On arrival at Windhoek International Airport we are transferred into Windhoek where we will spend our first night in Namibia. Check into our hotel before exploring the city on foot or with an optional activity. Dinner tonight is at our own expense in one of Windhoek’s many restaurants

Today we leave the big city and head south east into the Kalahari Desert. Whilst not officially a desert due to its higher than average annual rainfall, the Kalahari offers impressive views over the deep red dunes speckled with desert species like oryx, springbok and ostrich. This afternoon we can enjoy a sundowner nature drive, exploring the Bagatelle Ranch, searching for wildlife such as giraffes, kudus, zebras, oryx, gnus and eland antelopes. The reserve has some of the highest dunes in the region and offers a fascinating view over a salt pan characteristic of the Kalahari. The Kalahari is home to more than 150 bird species, many of which can also be found in our reserve and the popular meerkats families can also be watched with us, even though they are actually very shy.

An early start is recommended for our journey west from the Kalahari to the Namib Desert. On arrival at the NamibRand Nature Reserve we can check in at the Tok Tokkie headquarters and enjoy lunch before heading off into this incredible landscape on foot. The NamibRand Nature Reserve, located in southern Namibia, is a private nature reserve established to help protect and conserve the unique ecology and wildlife of the south-west Namib Desert.It is one of the largest private nature reserves in southern Africa, extending over an area of more than 200,000 ha. The Reserve shares a 100km border with the Namib-Naukluft National Park in the west and is bordered in the east by the imposing Nubib Mountains. Virtually all facets of the Namib Desert are represented on the Reserve – sand and gravel plains and stretches of savanna alternate with mountain ranges, inselbergs and vegetated dune belts as well as an abundance of wildlife from large antelope like the oryx, to the tiny Namaqua chameleon and tok tokkie beetle. Our hiking starts with a short 1-2hour hike to our overnight stop where our camp is already prepared and we can enjoy a sundowner drink and our first sunset over the Namib Desert. Our first night spent out in the desert will be unforgettable. If the sky is clear and moonless, we can enjoy NamibRand one of the few International Dark Sky Reserves in the world.

Early morning tea or coffee is served before sunrise followed by a light breakfast so that we can set off in the cool of the early morning. The highlights of the walk are the breath-taking views of the dunes and plains as well as the “coming alive” of the desert as the guide allows us to feel, smell, taste and see the oldest living desert in the world. The “morning news”, as written in the sand is always fascinating and with some luck and the guide’s trained eyes, we may spot some of the desert specials (golden mole, dancing white lady, barking gecko, dune lark, flightless wasp just to name a few). We walk over a mountain saddle before descending gently to a dry riverbed. During the course of the day our guide will explain some wonders of the Namib to us – how the fascinating desert flora survives, how insect and reptile life adapts to the harsh environment and how mammals can survive here without water. Birding is surprisingly good and we may be lucky enough to see one of Namib endemics, the dune lark. Larger animals we might come across include bat-eared fox, oryx, springbok and ostrich. As we realize that our survival depends on the water that has been deposited for us, this will probably heighten our admiration for the plants and animals that dwell here. For lunch we will stop at a shady spot where we can enjoy the treats prepared by our chefs and fill up our water bottles. There is plenty of time to relax, have a siesta and reflect on all we have seen. As the heat recedes we start walking again up and over the dunes to our second overnight spot. The scene in front of us is a sea of endless dunes and “fairy circles” against a backdrop of magnificent mountain scenery. Photography is spectacular! The shadows on the dunes create an ever-changing palette of colors shortly before sunset. A sundowner and a delicious dinner after a long and enjoyable day are indeed welcome. We might hear some barking geckos, owls or just deafening silence.

Once again we are woken in the soft light shortly before sunrise. Coffee and breakfast is served before we set off through the dune field. The soft and rolling dunes are interspersed by camel thorn trees, which provide welcome shade for a rest. Today’s walk is easy and we arrive at Tok Tokkie farmhouse at approximately 11:30 where we can say goodbye to the NamibRand Nature Reserve and head through to the boundary of the Namib Naukluft Park. We have a short drive through to our next destination, located just 30kms from Sesriem where we can wash off the dust of our hiking adventure and settle into the oasis that is Le Mirage. This area offers equally stunning photography opportunities and for those that can’t get enough of landscape photography this afternoon we can take a self guided walk or join a guided quad biking excursion to see more of this incredible area.

It’s recommended to make a pre-dawn start this morning  to Sossusvlei, aiming to arrive at the national park gates at sunrise and head directly into Deadvlei so we can explore and enjoy photography before the crowds arrive. For the energetic, be the first of the day to summit Big Daddy, the highest dune in the area, or meander around Dead Vlei and enjoy the dunes during the coolest part of the day. Sossusvlei is easily one of Namibia’s most spectacular attractions, characterized by the large red dunes surrounding bleached clay plans. The dunes in this area are some of the highest in the world, measuring almost 400m, and offering some of the most incredible photographic opportunities particularly around sunrise. Should we wish, a guided excursion can also be booked with the lodge.

Our drive today takes us through to Swakopmund via the Gaub and Kuiseb passes. Our first official stop is Solitaire, a small but important outpost for tourists and locals alike, and a popular place to stop and enjoy some more unusual photographic opportunities. From Solitaire, we continue through the ever changing desert landscapes before arriving in Walvis Bay, the main harbor in Namibia. Here we have the opportunity to visit the Walvis Bay Lagoon, a RAMSAR listed wetland site, famous as the feeding ground for many bird species including the Greater & Lesser Flamingos, as well as the endemic Damara Tern amongst others making it an ornithologist paradise. From Walvis Bay it’s just a short drive to Swakopmund where we will spend the next two nights.

A day of rest and relaxation, or explore the coastal region on one (or two) of the many optional activities available. Explore the desert on a Living Desert Tour, join a boat cruise to enjoy the fresh air as the seals, dolphins and pelicans cruise alongside the boat. Alternatively, enjoy the Skeleton Coast from the air and take a scenic flight (south or north) to get another perspective of this dramatic landscape. Alternatively, meander through Swakopmund, explore the local galleries and enjoy a walk along the Atlantic Ocean.

From Swakopmund we head north along the coast with our first stop at the Zeila Shipwreck, the Skeleton Coasts most recent victim. Then, we have the option to take a short detour north to Cape Cross, home to one of the worlds largest colonies of Cape Fur seals. It’s a smelly but fascinating stop and as we meander along the boardwalk the seals will oblige us with a million photo opportunities. From here, we travel inland along the C35, one of the most culturally diverse roads in the country. Here, we have the chance to stop and meet the 3 different tribal groups, the Herero, The Damara and The Himba, that have made this area their home. These entrepreneurial women have created small craft stalls along the road in the hope of enticing the passing tourists to buy some locally crafted souvenirs. This is a great opportunity to meet some of the local women, and learn a little more about life in the rural parts of Namibia. Our next stop is the heart of Damaraland and our home for the night, just a stones throw from Twyfelfontein and the perfect place to spend the night and enjoy our first Damaraland sunset.

A rare opportunity for a lie in this morning and enjoying a leisurely breakfast before taking a short drive through to Twyfelfontein to take a guided tour of the UNESCO World Heritage site, home to the world’s largest collection of San rock engravings, dating back around 5000years. Here we can learn all about how the San people used these etchings to record wildlife sightings, map their travels and communicate and tell stories generation after generation. After our guided tour, we can return to camp where we can relax during the heat of the day, enjoying lunch, a siesta or a swim before heading out on a guided nature drive exploring the ephemeral rivers in search of desert elephant. Namibia is one of just 2 countries in the world (the other Mali) where elephants have specially adapted to harsh desert environments and now roam freely through the Damaraland and Kaokoland region and we hope to find these gentle giants as they meander the dry riverbeds in search of food and water.

After breakfast, we pack our things and make our way towards Etosha National Park Today we are heading into Etosha via the western gate and game driving across the park to Okaukuejo/Halali. This area offers incredible game viewing opportunities including species that are not seen in other areas of the park including the Hartmann’s Mountain zebra. Our camp inside the park means that our game viewing can continue into the night should we wish to sit up around the waterhole after dinner.

A full day today to explore the eastern part of Etosha, Namibia’s premier national park. The park itself stretches some 22,000 sq kms and is named after the enormous salt pan located within. The Etosha Pan covers around 4,800 sq kms and is so big that it can be seen from space. Spend the day searching for 4 of the big 5, from elephant, rhino, leopard, lion to plains game including giraffe, gemsbok, oryx and more. Our last night in the park should be spent by the waterhole, checking to see what might come down to the waterhole

Enjoy a final game drive this morning as we make our way out of the park en-route back to Windhoek with optional stops along the way at the Okahandja woodcarvers market.

Depending on our flight time, we can enjoy a leisurely breakfast and some last minute shopping before dropping off our rental car and being transferred through to Windhoek International Airport in time for our onward flight.