15 Day Windhoek - Windhoek - 4/5 *

This tour takes you around the beautiful Namibia.  Windhoek is the capital of Namibia, in the country’s central highlands.  You visit Etosha National Park and enjoy some game drives. Get to see “Vingerklip”, Vingerklip is one of Namibia’s most famous and remarkable rock formations attracting substantial numbers of tourists.  You will get a change to visit Ancient Rock Engravings.  Twyfelfontein, officially known as ǀUi-ǁAis, is a site of ancient rock engravings in the Kunene Region of north-western Namibia.  It consists of a spring in a valley flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain that receives very little rainfall and has a wide range of diurnal temperatures.  Visit the beautiful Hoanib, endless landscapes and desert-adapted wildlife.  Hoanib offers spectacular game drives in search of desert-adapted animals like lion, rhino, elephant and giraffe.  You will explore the Skeleton Coast, situated on Namibia’s remote western coastline, it is named after the many ships that sank here over the past few centuries.  The golden beaches here are littered with bleached whale bones and the skeletal remains of unlucky vessels, so the area became known as the Skeleton Coast or, for the indigenous San people, ‘the land God made in anger’.  Enjoy spectacular sunset when you visit the coastal town of Swakopmund.  Explore the natural wonders of the bizarre desert environment of Sossusvlei/Namib Desert.  You will end this tour by visiting the Kalahari Desert.  The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savannah in Southern Africa.  Kalahari Desert, large basinlike plain of the interior plateau of Southern Africa.  It occupies almost all of Botswana, the eastern third of Namibia, and the northernmost part of Northern Cape province in South Africa.  Get to see the highlights of Namibia in this 15 Day tour.

ACCOMMODATIONS

• Gocheganas Lodge (Windhoek – Namibia) – 1 Night – VIEW FACT SHEET
• Safarihoek Lodge (Etosha – Namibia) – 2 Nights – VIEW FACT SHEET
• Mowani Mountain Camp (Twyfelfontein – Namibia) – 1 Night – VIEW FACT SHEET
• Hoanib Valley Camp (Hoanib – Namibia) – 2 Nights – VIEW FACT SHEET
• Shipwreck Lodge (Skeleton Coast – Namibia) – 2 Nights – VIEW FACT SHEET
• Atlantic Gardens Boutique Hotel (Swakopmund – Namibia) – 2 Nights – VIEW FACT SHEET
• The Desert Grace – Gondwana (Solitaire – Namibia) – 2 Nights – VIEW FACT SHEET
• Zannier Hotels Sonop Luxury Tented Camp (Kalahari – Namibia) – 2 Nights – VIEW FACT SHEET

KEYS

• BB – Bed & Breakfast
• DBB – Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
• L – Lunch
• LD – Lunch & Dinner
• D – Dinner
• FB – Full Board (Breakfast; Lunch & Dinner)
• AI – All Inclusive (All Meals, selected drinks, Game Drives/Walk)
• G/Drive – Open Safari Vehicle Game Drive

Windhoek – NAMIBIA
LODGE:  GOCHEGANAS RESORT

Windhoek is the capital of Namibia, in the country’s central highlands.  South of the city, the sprawling Heroes’ Acre war memorial commemorates Namibia’s 1990 independence. On a hilltop in the city center are the 1890s Alte Feste, a former military headquarters with historical exhibits, and Independence Memorial Museum.  Colonial influences are visible in nearby buildings like the sandstone Lutheran Christus Church.  Windhoek lies in a pretty valley, with buildings very much in the German architectural style.  Situated a mere 29 kilometres South East from Windhoek on a hilltop overlooking a spectacular landscape, GOCHEGANAS is a Luxury Lodge offering a unique combination of Wildlife, Nature and Wellness experiences.

Etosha – NAMIBIA
LODGE:  SAFARIHOEK LODGE

Since Etosha National Park is the gateway to Northern Namibia and Ovamboland, it’s a very popular stop on any Namibian tour.  Above all, it is known as Namibia’s foremost wildlife sanctuary.  The landscape is unique and varied and subsequently home to a wide variety of animals.  For example lion, elephant, leopard, giraffe, cheetah, hyena, springbok, two kinds of zebra, eland and many more species of wildlife are found here.  What makes this park unique is the floodlit waterholes at all the main camps.  Some of the camps even have photography hides near the waterholes.  Of course, Etosha National Park is any photographer or nature lover’s dream. Most of the lodges have private decks or verandas to observe the pristine landscape.  You can see the white salt etched against the desert backdrop on this Etosha National park satellite map.  Because of the salt, animals can get a lot of nutrients from the earth here. Also, the wildlife is quite easily spotted because the plant life is so sparse.  To sum up, Etosha is a unique landscape and travelers will tell you it’s an unforgettable experience.  In the middle of northern Namibia’s arid, captivating savannah, bordering the world-famous Etosha National Park, is Safarihoek Lodge.  Perched on top of a hill, overlooking the plains below, Safarihoek is a stylish sort of place, and you’ll find cool, thatched chalets all with private decks, a double-storey photography hide, and a swimming pool with 180-degree vistas of the brilliant savannah.  But if there’s one thing about Safarihoek, it’s the location.  Everywhere you turn, the rugged Namibian savannah stretches into the distance, with only a spangly tree here, and a spiky bush there.  The wildlife roams freely across the never-ending space, unhindered and unobstructed.  This is a place of silence and solitude, and a rare opportunity to be at one with nature and the animals that thrive here.

Twyfelfontein – NAMIBIA
LODGE:  MOWANI MOUNTAIN CAMP

Twyfelfontein, officially known as ǀUi-ǁAis, is a site of ancient rock engravings in the Kunene Region of north-western Namibia.  It consists of a spring in a valley flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain that receives very little rainfall and has a wide range of diurnal temperatures.  Twyfelfontein Country Lodge, a true landmark situated in the heart of one of the world’s most magnificent wilderness regions.  Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Twyfelfontein in Damaraland is home to one of the largest collections of rock-art engravings found in Southern Africa.  Not only did the Khoi-San and tribes of ancient years leave us with a true cultural heritage, but the whole area is characterised by natural wonders such as Doros Crater, Burnt Mountain, Organ Pipes, Petrified Forest and desert-adapted animals – of which the desert-adapted elephant is probably the most well-known species. In the heat, dus and stunning landscape of Damaraland, there is a sanctuary – Mowani Mountain Camp. Dwarfed by massive ochre boulders, the camp is absorbed into the landscape, making it one with the shared history of life in this prehistoric land. Every soft curve or ragged edge frames the landscape in difference way, as if you are seeing for the first time, every time.

Hoanib – Namibia
LODGE:  HOANIB VALLEY CAMP

If you like extreme terrain, hidden valleys and rare, exotic culture then the Kaokoland, also called Kaokoveld, in northern Namibia is the place to go.  You will get a chance to meet the Himba Tribes in this area.  Kaokoland has become a common tourist destination in Namibia, due its proximity to the Etosha National Park (to the south), the unspoiled nature (with several spots suitable for activities such as rafting and trekking), and the opportunity to visit traditional Himba villages.  Notable landmarks in the area include the Epupa Falls, Sesfontein, Himba villages, and the Ondurusa Rapids.  Kaokoland is one of the wildest regions of Southern Africa, with very few roads and structures.  In a country jam-packed with vast, spectacularly beautiful landscapes, Kaokoland may just be the most incredible of them all.  Deep in north-western Namibia, the area is a melee of towering mountains, sand dunes, and huge expanses of desert, scattered with unique wildlife and nomadic Himba settlements.  It’s also one of Namibia’s most remote and wild environments, and one that not many will get the chance to discover in a lifetime.  And that’s exactly why we’ve decided to build Hoanib Valley Camp.  A joint venture between the local communities and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the world’s only Africa-wide giraffe conservation organisation, the camp is an elegant, intimate affair that immerses you into the wilds of the desert.  The six rooms blend seamlessly with the environment, offering a simple aesthetic that matches the rugged landscape down to a tee.  Days are spent tracking endangered rhino, desert-adapted elephant, and of course desert-adapted giraffe, before retiring to your private veranda to marvel at the magnitude of your surroundings (G&T in hand)

Skeleton Coast – NAMIBIA
LODGE:  SHIPWRECK LODGE

The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic coast of Namibia and south of Angola from the Kunene River south to the Swakop River, although the name is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast.  The Bushmen of the Namibian interior called the region “The Land God Made in Anger”, while Portuguese sailors once referred to it as “The Gates of Hell”.  The area’s name derives from the whale and seal bones that once littered the shore from the whaling industry, although in modern times the coast harbors the skeletal remains of the shipwrecks caught by offshore rocks and fog.  At Shipwreck Lodge, the shipwreck-shaped chalets are nestled between the dunes with a view of the Atlantic Ocean where the cold Benguela current provides guests with a refreshing breeze.  You our exclusive clients can look forward to appreciating the harshness of the desert and the beauty of these solitary landscapes filled with geological history.  Learn about the fauna and flora adapted to survive in these harsh conditions – all from the comfort of the restaurant deck.

Swakopmund – Namibia
HOTEL:  ATLANTIC GARDEN BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Swakopmund is a coastal city in Namibia, west of the capital, Windhoek. Its sandy beaches face the Atlantic Ocean.  Established by German colonists in 1892, the city’s colonial landmarks include the Swakopmund Lighthouse and the Mole, an old sea wall.  Next to the lighthouse, the Swakopmund Museum documents Namibian history . Inland, the elegant Swakopmund Railway Station, now a hotel, also dates to the colonial era.  Swakopmund is known as activity centre of Namibia, nowhere else in the country travelers will find such a variety of possible activities.  Atlantic Garden Boutique Hotel is conveniently situated in the centre of Swakopmund next to the historical “Altes Amtsgericht” building, on the corner of Theo-Ben Gurirab & Tobias Hainyeko Street.  The modern hotel with a fresh and feel-good atmosphere is within walking distance of the beach (approx. 185 m) and is the only hotel in the area with a beautiful garden to relax in after an action-packed day.

Solitaire – NAMIBIA
LODGE:  THE DESERT GRACE – Gondwana

Solitaire, is a remote settlement, at the edge of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, has been a welcome stopover for more than 60 years.  The Namib Desert is hard on automobiles.  Solitaire sells petrol and diesel, and provides tyre repair and sales, oil and miscellaneous fixes.  It’s the only petrol stop between Sossusvlei and Swakopmund!  At The Desert Grace, treat yourself to desert elegance and an extra touch of grace!  Graceful spaces and gracious hospitality imbue this modern lodge with its elegance of yesteryear, spirited character and refreshingly stylish interior.  Sip on a pink gin while appreciating the expansive desert scenery from one of the 24 bungalows, each with its own plunge pool.  Outdoors, ancient golden desert; indoors, pure love.

Kalahari – NAMIBIA
LODGE:  ZANIER – SONOP LUXURY TENTED CAMP

The Kalahari Region in Namibia forms part of the 2.5 million square metre large Kalahari Basin, one of the largest coherent sand expanses worldwide.  The Kalahari Desert covers eastern and southern Namibia, large parts of Botswana and the north-western area of South Africa.  It can’t be defined as a real desert as it receives too much rain.  It can rather be called a fossil desert.  This area in Namibia is inhabited by the San people (Namibian bushmen), who used to be hunter-gatherers.  They are now surviving by game hunting and collecting edible plants, like berries or desert melons.  Zannier Hotels Sonop is a luxurious tented camp nestled at the Southern extremity of the Namib desert, in the Hardap region (Namibia). Designed as a refined British colonial experience from the 1920’s, this out-of-the-ordinary lodge offers a perfect retreat in a stunning panoramic desert landscape.  Constructed on top of boulders, the ten spacious tents aim to offer a unique journey through time.  Richly furnished with antiques made of fine materials, colourful carpets and precious wood, they are an invitation to live the life of yesteryear’s wealthy explorers.  A sophistication that contrasts with the simplicity of the endless surroundings.  At Zannier Hotels Sonop everything is orientated towards the desert’s richness: all views are awe-inspiring and a large list of adventures allow guests to admire the desert’s genuine beauty at leisure.  Every evening guests are invited to enjoy an opulent gastronomic experience, where silverware and candelabras set the mood, enhanced by black-tie service.  Flawless service and attention to detail characterize all facilities of the camp.  With its warm atmosphere, the cocktail & cigar lounge evokes with subtlety the splendor of colonial interiors.  For guest’s ultimate comfort, Zannier Hotels Sonop also offers a spa with 2 double treatment rooms, a fitness center and heated outdoor infinity pool, all facing the desert’s vastness.  Zannier Hotels Sonop also has its own stables.  Many once-in-a-lifetime experiences will bring a bygone era to life.  Zannier Hotels Sonop’s unforgettable journey can be experienced through an all-inclusive rate.  Rates at this Camp includes accommodation, VAT, tourism levy, full board and all beverages (except premium brands and Champagne), a daily scenic sunrise drive, several activities (such as group yoga, electric bike tours, open-air cinema, stargazing or horse back riding), and 3 pieces of laundry per day.  A list of outdoor excursions is on offer.  This will be a memorable stay and fantastic end to a great tour.

NOTE:   Optional Add On’s & Room Upgrades –  Available at an Additional Costs – see below day to day info

DAY 1:  GOCHEGANAS LODGE – Windhoek – NAMIBIA

On arrival in Windhoek.  Car Rental.  You collect your rental car.  Do a City Tour if time allows, if not, drive a 26km to Gochenganas Nature Reserve for a PM Game Drive – included.  Dinner included @ the Hotel

• Included:  DBB and overnight in an Elegant Chalet
• Optional/Add On:  Car Rental

DAY 2:  SAFARIHOEK LODGE – ETOSHA – NAMIBIA

Depart to Etosha.  En-route to Etosha – stop at Woodcavers Market.  Continue to Lodge.  For the next 2 days the following is included:  Accommodation, all meals & beverages, guest laundry, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT. EXCLUDES: Premium brand drinks, park entry fees, gratuities and fully comprehensive personal travel insurance. 

• Included:  All meals & beverages, guest laundry, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT and overnight in a Luxury Chalet

DAY 3:  SAFARIHOEK LODGE – ETOSHA – NAMIBIA

Enjoy an AM Game Drive.  Free at Leisure.  PM Game Drive.  All Meals included

• Included:  All meals & beverages, guest laundry, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT and overnight in a Luxury Chalet

DAY 4:  MOWANI MOUNTAIN CAMP – Twyfelfontein – NAMIBIA

Depart to Mowani after breakfast.  On-route to Mowani – stop at Vingerklip.  Arrive at Lodge.  Free at Leisure or maybe take a trip to experience the Living Museum of the Damara.  This activity you choose between 2 things to do/experience or do both combined. 1. Traditional Life in the village:
Experience the daily routine in a traditional museum, including traditional blacksmith (making of weapons and tools), tanning of leather (production of traditional clothes), jewellery and crafts, dancing, singing and traditional games, Holy Fire and fire making and more.
2. Bush Walk:
Follow them on a bush walk where the women collect plants from the bush for food, perfume and medicine and where the men show you how to set up traps, snares and how they used to hunt in the old times.
3. Traditional Life & Bush Walk:
Combines programs 1 & 2 for the complete traditional Damara experience.  Dinner @ the Lodge – included.

• Included:  DBB and overnight in a Superior View Room

DAY 5:  HOANIB VALLEY CAMP – Kaokoland – NAMIBIA

Morning visit to Twyfelfontein (entrance own cost).   Drive to Hoanib.  For the next 2 days the following is included:  Accommodation, all meals & beverages, guest laundry, transfers between Mowe Bay and Shipwreck Lodge, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT.  EXCLUDES:  Premium brand drinks, transfers between Hoanib Valley Camp & Shipwreck Lodge, NamibRand Nature Reserve park fees, Sossusvlei excursion from Kwessi Dunes, gratuities and fully comprehensive personal travel insurance.   Enjoy a PM Game Drive 

• Included:  All meals & beverages, guest laundry, transfers between Mowe Bay and Shipwreck Lodge, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT and overnight in a Luxury Tent

DAY 6:  HOANIB VALLEY CAMP – Kaokoland – NAMIBIA

Leisure Day.  There are various included activitiesto enjoy at the Lodge.  All meals included @ the Lodge

• Included:  All meals & beverages, guest laundry, transfers between Mowe Bay and Shipwreck Lodge, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT and overnight in a Luxury Tent

DAY 7:  SHIPWRECK LODGE – Skeleton Coast – NAMIBIA

Today you depart early to Möwe Bay, where you will leave your rental vehicle and join in the Transfer to Shipwreck Lodge – included.  NOTE:  Pick Up times from Möwe Bay to Shipwreck Lodge is only at 11am and 15h00pm, so if you don’t make it in time for the early transfer, you will have to wait for the afternoon Transfer.  You will enter the Skeleton Coast National Park and will be driving along a gravel road towards Möwe Bay.  This is where the pick-up will take place.  Please note:  The roads are gravel roads and are subject to the weather and wind that might affect the road conditions.  Therefore, self-drive clients are advised to drive a high clearance and 4×4 vehicle, especially between Terrace Bay and Möwe Bay.  The last cellphone signal for communication and petrol station will be in Terrace Bay.  To help you drive from Hoanib Valley Camp, Driveto the C43, Drive South along the C43 towards Khorixas . After approximately 40 Km you will reach the C39.  Turn Right onto the C39 and follow the road for 60 Km until you reach Springbok Water Gate.  Once at the gate it will be important to show your Voucher as proof that you are staying at Shipwreck Lodge.  Continue along the C39 for a further 33 Km until you reach Torra Bay.  From Torra Bay you will continue along the D2302 towards Terrace Bay for 58 Km, where you will be able to refuel.  Finally head north towards Möwe Bay for the final 82 Km.  You now have reached the Pick-up point at Möwe Bay.  For the next 2 days the following is included:  Accommodation, all meals & beverages, guest laundry, transfers between Möwe Bay and Shipwreck Lodge, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT.  EXCLUDES: Premium brand drinks, transfers between Hoanib Valley Camp & Shipwreck Lodge, NamibRand Nature Reserve park fees, Sossusvlei excursion from Kwessi Dunes, gratuities and fully comprehensive personal travel insurance. 

•  Included:  All meals & beverages, guest laundry, transfers between Möwe Bay and Shipwreck Lodge, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT and overnight in a Luxury Cabin

DAY 8:  SHIPWRECK LODGE – Skeleton Coast – NAMIBIA

Day at the Lodge, Dune Drives, walks on the beach.  All included as mentioned above.

• Included:  All meals & beverages, guest laundry, transfers between Möwe Bay and Shipwreck Lodge, daily activities, expert guiding & VAT and overnight in a Luxury Cabin

DAY 9:  ATLANTIC GARDENS BOUTIQUE HOTEL – Swakopmund – NAMIBIA

Early Departure from Shipwreck Lodge back to Möwe Bay.  Collect your rental vehicle again and continue to Swakopmund.  Free at Leisure.  

• Included:  BB and overnight in a Standard Room

DAY 10:  ATLANTIC GARDENS BOUTIQUE HOTEL – Swakopmund – NAMIBIA

Free at Leisure.  Choose from various activities in the area.  Pre-book direct with us.  Scenic Flights (see options/link); Fat Bike Tours; Seal- & Dolphin Cruise with Sailing Catamaran (3.5 hrs), Dolphin Cruise with Laramon Catamaran Tours (3.5 hrs), Living Desert Tour with Thommy (see option/link), Full day Spitzkoppen Excursion, Sandboarding, Township tour, Tandem Skydiving.  

• Included:  BB and overnight in a Standard Room
• Optional/Add On:  Scenic Fligh; Seal & Dolphin Cruise with Sailing Catamaran; Dolphin Cruise with Laramon Catamaran Tours; Living Desert Tour with Thommy; Tandem Skydiving

DAY 11:  THE DESERT GRACE – Solitaire – NAMIBIA

Depart Swakopmund, en-route to Solitaire – photostop at Kuiseb Canyon.  Sundowner Dune Drive & Dinner @ the Lodge included.

• Included:  DBB + Sundowner Dune Drive and overnight in a Desert Grace Twin Room

DAY 12:  THE DESERT GRACE – Solitaire – NAMIBIA

Free at Leisure.  Take a DAY TRIP to Sossusvlei and enjoy various activities the area has to offer.  You welcome to do this on your own or book some activities through us.  Explore the Sesriem Canyon, a small canyon typical of the area. Then to continue on to the breathtaking Sossusvlei Dunes, and climb the breathtaking Dune 45.  If you book the Sossusvlei Guided Desert Walk you will have the chance to visit a clay pan surrounded by the world’s largest sand dunes and enclosing ancient dead trees.  Enjoy some free time to explore them on your own.  Deadvlei Visit – Sossusvlei.  Venture out into Deadvlei.  These drylands boast incredible contrasts of black dead trees amidst the white clay soil, surrounded by red sand dunes reaching up to 300 meters high.  We don’t want to spoil too much; go and see this unique site for yourselves – it’s a must for any traveller to Namibia.  Dinner @ the Lodge – Included.

• Included:  DBB and overnight in a Desert Grace Twin Room

DAY 13:  ZANNIER HOTELS SONOP – LUXURY TENTED CAMP – Kalahari – NAMIBIA

Drive to Kalahari.  Enjoy at PM Game Drive – included.  For the next 2 days, the following is included:  All meals & selected beverages, AM & PM Nature Drive, Horse Riding Excursion, Electric Fat-Bike Trail (explore the desert), Walking Trails, Outdoor Cinema, Group Yoga Activity, Astronomy Discovery. 

• Included:  All Meals & Selected beverages & activities as mentioned above and overnight in a One Bedroom Tent

DAY 14:  ZANNIER HOTELS SONOP – LUXURY TENTED CAMP – Kalahari – NAMIBIA

Enjoy the various activities that is included & all meals included as mentioned above.

• Included:  All Meals & Selected beverages & activities as mentioned above and overnight in a One Bedroom Tent

Day 15:  DEPARTURE WINDHOEK

Enjoy an AM Nature Drive – included.  Departt to Windhoek for your flight home

• Included:  BB + AM Nature Drive

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

•  Accommodation as stated (or alternative if not available – this will be communicated to the clients)
•  Breakfast daily
•  8 x Lunches
•  12 x Dinners
•  1 x PM Game Drive in Gocheganas Nature Reserve
•  All Game Drives & Activities at Safarihoek Lodge in Etosha Heights Private Reserve (AM and PM)
•  All Game Drives at  Hoanib
•  Daily Activities & Expert Guiding at Hoanib Valley Camp on 2nd day (see day to day)
•  Transfer from Möwe Bay to Shipwreck Lodge
•  All Game Drives & Daily Activities at Shipwreck Lodge included with beverages (see day to day)
•  Sundowner Dune Drive at The Desert Grace
•  All Nature Drives at Zannier Hotels (AM & PM)
•  Horse Riding Excursion at Zannier Hotels Sonop
•  Electric Fat-Bike Trail (explore the desert) at Zannier Hotels Sonop
•  Walking Trails at Zannier Hotels Sonop
•  Outdoor Cinema at Zannier Hotels  Sonop
•  Group Yoga Activity at Zannier Hotels Sonop
•  Astronomy Discovery at Zannier Hotels Sonop

PACKAGE EXCLUDES:

•   Porterage – not included
•   Transport (Car Rental available to add on / as Option)
•   Flights back & from your Hometown
•   Medical Insurance (for clients own account)
•   Visa’s (clients need to arrange where needed themselves)
•   Service Fees at Restaurants / Lodges not included for staff
•   Entrances at own costs (as indicated on the day to day information)
•   Meals not included in itinerary (see day by day) will be at clients own cost
•   Drinks not included in itinerary (see day by day) will be at clients own cost  

OPTIONAL ADD ON’s:  Available on various days of the Tour (See Day to Day) at Additional Costs.