Name: 14 Day Mammal Safari Holiday in Namibia
Brand: Nature Travel Namibia
Price: 94100 ZAR
Availability: InStock

Accommodation

Check-in Time:

14:00

Check-out Time:

10:00

During this safari trip, you will be staying in various accommodations in a shared twin room or private twin room.

Program

Day 0: Arrival in Windhoek (Hosea Kutako International Airport)

Welcome to Namibia! Today is not part of the official mammal safari but as you are departing at around 9 am tomorrow (13 May 2024), Nature Travel Namibia advises that you arrive a day early. Accommodation, meals, and airport transfers are not included but they can arrange all of this for you. Please let them know should you need assistance with booking any additional services.

Day 1: Start of tour - Okonjima Nature Reserve

Welcome to Namibia! After meeting you at your Windhoek hotel, you will depart for Okonjima Lodge near Otjiwarongo in central Namibia where you will spend your first evening. On arrival, you will enjoy lunch, and have time to settle in and freshen up, before departing for the afternoon activity which will be Leopard tracking with the lodge.

During your tracking game drive, you will be on the lookout for leopard but could also spot Kirk's Dikdik, common eland, hartebeest (cama subspecies), white rhinoceros, mountain zebra (Hartmannae subspecies), common rock Hyrax, Gemsbok, yellow mongoose, Greater Kudu, giraffe, and springbok.

Some of the carnivores are fitted with a radio collar which contributes valuable information to the research project and gives us the chance to get a glimpse into the lives of these rarely seen cats. You will enjoy a sundowner drink in the bush before arriving back at the lodge in time to relax around the fire before dinner.

Day 2: Okonjima Nature Reserve

Today, you will have a full day to explore the reserve with a combination of game drives and walks searching for some of the resident mammal species. Some of the smaller mammals, you will be targeting on the Okonjima property include Dassie rat, woodland dormouse, Bushveld Sengi, and a variety of Gerbils including Bushveld, cape, hairy-footed, and Highveld Gerbil.

For those of you keen to take a break during the warm part of the day you can enjoy a long siesta or Nature Travel Namibia can arrange a visit to the Africat Centre where you have the opportunity to learn more about the Namibian population of free-roaming predators (lion, leopard, hyena, and smaller species) and the way this foundation is trying to protect them living on private cattle farms.

They also have a very interesting rehabilitation center here where you can get close-up views of these amazing animals. They currently focus on research on lesser known species such as Pangolin and brown hyena helping you get a better understanding of these fascinating animals. You will end the day with sundowner drinks and dinner at the lodge and afterward, you will do another night drive searching for nocturnal mammals.

Day 3: Roy’s Camp

After an early morning walk around the lodge, you will make your way north to your overnight stop near the town of Grootfontein. Although today is mostly a driving day, you should see some roadside mammals that might include Chacma baboon, Gemsbok, Greater Kudu, hartebeest (Caama subspecies), steenbok, and common warthog. You should arrive at your lodge by mid to late afternoon. You will spend some time walking in the area around the lodge, looking for some smaller mammals.

Day 4: Mahango National Park

After an early morning coffee and short walk, you will make your way further east through the broadleaved woodland between Rundu and Mahango National Park. You should arrive around lunchtime and will have the afternoon to explore the riverine woodland around the lodge or do a game drive in the park.

The location and habitat around the lodge are good for Shortridge’s Mastomys (Multimammate Mouse) as well as Smith’s Bush Squirrel. Mahango National Park offers exceptional game viewing with the main mammal targets being Sable and Roan antelope, topi (Tsessebe subspecies), Southern Lechwe (Lechwe subspecies), African buffalo, and bushbuck which you will not have the opportunity to see again on this safari.

Day 5: Mahangu and Buffalo National Parks

Today, you will have a full day to explore Bwabwata National Park (both the Mahangu and Buffalo sections) is well known for their big buffalo herds and plenty of hippopotami. Besides some of the species mentioned before, you might see African elephant, lion, leopard, African wild dog, plains zebra, impala, common duiker, Greater Kudu, giraffe, and common warthog.

You will either enjoy a packed lunch in the park or return to the lodge for lunch overlooking the river. This part of the Okavango River is home to huge Nile crocodiles and plenty of hippos. The resident bushbuck and vervet are always around and if you are lucky, you might see African elephants from the deck at the lodge. Late afternoon, you will join the lodge for a dinner cruise on the Okavango River.

Day 6: Etosha National Park East

You will start with a cup of coffee or tea overlooking the Okavango River enjoying a spectacular sunrise. Nature Travel Namibia has personally seen African Wild Dogs hunting from the viewing deck a few times and a colleague did see a leopard on a recent trip.

Today is mostly a traveling day (you can do a quick early morning game drive in Mahangu) as you leave the tropical Caprivi and Okavango regions behind and make your way south to Etosha which is one of the great game reserves of Africa and offers game viewing that is as good as you can find anywhere in Africa. You should arrive at the beautiful lodge by mid-afternoon. If you arrive in time, you will depart for a short afternoon game drive but after sitting for most of the day, you will often just enjoy a nice leisurely walk around lodge gardens.

Day 7: Etosha National Park East

Today will be dedicated to exploring the eastern section of the vast Etosha National Park. From a mammal point of view, you will search for the endemic Kirk’s Dikdik (Namibian subspecies), African elephant, lion, black rhinoceros, giraffe, spotted hyaena, leopard, black-backed jackal, black-faced impala (another endemic subspecies), hartebeest (Red subspecies), Gemsbok (Namibia’s national animal), Greater Kudu, and springbok.

This part of Etosha is the best chance to see cheetahs and you will visit all of the known hotspots for seeing them. After lunch, you will spend the afternoon visiting various waterholes to see if you can spot some of the target list mammals drinking. You might be lucky to get a herd of elephants drinking at Groot Okevi or Tsumcor waterhole and Nature Travel Namibia hopes to see common eland at Chudop or Klein Namutoni.

This waterhole is the perfect last stop in the park with the setting sun behind you offering incredible photographic opportunities. After arrival at your lodge, you will freshen up, meet up for sundowner drinks, and enjoy another Namibia dinner in the African bush.

Day 8: Etosha National Park South

Today, you will make your way to the central section of the park with a full day of game viewing. You will stop at two waterholes where you will often find Spotted Hyena drinking early morning and often have lions walking across the open plains returning from their hunt.

Although Etosha is famous and probably the best place to see Black Rhino, you will visit an area where you have a chance to see white rhinoceros and your only chance on this safari. You will stop for lunch at Halali Resort giving you a chance for a short break and a quick visit to the camp waterhole. By mid to late afternoon, you will arrive at Okaukuejo resort, famous for its flood-lit waterhole at the edge of camp which offers fantastic game viewing with African elephants, black rhinoceros, and giraffes visiting on most nights, and lions seen often.

Day 9: Etosha National Park South

After an early breakfast, you will use the first few hours of the day to explore the Okondeka Plains north of Okaukuejo. This area is also very good to try and find some of the smaller predators like bat-eared foxes, black-backed jackals, cape foxes, and African wildcats. You will then leave Etosha and head towards Tandala Ridge located South of Etosha National Park. Tandala Ridge is a great spot for mammal enthusiasts.

Day 10: Brandberg Region

This morning, you will enjoy an early breakfast and do a short walk around the lodge. From here, you will make your way south to Damaraland where you will spend one night. As the scenery changes, you will start looking out for desert-adapted animals that call this area their home. There is an option to stop at some of the Twyfelfontein area rock engravings - this is a long detour so please let Nature Travel Namibia know in advance.

This beautiful mountainous region is also home to an assortment of scientifically important desert-adapted wildlife such as the desert-adapted elephants, black rhinoceros, Hartmann’s mountain zebra and lion, springbok, gemsbok, giraffe, and steenbok. You might also be lucky to encounter the famous desert-adapted elephants of north-western Namibia which move up and down the Ugab River during your stay.

Day 11: Erongo Mountains

You will spend the early morning exploring around the Brandberg area and then make your way to the Erongo Mountains where you will spend the night. Dassie Rat and Common Rock Hyrax are common mammals while black mongoose, slender mongoose, central African large-spotted genet, steenbok, Kirk's Dik-dik, leopard, and caracal are sometimes seen in this area. After arriving at the lodge and enjoyed lunch, you will settle into your rooms before you start exploring the area looking for smaller mammals.

Day 12: Swakopmund and Walvis Bay

After an early morning walk (looking for any specials you might have missed) and a great breakfast, you will make your way to the coast where you will spend the night. After arriving in Swakopmund and settling into the hotel for the evening, you will spend the afternoon at the Walvis Bay Lagoon which has been declared a Ramsar site of global importance for thousands of waders that are found here.

You will return to Swakopmund to meet up for sundowner drinks and afterward enjoy a wonderful meal at one of the many great restaurants in town. Some of the mammals will be in search of in the area include the four-striped grass mouse, Namib round-eared Sengi, littledale’s whistling rat, and the near-endemic Southern Pygmy Gerbil.

Day 13: Walvis Bay and Windhoek

Early morning after a cup of coffee, you will make your way to Walvis Bay Harbour, where you will do a morning boat cruise to search for some of the mammals on the list. During the cruise, you will be on the lookout for South African fur seal, heaviside’s dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, Bryde’s whale, humpback whale, and killer whale (Orca).

Note: Some of these species are only in Namibian waters during certain times of the year and although you might be lucky sightings of whales are not guaranteed. After your boat cruise, you will enjoy lunch in Walvis Bay and the start making your way back to Windhoek where you will spend your last night in Namibia. You will stay overnight at a small reserve just outside Windhoek.

Day 14: Departure

This morning after a leisurely breakfast, you will make your way to the airport where you will take your return flight home. Depending on your departure flight time, there is an option to do game drive with the lodge on their grounds.

Included excursions

Boat cruise on Okavango River
Boat cruise from Walvis Bay

Location

This safari trip will take place across Namibia starting from Windhoek to Okonjima Nature Reserve in Otjiwarongo, Grootfontein, Mahango National Park, Bwabwata National Park, Etosha National Park (east and south), Damaraland (Brandberg Region), Erongo Mountains, Swakopmund, and Walvis Bay.

Okonjima Nature Reserve: Predator conservation
Zambezi: Mahango Game Park and wildlife
Etosha National Park: Wildlife
Damaraland: Desert-adapted wildlife
Skeleton Coast: Swakopmund and Walvis Bay: Marine life

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Food

All meals except dinner in Swakopmund (lunch may be packed or en-route) are included. You will also get drinking water inside the car.

The following meals are included:

Breakfast
Lunch

The following drinks are included:

Water

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

What's included

13 nights accommodation on a double-sharing basis
Private air-conditioned vehicle
All meals except dinner in Swakopmund (lunch may be packed or en-route)
All park entry fees
Airport transfer fees
Provision of drinking water inside the car only
Activities as specified in the itinerary
Specialist nature travel guide

What's not included

International flights
Visa fees
Extra optional activities not specified in the itinerary
Laundry
Drinks
Items of a personal nature
Other unspecified cost in the itinerary

How to get there

Recommended Airports

WDH

Hosea Kutako International Airport

42 km

Transfer available for additional US$ 29 per person

Arrival by airplane

Please book your flight to arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) one day before the tour. Transfer to accommodation establishment in Windhoek is available for an additional cost of 500 ZAR. Collection from the accommodation establishment on the start day of the safari and to the airport on the last day are included in the price.

Airport: Hosea Kutako International Airport Airport transfer available: Hosea Kutako International Airport (US$ 29 per person) Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.

Cancellation Policy

A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.

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Day 0: Arrival in Windhoek (Hosea Kutako International Airport)