6-Days Namibia Safari

A brief pre-departure meeting will be held after your pick up. On our journey to Sesriem, we pass some stunning mountain landscapes. The road ascends up and through Namibia’s central plateau, stopping in the little town of Rehoboth for provisions before continuing on to our campsite via the small town of BellsPort. We will plan to arrive at Sesriem about noon and set up camp beneath a massive, centuries-old camel thorn tree from which we can see the soaring red dunes of the oldest desert in the world. After pitching our tents, we’ll have a picnic lunch. We have the choice to begin our time in the oldest desert on Earth in the late afternoon. Elim Dune, where there is the greatest golden light before sunset, is only a short drive away. It is only a short distance back to our camp through the desert, if you choose to do so.

Our first halt will be at dune 45; we will travel this distance in the dark and early morning twilight. Around sunrise and sunset is when you may get the best shots of the dunes. Once here, we will ascend to a high point to watch the sunrise. As soon as we finish our brief breakfast, we head to the 2×4 parking lot. For the final 5 km to Sossusvlei, we will now travel across the historic Tsauchab Riverbed. The Tsauchab River is ephemeral; it only runs occasionally and is mostly dries except when there has been adequate rain.

After breakfast, we will depart for the desert. We will begin by traversing the Namib gravel plains. We shall pass the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5 degrees south. At this location, there is a signpost, and we pause to take pictures, over two mountain passes. We keep going till we reach Walvis Bay, a port city. We stop for lunch in Walvisbay Lagoon before making the last part of our trip to Swakopmund. Swakopmund provides a plethora of activities to keep us occupied during our stay. Although the town center is compact and accessible on foot, there are numerous additional, optional activities available. Popular sightseeing flights over the desert include skydiving and quad biking through and through the Namib dunes for the more daring.

We will travel south on the coast route after breakfast. Our next site is a recent shipwreck 15 kilometers south of the small village of Henties Bay. After that, we will precede eastward, passing up the gravel road as we pass through Damaraland, a region renowned for its landscapes, mountains, broad grasslands, tall koppies (little hills), of round pink granite stones, wide open spaces, and large sky. After stopping for a quick picnic lunch under the Brandberg, which rises majestically from the desert bottom, we proceed across the scenic scenery. After lunch, we continue north toward Etosha National Park, passing the little settlement of Outjo. The distance from the main entrance gate to the camp is only a short game drive. We’ll set up camp and then go on a late-afternoon game drive in quest of large game. Okaukuejo is famous for its flood-lit waterhole where we are given the opportunity to witness all of Etosha’s riches and is reachable on foot.

We’ll have all day to explore Etosha. We hope to be on our way as the light breaks the horizon after a short cup of coffee. Early dawn is usually a productive time for wildlife viewing, and it’s an excellent time to catch big cats returning from a hunt. We will make a brief breakfast pit stop along the road before continuing our game drive in search of the Halali camp. Halali is where we’ll eat lunch. There is a little store with basic goods and a few trinkets, and there will be time for a pool swim. We’re going to stop on the way home so that we can have a better look at the Etosha Pan. The greatest time of the day at the Okaukuejo waterhole is right before dusk, so we try to get back to our location right before that.

Today’s excursion will take us to the little town of Okahandja, home of Namibia’s largest wood carving market. Craftspeople from all across Namibia gather to display a wide range of large and small goods. We will have the opportunity to collect a truly Namibian memento while also supporting local artists and communities.