Best of Namibia Wing Safari
A Discoverer Exploration - 13 days / 12 nights
Combination Wilderness lodges, hotel and fully serviced Discoverer camping in private concession areas.
To observe Namibia from the air is an awe-inspiring experience: the vast expanses of moving, rippling sands, the great blue skies and grey of the ocean extending to the horizon. This safari explores four distinct regions: the sands and red dunes of Sossusvlei; the icy, life-filled coasts at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay; the stark plains of Damaraland, with their desert-adapted elephants; and the amazing wildlife abundance on the savannah of Etosha.
Brief Itinerary - Departures operate every Sunday all year-round.
Days 1 & 2: Fly to Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, Namib Desert
Days 3 & 4: Travel by air to Walvis Bay for dolphin boat cruise and Swakopmund touring, then on to Damaraland Camp
Days 5 & 6: Fly to Ongava Game Reserve and Etosha National Park
Day 7: Transfer back to Windhoek
Please inquire for current pricing.
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 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.
Itinerary
DAYS 1 & 2: Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp
The safari departs by light aircraft from Eros International Airport, close to the centre of town in Windhoek. We depart in the morning no later than 10h00 and it is a one-hour flight down to Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, where we spend two nights.
Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp is situated 20km from Sesriem, the Park's entrance to the Sossusvlei dunes. Towering dunes rise dramatically, more than 300 metres above the surrounding plains. The camp's location provides access to Sossusvlei, yet also offers privacy and exclusivity. It has been built just below the top of a mountain, using rock, brick, timber and thatch and provides cool refuge from the desert. There are 9 guest units, ensuring personal service and attention. Each unit is superbly appointed and has a panoramic view overlooking the plains below, its own plunge pool as well as an en suite bathroom with hot and cold running water, shower and flush toilet. The main living area (comprising dining room, bar and lounge) is under thatch. Activities centre round early morning excursion's in 4x4 vehicles to the magnificent Sossusvlei dunes and the "vlei" itself. Afternoon activities are enjoyed on the property where guests can spend time taking in the desert scenery with its unique fauna and flora.
DAYS 3 & 4: Damaraland Camp, Damaraland
The early morning flight takes guests over the Namib and over Sossusvlei itself for an alternative view of the dunes from the air and then due west to Meob Bay on the Skeleton Coast. The desert and Skeleton Coast scenery is spectacular, where the dunes and the desert meet the Atlantic Ocean. The flight up the coast takes you over the site of the Eduard Bolen shipwreck, past Conception Bay and the wreck of the Shaunee, over Sandwich Harbour and its famous lagoon and will land at Swakopmund Airport. You are then transferred to Walvis Bay Harbour for a boat trip (weather permitting) which will allow you the opportunity to view seals and usually schools of dolphins swimming alongside the boat. You may also see turtles, sunfish, penguins, as well as a wonderful quantity and diversity of birdlife. The group will return to Walvis Bay Harbour and following a delicious seafood lunch, be transferred by road to Swakopmund to enjoy a tour of this charming town. In the afternoon you depart from Swakopmund for a scenic flight further up the Skeleton Coast, past the Cape Cross Seal Colony, before turning east to fly up the Huab River Valley to Damaraland Camp (Doro Nawas is occasionally substituted) for two nights.
Situated on the northern face of the Huab River valley and looking south toward the imposing Brandberg Mountains, Damaraland Camp offers its guests endless vistas. 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 river sand canyon, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of the region. This comfortable and friendly camp offers walks and drives in one of the best wilderness areas in Namibia. Although wildlife is not concentrated, the camp is situated where the rare desert-adapted elephant roams, alongside gemsbok (oryx), springbok, ostrich and other hardy desert animals. Rare succulent plants somehow manage to eke out an existence in this harsh countryside. 10 large Meru-style walk-in tents with en-suite facilities provide accommodation. The stone living area combines dining room and pub and an open fire is enjoyed on calm evenings. There is a swimming pool next to the bar. An open campfire and outdoor 'boma' are enjoyed during calm evenings and stargazing is superb thanks to the crystal-clear night skies.
DAYS 5 & 6: Ongava Tented Camp, Ongava Game Reserve
We fly by light aircraft today from Damaraland to Ongava Tented Camp (Ongava Lodge is occasionally substituted), for a further two-night stay. Highlights are the game drives into Etosha National Park as well as night drives, nature walks and hides on the private reserve.
Ongava Tented Camp, built of stone, canvas and thatch, accommodates 16 guests in eight large comfortable Meru-style tents all with en-suite facilities, open air showers and private verandas. The family unit sleeps four. Activities at this comfortable camp typically take place around the main area with its relaxing bar and swimming pool fronting onto a much-frequented waterhole.
Activities include game drives into the Okaukuejo area of Etosha where lion, elephant, cheetah, gemsbok, springbok, and hartebeest can be seen at many of the waterholes in the park. In addition, night drives and walks are offered on the private reserve. A special encounter is white rhino tracking - Ongava holds one of the largest rhino custodianships for the Namibian government in the country and is one of the few private game reserves in southern Africa that give one the chance to see both black and white rhino.
DAY 7: Windhoek
We depart Ongava by light air charter back to Windhoek where the safari ends at either Windhoek Eros or Windhoek International Airport. The safari generally ends at about 13h00.
THIS ITINERARY IS AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES AND ITINERARIES, FOR TAILOR-MADE SAFARIS FOR SMALL GROUPS UP TO EIGHT GUESTS.
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.
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 maximise 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.