Safari Quick Facts

Today we have a full day in the Namib Desert and get the opportunity to visit the Sossusvlei dunes, one of the great sights of Africa, either by walk to Hiddenvlei or taking transfer to Deadvlei (optional costs). We get up early and have 1 hour drive to watch the early morning light over the dunes and there is then time to climb some of the highest sand dunes in the world while our leaders cook breakfast. If we're lucky we may see gemsbok or ostrich among the dunes, an irresistibly photogenic scene!

A long, but spectacular drive through Namib-Naukluft Park to Swakopmund, visiting Walvis Bay en route to have lunch and view the flamingos

All day in and around Swakopmund - a German colonial resort town. There is time to go fishing or laze on the beach, or alternatively just enjoy a cream tea and a seafood dinner along the front. You can also go walking among the dunes outside the town, but more exciting than this is the very popular new sport of sand boarding or quad-biking on the dunes (optional). Alternatively there is the opportunity to go dolphin watching or sand skiing

Drive towards the stark Skeleton Coast, visiting the Seal Colony at Cape Cross. This gives a wonderful opportunity to take some close up shots of the hundreds of seals and sea lions frolicking and fishing in the nearby surf. If the wind is blowing the wrong way it is not always the best place for lunch! We then continue inland to Brandberg where we stay near the highest mountain in Namibia.

This morning we drive to Twyfelfontein to view the highest density of Bushmen (San) engravings in Southern Africa. We then take a scenic drive to the Petrified Forest (260 million years old) to see how the wood has been metamorphasised into stone.

A scenic drive takes us to Etosha where we will have time to settle into our chalets before heading off on a late afternoon game drive.

The lodges we use in Etosha all have excellent waterholes for viewing game at night. Our itinerary allows plenty of time to really enjoy this fabulous game park. Etosha is a huge park of mixed forest and grassland centred around a large salt pan. Etosha is home to a great variety and number of game, which is easy to find as the animals congregate at different times around the waterholes. There are waterholes next to the excellent camp/chalet sites, and it is not uncommon for us to spend all night watching a gala performance of animals: wildebeest, zebra, impala, gazelle, kudu, elephant, giraffe, lion and even rhino are all common sights here. Take plenty of film and lots of patience and you will be rewarded by one of the greatest game spectacles in Southern Africa. Etosha is also a good place for birds, with plenty of water birds on the lakes, weaverbirds and hornbills in the trees.

See day 9 for Itinerary

Morning game drive in Etosha followed by a late brunch. Drive to Otjiwarongwe area where we spend the night.

In the morning we visit the Cheetah Conservation Center. You will have the chance to meet the local residents, cheetahs who cannot released back into the wild and visit the education center and museum. We then drive to the Waterberg Plateau, a 200 meter high gigantic flat topped plateau with bushveld on top, which is one of the more fertile areas in Namibia, very colourful especially after the rains. Here there are several walking trails, including one leading to a spectacular viewpoint near the top of the plateau for a great view.

To Windhoek via Okahandja, the cultural center of the Herero people. Depart Windhoek.