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"The Great Namibian Journey" (13 Days)
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"A Discoverer
Exploration" |
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Fully serviced Discoverer safaris expertly combine luxury lodges with camping in walk-in Meru-Style Tents, elegantly designed in ‘old brass’ and teak, pure cotton linen, hanging canvas wardrobe and sumptuous beds. Our camp is lit by hurricane lanterns and 12v electricity with each tent enjoying en-suite and private flush toilets and hot water bucket showers. A full bar and dining area is set under our 8m x 5m dining tent, complete with teak director chairs and candlelight. |
| Namibia is a land of stunning
landscapes, endless skies, barren deserts, rugged mountains and spectacular
wildlife - and the Great Namibian Journey encompasses it all. This cross-section
explores the dunes of Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert, the stark beauty of the
Skeleton Coast, amazing marine life just off Swakopmund, the volcanic rock
strewn landscape of Damaraland and the game-filled savannah of Etosha. The activities provide a wide range of differing impressions, from scenic flights up the Skeleton Coast, dolphin cruises with private beach lunch, to hiking and cycling in Damaraland, walking in the Namib's great dunes and interacting with traditional Himba people. This safari combines the exclusive luxurious lodges of Wilderness Safaris with the remote locations of private Discoverer campsites, in unique Meru tents. The style of accommodation in the private Discoverer campsites takes you back to the era of Africa's exploration. Pure linens of heavy cottons, brass bucket showers and basins, separate flushing toilets and shower areas all add to the atmosphere, while comforts and amenities are elegantly provided. Discoverer camping aims to bring the guest closer to nature, by means of a lively camp fire, hurricane lanterns, wide-ranging activities and a warm atmosphere complimenting the comfort and added luxury of the lodges visited. Discoverer camps are specifically outfitted to ensure that old-style camping feel with a clear emphasis on necessary and stylish comfortable interiors, creating a peerless wilderness experience. Guides: The entire safari is guided and hosted by a professional trained guide, with in-depth knowledge and experienced knowledge that creates an unsurpassed seamless safari experience. |
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Exclusive experience: Most areas in which we travel are private concessions, with Discoverer campsites being for the sole use of Discoverer Safari guests. At the lodges and hotels en route we have the chance to meet other Wilderness Safaris guests. Routes: To maximize guests' travel time, a variety of travel modes that bring out the best of each area is used: flying in private charters and overland transfers provide both a bird's-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting landscapes of Namibia.
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Days 1 & 2: Kulala Wilderness
Camp, Sossusvlei From Windhoek, travel by vehicle
approximately 380km to Kulala Wilderness Camp, enjoying awe-inspiring views of
the mountains and the desert floor - on a clear day you can see the fog banks of
the Skeleton Coast. En route, we enjoy a lunch close to the Khomas Hochland
escarpment, reaching onto sweeping vistas below.
One of the most enduring impressions of this area is the early morning light on
the sea of vivid orange dunes of Sossusvlei, some as high as 300 metres.
Afternoon activities include nature walks, drives to scenic viewpoints and
marveling at the unique Namib fauna and flora in the private Kulala Wilderness
Reserve. |
Days 3 & 4: Hansa Hotel, Swakopmund
Travel by road north-west via the
Kuiseb Canyon with its dark, craggy canyons and via a moon-like landscape of
flat gravel plains (with stops along the way that include viewing the
extraordinary Welwitschia plants). We arrive at the grand Hansa Hotel in
Swakopmund in the late afternoon.
On our second day we explore the ice-blue Atlantic coast, from the port towns of
Walvis Bay and Swakopmund to its incredible marine mammals. A private boat
cruise at Walvis Bay and down the coast to Sandwich Harbor (weather permitting)
provides a unique chance to see the diverse pelagic (ocean-going) birdlife, Cape
fur seals and rare Heaviside's dolphins up close. This activity is rounded off
with a private seafood lunch, before returning to the hotel in the afternoon.
The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to explore the charming town of
Swakopmund before meeting in the evening for dinner.
The grand three-star Hansa Hotel forms part of Swakopmund's architectural
culture and dates back to 1905; it is said to be one of the oldest buildings in
the town. It is ideally situated in the centre of Swakopmund within easy walking
distance of town and the beach. The luxury of the hotel, its excellent cuisine
and friendly service are well known and appreciated countrywide and overseas.
Day 5: Damaraland Camp, Damaraland
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Travel approximately 280km,
partly up the legendary Skeleton Coast (named for the numerous shipwrecks the
treacherous shores have claimed over the years) to the Cape Cross seal colony
with thousands of Cape fur seals. (We'll visit Cape Cross only if we have not
seen large populations of seals on the boat cruise from Walvis Bay.) From here
we drive the back roads through the game productive Ugab riverbed, traveling
north past the Brandberg Mountain - the second largest monolith on earth - to
Damaraland. Damaraland is a land of stark desert beauty. Early morning mists, generated by the clash between the icy Atlantic Ocean and the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast, drift inland along the canyons, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of the region. Rare succulent plants abound in this harsh countryside. Our activities include explorations on foot, by mountain bike or 4x4 vehicles, viewing springbok, gemsbok and ostrich, and tracking the unique desert-adapted elephant. On the way through this area, we are treated to some remote petrified forests and experience the Gai As spring with its archaeological stone circles. This all-day excursion with lunch en route, ends with our arrival at Damaraland Camp. Damaraland Camp accommodates guests in 10 comfortable tented rooms, with en-suite facilities including flush toilets and showers with hot and cold running water. (Laundry facilities are limited due to the low rainfall in the area..) The dining room and pub are combined under canvas, and an open fire is enjoyed on calm evenings. A lovely feature of the camp is its unique rock pool. |
Days 6 & 7: Palmwag Rhino Camp, Damaraland
| We depart Damaraland Camp and drive into the Huab riverbed to search for desert-adapted elephants, before heading north to the mountainous and rocky paradise of the massive Palmwag Concession. Palmwag Rhino Camp is situated in the 1-million-acre private Palmwag Reserve in north-west Namibia, between Etosha and the Skeleton Coast - few places on the planet can offer this level of privacy and wilderness experience. This reserve has a number of freshwater springs that support healthy populations of animals including desert-adapted back rhino and elephant as well as large populations of the rare Hartmann's mountain zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, springbok and kudu. The predator population is the largest outside of the Etosha National Park including lion, cheetah, leopard, brown and spotted hyaena. Bird life is prolific and diverse featuring most of Namibia's endemics. Welwitschia plants (ancient and highly unusual succulents) dot the plain in front of the camp. The specialty of the area is its growing population of the rare desert-adapted black rhino (the largest concentration in the world outside a national park), which are monitored and protected by the Save the Rhino Trust. Palmwag Rhino Camp accommodates guests in 7 large East African-style Meru tents, each with an en-suite bathroom and a classic bucket shower that is filled with hot water whenever needed. Lights are powered by solar panels and the tented dining room offers uninterrupted views of the desert and mountains. On the second day, the highlight is rhino tracking on foot or by vehicle; other activities include day and night nature drives. |
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Days 8 & 9: Ongava Tented Camp, Etosha National Park We depart Palmwag eastward on an extended combination wildlife viewing (first part of the drive) and transfer drive of approximately 350km to Etosha National Park, where we experience the pinnacle of game viewing - but accommodated in the privacy of an exclusive bush camp situated on an extensive private game reserve, Ongava, just on the outside of Etosha. Activities include day and night drives, walks and hides. Within Etosha we visit numerous perennial springs and pans, encountering a myriad of differing species. Ongava Tented Camp comprises 10 large comfortable walk-in tents, each with en-suite facilities, including flush toilet and a hot shower. All meals are enjoyed in the thatched dining area that overlooks an active waterhole. There is a small pool in which to cool off as well. |
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Days 10, 11 & 12: Skeleton Coast Research Camp, Skeleton Coast National Park Enjoy a breathtaking scenic
flight over dramatic desert landscapes to the exclusive Skeleton Coast Research
Camp situated in a private concession in the Skeleton Coast Park. |
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Day 13: Charter flight to Windhoek
Say farewell to the adventure as we return by air charter to Windhoek, arriving
at approximately 4pm late afternoon.
THIS ITINERARY IS AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES AND ITINERARIES, FOR TAILOR-MADE
SAFARIS FOR SMALL GROUPS UP TO EIGHT GUESTS.
2008 Cost:-
| 1 Jan. - 30 June and 11 Nov. - 20 Dec. 2008 | 1 July - 10 Nov. and 21 Dec 2008. - 10 Jan. 2009 |
| USD6,404 | USD6,610 |
| Single Supplement:- USD880 | |
2009 Cost:-
| 7 Jan. - 30 June and 11 Nov. - 20 Dec. 2009 | 1 July - 10 Nov. and 21 Dec 2009 - 31 Dec. 2009 2 |
| USD6,916 | USD7,345 |
| Single Supplement:- USD950 | |
African Safari
Consultants
1042 Willow Creek Road # A101 - 240
Prescott, AZ 86301
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