Namibia Tour under the stars

Travel Program

1st Day – Windhoek / Kalahari Desert

Upon your arrival at Windhoek International Airport, collected your luggage and complete the entry formalities, you will find your guide/driver and will be with you for the entire duration of the trip.
On board our 4×4 vehicle, we will head south along a mainly tarred road until we reach the suggestive Kalahari desert, with its low and longitudinal dunes with an intense rust colour and the sparse vegetation where the large acacia trees stand out. In the afternoon or the following morning, we will have a game drive in the reserve within the Kalahari dunes, it will be a good occasion for us to see the first sightings of the typical desert animals. During the game drive we will observe the gigantic nests of the social weaving birds, as the name implies they are industrious birds that live in very numerous colonies.

* Overnight: Lodge near Mariental.
* Treatment: Dinner.

2nd Day- Kalahari Desert / Namib Desert

Departure in a westerly direction towards the Namib desert, with Sesriem being our destination. This location takes its name from the small canyon located nearby, and is considered the gateway to the spectacular Namib-Naukluft Park. The Namib desert is nothing short of being surprising and unique, with it’s orange dunes, among the highest in the world but also a “living” desert, with a number of plants and animals that populate it, with the precious humidity transported from the fog that comes from the coast guarantees their survival.

* Overnight: Namib- Naukluft National Park in camping.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

3rd Day – Namib Desert

The day starts very early: dawn is in fact the best time to enjoy the magic of the desert. In the early morning the large dunes are painted with intense warm colours ranging from bright orange to apricot. We will reach the Sossusvlei area and visit the suggestive “Deadvlei“, characterised by the contrast of colours between the dark solitary ancient skeletons dead acacias, the white clay pan, the orange dunes and the blue intense sky. A paradise for the photographers enthusiasts. The more enterprising will be able to climb the highest dune in the world: the famous “Big Daddy” (about 220 meters from the base). The day will end with a visit to Sesriem Canyon, a deep and narrow gorge originating from the waters of the Tschaub River.

* Overnight: Namib- Naukluft National Park in camping.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

4th Day – Namib Desert / Walvis Bay

Departure for Walvis Bay, picturesque harbour towns located on the Atlantic Ocean coast. The road we will take runs along the Namib Naukluft National Park, we will make a stop, with an inevitable photo on the Tropic of Capricorn line. Along the way we can appreciate the great variety of colours that the ever changing landscape offers from mountains, hills, the Kuiseb canyon, and almost certainly, the dry Kuiseb river, we continue in the vast flat expanses until we reach the Walvis Bay lagoon. In the afternoon we can have a relaxing walk along the side of the lagoon waiting for the sun to set.

* Overnight: Guesthouse in Walvis Bay.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

5th Day – Walvis Bay 

On board a off-road vehicle, accompanied by an expert guide / driver, we will make an exciting excursion on the desert dunes. We will discover the extraordinary landscape surrounding Sandwich Harbour where the huge golden dunes of the Namib Desert meet the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Along the coastal track, we will cross the immense Kuiseb River mouth, until we reach Sandwich Harbor; an extensive, shallow lagoon populated by numerous seabirds: flamingos, pelicans, cormorants. On the way back we will visit Pelican Point where we will visit a Cape fur seals basking lazily in the sun. We will have lunch during our  excursion.

* Overnight: Guesthouse in Walvis Bay.
* Treatment: Light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

6th Day – Walvis Bay / Damaraland

Today’s destination is one of the most surprising areas in Namibia, Damaraland. We will continue along the Atlantic Ocean until we reach the intersection that leads inland, towards the southern part of the Kunene region going to Twyfelfontein area. In the afternoon we will visit the extraordinary engravings  among the richest in the world who date back thousands of years, the site is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site; to reach the various sites we will take a beautiful walk among the sandstone boulders and endemic vegetation. For the most part of the engravings are depicting animals with their characteristics. footprints, sacred animals with variants of dubious interpretation such as the lion with the very long tail and the dancing kudu. It is areal journey into the most remote past.

* Overnight: Twyfelfontein area in camping.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

7th Day – Damaraland

In the morning we will go on a nature drive with our 4X4, in the Twyfelfontein area in search of the legendary desert elephants, we can also see giraffes, springbok antelopes, ostriches. Damaraland has a breathtaking landscapes with strong chromatic contrasts and is a region of great naturalistic importance, it always gives great emotions because the animals are in absolute freedom and their movements are unpredictable. In the afternoon we will reach the Palmwag area with its flat top mountains, nothing short of spectacular landscape and although apparently inhospitable, the area is full of life. In the afternoon we will go on a game drive with our 4X4 in the Palmwag concession, where we con see Giraffes, Kudu, mountain Zebras, and with a bit of luck the black rhino.

* Overnight: Palmwag area in camping.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

8th Day – Damaraland / Opuwo

We will continue our itinerary towards north and we will reach the town of Opuwo, which in the local language means “Not beyond/the end”. Opuwo is the administrative town of Koakoland a hectic crossroads of trade, mostly of livestock; it will be an opportunity to observe men and women belonging to various tribes such as Herero, Himba, Ovambo and Zemba; we will be able to observe the strong contrast between tradition and Western contamination, the latter increasingly evident especially in the way of dressing.

* Overnight: Lodge in Opuwo.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

9th Day – Opuwo / Epupa Falls

Our trip is enhanced by another unforgettable day, with the meeting of the proud Himba population in one of their traditional villages. The life of this tribe evolves around their cattle and is marked by the slow rhythms of nature: grazing cattle, milking cows, making butter, preparing red ocher that is used by women that is applied to their skin and hair, looking after numerous children … a truly unique experience. Not to miss the scenic view of the Epupa Falls, on the border with Angola, where the waters of the Kunene River plummet for about 35 meters surrounded by a fantastic and evocative environment where water, palm groves and culture mix.

* Overnight: Epupa Falls in camping.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

10th Day – Epupa Falls / Etosha National Park

We return back to Opuwo, and will continue on a comfortable tarred road until we arrive at  the gates of Etosha National Park, a must-see destination for anyone who loves nature and wildlife. The Etosha National Park has an area of 22,912 square kilometres and is one of the largest parks in Africa. Etosha means “great white place” and owes its name to the color of its pan, an ancient dried up lake within the park, a salty depression that extends for 4,730 sq km. In the park there are 114 species of mammals, 340 birds and 110 reptiles. The park will reveal itself in all its magnificence as soon as we begin to drive the internal dirt roads of the park and start our first safari.

* Overnight: Etosha National Park.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

11th /12th Day – Etosha National Park

The day will be dedicated to the unforgettable safari in the park. At the first light of dawn, along the dirt roads that intersect inside the park, we will reach the numerous water holes where the animals go to drink; we will observe wildebeest, elephants, giraffes, black-faced impalas, antelopes of different species, oryx, kudu, zebras while they quench their thirst. We will search for the shy predators such as Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Hyenas, as well as numerous birds such as the colorful lilac-breasted roller, the Crowned Plover and various species of Eagles. Of course the animals are always on the move, sightings are frequent but never guaranteed, especially with regard to large predators.

* Overnight: Etosha National Park.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

13th Day – Namib Desert / Waterberg Plateau National Park

Before we head towards the park exit, we will do our last safari with the last sightings. After crossing the “von Lindequist Gate” near Namutoni, we will continue south along a main tarred road until we reach the Waterberg Plateau N. park, the mountain of water that rises near Otjiwarongo. In the afternoon we can take a relaxed walk to the top of the Plateau.

* Overnight: Waterberg Plateau National Park.
* Treatment: Picnic light Lunch, Dinner, Bed and breakfast.

14th Day – Waterberg Plateau National Park / Windhoek

Transfer to Windhoek through farmland, marking the end of our trip to Namibia. A last nostalgic look at the boundless Savannah, wishing us a goodbye to Africa, arriving at the international airport in time for the return flight.

* Treatment: Breakfast.