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10 Day Namibian Explorer Safari Namibia
The 10 day Namibian Explorer offers all the main Namibian highlights
in a two week holiday time frame. Travelling north, south &
west you will visit the Africat Foundation at Okonjima to meet and
learn about Africa’s Big Cats. Then on to Etosha National
Park for some concentrated Big Game viewing. The Himba village at
Oase brings us in touch with some of Namibia’s ancient traditions
before travelling into the desert proper to spend the night at The
Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain and an ancient Bushman
spiritual site. Swakopmund on the Skeleton Coast offers time to
relax or time for some adventure sport adrenaline and the trip closes
with two nights with the awesome sand dunes at Sesriem & Sossusvlei,
the world’s tallest dunes in the world’s oldest desert.
The price is virtually fully inclusive of everything you will
need whilst travelling with us. Collection time is between 08:00
& 08:30 from anywhere within the Windhoek city limits.
Prices in South African Rand
Price per person:R 7,700
Price per person as of 1st April 2009:R 9,200 - no single supplement
Minimum of two people
Maximum group size is 14 travellers
Transport for up to 8 people will be in a minibus or a Land Cruiser.
For more than 8 a specially converted safari truck will be used.
Itinerary is assisted comfortable camping with participation limited
to only helping with the tents.
Guaranteed departures every Friday of the year, with a minimum
of two people.
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Safaris include:
All transport
3 Meals a day (unless differently specified)
Tap drinking water
Tea & coffee in camp
All camping equipment
Park entrance fees
Camping fees
Professional guide
Camp Assistant
Pick up & drop off from accommodation in Windhoek
Safaris exclude:
Sleeping bag (can be hired)
Visas
Alcoholic beverages
Soft drinks
Personal travel insurance
Useful to bring with you:Towel, torch, water bottle, hat.
Guide Itinerary
Safari Tour Details
Day 1 Windhoek – Okonjima (300 km)
We will travel north, stopping at small towns along the way including
Okahandja, where we have time to visit Namibia’s largest wood
carving market. The market is operated on a local co-operative basis
and is one of the best places to shop for truly Namibian souvenirs.
Continuing north, passing through farmland, we aim to arrive at
Okonjima during the middle afternoon, giving us time to set up our
camp and to relax in the shade for a while before heading out on
to the property to take part in the afternoon’s activities.
Okonjima is the home of the Africat Foundation, a specialist conservation
concern that centres its operations around the African Big Cats,
particularly cheetah. This afternoon you will be taken on a tour
during which you will be able to meet, close-up-and-personal, some
of the cheetah that are going through the Africat rehabilitation
programme. Most of the animals currently living at Okonjima have
been rescued from various desperate situations, being orphaned or
caught in a trap, and the aim of rehabilitation process is to attempt
to re-introduce them into the wild.
After our educational tour we will return to camp and prepare for
dinner under the African stars.
Day 2 Okonjima - Namutoni, Etosha National Park (300 km)
An early start and continuing north we pass through some small towns,
making short stops for fresh supplies and fuel. Our first main port
of call today is the mysterious Lake Otjikoto. Otjikoto is in fact
Namibia's largest permanent natural lake and we take time here to
rest a little and learn something about the history of this unusual
landmark.
Continuing on to Namutoni camp in Etosha National Park we again
aim to arrive in time for lunch, giving us time to relax before
heading out into the park during the cool of the late afternoon
for our first game drive.
After your evening meal there are still more chances to see Etosha's
big game at Namutoni's floodlit waterhole. Situated on the boundary
of the camp and easily reachable on foot, elephants are regular
visitors here and there is a good chance of seeing other species
of game as well.
Day 3 Namutoni - Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park
A full day's game driving. We again leave early to enjoy the cool
morning air as we game drive our way through Etosha to Halali camp,
situated in the middle of the park.
Along the way we visit several waterholes and are afforded splendid
views of the massive Etosha Pan. The game viewing is usually excellent
and we have the chance to tick off a few new species that are not
normally seen on the Namutoni side of the park.
We stop at Halali for a rest and a leisurely lunch. There is time
to visit the Halali waterhole and to make use of the swimming pool
and bar facilities before continuing on our way and game driving
down to Okaukuejo camp.
Okaukuejo is famous for its waterhole, which has been described
as one of the "best game viewing opportunities in Southern
Africa". Situated on the doorstep of our camp, black rhino,
elephant, lion and numerous species of antelope are usually seen.
Day 4 Okaukuejo – Oase Himba Village, Kamanjab (300km)
Leaving Etosha we begin our journey south with a relatively short
drive to the small town of Kamanjab where we will make a short stop
here before continuing on to find the Himba Tribesmen.
This is the only traditionally functioning Himba community outside
the far north Kaokoland region of Namibia These tribes-people have
migrated here, lifestyle and customs intact, and are following their
traditional way-of-life in their village on a farm. Oase Village
is located about 15 to 20 km outside Kamanjab, the exact location
of the site varies as the Himba occasionally roam to a new location.
During the afternoon we will be invited into Oase Village and will
meet with the locals. We will have a specialist guide for the time
we are there, who will be able to translate for us and will introduce
us to this “alternative lifestyle”. We will learn about
marriage customs, traditional food and the mysteries of the local
religion, “Holy Fire”.
We will make our camp about 150 meters from the village “Kraal”
to ensure both our and our hosts privacy
Day 5 Oase Village – Brandberg Mountain (400km) (BLD)
(camping)
Today we head into one of the most beautiful desert regions in Namibia,
Damaraland. We drive south to the capital of this region, the small
town of Khorixas, and then take a detour to the west, travelling
via the Petrified Forest geological site, to visit the ancient Bushman
rock engravings at Twyfelfontien. At both these locations we will
have local guides to conduct us on a short guided tour.
From here we head deeper into the desert to Namibia’s highest
mountain, The Brandberg, (2573 m). Brandberg Mountain is an ancient
Bushman spiritual site and tonight we will sleep in a community
campsite under the shadow of this giant granite monolith.
Day 6 Brandberg Mountain – Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast
(200 km)
Starting early to enjoy the cool of the morning we will hike, “into”
the mountain with our guide to see the world famous “White
Lady” rock painting. Attributed to the Bushman artists, the
white lady panel is believed by some to be in excess of 20 000 years
old.
Back on the road and more beautiful Damaraland scenery this morning,
we make our first stop in the small town of Uis, an old mining town,
and one of the best places to buy semi-precious stones, for which
Namibia is famous. Here, rough Amethyst, Tourmaline etc can be found
at bargain prices.
From here we turn directly west and cross the “gravel plains”
on our way to the Atlantic Ocean and the Skeleton Coast. Meeting
the ocean at Henties Bay, we first head north along the coast to
visit the seal colony at Cape Cross. Here at certain times of the
year there can be as many as 100,000 Cape Fur seals in attendance.
The next destination is Swakopmund, following the Skeleton Coast
into Namibia's premier seaside town.
The Swakopmund section of the trip is designed to allow people to
relax either with the group, or on their own. Only breakfast is
provided, this is to allow you to plan your time here with as much
flexibility as possible and not to be tied to group meal times.
It also gives you the chance to sample some of the excellent local
cafes and restaurants. The seafood in Swakopmund is superb. Your
guide will offer to organise a group meal in a local restaurant
for this evening. Participation is recommended but by no means required.
Dinner this evening in not included in the price of the safari and
will be for the client’s own account
Day 7.
Today is a free day. The idea is to allow time for everybody to
do their own thing. Swakopmund is a very pleasant seaside town with
lots of shops, a good stretch of beach (although the Atlantic here
is quite cold) and an open-air curio market. There is also a very
good museum and the Namibian National Marine Aquarium is located
in Swakopmund.
Alternatively, there are various optional activities that can be
arranged. These include aeroplane and microlight flights over the
desert, scenic drives, fishing trips (both from the beach or in
a boat), four-wheel motorcycle (quad bike) trips into the desert
and over the sand dunes around Swakopmund, sand boarding trips (also
in the dunes), skydiving, surfing, bird-watching and many other
activities are available.
Your tour guide will discuss all the possible options with you before
you reach Swakopmund and will offer to make bookings in advance
of your arrival. (N.B. All extra activities and excursions in Swakopmund
are subject to availability and are made at the clients’ own
risk and expense).
Dinner this evening is not included in the price of the safari and
will be for the client’s own account
Day 8 Namib Desert - Sossusvlei - Namib Desert (150 km)
We first make a stop at Walvis Bay, situated about 40 km south of
Swakopmund. South of the town there is a large marine lagoon which
is home to a vast array of marine bird-life, in particular flamingos.
We will make a short visit to the lagoon to see the birds and a
short visit to Walvis Bay to collect any last minute supplies before
once again heading out into the desert. The second part of our journey
today takes us across more of the seemingly endless Namib gravel
plains. Then the landscape suddenly changes and we are into the
mountain desert.
We traverse both the Kuiseb and Gaub passes, driving both times
to the river beds at the bottom of the canyons and then climbing
the long steep road to the top and the spectacular panoramas the
mountains give us. Again the scenery changes as we make our way
down to the Namib Desert.
We cross some open grass savannah and farmlands before the terrain
begins to give way to the immense Naukluft Mountains of the Namib
and from here it is only a short distance to our next stop, the
tiny town of Solitaire. We will stop here for some refreshments
before continuing on through stunning desert scenery.
We aim to arrive at our camp during the late afternoon and watch
the colours glow and change on distant mountains to the east.
Day 9
A pre dawn start is essential this morning as we want to catch the
soft light of the sunrise on the desert as we drive in.
To reach Sossusvlei itself we walk for the last 5 km through the
dunes. The walk is like nothing else, in the cool of the morning,
with soft sunlight just beginning to play over the dunes creating
a sharp light and shadow contrast across the whole desert. Ancient
mineral pans, stunted camel horn trees and the chance of seeing
a gemsbok or maybe an ostrich make the photo opportunities perfect.
We spend the morning in and around Sossusvlei, also visiting “Dune
45”, and as the day wears on we return to Sesriem for lunch
and to escape the heat of the afternoon. As the day cools off in
the late afternoon we will take a short excursion to the Sesriem
Canyon.
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Day 10 Driving time approx. 10hrs. (800km).
Overnight: Breakfast and Lunch.
Namib Desert - Windhoek (450 km)
After breakfast we begin our journey, over the mountains and along
scenic roads, back to Windhoek. We will travel over the Naukluft
Mountains and also the Khomas Hochland range, through beautiful
Remhoogte Pass on our way back to civilization.
We are due back into the city around 15:00 and you will be dropped
off at your accommodation on our return.
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