A Namibian Journey

A cheerful guide greets you in the morning at either your hotel or the Windhoek airport for your 10 day Namibia tour. After a short safari briefing, you climb into your vehicle and your adventure can begin. You leave Namibia’s capital behind and drive through the many hills of the Khomas region. If there is enough time, you can even drive along one of the beautiful passes which will bring you to the Namib-Naukluft region. A stop at the settlement of Solitaire allows you to try their famous apple pie (optional) before arriving at your accommodation for the next two nights, the Elegant Desert Camp. In the afternoon, you can join the lodge’s sundowner drive (optional), after which dinner can be enjoyed under the stars.

The Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world and to watch the magical morning light is something truly unforgettable. Therefore, you are up and going before the sun today. Once in the Namib-Naukluft Park, your guide will take you to a quiet dune, away from the other tourists, to enjoy the beautiful morning light. After a picnic breakfast, you drive deeper into the desert, to the Deadvlei and Sossusvlei area. You traverse over a stretch of off-road terrain, but this assignment is easily mastered by your 4×4 vehicle and your guide. The Deadvlei clay pan creates a dreamlike landscape and you have enough time to soak in the atmosphere and take some incredible photos. A little further lies the Sesriem canyon. You are encouraged to step into the canyon and explore the now dry river gorge. After an eventful day, you return to your camp to relax for the rest of the afternoon and enjoy a delicious dinner in the evening.

A more relaxed start to the day can be expected before you make your way through the Gaub and Kuiseb canyons. The drive is a scenic one, as is so often the case in Namibia. Just as you believe you have accustomed yourself to your arid surroundings, you begin to see the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon. You make a short stop at the Walvis Bay lagoon to view the flamingos and then continue your journey along a road with the ocean to your one side and the desert to your other. Your destination is Swakopmund. Many of its buildings show a strong German architectural influence and you are welcome to explore the town at your leisure. In the evening, you can try one of the many excellent restaurants in town or along the coast (optional). You overnight at the Organic Stay Guesthouse.

The day is yours to spend as you please. Swakopmund is called Namibia’s adventure capital and for good reason. It offers so many wonderful activities that you are sure to find something perfect for you. A catamaran tour, a desert safari or a quad bike tour are only a few of the options available (all optional). Perhaps you would rather walk along the beachfront, explore some of the shops in Swakopmund and top it all off with a slice of German cake at one of the charming bakeries. Swakopmund also has some very interesting museums which can be visited. Enjoy your day of leisure and spend another night at the Organic Stay Guesthouse.

Start the day by driving along the infamous Skeleton Coast of Namibia. Many a ship has run aground on this harsh stretch of coastline and you make a stop at one of these unfortunate ships, viewable from the shoreline. You drive further along the coast until Cape Cross, where you are greeted by the sight of over two hundred thousand cape fur seals. An impressive sight! Onwards along the rugged Skeleton Coast, you may feel the isolation that accompanies this baren land. It is hostile and yet, it is also beautiful – something difficult to explain in words and is rather felt. You turn off the coastal road just before Torra Bay and make your way into the Damaraland. In the afternoon, you will arrive at your camp for a good night’s rest, the Malansrus Tented Camp.

The Damaraland covers a vast expanse of land in which there is much to see and do. Today, you may decide which attraction interests you the most. You may decide to visit Twyfelfontein, Namibia’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is famous for its collection of over 2 500 rock engravings, dating back to between 2 000 and 6 000 years ago. Your guide knows a location where the petroglyphs are well preserved, away from the main tourist locations. Alternatively, you could visit the Petrified Forest, a local guide will show you tree trunks that are approximately 260 million years old. They have been petrified and now resemble stone. The site also provides an excellent opportunity to admire the national plant of Namibia, the Welwitschia mirabilis. It is generally agreed that many of these fascinating and bizarre looking desert plants are over a thousand years old. Following an interesting morning you carry on to the Etosha Safari Camp. You will want to keep the check-in brief though, because in the afternoon you head into the Etosha National Park for an afternoon game drive – the wildlife highlight of your 10 day Namibia tour. Keep your eyes wide open and spot some of the park’s inhabitants. As the evening rolls in, you return to your camp for a mouth-watering dinner.

Starting a safari early has all the advantages. It is cool during the morning hours and this is when the animals are most active. You have the whole day to explore the Etosha National Park and get acquainted with the animals who live there. Elephants and lions can often be sighted and if you are fortunate, you might spot a hyena, cheetah or a leopard. On some occasions, you may even come across a rhino. You can never tell what nature has in store for you, but your guide will help you find animals you otherwise would surely have missed. You also have time to visit the Etosha Pan, known in the local Oshiwambo as the ‘Great White Place’. An almost fantastical place, where you are surrounded by the sounds of silence. After a full day of game drives and safari and as the shadows grow longer, you return to the Etosha Safari Camp, where a hearty supper awaits you.

Another full day of safari brings fresh game viewing opportunities. Keep your eyes peeled when you enter the park, you might spot something you missed yesterday. Due to the dry landscape of the Etosha National Park, the animals often concentrate at the park’s watering holes. Your guide knows which waterholes are the most popular with the animals. So, sit back and enjoy the wildlife on show. During the course of the safari, you may decide to try and find some of the smaller animals of the Etosha too. Jackal and warthogs are often seen, but if you are lucky you may spot a bat-eared fox or an indomitable honey badger. With plenty of new memories to treasure, you exit the Etosha National Park at the Von Lindequist Gate in the east and continue to the Onguma Bush Camp for the night. Enjoy your dinner whilst overlooking the camp’s waterhole.

After a delicious breakfast whilst overlooking the camp’s waterhole, you head on towards the Waterberg region. Along the way, you stop at the Cheetah Conservation Fund for a tour of the facilities. During this hour-long tour, you will learn more about the work done by this non-profit organisation, dedicated to protecting and conserving cheetahs in their wild habitats. Following the tour, you will soon arrive at the Waterberg Guest Farm, your accommodation for the night. The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure, you can opt to relax by the pool or explore the area a little on foot.

Enjoy one more spectacular sunrise, as you have the option of hiking up the Little Waterberg to catch the sun coming up over the Waterberg Plateau. After a hearty breakfast you begin your return journey. In Okahandja you have the opportunity to purchase some hand-made souvenirs from local woodcarvers’ market before continuing to Windhoek. Once back in Namibia’s capital city, your 10 day Namibia tour will come to an end; your guide will either bring you to your next hotel or to the Windhoek airport, where you say good-bye to Namibia with only the fondest of memories.