day one

Welcome to Namibia!

Upon arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for your first night – Zannier Hotels Omaanda.

Situated just 30 minutes east of Namibia’s Windhoek International airport, Zannier Reserve stretches for 900 square kilometres. It is known for its scenic savanna-covered landscapes inhabited by a vast variety of wildlife. Commonly spotted species include: leopard, giraffe, warthog, antelope, ostrich and jackal. It is also home to the Shiloh Wildlife Sanctuary which provides a refuge for injured or abandoned rhinos and elephants. Visitors can look forward to spotting an array of wildlife, soaking up the beautiful views, and enjoying a guided safari to track the animals.

Experienced guides will take guests with well-equipped open game drive vehicles around the pristine 9,000-hectare reserve, showcasing some of the most incredible wildlife in Africa. Early drives at sunrise are ideal to observe the Namibian plains waking up, while evening drives reveal the elusive beauty of the nocturnal savannah.

All of the safaris are conducted in state-of-the-art Land Cruisers, each accommodating a maximum of six guests. During the game driving guests are likely to see a great variety of wildlife including rhinos, elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, leopards, ostriches, black-backed jackals, warthogs, various antelopes (kudu, red hartebeest, steenbok, reedbuck, waterbuck, oryx, springbok) and many types of birds. Drinks and snacks are provided.

day TWO

Fly to Soussusvlei and transfer to Sesriem

As there is no accommodation at Sossusvlei, visitors to this desert wilderness are likely to end up staying at Sesriem, 65 kilometres away, where camps and lodges serve as a base from which to explore the dunes. Sesriem Canyon, a deep chasm carved through the rocks by water, is a striking natural feature of the area that is best explored on foot. Stony walls rise up sharply on both sides of the canyon, while birds roost in its crags and lizards dart along the ledges. The canyon’s name was coined when early settlers used it as a water source, using six lengths of leather (‘ses riem – six thongs) tied together to lower buckets into the water at the base of canyon.)

Arrive and check into your hotel for two nights, the Namib Outpost.

Sundowner Drive

The Namib-Naukluft Park is Namibia’s most versatile conservation area and one of the country’s major tourist destinations. The vast wilderness of almost 50,000 square km contains key features such as Sossusvlei, Sesriem, the Welwitschia Trail, Sandwich Harbour, the Naukluft Mountains and the Kuiseb Canyon. This vast tract of land covering an area the size of Germany consists of dunes (some of which at Sossusvlei are amongst the highest in the world), gravel plains and rugged mountainous areas. Enjoy a sundown nature drive in this unique region, to experience a small but stunning part of the wilderness.

On the Witwater Wilderness Reserve – 7000 ha.

• A relaxing way to end the day and enjoy beautiful views and a sundowner with drinks and snacks

• Starts in the afternoon, lasts 2 – 2 1⁄2 hours, departure times change seasonally; guests are back at the lodge just before dinner

• minimum of 2 guests or a single supplement applicable, max. 9 guests per vehicle

• Opportunity to come face to face with the pro-Namib in a safari 4×4 vehicle

• Includes sundowner-drinks and snacks

For participation in afternoon activities, check-in is necessary until 2 pm. In the case of a later arrival, it is not possible to guarantee a performance or attendance due to the different start times.

day three

Explore Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei is the well-known highlight of the area, and the lodge offers guided half day trips into the dunes with their 4×4 open vehicles. The vehicles do have roofs and clear drop down sides for extreme weather conditions. Scaling the Big Daddy (one of the highest dunes in the world) is a standard challenge for fitter guests… This morning you can wake early and take your inclusive guided drive through the Sesriem gate and onwards towards Sossusvlei, around 70km from the Park entrance.  The entrance opens at sunrise and this is the best time of day to see the dunes.  The desert can be extremely hot from mid-morning onwards, so please remember plenty of water, a hat and good walking shoes!  Enjoy the amazing scenery of the desert, and maybe take a short walk to Deadvlei, a bizarre collection of ancient camelthorn trees, or climb the nearby dunes. 

• Departure is seasonal, depending on national park opening hours. Activity is possible in the early morning or afternoon ( in the morning preferably for photography – departing before sunrise. In the afternoon preferably for experiencing the dunes more in private, less visitors will be there)

• Minimum of 2 guests or single supplement applicable; small groups only (maximum of 9 guests per vehicle)

• Activity duration is approx. 1⁄2 a day (approx. 6 – 7 hours)

• Rate includes a picnic in the dunes, guide, water, entrance fees

day four

Fly to Twyfelfontein and transfer to Skeleton Coast

Stretching from the Swakop River to southern Angola, Namibia’s Skeleton Coast is known as the ‘Land God Made in Anger’. Thousands of miles of sandy desert dotted with shipwrecks meet with the cold waters of the Atlantic, where ocean fog creeps over the shoreline. Somehow, an amazing array of wildlife and flora manages to survive in this harsh but beautiful environment. Animals living here include seabird colonies, Cape fur seals, zebras, gemsbok, desert-adapted elephants, lions, and many more. Surfing enthusiasts are drawn to the powerful crashing waves, and photographers flock from around the globe to capture the eerie shipwreck graveyards and breath-taking coastline.

Arrive and check into Shipwreck Lodge, your home for the next three nights.

day five

Scenic Quad Biking over the dunes

A quad biking activity is offered to guests at Shipwreck Lodge, among other activities. If you are considering taking part in the quad biking please ensure that your travel insurance covers you for this activity. Please be aware that regulations around quad bike use vary enormously around the world and do not always match those in place in the UK or US. Our recommendation is that children under 16 years do not take part in quad biking activities, either as a driver or a passenger. Children aged 16 and over should only be carried as passengers where the quad bike is designed for this, ie it has a separate seat and separate foot pegs. If at any time a quad bike is to be driven on a public road, a full valid driving licence will be required of the driver. Please ensure you listen to all instructions carefully and are confident in how to operate the quad bike before heading out onto the sand dunes. If at any time you feel uncomfortable with the excursion please let your guide know.

Quad Biking over the roaring dunes: Join a guide on a scenic drive over the roaring dunes to the valley. The excursion will only be conducted in the morning due to wind and weather conditions and last approx 1 hour.

Depending on the weather: start at 10:00 to 12h00. Maximum 2 hours (7 pax maximum).

day SIX

Huarusib River Excursion & Beach Lunch

A 4×4 trip to the Huarusib River. Fortunate clients could possibly see 
the desert adapted elephants although this is not a guaranteed siting.

Start at 7h30. Duration: 5 to 6 hours (comes with option of beach lunch or lunch at lodge) at 13h00. Maximum 7 Pax per car.

Beach lunch until 15h00. Weather permitting, enjoy a scrumptious lunch on the vast empty beach.
Feel the crisp sea-breeze tousle your hair and ponder the meaning of life
 as the ocean washes onto the pristine sand in its unending ebb and flow.

Enjoy a sundowner drive to the beach or the top of the dunes this evening.

day seven

Transfer to Hoanib River

Where Kaokoland meets the Skeleton Coast, in western Namibia, the 270-kilometre-long Hoanib River is one of the last water oases in the country, providing a haven for numerous animals. Home to 75% of Namibia’s endemic species, including the largest numbers of desert-adapted, free-roaming elephants, lions, and rhinos in the world, as well as zebra, kudu, and giraffe, this is a truly exceptional and awe-inspiring place. Visitors can enjoy taking a wonderful four-wheel-drive route, going on adventurous hiking trails, running down enormous sand dunes, or climbing massive, strangely shaped rock formations as well as several guided nature walks.

Arrive and check into the Hoanib Valley Camp, your home for the next two nights.

The guided morning and afternoon game drives from Hoanib Valley Camp take place along the ephemeral Hoanib River Valley, looking for the occasional oasis that supports desert elephants, giraffe, mountain zebra and a multitude of antelope species. And where there is game, the predators are never far behind. Namibia is home to the largest and fastest growing wild lion population in Africa. The surrounding region is also home to the last free roaming black-rhino in the world, though spotting these animals this far east is fairly uncommon.

day eight

Game Drives at Hoanib Valley Camp & Cultural Visit

Explore the rugged area on a morning or afternoon game drive learning about its remarkable flora and fauna including the giraffe research that is conducted in this area.

The guided morning and afternoon cultural visits from Hoanib Valley Camp offer the perfect opportunity to learn more about the unique cultures that make this unforgiving environment their home. There are Himba, Herero & Damara people living in this area. They all benefit directly from your stay here, both in terms of training and employment and as part of the community based conservation efforts which aim to ensure that local people benefit tangibly from taking care of their natural wildlife populations.

day nine

Fly to Ongava Private Game Reserve

Sharing the southern boundary with Etosha National Park, the prolific 30 000-hectare private Ongava Game Reserve is considered one of the top private game reserves in the region, enjoying global recognition for exceptional conservation, groundbreaking research and exciting safari experiences. The landscape is characterized by vast open plains dotted with salt plans and abundant wildlife. Visitors can easily access Etosha through Andersson’s Gate in the south.

Known for its luxury lodges made out of natural materials, Ongava is a popular destination for those looking to immerse themselves in nature. The reserve offers visitors the perfect combination of wildlife safari experiences within and around the Etosha National Park. One of Ongava’s top attractions is its rhino population and guests can experience the thrill of getting close to these majestic creatures. Popular activities include: night game drives, guided nature walks, bird watching and 4×4 guided game drives.

Arrive and check into Anderssons at Ongava, your home for the next two nights.

Take part in a guided afternoon nature drive in the Ongava Private Game Reserve. The Ongava area features almost all of the characteristic wildlife of the area, with plains game such as springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, waterbuck, red hartebeest, giraffe, eland and endemic black-faced impala seen. Ten of Namibia’s fourteen endemic bird species have been recorded within the 340 species found on the Ongava concession.

day ten

Excursions & Guided Nature Walks into Etosha National park

Take part in a guided morning nature drive into the Etosha National Park. The Ongava Private Game Reserve features almost all of the characteristic wildlife of the area, with plains game such as springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, Burchell’s zebra, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, waterbuck, red hartebeest, giraffe, eland and endemic black-faced impala seen, while Etosha itself has elephant to add to the list. In Etosha, large herds of plains game concentrate around the waterholes in the dry season, making for exciting wildlife viewing. Lion move between the Park and the Reserve and both black and white rhino can be seen. Ten of Namibia’s fourteen endemic bird species have been recorded within the 340 species found on the Ongava concession.

Offered seasonally and subject to an available walking guide, the guided nature walks through the reserve will proudly showcase the abundant array of life, from the unusual plants to the arid-adapted animals with a chance of potentially approaching white rhino.

day ELEVEN

Ongava Information System and Visitor Centre & journey home

This morning, visit Ongava Information System and Visitor Centre to interface with science and research across Anderssons. Part of this experience is an immersion into the world of natural history and science at the new Ongava Visitor Centre. With dozens of in-depth displays that feature information on the geology, animals, plants and ecological functioning of this fascinating region, guests are encouraged to meander through the self-guided exhibition area.

Afterwards, fly from Ongava Airstrip to Windhoek to catch your flights back to London.