11-day Ultimate Namibia Safari

On arrival into Windhoek Airport, you will be met in the arrivals hall and transferred to your accommodation in Windhoek for your 1-night stay. 

This morning, your Safari guide will collect you from your accommodation. You then depart Windhoek in your safari vehicle with your private guide and drive southwest through the scenic Khomas Hochland highlands before heading down the Great Escarpment into the Namib Desert below, stopping for a picnic lunch at a scenic location along the way. You arrive at Dead Valley Lodge in the midafternoon, and you will stay here for two nights whilst you explore the remarkable sights of the Namib Desert with your guide. If there is still time today, your guide will take you to visit Sesriem Canyon, a nearby geological attraction, or explore Elim Dune. However, if you prefer, you can just relax and soak in the scenic and tranquil surroundings at the Lodge.

This morning, you will rise early for a magical excursion into the Namib Naukluft National Park, entering the Park gates before sunrise to capture the dunes whilst the light is soft and shadows accentuate their towering shapes and curves. This area boasts some of the highest free-standing sand dunes in the world. Your guide will give you an insight into the formation of the Namib Desert and its myriad of fascinating creatures and plants that have adapted to survive these harsh environs. Once you have explored the areas around Sossusvlei and Deadvlei to your heart’s content, you can enjoy a picnic in the shade of a camel thorn tree. Return to your lodge in the early afternoon for a late lunch. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure (from experience, this is usually welcomed after an exhilarating morning in the dunes) or can be spent on another activity with your Safari guide.

The fascinating drive today takes you northwest through awesome and ever-changing desert landscapes of the Namib Naukluft National Park, including the impressive Gaub and Kuiseb canyons. You will meet the coast at the port town of Walvis Bay and then continue north to Swakopmund, where you can enjoy the pleasant seaside location and cooler coastal air for your next two nights. There will be time this afternoon to explore the town and wander along the waterfront on foot, before heading off for dinner at a popular restaurant which specialises in locally harvested seafood.

After an early breakfast, your guide will drive you along the scenic coastal road back south to Walvis Bay for a memorable kayaking adventure within the outer lagoon. After meeting your kayaking guide you will be taken on a short scenic drive to Pelican Point to see its lighthouse and windswept beauty, stopping briefly at the salt works to view the variety of birdlife on your way to the launch point. Kayaking is an ideal way to see Cape fur seals, Heaviside’s dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, flamingos, and a wide variety of other seabirds. If you are lucky, there is also a chance of seeing whales and leatherback turtles.

You also have the choice to partake instead in a memorable motorised boat seal and dolphin excursion within the outer lagoon and harbour. Here, you should also see Cape fur seals, Heaviside’s dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, flamingos, and a wide variety of other seabirds. Again, if luck is on your side, there is also a chance of seeing whales, leatherback turtles and sunfish. During the excursion, snacks will be served along with local sparkling wine and fresh oysters, before you return to the jetty at roughly midday.

You then have the opportunity to explore the waterfront area of Walvis Bay further before returning to Swakopmund for an afternoon at leisure at your guesthouse or out in town.

Continuing on your safari today, the road takes you north and east into the wonderful and diverse region of Damaraland. You pass Namibia’s highest mountain, the Brandberg, which peaks at 2,573 m above sea level, and take time to view game and absorb the vastness of the scenery along the way. Damaraland is typified by displays of colour, magnificent table-topped mountains, rock formations and bizarre-looking vegetation. The present day landscape has been formed by the erosion of wind, water and geological forces which have formed rolling hills, dunes, gravel plains and ancient river terraces. It is the variety and loneliness of the area as well as the scenic splendour which will reward and astound you, giving one an authentic understanding of the word ‘wilderness’. If time allows, this afternoon your guide will take you to visit the nearby attractions and geological sites of the prehistoric Twyfelfontein rock engravings (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) – if not, there is plenty of time to see them tomorrow.

After an early breakfast, you will be treated to an exciting 4×4 excursion along the ephemeral Aba Huab and Huab River valleys to explore this remarkable region and to search for game, including the elusive desert-adapted elephants, if they are in the area. Damaraland is home to a variety of desert-adapted wildlife and hidden desert treasures. As the elephants are mainly active in the mornings, you will normally have the best chance to see them then before returning to camp for lunch. However, if all the safari participants agree, you also have the option to take a picnic lunch and stop to enjoy that in the shade of a large Ana tree by the riverbed, ideally while watching a herd of elephant browsing nearby.

Your guide will arrange to fit in a visit to Twyfelfontein and other nearby attractions at a suitable time if you haven’t already done so the previous day. On return to camp there should be time to take a walk into the local area with your guide if desired, or simply relax and enjoy some well-deserved leisure time.

Today, after an early breakfast, you set off on your journey to the Etosha National Park, entering the park through its southern Anderssons Gate. You enjoy a picnic lunch in the park and visits to various waterholes in the afternoon, before heading on towards tonight’s destination, Etosha Private Heights, which is situated on the south-western border of the Etosha National Park. Arrival will be in the late afternoon or early evening, with time to freshen up and enjoy the tranquillity of the Etosha Heights.

Today you will enjoy an exciting morning guided game drive in an open game viewer with your local ranger on the Etosha Heights Reserve, to see the wide variety of game and bird species that are to be found there before returning to the lodge in time for lunch. There is then time to relax by the refreshing swimming pool before you head out on another afternoon game drive on the private game reserve.

After an early breakfast, you depart the reserve and your journey leads you south via Outjo, Otjiwarongo and Okahandja to reach Windhoek. A lunch is included, and arrival in Windhoek will be mid-afternoon. Upon your arrival in Windhoek, you will be transferred to your accommodation  for your 1-night stay. 

Transfer to Windhoek Airport for your flight out.