About the trip
From flaming red sand dunes to arid woodlands that harbour some of the world's most majestic elephant herds, Namibia bursts with unique natural wonders. Set out on wildlife drives in the renowned Etosha National Park in search of lions, rhinos, giraffes, and the elusive leopard. Visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund to learn about efforts to protect these vulnerable cats, and delve into one of the continent’s most dramatic landscapes—the timeless Namib desert.
Highlights
- Ride through Namib-Naukluft National Park, Visit ancient petroglyphs, Stroll through the township of Mondesa, Visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund
Meals
Accommodation
Included in the price
Windhoek
- Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Mondesa Township Walk, Swakopmund
- Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cheetah Conservation Experience, Otjiwarongo. Arrival transfer. Sossusvlei desert excursion. Desert excursion with a local. View the Twyfelfontein ancient petroglyphs. Full-day open-vehicle wildlife safari drive. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Windhoek
- Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Mondesa Township Walk, Swakopmund
- Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cheetah Conservation Experience, Otjiwarongo. Arrival transfer. Sossusvlei desert excursion. Desert excursion with a local. View the Twyfelfontein ancient petroglyphs. Full-day open-vehicle wildlife safari drive. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
Day-wise Itinerary
ExpandDay 1: Windhoek
Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.
Day 2: Windhoek/sesriem
Enjoy postcard perfect desert scenery around Sesriem and Sossusvlei - vast desertscapes of reds and orange, stark camel thorn trees and towering dunes with dramatic curved ridges. Also keep an eye out for the surprising amount of wildlife that call this area home such as oryx, springbok, jackal, ground squirrel and hyena.
Day 3: Sesriem
Embark on a thrilling excursion into one of Africa’s largest national parks. Explore the Namib desert, the oldest desert in the world; and venture to the massive dunes at Sossusvlei and the white clay pan of Deadvlei. Capture dramatic images of dead camel thorn trees against a backdrop of orange dunes and a crisp blue sky. Then visit the Sesriem Canyon, a natural gorge carved out by the Tsauchab River over millions of years.
Day 4: Sesriem/swakopmund
Continue by road through changing desert landscapes towards the coastal city of Swakopmund. Look out for roaming zebra, kudu, springbok, and oryx on the way, and take a break in the quirky town of Solitaire before heading into the countryside. Here, we meet a local for a 4x4 drive through the desert, learning about the survival strategies of bushmen who lived in this inhospitable area thousands of years ago. We also search for the smaller wildlife that has managed to survive here, such as snakes, geckos, spiders, and an array of insects.
Day 5: Swakopmund
Explore the town's unique mix of German and African culture and opt to visit curio shops, the museum and restaurants. Optional activities include sandboarding, or if you're feeling brave, skydiving.
Day 6: Swakopmund/palmwag
Make your way to Twyfelfontein—Namibia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site—to see some of Africa’s largest concentrations of petroglyphs. Marvel at these remarkable engravings, carved by prehistoric hunter-gatherers and depicting rhinos, elephants, and ostriches, as well as human and animal footprints. Then continue to our lodge on the Palmwag nature reserve in northwest Damaraland.
Day 7: Palmwag/etosha National Park Area
Enjoy a relaxed morning at our lodge or opt for a guided walk in the Palmwag reserve, home to many rare, desert-adapted species. In the afternoon, travel towards Etosha National Park, arguably Namibia’s most spectacular wildlife sanctuary. Settle into our lodge, located outside of the park.
Day 8: Etosha National Park Area
After the vast desert, Etosha National Park, offers a contrast of wide open grasslands, a massive salt pan that covers 4731km² and tall camel thorn trees intermixed with Mopani trees. With a combination of natural waterholes, and diverse vegetation, wildlife flock to the park. Some of the largest elephants in Africa can be found in areas of thicker vegetation, as well as leopards. Lions, giraffe, ostrich and many antelope species can be found in the grasslands, while birders will love the salt pans which attract flamingos in the rainy season. More than 340 bird species have been counted in Etosha National Park including the European bee-eater, the kori bustard and numerous migratory birds.
Day 9: Windhoek
