Introduction to Namibia

7 Day Introduction to Namibia Accommodated Guided Trip

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$1787 USD

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Safari summary

About this tour

	Tour type	Custom, tailor-made, private
	Main focus	Game drives
	Activity level	Easy activity
	Best months	All months
	Countries	Namibia
	Parks	Etosha

Itinerary

Day 1

Day 1: Windhoek to Sossusvlei, Namib Desert We leave Windhoek mid morning to allow us enough time to get to our destination before sunset. From Windhoek, we are heading south west, first through the Khomas Hochland Mountains before descending onto the plains of the Namib Desert. The Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world, stretches some 2000kms along the west coast of Namibia, with varying types of terrain, but it is here, in the Sossusvlei region that is known for its enormous sand dunes, and breathtaking photographic opportunities. On arrival at our lodge, we can enjoy a walk and prepare for a relaxing sundowner drink before dinner.

Day 2

Day 2: Sossusvlei A very early start this morning for our Sossusvlei guided excursion. We aim to leave our lodge well before sunrise to ensure that we are one of the first to enter the national park. From Sesriem, we drive further into the desert area, where the early morning light provides excellent opportunities for photography. Once we arrive in the 4x4 carpark, we can then explore this area on foot, with a walk around Dead Vlei and Sossusvlei, and for the adventurous, a hike up Big Daddy, the tallest dune in the region, offering breathtaking views of the sand sea that is the Namib Desert. By midday, we make our way back towards Sesriem with a stop at Sesriem Canyon, a small but important landmark for both the human and animal residents of the area. We then make our way back towards our accommodation where we have time to rest and relax before dinner.

Day 3

Day 3: Sossusvlei, Namib Desert to Swakopmund Our drive today takes us through to Swakopmund via the Gaub and Kuiseb passes. Our first official stop is Solitaire, a small but important outpost for tourists and locals alike, and a popular place to stop and enjoy some more unusual photographic opportunities. From Solitaire, we continue through the ever changing desert landscapes before arriving in Walvis Bay, the main harbor in Namibia. Here we have the opportunity to visit the Walvis Bay Lagoon, a RAMSAR listed wetland site, famous as the feeding ground for many bird species including the Greater & Lesser Flamingos, as well as the endemic Damara Tern amongst others making it an ornithologist paradise. From Walvis Bay it’s just a short drive to Swakopmund where we will spend the next two nights.

Day 4

Day 4: Swakopmund Today is a free day, and the chance to explore at your own pace. For some, this will mean joining a boat cruise in Walvis Bay, where you have a good chance to see some seals and dolphins, for others, this will mean a morning of sandboarding before exploring the dunes on a quad bike, or enjoying an scenic flight before skydiving, and for others, it might be something a little more calm as a leisurely breakfast, a visit to the aquarium before an afternoon scenic flight along the Skeleton Coast. Swakopmund is the adventure capital of Namibia and there is certainly something to satisfy everyone. The town itself, an unusual mix of German and Namibian culture offers a relaxed and walkable town centre to enjoy at our own pace. There are good restaurants in both towns, with seafood of course being a specialty. **Activities in Swakopmund are not included.

Day 5

Etosha

Day 5: Swakopmund to Etosha After breakfast, we say goodbye to Swakopmund and head north east for Etosha National Park, one of Southern Africa’s premier game parks and wildlife enthusiasts paradise. We enter the park via the Andersson’s gate, on the southern boundary of Etosha and spend the next 3 days exploring. The park itself covers 22,270 kms², and gets its name from the salt pan that makes up approx 23% of the park. Once a massive lake, the Etosha Pan is now mostly dry, with the exception of good rainfall years when the pan fills up enough to become a breeding ground for flamingos that migrate between Walvis Bay and Sua Pan in Botswana. The park itself is home to some 114 mammal species including the big 4 (lion, leopard, rhino & elephant) as well as 340 bird species, 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species and, surprisingly, one species of fish. This afternoon we enjoy a game drive from the park gate, stopping at some popular (animal) waterholes, before arriving late afternoon at our lodge. Tonight we can relax by the floodlit waterhole, an excellent chance to view those creatures that prefer to be active during the cool of the night.

Day 6

Etosha

Day 6: Etosha National Park This day will be devoted to exploring the park and maximising our chances for amazing wildlife sightings. We start with an early morning game drive. The lodge gates open at sunrise, and the aim is to be the first vehicle into the park as this will maximise our chances of spotting predators either lazing on the roads or making their final attempts at a hunt. From there, we drive from waterhole to waterhole (especially in the winter months), as they support a rich diversity of animals. These waterholes are one of the most unique aspects of Etosha National Park, and a major attraction for wildlife photographers and animal behaviour experts as the different species of animals, both predator and prey alike, can often be captured (on camera) drinking at the same waterhole. Depending on our route, we will return to lodge for breakfast, and to relax by the lodge waterhole and pool during the hottest part of the day, before continuing our game drives late afternoon to try our luck some more.

Day 7

Etosha

Day 7: Etosha National Park to Windhoek This day signals the end of our journey. After an early morning breakfast and a final game drive out of the park, we head back towards Windhoek mid morning. If time allows we will stop in the small town of Okahandja at one of Namibia’s largest wood carving markets, a chance to support small local business and collect some last minute souvenirs, before continuing on to Windhoek where we will be dropped at our accommodation and say goodbye to our guide.

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