The Southern Namibia and Etosha Tour is a 12 day accommodated tour, (staying in Namibian hotels and lodges) that combines the Southern Namibian Tour and the Etosha Safari Tour. It is designed for guests who wish to visit the traditional highlights of Namibia on one trip in a specific time scale. It includes The Fish River Canyon, Luderitz, the sand-dunes at Sossusvlei, the Namib Desert, Etosha National Park and Erindi Private Game Reserve. Features include:

• Dordabis. With a visit to the oldest Karakul weavery in Namibia.
• The Kokerboom forest. The quiver tree gets its name from the San practice of hollowing out the tubular branches of Aloe dichotoma to form quivers for their arrows, known as 'Choje' to the indigenous San people.
• The Fish River Canyon. The 2nd largest canyon in the world, with the longest interior river in Namibia. Its flow is now just a trickle compared to the immense volume of water that flowed in ages past.
• Kolmanskop. A ghost town, where your only companions will be the sparse plant life and howling winds. This former mining village, was developed after the discovery of diamonds, and was built like a German town, with facilities such as a hospital, ballroom, power station, school, ice factory and the first x-ray station in the southern hemisphere. It also had a railway line to Luderitz.
• Luderitz. The first German settlement in Namibia, named after the merchant Adolf Luderitz from Bremen, who bought this area in 1883.
• Sossusvlei dunes. Though they are very harsh, they are a delicate ecosystem with a surprising amount of life living around and underneath the sand. Keep this in mind when roaming around the area.
• Etosha National Park, home to 114 species of mammal and the perfect place for game viewing. 4 of the 'big 5' can be found stalking, feeding, sleeping or drinking around the park, (no buffalo) including several rare and endangered species, such as black rhino and black-faced impala. Hartebeest and gemsbok can also be spotted. The pan itself, provides an enormous, evaporated, silver-white backdrop of shimmering images, to the surrounding grassland and thorn scrub.
• Erindi Private Game Reserve – with a leopard rehabilitation programme.

Day 1: Windhoek - Gochas

Guests will be collected from their accommodation in Windhoek at around 07h45 and the tour heads south-easterly via Dordabis and Uhlenhorst. The route continues on via Stampriet and on to Gochas, the tour now well within the Kalahari Desert, with it's characteristic low red dunes dominating the landscape. The day ends with an afternoon nature drive. Overnight in a double room
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Kamelruhe Guest House

Day 2: Gochas - Canon Lodge

The day starts with a drive along the Auob River, via Koes and to the Kokerboom Forest (Quivertree Forest) near Keetmanshoop. Before proceeding past the Naute Dam to the Canon Lodge which is situated near to Namibia's famous Fish River Canyon. The lodge itself has been built amongst enormous boulders, designed to blend in with the natural environment.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Canon Lodge

Day 3: Fish River Canyon - Aus

Visit the Fish River Canyon the second largest canyon of the world. This Gigantic ravine, in places almost 500 metres deep, has been gorged out of vast undulating plain in the course of thousands of years. From the canyon we drive via Seeheim and Aus passing through a fascinating landscape of bizarre rock formations and endless desert plains
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Klein Aus Vista

Day 4: Luderitz

The day is spent in Luderitz, the first German settlement in Namibia, named after the merchant Adolf Luderitz from Bremen, who bought this area in 1883. This small harbour town is perched on rugged black rock, offset by the deep blue waters of the bay, and is surrounded by bays, coves and fjords. During the morning visit to the Ghost Town of Kolmanskop where diamonds were first discovered in Namibia. After a day in the town we return across the Namib Desert plains to Klein Aus Vista
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Klein Aus Vista

Day 5: Aus - Hammerstein

From Aus its northwards, through the Neisip Plain and winding your way through the loneliness of the Schwarzrand towards Maltahöhe, passing alongside the impressive Tiras and Nubib Mountain ranges, whilst heading for the overnight stopover. Hammerstein Lodge is nestled between the Nubib and Tsaris mountains, edging ever closer to the red sand sea dunes at Sossusvlei.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Hammerstein Lodge

Day 6: Sossusvlei

An early departure on an excursion to the Sesriem Canyon and Sossusvlei, a large clay pan in the centre to the Namib Desert, set amid huge piles of sand known as star dunes. Sossusvlei is one of the major highlight in Namibia. An afternoon at leisure might be in order, with a choice of 2 swimming pools at the lodge.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Namib Desert Lodge

Day 7: Namib Desert Lodge - Windhoek

The last day of the Southern Namibia leg departs the Namib Desert and drives via Remhootge Pass to Rehoboth, for lunch at the Oanob Dam, an area characterized by stony hills, sandy valleys and mountains. Arrival in Windhoek in the late afternoon to the Safari Court Hotel. There is a free hourly shuttle service into the Central Business District (CBD) and Maerua Mall for hotel guests. Overnight in a double room
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Safari Court Hotel

Day 8: Windhoek - Etosha National Park

The 2nd leg of the safari heads northwards to Etosha National Park via Okahandja, the formal tribal centre of the Herero people, the larger town of Otjiwarongo and Outjo, arriving at Etosha in the afternoon, for that first game drive. After some quality game-viewing it's on to the lodge for dinner. The overnight stop is in double rooms, with private shower/bath/toilet. Enjoy the evening around the flood-lit waterhole, with elephant, zebra and many species of antelope frequent visitors, not to mention the occasional predator.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Okaukuejo, Toshari Inn / Etosha Gateway Lodge or similar accommodation near Etosha Park

Day 9: Etosha National Park

The first of 2 full days of game viewing in the park, which is one of the major sanctuaries of wildlife in Namibia. The morning drive across the park is great for game viewing and as it consists mainly of grass and bush savanna. This type of landscape provides excellent opportunities for game viewing at the numerous waterholes on the way and whilst on safari most of the big game including elephants, rhinos, giraffes, numerous buck species and the big cats can be viewed. Overnight in a double room, with private shower/bath/toilet. Halali has a wonderful floodlit waterhole, set some 200m away from the camp, which means the animals won't be disturbed or afraid to come to drink and graze by any unwanted noise or distractions.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Halali, Etosha Aoba Lodge or similar

Day 10: Etosha National Park

Starting after an early breakfast, the safari will continue with another full day's game driving and viewing along 'The Etosha Pan,' which the park is named after. The waterholes become a magnet for game in the drier months of June to November, whilst searching for those big 4 becomes harder in the summer. There is a break for lunch, with an opportunity to have a dip in a pool, before resuming on the afternoon game drives, with continued excellent photographic opportunities.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodation: Etosha Aoba Lodge or similar

Day 11: Etosha - Erindi

After breakfast the safari leaves the Etosha National Park and drives towards the town of Tsumeb, with a visit to Lake Otjikoto and the mine museum. After lunch, it's on to Otjiwarongo and then the overnight destination at the Erindi Private Game Reserve. The day ends with a game drive on the exclusive private game reserve in the afternoon, where they have a leopard rehabilitation project, and all of the big cats, including lion and cheetah, plus black rhino, the rare African Wild Dog and brown hyena can be viewed here.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Erindi or Mount Etjo Safari Lodge

Day 12: Windhoek

Homeward bound to Windhoek via Okahandja and it's woodcarvers market, with a visit to the graves of the great Herero chiefs, and the old cemetery with graves of members of the German Schutztruppe.
Meals: Breakfast

Included

Tour in a group with an English speaking driver / guide.
Porterage & park-entrance-fees

Excluded

Beverages
Items of a personal nature
Tips
Travel Insurance

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.