NAMIBIA HIGHLIGHTS PHOTOGRAPHIC PRIVATE SAFARI

Day 1 : The Elegant Guesthouse, Windhoek (B / - / -)

Windhoek :

Surrounded by the stubble-covered Auas Mountains and the endless Khomas Hochland, Windhoek lies in a long valley fed by ancient hot springs in the central highlands. Namibia’s capital and bustling city. More often than not, the start or end place of your Namibia safari.

In Windhoek there are many interesting historical buildings, museums, galleries and craft shops. The city has several good restaurants and modern shops and services making it an excellent base camp from which to launch your Namibian adventure.

Day Itinerary :

•    You will be met by your guide on arrival in Windhoek and handed your travel documents
•    City tour of Windhoek with your guide (if time permits)
•    The remainder of the day can be spent relaxing at your own leisure
•    For dinner tonight, you can head into town for a bite to eat at one of Windhoek's well-known restaurants

Overnight : The Elegant Guesthouse  
Meals : Bed and Breakfast

Day 2 - 4 : Sossus Dune Lodge, Sossusvlei (B / - / -)

Sossusvlei :

Star dunes with up to five crests rise 300m into the air and rank among the biggest in the world; the dune valleys are marked by vast clay pans where the Tsauchab River gave up its fight to reach the sea more than 60,000 years ago.
Besides the dunes and pans of Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon, a sideshow of activities and sights has developed around the region and there are plenty of game lodges that provide additional desert-adapted activities. Plants and birds are the dominant life form in this dessicated realm and they support a tiny world of mammals, reptiles and insects that, in the absence of coastal fog, seldom wander far from the rivercourse and its pans.

Day Itinerary :

Windhoek - Sossusvlei 350km - approximately 5 to 6 hours

•    After breakfast, you can still pop into town for anything you might need and then depart heading south from Windhoek to your lodge for the next 2 nights
•    The route will take you either via the beautiful Spreetshoogte or Remhoogte Pass, both showcasing the natural beauty of Namibia
•    Stay at Sossus Dune Lodge inside the park to be able to take photographs before sunrise and after sunset
•    Wake up early for breakfast (Day 3) and then head south to Sossusvlei for some amazing pictures as the sun rises
•    Spend the morning in the beautiful Sossusvlei area, exploring the highlights: Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei, Dune 45, Big Daddy, Elim Dune and the Sesriem Canyon
•    Return to the lodge for lunch and then head back into the park to snap some photos at sunset
•    Optional extra activities: Guided Sossusvlei excursion; Hot air balloon safari; Nature drives

Overnight : Sossus Dune Lodge
Meals : Bed and Breakfast

Day 4 - 6 : The Rez, Walvis Bay (B / - / -)

Walvis Bay : 

Walvis Bay is an industrial port which lies along the Atlantic Ocean, off Namibia's Skeleton Coast. The large bay and surrounding sand dunes help make Walvis Bay a tourist mecca with loads of activities on offer to explore it. 

•    Explore the Skeleton Coast where the dunes meet the sea at Sandwich Harbour
•    Go on a dolphin boat cruise in the harbour. Enjoy champagne and oysters
•    Kayak among the seals at Pelican Point
•    Visit and climb the mighty Dune 7
•    Visit the RAMSAR wetland birding site and the Walvis Bay Lagoon. Thousands of flamingos from October to April
•    Explore the neighbouring town of Swakopmund. Activities abound and dining delights

Swakopmund :

Surrounded by the ancient Namib Desert and the inhospitable - but bounteous - Atlantic Ocean, Swakopmund is alive with activity and has a lot on offer for the adventure-seeker: quad-biking, sand-boarding, horse-riding, skydiving and more.
Swakopmund has many interesting German-influenced buildings from the early 1900s in a variety of styles and, for its size, Swakopmund has an astonishing array of restaurants that serve mainly seafood, steak and many German staples.

Day Itinerary :

Sossusvlei - Walvis Bay 350km - approximately 5 to 6 hours

•    Depart after breakfast and head north to Solitaire, then west crossing the Tropic of Capricorn, through the Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons via the Namib Gravel Plains to the coast
•    Either direct to Walvis Bay or (recommended) detour via Ganab to the Welwitschia Plains, Moon Landscape and Swakopmund
•    The Namibian coastline is generally known as The Skeleton Coast due to the barren areas, ship wrecks and, in days gone by, whale skeletons left on the beach
•    1 full day is set aside for this lovely area where Walvis Bay offers a wide range of activities such as: Dolphin cruise; Sandwich Harbour excursion (a real Skeleton Coast experience); Dune quad biking; Sand boarding; Sea kayaking; Lots more…
•    Spend time at the lagoon photographing the sea birds, pelicans and flamingos
•    Lunches and dinners can be enjoyed at a café or restaurant overlooking the sea

Overnight : The Rez     
Meals : Bed and Breakfast

Day 6 : Ai Aiba Rock Painting Lodge, Central Namibia (B / - / D)

Central Namibia :

So what else does the heart of the land offer? It’s often overlooked by tourists who zoom towards the big names, but this area is wild. Rolling hills and rural farmlands rub shoulders with mountain ranges and game reserves.

Namibia really is the cheetah capital of the world. There's no place with a greater density anywhere else on Earth. World renowned conservation projects have parked up and made their bases here - alongside national parks, nature reserves and geological sights. 

Day Itinerary :

Walvis Bay – Spitzkoppe - Ai Ai ba Rock Painting Lodge 400km - approximately 5 to 6 hours

•    Head north along the Skeleton Coast, via Henties Bay to visit the Cape Cross seal colony. Along the way, stop at the Lichen Fields as well as the ship wreck between the colourful small town of Wlotskasbaken and Henties Bay
•    Backtrack to Henties Bay and head inland through wide open plains to Spitzkoppe
•    Spend some time taking pictures of the incredible Spitzkoppe Mountain and landscape of the area including the Rock Arch and surrounds
•    A chance to see some Bushman paintings
•    Enjoy the view at sunset… one of the most beautiful sunsets in Africa!

Overnight : Ai Aiba Rock Painting Lodge
Meals : Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

Day 7 - 9 : Okaukuejo Resort, Etosha National Park (B / - / -)

Etosha National Park :

Famous for its wildlife, Etosha Park supports 114 species of mammal and over 340 species of bird. At the heart of the park is a 4,800 square kilometre salt pan surrounded by sparse shrubs and grassy plains, the perfect haven for animals.

As vegetation in most areas is sparse, the animals have learnt to drink during the day when predators are inactive and it is the safest time to be out in the open. It is not uncommon to see up to 7 different species of game at any waterhole. Like everything in Namibia, the pan is ancient - 2 million years or so - and was formed when a great continental upheaval diverted the Kunene River towards the sea, leaving a massive inland lake that soon dried up. Usually a shimmering white horizon, the pan fills with water after a good rainy season and becomes a vast knee-deep lake.

Day Itinerary :

Ai Aiba Rock Painting Lodge - Etosha (south) 325km - approximately 4 to 5 hours

•    After breakfast, head via Usakos and Karibib before turning north via Omaruru to Outjo and further on to the southern entrance of Etosha, the Anderson Gate
•    If time permits, enter Etosha for an afternoon game drive. Depending on how often you stop today, you should arrive at your lodge in time for lunch (optional extra)
•    On entering the park, the first stop is Okaukuejo where you pay your entry fees (included) and I suggest you pop in at the local shop to purchase some drinks and snacks and most importantly, a map of Etosha which will show you all the waterholes along the way. This is where you will spend the next 2 nights.
•    1 full day is set aside to enjoy game drives in the park or to enjoy the waterhole at the lodge inside the park… a great place to sit with your camera ready for sightings, even at night
•    Etosha is one of Africa's great game parks. With 114 species of mammal and 340 species of birds you are sure to see a great variety of wildlife on your safari

Overnight : Okaukuejo Resort     
Meals : Bed and Breakfast

Day 9 :  Namutoni Resort, Etosha National Park (B / - / -)

Etosha National Park

Day Itinerary :

Etosha (south) - Etosha (east) a full day's game drive through the park

•    From one side to the other side of the park is a full day game drive as you head slowly east stopping at numerous waterholes along the way
•    Take a slow drive in the morning and then enjoy a packed lunch (optional extra) overlooking one of the waterholes before continuing on through the park for the afternoon to the eastern side.

Overnight : Namutoni Resort     
Meals : Bed and Breakfast

Day 10 : Cheetah View Lodge, Waterberg Region (B / - / D)

Waterberg Region : 

Namibia's Waterberg region is a wildlife haven en route to Etosha National Park.  Several excellent game farms have developed over the years and offer exceptional private safaris with luxury accommodation and good numbers of Africa's big game. The Cheetah Conservation Fund is several amalgamated game farms with private lodges on the western side of the Waterberg Plateau Park. The AfriCat Foundation is on the private Okonjima Nature Reserve, where they rehabilitate animals such as cheetah to be re-released into the wild.

The Waterberg plateau rises 200m above the surrounding plains and creates a diversity of habitats. The Waterberg Plateau Park and surrounding game farms are the base for numerous conservation-related research projects.

Day Itinerary :

Etosha (east) - Cheetah View Lodge 230km - approximately 3 to 4 hours

•    Head south via Otavi  to the Cheetah View Lodge 
•    A chance to capture some pictures of cheetahs from up close

Overnight : Cheetah View Lodge 
Meals : Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

Day 11 : End of Itinerary (B / - / -)

Day Itinerary :

Cheetah View Lodge - Windhoek 300km - approximately 3 to 4 hours

•    Early morning rise for a quick snack before joining the optional extra  morning activity, 
•    Back to the lodge for a hearty Namibian breakfast before departure
•    Head back to Windhoek today, where your guide will drop you at the airport in time for your departure flight (Keep in mind that you need to be at the airport 2 hours prior and the airport is still a 45 minute to 1 hour drive from town)

Bed and Breakfast
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