Day 1
Arrival in Windhoek
On arrival in Windhoek you will be transferred to your overnight accommodation where an ATI Holidays representative will meet with to hand over your info pack and vouchers and chat through your itinerary. This afternoon or evening you will also meet your tour guide.
You will have some free time to explore Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. The city is situated in what is almost the country’s geographical centre. This location has obvious benefits when it comes to governing a country the size of Namibia, and also makes it the ideal place to begin your Namibian holiday.
Overnight: Rivendell Guest House
Day 2
Windhoek - Sesriem & Sossusvlei
Approx. driving time: Five hours excluding stops.
Today after breakfast you will journey the five hours from Windhoek to Sossusvlei Lodge, situated right at the entrance gate to Sesriem and Sossusvlei (Namib Naukluft Park). Situated adjacent to the oldest desert in the world, Sossusvlei Lodge is a luxurious retreat. Shaded by camelthorn trees, the lodge blends in perfectly with the spectacular desert surroundings and bears testament to the ingenuity of an eco-friendly design.
The Namib-Naukluft Park is one of the least populated areas in the country, meaning visitors can experience an intense feeling of vastness and isolation. Here the magical and awe-inspiring beauty of the night skies can be enjoyed.
Guests can explore the vastness of Namibia's unspoiled natural environment with the Sossusvlei Lodge Adventure Centre. Choose from guided Sossusvlei trips, hot air ballooning, eco-friendly quad biking, nature drives, sundowner trips, bush dinners, guided sunset walks, archery, stargazing and scenic flights. A dip in the sparkling pool or an ice cold beer under the shady trees in the Acacia beer garden makes for the best relaxation after an eventful day. The al fresco terrace offers magnificent views of the floodlit waterhole where you can watch the passing parade of oryx, springbok, jackal, ground squirrel and hyena, whilst enjoying exquisite food and wine.
The separate accommodation units are carefully laid out to blend in perfectly with the magnificent surrounding natural environment. Each fully air-conditioned chalet has a patio, en-suite bathroom with shower and a spacious bedroom under canvas with adobe-style plaster walls.
Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Sossusvlei Lodge
Day 3
Sossusvlei
This morning your guide will take you through the Sesriem gate and on towards Sossusvlei. The entrance opens at sunrise and this is the best time of day to see the dunes. Fitter guests will often take on the challenge of scaling ‘Big Daddy’, one of the highest dunes in the world. You won’t want to forget your camera here as the scenery of the desert and awe-inspiring dunes is amazing. You can also take a short walk to Deadvlei, a bizarre collection of ancient camelthorn trees.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Sossusvlei Lodge
Day 4
Sossusvlei - Swakopmund
Approx. driving time: 5 hours excluding stops.
German architecture, monuments, historic buildings, well maintained gardens, palm tree lined avenues, coffee bars and fantastic seafood restaurants are what make up this intriguing resort town. Although you will rarely experience any rainfall here, for nine months of the year the town is subjected to morning fog and this mist band gives life to plants and animals.
Tonight, you are free to experience dinner at a restaurant of your choice.
Accommodation tonight is at the Hansa hotel, the grandest and oldest hotel in the area. Here the elegant interior will allow you to experience luxurious and sophisticated hospitality. Each room is fitted with under tile or under carpet heating, 15 satellite television channels and high-speed internet.
Breakfast and picnic lunch included.
Overnight: Hansa Hotel
Day 5
Walvis Bay Waterfront
This morning you will make your way down to the Walvis Bay Waterfront (the Yacht Club) to arrive by 08:30, for a few hours aboard a luxury catamaran. You will be cruising the beautiful bay area while your guide serves you drinks and snacks. Your cruise takes you towards the Pelican Point lighthouse where you will see the cape fur seal colony playing in and out of the water. Your guide will also point out the local oyster platforms and explain the workings of that industry. If you love your birds, you are in for a treat as you will be able to spot species such as flamingos, pelicans and cormorants. You may also see dolphins, leatherback turtles, Humpback or Orca whales. You will arrive back at the Yacht Club at around 12:30.
Dinner tonight is again in your choice of restaurant.
Breakfast and lunch included.
Overnight: Hansa Hotel
Day 6
Swakopmund - Aba Huab River
Approx. driving time: 5 hours excluding stops.
Today your Namibian adventure continues as you take the five hour drive to Doro Nawas, a rugged, rocky hill on the edge of the dry Aba Huab River. From here you will enjoy endless and spectacular views of the Etendeka Mountains and the red sandstone cliffs of the Twyfelfontein – famous for its San Rock art. This area of Namibia is often referred to as Damaraland and is one of the most rugged and uninhabited areas on the African continent.
There are no large concentrations of wildlife, however this seemingly stark environment is amazingly home to a range of wildlife including desert-adapted elephant, gemsbok, springbok, bat eared fox and you may even catch a glipse of a black rhino or cheetah. Another exciting element of the trip for birders as this area is renowned for several Namibian endemics such as Damara hornbill, Carp’s tit and Rupell’s Korhaan.
Today you can choose to take a 4x4 trip in search of the desert adapted elephants or do a fascinating expedition to the local rock art site which usually also takes in the Petrified Forest.
Accommodation tonight is a real treat – 16 chalets, all built from a combination of a stone base and canvas walls, supported on wooden posts propping up the thatched roof. It is possible on the warmer evenings to wheel the beds out of the rooms and enjoy a night under the stars.
Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Doro Nawas
Day 7
Aba Huab River
This morning after a hearty breakfast take part in a guided morning nature drive. Although large game is not concentrated year-round here, you may well come across elephant and other wildlife as well as stunning scenery.
If you want to fill your afternoon, there is a walking trail in the vicinity of the lodge which can be enjoyed with or without a guide.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Doro Nawas
Day 8
Aba Huab River - Etosha National Park
Approx. driving time: 4.5 hours excluding stops.
Etosha, meaning ‘Great White Place’, is dominated by a massive mineral pan. This pan is part of the Kalahari Basin, the floor of which was formed around 1000 million years ago. This enormous pan covers around 25% of the National Park.
pThe park opens its gates at sunrise and closes them at sunset. Please note that plastic bags are banned from inside the Park and there is a hefty fine for anyone caught taking them in. Your vehicle may be searched at the gate.
Once inside the park you will be treated to sightings of many species of birds and also wildlife crossing your path as you drive slowly through.
Your accommodation tonight is at Eagle Tented Lodge in Okaukueio. Here you will find a wide range of activities on its own private Wildlife Reserve. The main lodge building houses the restaurant and cosy lounge areas and the stunning swimming pool offers the perfect place to relax after some dusty wildlife viewing activities.
You will be sleeping under canvas but without leaving luxury behind. Each tent has an en-suite bathroom and tea and coffee facilities. The view from the tents is breath taking, overlooking the Epacha Private Game Reserve.
Breakfast, lunch pack and dinner included.
Overnight: Eagle Tented Lodge
Day 9
Etosha National Park
Today you have a day at leisure. Your guide will drive you into Etosha early in the morning so that you can enjoy a few hours of prime wildlife viewing, slowly driving between waterholes and spotting various species along the way. There will also be time to enjoy a viewing at the famous Okaukueio waterhole before you head back to the lodge for the afternoon to relax.
Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Eagle Tented Lodge
Day 10
Etosha - Okonjima
Approx. driving distance: 3.5 hours excluding stops.
Situated halfway between Windhoek and Etosha National Park, the 55,000 acre Okonjima Game Reserve is famous for its cheetah and leopard safaris. The Africat Foundation here rehabilitates cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas and leopards so there is ample opportunity to see these beautiful creatures in their natural environment. The Africat Foundation works with farmers and the public to conserve the big cat species of Namibia. It educates the local communities on how to work with the big cat species, which even includes a local school. The Okonjima experience enables you to search for the rare and endangered species rarely seen, even by locals. Whilst on this experience you may well come across other species such as rhino, brown hyaena and pangolin.
Accommodation this evening is at Okonjima Plains Camp. The Plains Camp design honours the Okonjima cattle-farming history. The barn / entertainment area includes the dining and lounge area, the pool and the curio-shop and hosts the three tier accommodations facility. Fantastic sunsets are often enjoyed here.
Breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included.
Overnight: Okonjima Plains Camp
Day 11
Okonjima - Windhoek
Approx. driving distance: 3.5 hours excluding stops.
Today you say goodbye to your Namibian adventure as you head back to Windhoek with your driver guide, in time to catch your flight home.
Breakfast
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