THE HIGHTLIGHTS (10 DAYS)

Windhoek - Sesriem

Breakfast. Today, you leave Windhoek and travel down the Naukluft escarpment to the Namib Desert.

Arrive at the Sesriem gate into the Naukluft Park and pay for your entry permit (costs N$150 per person and N$50 per vehicle). Proceed to Dead Valley Lodge to check in. Enjoy the beautiful views over the Namib landscapes before sitting down for a delicious dinner. Marvel at the clarity of the stars when you walk to your room. Travel time from Windhoek to the lodge is approximately 4h.

Overnight at Dead Valley Lodge

Basis: DBBs

A Day Exploring the Sossusvlei Dunes

Breakfast. This morning starts early with a light breakfast before joining a guide and car from Dead

Valley Lodge for an exciting excursion to Sossusvlei. Staying inside the park gates has the advantage of experiencing the magnificent dunes during sunrise, the route to Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei is a tar road, with only the last few kilometers being thick sandy tracks. Sossusvlei will be on your right, and the parking and route to Deadvlei will be on your left, It is best to visit Deadvlei before the day gets too hot,

If you're feeling energetic, we recommend the climb up the crest of Big Daddy Dune. The panoramic views over the sand sea are spectacular. Return to the lodge for lunch and rest during the hottest part of the day. This afternoon, you'll join a guide to visit the Sesriem Canyon and marvel at the passage of time layered in the rock sediment of the canyon walls. Travel time: at your own pace.

*Please remember that sitting on or climbing the ancient trees in Deadvlei is illegal. If you see any one doing this - please remind them that these iconic skeletons are fragile, and we must all help to protect them.*

Overnight at Dead Valley Lodge

Basis: DBB + L

Sesriem - Swakopmund

Breakfast. Shake the Sossusvlei sand out of your shoes and head further north to the icy water of the Atlantic Ocean. Stop at Solitaire to refuel and sample some of their famous apple pie. Your route crosses the Tropic of Capricorn and winds through the Kuiseb Canyon. You'll reach the port town of Walvisbay first. Keep following the coastal road north to Swakopmund. You'll arrive in Swakop during the course of the afternoon. Check in at your hotel or guesthouse and enjoy a stroll through town or on the jetty before choosing a restaurant for dinner. Travel time from Sesriem to Swakopmund is approximately 4h30.

Our Swakopmund restaurant recommendations:

- Bauhaus

- Cabrielle's Pizzeria (booking is essential)

- Altstadt

- Andy's Sushi, Oyster and Fine Seafood Restaurant

- Brewer + Butcher

Overnight at Strand Hotel

Basis: B+B

A Day on the Namibian Coast

Breakfast. Drive the short distance, along the coast, to Walvisbay. Check in at the Mola Mola office on the Waterfront for a day full of adventures. The day starts with a cruise in the Walvisbay Harbour, where you'll spot seals, dolphins, pelicans and flamingos. If you're fortunate, you might spot whales and sunfish. You'll return to the Waterfront, where you will meet your guide and embark on an epic 4x4 adventure through the dunes of the Namib Naukluft Park to Sandwich Harbour. The route to Sandwich Harbour depends on the tides. It may run along the beach, past the Lange Wand, before you head through the dune belt to a scenic lookout point from where you can see the whole Sandwich Harbour estuary. Your guide is very experienced, and although you'll want to hold your breath at some of the steep dune descents, you are in skillful hands. A light lunch platter is served in the dunes with various "Finger" foods, i.e., spring rolls, crostini’s, calamari sticks, chicken wings, and snacks like droéwors, chips, Cookies with sparkling wine, beer, coke, and water. In the late afternoon, make your way back to Swakopmund. After freshening up, decide on a restaurant for dinner. The cruise and dune trip is a full day Travel time between Swakopmund and Walvisbay is approx 1 hour.

Overnight at Strand Hotel

Basis: B+B + L

Swakopmund - Etosha

Breakfast. Enjoy an early breakfast and stock up on water and snacks before you drive out of Swakopmund to Etosha. You can navigate via the Moon landscape and Coanikontes Oasis (optional) and join the tar road via Usakos, Karibib and Omaruru. We recommend stopping at Kashana in Omaruru for lunch before you continue to Outjo and Etosha Safari Lodge. Arrive at the lodge and relax after the day long drive. Enjoy a beautiful sundowner looking out over the Mopane woodland before dinner. Travel time from Swakopmund to Etosha is approximately 5h30.

Overnight at Etosha Safari Lodge

Basis: DBB

A Day in Etosha National Park

A full day's worth of game driving awaits. Leave early to enjoy the cool morning air and frequent sightings of animals like springbok, zebra, kudu, elephants, giraffes, steenbok, dik-dik, warthog, lions, cheetahs and even leopards. Etosha is truly an untamed wilderness, and although animal sightings are never guaranteed, each visit to the park brings unique and rewarding experiences. Visit some of the many waterholes that dot the side of the massive salt pan. The lookout point affords splendid views of the huge Etosha Pan. The pan covers about 25 percent of the park and is a shallow depression that is dry for most of the year but fed by moisture from perennial springs on the fringes. Halali camp, situated in the middle of the park, is a good stop for a light lunch. Continue north and finally exit the park through the Von Lindequist gate. Shortly, you arrive at Mushara. The travel distance through the park is roughly 180km, and you complete it in your own time. Remember that the park's speed limit is 60km/h.

Overnight at Mushara Lodge

Basis: DBB

A Day in Etosha National Park

Breakfast. Join a guide from Mushara for a morning game drive in Etosha. The guides have local knowledge and are well aware of the specific areas where different animals can be found. The northern part of the park often rewards visitors with lion sightings. Return to the lodge for lunch and rest during the hottest part of the day. Then, return to the park in your vehicle or relax and enjoy the lodge facilities.

Overnight at Mushara Lodge

Basis: DBB

Etosha - Otjiwa Eaglets Rest

Breakfast. Your journey south begins today. Travel through Tsumeb, Otavi and Otjiwarongo before finally arriving at Otjiwa Reserve. Check in and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Join a guide for a sundowner game drive before dinner. The farm is home to 25 different game species. Travel time between Etosha and Otjiwa is approx 3h30.

Overnight at Otjiwa Eagles Rest

Basis: DBB

Otjiwa - Windhoek - Depart

Breakfast. Travel further south to Windhoek. Pay a visit to the Namibia Craft Centre, where you can buy local souvenirs before you return your rental car to the depot. You'll be transferred to the airport to check in for your onward flight. Travel time between Otjiwa and Windhoek is approx 2h30.

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