6 Day Dunes & Wildlife Experience

Day 1 – Halali and Etosha National Park

We will be collected from our guesthouse/hotels as 07:15 and brought to the Backpackers Lodge for the pre-departure talk and to meet the rest of the group. After the departure from Windhoek, we stop briefly at Otjiwarongo to gather some last minute supplies before continuing on to Etosha with a light lunch pack whilst “on the move”. We enjoy an afternoon game drive through the park visiting waterholes looking for predators as well as zebra, giraffe, elephant, rhino and many different species of antelope arriving at our lodge just before sunset and settle into our rooms, with en-suite bathroom and tea/coffee facilities. A visit to the flood lit waterhole is highly recommend while dinner is prepared by your guide over an open fire.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2 – Taleni and Etosha Village

We start our first game drive at sunrise to catch the predators while they are still active, visiting many waterholes.  Our second game drive mid-morning takes us to the impressive Etosha Pan “great white place” where we can get out of the vehicle and experience this 4500 sq km “saline desert” before continuing our game drive to look for the Big 4.  We arrive back at Halali where our guide will prepare a delicious lunch whilst we have a dip in the pool or relax by the camp waterhole.  After lunch we begin our final game drive across the park towards Okaukuejo calling into some well-known waterholes and leave the park prior to sunset. Accommodation tonight is just outside the park in a comfortable spacious twin share rooms with a modern en-suite bathroom facilities, creating an ideal space to sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. Fantastic dinner is prepared by our guide and another early night is recommended.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 – Swakopmund

Enjoy an early morning breakfast and departure from our lodge is at 07h30. The route today takes us into the dramatic and beautiful scenery of Damaraland. We have the chance to meet the wonderful Herero, Himba & Damara ladies who sell their handmade arts and crafts to support their rural families. A light roadside lunch is served en-route in the shadow of Namibia’s tallest mountain, the Brandberg, and we can interact with some of the colourful local characters who live in this harsh environment.  On the drive down the Skeleton Coast we explore the remains of a small shipwreck. We arrive in Swakopmund late-afternoon which gives you time to explore this quaint seaside town on foot (depending on the season). Our guide will be happy to recommend a good restaurant for dinner (own expense).  Overnight accommodation is in twin share rooms with en-suite bathroom.

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4 – Desert Camp and Near Sesriem

A leisurely breakfast and the option to join one of the many optional activities available here such as: quad biking, sand boarding, scenic flight over the shipwrecks just to name a few. You will be picked up from your guesthouse/hotel in Swakopmund from 11:15, (wintertime 10h15) as we aim to depart Swakopmund by 12noon. We then drive through the Namib Desert via the Kuiseb Pass and Solitaire, arriving at our camp late afternoon and we have a chance to relax and enjoy the views before taking a short walk for sunset looking over the Naukluft mountain range. Overnight in twin rooms with en-suite bathroom facilities.  Pool and bar available. Dinner prepared by our guide.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5 – Desert Camp and Near Sesriem

Dawn departure from camp to arrive at the park gate for sunrise.  We drive down an ancient river bed surrounded by towering dunes to the 2×4 parking (around 55kms) and take a 4×4 shuttle into the Sossusvlei area to appreciate the beauty of this place in early morning light and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the region. We explore this unique area on foot before heading into Dead Vlei with its large expanse of bleached cracked clay and skeletal camel thorn trees, contrasting with a backdrop of huge dunes with their ever-changing colors before taking the 4×4 shuttle back to our vehicle. As we drive back to our accommodation we will stop at the famous Dune 45 and climb this dune if we wish or just wander around the base. We return to Sesriem and visit the nearby Sesriem Canyon, one of the few permanent water sources before arriving back at our lodge late afternoon to watch the sunset over this spectacular desert. Overnight in twin share rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Dinner prepared by our guide.

Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6 – Windhoek, End of Safari

Early morning breakfast before heading to Solitaire where we jump onto an open vehicle and visit the local conservation project. Here they have a number of cheetah that are unable to be released for different reasons. This 1 hour activity allows us the chance to learn all about the cheetah, the work done by local conservation’s projects, and get some incredible photos of the worlds fastest land mammal. We return to Windhoek via Bullsport and Rehoboth.  We arrive mid-afternoon and will be dropped at our accommodation.

For those that choose to fly today, NO FLIGHTS DEPARTING PRIOR TO 17H00 in case there are unexpected delays returning from safari.

Meals: Breakfast

Includes:

• Transport in a custom built safari vehicle with pop up roof & USB charging capabilities (no air-conditioning)
• Services of a professional English speaking driver/guide
• 5 nights’ accommodation in twin share rooms with en-suite bathrooms as above
• Meals as above
• National park entry fees (2 days Etosha & 1 day Sossusvlei)
• Game drives as above
• Sossusvlei excursion (including 4×4 shuttle) and cheetah activity at Solitaire
• Pick up and drop off within Windhoek city limits

Single supplement only applicable to single travelers that request their own room, otherwise single travelers will be matched with another traveler of the same sex on a twin share basis.

This safari is semi-participation and assistance with light kitchen duties is required.