10 Day Spirit of Namibia Itinerary
This safari is an old-style serviced mobile tented safari and is perfect for those looking for adventure off the beaten track. All the main highlights of Namibia are included; safari in Ongava Game Reserve, rhino and desert elephant tracking in Palmwag, there’s even time to enjoy a bit of nightlife in Swakopmund, get wet sea kayaking in Walvis Bay lagoon and climb the dunes at Sossusvlei and watch the sun rise over the desert.
Accommodation is in comfortable walk in dome tents with mattresses and bedding and a dining tent for meals. Ablution facilities are pretty luxurious with a separate toilet tent and bucket showers. This is not a participation safari and camp staff are on hand to make life bearable like make sure the gin and tonics never dry up. Maximum group size 8
Days 1-2
On arrival at Windhoek you will be met by your tour leader for the light aircraft transfer to Etosha for the Ongava Game Reserve and a two night stay at Ongava Lodge. Accommodation is in 12 luxury thatched chalets all with en suite facilities. The game drives into Etosha Park are the obvious highlight of your stay. You can expect to see lion, elephant, cheetah, gemsbok and hartebeest.Whilst the Ongava Reserve has resident White Rhino, and Etosha has Black Rhino, allowing guests staying at Ongava the opportunity to see both species.
Accommodation: Overnight at Ongava Lodge
Day 3
After an early breakfast travel to the Palmwag concession. Here, on the concession and in the surrounding areas the desert-adapted elephant and elusive black rhino can be found. The camp consists of 5 Meru-style tents, built on individual, wooden platforms and offering a great scenic view of the surroundings and also the desert-adapted elephants when they visit the area. Situated about 600 metres away from the restaurant and secluded from the rest of Palmwag Lodge. Over the course of the next four nights in the enormous wilderness areas of Damaraland and Palmwag our guides expose the sheer magnificence of nature's survival strategies in this arid environment, through walks, tracking and game drives concentrating on a variety of topics from birds to insects, medicinal uses of plants and viewing wildlife.
Accommodation: Overnight at Palmwag Lodge
Days 4-5
This morning we continue by towards the Hoanib Valley. This is a long transfer but you will have the opportunity to see some incredible scenery. The rugged mountains and canyons of the Hoanib River provide a last refuge for some of the continent's most unique wildlife; this is the home of the legendary desert elephant and the last free-roaming black rhino population on Earth. In fact seventy-five per cent of Namibia's endemic species inhabit this last bastion of the wild. While here, we have the opportunity to explore this area on game drives and walks. The Discoverer-styled tented camp close to the Hoanib River is a relaxed haven from which we explore this wild land on foot, or from the comfort of one of our safari vehicles. The camp is powered by solar-powered inverter systems and there are no generators or pumps running whilst guests are in camp. There are 5 guest walk-in hexagonal Meru-style tents with en-suite and flush toilet and bucket shower bathrooms in a separate portion of the tent.
Accommodation: Overnight at Hoanib Camp
Day 6
Departing early, we travel east to Sesfontein and we end this road journey at the award-winning Damaraland Camp.
Damaraland Camp is situated on the northern face of the Huab River valley and looking south toward the imposing Brandberg Mountain. The camp accommodates guests in 10 comfortable tented rooms (with en-suite facilities including flush toilets and showers) with endless vistas as views. The dining room and pub are combined under canvas, and an open fire is enjoyed on calm evenings.
Early morning mists generated by the clash between the icy Atlantic Ocean and the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast, drift inland along the river sand canyon, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of the region. Although wildlife is not concentrated, we are situated where the rare desert-adapted elephant roams, alongside gemsbok (Oryx), springbok, Ostrich and other hardy desert animals. Rare succulent plants eke out an existence in this harsh countryside.
Accommodation: Overnight at Damaraland Camp
Day 7
After an early breakfast, we travel to Twyfelfontein where we take a guided walk with local Damara guides to view the San petroglyphs - prehistoric rock etchings, strewn over the rock face. After lunch we continue our journey travelling south via Uis en route to Swakopmund. As we get closer to the coast there are lichen fields strewn over the gravel plains, one of the most fragile ecosystems on Earth. After relaxing over our packed lunch en route, we make for The Stiltz Lodge in the quaint and charming town of Swakopmund, arriving in the late afternoon. Swakopmund, with its unique urban atmosphere that is a vibrant combination of Africa and Europe, is a wonderful town in which to end a safari after the experiences of the northern Namibian bush.The Stiltz, as its name implies, is built on stilts, providing breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, the red iron-rich beach dunes and also the Swakopmund River mouth. Each of the 8 minimalist yet elegantly furnished thatched bungalows is linked by wooden walkways to the main restaurant. As the lodge is sited close to the central part of town, this allows for easy access to enjoy the special hospitality, history and cuisine.
Accommodation: Overnight at The Stiltz Lodge
Days 8-9
After an early breakfast, we drive southwards to Walvis Bay Lagoon. Here in a protected bay, many flamingos, pelicans and other waterfowl amass. On the calm waters of the bay, we experience sea kayaking, a spectacular activity that allows us to approach seals, dolphins and water birds at a respectable distance and in their habitat, allowing for some unique photographic opportunities. Afterwards, we drive inland to the Kulala Adventurer Camp in our private Sossusvlei concession.Here you can easily the Sossusvlei dunes, for walks in the immense moving sands of the Namib, game drives on our concession and stargazing. Photography in the early morning of the dunes is particularly stunning with rich reds and dark shadows completing the extraordinary vista that is the enormity of the Namib Desert.
Accommodation: Overnight at Kulala Adventurer Camp
Day 10
This morning transfer to Windhoek for international flight connections.
Note: This is simply a suggestion of how you can spend your time. Mahlatini will tailor make the itinerary specific to interests and budget. The region offers a wide variety of places to stay ranging from formal hotels to informal holiday flats, game lodges and reserves, guesthouses etc. There is usually something to suit everyone’s budget! Should you wish to have the car hire delivered or if you would prefer transfers this can easily be arranged.