Fly-in Safaris
17-Day Best of Namibia Safari
Details:
This is an unforgettable experience designed to give you a comprehensive safari around the main highlights of southern, central and western Namibia. It is a great itinerary for families and friends alike, who might be contemplating a complete trip of Namibia. This experience leaves one with memories of beautiful landscapes, adventure, wildlife and most importantly, unique and worthwhile cultural experiences.
Departures:
Any day of the week.
Price:
Starting from as low as N$90,400 pp sharing.
Includes:
- Accommodation as specified in this itinerary and subject to availability at the time of reservation
- Meals as indicated on this itinerary
- Vehicle air-conditioned SUV 4×4
- All vehicle insurance – tyres and glass
- Sundowner Game Drive in the Kalahari
- Fish River Canyon excursion
- Kolmanskop Excursion
- Sossusvlei National Park entrance and park fees
- Sossusvlei and Deadvlei shuttle fees
- Dolphin Cruise in Walvis Bay
- Small Bushmen Paradise excursion in Spitzkoppe
- Twyfelfontein Heritage Site entrance fees
- Damara Living Museum
- Etosha National Park entrance and park fees
- Africat Centre excursion
- Professional English speaking Guide and Driver
- Administration fees, Roadbooks and Maps
Excludes:
- International flights
- Insurance for lost luggage, cancellation, medical repatriation, visas…
- Extra activities not displaying in this quotation or marked by the symbol “Not Incl.”
- Drinks, tips, curios etc…
Itinerary Details
Day 1: Hosea Kutako Int. Airport to Windhoek – 40km (25miles) - ±35min
You will be collected at the airport and transferred to Windhoek, which is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around 1,700m (5,600 ft) above sea level and is almost exactly at the country’s geographical centre. Your guide will familiarize you regarding the area and provide all crucial information.
Windhoek has developed at the site of a permanent hot spring known to the indigenous pastoral communities. It developed rapidly after Jonker Afrikaner, Captain of the Orlam tribe, settled here in 1840 and built a stone church for his community.
You are booked for a lovely dinner tonight overlooking the city, where you will be met by your guide to discuss organizational matters.
Day 2: Windhoek to Kalahari Desert - 203km (126miles) - ±3H25min
We begin our journey with an early departure time this morning as we leave for the Kalahari this morning, as we will conduct a short Windhoek city tour first. We do not particularly have too much of a long drive by Namibian standards to the south easterly Kalahari area. We transit via a few small towns and settlements, with Rehoboth being directly south of Windhoek and a short stop for us.
The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-desert area in Southern Africa extending for around 900,000 square kilometres (350,000 sq mi), and covering much of western Botswana, a big part of eastern Namibia and some areas of South Africa. Upon arrival at our beautiful accommodation, we can take some time to admire the uniqueness and beauty of our lodge before a guided afternoon game drive to familiarize you with the landscape, the fauna and flora of one of the most iconic deserts in Africa.
A wonderful dinner at our lodge will bring this first day to a close.
Day 3: Kalahari Desert to Fish River Canyon - 453km (281) - ±4H35min
The vast Fish River Region with its impressive landscapes is situated in the far south of Namibia and stretches from the South African border up to the area of Aus and further to Keetmanshoop in the south-eastern part of Namibia.
Prominent to this area are the two vegetation zones, the Succulent and the Nama Karoo that belong to the semi deserts. Moreover, some of the region stretches into the Namib Desert. Many plants can be found in the region which have adapted to the harsh environment. The best known are the picturesque quiver trees, the euphorbias and the aloes.
Many animals also managed to survive in the conditions of this hostile environment like giraffe, mountain zebra, oryx, kudu, springbok, ostrich, leopard and the fascinating feral horses of the Namib. We are in transit for most of our drive and looking to arrive in the afternoon hours.
Day 4: Fish River Canyon
The Fish River Canyon in Namibia’s South is one of the world’s largest canyons and one of Namibia’s most recognised natural wonders. For more than 160km (99miles) the Fish River, Namibia’s longest river, washed into the ground up to 550m (1804ft) deep and up to 27km (17miles)wide.
The Fish River has its source in the Eastern Naukluft Mountains and in Richtersfeld flows into the Orange River, after travelling for more 650km (404miles) through the desert of Southern Namibia. In its lower part (between Seeheim and Ai-Ais) it crosses a mountain range and thereby forms the Fish River Canyon. Today nearly all of the Canyon is preserved by nature reserves: in the south where the deepest part is located by the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, in the north by private nature reserves such as the Canyon Nature Park or Vogelstrausskluft.
Today your guide will take you to the viewpoints along the Fish River Canyon.
Dinner will be at our lodge this evening!
Day 5: Fish River Canyon to Aus – 223km (139miles) - ±3H45min
Today we make our way to Aus. There is something extraordinarily special about the landscape around Aus in the Sperrgebiet Rand park. It is where streaks of Namib sand fuse with the bleached grasses of the Pro-Namib in a sensuous slow dance of splendour. The Namib’s, as the free horses of the Namib Desert are called, hold a powerful fascination.
Living on the barren plains around the Garub on the eastern frontier of the Namib Desert, their origin is shrouded in mystery, yet, despite the harsh, arid landscape, the wild horses of the Namib Desert have adapted and survived against all odds.
One source of the origin of the Namib’s is that the herd stems from the bombing of the Union of South Africa Troops stationed at Garub in 1915. The grazing herds scattered in the ensuing turmoil.
The remarkable similarities in conformation and markings of horses from Emil Kreplin’s stud farm at Kubub, just south of Aus, suggests this as another source of their origin.
Upon arrival, we will have some downtime before going on a scenic guided drive in order to familiarize ourselves with this incredible place.
Dinner tonight will be at our lodge.
Day 6: Aus/Kolmanskop
This morning we will head to the town of Lüderitz, and also visiting Kolmanskop. Kolmanskop used to be a small railway station in 1908, when the railway between Lüderitz and Keetmanshoop was constructed. The station derived its name from a Nama man named Coleman, who got stuck at the site with his ox wagon and consequently died of thirst.
It was in 1908 that a railway worker Zacharias Lewala found a shiny stone and took it to the chief railway foreman August Stauch. Stauch was a hobby mineralogist and had advised his workers to bring any unique stone they might find to him. He immediately assumed the find of Lewala to be a diamond, which was later confirmed, after the stone had been examined by his friend and future partner Söhnke Nissen, a mining engineer. Stauch and Nissen did not announce their special find, but rather quit their jobs and secured claims of 75 km² at Kolmanskop. They successfully continued their search for diamonds.
We will head to Kolmanskop in the morning before exploring Lüderitz. A late afternoon return to our lodge will offer some relaxation time before dinner.
Day 7: Aus to NamibRand Nature Reserve – 147km (91miles) - ±4H25min
We will enjoy one of the most scenic drives transiting through the Namibrand Nature Reserve. Approximately 100 bird species are found on NamibRand Nature Reserve, furthermore oryx, ostriches, golden mole, barking gecko, scarabaeus, bat eared fox just to name a few. You’ll also transit some of the most captivating mountain ranges.
NamibRand Nature Reserve is one of Southern Africa ’s largest private nature reserves and the only Dark Sky Reserve in Africa.
A sunset nature drive is booked for you this afternoon.
Day 8: NamibRand Nature Reserve to Sesriem – 212km (132miles) - ±2H45min
Today, we’ll have a relatively short journey, and enjoy one of the most scenic drives transiting through mountainous terrain. The landscape starts to give way to a more mountainous terrain as we get closer to the Namib Naukluft National park. We transit the captivating Tsaris mountain range.
The Naukluft Park is one of the largest parks in Africa and the world at over 49,000km² (19,000sq miles), a little larger than Switzerland to put things into better perspective. The park is home to various species of wildlife, but more specially, the Hartmann Mountain Zebra which roam freely through the vast plains and mountains of this area. The Namib Naukluft Park also contains some of the most iconic attractions of the country, like the towering sand dunes of Sossusvlei. Other attractions include the desert adapted vegetation of the area, like the Succulent Karoo, Camel-thorn Acacia, Lichens and many more. We reach our lovely lodge in the later afternoon hours, but with enough time to relax and recover from the lengthy drive.
A wonderful sunset and a lovely dinner is something to look forward to this evening.
Day 9: Sossusvlei and Deadvlei
A pre-dawn start is a must this morning in order to appreciate the wonders that this area has on offer. The Sossusvlei area offers visitors some of the picturesque and indescribable landscapes in the world, with unbelievable colour contrasts at sunrise and after sunset along with amazing photographic opportunities. Here we will also look at the abundance of small life, which baffles the mind as to how the numerous creatures can survive in this harsh and unforgiving Namib desert. Sossusvlei is the very end of the Tsauchab River, approximately 55km from the Atlantic Ocean, which on rare occasions turns into a true water filled oasis after heavy rainfall. This phenomena has not been evident for the last few years, as this area is predominantly bone-dry throughout the year averaging around 20mm of rainfall per annum. We return to Sossusvlei lodge just before noon in order to enjoy some lunch, and make our way back to our lodge to enjoy some pool time.
Dinner tonight will be at our lodge this evening.
Day 10: Sesriem to Swakopmund - 366km (227miles) - ±4H30min
We leave the Sossusvlei area early enough to enjoy a cool scenic drive to the coastal town of Swakopmund along the mighty Atlantic Ocean as we get closer. The Tropic of Capricorn, which forms the circle of the latitude that contains the subsolar point on the December solstice is on our route, and here we will stop for a picture or two. We also transit via the Gaub and Kuiseb Mountain passes which warrant short stops, as the geology around these areas is extraordinary.
Upon our arrival in Swakopmund, and after a brief lunch we embark on a short afternoon walking tour to see the town’s historical monuments, and acquaint ourselves with a few optional activities for the next day which are on offer, but we look forward to the Dolphin tour scheduled for the following day in Walvis Bay, Namibia’s port capital. Swakopmund is situated amidst dunes and desert close to the mouth of the Swakop River, and during the colonial period Swakopmund was an important hub, although the conditions for a deep-sea port were not favourable here. The coastal waters were far too shallow, a sheltered lagoon was missing and the surf was much too strong.
We have a relaxed late afternoon, before dinner at a local seaside restaurant.
Day 11: Swakopmund/Walvis Bay
The town of Swakopmund is known for its variety of activities that it offers to travellers and is often referred to as the adventure capital of Namibia, and we have taken the liberty in arranging a dolphin cruise for you this morning on the catamaran. This experience affords our guests a chance to learn about the marine life on the Namibian Atlantic coast and the possibility of seeing the various species of dolphin we have in Namibia, as well as whales, seals, pelicans and much more. Upon our return from Walvis Bay around noon, your afternoon will be a relaxed one. Our guests will have a chance to visit some curio shops, the Swakopmund museum or just wonder the lively markets of this unique city.
Dinner this night will be without your guide at another lovely seaside restaurant booked for you.
Day 12: Swakopmund to Spitzkoppe – 236km (147miles) - ±3H45min
The Spitzkoppe is one of the most photographed mountain motifs of Namibia. This inselberg surmounts its surrounding by 700 metres with an overall height of 1728 m above sea level. Due to its distinctive form, which can be spotted from a great distance the Spitzkoppe is often called the “Matterhorn” of Namibia. Actually the Spitzkoppe consists of two separate mountains: The large Spitzkoppe, which is 1728 m high and the small Spitzkoppe, which has a height of 1584 metres. Further west we also find the so-called Pontok Mountains.
For hikers and mountaineers the Spitzkoppe is a paradise. Beginners can practice nicely here and for professionals the ascent of the peak is a real challenge as it is difficult. The first ascent of the challenging west side was in 1946 and up to today only 600 roped parties have succeeded to reach the peak. We will end our evening with a tasty dinner and organisational discussions for the following day.
Day 13: Spitzkoppe to Damaraland - 283km (176miles) - ±3H50min
We take off quite early as we do have another lengthy drive that take us pass the small former mining town of Uis on route to the Damaraland. On our way, we pass the Brandberg mountain, known to be the highest mountain in Namibia at over 2,500m (over 8,400ft) above sea level. We will reach the Twyfelfontein area of Damaraland, which is home to a world heritage site and an optional stopover for our guests who are interested in seeing the iconic rock engravings made by the San people, of which some date back to over 6000 years.
Our late afternoon arrival at the our camp warrants a cold beverage and relaxation! Damaraland area pays homage to the Desert-Adapted Elephants of Namibia.
We will have dinner at our lodge and attend to other organisational matters.
Day 14: Damaraland to Etosha National Park - 298km (185miles) - ±3H55min
This day would require yet another early departure, as we are anxious to reach the famous Etosha National Park and start our wildlife viewing adventure. One of Namibia’s most exceptional adventures is to visit the Etosha National Park.
Our journey today takes us to this great game sanctuary through some of the lands belonging to the iconic Himba tribe, as we plan to arrive around noon and just in time for some lunch before going off on our first game drive inside this vast park with our own vehicle. We do not head back to our accommodation until the late afternoon.
A beautiful African sunset and great dinner is on the cards for this evening from our beautiful lodge.
Day 15: Etosha National Park
We start early this morning with our game drive to continue looking for your favourite animals today, as we are on a quest to see and learn about as much of the free roaming wildlife in this area as we can. The Etosha National Park is famous for African elephant, lion, leopard, hyena, rhino, and other antelope sightings, offering a very pleasant experience, especially to first timers in the part. The waterholes at clearly marked and the maps of the park are very clear. Our route also takes us to the Etosha Pan lookout point, to see the vastness of the great white open space. We do get back to our accommodation until late in the afternoon, and just in time for a nice buffet dinner.
Our safari in the Etosha National Park continues towards the north-eastern end of this vast park maximizing our chances of seeing more wildlife. This park, which was first proclaimed a national park in 1907, but has significantly decreased in size since then and your guide will adequately familiarize you with the different areas of the park. We look for more wildlife as well as different bird species. After a full day of game driving in the park, we have our last evening just outside the northeastern gate, at the Onguma Game Reserve.
Day 16: Etosha National Park to Okonjima Game Reserve - 360km (224miles) - ±3H40min
We are traveling on the main road known as the B1 to the Okonjima Game Reserve, the home of the AfriCat Foundation, responsible for the rehabilitation of endangered large cats. We plan leave quite early this morning from the Onguma Game Reserve to arrive in time for an afternoon drive to see the cheetah and learn about these large cats at the AfriCat Foundation, and why they are indeed special to Namibia.
Our final night at this magical place will leave our travellers with food for thought concerning the conservation work that these very extraordinary man and woman do here. We’ll enjoy our last dinner of this splendid tour together at the Okonjima Game Reserve.
Day 17: Okonjima Game Reserve to Windhoek - 223km (139miles) - ±2H20min
We have come to the end of our tour and heading south on the B1 road to the capital city of Windhoek but transiting via Okahandja, and here we will have a brief stop, as this town is home to Namibia’s largest wood carving and craft market.
You will say you last goodbyes to your trusted guide, as he’ll drop you off at the airport and thus see you off as you make your way home.
Programme Overview
| Day | Location | Accommodation | Food |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Windhoek | Hotel | – |
| Day 2 | Kalahari Desert | Lodge ★★★ | D |
| Day 3 | Fish River Canyon | Lodge ★★★ | HB |
| Day 4 | Fish River Canyon | Lodge ★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 5 | Aus | Lodge ★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 6 | Aus | Lodge ★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 7 | NamibRand Nature Reserve | Lodge ★★★ | HB |
| Day 8 | Sesriem/Sossusvlei | Lodge ★★★ | HB |
| Day 9 | Sesriem/Sossusvlei | Lodge ★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 10 | Swakopmund | Hotel ★★★ | B |
| Day 11 | Swakopmund | Hotel ★★★ | B |
| Day 12 | Spitzkoppe | Cabins ★★ | HB+ |
| Day 13 | Damaraland | Lodge ★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 14 | Etosha National Park | Lodge ★★★ | HB |
| Day 15 | Etosha National Park | Lodge ★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 16 | Okonjima Game Reserve | Lodge ★★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 17 | Windhoek/Airport Transfer | ||
B – Breakfast
L – Lunch
D – Dinner
SC – Self Catering
FB – Full Board (All meals)
FB+ – Full Board Plus (All meals & Activities)
HB – Half Board (Breakfast & Dinner)
HB+ – Half Board Plus (Dinner, Breakfast & Activities)
Price Per Person
Per Person Sharing: N$ 90,400
Single Supplement: +N$ 8,500
Solo travellers and groups welcomed
Prices Effective From:
Jan 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2026
