8-Day Namibia Safari

Itineraries

• 

  Day 1

  Welcome to Namibia

  You arrive today in Windhoek from where our local guide, Mr. Elvis Nghimutina, transfers you to your nearby bush accommodation in N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary. This afternoon’s “carnivore tour” game drive affords close-up viewing of the sanctuary’s rescued lions, leopards, wild dogs and others. During dinner, Elvis will offer a few words of wisdom to help you feel comfortable with being in Namibia, while giving a brief overview of the exciting itinerary that lies ahead. Some travelers prefer to arrive in Windhoek and continue straight onward to the Namib Desert without considering the possibility of a late arrival due to a flight delay, or the effects of jetlag as well as the very long drive from Windhoek to the desert. Staying close to Windhoek tonight, allows you to acclimatize to Namibia's dry air and settle into a relaxed, healthy rhythm for the remainder of your safari.

    Destination

  N/a'an Ku Sê Wildlife Sanctuary (Wildlife Sanctuary)
  
   

    Accommodation

  N/a'an Ku Sê Lodge
  

  Luxury lodge located in or near Windhoek

  If the hotel is unavailable, a similar hotel will be provided

  Meals

   -All meals included

   -Drinks not included
• 

  Day 2

  Naukluft mountain range & the Namib Desert

  Today offers a wonderful scenic drive to Sesriem and the dunes of the Namib Desert. Travelling mostly on graded, gravel roads, you descend into the Naukluft Valley and its panoramic mountain vistas. The scenery remains stunning as you approach the easternmost edge of Namibia’s famed desert dunes, where sand and savannah meet. Free-roaming wildlife such as springbok, oryx and ostrich can often be seen from your lodge. Our aim is to provide plenty of time for you to soak up this harsh yet beautiful landscape, therefore we include a stay of two nights in the region. The Namib-Naukluft National Park lies within the Namib Desert and is one of the world’s largest wildlife reserves, encompassing almost 50,000 km² (19,300 mi²). Your lodge is located next to the park entrance gate and is subsequently one of the best located in the desert region. Other lodges are up to one hour's drive away and require a very early pre-dawn departure in order to see the dunes in the morning sunlight.

    Destination

  Namib Desert
  
   

    Accommodation

  Sossusvlei Lodge
  

  Mid-range lodge bordering Namib-Naukluft NP without fences

  If the hotel is unavailable, a similar hotel will be provided

  Meals

   -All meals included

   -Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
• 

  Day 3

  Namib Desert including Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei

  Today, Elvis takes you to the desert sands overlooking the well-known and photogenic landmarks of Dune 45, Dead Vlei and Sossusvlei. Later today, you explore Sesriem Canyon and can visit Elim Dune to marvel at the splendor of an African sunset. As you travel down the valley of the Tsauchab River, you are dwarfed on either side by huge sand dunes. At times you pass close to groves of dead trees, testimony to a bygone era when there was much more water. During the drive, you can hope to see oryx, the fabled desert antelope, as well as springbok, ostrich and jackal. At the end of the tarred road is a short, though at times bumpy ride, along a sandy track to Dead Vlei and Sossusvlei. Vlei is an Afrikaans term for a marsh or pan of water. Traveling in a 4x4 SUV with a private, local guide affords you the luxury of driving directly to the vlei without the need for the 4x4 ‘taxi’ (and the ensuing queue and waiting time) that must be used by visitors in 4x2 vehicles or on group tours.

    Destination

  Sossusvlei (Sand Dunes)
  
   

    Accommodation

  Sossusvlei Lodge
  

  Mid-range lodge bordering Namib-Naukluft NP without fences

  If the hotel is unavailable, a similar hotel will be provided

  Meals

   -All meals included

   -Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
• 

  Day 4

  Namib Desert & Swakopmund

  You now call into the home of Gideon David - better known as "Boesman" - and an old friend of Compass Odyssey. Married to Japanese wife Yuri and the subject of an episode of the BBC’s “New Lives In the Wild”, Boesman is our local bare-footed desert guide and also a keen farmer. This morning you are treated to an informative tour of his farm and its resident desert dunes. Along the way, he shows that the Namib Desert is alive and thriving with specialized animal and plant life, the great majority of it utilized in some way by the nomadic Bushmen (also collectively called the San people). After this fascinating morning, you then head for Namibia’s barren Atlantic coastline via the stunning Gaub and Kuiseb mountain passes and the arid coastal moonscape. Reaching the Atlantic coastline by mid-afternoon, you travel north to the quaint resort town of Swakopmund where you stay for the next two nights.

    Destination

  Swakopmund (City)
  
   

    Accommodation

  Sea Breeze Guesthouse
  

  Mid-range guest house located in or near Swakopmund

  If the hotel is unavailable, a similar hotel will be provided

  Meals

   -All meals included

   -Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
• 

  Day 5

  Walvis Bay marine wildlife cruise

  This morning, you travel the short distance south to Walvis Bay and discover this port town’s prolific bird and marine life on an entertaining and informative cruise in the protected bay. This is followed by a decadent onboard lunch of locally cultivated oysters and sparkling wine. The afternoon is yours to explore Swakopmund, often best experienced on a meander around the town’s German-influenced centre with your guide, Elvis. Your cruise around the bay offers sightings of dolphins, whales, Cape fur seals, mola mola (sunfish) and with a bit of luck, orca (killer whale). Birders won’t be disappointed, with close-up viewing of pelican, cormorant, Cape gull, Caspian tern, flamingo and other wader species. While most cruises in the bay are offered in large motorized catamarans that accommodate 25+ passengers, our local company provides a much closer and personal encounter with the marine wildlife by using smaller, yet very stable, twin-hulled ski boats skippered by an experienced local.

    Destination

  Walvis Bay (City)
  
   

    Accommodation

  Sea Breeze Guesthouse
  

  Mid-range guest house located in or near Swakopmund

  If the hotel is unavailable, a similar hotel will be provided

  Meals

   -All meals included

   -Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
• 

  Day 6

  Etosha National Park

  From Swakopmund, you venture north-eastwards into Namibia’s savannah region and to Etosha National Park. Here, your camp’s floodlit waterhole promises some quality wildlife viewing throughout the evening and through to the early morning. You stay two nights in Namibia’s premier national park, allowing plenty of time to visit a number of the park’s famous waterholes, which regularly affords great viewing of the park’s large herds of elephant, oryx, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra and springbok. Accompanied by Elvis’ broad knowledge of Namibia’s wildlife, you’ll also be on the lookout for the park’s iconic ‘black’ species, such as its black-maned lions, black rhino, black-backed jackal and endemic black-faced impala.

    Destination

  Etosha National Park
  
   

    Accommodation

  Okaukuejo Resort
  

  Mid-range chalet located inside Etosha NP

  If the hotel is unavailable, a similar hotel will be provided

  Meals

   -All meals included

   -Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
• 

  Day 7

  Etosha National Park

  Etosha, meaning “great white place” in the local Oshindonga native language, is dominated by the massive mineral pan from which it is named. The Etosha Pan covers around 25% of the park, and for most of the year is a large, dusty depression of salt and dry clay that only fills if the rains are heavy, and even then only holds water for a short time. However, there are a number of perennial springs along the edges of the pan that draw large concentrations of wildlife and birds. In addition to your game drives with Elvis, this evening we also provide an evening game drive with a park ranger. Traveling in a custom-designed open-sided 4x4 safari vehicle and with a spotlight scanning the bush, you'll be on the lookout for the park’s varied nocturnal life – both predator and prey.

    Destination

  Etosha National Park
  
   

    Accommodation

  Okaukuejo Resort
  

  Mid-range chalet located inside Etosha NP

  If the hotel is unavailable, a similar hotel will be provided

  Meals

   -All meals included

   -Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
• 

  Day 8

  Farewell

  Time permitting, this morning you can stop in the nation’s capital, Windhoek, and visit a local craft centre for some final souvenir shopping. Elvis then bids you farewell as he returns you to Hosea Kutako International Airport in time for an afternoon flight departure. Daily flights are available to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Frankfurt, among others. There's also a three-weekly flight to Botswana's Okavango Delta via the town of Maun. NOTE: It’s also possible to spend the night in Windhoek, in which case Elvis can provide an informal afternoon tour of the city (stopover at additional cost). During your journey, you will witness Namibia’s natural and wild beauty, be exposed to her diverse cultures and history, view her iconic wildlife and experience genuine African hospitality. Thank you for visiting Namibia on this Compass Odyssey safari. Haese mugus (“see you soon”).

    Destination

  Windhoek (City)
  
   

    Accommodation

  Not Specified

  Meals

   -Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)

   -Drinks not included