Day 1 - Flight to Namibia
Begin your journey to Namibia with a scheduled overnight flight from London to Windhoek, via Johannesburg, with South African Airways.
Includes dinner on the flight.
Day 2 - Windhoek
After landing and checking through customs at Windhoek Airport, you are met and transferred to a lovely guesthouse in one of the city's leafy suburbs. The afternoon is free to recuperate from your flight and explore the city centre or relax by the guesthouse swimming pool. Dinner is on your own account this evening so you have the flexibility to dine out or order in at the guesthouse. There are plenty of good restaurants in Windhoek offering a variety of fare at reasonable prices. If you'd prefer a quiet evening in, ask the guesthouse staff for a Dial-a-Meal menu and order your dinner from a range of delivery options.
Includes breakfast on the flight.
Day 3 - Etosha National Park
After breakfast, you will be collected between 08.00 and 08.30 and taken to the safari base to meet your group and guide. You then set off north, passing through the towns of Otjiwarongo and Outjo before arriving at Okaukuejo, your campsite within Etosha. There is often time this afternoon for your first game drive in the park, visiting a few of the waterholes in the immediate area and keeping your eyes peeled for exciting wildlife sightings. Although you must return to the restcamp by sunset, there is still the chance to enjoy further animal encounters by spending time at Okaukuejo's floodlit waterhole during the evening.
Windhoek to Southern Etosha: approx. 5 hours (420km)
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 4 - Etosha National Park
Begin by having breakfast and breaking camp early to head out whilst the morning is still relatively cool, when animals are at their most active. Today you'll game drive slowly eastwards through the park, stopping at waterholes, game sightings and vantage points offering spectacular views over the silvery expanse of Etosha Pan. Etosha is one of Africa's largest premier safari reserves, home to large populations of wildlife including strong numbers of elephant and many species of plains game. There's also a healthy lion population and leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena are relatively common.
During the drive you'll stop at Halali, Etosha's middle camp, for a picnic lunch, to make use of the refreshing pool and to see what wildlife has come to drink at the waterhole. You arrive to the eastern side of Etosha National Park in the afternoon and set up camp for another evening under canvas below a star filled Namibian sky.
Safari drives.
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 5 - Windhoek
The long but interesting drive back to Windhoek today takes you south through a number of rural towns, from the scenic Otavi Mountains to the central highlands of Namibia. Break the journey in Okahandja, where local artisans have come from all over Namibia to sell their crafts at one of the country's largest craft markets. You arrive back at your guesthouse in Windhoek by late afternoon. Your evening is free, although often the group will make plans to meet up for dinner.
Eastern Etosha to Windhoek: approx. 6 hours (520km)
Includes breakfast and lunch.
Day 6 - Namib-Naukluft Park
Begin with breakfast at the guesthouse before you are collected between 08.00 and 08.30 to be transferred to the safari base. Here you will once again join your group and guide for the Namib Desert section of your safari. As the Taste of Namibia Safari is made up of two short trips, your travel companions and guide may differ between the Etosha National Park and Namib Desert portions of your journey. Start your journey south by traversing the Khomas Hochland highlands, then descend onto the desert plains through a scenic pass over the great escarpment. It's one of the country's more spectacular drives, with fabulous vistas at every turn. After a pause for refreshments in the tiny outpost of Solitaire, it's a relatively short drive to your camp at the base of the Namib-Naukluft Mountains on the edge of the desert.
Windhoek to Namib Desert Camp: approx. 5.5 hours (315km)
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 7 - Namib-Naukluft Park
Rising well before dawn, you drive deep into the desert to catch the early morning light which best highlights the rich colours and remarkable shapes of the sand dunes. Spend the morning exploring on foot with your guide, and marvel at the scenery and the desert creatures that survive here. The energetic amongst you may like to climb to the crest of one of these 300 metre high dunes, catching spectacular views of the Great Dune Sea from the top. As a group you'll visit ancient mineral pans such as Dead Vlei, where the skeletal branches of dead camelthorn trees and intricate patterns on the dried clay floor make fascinating photo subjects. Later in the afternoon you'll visit Sesriem Canyon, where amazing shapes have been sculpted into the surrounding rock by the force of the ephemeral Tsauchab River.
Desert Camp to Sossusvlei to Desert Camp: approx. 3.5 hours (240km)
Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 8 - Windhoek
Driving back to Windhoek, you'll pass through more stunning scenery as the road climbs up and over the escarpment and on to the central highlands. You arrive back at your guesthouse at around 16.00. You are free to relax this evening, although the group may arrange to meet up for a farewell dinner to end this superb camping safari adventure in Namibia.
Desert Camp to Windhoek: approx. 5.5 hours (315km)
Includes breakfast and lunch.
Day 9 - Flight to London
After a little free time to explore Windhoek and purchase any last minute souvenirs, you will be collected from your guesthouse and transferred to the airport in time to check in for your scheduled flight home.
Includes breakfast and dinner is provided on the flight.
Day 10 - Arrive in London
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