, 30-meter chasm formed by the Tsauchab River through centuries of erosion. It is also affected by rain, which creates pools of water. The canyon is an important site for early settlers who used crude thongs (riems) to draw water for their cattle, hence its name.

Dead Valley Lodge is a luxury retreat opened in 2019, located in the Namib Naukluft National Park, close to the famous Sossusvlei and 'Deadvlei' Dunes. It offers 20 air-conditioned huts overlooking the beauty of the Namib Desert. The restaurant and picturesque pool bar will provide you with an exquisite culinary experience surrounded by nature.

This morning you'll wake up early to join a magical guided tour of the Namib Naukluft National Park. You will set out before sunrise to capture the beauty of the dunes in the soft morning light. Your guide will tell you about the Namib Desert, the fascinating creatures and plants that have adapted to survive in the harsh conditions. After exploring Sossusvlei, Deadvlei and the surrounding dune fields, you will enjoy a leisurely picnic brunch in the shade of an acacia tree. You will then return to Dead Valley Lodge for an early lunch. If you haven't been to Sesriem Canyon yet, you have the option to visit it. You can spend the afternoon relaxing (we know from experience that this is welcome after a morning exploring the dunes).

Sossusvlei is the most visited part of the huge Namib Naukluft National Park. It is known for its high, apricot-colored sand dunes, which are accessed by the Tsauchab River valley. Sossusvlei is a clay basin surrounded by dunes that rise up to 300 meters above the surrounding plains. This sandy expanse contrasts with the white sands and is the terminus of the ephemeral Tsauchab River. This river historically reached the ocean before sand dunes prevented it.

Deadvlei is the so-called "dead valley", known for its wrinkled acacia trees. You can get there on foot. These trees, although dead from lack of water, are still standing upright. They have survived since the dunes blocked the river.

Today, a fascinating route leads northwest through the beautiful, changing desert landscapes of the Namib Naukluft National Park, including the Gaub and Kuiseb canyons. You will then reach the coast at Walvis Bay and from there you will travel north to Swakopmund, where you will enjoy the seaside location and sea air for the next two nights. In the afternoon, you'll have time to wander around the town and waterfront before dining at a popular fresh seafood restaurant.

Swakopmund is a charming mix of German colonial architecture and modern amenities - hotels, shops, restaurants, museums, galleries and cafes. The city's history began with a landing site in 1892 and later developed as a recreational destination. During World War I, development was stopped, but later the city came back to life thanks to improved infrastructure. Despite the slightly too low temperatures for swimming, the beaches and pleasant climate provide relief after time spent in the desert.

After an early breakfast, your guide will take you along the scenic coastal road south to Walvis Bay for an unforgettable kayaking adventure on the lagoon. After meeting your kayak guide, you'll take a short scenic drive to Pelican Point to see its lighthouse. You'll stop briefly at the salt flats to admire the variety of birds on your way to the starting point.

Kayaking is a great way to see, among others: seals, Heaviside's and bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, flamingos and many other species of seabirds. If you're lucky, there's also a chance to see whales, leatherback turtles, and sunfish. During the day, your guide will stop to talk about the environment and light refreshments will be provided on the beach before returning to Walvis Bay.

Alternatively, you also have the option of taking part in an unforgettable speedboat tour of the outer lagoon and harbor if kayaking is not for Viebie. Here you should also see seals, Heaviside and bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, flamingos and many other species of seabirds. Again, if you're lucky, there's a chance of seeing whales, leatherback turtles, and sunfish. During the tour, snacks will be served along with local sparkling wine and fresh oysters.

You then have the opportunity to continue exploring the Walvis Bay waterfront before returning to Swakopmund, where you can spend the afternoon relaxing at your guesthouse or in the town. Additional activities such as scenic flights, sand boarding and more can be booked for an additional fee.

Today's safari leads north and east into the picturesque and diverse area of ​​Damaraland. You will pass by the highest mountain in Namibia, Brandberg, which reaches 2573 m above sea level. You will stop to observe animals and admire the beautiful landscapes. Damaraland is characterized by a wealth of colors, impressive flat-topped mountains, rock formations and unique vegetation. The landscape was shaped by the erosion of wind, water and geological forces, creating rolling hills, dunes, gravel plains and ancient river terraces. The diversity and solitude of this area, combined with its beauty, are astonishing and give a true sense of "wilderness".

If time permits, your guide will take you to visit nearby attractions and geological sites with prehistoric rock carvings at Twyfelfontein (UNESCO World Heritage Site) - if not, you will have enough time to see them the next day.

Twyfelfontein: Scattered along the slope among the red sandstone mountains, the stones and slabs of Twyfelfontein contain approximately 2500 prehistoric engravings depicting animals, animal prints and abstract motifs. This is perhaps the largest and finest collection of petroglyphs in Africa. The engravings show animals such as an elephant, giraffe, kudu, lion, rhinoceros, jerboa, zebra and ostrich that once used the spring at the foot of the hill. In some cases, footprints are depicted instead of hooves or paws. The abstract motifs are mainly circles. Stone tools and other artifacts found at Twyfelfontein suggest that hunter-gatherers inhabited the site for approximately 7000 years. The engravings are placed along two circular routes, one of which is an hour-long climb and the other a little longer. Twyfelfontein is an important National Monument in Namibia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Camp Kipwe: Camp Kipwe is located in the heart of Damaraland, close to local attractions. The camp is surrounded by granite boulders, not far from the Aba Huab River, where you can often see elephants adapted to life in the desert. Each comfortable thatched cottage is a simple, tastefully decorated place with an outdoor bathroom. In the center of the camp there is an outdoor dining area, a bar, a lounge and a reception area with a fireplace where you can relax in the evening. A swimming pool and a sunset viewing point with beautiful views complement the charm of the Camp.

After an early breakfast, you will enjoy an exciting trip in a 4×4 off-road vehicle along the Aba Huab and Huab rivers to discover this extraordinary area and look for wild animals, including elephants adapted to life in the desert. Damaraland is home to a variety of desert animals and hidden treasures. Typically, your best chance of seeing wild elephants is early in the morning, before returning to camp for lunch. If everyone on safari agrees, you can bring a picnic and stop under the shade of a large Ana tree by the river to admire a herd of elephants while they eat nearby.

Your guide will also allow you to visit Twyfelfontein and other nearby attractions if you haven't had the opportunity to do so earlier in the day. Once you return to camp, you will have time to take a guided walk around the area or simply relax and unwind.

Elephants adapted to life in the desert spend their days searching for food and water. Their habitat ranges from the northern Kaokoveld to northern Namibia. They move mainly at night, when it is cooler, and rest during the day. They feed on a variety of plants available in their area, adapting to the extreme desert conditions. It is a unique ecosystem adapted to life in the extreme conditions of a dry land.

Today you will set out on a journey to the Ongava Reserve, which is located on the southern border of Etosha National Park. You'll arrive just in time for an afternoon drive around the Ongava Reserve in an open-terrain vehicle with an Ongava guide. The ride will also be shared among other guests of the resort.

Ongava Reserve: Ongava Reserve is a private nature reserve stretching for 30 hectares along the southwestern border of Etosha National Park. The reserve is home to a variety of fauna, including lions, leopards, giraffes, rhinos, Hartmann's mountain zebras, oryx, kudu, dik-diks and many others. The landscape is attractive, with large open plains giving way to mopane forests and dolomite limestone hills.

Today you will be invited on an exciting guided morning trip to Etosha National Park to see more of the diverse fauna and bird species that can be found there. You will then have time to relax by the refreshing swimming pool before taking another afternoon excursion to Etosha Park, leaving before sunset. Alternatively, you can choose to spend the entire day at the park and have lunch at one of the other camps in the area, or have a picnic while spotting animals at a particularly productive water spring in the area. After returning to camp (the gates close at sunset), you can spend the rest of the evening observing animals at the camp's illuminated water spring, enjoying dinner and later.

Etosha National Park: Etosha National Park covers an area of ​​22 km², of which approximately 270 km² are salt depressions called "panes". The largest of these "lords", the Etosha Pan, is a salt desert. Pan Etosha lies in the Owambo Basin, on the northwestern edge of Namibia's Kalahari Desert. Three million years ago, it was part of a huge, shallow lake that became a complex structure of salt seas when the main river that fed it, the Kunene, changed course and began flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. If the lake existed today, it would be the third largest lake in the world. Etosha is the largest of the lords with an area of ​​5 km².

Nowadays, water only fills it when enough rain falls in northern Angola, causing floods to flow south along the Cuvelai drainage system. The park consists of grassy plains, forests and savannas. Animal viewing centers around numerous springs and water points, where you can often see many different species at once. About 114 species of mammals and over 340 species of birds can be found in the park. Among the wildlife that can be seen are elephants, lions, giraffes, wildebeests, elands, kuds, oryxes, zebras, rhinos, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, honey badgers and wild boars, as well as the endemic black-faced impalas.

The next morning hours will be devoted to unforgettable off-road rides in the southern part of Etosha National Park with a guide. You'll return to camp for lunch and an early afternoon rest, before spending the final afternoon on a field trip through the private Ongava Reserve. You will then return after sunset to give you enough time to freshen up and enjoy your final "safari dinner" overlooking the camp's illuminated water spring.

An early departure will take you south from Ongava through Outjo and Otjiwarongo to reach the AfriCat Day Center in Okonjima, a stunning highlight to end your safari. Okonjima is home to the AfriCat Foundation, a wildlife refuge that focuses on the research and rehabilitation of Africa's big cats, especially injured or captured leopards and cheetahs. You'll arrive there for lunch before an exciting and educational off-road ride and tour of the center.

After the tour and refreshment, the journey continues south to return to Windhoek at the end of the afternoon, just as the sun sets. Upon arrival in Windhoek, you will be transferred to your chosen accommodation or to Windhoek International Airport (additional transfer must be booked separately) if you are departing in the evening. Departure flights must be no earlier than 21:00 to allow enough time to visit the AfriCat Foundation and return to Windhoek. Additionally, if required, additional overnight stay in Windhoek can be arranged at an additional cost.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION: You have the option to extend your safari for an additional night or two at Okonjima Bush Camp. This gives you the opportunity to better understand the work of the AfriCat Foundation and take advantage of the various activities offered by the center. Accommodation includes all meals, local drinks (excluding premiere and imported brands) and 2 activities per person per day. Night hide and night ride activities are excluded but can be booked directly with the resort, subject to availability.