Namibia Highlights
Itinerary Minibus tour
Windhoek – Waterberg Plateau Park – Etosha National Park – Damaraland – Vingerklip – Twyfelfontein – Cape Cross – Swakopmund – Welwitschia Plain – Sand dunes in Sossusvlei – Sesriem Canyon – Kolmanskop (ghost town) – Fish River Canyon – Quivertree Forest – Bushmen in Kalahari Game Park – Windhoek
Day 1 (Sunday)
Windhoek
At 09h00 our tour starts in the morning, either with pick-up at the airport, hotel or at a guesthouse. We depart on a city tour to discover the history of Windhoek. We do a city tour to discover the history of Windhoek including the Alte Feste, the fort, the rider memorial on the embankment outside the fort, the Christuskirche – the pride of the local parish and the National Assembly or Tintenpalast. Thereafter we can enjoy the rest of the day at the swimming pool of our guesthouse.
Overnight at the guesthouse Tamboti (or similar) in Windhoek. B&B
Day 2 (Monday)
Windhoek – Waterberg Plateau Park
We travel to Okahandja, where we will visit the craft market. An optional extra is a visit to an ostrich farm. Upon arrival at the Waterberg Plateau Park we walk to the National Monument that commemorates the death of 70 soldiers of the German colonial forces. They died in 1904 during the battle against the Herero.
Overnight at the Waterberg Plateau Park – Bernabe de la Bat. B&B. Restaurant on premises.
Day 3 (Tuesday)
Waterberg Plateau Park
In the morning we do one of the many walks. Thereafter we relax at the poolside. In the afternoon you depart on a 4-hour excursion with a safari vehicle to the top of the plateau, from where you have a vast view of the savannah below. You will be driven through the game park, which was proclaimed in 1972, and you might see giraffe, gnu, kudu, oryx or rhino.
Overnight as per previous day. B&B + 1 game drive. Restaurant on premises.
Day 4 (Wednesday)
Waterberg Plateau Park – Etosha National Park
After breakfast we drive directly to Namutoni in the famous Etosha National Park, where we will see various antelopes like Springbok, Kudu, Impala, Steenbok and Oryx. We might also be able to observe elephant, giraffe, gnu and zebra or even lions. In the evening we will sit in front of the floodlit water hole at our camp where elephants usually come to drink.
Overnight at one of the three rest camps in the Etosha National Park. B&B. Restaurant on premises.
Day 5 (Thursday)
Etosha National Park
Today we will drive to the western part of the Etosha to look for more game. We visit different water holes and probably encounter again elephants, antelopes, giraffes and zebras, and with a bit of luck, cheetah. Before sunset we check in at another rest camp. Here we can sit again close to the floodlit water hole and view animals drinking until late night.
Overnight at one of the three in a rest camps in the Etosha National Park. B&B. Restaurant on premises.
Day 6 (Friday)
Etosha National Park
With sunrise we start our game drive. We are driving along the salt pan, which stretches for kilometers towards the west and north. On arrival at our camp we probably want to swim in the pool (each camp has a pool). After dinner we might see rhino and predators at the camp's waterhole.
Overnight at one of the three in a rest camps in the Etosha National Park. B&B. Restaurant on premises.
Day 7 (Saturday)
Etosha National Park – Vingerklip – Petrified Forest – Twyfelfontein
After breakfast we leave Etosha through Andersson Gate from Okaukuejo and drive via Outjo into Damaraland where we carry on to the Petrified Forest, for a guided tour to view fossil tree trunks that are approx. 200 million years old. Thereafter we visit the 35 m high Vingerklip, an impressive lone relic of prehistoric erosion rock formation. Thereafter we carry on to the Petrified Forest, where you will have a guided tour to see fossil tree trunks that are approx. 200 million years old. Then we head for the largest known stone age rock engravings and paintings of Twyfelfontein where you have a guided tour with a local Damara. Thereafter we drive to the Organ Pipes (perpendicular dolerite pillars).
Overnight at the Twyfelfontein Lodge (or similar) near Twyfelfontein. DB&B
Day 8 (Sunday)
Twyfelfontein – Cape Cross (Seal colony) – Swakopmund
This morning we are driving past The Brandberg (2579 m) and the highest mountain of Namibia, the formerly tin mining village Uis, to Cape Cross, where we find a Cape Fur Seal colony of between 80 000 and 100 000 seals. Thereafter we reach the fishing village Hentiesbaai and carry on to Swakopmund.
Overnight at the hotel-pension Rapmund (or similar). B&B
Day 9 (Monday)
Welwitschias – Oasis Goanikontes – Walvis Bay
Today our program includes an excursion into the desert where we will view the "Moon Landscape" and the "Oasis Goanikontes", an impressive greenery in the middle of the desert. Thereafter we visit the "Welwitschia Mirabelis" plains – more than 1000 year old plants, which can be found only in Western Namibia and Angola. Shortly before sunset we drive to Walvis Bay to watch flamingos wading in the lagoon.
Overnight as per previous day. B&B
Day 10 (Tuesday)
Swakopmund
Day at leisure. Optionally you may want to take in a flight over Swakopmund and the Skeleton Coast or visit a bushman village (by plane). You also can take a morning Dolphin and Seal cruise in Walvis Bay or a day excursion including this halfday dolphin cruise an afternoon 4x4 drive to Sandwich Harbour, surrounded by massive dunes. It is a very exciting experience to drive up and down the dunes. From Swakopmund there are many optional excursions possible. Alternatively you may want to explore the City with its colonial buildings and its abundance of shops. Perhaps you may want to enjoy German cake in the well-known Café Anton, visit the museum or relax by the sea.
Overnight as per previous day. B&B
Day 11 (Wednesday)
Swakopmund – Namib Naukluft Park
Today we travel through through the Namib Naukluft National Park, the largest of Namibia's nature conservation areas. Upon arrival at the Kuiseb Canyon we take a walk to a cave where two Germans hid during the Second World War and from where we have a nice view of the surrounding area. In the afternoon we reach our rest camp at the edge of the Namib Naukluft Park where we stay overnight.
Overnight at Desert Camp (or similar) with swimmingpool at the edge of the Namib Naukluft Park. DB&B
Day 12 (Thursday)
Dunes of Sossusvlei – Sesriem Canyon
Before sunrise we head for Sossusvlei to climb on one of the highest and oldest dunes in the world. Some of the dunes are 1000 years and older. Optionally you might want to book an early morning balloon flight with champagne breakfast. Before sunrise we head for Sossusvlei to climb on one of the highest and oldest sand dunes in the world. Thereafter we walk the narrow gorge of the Sesriem Canyon. We continue our journey and will stay overnight on a guest farm on the way to Helmeringhausen.
Overnight at Tolou's rest camp (or similar). DB&B
Day 13 (Friday)
Guest Farm – Lüderitz
After breakfast we drive through the semi-desert towards the historic harbour town of Lüderitz. Just after the village of Aus we look out for wild horses. In former times the German colonialists brought these horses over to Namibia to serve them during the time of war. Nowadays they are wild and have adapted to the semi desert so that they can survive. After arrival in Lüderitz we drive to the "Felsenkirche", a church built 1906 on top of the rocks. From here we have a nice overview of the City. There are many quaint German-style architectures like the "Goerke Haus", the "Kremplin Haus" and many others.
Overnight at the PH Sea-View Hotel "Zum Sperrgebiet" (or similar) in Lüderitz. B&B
Day 14 (Saturday)
Kolmanskop (ghost town) – Fish River Canyon
In the morning you will have a guided tour through the ghost town of Kolmanskop – a former diamond-mining village that flourished at the beginning of 1900 when diamonds were discovered in the area. Now it is deserted and partly covered with desert sand. Afterwards we travel towards the Fish River Canyon.
Overnight at the Canyon Village (or similar) near the Fish River Canyon. B&B.
Day 15 (Sunday)
Hobas – Keetmanshoop – Quiver Tree Forest
After breakfast we drive to the main viewpoint of the Fishriver Canyon – Hobas. The canyon is 161 km long, 27 km wide and 550 m deep and is the second largest canyon in the world. We then carry on via the Naute dam to Keetmanshoop, where we can relax at the swimming pool of our guesthouse.
Later in the afternoon we visit the "playground of the giants", Namibia's bizarre wonder of nature and the "Quiver Tree Forest", one of the rarest in the world – an impressive concentration of approx. 300 "Aloe dichotoma". They grow up to 8 meters high. We will wait for the sun to set as this forest is a photographer's dream.
Overnight at the guesthouse "Gessert" (or similar) in Keetmanshoop. B&B
Day 16 (Monday)
Keetmanshoop – Intu Afrika Kalahari Game Reserve
Today we have to drive North-easterly to the Intu Afrika Kalahari Game Park, where we have lunch on arrival. Thereafter we relax at the swimming pool. In the afternoon we are departing for a magnificent 4x4 Kalahari safari. We have the opportunity to view a variety of birds, game species like springbok, giraffes, zebra and gnu. The scenery with the red Kalahari sand and dark green bushes and trees is stunning.
Overnight with full board at Suricate luxury tented lodge en-suite, with shower separated by a canvas wall (or similar) at the Intu Afrika Kalahari Game Reserve. Afternoon game drive with sundowner and morning walk with a bushman are included in the price.
Day 17 (Tuesday)
Kalahari Game Park – Rehoboth – Windhoek
In the morning we walk with a bushman and our ranger through the soft, red sand and learn about the Bushmen's semi-desert survival secrets and way of life prior to the intrusion of modern man. We return to the lodge for breakfast. Thereafter we leave for Windhoek via Rehoboth. The first inhabitants of Rehoboth were the Nama people, who were later displaced by the Herero in the middle of the 19th century. Nowadays "Basters", an ethnic group of mixed Khoi-Khoi/Afrikaner heritage, inhabit Rehoboth.
We carry on to Windhoek where the tour will end in the early afternoon either at the airport or at your hotel in Windhoek, depending on your program.
Kindly contact us for a free quotation.