Itinerary

Highlights:

• The contrasting areas of Sossusvlei, Skeleton Coast, Palmwag Concession and Etosha are explored in depth. 
• The Ultimate Skeleton Coast experience (subject to weather conditions) including remains of shipwrecks, Cape fur seal colonies, and desert adapted wildlife.
• Accommodation includes a range of camps and private areas.
• Exceptionally varied activities, including day and night game drives and charter flights.  Other unique excursions include tracking rare desert adapted black rhino, meeting Damara people and motorboat trip.
• We travel by land where the journey is enhanced; otherwise travelling is done by air.

You will be met by your exploration Guide and begin your journey by driving through the Khomas Hochland mountains and down into the dune filled Sossusvlei region.

Day 1 – 2:  Stay at Kulala Desert Lodge, the closet lodge to the famous red dunes of Sossusvlei.  Explore the dunes and the 37,000 hectare private reserve where you will discover life in one of the world’s oldest deserts.  To showcase this vast and impressive landscape, we take you on game drives and walks.  You can witness sparsely distributed desert-adapted wildlife such as ostrich, springbok, oryx, spotted and brown hyaena and bat eared fox.

Day 3 – 4:  Our light aircraft transfer is a spectacular scenic flight over dunes and the Skeleton Coast to Swakopmund, where you stay in the Hansa Hotel that forms part of the cities architectural culture.  Explore the ice-blue Atlantic coast with a “Dolphin & Seal” catamaran cruise – depart Walvis Bay in search of the Marine Big 5; Dolphins, Whales, Molas, Leatherback Turtles and Seals.  We cruise to Pelican Point with its landmark lighthouse and 60,000 Cape fur seal residents.  In season (July to November), Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales are often sighted, while other whale species, such as the Gray Whale and the Pygmy Right Whale have made appearances.  Bottlenose, Heaviside and Dusky Dolphins are regularly seen, as are Mola Molas and Leatherback Turtles.

Day 5:  We continue our journey by road partly up the legendary Skeleton Coast (named for the numerous shipwrecks the treacherous shore has claimed over many years). From here we drive the back roads through the game productive Ugab riverbed, past the Brandberg Mountains (the second largest monolith on earth) to our destination, Damaraland Camp, Damaraland.  Set in the Huab River Valley, Damaraland Camp is situated in arguably one of the most pristine wilderness areas in Namibia.  Endless vistas across stark plains, ancient valleys and stunning ochre-purple mountains will be the backdrop to your stay.   A land of stark beauty, the area boasts a varied assortment of desert-adapted wildlife and incredible geological formations.  Game drives, guided walks and cultural visits will make up your activities here, and entertainment while at camp will be in our spacious living area complete with a swimming pool.  On chilly evenings an open campfire will keep you warm and you will dine traditionally in our boma under the clear Namibian sky.

Day 6 – 7:  We drive into the Huab riverbed to search for desert-adapted elephants, before heading north to the mountainous and rocky paradise of the massive Palmwag Concession and the Desert Rhino Camp.  Here you will take part in a thrilling and exclusive conservation success story – tracking Africa’s unique and endangered desert-adapted black rhino.  A truly unforgettable experience.  Along with rhino you may see desert adapted elephant, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, kudu as well as cheetah, leopard and spotted hyaena.  To set the scene, you will be shown into one of the eight en-suite Meru-style tents elevated of the ground.  You can absorb the panoramic views over the rolling, rocky hills beyond from the privacy of your veranda.  The impressive flat-topped Etendeka Mountains dominate the scenery.  Other than tracking rhino, you can fill your days with game drives, walks and cultural visits.  

Day 8 – 10:  This morning we drive to the Doro Nawas airstrip for our light aircraft transfer to the luxurious Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp located on the Hoanib River in the northern part of the private Palmwag Concession.  This location thus straddles the Palmwag area and the Skeleton Coast National Park, in one of the most remote areas of the Kaokoveld, north west Namibia.  Exclusivity is taken a step further as the camp comprises only seven twin-bedded tents and one family unit. The camp looks out over stunning yet rugged scenery and offers you all the luxuries and amenities needed for an unforgettable stay.  A bewitching and splendid part of the planet, you can unravel the enigmatic history of the ancient people, their stories, study the ancient Welwitschia plant, view herds of desert adapted wildlife and savour the endless landscapes that have remained untouched for hundreds of kilometres.

Day 11 – 13:  We fly to Doro Nawas airstrip this morning before driving to Ongava Game Reserve on the boundary of the great Etosha National Park.  Set on the slopes of the unpronounceable Ondundozonanandans Mountain, Ongava Lodge overlooks a productive waterhole and the impressive landscape beyond.  Settle into one of the 14 en-suited chalets built within a web of mopane trees with a deck stretching out over the vast plains.  In between activities, refreshments will be served in the thatched main area or at the swimming pool and in the evenings, dine under the stars while being entertained by wildlife at the flood lite waterhole

Estosh remains the highest density wildlife area within Namibia, its fame justly acknowledged.  Your stay here will allow time to explore both Etosha National Park as well as the wildlife rich Ongava Reserve.  Games drives in both reserves will display a vast variety of species including; black-face impala, elephants, white and black rhino, zebra, giraffe, bat eared fox, kudu, warthog with predators such as lion, leopard and cheetah never too far away.

All activities are weather permitting.

Desert Dune Exploration Travel Route