Namibia Lodge Safari
Namibia Lodge Safari
Namibia Lodge Safari
12 Days Starting and ending in Windhoek
Visiting: Windhoek, Namibia, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Damaraland Wilderness Camp, Etosha National Park, Waterberg Plateau National Park
Tour Overview
Take the journey across Namibia's contrasting landscapes, including dramatic canyons, towering sand dunes and magnificent national parks in search of wildlife, and by night enjoy a sundowner in lodges located perfectly for exploring.
Sossusvlei - The world's highest sand dunes in the world's oldest desert
Etosha National Park - One of Africa's great parks, famed for an abundance of wildlife that congregate around waterholes
Coastal Namibia - Walvis Bay Lagoon, Cape Cross seal colony and the beautiful seaside town of Swakopmund
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Join Tour Windhoek
Location: Windhoek
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Mercure Hotel Windhoek (ex Safari Hotel)
Arrive Windhoek and check into hotel. There is some free time today for sightseeing in the Namibian capital, with an opportunity to visit the National Museum or perhaps a half day Katatura Township tour.
For those arriving on time our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Windhoek at any time. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Hosea Kutako International Airport, Windhoek (airport code WDH), which is 48km, around 1 hours' drive from the hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.
Day 2: Drive Through Namib Desert To Sesriem
Location: Namibia
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Hammerstein Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Departing Windhoek we spend the day driving south-west into the Namib Desert, to the edge of the Namib-Naukluft National Park and our lodge near Sesriem. The Namib is the oldest desert on earth, distinguished as being home to some of the strangest flora and fauna on the continent.
Day 3: Exploring The Highest Sand Dunes In The World In Sossusvlei
Location: Sossusvlei
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Hammerstein Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we drive into the Namib-Naukluft National Park and travel down the Tsauchab Valley to Sossusvlei to watch the sun cast its shadows over the red dunes. Sossusvlei has some of the world's most spectacular sand dunes. The area itself is a vast depression or clay pan, towered over by sand dunes up to 300m high. In the early morning, the first rays of the sun light up the dunes with a deep orange glow - a photographer's delight. It is a wild, beautiful and romantic spot, with sparse vegetation edging a few water courses which flow in from the Tsauchab river. Here springbok and ostrich are often seen. We'll also explore the cool passageways of the Sesriem Canyon on foot. The canyon is small but very picturesque - many plants grow in the shade and shelter offered by the canyon, and water pools attract several species of birds and animals. Sesriem means 'six thongs'; which refers to the six lengths of rawhide rope (from a wagon) needed to make a line long enough to lower from the rim of the gorge to the stream below, in order to haul up a bucket of water.
Day 4: Drive To Swakopmund Via Walvis Bay
Location: Swakopmund
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Prost Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Travelling via Solitaire and through the Kuiseb Canyon, we then pass awe-inspiring landscapes as we head across the Namib gravel flats to Walvis Bay. Here a large spit forms a natural deep-sea harbour that attracted the first navigators in the late 1400's. The shallows, located where the spit joins the mainland, are home to a diverse collection of birds, the most spectacular being flamingos and pelicans that feed here seasonally. It's a short drive from here to the coastal town of Swakopmund.
Day 5: Swakopmund, Explore The Colonial Town Or Time For Optional Activities
Location: Swakopmund
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Prost Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Swakopmund is one of the world's best examples of German colonial architecture, and served as the German's port into what was then, German South West Africa. Like any port town has a colourful past. Today, there may be time to visit the town's excellent museum, or visit a local township, participate in one of the numerous activities on offer, or just relax! This evening you have the chance to watch the sunset at the nearby coastal dune belt.
Please note: The running order of days 5, 6 and 7 is subject to change depending on accommodation locations. All listed highlights and activities will still be included and your Trip Leader will provide a detailed briefing to the group about the running order, driving distances and any necessary changes to what's described in the trip notes.
Day 6: Drive Via Cape Cross Seal Colony To Uis
Location: Damaraland Wilderness Camp
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Brandberg White Lady Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Travelling north towards the Atlantic coast we visit the memorable Cape Cross Seal Colony where between 80,000 and 100,000 Cape fur seals bask in the sun or swim playfully in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The seals are natural indicators of fish stocks in the ocean. If the fish stocks are healthy, then the seal numbers are high. If the fish stocks are poor, then the seal numbers will be low. The seals are quite big, an average male weighing in at anything up to 187kg (501 lbs.). The females give birth to a single pup around late November to early December. After our visit we head inland, towards the majestic Brandberg Mountain (2,573m and the highest point in Namibia) and stopping at the Brandberg White Lady Paintings. These famous San Bushman paintings can be found throughout the Brandberg Mountain area and are a spectacle to behold. To reach the rock paintings we will walk via mostly flat terrain between rock formations and it will take us approximately 1 hour to reach. Do remember to wear comfortable walking footwear and have a hat, suntan lotion and plenty of water with you today.
Please note: Depending on your accommodation location, the rock art seen will either be the Brandberg White Lady or Twyfelfontein rock art. Both of these sites are of important, cultural significance in Namibia and are examples of ancient Bushmen rock art. Your Trip Leader will advise on arrival about the running order and which rock art site will be visited.
Day 7: Travel Towards Etosha National Park
Location: Etosha National Park
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Toshari Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we set off on our drive north to Etosha National Park. Travelling through Damaraland we pass through local villages and will break the journey with some stops along the way. We'll travel to the edge of Etosha National Park, considered to be one of the finest national parks in Africa. Etosha is an immense, saline desert which can be seen from space, covering over 12,400 square miles, and the habitat for 114 species of animals. All the big carnivores, elephant, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra and various antelope are common sightings, and we will also try to spot some of the more endangered species, such as black rhino.
Day 8: Game Drives In Etosha National Park
Location: Etosha National Park
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Mokuti Etosha Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning we enter Etosha National Park for an early morning game drive. Our programme of game drives will depend entirely on the interests of the group and the time of year, so it is left as flexible as possible. The terrain ranges from dense bush to large open plains where animals roam freely. As well as an abundance of game, Etosha is a good place to spot birdlife with over 340 species in the park, including weaverbirds, European bee-eaters, hornbill, ostrich and Africa's heaviest flying bird, the striking kori bustard. We drive along the network of gravel roads that criss-cross the park, visiting the various viewpoints and the permanent waterholes around which animals congregate. There is something enigmatic in the vast silent grey white pan that covers the reserve.
Day 9: Game Drives In Etosha National Park
Location: Etosha National Park
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Mokuti Etosha Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
We continue with game drives today. Numerous waterholes and underground springs attract large herds of animals including springbok, zebra, wildebeest and giraffe. At its very heart is the Etosha Pan, which geologists believe was formed some 12 million years ago from an inland lake about the size of Holland. Shrunk to its present dried-up size, it is now a gigantic depression in the ground - flat, saline and silvery, a mysterious place of mirages and dust-laden images.
Day 10: Visit Cheetah Conservation Foundation; Otjiwa Exploration
Location: Waterberg Plateau National Park
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Otjiwa Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
We leave Etosha and travel via the Cheetah Conservation Foundation at Otjiwarongo to our accomodation in Otjiwa. The CCF is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in research and education on cheetahs and their eco-systems with an extensive visitor's centre which encourages visitors to learn more about these beautiful cats and the efforts being made to save them. Later we will continue to Otjiwarongo. Our lodge is one of the oldest game lodges in Namibia and is nesstled amongst lush bushland allowing impala, kudu and warthogs to wander freely near the lodge.
Day 11: Morning Walks Or Optional Game Drives; Head To Windhoek
Location: Windhoek
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Mercure Hotel Windhoek (ex Safari Hotel)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning you could choose to explore some of the walking trails on offer or take an optional game drive in the national park. We will then head south and return to Windhoek. We have the chance to stop off en route in Okhandja and visit the local craft market.
Day 12: Tour Ends Windhoek
Location: Windhoek
Meals Included: Breakfast
Our tour ends in Windhoek after breakfast. Depending on the schedule of your departing flight, you may choose to spend a few hours exploring the town independently.
There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Windhoek at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you need to depart from Hosea Kutako International Airport, Windhoek (airport code WDH), which is 48km, 1 hour from the hotel.
Why Book this Tour
This fascinating journey through Namibia is ideal for those with an interest in the inspiring landscape of the oldest desert on the planet. The Namib Desert and Skeleton Coast are worth a visit by themselves, however when combined with colonial buildings of Namibia and its range of National parks, this is an incredible adventure.
Meals
Breakfasts: 11
Lunches: 9
Dinners: 4
Check out our Q&As
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I'm going on a walking/cycling trip-do I need to train?
It will depend on the grade and how fit you already are. Check the trip page for details of the walking or cycling grade and how far you’ll be walking/cycling each day. For moderate or challenging trips in particular we’d recommend doing some walks or cycles before you leave to build up your fitness and prepare you for the distances being covered.
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
We have a wide range of ages nationalities on our small group trips and they come from all walks of life.
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Should I get travel insurance?
Yes–it is a condition of booking that you are fully insured when travelling with us
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How long has the tour company been trading?
At Explore, we're the experts in adventure travel. Our small group adventure holidays have been running since 1981. Today, Explore is one of the most trusted travel companies in the UK with over 500 trips to more than 120 countries.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
Yes, but there are no concessions for doing so, and we must have a record in your booking advising as such before the trip departs.
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Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?
Being a responsible company is a large statement, something that has to be entwined within the very fibre of a company. Discover the charities and partnerships we support as part of this at https://www.explore.co.uk/about/sustainability/charities-and-partners
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
We want to be as clear as and as honest as possible about what happens if you decide to that you no longer wish to travel on your trip. Our booking conditions have details of the costs you’ll incur when you cancel-these charges depend on how long it is before your planned departure.
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What is the accommodation like?
We choose comfortable accommodation in the best locations possible. We opt for small, local and family-run accommodation where we can, as opposed to large chain hotels. We typically use hotels that are the equivalent of European 3-star, and you’ll usually have an en suite room. Occasionally, where we want to get off the beaten trail we may stay in more basic accommodation.
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Sustainability is embedded within the fibre of Explore, it emanates from the inside out. But as we enter a new decade it is clearer than ever that our world needs help, and Explore has created a sustainability strategy based on the 2015 UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Our flexible booking and safety policies mean you're protected before and during your travels with us. Receive a full refund if your trip is cancelled, transfer your trip free of charge up to 10 days before departure minus any irrocoverable costs.
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Do I need to be very fit to book with you?
All our trips require some level of active participation. This could be on a cultural trip, trek, safari, expedition or voyage. It is in the interests of all members of the group that everyone should be capable of fully participating in the activities of their chosen trip.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Final documents will include a comprehensive trip itinerary, climate and country information, budgeting and packing advice visa and passport information and details on optional activities available.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Yes on most of our trips. Most trips are based on customers sharing twin-bedded rooms. If you book a group trip as an individual, you will share a room with someone of the same sex. However, on many trips we offer the opportunity to pay a supplement to pre-book a single room, known as our single room option. On some trips a single room will be provided every night, on others it will be provided o
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Do we have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel
It’s now a condition of booking a trip with us that customers should have one of the following before they travel - — Be vaccinated against COVID, having received the full recommended course, and allowing enough time for immunity to take effect. Full vaccination includes any booster required to keep the vaccine valid. — Have taken a negative test (rapid antigen or PCR) within 72hrs of departure.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Explore will only offer hotels that have specific COVID-19 protocols in place and comply with local government guidelines. We will ensure these measures include; enhanced room cleaning, ventilation, social distancing, regular cleaning and disinfection of high frequency touch points in public areas, food safety, staff re-training and minimising contact within the properties.
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Free Date Changes
Explore! allows you to make 1 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 70 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
Explore! requires a minimum deposit of 10% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of explore! charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 69 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 41 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 27 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 13 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.