SPIRIT OF THE NAMIB
An Adventurer Exploration - 8 nights / 9 days

Combination Wilderness Safaris Vintage camp, Discoverer Camp, lodge overnight and serviced dome tent camping in private concession areas and campsites.

This old-style serviced camping safari recreates a sense of adventure for the traveller seeking an authentic African experience.

Adventurer Explorations camps consist of serviced spacious dome tents, designed to provide comfort in remote wilderness areas. The style of accommodation takes you back to the great days of African exploration. Pure cotton linen bedrolls (with duvets) on GI stretchers, bedside table with lantern and mini luggage benches complement the atmosphere in pristine, wild camping areas. Separate toilet and shower ‘bathrooms' with old-style tin bucket showers and basins and amenities create simple serviced comfort.

Adventurer camping brings the guest closer to nature, by means of lively camp fires, hurricane lanterns, diverse activities and a warm atmosphere permeating the camp (and its simple comforts). Adventurer camps are specifically outfitted to create that wilderness camping feel with a clear emphasis on essential camp comforts and maximum wilderness experience.

Guides : The entire safari is guided and hosted by a professional and passionate trained guide who shares in-depth knowledge to present a seamless, well-rounded experience.

Exclusive experience : To ensure privacy and exclusivity, most areas in which we travel are private concessions in unspoiled and scenic prime locations. All campsites are for the use of Wilderness Safaris guests only, while at hotels and lodges we meet other guests.

Routes : The route followed on this Exploration aims to track and reveal the elusive wildlife of the desert and the life-rich, the rugged Atlantic Coast and the immense moving dune fields of the Namib Desert . Surprisingly, the seemingly barren desert comes to life with an amazing plethora of plants and animals that have ingeniously adapted to their harsh surroundings – and in fact thrive. On this journey there is also an excellent opportunity to find even the largest of mammals surviving here – the desert-adapted black rhino and elephant.

Transfers : To maximise guests' travel time, a variety of transport modes that bring out the best of each area is used: flying in private charters (when the travelling experience is not enhanced by road) and cross-country transfers provide both a bird's-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting landscapes of Namibia . Please note that the driving leg from Palmwag to Hoanib Camp is a full days nature transfer drive, highlighting some interesting areas of the Namibian North West .

Arrival and Departure times: Please note that this safari departs from Windhoek at approximately 09h30 on Day 1 and arrives back in Windhoek on Day 10 at approximately 14h00.

ITINERARY
Days 1 & 2: Anderson camp, Etosha Region

Transfer by comfortable charter flight to Namibia's big game country: Etosha and its environs. Here, the diverse flora and fauna is experienced in a variety of activities, from game walks to game drives and visits to hides both on the property and in the famous Etosha National Park.

The 66 000-acre Ongava Game Reserve is recognised as the nation's premier big game private game reserve. Combined with easy access to the extraordinary Etosha Park, Ongava Homestead provides the quintessential Namibian farmhouse experience.

Surrounded by plains teeming with wildlife and situated close to Etosha (the vast expanse of savannah and salt pan, the largest in Africa, 'discovered' by Sir Francis Galton and Charles Andersson in 1851), the discoverer atmosphere of Andersson's Camp makes for a much more comfortable modern day exploration of this landscape. The resurrected farmstead now forms the anchor fronting onto a thriving waterhole, and the twenty tented guest units with en-suite bathrooms are raised on decks for an enhanced view. This model of eco-sensitive lodging provides an authentic, safe and down-to-earth experience for small groups, families and independent travelers to Etosha.

The waterhole is floodlit at night to catch sight of nocturnal visitors, from the timid genet to big game such as lion, leopard and a host of antelope. Within Etosha we'll also visit numerous perennial springs and pans, encountering lion, leopard, elephant and black rhino, as well as plains game.

Day 3: Palmwag Lodge, Palmwag
After an early breakfast, we depart westwards by road in the direction of Palmwag concession.

Here, on the concession and in the surrounding areas the desert-adapted elephant and black rhino can be found. Special activities include tracking and searching for these wonderful mammals on foot and by vehicle. The camp consists of 5 meru tents, built on individual, wooden platforms and offering a great scenic view of the surroundings and also the Desert Elephants when they visit the area.  Situated about 600 m away from the restaurant and secluded from the rest of Palmwag Lodge, this stop over forms a private experience and feel. The tents are tastefully furnished, with en suite facilities, solar power and a wonderful atmosphere.

Over the course of the next four nights in this enormous wilderness area our guides expose the sheer magnificence of nature's survival strategies in this arid environment, through walks, tracking and game drives concentrating on a variety of topics from birds to insects, medicinal uses of plants and viewing wildlife.

Days 4 & 5: Hoanib Camp, Kaokoland
With an early start, our journey continues by road towards the ephemeral river of the Hoanib Valley . Please note that this is a long nature transfer, giving guests a unique opportunity to see some of the most rugged and “hard to get to” areas within Namibia 's remote North West . Here, in an area seemingly parched and desolate, we enter one of Namibia 's richest desert wildlife areas.

The rugged mountains and canyons of the Hoanib River provide a last refuge for some of the continent's most unique wildlife; this is the home of the legendary desert elephant and the last free-roaming black rhino population on Earth. In fact seventy-five per cent of Namibia 's endemic species inhabit this last bastion of the wilderness.

Experience the wilder side of Africa where only the sporadic roar of lion or cackle of hyaena punctuates the silence of the night. The Save the Rhino Trust has been involved with rhino conservation in this area since the early 1980s, with funding from and in partnership with Wilderness Safaris. The Trust is thus able to continue the conservation of this re mark able animal.

Our Discoverer-styled tented camp close to the Hoanib River is a relaxed haven from which we explore this wild land on foot, or from the comfort of one of our safari vehicles. The camp is powered by solar-powered inverter systems and there are no generators or pumps running whilst guests are in camp. There are 5 guest walk-in hexagonal meru-style tents with en suite and flush toilet and bucket shower bathrooms in a separate portion of the tent . Each tent is furnished with necessary comforts and styled with burnt orange interiors, wood and brass, effectively recreating a sense of the early explorers.

Day 6: Damaraland Camp, Damaraland
Departing early, we travel to Twyfelfontein where we take a guided walk via a number of routes with local Damara guides to view the San (Bushman) petroglyphs - prehistoric rock etchings strewn over the rock face. We end the journey at the award-winning 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. The dining room and pub are combined under canvas, and an open fire is enjoyed on calm evenings. A feature of the camp is its unique natural rock pool. In the late afternoon, we search on foot or vehicle for the black rhino, hoping to have a glimpse of this prehistoric-looking animal that survives today in these desolately beautiful areas.

Day 7: The Stiltz Lodge, Swakopmund
We leave Damaraland Camp and cross over the Huab riverbed. Traveling south we begin finding some Welwitschia plants, we also come across some petrified wood and pass the Gai As spring where we find numerous stone circles made by people who lived here about 500 years ago. Continuing south we cross over the Ugab River and then start heading westwards towards the coast. As we get closer to the coast there are lichen fields strewn over the gravel plains, one of the most fragile ecosystems on Earth.

After relaxing over our packed lunch en route, we make for The Stiltz Lodge in the quaint and charming town of Swakopmund , arriving in the late afternoon. Swakopmund is a wonderful town in which to end a safari after the experiences of the northern Namibian bush, with its unique urban atmosphere that is a vibrant combination of Africa and Europe .

The Stiltz, as its name implies is built on stilts, providing breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, the red iron-rich beach dunes and also the Swakopmund River mouth. Each of the 8 minimalist yet elegantly furnished thatched bungalows is linked by wooden walkways to the main restaurant. As the lodge is sited close to the central part of town, this allows for easy access to enjoy the special hospitality, history and cuisine.

Days 8 & 9: Kulala Adventurer Camp, Sossusvlei
After an early breakfast, we drive southwards to Walvis Bay Lagoon. Here in a protected bay, many flamingos, pelicans and other waterfowl amass. On the calm waters of the bay, we experience sea kayaking, a spectacular activity that allows us to approach the waterbirds at a respectable distance and in their habitat, allowing for some unique photographic opportunities of birds flying low over the bay.

We enjoy a seafood lunch served on the beach and afterwards drive inland to the Kulala Adventurer Camp in our private Sossusvlei concession.

Here we enjoy access to the Sossusvlei dunes, for walks in the immense moving sands of the Namib, game drives on our concession and stargazing. Photography in the early morning of the dunes is particularly stunning with rich reds and dark shadows completing the extraordinary vista that is the enormity of the Namib Desert .

Day 10: Transfer to Windhoek
After breakfast we transfer by road, including lunch overlooking the view of the plains nearby, to Windhoek and bid farewell to the adventure.

ADDITIONAL SAFARI NOTES

International air connection onto the safari: If arrival is planned for the day of the safari's departure, please ensure that this is with the earliest possible international flight arrival, before 10h00. Arrival on a later flight may necessitate additional road or air transfers (as departure for the first camp/lodge will already have taken place), subject to extra cost.

Please note that guests overnighting in Windhoek on the night before the safari begins will be transferred from their hotel to Eros airport by the Explorations' guide to begin the safari. Therefore, no transfer need be arranged by the agent. If the guest is flying into Windhoek on the day that the safari begins, they will be met by a Sefofane representative who will ensure that they join up with the rest of the group to begin their safari.

International air connections leaving the safari: Please ensure that your departure flight is booked for after 15h30 from Windhoek. For earlier international departure flights, an additional transfer will be required to arrive for this connection. Extra transfers and flights are subject to extra cost.

Bilingual safari dates: This service aims to facilitate a greater level of experience for guests that do not speak English fluently. These safaris will be led by a guide; however there may be a translator to assist the guide. Please note on all bilingual safari dates that the guide or translator's home language is English / Afrikaans. This additional free service does not guarantee the level of fluency and depending on group dynamics a varying amount of the foreign language will be spoken.

Flashlights/ torches:Please ensure that a minimum 2-D cell flashlight is brought on safari, with spare batteries. Head lamps are also useful. Wilderness Safaris does not supply flashlights.

Camera battery charging facilities: Please note that a 12V cigarette lighter adaptor will be required (that is compatible with camera make) on this safari for charging batteries while on game or transfer drives. 110/ 240V outlets are available at Andersson's Camp, Damaraland Camp and The Stiltz Lodge; however Hoanib and Kulala Adventurer Camp only have 12V electricity.

Dietary requirements and special occasions: Due to remote locality of Explorations camps, please ensure that full dietary requirements and special occasions are advised at the time of your booking confirmation.

Rates (US$):

THIS ITINERARY IS AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES AND ITINERARIES, FOR TAILOR-MADE SAFARIS FOR SMALL GROUPS UP TO EIGHT GUESTS.

All guests travelling must be covered by a full comprehensive travel insurance policy valid from the date you confirm the itinerary.

All rates can change without prior notice.