The style is full
participation camping with no frills attached.
Price
per person: 01 January 2012 – 30 June 2012 - N$ 4,500.00 +
Local Payment: N$ 1,500.00 to be paid in
cash on day of tour
Minimum number
of people requirement: four
Departures will
start on a Saturday subject to a minimum of four guests traveling.
There is no single supplement. Collection time is between 08:00
& 08:30 from anywhere within the Windhoek city limits.
Safari Tour
Overview
| Day |
Destinations |
Accommodation |
Meals |
| Sat |
Windhoek
– Onguma Reserve /
border of Etosha – Namutoni side |
Camping |
L, D |
| Sun |
Okaukuejo
Resort |
Camping |
B, L, D |
| Mon |
Damaraland
– Twyfelfontein |
Camping |
B, L, D |
| Tue |
Swakopmund |
Camping |
B, L |
| Wed |
Swakopmund |
Camping |
B |
| Thur |
Swakopmund
– Namib Desert |
Camping |
B, L, D |
| Fri |
Namib
Desert |
Camping |
B, L, D |
| Sat |
Namib
Desert – Windhoek |
Camping |
B, L |
B = Breakfast;
L = Lunch; D = Dinner
Safari Tour Details
Saturday
Windhoek – Onguma Game Reserve (530 km) (LD) (camping)
You
will be collected between 08:00 & 08:30.
We
travel north, stopping at small towns along the way including
Okahandja, where we have time to visit Namibia’s largest wood
carving market. The market is operated on a local co-operative basis
and is one of the best places to shop for truly Namibian souvenirs.
We
continue north to the town of Otjiwarongo which provides a
convenient stop over on route to the north of the country. As, with
most towns in central Namibia the name Otjiwarongo originates from
the Herero language, which translated means “place of the fat
cattle” or “beautiful place”. Given the central role that
cattle play in the Herero culture, both meanings are appropriate.
The town was officially founded in 1906 upon the arrival of the
narrow gauge railway linking the important mining center of Tsumeb
and the coastal town of Swakopmund.
The
next stop will be at Tsumeb, From 1905 the town of Tsumeb was
closely linked with the mining industry, but mining operations have
since been scaled down considerably. The colorful jacarandas,
flamboyant trees and bougainvillea that line Tsumeb streets have
earned it the name of Namibia’s garden town.
Our
destination today is a private Game Reserve situated outside Etosha
National Park, on the Namutoni side, we aim to arrive in mid
afternoon, affording us time to set up camp.
Situated
on the eastern side of Etosha, bordering Fischers Pan the Reserve
has more than 20,000 hectares of protected land and wildlife. The
Reserve boasts over thirty different animal species consisting of
plain game including kudu, giraffe, eland, oryx, hartebeest, zebra,
impala and many more roam freely as well as predators such as lion,
cheetah and leopard being common residents of the area.
Sunday
Onguma – Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park. (game drive) (BLD)
(camping)
A full
day’s game driving. We leave Onguma as soon as the National Park
entrance gates open to enjoy the cool morning air as we game drive
our way through Etosha to Halali camp, situated in the middle of the
park. Along the way we visit several waterholes and are afforded
splendid views of the massive Etosha Pan. The game viewing is
usually excellent and we have the chance to tick off a few new
species that are not normally seen on the Namutoni side of the park.
We
stop at Halali for a rest and a leisurely lunch. There is time to
visit the Halali waterhole and to make use of the swimming pool and
bar facilities before continuing on our way and game driving down to
Okaukuejo.
We
overnight camping style at Okaukuejo Resort situated inside the
National Park. In the evening, there is a floodlit waterhole for you
to enjoy viewing more wildlife at your leisure.
Monday
Etosha – Twyfelfontein. (350km) (BLD) (camping)
Leaving
the Etosha area we begin our journey south with a relatively short
drive to the small town of Outjo.
Today we head into one of the most beautiful desert regions in
Namibia, Damaraland. We drive south to the capital of this region,
the small town of Khorixas, and then take a detour to the west to
overnight on the banks of a dry riverbed near the ancient Bushman
rock engravings at Twyfelfontein.
Visit
the organ pipes and burnt mountain. Optional extra: making use of a
local guide guests can conduct a short guided tour to Twyfelfontein
(meaning doubtful fountain) is a massive, open-air art gallery of
great interest to international rock art connoisseurs. Regarded as
one of the richest collections in Africa, this treasure house left
by stone-age artists is the first site in Namibia to be given
recognition by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Tuesday
Twyfelfontein – Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast (410 km) (BL) (camping)
From
here we head deeper into the desert and pass Namibia’s highest
mountain, The Brandberg, (2573 m).
We
make a stop in the small town of Uis, an old mining town, and one of
the best places to buy semi-precious stones, for which Namibia is
famous. Here, rough Amethyst, Tourmaline etc can be found at bargain
prices.
From
here we turn directly west and cross the “gravel plains” on our
way to the Atlantic Ocean and the Skeleton Coast. Our final
destination is Swakopmund, following the Skeleton Coast into
Namibia’s premier seaside town.
The
Swakopmund section of the trip is designed to allow people to relax
either with the group, or on their own. Only breakfast is provided,
this is to allow you to plan your time here with as much flexibility
as possible and not to be tied to group meal times. It also gives
you the chance to sample some of the excellent local cafes and
restaurants. The seafood in Swakopmund is superb. Your guide will
offer to organize a group meal in a local restaurant for this
evening. Participation is recommended but by no means required.
Dinner
this evening in not included in the price of the safari and will be
for the client’s own account.
Wednesday
Swakopmund (camping)
Today
is a free day. The idea is to allow time for everybody to do their
own activity, even if that is just relaxin! Swakopmund is a very
pleasant seaside town with lots of shops, a good stretch of beach
(although the Atlantic here is quite cold) and an open-air curio
market. There is also a very good museum and the Namibian National
Marine Aquarium is located in Swakopmund.
Alternatively,
there are various optional activities that can be arranged. These
include plane and micro-light flights over the desert, scenic
drives, fishing trips (both from the beach or in a boat), four-wheel
motorcycle (quad bike) trips into the desert and over the sand dunes
around Swakopmund, sand boarding trips (also in the dunes),
skydiving, surfing, bird-watching and many other activities are
available.
Your
tour guide will discuss all the possible options with you before you
reach Swakopmund and will offer to make bookings in advance of your
arrival. (N.B. All extra activities and excursions in Swakopmund are
subject to availability and are made at the clients’ own risk and
expense).
Dinner
this evening is not included in the price of the safari and will be
for the client’s own account
Thursday
Swakopmund – Namib Desert area (300 km) (BLD) (camping)
We
first make a stop at Walvis Bay, situated about 40 km south of
Swakopmund. South of the town there is a large marine lagoon which
is home to a vast array of marine bird-life, in particular
flamingos.
We will make a short visit to the lagoon to see the birds and a
short visit to Walvis Bay to collect any last minute supplies before
once again heading out into the desert.
The
second part of our journey today takes us across more of the
seemingly endless Namib gravel plains. Then the landscape suddenly
changes and we are into the mountain desert.
We
traverse both the Kuiseb and Gaub passes, driving both times to the
river beds at the bottom of the canyons and then climbing the long
steep road to the top and the spectacular panoramas the mountains
give us. Again the scenery changes as we make our way down to the
dune fields.
We
cross some open grass savannah and farmlands before the terrain
begins to give way to the immense red sand dune desert of the Namib
and from here it is only a short distance to our next stop, the tiny
town of Solitaire. Optional extra: visit the ‘N/a’an ku se and
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Foundation’, a 500 hectare Conservation Center
which hosts an educational center and wildlife tracking within the
purpose built enclosures and receive information on the carnivore
surveillance in the greater Namib area.
We aim
to arrive at our camp during the late afternoon and watch the
colours glow and change on distant mountains to the east.
Friday
Namib Desert – Sesriem / Sossusvlei – Namib Desert (220 km) (BLD)
(camping)
A pre
dawn start is essential this morning as we want to catch the soft
light of the sunrise on the desert. After passing through Sesriem,
the gateway to the dunes and driving into the heart of the dune
field, we reach Sossusvlei itself by walking the last 5 km through
the dunes.
In the
cool of the morning, with soft sunlight just beginning to play over
the dunes creating a sharp light and shadow contrast across the
whole desert, the walk is like nothing else. Ancient mineral pans,
stunted camel thorn trees and the chance of seeing a gemsbok or
maybe an ostrich make the photo opportunities perfect.
We
spend the morning in and around Sossusvlei, also visiting Dune 45
and Sesriem canyon before heading back to our campsite for
overnight.
Saturday
Sesriem area – Windhoek (320 km) (BL)
After
breakfast we begin our journey over the mountains and along scenic
roads, back to Windhoek. We will travel over the Naukluft Mountains
and also the Khomas Hochland range, through beautiful Remhoogte Pass
on our way back to civilization.
We are
due back into the city around 15:00 and you will be dropped off at
your accommodation on our return.
This affordable
budget safari has been designed to operate during Namibia’s
‘Green Season’.