Embark on a 12-day adventure through Namibia, experiencing wildlife, culture, and breathtaking landscapes. Explore national parks, visit the Himba tribe, and conquer the highest sand dunes in the world.
Mount Etjo Game Reserve
Chameleon Safaris - We gather for a brief pre-departure meeting at Chameleon Safaris Headquarters before leaving Windhoek.
Okahandja Mbangura Woodcarvers Craft Market - We make a short stop at the Okahandja Wood carving markets. Woodcarvers from across Namibia come here to sell their handcrafted items. This is a great chance to practice your bargaining skills while supporting the local artisans.
Mount Etjo - Our next destination is Mount Etjo Game Reserve, dedicated to significant conservation efforts and ensuring the survival of Namibia’s black and white Rhinos in their natural habitat.
We aim to reach camp before lunch, allowing us ample time to set up and enjoy a meal before the afternoon activity. This afternoon, we embark on a game drive in the reserve to spot some of the rhinos saved by the Mount Etjo Rhino Trust. We conclude our game drive with a beautiful Namibian sunset.
Etosha National Park
Otjiwarongo - After a relaxed breakfast, we depart from camp and make a brief stop at Otjiwarongo, a small town north of Mount Etjo, to gather fresh supplies before heading to Etosha National Park, one of Southern Africa’s top wildlife destinations.
Etosha National Park - Upon entering the park, we begin our wildlife search with a short game drive to Okaukuejo, where we set up camp and enjoy lunch before heading out for an afternoon game drive. Etosha offers unique game drives from waterhole to waterhole, searching for predators, plains game, birds, and possibly reptiles. We return to camp before sunset, and while dinner is being prepared over an open fire by our guide, we can visit the excellent floodlit waterhole where rhinos, elephants, giraffes, lions, and hyenas are frequent visitors.
Etosha National Park
Etosha Pan - We start our first game drive at sunrise to catch many predators still active, visiting various waterholes and enjoying breakfast at one of the park’s fenced picnic spots. After breakfast, we continue to the Etosha Pan, a 4500 sq km “saline desert,” where we can get out of the vehicle and experience its vastness before continuing our game drive to look for the Big 4.
Moringa Waterhole - We head across the park to Halali, the central camp, where we can swim, visit the waterhole, and have lunch.
Okaukuejo - After lunch, we drive back to Okaukuejo camp, visiting several waterholes and arriving by sunset. We spend our last night camping in Etosha, and a post-dinner visit to the waterhole is highly recommended.
Palmwag Campsite, Kunene Region
Etosha National Park - We start early to enjoy a spectacular sunrise during breakfast and a final game drive as we exit the park.
Otjikandero Himba Orphan Village - After a short drive, we reach Kamanjab, where we visit the Otjikandero Himba Village. The Himba people are one of Namibia’s last tribes to maintain their traditional culture and customs. During a guided tour, we gain insight into the Himba way of life and share a bit of our own culture with them.
Cape Cross on the Skeleton Coast
Cape Cross - We arrive at Cape Cross mid-afternoon, set up camp, and experience the coastal climate. The afternoon is at leisure, with options for a beach walk or a dip in the Atlantic Ocean before returning to camp for dinner prepared by our guide over an open fire.
Swakopmund on the Skeleton Coast
Cape Cross - We start early, pack up camp, and head south. Our first stop is the Cape Cross Seal Reserve, home to one of the world’s largest Cape fur seal colonies. During breeding season (November-December), up to 200,000 seals can be seen on the beach.
Zeila Shipwreck - After visiting the seal colony, we continue along the coast to view the Zeila Shipwreck, a recent victim of the Skeleton Coast from 2007.
Swakopmund - We arrive in Swakopmund early afternoon, with plenty of time to explore the town on foot or join optional activities like skydiving or quad biking. Dinner is at our own expense in one of Swakopmund’s excellent restaurants, with recommendations and bookings available from our guide.
Namib Desert
Swakopmund - We leave Swakopmund at 11:30 AM, allowing for a leisurely breakfast or optional activities like sandboarding or quad biking.
Solitaire - We depart Swakopmund by 11:30 AM, driving through the Namib Desert via the Kuiseb Pass, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn, and stopping briefly in Solitaire for a snack and leg stretch.
Sesriem - We arrive at our camp late afternoon, set up tents, and enjoy the sunset over the Namib Desert. The camp offers a pool and bar, and dinner is prepared by our guide. An early night is recommended.
Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert
Dune 45 - We depart camp before dawn to enjoy the dunes at first light. Our first stop is the famous Dune 45, where we can climb to the top for sunrise views. After descending, we have breakfast.
Sossusvlei - We continue into the Sossusvlei area, exploring on foot.
Deadvlei - We then visit Dead Vlei, with its vast expanse of bleached clay and skeletal camel thorn trees against a backdrop of huge dunes.
Sesriem - We return to Sesriem around lunchtime for a meal and a swim or siesta during the heat of the day.
Sesriem Canyon - Later in the afternoon, we visit the must-see Sesriem Canyon.
Klein Aus Vista, Namib Desert
Sesriem - We pack up camp in the morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and start our journey through the southern Namib Desert.
Kolmanskop & Luderitz
Kolmanskop Ghost Town - After an early breakfast, we travel from Klein Aus to Kolmanskop, a ghost town 15km outside of Luderitz. During the 1910 diamond boom, Kolmanskop became one of Africa’s richest towns, boasting the southern hemisphere’s first X-ray machine, a bowling alley, and luxury housing. As the diamond boom ended, the town was abandoned and became a ghost town.
Luderitz - After touring the ghost town, we continue to Luderitz, a small town on the rocky Atlantic shores known for its unique and colorful colonial-style buildings.
Fish River Canyon & Quiver Tree Forest
Windhoek
Windhoek - We begin our journey back to Windhoek, traveling through the small towns of Mariental and Rehoboth, arriving in Windhoek late afternoon. No flights are recommended on this day.
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- 10 nights of camping plus 1 hotel night
- Camping equipment provided (sleeping bag excluded)
- Sleeping bag
- Drinks, including mineral water, soft drinks, alcohol
This is an exemplary 12-day expedition that covers the highlights of Namibia. It begins with the splendid spectacle of wildlife in Okonjima Nature Reserve and Etosha National Park, followed by an ethnographic experience with the Himba community. A visit to the enigmatic Skeleton Coast of Namibia and a stopover at Cape Cross to see the colony of seals are also part of this journey. We take a brief respite from camping in Swakopmund, a hub for thrill-seekers, offering numerous exciting optional activities. Our subsequent stage, post-crossing the Tropic of Capricorn, is in Sossusvlei located in the Namib Desert, famed for its towering sand dunes. Moving further southward in Namibia, we uncover striking scenic views, tour the abandoned town of Kolmanskop, observe the wild horses of the Namib Desert, admire the vast Fish River Canyon, and conclude our fantastic 12 day trip with a final night in the visually stunning Quiver Tree Forest. We then make our way back to Windhoek. It’s the ultimate Namibian escapade for those on a budget!
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