Exploring Namibia

Day 1

Monday – Oct 16th

Arrive in the capitol city of Windhoek. We will pick you up at the airport and drive approximately 5 hours to Neura’s Wine and Wildlife Estate, where we will spend two nights. We will take a guided evening jeep tour to feed the resident Cheetah and have dinner at the lodge.

Day 2

Tuesday – Oct 17th

Depart early this morning at 5:30 am to Namib-Naukluft National Park for a wildlife & scenic drive through the dunes in morning light, then take a short 4×4 drive and hike to the famous Sossusvlei dry ancient lakebed. Expect to see Oryx and Springbok on the drive. We will spend about 2 hours at Sossusvlei before returning to Neura’s lodge for a wine tasting and cheese platter/lunch.  Sundowner tour near the lodge followed by dinner.

Day 3

Wednesday – Oct 18th

Depart early again at 5:30am to Namib-Naukluft  National Park for a morning drive, stopping to photograph the dunes of the Namib Desert (the Earth’s oldest desert), and hike to the top of  dune #40 for panoramic views. The hike will last about one hour total. From there we will drive to Walvis Bay, approximately 5 hours, where we still stay for two nights. Walk to a local restaurant for dinner.

Day 5

Friday – Oct 20th

After breakfast we will load the vehicles and depart Walvis Bay by 7:30 am for Swakopmund, where we will take a guided “Little Five Wildlife Tour” via 4×4 jeep in the surrounding Namib Desert. Our guide, Chantelle, is a very knowledgeable and passionate naturalist who will show us the often overlooked and misunderstood creatures and why it is important to be aware of the smaller life right below our feet. Expect to see skinks, lizards, geckos, tube spiders and possibly snakes. The tour lasts approximately 4 hours, afterward we will have lunch and drive approximately 4 hours to Twyfelfontein/Khorixas, where we will have dinner and spend the night at the Damara Mopane Lodge.

Day 6

Saturday – Oct 21st

After breakfast, we will take a short-guided walking tour of the Twyfelfontein cultural sites & petroglyphs and visit a living museum of the Damara people. After the morning tours, we will drive to the Palmwag Lodge, approximately two hours, where we will be staying for the night. We can swim in the pool and enjoy a relaxing afternoon followed by a guided evening tour of the local area and dinner at the lodge. Expect to see giraffes, springbok, oryx, and possibly desert-adapted elephants and mountain zebras.

Day 7

Sunday – Oct 22nd

After breakfast we will pack up and drive to Okaukuejo Rest Camp in Etosha National Park, approximately 5 hours. We will go for a self-guided drive in the park and later walk to the waterhole wildlife viewing area on the lodge grounds for sunset. We will have dinner and spend the night at the lodge. Expect to see elephants, giraffes, plains zebras, several species of antelope, the endangered black rhino (of which Etosha is home to more than 50% of the remaining population), abundant birdlife and possibly lions, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and leopards.

Day 9

Tuesday – Oct 24th

Depart Namutoni Camp at 6:30 am for a self-guided drive to view wildlife at nearby waterholes before leaving Etosha National Park through the east gate for a very short drive to the neighboring Onguma private game reserve, where we will spend two nights at the beautiful Bush Camp Lodge. We will go on a guided sundowner drive in the reserve and return to the lodge for dinner. Expect to see elephants, giraffes, plains zebras, several species of antelope, abundant birdlife and possibly lions, black rhinos, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and leopards.

Day 10

Wednesday – Oct 25th

After breakfast we will depart the lodge at 8:30 am to view wildlife from a ground level waterhole hide within the reserve.  Have lunch and relax at the lodge (they have a nice outdoor swimming pool) and go on a guided sundowner drive, then return to the lodge for dinner. Expect to see elephants, giraffes, plains zebras, several species of antelope, abundant birdlife and possibly black rhinos, lions, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and leopards.

Day 11

Thursday – Oct 26th

Early morning departure on a guided game drive within the reserve. Expect to see elephants, giraffes, plains zebras, several species of antelope, abundant birdlife and possibly black rhinos, lions, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and leopards.

After the morning wildlife viewing, we will return to the lodge to pack up and drive back to Windhoek, approximately 5 hours. Dinner and lodging in Droombos Vineyard & Lodge in Windhoek.

What is included with the tour fee:

• All transportation and lodging, including an airport pickup/drop off
• Breakfast each morning and Dinner on nights 1,2,5,6,9,10,11
• All National Park entry fees
• Catamaran/Dune 4×4 tour Walvis bay
• Little Five Living Desert Tour
• Twyfelfontain Petroglyph and Damara village entry fees
• Evening game drive Palmwag.
• Sundowner Game Drives and Morning Hide at Onguma Private reserve
• For those who are interested, photographic instruction from Mike and Colin