Welcome to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia located in the country’s central highlands. 

On arrival make your own way to your beautiful 4-star hotel located in the heart of the city. Alternatively, you can pre book a private transfer to your hotel. Refer to "Extra Services" for rates.

With its lush green gardens and lavish designer rooms, Windhoek Luxury Suites offers luxury and tranquillity. Your room opens to a beautifully maintained private garden and the pool area is great for relaxing and soaking up the Namibian sun. 

This evening, enjoy an evening at leisure before our adventure begins tomorrow.

Leaving Windhoek, we travel into the largest sand mass on Earth, the Kalahari Desert. The Kalahari is a vast semi desert of wind-blown sand held by a sparse mantle of thorn scrub making it the largest continuous stretch of sand covering nine African countries. Lacking permanent surface water, the Kalahari is a challenging place to live except for those who have adapted to not only survive but flourish here. 

Arrive at your lodge this afternoon located within the dunes in an area peppered with Camelthorn trees. Take time to relax in your rondavel-style thatched air-conditioned hut and experience captivating scenes of the Kalahari Desert from your stone patio or enjoy one of the many activities on offer at the lodge before dinner at the lodge. 

Today we continue south through arid and extensive rocky plains. Visiting the unique Garas quiver tree forest you are welcomed by quirky man-made sculptures of scrap metal which set a contrast to this serene, timeless space with Quiver trees and aloes nestled amongst huge dolerite boulders. Stacked in a mysterious way, the area is also aptly referred to as “Giant’s Playground”. 

We continue to our lodge, situated in close vicinity to the Fish River Canyon. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure in your stone-and-thatch chalets overlooking the rugged landscape and impressive sweeping rock formations.

Our morning starts on the edge of the Fish River Canyon where we gaze into this magnificent geological phenomenon. The Fish River Canyon is located in the northern part of the Nama Karoo and is the second largest canyon in the world, featuring a gigantic ravine that measures in total about 160 km long, up to 27 km wide and in places almost 550 metres deep. 

We continue our journey past the Naute dam, where we shortly stop at the Naute Kristall Cellar and Distillery, to optionally taste some of the unique liquors (own expense) or simply enjoy a delicious cup of coffee. Proceeding onwards we head towards the coastal town of Luderitz. On the way to Luderitz we stop at Garub, a viewing point for the Wild Horses of the Namib Desert. Arriving in Luderitz, we recommend a stop at the Diaz Café for an optional fresh and delicious seafood snack before heading out along the “Große Bucht” towards Diaz Point and onto your accommodation. Your hosts for the evening will have you enjoying a typical Namibian homestay feeling and atmosphere.

Today will be a big day travelling to our next destination.  Our morning starts with a visit to Kolmanskop ghost town. Kolmanskop is a deserted diamond mining town in the Sperrgebiet National Park. Once an opulent and decadent town, a monument to the diamond boom and built to last…until the diamonds ran out. Today Kolmanskop stands as a haunting monument to the thriving past, offering visitor’s a unique glimpse into a bygone era. 

The journey continues across vast open plains, stopping for an optional light lunch in the small town of Helmeringhausen before heading further north along with the Tiras Mountain range to our lodge in the Namib Desert. The lodge is located close to Sesriem and is the gateway to Sossusvlei, DeadVlei and Sesriem Canyon, with some of the highest dunes on Earth towering over the white desert plains. The afternoon can be spent relaxing at the sparkling pool, enjoying the vast open desert plains, or taking part in optional activities offered at the lodge.

The morning demands an early start, but you’ll be well rewarded. Entering the Namib Naukluft National Park with sunrise, the first rays of sunlight paint the mountains of sand into a variety of apricot, red and orange, contrasted against a crisp blue skyline, enrapturing our senses, and providing an opportunity to capture this awesome landscape on film. You will be captivated by the surreal DeadVlei surrounded by some of the highest dunes on earth and Sossusvlei, where the dry Tsauchab River ends abruptly amongst dunes. Take the opportunity to walk up one of these majestic dunes to admire the desert landscape beneath. Thereafter we visit the Sesriem Canyon, a life sustaining natural phenomenon in the heart of the Namib Desert.

After breakfast we continue our journey where you may feel like you have arrived in the middle of nowhere as we approach the little settlement of Solitaire on the edge of the Namib Naukluft National Park.

We’ll then reach the coastal harbour town of Walvis Bay, where we will 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 flamingos feed in this lagoon and present a breath-taking picture when they appear in groups. 

Continuing along the scenic route between the dune belt and the Atlantic Ocean we reach Swakopmund, where the rest of the day is spent at leisure. With palm-lined streets and seaside promenades, Swakopmund is a popular holiday destination in Namibia. Its pleasant summer climate and long stretched beaches attract anglers and surfers from all over Southern Africa.  

Swakopmund is often fondly referred to as the “playground of Namibia”, it has numerous activities ranging from adventure to exploring the fascinating features of the Namib Desert and the animals and plants that survive here. Embrace the relaxed pace of this idyllic coastal town whilst enjoying coffee and freshly baked pastries in one of the many cafés.

Today we first head east into the Erongo Mountain range to stretch our legs on a short informative bush walk with local Bushmen, listening to stories of the bushman culture, traditions and seeing some of their desert survival skills. 

Returning from the walk our journey continues through Uis past the Brandberg, Namibia's highest mountain (2.579m), into the Damaraland, one of the least populated and most geologically diverse areas in Africa. This harsh, rocky environment is home to the elusive desert elephant, the black rhino and free-roaming antelope species. We arrive at our lodge in the afternoon, where we have the remaining day at leisure.

Total distance travelled today: approx 480km

During the cooler hours of the morning we start our adventure-filled day in the company of a local Damara guide, who takes us to Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage site where bushman communities engraved and painted over 2,500 pictures some 6,000 years ago! 

After a visit to the nearby Living Museum of the Damara, we proceed to the Petrified Forest — a geological phenomenon depicting the creation and metamorphosis of wood into stone amongst some of the oldest landmasses on Earth. Here we also see the Welwitschia mirabilis plant – the oldest living desert plant on Earth. 

Our onward journey takes us to the wildlife heaven of Namibia - the Etosha National Park. We check into our lodge located on the border of the Etosha National Park and can unwind after an adventurous day alongside the pool.

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. Home to four of the “Big Five” (elephants, lions, leopards and rhinos), enjoy a full day game drive through the park. Popular game species are all found here such as giraffe, blue wildebeest, plains and mountain zebra, hyena, lion, leopard, antelopes as well as some of the endangered species such as black rhino, cheetah and the black-faced impala.

Today we traverse Etosha National Park from the western plains as we enjoy a full day game drive enroute to our lodge located on the eastern side of the park. You may encounter animal species we have not seen the previous day and look forward to any new surprises at the different waterholes visited. 

Arrive at our lodge later this afternoon where we enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure.

After breakfast, we travel back through the centre of the country to the capital. Time permitting, en route we may stop at the famous wood carvers market in Okahandja or the craft market in the main street in Windhoek to pick up any last few souvenirs. You will be dropped off at your accommodation this afternoon where the rest of the evening is at leisure.

Make your own way to the airport where your Namibian journey comes to an end. 

Alternatively, you can pre book a private transfer to the airport (refer to "Extra Services" for rate).