Classic Namibia
22 days—Classic Namibia 22 days self-drive safari
$1541-5142 USD
pp
Safari summary
Our Classic Namibia Tour was named this way because its travel programme covers all the areas and best known attractions of Namibia that first-time visitors to the country will expect to experience. It is not an all-encompassing itinerary by a long shot, - Namibia is far too large and has got far too many outstanding features for that -, but one that provides a solid overview of what this country has to offer as holiday destination also in terms of versatility - be it African wildlife, cultures, flora, landscapes, historical sites, geology, and in many other areas of interest.
The Classic Namibia's 22-day version is an ideal tour option especially for self-driving travellers venturing to Africa for the first time at all, as driving is comparatively easy and a healthy climate exists throughout most of the country and most of the year. Tourist accommodation facilities, food and beverages, rental vehicles, and activity offers all embrace internationally accepted standards and thus our Classic Namibia is a soft introduction to Africa.
About this tour
| Tour type | Custom, tailor-made, private | |
| Main focus | Game drives | |
| Activity level | Easy activity | |
| Best months | All months | |
| Countries | ||
| Parks |
Itinerary
Day 1
Day 1 Windhoek Upon arrival at Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport, transfer to your guest farm accommodation where the remainder of the day is at leisure. In order to allow for a day of resting, after a long flight to Namibia, you only need to collect your rental vehicle, in the morning of
Day 2
Day 2. A morning transfer will take you to the vehicle rental company's office in Windhoek. Today, however, you have the opportunity to take it easy, to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the warm afternoon sun, and to join the farmer for a game drive, if you so wish. Enjoy your first meal in this beautiful country with the sound of Africa in your ears and under a starry sky that you have most probably never seen before in such splendor. Near Windhoek International Airport Bed & Breakfast Basis Game Drive included Khomas Region
Day 2
Day 2 Windhoek - Waterberg Plateau Was there a wake-up call by Francolins? You don’t know what they are? Rest assured that you'll soon meet your daily "alarm clock from the bush". After a sumptuous breakfast a transfer will take you to Windhoek where you pick up your rental vehicle. Travelling from Windhoek in a northern direction, you pass a wood carvers' market that should not be ignored, since you will not return this way. Today’s destination is a mountain plateau that arises from amidst forest-like vegetation: the Waterberg. If you love hiking and exploring the breathtaking natural surroundings a bit longer, you might like to consider staying here for a day or two longer (optional). Waterberg Plateau Bed & Breakfast Basis Otjozondjupa Region
Day 3
Etosha
Days 3 and 4 Waterberg Plateau - Etosha National Park On the menu for today and tomorrow: Etosha National Park! Through the mining town of Tsumeb and past the mysterious Lake Otjikoto, you reach the eastern border of the this famous wildlife and nature conservation park. Game viewing from the lodge, while exploring the Fisher’s Pan or visiting Klein Namutoni, can certainly keep you well occupied during your stay. Don't forget to search for the very shy and very cute little Blue Buck, while admiring all the other African game and bird species that feel at ease moving about in broad day light. Etosha National Park Bed & Breakfast Oshikoto Region
Day 5
Etosha
Days 5 and 6 Etosha National Park From Onguma, your journey takes you in a south-westerly direction through Etosha, with game viewing along the way. About half-way through the park, lies the Halali Rest Camp where a lunchtime break and possibly also some elephant observations at the Moringa Waterhole may be enjoyed. During your stay on the southern side of the park, be sure to include a visit of the Okondeka area on the western fringes of the Etosha Pan, as lions love to linger here, before sunset. Your accommodation for these two nights is situated just outside Etosha's Andersson Gate. Etosha National Park Bed & Breakfast Basis Kunene Region
Day 7
Etosha
Day 7 Etosha Nat. Park - Twyfelfontein/Damaraland Northern Namibia's world heritage site, the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, are your next destination. Passing through the village of Outjo, the local bakery is the place to stop for buying some divine road snacks. Travelling further to the west, there are the Vingerklip, a 35m tall rock column shaped like a finger by erosion, and a Petrified Forest to catch your attention. More curious geological features along the Ugab Valley include the Organ Pipes and the Burnt Mountain. At Twyfelfontein, local guides stand ready to show you around the much acclaimed rock art galleries found on the slopes of a boulder-strewn hill. On reaching your accommodation in the vicinity of Twyfelfontein, you may be happy to round off this eventful day by just relaxing on the terrace over sundowner drinks and, with some luck, in the presence of desert adapted elephants. Twyfelfontein Bed & Breakfast Basis Kunene Region
Day 8
Days 8 and 9 Twyfelfontein - Erongo Mountains On your way south to the Erongo Mountains, the Brandberg Mountain rising out of the desert plains like a sentinel remains a prominent landscape feature for most of your drive. By about lunchtime, you reach Uis and its mining crater lake as well as restaurant facilities in the village. From here onwards, the mysterious Erongo Mountains dominate the views across southern Damaraland's sparsely vegetated savannas. And the vistas from the terrace of your accommodation provide an even better impression of the vastness of these expanses. Erongo Mountains Bed & Breakfast Erongo Region
Day 10
Day 10 Erongo Mountains - Karibib Area Travelling further south via the small historic villages of Omaruru and Karibib, for only about 2.5 hours, you reach Wuestenquell and it’s amazing rock formations that can keep you busy for days. Enjoy this splendor of nature close to the Namib Desert. Karibib District Bed & Breakfast Basis Erongo Region
Day 11
Days 11 and 12 Karibib Area – Swakopmund Swakopmund, a coastal town wedged between the Namib Desert and the Atlantic Ocean and steeped in history, is today’s destination. Explore your surroundings as pedestrian, skipper or passenger of a guided tour. Here you have numerous and varied opportunities to learn more about the desert and Namibia's coastal marine life, during a desert trip and a boat cruise on the Walvis Bay Lagoon respectively. Spoil yourself with seafood in one of the many well known restaurants in town. Swakopmund Bed & Breakfast Basis Erongo Region
Day 13
Days 13 and 14 Swakopmund - Sossusvlei & Surroundings The famous Sossusvlei is beckoning and you most probably feel your anticipation growing when travelling deeper into the Namib Desert. Having traversed the desert's gravel plains and negotiated the winding passes of the Kuiseb and Ghaub Canyons, you can reward yourself with a piece of the allegedly best apple crumble in the country, on offer at the coffee shop in Solitaire. From here, it is only a little over an hour's drive to the Sesriem Gate area of the Namib Naukluft Park and your accommodation situated on the edge of the dune desert that affords breathtaking vistas right from your doorstep. An afternoon visit of the Sesriem Canyon is perfect for stretching legs, so climb down into the canyon and enjoy the cool shade and permanent water pools. The next morning, returning to Sesriem Gate already at dawn for a slow drive to Sossusvlei, may well become your ultimate desert experience: As the sun rises over the sea of sand, the most incredible visual effects are created by dune colours changing from a deep purple to orange, red and yellow. For the more energetic visitor, there are opportunities to take a walk from Sossusvlei over to the Dead Vlei and to climb up to the top of “Big Daddy”, at approx. 350m the highest dune in this area. By mid-morning, the merciless African sun usually makes you escape to the shade of your room or the swimming pool. Sesriem/Sossusvlei Area Bed & Breakfast Hardap Region
Day 15
Day 15 Sossusvlei Area - Tiras Mountains You are so right - Namibia is much too beautiful to stop in the middle of a fascinating experience. Although the south is even more arid then the regions you have visited thus far, it has plenty of fascinating sites and vistas to offer. Start your explorations of the Karas Region with the Tiras Mountains and their breathtaking sceneries on the edge of the Namib Desert and the Namib Naukluft Park. Tiras Mountain Bed & Breakfast Basis Karas Region
Day 16
Days 16 and 17 Tiras Mountains - Lüderitz & Kolmanskop Ever been to the very first European settlement of an African country? Today's travelling takes you south and then west through magnificent remote landscapes and the Sperrgebiet National Park to Lüderitz. This small historic town was established around one of Namibia's only two natural deep-sea harbours and still sustains its existence from fishing industries. Close to Lüderitz lies the 'ghost town' of Kolmanskop giving testimony to the diamond rush that hit this area in the early 1900's. Guided excursions into the restricted diamond mining area are available - by prior arrangement, well ahead of your arrival in Namibia, only. Lüderitz Bed & Breakfast Basis Karas Region
Day 18
Days 18 and 19 Lüderitz - Fish River Canyon (via Gariep River, if possible) Three major southern highlights await you during these two days: The amazing flora of the Succulent Karoo, the wind-swept solemn valleys and plains of the Nama Karoo, and the majestic Fish River Canyon, a silent witness to the break-up of the ancient super-continent of Pangaea. Provided that the only bridge across the Fish River near its confluence with the Gariep River (previously: Orange River) will be open for public use, until you visit Namibia, - high-water damages in previous years sometimes left the bridge impassable -, there is an opportunity to experience large parts of Namibia's share in the Richtersveld Transfrontier Park: Turning south at the village of Aus, you travel through the Succulent Karoo and via the modern mining town of Rosh Pinah to the Gariep River. Moonscape-like surroundings, soaring mountain peaks and lush greenery line the river's valley, as you turn east to follow its course towards the Aussenkehr settlement. Just prior to reaching the first grape farms, another gravel road takes you north again through the fascinating vast ancient landscapes of the Nama Karoo to the southern end of the Fish River Canyon. Whether you opt for taking a break at the Ai-Ais Rest Camp with its thermal swimming pools or proceed north straight away, you are sure to spend the remainder of these two days in the mighty presence of the canyon. The alternative routing from Lüderitz to the Fish River Canyon leads via Aus and Seeheim directly to your accommodation situated near the canyon's most impressive northern view points - with numerous opportunities en route to take in the unique features of the Succulent and Nama Karoo. With both routing options, a full day is at your disposal to explore the Fish River Canyon all the way to Ai-Ais at its southern tip. Fish River Canyon Bed & Breakfast Basis Karas Region
Day 20
Day 20 Fish River Canyon - Kalahari Travelling in a northern direction, past the Karas Region's administrative and economic centre, Keetmanshoop, you find the Giants Playground, a deposit site of huge granite boulders, and the Quiver Tree Forest, an area covered in tree-sized and very photogenic aloe plants. Spend another night with the sound of the bush as your companion, in the Kalahari. Mariental Area Bed & Breakfast Basis Hardap Region
Day 21
Day 21 Kalahari – Windhoek Now that you have completed an entire Classic Namibia round trip, when arriving back in Windhoek, your holidays are probably nearing their end too. After all that you have seen and done in the last three weeks, a leisurely day spend in Namibia's capital can assist in slowly returning to the realities of every-day life and to also tick the last items off your souvenir shopping list, while taking a stroll through the Crafts Centre complete with coffee shops and art galleries. Rounding off the day with dinner (optional) at the country's most famous restaurant, Joe’s Beerhouse, is a perfect way to say your farewells in typical Namibian surroundings. Windhoek Bed & Breakfast Basis Khomas Region
Day 22
Day 22 Windhoek/Departure Day at leisure, until it is time to close the suitcase and catch your transfer to Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport for your flight home. Services Included in the 22-day programme, on a SELF-DRIVE basis: - 21 nights accommodation as indicated above - Meal basis as indicated above - Hosea Kutako Airport Transfers on arrival in & departure from Namibia - Vehicle rental from/to Windhoek - 21 days: Not included are: - Flights & Visa/Permits of any kind - Sightseeing programme & entrance/park fees - Optional activities - Additional meals & all beverages - Fuel for rental vehicle - Purchases and expenses of a personal nature On a GUIDED basis, the tour includes in addition to the above inclusions: - English speaking driver-guide from/to Windhoek & all tour expenses pertaining to the guide - Transport in an air-conditioned 5-seater minibus & all tour expenses pertaining to the vehicle - Comprehensive sightseeing programme & the applicable entrance/park fees
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