On arrival at Windhoek International Airport, we will be transferred to Windhoek. After checking in to our hotel we can then head out to get our first taste of the Namibian capital on a Windhoek City Tour (time permitting), exploring with a local guide and learning all about the history and the people of Windhoek. Alternatively, we can relax by the pool or take an early dinner (own expense) at any of the nearby excellent restaurants, all within walking distance.

An early breakfast this morning and we hit the road by 9h00. Our journey today takes us southwest, with our first official stop being in the small town of Rehoboth. From here, we make our way past the Naukluft Mountains and into the Namib Desert. On arrival in the desert, there is time to check into our accommodation and enjoy lunch before some downtime to swim, siesta or just marvel at the stunning views from our camp. Late afternoon we head out on a sundowner drive to take in our first Namib Desert Sunset.

An early start this morning as we head into the heart of the Namib Desert. After a pre-dawn breakfast, we enter the national park at sunruse, making our way towards Deadvlei. As we travel, there will be opportunities to take plenty of photos of the dunes as they change colour with the rising sun, before arriving in the 4×4 carpark where we continue the adventure on foot. We hike the 1km across to Dead Vlei where our guide will explain the history of this fascinating area before allowing us the freedom to explore, take photos, climb Big Daddy, the highest dune in the area, or just enjoy the experience of this serene landscape. From here, we make our way across to Sossus Vlei, where the area gets it name, where we can enjoy a snack and a break at the picnic benches under the shade of a tree, a welcome respite from the harsh desert sun. Mid-morning, we start to make our way out of the desert, stopping again for photos along the way, aiming to arrive back at Sesriem in time for a well-deserved lunch. From there, we visit the nearby Sesriem Canyon, a small but important landmark in the area as  once the only permanent water source for the local people and wildlife. Explore the canyon, climb down and walk along the canyon learning about the geology of the area.

This morning enjoy an early morning optional hot air balloon flight over the Namib Desert, or instead opt for a lie in to recover after many early starts. Departure for Swakopmund should be no later than 12 noon with a long drive ahead through the Namib Desert with stops at Solitaire, Tropic of Capricorn, Kuiseb & Gaub Passes before reaching the coast and visiting the Walvis Bay Lagoon to get a glimpse of the greater and lesser flamingos. From there, it’s just a short drive through to Swakopmund, home for the next 2 nights.

Today can be as busy, or relaxing as you choose, with a range of different optional activities on offer, from sky diving and sand boarding to a Dolphin Cruise, or Sandwich Harbour excursion, to a Living Desert tour or a scenic flight. Instead, opt to relax and explore Swakopmund on foot.

After breakfast, we leave Swakopmund and head north along the famous Skeleton Coast. Our first stop today is the Zeila Shipwreck, the most recent victim of the harsh Benguela current from as recently as 2008. We continue our journey to Henties Bay and then inland, across the gravel plains of the Namib. Enjoy the changing of landscape as we head into Damaraland, and region of Namibia best known for its community conservancies where people and wildlife live together in some of the country’s most impressive landscapes. Arrival at our camp signals the perfect chance to relax with a drink to enjoy the sunset before settling in for the evening in our spacious premium tent with en-suite bathroom.

Another early start, who said this was a holiday! Today we head deeper into Damaraland. Our goal this morning is to head off the beaten track, and enjoy a nature drive through the river beds, searching for desert elephants. Namibia (just one of 2 countries in the world) is incredibly lucky to be home to these free roaming elephants that have managed to adapt genetically to survive in these harsh desert landscapes. *Note that sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Today we hit the road and make our way into Etosha National Park. Our drive today gives us the chance to meet the Himba, Herero & Damara people that call this region home. We enter the park via the southern Ombika Gate, and from there we game drive the full afternoon all the way through to Okaukuejo, our base for the night. The park itself covers 22,270 kms², and gets its name from the salt pan that makes up approximately 23% of the park. Once a massive lake, the Etosha Pan is now mostly dry, with the exception of good rainfall years when the pan fills up enough to become a breeding ground for flamingos that migrate between Walvis Bay and Sua Pan in Botswana. We enjoy a game drive from the park gate, stopping at some popular (animal) waterholes, before arriving late afternoon at our lodge. Tonight, we can relax by the floodlit waterhole, an excellent chance to view those creatures that prefer to be active during the cool of the night.

Another early departure this morning, aiming to have breakfast and check out by sunrise, starting our game driving as early as possible. Depending on the game viewing, we can stop for lunch at Halali or Namutoni, before exiting the park and checking in to Onguma Bush Camp. The Onguma private reserve borders Etosha National Park, and if home to large numbers of animals, including predators, it is a good idea to keep our eyes peeled here.

A full day to enjoy both Onguma and Etosha today. We start the day with an early breakfast and then head back into Etosha for a morning exploring the eastern side of the park. We then return to Onguma for lunch and then have some downtime before heading out for a sunset game drive on the Onguma Reserve.

Today is another long drive, heading from central Namibia into the Kavango region. Here we will notice a distinct change in landscape as we reach the Kavango where dry savannahs turn into lush green forests with rivers that flow. Tonight we are perched on the banks of the Kavango River, the main tributary for the Okavango Delta in neighbouring Botswana. Here we can spend the evening on the banks of the river, enjoy a totally different Namibian landscape from what we have seen before.

This morning we can head out into the Mahango Game Park. The park is small and has a size of only 245 km² but it boasts 2/3 of Namibia’s bird species as well as other water-dependent mammal species such as buffalo, lechwe, and waterbuck not seen in Etosha National Park. We can return to our lodge during the heat of the day where we can relax before heading out on a late afternoon river cruise to experience life on the river.

Another early start this morning as we leave no later than 7h30 to travel across to the Bwabwata National Park, and then across the boarder into Botswana, On arrival in Kasane we can grab some lunch and then we say goodbye to our guide who returns to Windhoek and we continue on our adventure, starting with a boat cruise along the Chobe River to Serondela Camp.

A full day to enjoy Serondela and the surround area today. We start the morning on foot, choosing between a 3hour nature walk, or 3hour village visit. We return to camp mid morning and then have some much deserved down time to enjoy camp, take a siesta, read a book or enjoy some birdwatching. This afternoon, we head out on the water late afternoon for a sundowner cruise, a great chance for more amazing wildlife sightings.

An early start this morning for breakfast and then we hit the river again, this time transferring back to Kasane. From Kasane, we are picked up for our transfer across to Zimbabwe where we aim to arrive in Victoria Falls by lunch time and can check in to our accommodation, our home for the night. Mid afternoon we then head out to explore the majestic Victoria Falls on a guided tour, taking in both the mighty falls itself and the surrounding national park. Our final evening is spent at our own leisure, and we can choose from a quiet dinner at our guest lodge, or head out to enjoy dinner and a show.

Check out today and transfer through to Victoria Falls International Airport in time for our onward flight. End of services