Name: 8 Day Namibia Classic Private Guided Safari
Brand: Nature Travel Namibia
Price: 117400 ZAR
Availability: InStock

Accommodation

Check-in Time:

14:00

Check-out Time:

10:00

All the accommodations used in this safari trip are mid-range accommodations. Nature Travel Namibia can however change any of the suggested accommodation options in the itinerary to suit your preferences. During this safari, you will be staying in the following accommodations:

Namib Desert Lodge
Swakopmund Sands Hotel
Twyfelfontein Country Lodge
Etosha Safari Lodge
Mushara Bush Camp

Program

Day 1: Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert

Welcome to Namibia! After arriving at Hosea Kutako International Airport outside the country’s capital city of Windhoek, your Nature Travel Namibia guide will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall of the airport with your name on a signboard. After loading your luggage into the vehicle, you will start making your way to the first destination; the iconic Sossusvlei.

You will not have much time to spend in Windhoek itself, but it is a very interesting small city nonetheless. It sits at 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) above sea level (the 12th highest capital in the world) in the Khomas Hochland plateau area between the Auas and Eros mountain ranges.

It is home to about 400,000 people at a low density of only 63 people per square kilometer and has over 300 sunny days per year. You will drive through the Khomas Highland and down the escarpment via one of the many scenic mountain passes into the Namib Desert. This journey will take about 4 to 5 hours, depending on the number of stops for photographs.

You will certainly start seeing some of Namibia’s fantastic fauna and flora along the way, including common ostrich, gemsbok, pale chanting goshawk, sociable weavers, or even a Greater Kudu. You will reach your accommodation in the afternoon and if there is time it might be fun to walk around the lodge grounds looking for interesting smaller fauna and local flora. The accommodation for tonight is in an area perfectly situated to explore the surrounding desert and its many attractions.

Day 2: Sossusvlei & Swakopmund

After an early breakfast, you will depart for an exciting morning excursion to Sossusvlei and nearby Dead Vlei, where you will spend a couple of hours. Sossusvlei is where you will find the iconic red sand dunes of the Namib. The clear blue skies contrast with the giant red sand dunes to make this one of the natural wonders of Africa and a photographer’s heaven.

Sossusvlei itself is actually the pan or valley floor that you will park the vehicle on, and is surrounded by massive dunes on almost all sides. You will have plenty of time to enjoy some of the many highlights that surround Sossusvlei itself:

Dune 45, the most photographed dune on earth (situated 45 km past Sesriem on the road
to Sossusvlei)
Hiddenvlei, perfect if you are looking for solitude in the desert
The magnificently tall Big Daddy dune
Deadvlei, a paradise for photographers, as it is punctuated by blackened, dead acacia trees, in vivid contrast to the shiny white of the salty floor of the pan and the intense orange of the dunes
Sesriem Canyon, a narrow gorge one kilometer long and up to 30 meters deep slashed into the earth by the
Tsauchab River of millions of years ago. The name derives from the Afrikaans for the 6 lengths of ropes that were needed to haul water out of the gorge to the top with containers in days gone by

After lunch, you will depart for the coastal town of Swakopmund, driving through the vast Namib-Naukluft Park to get there. It is a beautiful drive of about four hours, and if time allows you will stop for the famous Apple Pie in the small desert oasis town of Solitaire, a true Namibian tradition that should not be missed.

The drive this afternoon is wholly in the Namib Sand Sea, one of Namibia’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is the only coastal desert in the world that includes extensive dune fields influenced by fog. Covering an area of over three million hectares, the site features gravel plains, coastal flats, and rocky hills within the sand sea, a coastal lagoon, and ephemeral rivers, resulting in a landscape of exceptional beauty.

Fog is the primary source of water in the site, accounting for a unique environment in which endemic invertebrates, reptiles, and mammals adapt to an ever-changing variety of microhabitats and ecological niches. Swakopmund will be your home for the next two nights.

Day 3: Living desert experience (Swakopmund)

After breakfast in Swakopmund, you will depart for a living desert experience, a unique adventure indeed! You will encounter and learn more about the fascinating wildlife of the Namib Desert with the help of a local expert. You will look for geckos, scorpions, snakes, lizards, birds, and beetles as well as the incredible plant life that survives in this harsh and seemingly inhospitable environment.

Some of the special creatures you might see include Namib Sand Gecko, Namaqua Chameleon, Shovel-snouted Lizard, Tractrac Chat, and even Peringuey’s Adder. Once you are back in Swakopmund, you will enjoy lunch and explore the town with optional activities like quad-biking or sandboarding. Swakopmund has made a name for itself as the activity and sports capital of Namibia, but this town offers so much more.

Sandwiched between the hot, arid desert and the cold waters of the Atlantic, Swakop (as the locals call it) is one of the most fascinating colonial towns in all of Africa. It is a heady mix of South African, Namibian, and German cultures, architecture, languages, and cuisine. It is also the most popular tourist town in the country, with both locals and foreigners loving the laid-back atmosphere, good restaurants, many activities, and the temperate climate.

Day 4: Skeleton Coast & Damaraland

Today, you will continue your safari northwards along the Skeleton Coast. This bleak and evocatively named area is one of the most unusual coastal wildernesses on the planet, protecting about a third of Namibia’s long coastline.

It has a longstanding reputation of being a dangerous sea passage for sailors, and indeed the Portuguese sailors used to call this area the “Sand of Hell”, referring to the fact that even if one did survive a ship running aground, the harsh desert would almost certainly provide one’s final resting place.

After visiting one of the many shipwrecks along the coast for some dramatic photographs, you will turn inland towards spectacular Damaraland. You will drive past the Brandberg (literally “fire mountain”), Namibia’s highest mountain, with the highest peak at 2,573 meters (8,441 feet) above sea level. In the distance, you will also see the Spitzkoppe (sharp head), one of Namibia’s most recognizable landmarks.

Its shape has inspired its nickname, “The Matterhorn of Africa”. It was first climbed in 1946 and is now a popular climbing destination with local and foreign mountaineers alike, with plenty of technical climbs available. This beautiful mountainous region is home to an assortment of scientifically important desert-adapted wildlife such as elephants, rhinos, zebras, and lions, which somehow survive and thrive in this near-barren landscape.

Nature Travel Namibia hopes to see some of them; a special treat indeed! Damaraland is also famous for its several important geological rock formations that are not to be missed, including the “organ pipes” arrangement (a distinctive series of dolerite pillars that have been exposed by erosion), the “petrified forest” (believed to be more than 200 million years old) and the much-photographed “burnt mountain” (a flat-topped mountain that derives its name from the piles of blackened limestone at its base). You will visit some of these this afternoon. You will be at the lodge in time for a sundowner drink while enjoying the view over this rugged but beautiful landscape.

Day 5: Etosha National Park

After an early breakfast, you will depart for Etosha National Park, about a 4-hour drive away to the northeast. On the way there, you will visit Twyfelfontein, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meaning “uncertain spring” in Afrikaans, it is a massive open-air art gallery in the northwestern Kunene region that is of great interest to international rock art connoisseurs.

The 2,000-plus rock petroglyphs, estimated to be 6,000 years old, represent one of Africa’s largest and most noteworthy concentrations of rock art. Most of these well-preserved engravings represent rhinoceros. The site also includes depictions of elephants, ostriches, and giraffes, as well as drawings of human and animal footprints, all done in red ochre.

Here, you will also look out for the Namib Desert’s weird-looking living fossil plant, the Welwitschia. You will arrive at your lodge on the southwestern side of Etosha late in the afternoon and settle into your accommodation. Undoubtedly one of the great parks of Africa, the huge Etosha National Park in north-central Namibia covers more than 22,300 km2 (8,620 sq mi) and is synonymous with big game and wide open spaces.

The name Etosha actually means “great white place” referring to the massive (130 kilometers long and 50 kilometers wide) dry pan in the middle of the park, believed to have been formed over 100 million years ago. Etosha is a photographer’s dream, with the contrasts in light, color, and textures particularly dramatic.

Many a guest’s “lifer shots” of African animal and bird species were taken in this park. The sunrises and sunsets are particularly spectacular, so better get those cameras and phones ready! You will enjoy dinner and sit around the campfire reminiscing about the wonderful trip so far. Remember to look up before settling into your bed tonight - the African night sky, undisturbed by city lights out here in the bush, is truly amazing.

Day 6: Etosha National Park

You will enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in Etosha today, returning to your lodge in the heat of the day for lunch and to relax. Your guide will decide, with your input as to your fauna and flora sighting preferences, what the best routes will be to follow. All of the guides know Etosha intimately and will make sure you see all that this great African wildlife park has to offer.

Etosha is home to a staggering amount of wildlife, both common and rare, including several threatened and endangered species. The mammal list is at over 110 species, including four of Africa’s Big Five, cheetahs, giraffes, spotted hyaenas, zebras (2 species), Greater Kudu, springbok, gemsbok (Namibia’s national animal), common warthog, honey badger, and many more.

Etosha also has a bird list of more than 350 species, including regional specials like Kori Bustard, Blue Crane, Violet Woodhoopoe, Ruppell’s Parrot, Pygmy, and Red-necked Falcon, Bare-cheeked and Southern Pied Babbler, and Burchell’s and Double-banded Courser. Tonight, you will again sit around a fire after dinner, chat about the day’s sightings, and enjoy another spectacular African night sky.

Day 7: Etosha National Park

You will have another full day to enjoy Etosha today, but you will also slowly make your way to the eastern side of the park, where you will stay overnight on the last night of the safari. Named a game reserve in 1907 by the governor of then-German South West Africa, Etosha was elevated to the status of the national park in 1967 by an act of parliament of the Republic of South Africa which administered South West Africa during that time.

Since then it has become one of the main reasons visitors from all over the globe come to Namibia, and annual numbers are over 200,000. Although Etosha is best known today as a spectacular refuge for an abundance of animals, it is also a part of the world that provides critical evidence for the existence and evolution of ancestral animals. The rocks in the hills near Halali camp have revealed fossil life as old as 650 million years! You will arrive at your accommodation in the late afternoon, freshen up, and enjoy your last dinner together.

Day 8: Departure

After an early morning game drive or a relaxing final breakfast together, you will depart for Windhoek. It is a 5 to 6 hours drive southwards to the capital.

Included excursions

Sossusvlei excursion
Living Desert Tour
Visit to Twyfelfontein

Location

This safari will take you from Windhoek to Sossusvlei, Namib Desert, Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast, Damaraland, and Etosha National Park in Namibia.

Sossusvlei: Home of some of the highest dunes in the world
Swakopmund: Where the Atlantic Ocean and the dunes meet
Damaraland: Home to desert-adapted wildlife and ancient rock art and geology
Etosha National Park: A wildlife haven that consists of 114 species of mammal, 300 species of birds, and reptiles

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Food

During this safari, your daily breakfast and dinner (except during your stay in Swakopmund) are included in the price. Drinking water in the vehicle is available during the tour on traveling days.

The following meals are included:

Drinks

The following drinks are included:

Water

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

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Other dietary requirements on request

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

What's included

7 nights accommodation as specified in the itinerary
Daily breakfast and dinner (Except in Swakopmund)
Activities as specified in the itinerary
Drinking water in the vehicle on traveling days
Private vehicle and fuel
Private English-speaking guide
National Park entrance fees
National heritage site entrance fees
Tourism levy
VAT
Airport transfers

What's not included

Flights (international, regional, or domestic)
Airport transfers pre- and post-tour (If you choose to stay in Windhoek before or after the tour)
Pre-and post-tour accommodation if required
Lunch
Drinks
Optional activities
Tips and gratuities
Items of a personal nature (Laundry, telephone calls, internet, souvenirs, and more)

How to get there

Recommended Airports

WDH

Hosea Kutako International Airport

241 km

Transfer included

Arrival by airplane

Please book your flight to arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH). Airport transfers are included. Only airport transfers a day before the tour starts and the day after the tour are not included. So, if you wish to stay at Windhoek before or after the tour, there will be an additional cost for the airport transfers.

Airport: Hosea Kutako International Airport Airport transfer included: Hosea Kutako International Airport No additional charges. 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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