Day 2

Windhoek – Omaruru – Waterberg Region (350 km)

Wake up to a tasty, leisurely breakfast in the cool morning after your first night in Namibia. After that, you say your goodbyes to your gracious hosts and begin your journey.

Travel through Okahandja, a historically significant town, and on to Wilhelmstal, where you’ll find a turn-off to the north-west. After 67 kilometers on a gravel path, you will arrive in Omaruru, where you will be pampered at the Erongo Mountain Winery. A light lunch at the renowned Gourmet Restaurant “The Jewel” complements an insightful Wine Tour and Tasting.

Travel on after that, satiated by your delicious and interesting experience, until you reach the Waterberg Area, just outside of Otjiwarongo. The Lodge, which is situated on a hill overlooking the broad valley and the red cliffs of the Waterberg Plateau, is not far along this scenic route (28 km). Check in and unwind while taking in the panoramic view and listening to the sounds of the African bush.

You will be driven to a secluded spot with a beautiful view in the late afternoon, accompanied by a Guide, where you will enjoy an exclusive sundowner experience – what better way to celebrate Namibia than this? Then it’s back to the lodge for dinner and another night under the starry skies of Namibia.

Waterberg Valley Lodge (dinner, bed and breakfast)

Day 3

Waterberg Region – Etosha National Park Region West(240 km)

This morning, sleep quietly until the birdsong wakes you up and the sun tempts you outside. Breakfast can be taken at your leisure, as the journey today is not long – passing through Otjiwarongo and Outjo, you will arrive at your next destination, the renowned Etosha National Park Area, around midday.

Check into your lovely, spacious Lodge, which is surrounded by lush green gardens and provides a striking contrast to the surrounding bush savannah. You can either stay at the Lodge and relax, or go on an optional excursion (Park Entrance on this day is optional and fees are not included) in the form of a short trip into Etosha National Park for the afternoon: take a break to watch the game from your vehicle or from the convenient shady benches overlooking the Okaukuejo Camp waterhole. Leave before sunset and spend the early evening at leisure, swimming in the cold, sparkling pool or sipping sundowners while watching the sun set in the west.

Toshari Lodge offers dinner, bed and breakfast.

Day 4

Etosha National Park Region West (km optional)

After breakfast, you board your vehicle once more and journey into the Etosha National Park, travelling as far you wish through the vast Park. Marvel at the vastly differing landscape and vegetative areas you will travel through, with the variety of fascinating wildlife that inhabits each area as observed from your vehicle.

The Etosha National Park is one of Africa’s largest parks, covering 22 270 square kilometers of saline desert, savannah, and woodlands. The Etosha Pan, a large, shallow depression covering approximately 5000 square kilometers, is its defining feature. The pan is a desolate expanse of white broken mud that shimmers with mirages on most days for the majority of the year. The Etosha experience is unlike any other, with huge herds of game and the eerie “great white place of dry water” as a backdrop. The park is home to 114 mammal species, including some uncommon and endangered species like black rhino and black-faced impala. Many bird species, including the European bee-eater and many wader species, can be found in the park, with about a third of them being migratory.

Lunch can be had en route in the form of a hearty Lunch Pack picnic ordered before departure from the Lodge, or at one of the Camp’s restaurants. Before leaving the Park and returning to your cozy and friendly Lodge, take a refreshing dip in the pool.

Toshari Lodge offers dinner, bed and breakfast.

Day 5, 6, 7 & 8

Guided Wild Camping Safari „Off the Beaten Track“ (Total for 4 days 700 km)

Day 5: Travel to Outjo, where you will be greeted by your guide. Before you go, he’ll put a 2-Way Radio in your car and follow you in his own vehicle, which is fully packed with everything you’ll need for the next four days. Early in the afternoon, you arrive at the well-kept Ongongo Hot Springs Camp Site. Each secluded site has a private ablution block and hot showers in a beautiful setting next to Hot Springs, a picturesque waterfall and natural rock swimming pool.

Day 6: Dismantle camp, load the Guide vehicle with your belongings, and depart Ongongo for Twyfelfontein. Travel through untamed, ever-changing landscapes of unparalleled views reaching to the horizon in all directions. Set up a wild camp in this area to enjoy nature, solitude, and unexpected comfort in a truly unique and exceptional environment.

Day 7: A hearty breakfast awaits you as you set out on a trip to search of the elusive and renowned Desert Elephants and Lions. In the afternoon, you set up a wild camp in Namibia’s Desolation Valley’s Gai-As sector.

Day 8: Leave your wild camp site and head to Dorob National Park on the coast. Stop on a wild, windswept beach to see the wreck of the Zelia, where history clings to the rusted hull and broken beams. Finally, you continue your journey until you arrive in Swakopmund, where you bid your Guide farewell, and he builds out the radios before returning to his home in Walvis Bay. After a dusty day on the sun-baked sandy roads and the windy beach, check into your luxury hotel on the beachfront and relax in cool comfort.

Dinner is available at each of the hotel’s restaurants.

3 nights full board (drinks not included)

Strand Hotel Swakopmund, Bed and Breakfast

Day 9

Swakopmund (km optional)

Today is dedicated to relaxation, rejuvenation, and leisure. Spend time walking around town getting to know this charming town, or stop for coffee or a refreshing drink and a delicious meal (not included) at one of Swakopmund’s fine restaurants. If the weather is good, a beach day will beckon. Your hotel has a Spa that offers a wonderful range of fine treatments.

Many activities are available in Swakopmund, including a Catamaran cruise in the Walvis Bay Lagoon with oysters and sparkling wine served on board, the popular ‘Living Desert tour,’ and a Quad Bike excursion into the dunes. Visit the Crystal Gallery to see some of the world’s largest crystals, or take a guided Fatbike Tour through town or into the dunes.

Namibians consider Swakopmund to be a welcome respite from the inland sun. It is also well-liked by tourists due to its old-world charm and laid-back atmosphere. It was founded in 1892 during the German colonial era and served as the territory’s main port for many years. The distinctive German colonial character has been well-preserved, and many of the old buildings are still functional today.

The Woermann House (1905) now houses an art gallery, while the Woermann Tower was once used to keep an eye on ships entering the harbor. The “Alte Kaserne,” the “Hohenzollern Haus,” and the Railway Station Building are among the other historic structures worth visiting.

Dinner can be had at any of Swakopmund’s well-known and well-liked restaurants once more (not included.)

Strand Hotel Swakopmund, Bed and Breakfast

Day 10

Swakopmund – Walvis Bay (approximately 120 km)

After breakfast, drive to Walvis Bay along the coastal path, which is flanked on one side by Namib Desert dunes and on the other by the rolling waves of the cold Benguela current that runs along Namibia’s coastline.

Your car is safely parked at the Yacht Club, and you board the vehicle that will take you out to the desolate, windswept Pelican Point, which is home to large colonies of Cape Fur Seals. Stop along the way to photograph a variety of birds and animals, including numerous Flamingos, Pelicans, huge flocks of Cormorants, and more. After about an hour, you’ll arrive at Pelican Point, where you’ll be greeted by tens of thousands of seals. Within minutes, you’ll have issued your waterproof trousers and coats, as well as Life Jackets, to wear over your own clothes if desired. You’re ready to paddle once you’ve climbed into your very stable double (2 people) kayaks. And when you paddle right next to them, the seals are very sweet and playful, and they are not afraid of the kayaks. They’re curious, and they’ll always get close enough to brush your oars. You don’t need to be physically fit or experienced to enjoy a morning of kayaking, and you’ll be staying on the peninsula’s safe side, where the sea is calm.

Depending on the weather, plan on spending about 1.5 hours on the lake. The guide will take some pictures with a waterproof camera that will be emailed to you within a few days, so you won’t have to worry about getting your own camera wet. After that, refuel with fresh rolls and hot coffee and tea on the beach before returning to Walvis Bay between 12h00 and 13h00 pm. You can either drive back to Swakopmund or have lunch in Walvis Bay before returning to Swakopmund. Drive yourself to a spot halfway between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund for a Dune Buggy Driving excursion in the afternoon. (Those who do not wish to enter may either accompany the others and relax in the garden with a cool drink from the Kiosk, or stay in Swakopmund for some TLC in the Hotel Spa or some shopping along safe streets lined with interesting shops and numerous cafés and coffee shops.) Enjoy a 2-hour activity traveling on the rolling dunes between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund with an experienced DriverGuide on a Quad Bike.

This evening’s operation is as follows: your Guide will pick you up from the hotel and drive you in his vehicle to a spot high up on the dune face in the early evening. While watching the sun sink on the horizon over the coast, you will enjoy Sparkling Wine, Namibia Beers, Softdrinks, and Wines. Your Guide will return you to the Hotel until the last flash of the sun falls into the sea and the sky is still bright and stunning.

Strand Hotel Swakopmund, Bed and Breakfast

Day 11

Swakopmund – Namib Desert (350 km)

Travel inland from Swakopmund via Walvis Bay, away from the coast, and into the vast Namib Desert. You’ll pass through the Namib Naukluft Park through Solitaire, which is the ideal place to stop on your way between Sesreim and Sossusvlei and Swakopmund.

Solitaire refers to a single solitaire diamond, while solitude or loneliness refers to the area’s solitude or loneliness, and the two meanings combined establish the impression of a unique, valuable, and solitary location. A gas station, post office, store, and restaurant are all located in this small village, which is well known for its delicious apple pie.

Continue on the final leg of your journey today, arriving at the spectacular Desert Hills Lodge’s entrance doors. The sun will reflect on the wide, panoramic windows of the lodge as you drive along the long, straight gravel road carved into the rocky plain, and the softly rounded thatched chalets will gradually emerge from the landscape. You’ll have a hard time deciding whether to relax on your private, shaded balcony or on the shaded or sun-baked decks of the sparkling pool when you’re invited and shown to your spacious, individually built chalets.

While the sun sets, relax on the upstairs deck and patio with a cocktail from the bar, or take a 5-minute walk up the pathway to the View Point above the lodge for sundowners (optional, cost not included.)

Desert Hills Lodge offers dinner, bed and breakfast.

Day 12

Namib Desert , Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon (200 km in total)

This morning, you get up early for coffee/tea before setting out on a pre-dawn journey to Sossusvlei, a sand sea. When you first enter the park at dawn, you will be able to see and scale some of the world’s highest sand dunes. Before tackling the 1.1 km walk to see the popular and eerily beautiful Dead Vlei, relax in the shade of the trees that miraculously live on the edge of the dry Vlei and enjoy a delicious picnic breakfast prepared by the lodge. Finally, you’ll come to Sesriem Canyon as you leave the dune landscape. You can quickly descend into the canyon’s depths and walk along the winding water and wind-eroded channels. Perhaps water can still be found in some of the deeper pools.

When you return to the cabin, take a nap or relax in the pool while gazing out at the panoramic view of the plains and distant mountains. Finally, before dinner, relax with a cold drink and watch the setting sun in the west.

Desert Hills Lodge offers dinner, bed and breakfast.

Day 13

Namib Desert (km optional)

This day is yours to enjoy at your leisure, taking in the elegance and splendor of your surroundings as well as this magnificent lodge. Desert Hills is located on a large swath of arid land that includes a section of the Tsauchab River as well as the ever-shifting, land-altering Hebron Vault. The ancient SAN people danced about their adventures together on this level, surrounded by their yellowed grass huts and bathed in the glow of their evening fire. The huts of these interesting, gentle people were influenced by the huts of these resilient hunter-gatherers who carved out a life on the plains and mountains where Desert Hills Lodge now stands.

The afternoon is perfect for a Nature Drive on a nearby property to see the Southern White Rhino Project in action. Observing the Rhino feed in the late afternoon and watching them roll around in the mud pool built in front of the lodge for their enjoyment. The tour concludes with a drive around the property to see the “family” Zebras and their “adopted” orphan calf, as well as a variety of other interesting animals such as Jackals, Bat-Eared Foxes, and a variety of antelope and bird species (Optional excursion, not included in cost.)

Return to Desert Hills for your final night in this amazing place.

Desert Hills Lodge: Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

Day 14

Namib Desert – Windhoek (315 km)

Before you go, have one last breakfast with this spectacular view. The landscape morphs fluidly from grassy plains to breathtaking valley views as you drive along the gravel paths. And once you hit the top of the Zaris Pass (1,672 meters above sea level), you’ll be surrounded by breathtaking scenery of rugged valleys flanked by flat-topped mountains. You rejoin asphalt roads once you reach Maltahöhe, then continue on through Mariental and Rehoboth until you reach Windhoek once more.

The sunset-bathed deck beckons for a final sundowner in the fresh, clean air and balmy evening light, and you’re welcomed back to River Crossing as old friends. Tonight, after dinner, reminisce about the memories you’ve made on your Namibian adventure – we hope they’ll last a lifetime.

River Crossing Lodge: Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

Day 15

Windhoek – Hosea Kutako International Airport, Windhoek (575 km)

Enjoy breakfast and the early morning hours in this lively area, followed by some last-minute souvenir shopping if time permits. Finally, you return your rental car to the Depot and then fly out of Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport. Check in for your next flight once you’ve arrived.

We hope this is the first of many trips to our diverse, interesting, and beautiful country!