Great Namibian Journey

From the dunes at Sossusvlei to the wildlife of Etosha

This 13-day tour provides an exclusive and fascinating cross-section of the Namib Desert. From the dunes at Sossusvlei to the wildlife of Etosha, the Great Namibian Journey is a true epic. For the next 13 days you will witness the astonishing contrasts of an ancient desert.

From the great sand sea of Sossusvlei you will drive through the Namib Desert to the Skeleton Coast and onwards through Damaraland to Etosha and the Skeleton Coast Parks. Accommodation is in luxurious tented lodges, rustic discoverer camps and the charming Hansa hotel in Swakopmund. The entire journey is led by an experienced and passionate guide.

• The great sand sea of Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert
  
• Explore Swakopmund and Walvis Bay
  
• Game viewing, rhino tracking & walking safaris
  
• Fly from Etosha National Park to the Skeleton Coast Park
  

Day 1 and 2: Kulala Tented Camp, Sossusvlei

From Windhoek, travel by vehicle about 380km on well-graded gravel roads to Kulala Tented Camp. En route, we enjoy a lunch in a private area close to the Khomas Hochland escarpment, reaching onto sweeping vistas below. Explore the dunes of Sossusvlei at daybreak the next morning. The surreal landscape in the crisp morning light will have a lasting effect. Afternoon activities include nature walks, drives to scenic viewpoints and discovering the unique Namib fauna and flora in the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve.

Kulala Tented Camp is situated at the foot of a mountain in a private concession. Its nine tents are on elevated wooden decks which are linked to the main dining room, bar, reception area and swimming pool by pathways. Each tent has solar powered 12V lighting and an en-suite bathroom with solar-heated hot water.

Accommodation: Little Kulala Camp
Meals: Full board, excluding premium brands

Day 3 and 4: Hansa Hotel, Swakopmund

Drive through the Namib Desert's craggy mountains, grassy hills and gravel plains to Swakopmund. Along the way stop at the Moon Landscape and some famous specimens of the welwitschia plant. Spend two days exploring Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. A marine cruise will reveal the Atlantic ocean to be a bounteous realm in contrast to the near lifeless desert. The Hansa Hotel is a charming hotel in the centre of Swakopmund and one of town's oldest buildings. Its restaurant specialises in seafood and has a good winelist.

Accommodation:Hansa Hotel
Meals: Bed and Breakfast

Day 5: Damaraland Camp, Damaraland

A long drive today, with many interesting stops, takes us to Damaraland Camp. We drive along the Skeleton Coast past Cape Cross before turning inland to the Save The Rhino camp in the Ugab Riverbed. We also pass the Brandberg Mountain, The Messum Crater, ancient stone circles at Gai As spring and the Petrified Forest. We arrive at camp via the Huab Riverbed. Early morning mists, generated by the clash between the icy Atlantic Ocean and the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast, drift inland along the stark canyon, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of the region. Rare succulent plants somehow manage to eke out an existence in this harsh countryside.

Activities include explorations on foot, by bike or 4x4 vehicles, viewing springbok, oryx and ostrich, and tracking the unique desert-adapted elephant. Damaraland Camp is an exclusive and comfortable camp in a spectacular location. Its tented rooms have en suite bathrooms with flush toilets and hot running water. The camp has a delightful rock pool and its campfire is the cause of many a late night.

Accommodation: Damaraland Camp
Meals: Full board, excluding premium brands

Day 6 and 7: Desert Rhino Camp, Damaraland

After breakfast, pack up and drive to the Huab River to search for the desert-adapted elephant. Stop for picnic lunch en route to the enormous Palmwag Concession – a rocky and mountainous wilderness the size of a large county. The concession has several natural springs that support an astonishing diversity of wildlife and desert-adapted flora and fauna. Spend your days tracking black rhino on foot and on day and night game drives. Wildlife includes rare sightings of lion, cheetah and hyena; the concession has good numbers of plains game and most of Namibia's endemic birds. While all essential comforts are provided, the camp is designed to emphasise the vastness and the wilderness of Damaraland. The seven tented rooms have en suite bathrooms with hot bucket showers and flushing toilets.

Accommodation: Desert Rhino Camp
Meals: Full board, excluding premium brands

Day 8 and 9: Ongava Tented Camp, Etosha National Park

Another long and fascinating drive takes us to Etosha National Park, where we experience the pinnacle of game viewing in southern Africa – but without the people. Enjoy the privacy of an exclusive bush camp, which is in Ongava private game reserve on the edge of Etosha. Activities include game drives both day and night, walking safaris and game viewing hides. Inside Etosha we visit several perennial springs around the pans encountering lion, leopard, elephant and black rhino as well as abundant plains game.

Accommodation: Ongava Tented Camp
Meals: Full board, excluding premium brands

Day 10, 11 and 12: Skeleton Coast Research Camp, Skeleton Coast Park

Take a scenic flight over dramatic desert landscapes to the exclusive Skeleton Coast Research Camp situated in a private concession in the Skeleton Coast Park. This is one of the most inhospitable but hauntingly beautiful places on the planet: desolate and uninhabited. It has everything, from roaring sand dunes, windswept plains, towering canyons and salt pans to seal colonies and shipwrecks. Explore the remote region and meet its hardy inhabitants on full-day outings in 4WD vehicles, stopping for picnic lunches.

Accommodation: Skeleton Coast Research Camp
Meals: Full board, excluding premium brands

Day 13: Day of Departure

Fly back over the land that you've been exploring below to Windhoek and the end of your amazing and exclusive voyage of discovery.

Note:

We at Rhino Africa are Namibia experts, and will gladly assist you in building an itinerary that best suite your requirements and budget. We encourage you to have a look at our recommended tours or to contact us to put together the perfect tailor-made African safari just for you.

Includes:

Twelve nights' accommodation, full board excluding premium brand drinks
Guided walks, rhino tracking and game drives
Scenic air transfers to the Skeleton Coast and back to Windhoek
Marine cruise and drive to Sandwich Harbour in Walvis Bay

Excludes:

Additional activities, purchases and gratuities

Namibian Journey Important Notes:

You can adjust this Namibia tour to suit your requirements; it is available for small groups from four to eight.

You can adjust this Namibia tour to suit your requirements; it is available for small groups from four to eight. If you are looking to travel to Namibia, contact us and speak to a travel consultant who will be able to create a tailormade itinerary for your requirements.