Namibia Tour And Botswana Safari – 1 night Okonjima | 3 nights Etosha | 2 nights Kaokoland | 1 night Damaraland | 2 nights Swakopmund | 2 nights Sossusvlei | 1 night Johannesburg | 4 nights Okavango Delta
Overview
It is always a pleasure planning trips for returning guests. Trin and his family have a love for travel, so he had an idea of what they wanted out of their African holiday. They had previously explored South Africa and this year they were set on experiencing Namibia’s deserts and coastal destinations, along with visiting Botswana again but this time, the Okavango Delta. After a few months of planning and deciding on where they wanted to go to we decided on a self-drive tour of Namibia for twelve days as this is the best way to truly gauge the vast beauty of this country. They were able to tick off a number of destinations and experiences while on their self-drive and include Safari at Etosha, a visit to the Himba tribe, Desert Elephant Tracking, Swakopmund coastal dunes and the Sossusvlei. The Okavango Delta is a must see for anyone coming to Africa and Kadizora Camp was great for this four night safari experience. They had a wonderful time on their game drives and as usual the Delta provided its magic for them! I look forward to adding more African destinations to their travel log in the near future!
Upon arrival at Hosea Kutako Airport in Windhoek you will be met by our representative who will hand over your travel pack and assist you to the car hire offices. You collect your hire car with automatic transmission & GPS. From here you depart and make your way to Okonjima Nature Reserve, where you spend the night.
Driving time: Windhoek Airport to Okonjimo – approx 3 to 3½ hours
This morning you are booked on the AfriCat (cheetah project) & Leopard Viewing tour. You have awake up call and then coffee and muffins, in preparation for departure from your lodge. Enjoy the morning with the African Cats. You return to the lodge, check out and make your way up to the south western side of Etosha National Park, where you spend three nights. This afternoon, you can take a drive through the National Park at your own leisure.
Driving time: Okonjima to Etosha – approx 2½ hours
The Etosha National Park in northern Namibia is one of Africa’s great game reserves and offers unique game-viewing. Etosha, which means “the great white place”, or “place of dry water”, owes its unique landscape to the Etosha mineral pan, a vast shallow depression of approximately 5000 square kilometres. The pan was originally a lake fed by the Kunene River but the lake dried up when the river changed course thousands of years ago. The pan now is a large dusty depression of salt and dusty clay and fills only if the rains are heavy and even then only holds water for a short time. A series of perennial springs and waterholes along the southern edge of the pan attract game into the area.
The dry season (May – November) is particularly rewarding for game viewing as the rain water has dried up and the game is forced to rely on the life supporting waterholes. Long lines of zebra, wildebeest, kudu, Oryx and springbok plod along ancient paths from distant grazing areas to the waterholes. Herds of elephant drinking huge amounts of water and then wallow in the water so that all the other the thirsty animals have to wait patiently till they have finished. Predators such as lion and leopard wait at the waterholes knowing the antelope have to drink. The pan itself contains water only after very good rains and sometimes for only a few days each year, but is enough to stimulate the growth of a bluegreen algae which lures thousands of flamingos.
This morning you can enjoy an early morning self-drive game drive in Etosha. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the lodge and check out. From here you make your way to Warmquelle/Sesfontein in the Kaokoland area, where you spend two nights. This afternoon you can explore the surrounding area. There are lovely scenic drives around the area and you can chat to reception about the drives.
Driving time: Etosha Safari Lodge to Khowarib Lodge – approx 5 hours
Kaokoland is one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Southern Africa. It is a world of incredible mountain scenery, a refuge for the rare desert dwelling elephant, black rhino and giraffe and the home of the Himba people. Although it is harsh and offers little respite at midday, the rugged landscape is especially attractive during the early morning and late afternoon when it is transformed into softly glowing pastel shades. The topography in the south of the area is characterised by rugged mountains which are dissected by numerous watercourses, but north of the Hoarusib River the scenery is dominated by table-top koppies. Still further north, the Otjihipa Mountains rise abruptly above the Namib floor to form the eastern boundary of the Marienfluss, while the west of the valley is defined by the Hartmann Mountains. The Marienfluss valley is very scenic and relatively greener than the Hartmann’s valley. Hartmann’s valley is closer to the Atlantic and yet much more arid. However, it does have a strange atmosphere when the sea mists drift inland.
Nearby is the settlement of Sesfontein in the Kunene Region. The most well-known landmark of Sesfontein is Fort Sesfontein, erected in 1896 as a police outpost by Schutztruppe soldiers of Imperial Germany. It was abandoned in 1914 and fell into disrepair soon thereafter. Considered a prospective National Monument in 1984 it was decided in 1989 not to list it.
The fort was reconstructed in the 1990s and is now equipped to accommodate tourists. The palm trees at the fort were planted by the German police officers who manned the fort to combat weapons smuggling and elephant and rhino poaching.
This morning you enjoy the Himba Village Cultural Tour before departing for Damaraland.
Damaraland is one of the most scenic areas in Namibia, a huge, untamed, ruggedly beautiful region that offers the traveller a more adventurous challenge. Here there are prehistoric water courses with open plains and grassland, massive granite koppies and deep gorges.
Towards the west, the geography changes dramatically with endless sandy wastes, that incredibly are able to sustain small, but wide-ranging, populations of desert-adapted elephant, black rhino, giraffe, ostrich and springbok. These animals have adapted their lifestyles to survive the harshness of the sun-blistered, almost waterless desert spaces.
Elephant move through euphorbia bush country, and can travel up to 70km in a day in search of food and water and unusually, do not destroy trees in their quest for food. Follow black rhino cow and her calf in typical Damaraland ‘melkbos’ terrain. Together, Damaraland and Kaokoland are known as the Kaokoveld.
Damaraland is the old apartheid name given to the region south of Kaokoland and north of the main road to Swakopmund. It extends 200km inland from the desolate Skeleton Coast and 600km southwards from Kaokoland. The name Damaraland is derived from the fact that the Damara people live in this area (they were relocated here as a result of the Odendaal Plan in the 1960’s). The name Damaraland is still commonly used in tourism circles, although the entire region has now been renamed; the southern section now lies in the Erongo region while the north forms part of the Kunene region.
This morning you depart and make your way to the west coast and the town of Swakopmund, where you spend two nights.
En route to Swakopmund, you can stop in at Henties Bay and enjoy lunch overlooking the ocean. Henties Bay is a coastal town in the Erongo Region of western Namibia. It is located 70 km north of Swakopmund and is an important holiday settlement, with about 8,000 inhabitants. There are a few shipwrecks between Henties Bay and Swakopmund and you can see these from the main road or turn off to the beach area.
The Skeleton Coast is one of the most treacherous coastlines in the world due to strong crosscurrents, heavy swells and dense fogs caused by the ice-cold fast-flowing Benguela Current. Rocky reefs and sand dunes that stretch into the sea spell disaster for any vessel that get caught up in the gale-force winds and all-enveloping sea fogs, reducing visibility to virtually nil.
Damara Mopane to Swakopmund – approx 4 to 4½ hours
Swakopmund has always been the jewel of Namibia’s coastline, and has built a reputation as adrenaline-filled destination, sure to satisfy travellers’ every whim. The Namib dunes surrounding Swakopmund are some of the highest in the world.
Palm-lined streets, seaside promenades, fine accommodation, a pleasant summer climate and decent beaches. Welcome to Swakopmund!
The area of Namib Desert around Swakopmund is named the West Coast Recreational Area. And recreation is the towns number one draw card. There are countless pursuits to help you spend your time, and money. For those interested in adventure activities Swakopmund offers sandboarding, quad biking, dune carting, parachuting, hot air ballooning, shark fishing, deep sea fishing and beach angling to name but a few. For the more sedentary there are restaurants, cafes, art galleries, the Swakopmund Museum, a snake park and aquarium.
The architecture and general feeling of Swakopmund is laid back. This town has the ambiance associated with a small German village, and the town seems to be stuck in time.
Buildings and monuments of note in Swakopmund include the Hohenzollern Building, the Marine memorial, the War memorial in memory of those killed in World War 2, Princess Rupprecht House originally a military hospital now a private guest house. The Kaserne buildings originally served as a barracks and is of a similar design to the Alte Feste in Windhoek and Fort Namutoni in Etosha.
The Swakopmund Railway station was completed in 1901 and now houses the Swakopmund Hotel, while the bells of the Deutsche Evangelical Church were imported from Germany. Standing close to the State House (Kaiserliches Bezirksgericht) is the Swakop Lighthouse at just over 20 meters it has been functional since 1902.
The main beach area is called the Mole, and is the result of a largely unsuccessful attempt to construct the artificial harbour (as South Africa owned the only natural harbour in the area at Walvis Bay). The town’s most iconic symbol is the Swakopmund jetty, initially used as mooring for ships it later became a popular are for anglers and walkers. Recently large scale work has been completed on the jetty which now proudly boasts a small restaurant and bar area.
The infamous Dune 7 measures an incredible ± 383m. So, it’s not surprising that the area is becoming renowned for its professionally run tourist activities like sandboarding, quadbiking, skydiving and desert safaris. If you’re not into adrenaline activities, then choose between spectacular beaches, craft markets, museums, fishing and cruises along the coast. Guests can also enjoy Flights and excursions around Swakopmund and trips to “Cape Cross” Seal colony.
This morning you depart and make your way to Walvis Bay, where you join Sandwich Harbour Tours and enjoy a morning 4 x 4 Tour of the beahfront and dunes. After the tour, you depart Walvis Bay and continue onto Sossusvlei.
Driving time: Swakopmund to Sossusvlei – approx 4½ hours
The sand dunes of Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert are often referred to as the highest dunes in the world. Various arguments are laid out to support this claim, but all miss the point, which is that Sossusvlei is surely one of the most spectacular sights in Namibia.
The second attraction of the area is Sesriem Canyon. The canyon derives its name from the fact that early Afrikaner trekkers had to use six (‘ses’) leather thongs (a thong is a ‘riem’) so that their buckets could reach the water far below.
The canyon begins as an almost imperceptible but nevertheless deep cleft in level, stony ground, and then widens until it finally flattens out onto the plain. Because it is so deep and sheltered, it often holds water well into the dry season – an invigorating sight in such a barren and stark environment.
Today you can explore the Sossusvlei and surrounding areas before departing for the airport where you hand in your hire car and check in for your flight to Johannesburg.
You clear immigration and from here make you way to the City Lodge, which is about a five minute walk from the airport, in the same complex.
Driving time: Sossusvlei to Windhoek Airport- approx 5½ to 6 hours
After a leisurely breakfast, you make your way to International Departures and check in for your flight to Maun Botswana. We recommend checking in 1½ to 2 hours prior to departure. Upon arrival in Maun you will be met by our representative, who will assist you to your light aircraft for your flight into the Okavango Delta. On arrival at the airstrip, you are met by your ranger and transferred to Kadizora Camp, where you spend four nights.
The Okavango Delta in Botswana with its richly diverse wildlife species is one of the premium destinations in the world for a dynamic safari experience. This 22,000 square kilometre area offers a truly unique wilderness safari in Africa. The Delta forms where the Okavango river disappears beneath the sands of Botswana.
Although the periphery is semi-arid, the Okavango Delta itself is a patchwork of cool clear streams, lagoons, floodplains and forested islands. In the dry winter season vast numbers of wildlife flock to where the floodwaters infiltrate the delta, providing one of the world’s most spectacular sights. The world-renowned Moremi Game Reserve covers part of the Delta and is known as the ‘predator capital of Africa’. It is also home to the Big Five and large herds of elephant and buffalo. Famed for its big cat and bird population, the Delta is a peaceful haven where animals have been protected for decades. Watch giraffe and other plains game march across the savannah.
You might even catch a glimpse of rare wild dogs stalking the plains. Wide grassy floodplains are host to a magnificent array of wild animals, including the specially adapted sitatunga and lechwe antelopes. Within this lacework of channels, game viewing and bird watching is frequently guided from mokoro (dugout canoes) or more commonly, environmentally-friendly fibreglass replicas. In these slender flat-bottomed craft, guests are propelled by expert polers, many of whom were born in the Okavango Delta and know the winding waterways and their inhabitants intimately.
After your morning activity and breakfast, you will be transferred to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Maun Airport. On arrival in Maun, you check in for your flight to Johannesburg. You have a few hours at the airport before your evening flight home.
Okonjima Nature Reserve: Okonjima Plains Camp
Okonjima is a 22 000 hectare private nature reserve between Windhoek and Etosha and is home to The AfriCat Foundation, a non-profit organisation committed to the long-term conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores, notably cheetahs and leopards. They were awarded ‘Namibia’s Leading Safari’ in the prestigious World Travel Awards, a title voted for by tourism industry professionals, and considered to be the ‘Oscars’ of the travel world. The honour was in recognition for the successful combination of a world class safari lodge with a world famous conservation program. A visit to Okonjima gives its visitors the opportunity to witness some of AfriCat’s work.
Okonjima Plains Camp is in the original Hanssen family farmhouse, rebuilt as a lodge in 1992. This is a family-friendly lodge and the main building has a nearby Lapa (The Gathering Place), a curio-shop, secluded swimming-pool and reception area. Meals commence with a pre-activity early morning snack, consisting of tea, coffee and muffins. Brunch is served between 09h00 and 10h30 (after the morning trail) and consists of maize porridge, muesli and other breakfast cereals, fruit, yoghurt, salami, cheeses and bread, followed by eggs, sausage and bacon. Fresh fruit, as well as hot and cold refreshments, are available throughout the day. Coffee, tea and cake are served in the afternoon, and a 3 course dinner is served between 19h00 and 20h00. Lunch packs can be arranged for an onward journey.
Etosha National Park: Etosha Safari Lodge
Etosha Safari Lodge is set in Okaukuejo, just 10 km south away from the Anderson Gate of Etosha National Park.
Located on a hillock, the lodge offers 65 chalets, all of which are air-conditioned and features a small private veranda. All chalets offer views of the African bush savannah, have tea-andcoffee facilities, a safe and en-suite bathrooms that are fitted with a shower.
Ideally located is the restaurant and bar area at the lodge that has a spacious wooden lookout deck that overlooks the Mopane bush, and that is perfect for enjoying sunsets and sundowners. Guests can unwind next to any of the three pools on offer at Etosha Safari Lodge.
Koakoland: Khowarib Lodge
Khowarib Lodge lays nestled on the banks of the Hoanib river in the magnificent Khowarib Gorge in north west Namibia. Canvas chalets project out from the river bank on stilts over the river bed providing unrivalled, shady views of the cliffs opposite. The lapa, an enormous thatched structure constructed from local materials in traditional style, is the focal point and centre around which Khowarib Lodge is built. A large kopje creates an impressive back drop to the very inviting reception area, bar, lounge, dining area and curio shop.
The Lodge offers 14 canvas chalets and a campsite. Chalets has been built in such a manner as not to disrupt the natural surroundings like Mopani trees, and has consequently lead to every chalet having a unique veranda / terrace over-looking the Hoanib River and the beautiful cliffs opposite, and unique open air bathrooms.
The luxury, en-suite tents are a short walk from the lodge to the river bank and comprise either twin or double bed sleeping arrangements. Viewing platforms extend from the front of each tent shaded by the plentiful Mopani trees but affording splendid views of the gorge. The bathrooms are spacious and well equipped and add to the feeling of indulgence and relaxation that Khowarib Lodge offers. Camping guests benefit from electricity and access to a communal ablution block with hot water showers and have full access to all lodge facilities including the bar, restaurant, swimming pool, curio shop, laundry and activities. The restaurant provides a nourishing dinner, delicious lunches and a buffet breakfast daily.
Damaraland: Damara Mopane Lodge
Built in the wattle and daub style under Mopane trees and connected by a maze of paths, the main building and chalets of Damara Mopane Lodge resemble an African village, with a lavish swimming pool at its centre. The lodge offers 55 air-conditioned bungalows, all with en-suite bathrooms, tea and coffee facilities, a safe and a small veranda.
The lodge is surrounded by a low wall and each chalet has a small vegetable and herb garden on the property that supplies the fresh ingredients used for dinner. Dinner at Damara Mopane Lodge consists out of a starter dish and a delicious buffet. There is a viewing deck where guests sip on cocktails, whilst savouring unforgettable African sunsets.
The lodge not only incorporates the spirit of Damaraland and the Damara people, but is also located at the gates of Damaraland, where excursions to the well-known Twyfelfontein engravings, the Petrified Forest and the Vingerklip rock pillar are particularly popular.
Swakopmund: The Strand Hotel
The Strand Hotel in Swakopmund is 4-star beach hotel with a full-service spa, nestled on the beach and within a 15-minute walk of Kaiserliches Bezirksgericht, Alte Kaserne, and Woermannhaus, Hohenzollernhaus and the Hohenzollern Building.
The two storey hotel offers 125 rooms of which 90% have beach and sea views and 10% garden and park views. Rooms consist of 74 Standard Rooms, 2 Enabled Rooms, 40 Luxury Rooms, 6 Junior Suites, 2 Luxury Suites, 1 Presidential Suite. All rooms feature en-suite bathrooms and all standard and luxury rooms offer a choice of either a king or two twin beds. Each room features floor-to-ceiling panoramic and sliding windows with views of the beach and sea or the gardens. All Standard Rooms are designed to accommodate up to two adults and one child in a cot.
The Strand Hotel offers residential guests and all casual visitors three exciting Restaurants, Bars and Sea facing Terraces as well as a Lobby Lounge, Beer garden and Beach Kiosk. Reservations are essential for all guests.
Guests can visit the beach or spend the day relaxing at The Strand Hotel’s full- service spa. The hotel offers numerous activities in the area, Crater Tours, Fishing Excursions, Living Desert Tour and Namibia Desert Day Trips, Quad Biking, Cultural Township Tours, Bicycle Hires, to name a few.
Sossusvlei: Desert Camp
Desert Camp, nestled under centuries old thorn trees and designed in such a way that it blends in perfectly with the natural surrounding environment, offer 28 self-catering, en-suite accommodation units. All units are air-conditioned, features twin beds, a sleeper couch, fitted kitchenette, power points, barbeque, and shaded veranda.
Available at reception is utility boxes with the necessary utensils, as well as fresh food supplies, such as meats, vegetables and bread, that can be ordered daily. Guests can unwind and take in the unrivalled desert landscape, Naukluft mountain views and roaming wildlife at the nearby water holing, whilst at the sparkling swimming pool or fully stocked bar that is on the property. Communal bomas with washing-up facilities are also available at the camp and is perfect for groups travelling together.
Desert Camp is located a mere 5 km from the entrance gate to Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon in the Namib Naukluft Park, creating easy access to some of Namibia’s most famous attractions. Breakfast is served at Sossuvlei Lodge, which is 2kms from your lodge.
South Africa – Johannesburg: OR Tambo City Lodge
Based at Africa’s busiest airport, City Lodge at OR Tambo Airport will provide business and leisure travellers with “home away from home” accommodation that is ideal for those commuting to and from Johannesburg and perfect for those who require immediate access to the airport.
The hotel boasts boardroom and conference facilities, a fitness room as well as a deck with a pool and a large commercial area with a coffee shop. There is a sociable bar where you can while away an evening. The 303 spacious air-conditioned rooms have either queen or twin beds and en-suite bathrooms.
OR Tambo Airport offers a number of services from banking to a wide range of retailers, so whether it’s a good book or a scrumptious meal, the airport’s facilities have everything you need.
Botswana – Okavango Delta: Kadizora Camp
Kadizora Camp truly offers the ultimate Okavango Delta experience, with a wide range of activities, a beautiful location, diverse wildlife and warm, local hospitality. Kadizora Camp is situated between the Vumbura River and Selinda Spillway. It lies in the remote northern part of the Okavango Delta over-looking a panoramic seasonal floodplain. Giant Marulas, Sycamore figs, Jackalberries and Rain trees provide a canopy of shade throughout the camp.
The bar, lounge, reception and dining area form a horse-shoe shape around the sandy fire pit. From there, a decked walkway leads you to an inviting swimming pool with a view over the floodplain.
The Camps accommodation consists of 8 luxury tents and x4 standard tents’ with either twin or a conversion to a double bed. Each tent is well-positioned for ultimate privacy and seclusion. All tents feature a luxurious en-suite bathroom and outdoor decking, with spectacular views for a true ‘out of Africa’ experience.
Kadizora Camp also facilitates open vehicle safaris, walking safaris and boating. Mokoro (dugout canoe) excursions provide a fabulous and traditional way to explore the meandering water channels. Float quietly amongst the water-lilies and experience a spectacular bird lovers’ paradise. Meru-style tents form the common area and open onto a central deck and fire pit.
The bar at Kadizora Camp is on a raised deck with a panoramic view of the floodplain. Enjoy a picturesque Delta sunset, with your favourite sundowner, watching the colours intensify long after the sun has set.
INCLUDED IN PRICE Okonjima Nature Reserve: AfriCat Cheetah Project & Leopard Viewing Tour
Okonjima Nature Reserve is equally famed for frequent cheetah and leopard sightings on its safaris, as well as The AfriCat Foundation. Since being founded in 1991, AfriCat’s mission has been to make significant contributions to conservation, while trying to ensure the survival of Namibia’s predators in their natural habitat. It undertakes research, community support and environmental education projects, as well as conservation work to rehabilitate carnivores such as cheetah and hyena.
INCLUDED IN PRICE Etosha National Park: Full Day Game Drive
The Etosha National Park covers an area of over 22,270 square kilometres. There are 114 different mammal species to found in the park, including the Big Five and several rare and endangered species such as the Black Rhino, Black-faced Impala, Tssesebe and Gemsbok. Herds of up to fifty elephants are not unusual.
Among the smaller species you will find jackal, bat-eared fox, warthog, honey badger and ground squirrel. Etosha is also an ideal destination for serious birders, as there are 340 bird species. There are also 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species and, believe it or not, one species of fish.
INCLUDED IN PRICE Kaokoland: Full Day Desert Elephant Tracking Tour
The largest population of desert adapted elephants in the world live in the surrounding area. Latest estimates suggest that there are probably about 600 of these resourceful animals covering a large area to the west of the lodge.
There is a debate amongst zoologists and scientists as to whether these desert dwelling animals should be classified as a different or sub species of Elephant. Desert Elephants are particularly well adapted to living in the arid conditions of the desert. They routinely move great distances between feeding grounds and the scattered waterholes where they drink during the dry season, distances of up to 70km being traversed.
Desert elephants feed on a wide range of plants, and like elephants elsewhere they take leaves, shoots, bark, flowers, fruit, bulbs, tubers and roots as well as grass and sedges. They have distinct and practical seasonal feeding preferences, unlike those found in other areas and terrain in Africa. During the rains the Elephants tend to use more grass, which then becomes abundantly available, and during the dry season they concentrate on browsing. This allows the woody plants a measure of respite for recovering in the summer.
The Desert Adapted Elephants seem to be aware that if they over feed certain areas/plant life this could disadvantage them at other times of year. Whilst no wildlife sighting is ever guaranteed, the local herds are fond of the Hoanib river bed as a constant source of water and so our guides and trackers always have a very good chance of finding them for you.
Your day will begin after breakfast when you will leave with your guide and head down the Hoanib river bed to the west in a lodge 4×4 vehicle. There are plentiful game viewing and birding opportunities on route, baboon being particularly common in the gorges and the occasional giraffe.
Lunch is included in this activity and will be served in an attractive location before continuing your way to explore other areas. On the return trip there is an optional stop at the old German fort of Sesfontein for some refreshments on request.
INCLUDED IN PRICE Kaokoland: Himba Village Tour
The intriguing enigmatic Himba tribe are the last truly semi-nomadic tribe in Africa. They move their herds of cattle and goats vast distances over the sparse terrain to locate the necessary grazing for the animals.
If you plan a visit very early in the morning, you may see the men driving their herds out into the bush. During the day it is primarily the women and children who will be found engaged in their day to day activities. The women with their distinctive skin colouring, and children with hair arranged in different styles denoting their status.
PEMBURY TOURS Tel: 041 581 2581 Fax: 041 581 2332 Email: [email protected] Website:www.pemburytours.com
The nearest settlement is a short drive to the north of the lodge. Your guide will explain the history of the people, will have taken some appropriate gifts and discuss the etiquette that you should follow. Please do not take photos until he gives you permission.
INCLUDED IN PRICE Swakopmund: Sandwich Harbour 4×4 Dune Excursion
The tour starts at the Sandwich Harbour 4×4 office at the Waterfront in Walvis Bay. After a short break at the Walvis Bay Lagoon to see masses of flamingos, we proceed to the Kuiseb river delta, a dry riverbed where the odd springbok may be seen. Beautiful dunes have to be crossed to get to Sandwich Harbour. If weather and tides allow, we will drive right to the Sandwich Harbour Lagoon, one of Southern Africa’s richest and unique wetlands. Wedged between the sea and the Namib Dunes, potable water seeping from the underground aquifer sustains the freshwater vegetation at the base of the dunes. If our vehicles cannot drive all along the beach to get to Sandwich Harbour because of the tides, you will get a chance to see the lagoon area from one of our many beautiful lookout spots and will have the time to walk and explore. We have lots of time to stop along the way for photography.
When it becomes time to enjoy something to eat, your guide simply finds a suitable place to stop and serve a selection of savoury and sweet snacks, sparkling wine, oysters and drinks. We usually do this on top of a high dune overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, or on the beach.
The route homewards will take us past the area’s typical fauna and flora. Animals which have developed ways to adapt to the desert include the black-backed jackal, fog-basking beetle, dancing spider (‘white lady of the Namib’), golden mole, shovel-snouted lizard, palmato gecko, springbok, oryx, brown hyaena and ostrich.
Endemic to the central Namib Desert, the !Nara plant has adapted well to the desert: Its tap root can reach more than 15m into the ground to reach water resources and they have no leaves to lower loss of water by transpiration. The !Nara can live to over a 100 years and is a member of the cucumber family. After the tour, you depart Walvis Bay and continue onto Sossusvlei.
INCLUDED IN PRICE Sossusvlei: Half Day Sossusvlei & Sesreim Canyon Tour
Situated in the largest conservation area in Africa (the Namib-Naukluft National Park), Sossusvlei is possibly Namibia’s most spectacular and best-known attraction.
Characterised by the large red dunes that surround it, Sossusvlei is a large, white, salt and clay pan and is a great destination all year round. The dunes in this area are some of the highest in the world, reaching almost 400 meters, and provide photographic enthusiasts with wonderful images in the beautiful morning and evening light.
Sossusvlei literally translates to “dead-end marsh”, as it is the place where the dunes come together preventing the Tsauchab River to flow any further, some 60km east of the Atlantic Ocean. However, due to the dry conditions in the Namib Desert the River seldom flows this far and the pan remains bone-dry most years. During an exceptional rainy season the Tsauchab fills the pan, drawing visitors from all over the world to witness this spectacular site. Photographic enthusiasts are spoilt with a glassy “lake” holding reflections of the surrounding dunes. When the pan fills it can hold water for as long as a year. Despite the harsh desert conditions in the area, one can find a wide variety of plants and animals that have adapted to survive. All of the attractions surrounding Sossusvlei are easily accessible as all but the last 5 kilometers of the 65 kilometer drive to the vlei is tarred. Shuttles provide access to the last 5 kilometers, should you not have a 4×4 vehicle.
INCLUDED IN PRICE Okavango Delta: Daily Safari Programme at Kadizora Camp
Famed for its big cat and bird population, the Okavango Delta is a peaceful haven where animals have been protected for decades and know they will not be disturbed. At Kadizora Camp, you have the opportunity to see animals up close with your expert guide on morning and evening game drives in open 4 x 4 vehicles. A night game drive is the perfect means to see some of the nocturnal animals one wouldn’t see during the day time. During higher water levels game drives will be combined with motorised boating excursions. (Night drives are seasonal, depending on water levels.)
Because the camp is set in a private concession, there is the opportunity to get very close on foot in perfect safety with one of our guides. Find out how to track and follow even the most elusive of animals in the Okavango. One of the best ways to see the wildlife around the Camp is in one of the locally made dugout canoes, known as mokoros. These used to be carved from ebony but are now made from commercially grown wood and fibreglass to protect the fragile environment of the Okavango.
In one of these traditional crafts it is possible to float around the waterways and lagoons that make up the delta, looking for hippos and crocodiles in the water, but also getting a remarkable view of the plains game from a new and exciting angle.
Trin & Family , Thailand, 30th July 2019
This was our second trip in Africa arranged by Kerry from Pembury Tours. In 2016, we went to South Africa (Cape Town, Hermanus, Kruger), Victoria Falls and Chobe. It was so wonderful that we have no hesitation to have Kerry help us again on this second trip to Africa. This time, we did a self drive tour of Namibia for 12 days and the last 4 nights in Okavango Delta. We did not disappoint and more. The highlights are self driving in Etosha, desert elephant tour in northern Damaraland, living desert tour from Swakopmund, Sandwich Harbour tour from Walvis Bay, Sossusvlei and of course the Delta. All the lodges that we stayed are great overall. We stayed at Kadizora Camp in the Delta and it is absolutely fantastic experience. I believe it is also one of the more affordable places to stay in the Delta. I always do lots of research and plan my own vacation and this is what I really appreciate working with Kerry. She listens to what we want and give us options and recommendations which could be very detailed. We have been talking for several months to a year to get everything we really want. During the trip, she was very prompt in any support we need which you will need traveling in Africa. We received a short notice on flight delay and she helped to sort it out and even gave us a complimentary 5 hours driver services in Johannesburg on our stopover. I highly recommend Kerry from Pembury Tours planning your vacation in Africa.