Fly-in Safaris
8-Day Etosha, Damaraland, Spitzkoppe, Coast and Sossusvlei Highlights Safari
Details:
This is an exceptional itinerary which includes great wildlife viewing, archaeology, history, nature and just good fun. It is designed in a way which affords you some of the highlights and most popular areas in Namibia as well as other exceptional areas, like the breath-taking Spitzkoppe. This is ideal for travellers hoping to experience what is unique to Namibia.
Departures:
Any day of the week.
Price:
Starting from as low as N$33,500 pp sharing.
Includes:
- Accommodation as specified in this itinerary and subject to availability at the time of reservation
- Meals as indicated on this itinerary
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- All vehicle insurance – tyres and glass
- Etosha National Park Entrance and park fees
- Full Day Game Drive in Etosha National Park in open-aired game viewer
- Twyfelfontein Heritage site in Damaraland
- Small Bushmen Paradise excursion in Spitzkoppe
- Sossusvlei National Park entrance and park fees
- Sossusvlei and Deadvlei shuttle vehicle fees
- Coffee Tasting Experience
- Professional English speaking Guide and Driver
- Roadbooks & Maps
- Administration fees
Excludes:
- International flights
- Regional & Domestic 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: Windhoek to Etosha National Park - 434km (270miles) - ±4H45min
We will leave for the famous Etosha National Park this morning. Etosha National Park is a breathtaking expanse of wilderness located in northern Namibia, renowned for its remarkable wildlife and awe-inspiring landscapes. We will not have much time for any lengthy stops along the way as we will be in transit for most of the way.
We will arrive in the Etosha National Park in the early afternoon hours. The park is home to a diverse ecosystem, showcasing the rich biodiversity of Namibia. Birdwatchers will also find a paradise here, with flocks of flamingos and numerous other bird species. We’ll be hoping to spot some of these birds, and other wildlife with a short late afternoon game drive and visit some of the popular waterholes.
Day 2: Etosha National Park
Today you will get fully acquainted with the routes, waterholes and unique vegetation of the park, and what it has on offer as you set off early on a game drive in an open-aired/safari vehicle.
One of todays’ highlights will be the visit to the massive white mineral pan, which gives the park its name. Etosha means ‘Great White Place’ and the pan which covers 25% percent of the park. Etosha is one of the best places in Africa to spot big game. Numerous small waterholes are backed by the vast Etosha Pan, a shimmering, almost featureless expanse of clay and salt covering roughly a quarter of the national park.
You stop in Halali, one of the younger camps in the Etosha National Park. You are welcome to utilize the bar and pool facilities here before continuing your afternoon game drive. It will not be until late in the afternoon that you’d be back at the lodge to enjoy another delicious dinner.
Day 3: Etosha National Park to Twyfelfontein lodge, Damaraland – 344km (214miles) - ±4H35min
Today’s journey takes us to the heart of Damaraland. A long scenic drive through the stunning Grootberg mountainous area and the beautiful granite boulders and sandstone features inside the Twyfelfontein conservancy, before we reach our lodge. Damaraland is sub-divided in different conservancies, which are areas where human beings and wildlife are able to co-exist peacefully, and therefore this area is also home to the Desert-Adapted Elephants.
We set out to view the archaeological site in the late afternoon when temperatures have slightly subsided. A massive open air gallery with more than 2000 unique rock engravings was declared as National Museum during 1952 and approved as World Heritage Site by UNESCO during 2007. We will also see the Ugab Terrace and Umbrella Thorn trees. We head back to our lodge in the area for a wonderful dinner and a discussion on the socio-economic environment in Damaraland.
Day 4: Damaraland 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. There are so many things to do inside the Spitzkoppe area. It has become a rock climber’s paradise due to the many rock-climbing routes. However, if you aren’t as adventurous there are also several hiking trails.
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 5: Spitzkoppe to Swakopmund – 152km (94miles) - ±2H30min
It will be a late morning departure to the town of Swakopmund. The city’s German origins are quite pronounced in beautiful old German colonial buildings throughout the city. Swakopmund is like a German North Sea town with an African flair. The first European explorers of the area, Dutchmen Sebastian van Reenen and Pieter Pienaar described the area in 1793 as one with plush vegetation, elephants and rhinos. Nowadays however, the area can be described as ocean on one side and desert on the other, with some shrubs as the only natural vegetation.
Upon arrival in Swakopmund, lunch at one of the wonderful seaside restaurants is a must and will be followed by a short walking tour with your guide around the city’s’ historical monuments and famous sites before we will settle into our accommodation.
We end the day with a great dinner at a wonderful seaside restaurant.
Day 6: Swakopmund to Sesriem – 375km (233miles) - ±5H30min
We set off quite early this morning as we have one of the longest drives of our tour, which will be along the sand sea, via the Kuiseb and Gaub Mountain passes, and over the gravel plains of the Namib Desert, we continue a scenic drive to the Sesriem area. A short coffee stop is a must as we pass the Tropic of Capricorn.
We will enjoy a long scenic drive through the stunning Namib Naukluft mountains on route to our final destination of Sesriem, the gateway to the Sossusvlei National Park famous for hosting some of the world’s highest and oldest sand dunes. The dunes of Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert, are often referred to as the highest dunes in the world. Various arguments are laid out to support this claim, but all miss the point, which is that Sossusvlei is surely one of the most spectacular sights in Namibia and the world. The Sossusvlei area lies within the greater Namib Naukluft National Park, which is said to be the seventh largest national park in the world. At over 49,000sq km (18,000sq mi), the park roughly covers the same area as the combined size of states New Hampshire and Vermont in USA.
Day 7: Sossusvlei and Deadvlei
It is a pre-dawn start for us today as we head into the dunes to try and catch a beautiful sunrise amongst this amazing landscape. We are amongst the magnificent dunes this morning and head to the famous area known as ‘Deadvlei’, which is a clay pan branded by its dark, dead camelthorn trees characterized by their contract against the white pan floor. We will also have the opportunity of climbing ‘Big Daddy’, one of the world’s highest climbable dunes at 316m (1,036ft). Our excursions in the Sossusvlei area will not be done until the late morning when we make our way back to our lodge to enjoy the coolness alongside the swimming pool.
After our morning excursion to the dunes, we’ll visit the Sesriem canyon! We hike down this remarkable canyon. Our experienced guide will share the history behind this magnificent natural canyon carved by the Tsauchab River.
We enjoy our last dinner as we have come to the end of our wonderful tour.
Day 8: Sesriem to Windhoek – 333km (207miles) - ±4H45min
We have come to the end of our tour today and have a long journey back to Windhoek, with quick stops for lunch and an enriching coffee experience in the small town of Klein-Aub! We aim to arrive back in the capital city in the late afternoon hours and give our guests some time to relax. The dinner this evening will be at a local restaurant.
Programme Overview
| Day | Location | Accommodation | Food |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Etosha National Park | Lodge★★★ | D |
| Day 2 | Etosha National Park | Lodge★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 3 | Damaraland | Lodge★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 4 | Spitzkoppe | Cabins★★ | HB+ |
| Day 5 | Swakopmund | Lodge★★★ | B |
| Day 6 | Sossusvlei National Park | Lodge★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 7 | Sossusvlei National Park | Lodge★★★ | HB+ |
| Day 8 | Windhoek | – | B |
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$ 33,500
Single Supplement: +N$ 5,600
Solo travellers and groups welcomed
Prices Effective From:
Jan 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2026
