Today’s flight departs from Windhoek International Airport at 15h50 and takes us south west. We can enjoy incredible scenery of the Khomas, Auas & Eros Mountains that surround Windhoek, before crossing the Naukluft Mountains and watching as the landscape transforms from mountain ranges to the desert. We arrive at Sesriem at 16h40 where we can check into our rooms and take in our first Namib Desert Sunset.

Today we spend the day exploring the Namib Desert, the world’s oldest desert, and part of Africa’s largest conservation area. Departing before sunrise, we travel into the Namib Naukluft National Park and down to the heart of the sand dunes. As we travel along the Tsauchab River, we can stop and enjoy countless photographic opportunities as the sun rises and the dunes change colour. The low lying sun provides breathtaking light on the dunes and the addition of an oryx, springbok or ostrich brings the desert to life. Spend the morning exploring the dunes, wandering through Deadvlei and Sossusvei and for the energetic climbing Big Daddy, the highest dune in the area. Returning to camp early afternoon for some much deserved lunch and some respite from the midday sun, we can have a siesta before enjoying an afternoon excursion to the nearby Sesriem Canyon.

Another early morning this morning as we head out on a sunrise hot air balloon flight over the worlds oldest desert. Enjoy the chance to witness the colours of the desert change as the sun rises, this time from the sky as we float over the dunes, plains and rocky outcrops that make this desert so unique. We enjoy a champagne breakfast upon landing and then have the chance to relax during the heat of the day before heading out on a late afternoon activity.

After a leisurely breakfast this morning, we head to the airstrip for our flight through to Swakopmund on the Skeleton Coast. This flight is incredibly scenic as it takes us over the dune fields northwest and onto the Atlantic coastline. Arriving mid-morning, we have time to wander the quaint town of Swakopmund and explore the shops, quirky museums and such on foot. Swakopmund is also Namibia’s adventure capital, an ideal destination for anyone who might want to get out and experience a rush from sandboarding to quad biking to skydiving. Alternatively, enjoy a leisurely walking tour or cycling tour of the town itself, or a vehicle-based tour out to the Moon Landscape, or north to Cape Cross Seal Colony; the choice is ours.

Enjoy a leisurely morning or opt for an optional activity before heading down to Walvis Bay this afternoon to enjoy a guided 4×4 adventure over the dunes and down to Sandwich Harbour. This area offers incredible views where the dunes of the Namib cascade into the Atlantic Ocean, a setting you have to see to believe. On return from Sandwich Harbour, we can enjoy a drive past the Walvis Bay Lagoon, a chance to witness the sunset and to see both the greater and lesser flamingos before returning to Swakopmund for dinner at one of the many restaurants.

After breakfast, we head to the airport to fly through to Ongava (via Doro Nawas). The Ongava Reserve is one of Namibia’s premier private game reserves and a haven for everything from white rhino & lion to herds of elephant and more. On arrival today, we can check into our luxury accommodation overlooking the savannah before heading out for an afternoon game drive in search of everything from the largest of mammals to our feathered friends, including eagles, owls, and even eagle owls.

The Ongava Reserve shares a border with Etosha National Park, so this morning we enjoy a game drive through Namibia’s premier national park and have the chance to experience some of Africa’s best game viewing. Etosha stretches some 22,000 sq kms and whilst this is a huge area, Etosha is renowned for its large concentrations of multiple species drinking around the same waterhole. This diversity is a reflection of the harsh environment and lack of groundwater that brings all creatures, predators and prey, into the artificial water holes to quench their thirst. Returning to Ongava early afternoon, we can enjoy some downtime during the heat of the day before enjoying an afternoon nature drive or guided walk to explore Ongava some more.

On our last full day in the bush, a guided nature walk is recommended, a chance for one last connection with the Namibian veld, and an opportunity to look for some of the smaller creatures often missed when on a game drive vehicle. However, we must also keep an eye out for all predators and animals like elephant, lion, rhino, and more, making this a chance to examine the flora up close and get a little adrenaline rush, depending on what we encounter. After our morning walk, we can relax, enjoy a leisurely lunch and afternoon siesta before a final afternoon game drive.

We enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning before boarding our final flight of the safari around lunch time southbound for Windhoek International Airport in time for our onward international flight.