If travelling before April 2003, please use the alternative Delta and Dunes itinerary.
This safari is slightly more upmarket than many of the other safaris on these pages and promises to show you some of Africa's most spectacular areas: the Okavango Delta, Soussusvlei, the Namib Desert and Etosha National Park. The safari is run in extremely spacious eight seater mini-busses and the equipment used on safari is of the best quality and in excellent condition. The Delta and Dunes safari is an excellent introduction to the Southern African countries of Botswana and Namibia.
Accommodation is in comfortable tents, except in Swakopmund where accommodation is in bungalows. All meals are included apart from two restaurant meals, as mentioned in the itinerary, breakfast on day one, and dinner on day 15.
| Price | US$1300 per person |
| Duration | 15 Days |
| Highlights | Okavango Delta
Etosha National Park Sossusvlei Namib Desert |
| Departs on | Monthly |
| Departs From | Windhoek | Ends In | Windhoek |
Day 1: Ghanzi, Botswana - Our guide will collect us from our accommodation in Windhoek between 08:15 - 08:30, or else meet us at Windhoek airport. Once our group is assembled we head out north-east, across the cattle country around Gobabis, towards Botswana. We will stop for lunch on the way before crossing the border into Botswana, where our camp for the evening will be close to the town of Ghanzi. After the long drive, it's a pleasure to relax and enjoy our first evening around the campfire, under a starry African sky.
Day 2: Okavango Delta - After breaking camp, we drive into Ghanzi and make a short stop for those wishing to exchange money and purchase drinks. Some 25 kms further on we stop at D'Kar, a San (Bushman) self-help project. This interesting enterprise has a San art studio, craft shop, tannery and museum. On leaving D'Kar we continue across the Kalahari and up the western side of the Okavango Delta to our camp, situated on the edge of a lovely lagoon in the heart of the Okavango.
Day 3: Okavango Delta - Today we leave our vehicle behind and travel by motorboat into the Delta. We exchange motorboat for mekoro (dug-out canoes) and this will be our transport for the next 2 days, poled along by the local people. The mekoro allow us to travel further into the Delta, a marvelous way to enjoy the many waterways and to see this unspoiled part of Africa. After setting up our bush camp on one of the many islands in the Delta we will go for a short walk to see our surroundings.
Day 4: Okavango Delta - We start the day with an early morning game walk - a great opportunity to see some wildlife at close quarters. Seeing big game on foot is an unforgettable experience, but one of the real attractions of the Delta is seeing how the people and animals share the land as they have done for hundreds of years. We return to camp for a big brunch and a bit of relaxation through the heat of the day. If we want to, the local people can take us to a safe place to bathe in the fresh clear water. We will go for a shorter walk later in the afternoon to be back by sunset. After dinner there is always the opportunity to chat with the local guides and learn something of their way of life.
Day 5: Okavango Delta - Today we have a slower start to the day as we break camp and load our mekoro. As we wind our way back out to the edge of the Delta, we can view the wildlife and huge variety of birds found in this unspoiled part of Africa. There is time to relax and organise our equipment before dinner beside the lagoon. There is also an opportunity to go for an evening boat ride to spot crocodiles and maybe even catch a small one for closer inspection. An exciting prospect!
Day 6: Bushmanland - We leave the Delta in the morning and journey across the linear dunes of the Kalahari to the border with Namibia. After border formalities we are back in Namibia and it's then a short drive to the San (Bushman) village and camp where we will be staying for the next two nights. While here we can explore the area and there is the option of a walk with the San people. It really is a fascinating society and worth spending some time learning a little about it. We may also be able to enjoy some traditional singing and dancing in the evening, around our campfire.
Day 7: Bushmanland - We have the whole day to experience something of the daily activities of the San village. There is the option of a morning walk with some San, where they will explain some of their traditional hunting and gathering skills. After lunch, there will be time to relax during the heat of the day and then later we'll take a drive to see some of the local sights. In the evening, around the campfire, you can contemplate the mysteries of these ancient people.
Day 8: Namutoni, Etosha National Park - Today we head for Etosha, Namibia's premier game park. We will travel through the farming town of Grootfontein and take a break at the Hoba Meteorite, the world's largest. We reach Namutoni, our campsite in Etosha, by the afternoon and stay here for the next two nights. Once the day starts to cool a little, we will head out for an afternoon game drive. We need to return to our campsite as the sun sets, but game viewing can continue as Namutoni has a floodlit waterhole. This allows you to view game during the evening and late into the night if you choose.
Day 9: Namutoni, Etosha National Park - We get up before dawn to start a game drive - hoping to catch some of the dawn wildlife activity, returning to camp by mid-morning for brunch. We then relax through the heat of the day, with time for a swim or some time spent at the waterhole before our afternoon game drive. We return for our dinner under the stars, but once again the floodlit waterhole is a great place to finish off the day.
Day 10: Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park - After packing up our camp we start off across Etosha. More and more animals and birds appear and soon it is time for lunch at Halali, the most central of the camps. We will rest for a couple of hours and have a refreshing swim. Continuing our game drive we head to the western camp, Okaukuejo, where we will spend the night. This camp also has a floodlit waterhole, and is famous for excellent viewing of big game animals such as black rhino and elephant.
Day 11: Damaraland - We leave Etosha today and head to Damaraland. Our route takes us through some picturesque farm country and the capital of the region, Khorixas. From there we go on to Twyfelfontein, a fascinating area where we will take a tour to view the hundreds of rock engravings, and imagine the life which must have been here hundreds and even thousands of years ago. We continue through Damaraland to our campsite and enjoy the peace and solitude of this beautiful area.
Day 12: Swakopmund - After skirting the Brandberg, Namibia's highest peak, we cross the gravel plains of the Namib Desert. Soon, we see the Atlantic Ocean and our first stop is Cape Cross. This is a breeding site for Cape fur seals and numbers can reach 100,000 seals, which is an incredible sight. We then head south along the Skeleton Coast to the coastal resort of Swakopmund. Here we are staying in chalet accommodation and we go out to supper to one of the many excellent restaurants. For those who have missed civilisation, there is even a casino in town!
Day 13: Sesriem, Namib Naukluft - We go back into the Namib Desert today. Our journey takes us through varied and fascinating desert scenery to Sesriem, the gateway to some of the world's largest sand dunes. Our camp is spread out under enormous and ancient camel-thorn trees and there is a swimming pool to cool off in, after our trip through the desert. There should be time for us to visit the nearby Elim dune before sunset, too.
Day 14: Sesriem, Namib Naukluft - We rise well before dawn to drive into the heart of the dunes. As the pre-dawn light brushes the dunes, the full impact of this incredible scene begins to hit you and, with dawn, it becomes breathtaking. We walk into Sossusvlei, the end of an ancient riverbed, and climb some of the dunes. We also learn about the flora and fauna that survive in such a harsh environment. We return to our camp during the hottest part of the day. Later in the afternoon we can visit Sesriem Gorge, a small but fascinating gorge where the desert has been cut by the force of floodwaters.
Day 15: Return to Windhoek - Today, unfortunately, is the last leg of our safari. We bid the dunes farewell and travel back north to Windhoek. Our route takes us across the Central Highlands, and after a stop for lunch we arrive in Windhoek with enough time to see some of the capital city before our trip finishes.
For more information about this safari please email us.