NAM03 - 13 Day Namibia Countrywide Tour & Safari

The ultimate Namibia Experience. Travel Namibia from the Kalahari region to the treacherous gorges of the Fish River Canyon in the south and on to the star shaped dunes in Sossusvlei. The green oasis of Swakopmund, picturesque Damaraland, and one of Africa’s premier wildlife reserves in the north, the famous Etosha National Park.

Luderitz and Kolmanskop are taken in on this tour.

Tour Cost - Fully Guided	Low Season: 01 Nov 2011 - 30 June 2012	Low Season: 01 Nov 2012 - 30 June 2013
Per Person Sharing - SA Rand	R20800	Please Enquire
Single Supplement - SA Rand	R2100	Please Enquire
Children Under 12 - SA Rand	Please Enquire	Please Enquire
Tour Cost - Fully Guided	High Season: 01 July 2012 - 31 Oct 2012	High Season: 01 July 2013 - 31 Oct 2013
Per Person Sharing - SA Rand	R21840	Please Enquire
Single Supplement - SA Rand	R2280	Please Enquire
Children Under 12 - SA Rand	Please Enquire	Please Enquire

Tour Highlights Visit the Quiver Tree Forest and walk in the Fish River Canyon Visit the old Diamond Mining Town of Luderitz as well as the ghost town of Kolmanskop Travel through the Namib Desert and visit the Sossusvlei Dunes Visit Walvis Bay, a World Heritage Site Optional extra activities such as dune boarding and quad biking in Sossusvlei Travel via the Brandberg into Damaraland Visit the rock engravings in Twyfelfontein Game drives in Etosha National Park

The Route
Windhoek - Kalahari Desert - Fish River Canyon - Aus - Luderitz - Namib Desert - Sesriem - Sossusvlei - Swakopmund - Damaraland - Etosha National Park - Windhoek

Departures
Tours depart on a Saturday. Scheduled departure dates can be found below.

Guests
Minimum 2 - Maximum 16

Day 1 of the tour
Leaving Windhoek, we travel into the largest sand mass on earth, the Kalahari Desert. The bushman refer to it as the “Soul of the World”, an emotive description for this area! With its endless grass plains interspersed with Acacia’s and shrubs, it is the only form of survival for a vast amount of wildlife and migrating bushman communities. Enjoy the opportunity to experience the fauna and flora that have survived this desert environment for thousands of years.

Approximate Distance:     280 km travel
Activities:                          Optional dune drive in the Kalahari Desert

Overnight:     Kalahari Anib Lodge - Kalahari Desert (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 2 of the tour
We travel south through expansive rocky plains, visiting the unique Quiver Tree Forest. Nestled amongst huge dolerite boulders, some stacked in such a mysterious way that it seems giants played here. We continue to our lodge, situated in a close vicinity to the Fish River Canyon.

Approximate Distance:     440 km travel
Activities:                          Quiver Tree Forest and Sundowenr Walk

Overnight:     Canon Roadhouse/ Village - Fish River Canyon (Bed & Breakfast)

Days 3-4 of the tour
Our morning starts on the edge of the Fish River Canyon, where we gaze down 550 meters into this magnificent canyon itself, the second largest of its kind on earth! Thereafter we travel down to the Succulent Karoo, on of the 20 most important biomes on earth. On the second day we travel to Luderitz and visit a ghost town that was left to the hands of the relentless and unforgiving desert. Other attractions visited consist of the Wild Horses of the Namib Desert, Diaz Point and the coastal town of Luderitz itself.

Approximate Distance:     345 km travel on day 3 and 280 km travel on day 4
Activities:                          Visit Fish River Canyon, Kolmanskop Ghost Town, Diaz Point, Wild Horses of the Namib Desert

Overnight:     Klein Aus Vist Desert Horse Inn - Aus (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 5 of the tour
After breakfast we travel north through the pre-Namib to our lodge in the desert. This is the gateway to Sesriem Canyon and Sossusvlei, where some of the highest sand dunes on earth stand towering over the white desert plains. This afternoon can be spent at the pool, or taking part in optional activities offered at our lodge.

Approximate Distance:     295 km travel
Activities:                          Optional experience with African Big Cats

Overnight:     Hammerstein Lodge - Namib Desert (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 6 of the tour
This morning demands an early start. The first rays of sunrise paint the mountains of sand into a variety of apricot, red and orange, contrasted against a crisp blue skyline, enrapting our senses, and providing an opportunity to capture this awesome landscape on film and dambering some of the breathtaking dunes to adore the sea of sand from above. Thereafter we visit the Sesriem Canyon, a life sustaining natural phenomenon in the heart of the Namib Desert.

Approximate Distance:     280 km travel
Activities:                          Dead Vlei, Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon

Overnight:     Namib Desert Lodge - Namib Desert (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 7 of the tour
After breakfast we travel via the desolate, rolling hills of the Kuiseb Moon Valley towards the Atlantic Ocean. In Walvis Bay we visit the shallow lagoon, one of the most important wetland areas on the African continent and a RAMSAR world heritage site. Over 80% of the African flamingo's feed in this lagoon and present a breathtaking picture when they appear in groups counting a few hundred thousand. Having arrived in the coastal town of Swakopmund, we have the rest of the day at leisure.

Approximate Distance:     290 km travel
Activities:                          Walvis Bay Lagoon - RAMSAR World Heritage Site

Overnight:     Schweitzerhaus Hotel - Swakopmund (Bed & Breakfast)



Day 8 of the tour
We have the entire day at our disposal in Swakopmund. Enjoy optional activities such as a marine cruise, a desert tour, scenic flight or quad biking experience to name just a few. Alternatively, stroll through the historic streets of the coastal town while shopping, and enjoy excellent confectionaries in relaxing street cafes.

Approximate Distance:     80 km travel
Activities:                          At leisure to do optional extra activities

Overnight:     Schweitzerhaus Hotel - Swakopmund (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 9 of the tour
Heading further north, we travel along huge lichen fields to Cape Cross, a fur seal reserve where at times over 80'000 animals frolic in the waves of the Atlantic! We drive via the Brandberg, Namibia's highest mountain (2579), into the Damaraland, one of the least populated and geologically diverse areas in Africa. This harsh, rocky environment is home to the rare Desert Elephant and Black Rhino.

Approximate Distance:     440 km travel
Activities:                          Visit Cape Cross

 Overnight:     Damaraland Mopane Lodge - Damaraland (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 10 of the tour
We start the morning with a visit to Twyfelfontein, a heritage site where bushman communities engraved and painted over 2500 pictures some 6000 years ago! We also visit the Burnt Mountain, Petrified Forest and the Organ Pipes - all geological phenomena depicting the creation and evolution of landmasses. Here we also visit the Welwitschia mirabilis plant - the oldest living plant on earth. We proceed on to our lodge close to the world-renowned Etosha National Park.

Approximate Distance:     500 km travel
Activities:                          Visit Twyfelfontein, Burnt Mountain, Organ Pipes, Petrified Forest and a Damara Traditional Village

Day 11 of the tour
The day is devoted purely to the abundant wildlife found in the Etosha National Park, which surrounds a parched salt desert known as the Etosha Pan. The park is home to 4 of the 'Big Five' - Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhino - its waterholes supporting a rich diversity of birds and mammals, including rare species such as black-faced Impala, roan, cheetah, and Namibia’s smallest antelope, the Damara Dik-Dik.

Approximate Distance:     300 km travel
Activities:                          Game viewing in the Etosha National Park

Overnight:     Etosha Safari Camp - Etosha National Park (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 12 of the tour
Today we again drive into the Etosha National Park. We may encounter animal species we have not seen the previous day and look forward to any new surprises at the different waterholes visited. In the afternoon we travel to our lodge, where we enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure and reminisce about the day's exciting events.

Approximate Distance:     470 km travel
Activities:                          Game viewing in the Etosha National Park

Overnight:     Ohange Lodge - Etosha National Park (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 13 of the tour
After breakfast we continue southwards to Windhoek, where we visit the crafts markets in the main street of the capital city, where after you are driven to your hotel or to Windhoek Airport for your return flight.

Approximate Distance:     420 km travel

*** Outbound Flights from Windhoek to be arranged after 19h00. 

Please Note
This tour is operated as a Scheduled Tour. Departure dates can be found below. We can also run this tour for the Private traveller with only their group and departing on any dates to suit their needs. (6 Pax or more required). 

Scheduled Departure Dates 2011/2012