The Great Namibian Journey is a 13-day accommodated/tented camp tour that encompasses Namibia as a whole. This is a land of stunning landscapes, endless blue skies, barren deserts, rugged mountains and spectacular wildlife. Travel will be by land, except when the journey is enhanced or otherwise by air. The country's main attractions such as Sossusvlei, Etosha and Damaraland are explored through a range of private areas, flights and varied accommodation. Explore:

• The dunes of Sossusvlei and the astonishing expanse of the Namib Desert.
• View the amazing marine life just off Swakopmund, with a dolphin cruise followed by a private beach lunch.
• Absorb the volcanic rock-strewn landscape, enjoy the hiking and cycling, and track the rare and endangered black rhino by foot, in Damaraland.
• Enjoy the game-filled savannah's of Etosha National Park and the pan, a slight, sometimes saline depression which may hold water, depending on the rainfall. One translation of Etosha is 'Chums,' from the Hei//om people, (an inter-mixture of all Bushman tribes,) which originated from their description of the 'chum-chum' noise, made by a person's feet when the are walking across soft mounds of the powdery clay, which form on large areas of the pan.
• Admire the stark beauty of the Skeleton Coast by scenic flight.
• Enjoy interacting with traditional Himba people.

Days 1 & 2: Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, Sossusvlei

Guests will be collected from their Windhoek accommodation at 08h00 and will travel by vehicle approximately 380km to the Kulala reserve. En-route there are some spectacular views of the Khomas Hochland escarpment, and the awe-inspiring views of the mountains and the desert floor can be enjoyed to the full, on the lunch stop.
Activities centre round early morning excursion's in 4x4 vehicles to the magnificent Sossusvlei dunes. The road from Sesriem enters the dune field, driving down a corridor of the ancient Tsauchab River bed, between towering star dunes. The impression of the early morning light on the sea of vivid orange dunes, some as high as 300 metres, is a lasting one.
There are also morning, afternoon and night drives, and guided walks to scenic viewpoints on the Kulala Game Reserve. Although not rich in terms of game, springbok, gemsbok (Oryx) and ostrich, all manage to survive in this harsh climate. On spotlit night drives, guests will often encounter small mammals such as aardwolf, bat-eared fox, hares and occasionally spotted-hyenas.
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, Kulala Wilderness Camp, Kulala Desert Lodge or Little Kulala

Days 3 & 4: Hansa Hotel, Swakopmund

It's north then west, by road via the Kuiseb Canyon with its dark, craggy canyons and on to the coastal town of Swakopmund. There are stops along the way at the Moon Landscape, a moon-like landscape of flat gravel plains, a harsh and barren land that receives only 20mm of rainfall per year. Then it's on to the Welwitschia plants that are actually massive trees that have been dwarfed by the rigours of the desert climate. Each plant produces only 2 leaves in it's lifetime, and these plants are amongst the oldest in the world, some over 1,000 years. Arrival time at the 3 star Hansa Hotel in Swakopmund, is scheduled for the late afternoon. Day 4 is dedicated to exploring the ice-blue Atlantic coast, from the port towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, with its incredible marine mammals. There is a boat cruise at Walvis Bay, down the coast to Sandwich Harbour, (weather permitting) which provides a unique chance to see the diverse pelagic (ocean-going) birdlife, including the Cape fur seals and rare Heaviside's dolphins up close. A seafood lunch follows, before returning to the hotel in the late afternoon. This grand hotel is within easy walking distance of the town's facilities and the beach.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Hansa Hotel

Day 5: Damaraland Camp, Damaraland

The safari continues partly up the legendary Skeleton Coast, (named for the numerous shipwrecks the treacherous shores have claimed over the years) to the Cape Cross seal colony - there are literally thousands of them here. The Cape Cross Seal Reserve was established to protect the largest breeding colony of Cape fur seals in the world. (There will only be a visit to Cape Cross if large populations of seals were not seen on the boat cruise from Walvis Bay.) The drive then hits the back roads to the Ugab riverbed, and because of it's subterranean supply of water, can support the permanent growth of larger trees and small shrubs, which in turn attract game. It's then north past the Brandberg Mountain - the highest mountain in Namibia and the second largest monolith on earth - and into Damaraland. Lunch is taken en-route and the all-day excursion ends on arrival at Damaraland Camp.
Damaraland is one of the most interesting and dramatic regions in Namibia, a land of desolate, desert beauty, burnt mountains and rugged semi-desert. Early morning mists, generated by the clash of icy Atlantic Ocean and the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast, drift inland along the canyons, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of the region. Rare succulent plants survive in this harsh, unforgiving countryside. Activities will include explorations on foot, by mountain bike or 4x4 vehicles, viewing springbok, gemsbok and ostrich, and tracking the unique desert-adapted elephant. A lovely feature of Damaraland Camp is its unique rock pool.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Damaraland Camp

Days 6 & 7: Desert Rhino Camp, Damaraland

It's on to the Huab riverbed, (another ancient river system,) to search for desert-adapted elephants, before heading north to the mountainous and rocky Palmwag Concession.
Desert Rhino Camp is situated in the enormous private Palmwag Reserve in North-West Namibia, between Etosha and the Skeleton Coast - with high levels of privacy and wilderness experience to enjoy. A feature of this concession is that it has a number of freshwater springs that support healthy populations of animals, including the desert-adapted black rhino, which is incidentally the largest concentration outside of a National Park, (which are monitored and protected by the Save The Rhino Trust.) The desert-adapted elephant, as well as large populations of the rare Hartmann's Mountain Zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, springbok and kudu can also be seen. The predator population is the largest outside of the Etosha National Park including lion, cheetah, leopard, and brown and spotted hyena. Birdlife is prolific and diverse featuring many of Namibia's endemics. The Welwitschia mirabilis (an ancient, endemic cone-bearing plant) dot the plain in front of the camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Desert Rhino Camp

Days 8 & 9: Ongava Tented Camp, Etosha National Park

A long day's travel (approx 350km) eastward on an extended wildlife and game viewing drive to Etosha National Park. This section of the safari, combines the pinnacle of Namibian game viewing with luxury accommodation, whilst benefiting from the privacy of an exclusive bush camp, Ongava, situated on an extensive private game reserve. It is at the base of the foothills of the Ondundozonanandana Range, meaning 'mountain where the boy took the calves.' Activities will include day and night drives, walks and hikes. Within Etosha itself, a number of perennial springs and pans will be visited, with expectations of seeing large herds of elephant, many game species, as well as some predators. There is a small pool in the tented camp, an ideal opportunity to jump in and cool off from the hot, afternoon sun.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Ongava Tented Camp

Days 10, 11 & 12: Skeleton Coast Research Camp, Skeleton Coast National Park

Transfer to to the Skeleton coast by a breathtaking scenic flight over dramatic desert landscapes to the exclusive Skeleton Coast Research Camp, situated in a private concession in the park of the same name. This is a much-photographed desert coastline, and one of the most inhospitable, but hauntingly beautiful places in the country. There are roaring sand dunes, windswept plains, towering canyons and saltpans, seal colonies and shipwrecks, emerging eerily through the fog. Ancient seafarers had good reason to fear this coastline; to be stranded in the Namib Desert could befall even the hardiest and most experienced of mariners. There are full-day explorations in 4x4 vehicles to take in all of these amazing sites, picnicking on the way. Cultural visits to the remote villages of the Himba, a nomadic, pastoral people, are also included.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation Skeleton Coast Research Camp

Day 13: Charter flight to Windhoek

This amazing safari continues with an air charter return to Windhoek, arriving at approximately 4pm late afternoon, where the adventure ends!
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Included

Accommodation and meals as listed on the itinerary
Park entrance fees
Passenger liability insurance

Excluded

Beverages
Items of a personal nature
Tips
Travel Insurance

Features

Sossusvlei, Etosha and Damaraland are enthusiastically explored via a range of private areas, campsites, flights and varied accommodation, from camping to lodges.
Superlative guiding allows for flexible activities and detailed insights to all habitats and wildlife movements in a relaxed personalised manner.
Exceptionally diverse range of activities, including day and night, sea- to land-based, flying, driving, and boating.
Other activities include meeting local Damara and Himba people (dependent on their movements), tracking black rhino on foot, motorboat lagoon trip at Walvis Bay, with extension to Sandwich Harbour, and seafood lunch.
Skeleton Coast Research Camp, set in the heart of Skeleton Coast National Park, provides excellent access to the dry river courses and seemingly barren Atlantic coastline.
Travel by land when the journey is enhanced; otherwise travelling is done by air.

Route & Accommodation

The itinerary above is a guideline only and whilst we try to adhere to it there may be circumstances when it may change - for example weather and/or road conditions, seasonal daylight hours etc. Overnight stops on occasion may be altered from those indicated.