Private Namibia

Arrive at Windhoek International Airport where you are met and welcomed by your private English tour guide. Gain your first feel of the African Savannah on your short trip to Windhoek through the Avis Mountain range. You overnight Hotel Heinitzburg, one of the most luxurious establishments in Windhoek. Heinitzburg was built in 1914 by a German nobleman for his fiancée and was converted into a hotel in the 1996. The rooms are decorated in exquisite taste. You have a leisure afternoon.

Your private trip through Namibia starts with the road heading north through beautiful farmland and scenic mountain bushlands to Okonjima close to Otjiwarongo. Home to the AfriCat Foundation, Okonjima has dedicated itself to the protection, conservation and preservation of African predators, especially cheetahs and leopards, that have been rescued from irate livestock farmers.

Participate in the morning non-private guided tour of the AfriCat Foundation. Thereafter, you drive to the wildlife heaven “Etosha National Park”. Covering more than 20,000 km2 the Etosha National Park is home to 114 species of mammals and 340 varieties of birds. You check-in at Mushara Outpost situated on the border of the Park and enter the park for your first safari, exploring the various waterholes located close to Namutoni and the Von Lindequist gate.

Enjoy a full day of impressive game viewing in Etosha National Park. The appeal of the park lies its contrast of wide open grasslands mixed with woodlands of Camelthorn and Mopani savannah. This diverse vegetation accounts for the abundance of wildlife that thrives in the park. The park’s main characteristic is a huge salt pan that can been seen from a far above ground. During your drive through the park, you can expect to see abundant wildlife that congregates around the waterholes and on the open plains.

On to your next destination. Bordering Etosha National Park, the prolific 30 000- hectare private Ongava Game Reserve is considered one of the finest private game reserves in the region, enjoying global recognition for exceptional conservation, ground breaking research and exciting safari experiences. Enjoy a day of exciting game viewing. Your dedicated guides design the game drives for you, we recommend a sundowner in the Ongava Game Reserve (in the afternoon).

Off to experience the real adventure. Today you make your way into the Damaraland, where you can explore remote areas that are still very untouched. With a network of dry riverbeds and acacia plains, this area is a preferred habitat of the desert-adapted elephants, the rare black rhino and desert lions. The trail accessible only by 4x4 vehicles will lead you to your charming accommodation, the Hoanib Valley Camp. The Hoanib Valley is an oasis through one of Africa's most spectacular deserts. Situated on the bank of the Obias River, overlooking the Hoanib River Valley, the valley fluctuates between seasonal river flows through grassy, spring plains or dry sandy riverbeds where many elephants reside.

Your day is devoted to the discovery of the area through the activities offered by the camp (not private), with an English-speaking guide from the camp. Start very early for a real adventure in search of desert dwelling wildlife such as desert elephants, the rare black rhino and desert lions.

Your adventure continues to the Skeleton Park. You travel further west on small 4x4 tracks far from the “normal” tourism sites, to the world’s largest ship cemetery, “the Skeleton Coast”. This drive is one of the most spectacular ones in Namibia, with landscape changes from ephemeral riverbeds through clay-baked scenery to white dunes. The rooms of lodge resembling the shipwrecks perfectly immerse to this beautiful remote area. The Park protects about one third of Namibia's coastline, consisting of dune landscapes, canyons, and mountains, interspersed with a few river mouths.

Prepare yourself for a full adventurous day. You will explore the Skeleton Coast through the activities offered by the lodge (not private), with an English-speaking guide from the lodge. Activities include; Hoarusib river drive, Quad bike excursion, 4x4 drive along the coast, Sunset drive, Sandboarding, Guided walks, and Lunch on the beach (subject to weather conditions). The experience is one to remember.

Today you take a scenic drive to see seal colonies at Mowe Bay. On the way you can see shipwrecks, aeroplane wrecks, whale skeletons. If you are lucky, you may spot the shy brown hyena. You will travel south along the Atlantic Ocean to Swakopmund, a small coastal town.

Swakopmund is often considered as the “playground of Namibia” for its numerously exciting activities. In the morning we recommend an excursion to Walvis Bay. Here you can participate in a three-hour boat cruise to the seal colonies at Pelican Point. During this trip, you will be accompanied by different seabirds and with luck also by dolphins, and a seal might even join you on board. Before returning to shore, you can taste fresh Atlantic oysters, complemented by a glass of sparkling wine. Your guide is available for transfers and assistance with activity bookings.

Off to the Namib desert to Sesrim. You proceed through the Namib Naukluft Park, you can do a detour to the ancient Welwitschia mirabilis and the lunar landscape. Along your way you drive through the Kuiseb Canyon where the German geologist and author of the book "sheltering desert", Dr. Henno Martin, took refuge during World War II. Arrive at Sesrim in the late afternoon.

An early departure to some of the highest dunes in the world at Sossusvlei allows you to witness the beautiful changing colours of the sand dunes when the sun rises. There will be enough time to explore soaring sand dunes and skeletal trees of this magical place on foot. If you feel energetic enough you can attempt to climb one of the dunes before heading into Dead Vlei. The dunes in Sossusvlei form part of the Namib Sand Sea which was recently declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. Before returning to your lodge, visit the Sesriem Canyon, a natural gorge carved millions of years ago by the once mighty Tsauchab River.

The end of your trip is nearing. Before you leave Sossusvlei, spoil yourself with a hot air balloon or helicopter flight over the Namib desert just after sunrise (optional activity). You travel back to Windhoek through an ever-changing landscape via the Khomashochland mountain range. You arrive in Windhoek and drive to Windhoek International Airport. Your guide bids you farewell and you start your homeward journey.