Explore the great desert and safari landscapes of Namibia on this unforgettable adventure designed to maximise both your experience and comfort. Climb the giant dunes of Sossusvlei, cross the Atlantic coast to Swakopmund and search for wildlife in Etosha National Park, one of southern Africa’s premier safari destinations. Along the way, expert local guides help reveal the finer details of the desert and bush, from animal tracking to conservation work, while Premium accommodation throughout takes your comfort and experience to the next level.
Activity Areas
Cultural Wonders
Culture
Natural Wonders
New Cultural Holidays
Region & Country & City
Africa: Etosha National Park, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia, Sossusvlei
Included in the Price
All accommodation: 9 Premium nights (lodges and hotels), 2 Classic nights (hotel) - All breakfasts, nine lunches, nine dinners - Immersive itinerary with all transport and listed activities - Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure - Arrival and departure transfers
Not Included In The Price
Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations.
Itinerary
Day 1 Adventure starts in Windhoek
Begin your adventure in Windhoek, the high-altitude capital of Namibia, where German colonial architecture sits alongside modern African city life.
Around 6pm, meet your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.
Your tour leader then ensures a big Namibian welcome by arranging a group dinner.
Want more time in Windhoek? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Day 2 Journey into the Namib Desert • Sunset nature drive
Leaving Windhoek, travel southwest through the Khomas Highlands and over mountain passes into the Namib, considered the oldest desert in the world.
Arriving at Sossusvlei Lodge in time for lunch, there’s a chance to settle in before heading out on an afternoon nature drive in an open safari vehicle.
As the desert light softens, our guide helps decode this seemingly harsh environment, pointing out desert-adapted wildlife and explaining how plants and animals survive in one of the driest places on Earth.
As the light softens over the dunes, we pause for a sundowner and watch the desert colours shift across the sand. Dinner is served on the terrace, with views towards Elim Dune and the floodlit waterhole, where oryx, springbok, jackal, ground squirrel and ostrich may make an appearance.
Day 3 Climb the dunes of Sossusvlei • Visit the Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre
We enter Namib-Naukluft National Park early, when the early light hits the dunes and temperatures are still manageable for walking. Our first stop is Dune 45, one of the most famous dunes in Namibia, rising more than 550ft (170m) above the desert floor.
Continuing deeper into the dune field, we reach Deadvlei, a white clay pan scattered with the blackened skeletons of camel thorn trees believed to be around 900 years old. Towering above it all is Big Daddy, among the tallest dunes in the area at approximately 1,060ft (325m). With our tour leader on hand to pace the walks and share insight into the geology of the Namib, there’s time to appreciate just how immense this desert really is.
Later, we visit Sesriem Canyon, carved over millions of years by the Tsauchab River. In the afternoon, we visit the Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre, where conservationists work with rescued cheetahs and other predators while educating visitors about the challenges facing Namibia’s carnivores.
Day 4 Cross the desert to Swakopmund via the flamingos of Walvis Bay
Our journey west to the Atlantic coast cuts through some of Namibia’s most dramatic desert scenery, before crossing the wide gravel plains of Namib-Naukluft National Park.
Reaching Walvis Bay Lagoon, we pause to look for greater and lesser flamingos, pelicans and other birdlife that gather in the shallow waters. The lagoon is one of the most important wetland sites in southern Africa, creating a surprising contrast to the arid landscapes we’ve crossed earlier in the day.
After lunch by the waterfront, we continue north to Swakopmund, a coastal town shaped by both German colonial history and the Atlantic Ocean. The rest of the afternoon is free to stroll along the promenade, browse craft shops or simply enjoy the cooler sea air.
Day 5 Spend a free day in Swakopmund
Today is free for you to experience Swakopmund in your own way. For wildlife enthusiasts, dolphin cruises from Walvis Bay often reveal Cape fur seals, pelicans and bottlenose dolphins, while scenic flights provide an aerial perspective of the Skeleton Coast and dunes.
If you prefer something more active, there’s the option to head into the desert for quad biking or sandboarding. Alternatively, remain in town and take in Swakopmund’s mix of German-inspired architecture, seaside cafes and long Atlantic beaches.
Your tour leader can help arrange optional activities and recommend places to eat this evening.
Day 6 To Etosha • Enjoy a sunset game drive • Dine in the bush, followed by stargazing
Leaving the coast, travel inland towards the Etosha region, passing through the rugged scenery of Damaraland. This sparsely populated region is known for its open plains, granite outcrops and desert-adapted wildlife.
After lunch en route, we arrive at Etosha Village Lodge in the afternoon. Later, we head out on a sunset game drive, where giraffes, springbok and antelope are often spotted in the softer evening light.
Dinner is served in the bush, with a stargazing session to follow. With minimal light pollution in this part of Namibia, the night sky can reveal the Milky Way in remarkable clarity.
Day 7 Search for wildlife in Etosha National Park
Spend a full day exploring Etosha National Park in an open game-viewing vehicle, allowing for excellent visibility and photography opportunities. Etosha is one of the great wildlife reserves in Africa, centred around a vast salt pan so large it can sometimes be seen from space.
Our route takes us between waterholes that attract a steady flow of wildlife, particularly during the dry season. Elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes and several antelope species are regularly seen, while black rhinos are among the more prized sightings.
Throughout the day, our tour leader and safari driver help interpret animal behaviour and track movement across the park, adding depth to the experience beyond simply spotting wildlife. We pause for a picnic lunch inside the park before returning to the lodge in the late afternoon.
Day 8 Cross Etosha to Mokuti Lodge
Re-enter Etosha National Park after breakfast, travelling east across the reserve with more opportunities for wildlife viewing along the way. The transfer doubles as a game drive, and the changing landscapes reveal different sides of the park, from open grasslands to mopane woodland.
Lunch is enjoyed during the journey before we continue towards the eastern boundary of Etosha. Arriving at Mokuti Lodge in the afternoon, there’s time to relax by the pool or enjoy the lodge surroundings before dinner.
Day 9 To Otjiwa • Free afternoon to relax or enjoy optional activities
We leave Etosha and travel south to Otjiwa, arriving in time for a free afternoon to make use of the facilities at our Premium lodge.
You can relax by the pool or choose one of the optional activities available locally. We recommend the cooking class, which focuses on traditional Namibian recipes and offers a practical introduction to local ingredients and cooking methods.
In the evening, there’s the option (paid locally) to join a night drive, looking for the animals that are harder to see during the day.
Day 10 Track rhinos with specialist guides
Rise early for one of the standout experiences of the trip: rhino tracking with a specialist guide from the lodge.
The two-hour experience begins by vehicle, as we follow signs and tracks across the reserve. Once a rhino has been located, we continue on foot, approaching carefully under the guidance of the tracker.
Through the expertise of our guide, we learn more about rhino behaviour, the pressures they face and the conservation work helping to protect them.
Returning to the lodge for breakfast, the remainder of the day is at leisure. You may wish to relax at the lodge or join optional activities offered by the reserve before dinner.
Day 11 Return towards Windhoek for a farewell safari
Continue south towards Okapuka Safari Lodge near Windhoek, arriving in time for lunch.
The afternoon is free to unwind before our final sunset game drive. Okapuka’s savannah supports giraffes, rhinos, antelope and numerous bird species, offering a final opportunity to enjoy Namibia’s wildlife away from the busier national parks.
This evening, we gather for a farewell dinner and remember some of the standout moments from our journey together.
Day 12 Adventure ends in Windhoek
You’ve marvelled at the giant dunes of Sossusvlei, searched for wildlife in Etosha National Park and tracked rhinos with specialist guides, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home.
Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options, including a city break in South Africa’s Mother City, Cape Town.
