20 DAY UPMARKET

Day 2 This morning we will leave quite early for the Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch, SE of Kalkrand, www.bagatelle-kalahari-gameranch.com , so as to be there in time for lunch.  During the afternoon the guests will go on a Sundowner Game drive to look at the Kalahari dune scenery and the game that occurs there.  

Day 4 Today you will go on a most interesting and exciting day-long drive into the canyon where you will eexperience an amazing variety of geological features as you journey into the depths of the second largest canyon in the world. See rough limestone, shiny quartzite, fine shale and dramatic fault lines as the 510 million year old story unfolds.  Catch your breath as you take in the dramatic views of the river before descending into the base of the canyon to lunch by the permanent rock pools. Kudu, Oryx, Klipspringer and the elusive mountain Zebra are often seen and your experienced guide will identify the resilient flora in this harsh environment. Winter (April to October) leave at 8am back by 3/4pm  

Days 6, 7 & 8 This morning we will be travelling northwards, between the eastern edge of the Namib Desert and the escarpment, on a particularly interesting road, to the exclusive Boulders Camp (only four luxury tents), which is located on the southern part of the NamibRand Nature Reserve, the largest private nature reserve in Namibia, where you will be spending the next three days. We should arrive there during mid- afternoon, in time to go on an excellent sundowner drive.   The Reserve has recently been enlarged when two more farms were bought and the Boulders guests             have exclusive access to the southern section.  This area has a variety of landscapes, which vary between huge open grass plains, granite and dolerite hills and stunning dune scenery and nobody can be bored in the magnificent area. This farm fell within the conservation area that was controlled from Keetmanshoop when I was stationed there with the Ministry of Nature Conservation from 1980-82, and I always said that if I ever had had the money to buy only one farm in the country, it would have been Wolwedans, and not even Bill Gates would have been able to buy it off me. This Lodge is expensive, but one of the benefits is that it is situated in a spectacularly beautiful desert environment and it includes several sightseeing trips.   

Day 10 Today will involve a fairly long day’s travelling as we will travel up to Cape Cross via Karibib, Usakos, Spitskoppe and Henties Bay.  At Cape Cross you will be taken to have a look at the huge seal colony and then we will spend the next two nights at the Cape Cross Hotel, www.capecross.com.na.  

Day 12            From Cape Cross we will travel via the little mining village of Uis and the Brandberg (the highest mountain in Namibia) to Camp Kipwe, www.kipwe.com/camp-kipwe-home.html, close to the Twyfelfontein Rock Art site, where we will spend the next two nights.  

Days 14, 15 & 16 This morning you choose to go on an early morning balloon flight, to be followed by a champagne breakfast (optional extra) before leaving for Palmwag Lodge. From Palmwag you will be driven to the Okahirongo Elephant Lodge, http://www.okahirongolodge.com/Lodge-activities.html, situated on the Huaruseb River close to the little Herero settlement, Purros, where you will spend the next three days.  There are many different very interesting activities and areas to explore from Okahirongo, and although most are included in the package there are some extra options to choose from, i.e. fly down to the Skeleton Coast or up to the Kunene River etc. but these can be discussed with the lodge manager when you get there.   

Day 19 Leave after a relaxed breakfast for Windhoek, where you will once more spend the night at The Olive Exclusive Hotel. Since your guests are keen birders, we can possibly stop on the way back to look at the REST (Rare and Endangered Species Trust), www.restafrica.org aviary, which is located approx. 50 km south of Otjiwaringo where Maria Diekman looks after injured vultures.  This is a most interesting and worthwhile project as the guests can learn about the work she does as well as see some of the vultures up close. About REST REST is a non- profit organization founded in September of 2000.  Its founder has no formal conservation training but saw a desperate need for a species on the brink of local extinction.  She was advised from the beginning to get the support of the trained experts and learn from them which she did.  Many of the world’s top vulture experts are now on her scientific board and give advice on major environmental decisions. REST began by helping only the plight of the Cape Griffon vulture, but after a few years it became apparent that there were a few species that needed specific support in Namibia.  Thus the start of the “Forgotten Five” began which has developed into the Forgotten 5 +1.  These animals represent biodiversity within the entire land ecosystem of Namibia. REST has recently developed new headquarters on a small farm 47 km south of Otjiwarongo.  We were officially opened in August 2010 when we were almost 10 years old.  We still have many plans but we have developed a beautiful centre with a variety of conservation and research structures with emphasis on fun interactive education facilities for visitors from the community and abroad. Our new centre consists of a number of building and activities for the visitor.  Upon entering the driveway you will drive a short way through the nature bush to the student and staff housing.  There is public parking here or you can continue up the hill to the visitors centre.  All guests are greeted by our daily host.  You may visit the lab, hospital and office building and receive a map for a self guided tour of our new sensory trail.  This trail is for all visitors but with sponsorship from Natural Encounters it is specifically designed as a ‘touch and feel” experience that can cater to the needs of the physically challenged.  We are still developing the trail with the help of PAWS volunteers at our neighbour’s organization – the Africat Foundation. The first part of the trail is wheel chair friendly.  When they are finished the visitor is guided up to the educational centre.  Once inside you realize that you are actually inside the Nedbank aviary housing all of our non releasable raptors.  They live amongst the natural cliffs facing the education centre.  This is a perfect opportunity to photograph the birds.  Most visitors then walk with us a short way to our wildlife hides.  Once a week we feed hundreds of wild raptors here.  Most visitors are white backed vultures, up to 40 lappet faced vultures, 1-3 Cape Vultures and usually some marabou storks and tawny eagles.  The warthog and jackal often visit at the same time. We have a brown hyena and wild leopard who feed there at night and we hope to set up a night viewing light as funds become available. A special private feed can be booked in advance if you would like. Our new centre is all solar powered.  Our systems are very basic lights at the moment but we hope to upgrade as funds are donated.  Our water is solar pumped to a tank on the mountain and then runs naturally to all of our outlets below. Luckily we have excellent cell phone coverage for phones and internet.