You are fetched you from the airport and taken to a good guesthouse in Windhoek. The rest of the day is yours to relax and catch up on some sleep, especially if you have been on a long flight, or if you are not too tired go on a tour of Windhoek and visit the excellent Namibia Craft Market. Here, under one roof, there is an excellent collection of some of the best local hand-craft articles made by Namibians. If you are interested you can also go and look at the beautiful Hardanger tablecloths and other articles made by some local ladies. This is a skill that has virtually died out in Norway where it originated and the Norwegians who see these works of art are truly amazed to find that this skill is still being practiced in Africa! Go out to dinner in the evening to one of the good local restaurants.
Spend the day exploring Windhoek and surroundings. There is a great deal to see and do in Windhoek and one day is actually much too short to see it all, but you will get a good idea of the city. Pieter enjoys sharing the sights of Windhoek with our guests, because so often visitors only see the downtown part of it and that leaves them with a false impression of the city. Windhoek is also well known for the beautiful hand made jewellery (modern and traditional), since there are several highly qualified goldsmiths living here. There are also many other shops selling high quality leather goods, craft work, semi-precious stones etc., so if anybody is interested in buying some valuable articles, then remember that Windhoek (and Swakopmund) are the places to do so. Upon departure from the airport, all overseas visitors can have the compulsory 15% VAT (Value added tax) refunded on all high quality articles purchased, provided they obtained a tax invoice from the sellers and can show their purchases. Remember to arrive at the airport long before your departure, so that you take care of this bureaucratic requirement.
After a leisurely breakfast we leave for the guest farm just north of Windhoek. Book into a luxury Safari tent with en suite bathroom (or into a bungalow, whichever you prefer), and then go on a mountain drive during the morning to look at the impressive landscape, returning in time for a light lunch. After lunch go on the Cats Unlimited drive to look at leopard and cheetah (optional extra). Dinner in the evening in the farm house.
Leave after breakfast for a Game Lodge in the Otjiwarongo district in time for lunch. Stop off in the village of Okahandja to look at the Kavango woodcarvers' market, if you wish. After lunch go a long game drive where you are likely to see many species of African game. Visitors can see the lions being fed in the late afternoon if they so wish (optional extra). Dinner at the lodge in the evening.
Another option which is more expensive but very good, is to go to yet another up-market lodge in the Otjiwarongo district for two nights instead of spending one night at each of the first two lodges. This lodge won the Safari Award for Africa during 2005 and here you can see, lion, leopards and cheetahs (see Luxury Tour itinerary for more details) which you are not assured of seeing in the Etosha National Park.
Leave early for Okaukuejo Rest Camp in the Etosha National Park. Go for a game drive in the afternoon and return before sundown. This camp has a wonderful floodlit waterhole which is excellent for viewing game at night as well as in the morning, so that you do not have to go any distance at all to see a truly wonderful Africa spectacle. Meals to be had in the camp restaurant.
Leave Okaukuejo and spend a leisurely morning looking at game at the many waterholes and on the wide open plains. Reach Halali rest camp in time for lunch. After a siesta during the hot part of the day, go on another game drive in the afternoon. Halali also has an excellent floodlit waterhole, where guests can sit and watch game coming and going during the day and after dark. Dinner that evening at the camp restaurant.
Continue further eastwards, viewing game on the plains and at various waterholes, to Fort Namutoni, the most easterly camp in the Park.
This is a restored German colonial poDay 7
Continue further eastwards, viewing game on the plains and at various waterholes, to Fort Namutoni, the most easterly camp in the Park.
This is a restored German colonial police fort, which is used now as a tourist camp and it has quite a different atmosphere from the other two camps. Spend the night here and have dinner at the restaurant, or if you prefer, a traditional southern African "braai" (barbeque).
Leave early from Namutoni for the area north of the Etosha National Park, where half the Namibian population lives. Here, for the first time you will see real rural Africa, because up to Etosha you would have travelled through predominantly commercial farm land. On the way to the Kunene River we will be travelling through very different country to what you would have seen before and we could visit an interesting old royal village en route. That evening you will overnight either at a lodge, a tented camp with facilities or at a guest house, on or close to the Kunene River, depending upon availability. At one of these camps you can go river rafting or fishing, provided there is enough time available (optional extra).
From here travel via the village of Opuwa towards the Epupa Falls, which is also situated on the Kunene River. This camp is set amongst the Makalane Palm Trees on the banks of the river and the only sound you hear is of the water cascading over the Epupa Waterfalls. Spend the night at one of the two tented camps, depending on availability. These camps have all the required facilities, although one is larger and has en suite facilities, while the other has private ablution facilities set under the palm trees.
Spend the day visiting one of the local nomadic Himba villages, accompanied by a local Herero guide. It is also possible to explore this scenic area around the camp on foot. That evening, guests are driven to a vantage point above the waterfall to see the setting sun and have drinks.
Spend another night at the camp.
Drive back through the dusty little African frontier village of Opuwo and down to Sesfontein through some rugged and interesting terrain, past some ancient Baobab trees. From here it is a fairly short drive through the beautiful Etendeka basalts to the next lodge which is situated in the Palmwag concession area. From here the guests can go on a very interesting game drive in the afternoon (optional extra) during which they might be lucky enough to see some of the desert adapted elephants or black rhinos as well as giraffe, kudu, springbok, oryx etc. Some times the elephants even come to drink in the river just below the camp and guests have to be very cautious.
Guests stay over here for a second day during which they can choose to go on a day-long safari outing instead of just an afternoon game drive (optional extra).
If the guests would rather enjoy real peace and tranquillity (solar power only) then there is another excellent tented camp in the same vicinity which the guests can choose to stay at. It is situated off the beaten track and here they can also enjoy an early morning hike, as well as a game drive in the afternoon.
Another short journey to a lodge near the Twyfelfontein rock engraving site, which is due to be declared a World Heritage Site. Visit one of the most important archaeological sites in southern Africa, with hundreds of rock engravings. Stay over at one of three lodges situated close to the Twyfelfontein rock art site. The smaller exclusive lodge is set amongst beautiful granite boulders where visitors stay in lovely big Meru tents, each with its own view; the second one is a much larger lodge which caters for larger groups and the third one is a small rustic camp with its own airstrip from where guests can choose to go flying in either a balloon, microlight or fixed wing aircraft. All three are new lodges and very good, but it will depend upon which one you would prefer to stay at, as well as the availability, so it is best to let us know well in advance what your preference would be.
Leave after breakfast and drive past the Brandberg, the highest mountain in Namibia, to the one of the good lodges situated close to the little village of Omaruru. Go for an afternoon drive and enjoy a sundowner in a beautiful setting. Dinner at the lodge.
Leave early for Windhoek if your flight leaves in the morning or have lunch in the city. Thereafter leave for to the airport in time for the afternoon flight home or else you can choose stay over for an extra night provided you have the time available. Dinner at a good restaurant in town if you stay an extra day.
The price of the tour will depend upon the number of guests and will be forwarded to you with pleasure upon request. It will include the following : All transport in an air-conditioned Combi fitted with a fridge; driver/guide with extensive experience; all accommodation; all meals; refreshments; water in the vehicle; entrance fees plus 15% VAT, Only tips, laundry and alcohol / drinks at the table are excluded, otherwise the only extra money you have to bring is what you wish to spend on yourselves. We try at all times to provide top quality service so that you may have a holiday to remember.
We look forward to being of service to you and your friends.
Bon Voyage