DAY 1: BAGATELLE KALAHARI GAME RANCH, KALAHARI NAMIBIA

Kalahari Namibia

The Kalahari is an exceptionally beautiful living desert a large semi-arid sandy savannah draped over a gently rolling inland sea of sand covering most of Botswana and large parts of Namibia and South Africa. It is also the last bastion of the San people with the modern world having enveloped all the other areas they once roamed. Here in Namibia it is typically red sands covered in thin, wispy, mostly golden grass and dotted with acacia trees and wide ranging wildlife including gemsbok, impala, jackals and cheetah.

Activities

Nature Drive at Bagatelle

Transfers

Date	Company	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 1		Hosea Kutako International Airport [WDH]	Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch		Quantum / Coach or similar

Overnight: Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch

The lodge lies on the edge of the Southern Kalahari in the mixed tree and shrub Savannah. The ranch is characterised by huge red sands dunes running parallel, and in a northern-westerly to south-easterly direction. This ‘Spirit of Africa’ atmosphere, coupled with service, delivered with graciousness and charm, in an unashamedly luxurious setting, will be the hallmarks of this establishment, providing excellent value and unforgettable memories for the discerning traveller.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 2: CANYON LODGE GONDWANA COLLECTION NAMIBIA, FISH RIVER CANYON

Fish River Canyon

The Fish River Canyon is located in the northern part of the Nama Karoo. It is the second largest canyon on earth, featuring a gigantic ravine that measures in total about 100 miles (160km) long, up to 27km wide and in places almost 550metres deep. The Fish River is the longest interior river found in Namibia, but its flow at present is a trickle compared with the immense volume of water that poured down its length in ages past. It cuts deep into the plateau that is today dry, stony and sparsely covered with hardy drought resistant plants such as succulents, euphorbias and lonely quiver trees.

The river flows intermittently, usually coming down in flood in late summer, and when it ceases to flow it becomes a chain of long narrow pools on the sandy rock-strewn floor of the chasm. At the lower end of the Fish River Canyon, the hot springs resort of Ai-Ais provides an oasis in the desolate rocky wastes.

Guided and unguided walks into the canyon are possible during April to September, it is however strictly forbidden to climb into the canyon as a day visitor. In the canyon you may encounter several species of mammals, such as wild horses, Mountain Zebra (Hartman Zebra), Kudu, Klipspringer, Leopard, Steenbok, Baboon and Springbok.

The most common rodents include mice, rats, dassies, and dassie-rats. Bird life includes surprises like Pelicans, Black Eagles, Fish Eagles, Kingfishers, Lovebirds, Wild Ostrich and various species of waterfowl and wading birds, like Herons. In the natural pools of the Fish River are found an abundance of fish, such as barbled catfish and yellow fish.

Activities

• Quiver Tree Forest
• Giant’s Playground
• Sundowner walk at Canyon Lodge

Quiver Tree Forest

Some 14kms from Keetmanshoop is a striking natural phenomenon that is well worth a visit: a natural forest of roughly 200 quiver trees, set on a large outcrop of blackish dolerite rocks. Named for the pliable bark that was once used by Bushmen to craft quivers for their arrows, quiver trees are in fact not trees at all, but unusually large succulents with scaly bark and twisted branches topped with spiky, fleshy leaves. The most mature specimens here are between 200 and 300 years old, and some measure as high as nine metres. The forest, which was declared a national monument in 1955, is best viewed at sunrise or sunset, when the soft, warm light further enhances this already captivating sight.

Giant’s Playground

This conglomeration of precariously balanced rock is situated a mere 5kms from the Quivertree Forest and has been dated to be over 180 million years of age. The dolomite rock formations, some of which belong to the most curious geological arrangements in Southern Africa, are the result of intrusion and erosion and do actually resemble a fascinating giant puzzle of irregular shaped building blocks!

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 2	Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch	Canyon Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia		Quantum/Coach or similar

Overnight: Canyon Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia

Canyon Lodge in Gondwana Canyon Park is just 20km away from the Fish River Canyon. 25 natural stone chalets with air conditioning, en suite bathroom and thatched roofs, nestle between massive granite boulders and convey a sense of living in the lap of nature. Enjoy delicious meals at the restaurant and be transported to the pioneering days of farming by the carefully arranged décor. Read a book at leisure on the terrace shaded by trees or relax at the swimming pool with vistas beyond the Fish River Canyon.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 3: CANYON LODGE GONDWANA COLLECTION NAMIBIA, FISH RIVER CANYON

Activities

Fish River Canyon Viewpoint

Fish River Canyon Viewpoint

Located in Southern Namibia the Fish River Canyon is the largest canyon in Africa and draws many visitors each year. This viewpoint has a beautiful panoramic view of the canyon where visitors can witness the Fish River flow through sharp corners amidst rocky terrain.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 4: KLEIN-AUS VISTA DESERT HORSE INN GONDWANA COLLECTION NAMIBIA, AUS

Aus

This region is typified by the Succulent Karoo. The distinctive climatic characteristics of the Succulent Karoo make it different from all other deserts in the world. Rainfall is reliable and predictable, falling mostly in winter, and prolonged droughts are rare.

The Succulent Karoo’s botanical diversity is unparalleled by any other arid region on earth and is the world’s only plant hotspot that is entirely arid. This eco region is home to greater than 5,000 higher plant species, nearly 40% of which are endemic, and 18 percent of which are threatened. It has the richest succulent flora in the world, harbouring about one-third of the world’s approximately 10,000 succulent species.

Other unique features include the diversity of miniature succulents (435 spp.) and geophytes (bulb-like plants 630 spp.). The eco region is also a centre of diversity and endemism for reptiles and many invertebrate taxa, especially monkey beetles (Rutelinae: Hoplinii). The Namib Desert eco region to the north is characterized by extremely low and variable summer rain (less than 50 mm per year), and extremely sparse plant cover, dominated by ephemerals. To the east lies the Nama Karoo eco region, a low open shrub land with variable grass cover and highly variable rain that falls mainly in the late summer months.

Activities

Wild Horses of the Namib

Wild Horses of the Namib

Fighting for a life in freedom they hold an irresistible fascination: the Wild Horses of the Namib in south-western Namibia. For centuries their origin was shrouded in mystery. Their habitat, the barren plains around Garub on the eastern fringe of the Namib Desert, is no paradise; nevertheless they have managed to adapt to the harsh conditions.

Their forebears, once in the service of man, gained freedom for themselves: a life in the vastness of the Namib, away from human civilization, according to the rules of their own horse society. Perhaps this is the reason for the fascination of thousands of visitors every year. Plans for moving the herd to farms have been discarded by now: it has been decided that also in future the horses’ place is in Namib Naukluft Park.

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 4	Canyon Lodge Gondwana Collection Namibia	Klein-Aus Vista Desert Horse Inn Gondwana Collection Namibia		Quantum/Coach or similar

Overnight: Klein – Aus Vista Desert Horse Inn Gondwana Collection Namibia     

Located in the Aus Mountains at 1,400metres above sea level, Desert Horse Inn affords grand vistas of mountain scenery and sweeping desert plains. It consists of 24 spacious and tastefully decorated en suite rooms. Relax with sundowners on the wooden deck before enjoying a 3-course meal in the restaurant. Exchange travel experiences and recommendations at the evocative Wild Horse Bar or at the cosy fireplace in the lounge.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 5: KLEIN – AUS VISTA DESERT HORSE INN GONDWANA COLLECTION NAMIBIA, AUS

Activities

Kolmanskop

Kolmanskop

Amongst the sands of the Namib, the crumbling buildings of a small, once-luxurious town emerge from the drifting dunes. This ghost town is Kolmanskop, a reminder of the wealth of a time when diamonds could be picked by hand from the desert and a remarkable photographic opportunity with few equals anywhere on earth. To the imaginative but uninformed, the “Sperrgebiet” (forbidden diamond territory) conjures up images of watchtowers, electric fences, barbed wire and ferocious guard dogs protecting the restricted area. This may tickle the fancy but could hardly be further from reality. In fact, for most parts there is nothing – nothing but the limitless desert and the occasional forlorn notice board with its stern WARNING! WAARSKUWING! WARNUNG! ELONDWELO! And then you find Kolmanskop, a deserted Ghost Town in the Sperrgebiet – once a cosmopolitan centre where diamonds were lying around like “plums under a plum tree”, a town built to last…until the diamonds ran out. Today Kolmanskop stands as a haunting monument to the day’s boom and bust, where once opulent homes, shops, hospital and theatre surrender slowly to the relentless heat and encroaching desert sand.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 6:  SOSSUSVLEI LODGE, NAMIB DESERT

Namib Desert

The Namib is the world’s oldest desert, and although it stretches along the entire length of Namibia’s coastline, the Namib commonly refers to the vast sea of sand from Luderitz to Swakopmund.

For a big sandy desert the scenery is remarkably varied, with the giant red dunes of Sossusvlei being the most famous part. Because of how old it is the Namib is home to numerous species that don’t occur elsewhere and although no humans live in the desert an amazing array of flora and fauna manages to survive here.

Famous species include the Welwitschia – a living fossil plant, endemic chameleons, fur seals along the coast, brown hyenas, jackals and remarkably one of Africa’s largest antelope the Gemsbok. The name Namib is of Nama origin and means “vast place” and vast it certainly is.

Activities

Sossusvlei Lodge Sundowner Drive

Sossusvlei Lodge Sundowner Drive

Depart from the Lodge in the late afternoon in open game viewer vehicles. Breath-taking views over the desert grass plains with occasional photo stops where the knowledgeable guides explain the desert fauna and flora. For sunset go higher up to the mountains to watch a spectacular sunset while enjoying sundowner drinks and snacks.

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 6	Klein-Aus Vista Desert Horse Inn Gondwana Collection Namibia	Sossusvlei Lodge		Quantum/Coach or similar

Overnight: Sossusvlei Lodge  

Situated at the Entrance Gate to the Namib Naukluft Park, Sossusvlei Lodge offers direct access to the towering red sand dunes, the famous pan of Sossusvlei, the scorched black trees of Dead Vlei and the remarkable depths of the Sesriem Canyon.

The 45 individual luxurious accommodation units at Sossusvlei Lodge are carefully laid out to perfectly blend in with the magnificent surrounding natural environment. Each fully air-conditioned unit has a patio, en-suite bathroom with shower and a spacious bedroom under canvas with adobe-style plaster walls to give the visitor a distinctive sense of being close to nature.

Experience the true art of Hospitality with the thoughtful touch of attentive staff to contribute to a truly memorable experience. Facilities include a sparkling pool, bar, beer garden and an al fresco terrace where one can enjoy exquisite food, award-winning wines and magnificent views of the floodlit waterhole. The Sossusvlei Lodge Adventure Centre provides a range of activities including Quad-Biking, Guided Excursions, Sun-downer Trips, Hot Air Ballooning, Scenic Flights and much more to explore the area’s natural beauty.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 7:  SOSSUSVLEI LODGE, NAMIB DESERT

Activities

• Sossusvlei
• Dead Vlei
• Sesriem Canyon

Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei’s rich ochre sand dunes offer one of the most mind-blowing sights you will ever experience. Their oscillating crests rise to an astonishing 320m and, with their air of timelessness, create an unforgettable wilderness in the heart of the world’s oldest desert.

Dwarfed by the sheer size of the highest dunes on earth, your ascending footprints look like insect trails leading into infinity. The solitude is immeasurable and your place in the great scheme of life takes on a curious insignificance. The white vleis (clay pans) contrast sharply against the red sand and vast blue sky, while fog-dependent animals and plants seek shelter from the sweltering heat underneath the sand and age-old camel thorn trees.

One of these pans, referred to as Dead Pan, is a large ghostly expanse of dried white clay, punctuated by skeletons of ancient camel-thorn trees, carbon-dated as being between 500 and 600 years old. During this time the flow of the Tsauchab River into the pan was stopped by the formation of a dune belt – hence the trees died, now forming part of Namibia’s own Salvador Dali “painting”.

Dead Vlei

This ancient clay pan was once an oasis, studded with acacias and fed by a river that suddenly changed course, leaving the earth to dry up along with the trees it previously supported. So dry were the climatic conditions that the trees never decomposed – instead they were entirely leached of moisture so that today, 900 years later, they remain as desiccated, blackened sentinels dotting the pan’s cracked surface. Surrounded by the red-pink dunes of the Namib Desert, they create a surreal spectacle that is a photographer’s dream.

Sesriem Canyon

Sesriem Canyon, a deep chasm carved through the rocks by water, is a striking natural feature of the area that is best explored on foot. Stony walls rise up sharply on both sides of the canyon, while birds roost in its crags and lizards dart along the ledges. The canyon’s name was coined when early settlers used it as a water source, using six lengths of leather (‘ses riem – six thongs) tied together to lower buckets into the water at the base of canyon.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 8: HANSA HOTEL, SWAKOPMUND

Swakopmund

With palm-lined streets, seaside promenades and fine accommodation for all budgets, Swakopmund is Namibia’s most popular holiday destination, and its pleasant summer climate and decent beaches attract surfers, anglers and beach lovers from all over Southern Africa.

Thanks to its mild temperatures and negligible rainfall, Swakopmund generally enjoys grit in the oyster. When an easterly wind blows, the town gets a good sand-blasting, and almost perpetual drizzle. The fog rolls up to 30km inland and provides moisture for desert-dwelling plants and animals, including 80 species of lichen. For better or worse, Swakopmund feels overwhelmingly Teutonic – indeed, it has Germany – but for visitors, it’s a Namibia’s adrenalin capital, and offers a wide range of gut-curdling activities from sand boarding and quad-biking to skydiving and camel riding.

Note, however, that it gets especially busy around Namibian school holidays in December and January, when temperatures average around 25ºC.

Activities

Walvis Bay Lagoon

Walvis Bay Salt Works

Walvis Bay Lagoon

Walvis Bay’s calm natural lagoon is a twitcher’s paradise, teeming with roughly 50 species of seabirds, including vivid flocks of flamingos, bulky-billed pelicans and glossy black cormorants. It’s also a popular spot for windsurfing, kitesurfing and kayaking, while the promenade stretching for three kilometres along the water’s edge is a great place for a scenic stroll.

The Lagoon is one of the most important wetland areas on the African continent and a RAMSAR world heritage site. Over 80% of the African flamingos feed in this lagoon and present a breath taking picture when they appear in groups counting a few hundred thousand.

Walvis Bay Salt Works

Spanning 3500 hectares, Walvis Bay’s salt pans are among the largest solar evaporation fields on the African continent, converting millions of tonnes of ocean water to salt each year. Depending on the level of evaporation and the corresponding salinity, different micro-organisms are predominant in the pans, changing the colour of the water from green to pink-red and creating vivid colour contrasts.

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 8	Sossusvlei Lodge	Hansa Hotel		Quantum/Coach or similar

Overnight: Hansa Hotel       

Centrally situated, the hotel serves as the perfect getaway to all tourists amenities which Swakopmund and surrounding areas have to offer, from sand-boarding some of the highest dunes in the world to big game viewing in one of our country’s world-known game parks. Surrounded by local tour operators, aviation and safari offices and five minutes from the beach, the Hansa Hotel is perfect for the discerning traveler looking for an adrenaline filled holiday or merely a bit of relaxation.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 9: CAPE CROSS LODGE, CAPE CROSS

Cape Cross

The small headland of Cape Cross lies on western Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, roughly 60kms north of Henties Bay. The historic area was landed on by the Portuguese in 1486, and they erected a stone cross here in honour of the Portuguese King. In the 1800’s, this was replaced with a cross by German settlers.

The headland is best known for its extraordinary breeding colony of Cape Fur Seals, and has been made a reserve. With the abundance of fish swimming in the cold Benguela current, the seals have plenty to snack on, and they also enjoy lying and playing out in the sun on the wide spread of rocks.

From a 200-metre-long walkway, watch the seals at play and learn about them through the area’s information points.

Activities

Welwitschia Drive

Cape Cross Seal Colony

Welwitschia Drive

Friedrich Martin Joseph  Welwitsch (1806 – 1872) was the distinguished figure destined to bring to the attention of the world one of the most extraordinary curiosities of all living organisms. This plant would arouse more interest and produce more surprises than any of the other 375’000 species known to man. It seems to bear kinship only with a prehistoric flora known today as fossil remains.

Yet somehow it still survives….an anachronism…. a relic of flora long past… a LIVING fossil!! No less unique is the phenomenon of the Welwitschia’s habitat. It occurs in isolated colonies confined to the Namib Desert, generally within a narrow 100 km-wide coastal belt and nowhere else in the world!

Individual Welwitschia plants are estimated to be upwards of 2,500 years old, have crowns of more than 3 feet (1m) in diameter, and leaves that stretch up to 6 feet (2 m) long. With leaves that curl into fantastic shapes along the ground, this plant is considered to be the longest-living member of the plant kingdom

This desolate and forbidding valley of conical and dome shaped hills near Swakopmund is reminiscent of an actual lunar landscape, resembling the lifeless surface of mars itself. The Moonlandscape represents the leftover of an ancient, enormous mountain range.

During more severe weather patterns, the valleys of the mountain range as well as the mountain range itself has been chafed, chiselled and gouged by wind and the waters of the nowadays known Swakop River. Known as “badland topography”, the crumbling granite surface hardly supports any plant life and is best viewed in the late afternoon to enjoy terrific light and shadow contrasts and cooler temperatures.

Cape Cross Seal Colony

Skeleton Coast: an evocative name for one of the most hostile stretches of land found anywhere on earth. Cape Cross forms part of the frontline in the struggle between the icy South Atlantic Ocean and the torrid Namib Desert. As treacherous as it may have been for mankind, this rocky shoreline represents the breeding ground for largest colony of fur seals of Southern Africa.

The area can hardly be described as the most romantic (let alone agreeable) sight for a great moment in the annals of discovery, yet, in this malevolent setting new masters of the sea and technology stepped ashore some six years before Columbus beheld the islands of the new world.

They, the Portuguese, now trod where no white man had ever walked before, and erected a cross (padrao) in their epic moment of triumph, heralding Southern Africa’s encounter with a new and powerful civilization. (The original padrao stands in the Berlin museum but you can view an exact replica at the precise location of the beacon)

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 9	Hansa Hotel	Cape Cross Lodge		Quantum/Coach or similar

Overnight: Cape Cross Lodge         

Literally meters from the fertile Atlantic Ocean, Cape Cross Lodge presents a unique and serene stop for travelers along this vast untamed, seldom explored wilderness on the Skeleton Coast.

Situated alongside the biggest breeding Cape Fur Seal colony in the world, but well out of the “smell” zone, 60km north of Henties Bay and 120km north of Swakopmund. The curious mix of Cape Dutch and West Coast fishing village architecture with colossal windows happily embrace the natural light and affords endless contemplated vistas.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 10: CAMP KIPWE, TWYFELFONTEIN

Twyfelfontein

This National Heritage site confers yet another distinction to Namibia: that of one of the foremost centres of artwork in the world. It counts as the largest open-air art gallery in Southern Africa, its name reflecting a farmer’s incredulity that the unreliable spring (Afrikaans: Twyfelfontein) could have supported the Stone Age hunter and its prey for thousands of years.

The reddish sandstone boulders seem to glow in the fierce heat, yet ancient man sheltered from enemy and spied on game from these surreal rock formations. Here he assiduously carved away at the intractable rock surfaces to imprint his indelible creations.

Today, you can browse amongst these selfsame boulders and slabs of sandstone and marvel at the grandest spectacle of rock engravings in Africa. The area is also home to the geological phenomenon of Burnt Mountain and the Organ Pipes.

Activities

Twyfelfontein Rock Art

Twyfelfontein is a World Heritage Site boasting one of the richest rock art concentrations in Africa. Thousands of tourists come to this site each year to view some 2,500 Stone Age rock engravings. The area is home to 17 rock art sites, which collectively encompass 212 engraved stone slabs. There are an additional 13 sites displaying rock paintings.

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 10	Cape Cross Lodge	Camp Kipwe		Quantum/Coach or similar

Overnight: Camp Kipwe      

Camp Kipwe is an intimate and remote bush lodge located in Namibia’s arid yet starkly beautiful Twyfelfontein region, home to many ancient Bushman etchings. The 9 specially-designed rooms are unique and private, with an outdoor bathroom, thatched roofs and spectacular views over the surrounding area. A luxury thatched suite with a lounge equipped with air-conditioning, a satellite television, a double room with en-suite bathroom, laundry service and a mini-bar.

Special offers available for longer stays! Camp Kipwe offers guided nature walks around the Twyfelfontein Conservancy, as well as trips to see the Bushman etchings, the mysterious Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain. For a very special experience, an Elephant Nature Drive is a must-do; explore the terrain in search of these elusive desert-dwelling elephants who have adapted to the dry and sandy conditions of northern Namibia.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 11: GROOTBERG LODGE, PALMWAG

Palmwag

Palmwag is beautifully located along a palm-lined tributary of the Uniab River. Water is scarce in this area, so the river’s presence often lures elephants closer to the camps. Palmwag is situated halfway between Swakopmund and Etosha and is the ideal base from which to see the sights of the Kunene region or embark on one of the many local hiking trails.

Activities

Morning Desert Elephant/Nature Drive out of Camp Kipwe

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Vehicle
Day 11	Camp Kipwe	Grootberg Lodge		Quantum/Coach or similar (Transfer)

Overnight: Grootberg Lodge

14 Twin and 2 family rock and thatch chalets gaze out over the Klip River Valley, where Black Eagles hunt just below your private deck. Two family units provide enough space for parents and two children to share comfortably.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 12: OPUWO COUNTRY LODGE, KAOKOVELD

Kaokoveld

Kaokoland is a compendium of the story of the earth, the product of a quintessential performance of nature not seen elsewhere. It has moulded a landscape of its own – strong, independent and inhospitable – for loneliness breeds individuality. It is one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Southern Africa.

It is a world of incredible mountain scenery, a refuge for the rare desert dwelling elephant, black rhino and giraffe and the home of the Himba people. Although it is harsh and offers little respite at midday, the rugged landscape is especially attractive during the early morning and late afternoon when it is transformed into softly glowing pastel shades.

The topography in the south of the area is characterised by rugged mountains which are dissected by numerous watercourses, but north of the Hoarusib River the scenery is dominated by table-top hills. Still further north, the Otjihipa Mountains rise abruptly above the Namib floor to form the eastern boundary of the Marienfluss, while the west of the valley is defined by the Hartmann Mountains.

The Marienfluss valley is very scenic and relatively greener than the Hartmann’s valley. Hartmann’s valley is closer to the Atlantic and yet much more arid. However, it does have a strange atmosphere when the sea mists drift inland. One of the most spectacular landmarks of the area is the Epupa falls. Several pools at the base of the waterfall allow for (relatively) crocodile free swimming.

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Vehicle
Day  12	Grootberg Lodge	Opuwo Country Lodge		Quantum/Coach or similar (Transfer)

Overnight: Opuwo Country Lodge  

The Opuwo Country Lodge is situated on a hilltop with breath-taking views overlooking a valley, offering a 360° view and. magnificent sunset. Discover the culture of Namibia’s indigenous nomadic Ovahimba people. The hotel is within easy reach of Kaoko, Otavi, Epupa Falls & Swartboois Drift.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 13: OPUWO COUNTRY LODGE, KAOKOVELD

Activities

Himba Village visit

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 14: PROTEA HOTEL BY MARRIOTT ONDANGWA, OVAMBOLAND

Ovamboland

The Region of Owamboland (or the 4 O’s) is Namibia’s most densely populated area and consists of a number of closely associated ethnic groups collectively referred to as Ovambo or Ambo. The language itself is also collectively referred to as the Oshivambo language and originates from Bantu, it is however divided into many different dialects.

The region, apart from the majestic Kunene River that flows throughout the year, is made up of flat sandy plains that are bisected by the so-called “Oshanas” (pans). When these are filled with water and mirror the long and narrow makalani palm trees on their water surfaces, Owambo land becomes one of the most scenic areas to visit.

In combination with the traditional villages and the overall traditional lifestyle still being lived here, travelling the area gives you the impression of having gone back in time to the undisturbed Africa 200 years ago.

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer  Vehicle
Day 14	Opuwo Country Lodge	Protea Hotel by Marriott Ondangwa		Quantum/Coach or similar

Overnight: Protea Hotel by Marriott Ondangwa    

Protea Hotels Ondangwa is situated in the cultural heartland of Namibia, approximately 92km from the spectacular Etosha National Park in the far north of the country. Represented by most government ministries and financial institutions, Ondongwa cutural experience offers informal markets and a host of experiences.

Protea Hotels Ondangwa offers 90 air-conditioned and en-suite rooms, including 2 suites, as well as a bar, restaurant and conference facilities. Leisure facilities include a swimming pool and gardens, while nearby attractions include a Cuca shop tour and cultural tourism route.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 15: ONGUMA BUSH CAMP, ONGUMA GAME RESERVE

Onguma Game Reserve

Situated on the eastern side of Etosha, bordering Fisher’s Pan, Onguma Game Reserve is one of Namibia’s best kept secrets! Here you will be afforded the opportunity of experiencing Africa in all her beauty and diversity.

Onguma Game Reserve has more than 34,000 hectares of protected land and wildlife. Our nature reserve boasts over thirty different animal species consisting of plains game including kudu, giraffe, eland, oryx, hartebeest, zebra, impala and many more roam freely as well as predators such as lion, cheetah, leopard, being common residents of the area.

The latest addition to the already abundant wildlife at Onguma Game Reserve is a family of black rhinos! More than 300 bird species can also be viewed at Onguma Game Reserve. During the Namibian summer months the nature reserve becomes a bird-watchers paradise with thousands of species migrating to the wetlands created by the seasonal rains and ephemeral river systems.

Activities

Open Vehicle Etosha Game Drive

Open Vehicle Etosha Game Drive

Enjoy a guided game drive through the Etosha National Park searching for predators, plains game, reptiles & birds. Open game viewer vehicles ensure that guests enjoy the best possible view and photographic opportunities. Depending on the time of year, these game drives take many different routes, but most often focus around the waterholes where you are most likely to see a variety of wildlife quenching their thirst.

Transfers

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 15	Protea Hotel by Marriott Ondangwa	Onguma Bush Camp		Quantum/Coach   or similar

Overnight: Onguma Bush Camp      

Onguma Bush Camp is ideal for families who would like to have a base from which they can explore Etosha National Park. Upon your return, relax and cool off around our pool while watching a spectacular sunset… and the children can run around on the lawns as this is an enclosed camp. Dinner is served in our dining area overlooking a large waterhole. Here you will be treated to an excellent combination of European and traditional African cuisine while watching the game coming to drink.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 16: ONGUMA BUSH CAMP, ONGUMA GAME RESERVE

Activities

Open Vehicle Etosha Game Drive

Open Vehicle Etosha Game Drive

Enjoy a guided game drive through the Etosha National Park searching for predators, plains game, reptiles & birds. Open game viewer vehicles ensure that guests enjoy the best possible view and photographic opportunities. Depending on the time of year, these game drives take many different routes, but most often focus around the waterholes where you are most likely to see a variety of wildlife quenching their thirst.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 17: OKONJIMA PLAINS CAMP, OKONJIMA NATURE RESERVE

Okonjima Nature Reserve

The 96km fence surrounding the 22.000ha Okonjima private, Nature Reserve was finally completed in 2010. This fence has created:

– a 20.000ha reserve for Captive Carnivore rehabilitation (also home to Brown Hyenas and the resident Leopards);

– a 2.000ha ‘safe’ area around Main Camp, Bush Camp, Bush Suite, the Omboroko Campsite and the PAWS Environmental Education Centre.

Although hunting is instinctive in carnivores, many of the cheetahs at AFRICAT lack experience due to being orphaned or removed from the wild at an early age. This inexperience, as well as their conditioning to captivity, makes them unsuitable for release.

The 200km (20.000ha) NATURE RESERVE | PARK, provides captive cheetahs and other carnivores with the opportunity to hone their hunting skills and become self-sustaining and thereby giving them a chance to return to the wild. The captive cheetahs are fitted with radio-collars prior to their release into the reserve, so that their welfare and progress can be closely monitored.

Rehabilitation gives a captive carnivore a second chance to be released back into the wild and to take the time it needs, to become a completely independent hunter – in a protected area right in the middle of commercial farmland!

Activities

Afternoon Activity with Okonjima

Transfer

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 17	Onguma Bush Camp	Okonjima Plains Camp		Quantum/Coach or similar

Overnight: Okonjima Plains Camp   

Not only is Okonjima a luxury lodge, but it is also home to The AfriCat Foundation, a non-profit organisation, committed to long-term conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores, especially cheetahs and leopards. A visit to Okonjima will give you an opportunity to witness some of AfriCat’s work. MAIN CAMP is the original Hanssen-family farmhouse, reconstructed as a lodge in 1992.

Basis

Full Board – Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 18: END OF ITINERARY

Activities

Morning Activity with Okonjima

Date	Pick Up	Drop Off	Time	Transfer Vehicle
Day 18	Okonjima Plains Camp	Hosea Kutako International Airport [WDH]		Quantum/Coach or similar

Included

• All transfers and transport as per itinerary.
• Accommodation and meals as indicated in the itinerary.
• Portages during the whole trip.
• Entrance Fees at all parks which are visited in Namibia.
• Bottled water on the Safari vehicle.
• English Speaking Guide/ Driver including his/their costs for accommodation and meals.
• Emergency medical evacuation covers evacuation to the nearest hospital but does not cover medical costs incurred. Guests accordingly are advised to take out adequate insurance cover for medical treatments and any further emergency transportation costs in their home country.
• Sturdy, air-conditioned coaches, built for our environment.
• Travel Planner – 1 per room.
• Value Added Tax.

 Excluded

• All expenses of a personal nature.
• All optional excursions and activities.
• Tips for the tour guide.
• International Flights and Airport Taxes.
• Travel Insurance.