After a leisurely breakfast, you will head over the mountains to reach the Namib Desert this afternoon.

We'll cross Maltahöhe which lies on the edge of the Swartland escarpment, a gateway to the wonders of the west with a predominantly Nama population.

Once off this village, we will be on a gravel road that extends into the desert, where we can enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Zaris Pass. Enjoy lunch en route to the Sossusvlei area.

Sossusvlei is where you will find the iconic red sand dunes of Namibia. The clear blue skies contrast with the giant red sand dunes to make this one of the natural wonders of Africa and a photographer's heaven.

Aside from the attractions at Sossusvlei—Dune 45, Hiddenvlei, Big Daddy and Deadvlei—other attractions in the area include the Sesriem Canyon and Namib-Naukluft National Park, where the mountains of the Namib meet its plains.

You'll be exploring Sossusvlei, an exceptionally beautiful sand sea that's filled with sand dunes of the most beautiful shapes and, near sunrise and sunset, warm sand colors. Climb a sand dune to look out over the desert, search for the perfect combination of sand ridge and silhouetted acacia tree for your Instagram selfie, or just sit back and enjoy the view.

Meals and overnight at Sossusvlei Lodge/ &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge.

We will head out deep into the dune fields. The Namib Sand Sea is the second UNESCO World Heritage Site for Namibia (2013). One of the coldest, driest, and most pristine areas on Earth, the Namib Desert is a world of vast spaces, endless horizons, and jagged mountain heights.

The best time for photography in the dunes is early in the morning, when the rising sun still casts shadows that give depth and contrast to the dunes. As the sun rises overhead, the colours of the dunes change from salmon pink to brick red and orange.

Sossusvlei is a striking white pan surrounded by ancient camelthorn trees and the towering orange dunes of Namib. Dead Vlei offers excellent photographic opportunities. This pan is completely
surrounded by dunes, and the floor of the pan is dotted with stark, dead camelthorn trees.

You will visit Sesriem Canyon, a 30-meter deep gauge incised into the desert floor by the Tsauchab River. You may decide on an optional activity. Why not? For sunrise, a trip in a hot air balloon. It is an optional activity at a fee.

You will float in the air while admiring one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.

You will be served a glass of champagne and a full breakfast at the landing. This activity is not included in the price and will be charged at ZAR 7800 per person (which is equivalent to US $460 per person)

Meals and overnight at Sossusvlei Lodge/ &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge.

Namibia is a desert of great contrast offering dunes, rocky canyons, and vast gravel plains. Travelling north, we'll cross the Namib-Naukluft Park stopping at a water hole where we may encounter hardy desert species.

Oryx, springbok, and ostrich shimmer and distend in the heat haze, appearing much larger than they are. We will cross the Tropic of Capricorn and descend into the smaller Gaub Canyon and then descend into the Kuiseb Canyon.

After a day out in the desert, we'll reach the coastal town of Swakopmund. It is a historical desert town, surrounded by desert and the sea. It is a popular holiday destination with a Bavarian flare!

Leisure afternoon is free for shopping and/or optional extra activities such as quad biking on the dunes, skydiving, para-gliding, horse & camel riding, etc. Visit the museum, the cristal gallery, or art galleries.

In the evening, we'll go to one of the best restaurants in Swakopmund for dinner.

Meals and overnight at Strand Hotel Swakopmund/ Swakopmund Hotel/ Hansa Hotel.

Go to Walvis Bay, which has been a haven for sea vessels because of its natural deepwater harbour. Being rich in plankton and marine life, these waters draw large numbers of whales attracting whalers and fishing vessels.

From the Walvis Bay Yacht Club, board the catamaran and spend the morning exploring the bay area, which is home to a great variety of birdlife, Seals and three different types of dolphins may be encountered.

These are the heavyside dolphins, which are the most prolific in being endemic to the coast of Namibia, dusky dolphins and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. The larger mammals, like the Southern right whale and the humpback whales may be spotted with a bit of extra special luck. There are rare sightings of sunfish and leatherback turtles.

Depart for an exhilarating dune drive in the Sandwich Harbour area for breathtaking panoramic views of the picturesque dunes engulfed by the sea. The area hosts upwards of 70000 birds.

Meals and overnight at Strand Hotel Swakopmund/ Swakopmund Hotel/ Hansa Hotel.

After breakfast, you will leave for Twyfelfontein into Damaraland (Kunene Region), a sparsely populated part of Namibia, an area of stunning scenic beauty and home to the desert-adapted elephant.

Twyfelfontein is home to one of the largest collections of rock-art
engravings found in Southern Africa. In 2007 UNESCO declared Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes as Namibia's first World Heritage.

We turn inland and head across the plains entering an area locally referred to as Damaraland. We'll travel across the rugged expanse of Damaraland, passing the Brandberg mountain complex and the highest peak in Namibia (the Konigstein at 2573 meters above sea level). The scenery changes and the temperature once again increases as we move inland. Lunch en route.

You will visit Cape Cross Seal Colony, home to one of the world's largest Cape fur seal populations. The reserve is located along the Skeleton Coast, approximately 60 kilometers north of the town of
Swakopmund.

We'll also visit the Organ Pipes, located in a small ravine. Close by is the Burnt Mountain, which appears to have been literally burned by fire.

Meals and overnight at Camp Kipwe/ Malansrus Tented Camp/ Mowani Mountain Camp.

After breakfast, we explore the beauty and wildlife of Damaraland on a nature drive in the dry Aba-Huab River Valley with the possibility to encounter desert adapted wildlife such as springbok, oryx, elephants, etc."Desert" elephants migrate long distances in search of food and water.

They are one of only two populations of “desert” elephants in the world (the other is in Mali). After lunch, explore the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein where Bushman communities engraved and painted over 2500 pictures some 6000 years ago.

The name Twyfelfontein is Afrikaans for “doubtful fountain” a reference to the small fountain located in the area. The farmer who purchased this land doubted that the fountain could produce enough water to support the variety of games depicted in the
engravings.

Meals and overnight at Camp Kipwe/ Malansrus Tented Camp/ Mowani Mountain Camp.

Departing Twyfelfontein we'll head north to Opuwo. Opuwo is situated in the northwest of Namibia and is the capital of Kunene region.

In Opuwo ancient traditions and modern times meet, as Opuwo is the centre of the Himba culture. Opuwo, meaning "finished" or "up to here and no further", is a true frontier town and is a crazy, dusty, noisy, colourful and chaotic blend of cultures.

We'll cross northern Damaraland, which is stunningly beautiful with flat-top mountains and rock-strewn valleys. In the Etendeka Plateau area, one finds the desert-adapted elephant as well as mountain zebra, giraffe, kudu, springbok, oryx, and ostrich.

With the break-up of the supercontinent, Gondwanaland—150
million years ago—masses of lava poured out over this area. Subsequent erosion has resulted in this striking landscape—strewn with red boulders and dotted with
strange, desert-adapted plants. We may encounter
Herero and Himba settlements. Lunch en route.

Meals and overnight at Serra Cafema Camp/ Hoanib Valley Camp.

Travel to Epupa Falls, created by the Kunene River in the Kaokoland area of the Kunene Region. The name "Epupa" is a Herero word for "foam", in reference to the foam created by the falling water.

This beautiful valley has been home to Himba families for centuries, visit the falls to explore the spectacular scenery. A few baobabs
cling precariously to the rocks above the gorge, belying the peaceful atmosphere, mountains, and makhani palm forest surrounding the Kunene River.

After lunch, we'll visit a Himba village to learn more about the culture of the Himba and Herero people. The Himba are nomadic herdsmen so you may find some of the villages empty as they move depending on the availability of grazing for their cattle.

The Himba are proud, beautiful people with aristocratic features. The women rub a mixture of animal fat and ochre (the powder from a crushed, red stone) onto their skin and braid their hair into ceremonial styles.

Meals and overnight at Kapika Waterfall Lodge/ Epupa Falls Lodge.

Have an early morning breakfast, then travel to Etosha National Park. The park offers abundant game-viewing opportunities.

You'll have lunch en route to Hobatere Lodge. Time permitting, we'll undertake the first game drive in Etosha, one of the largest national parks in Africa, going to the lodge at sunset.

The park cannot support the large herds of game found in East Africa, but it has a diversity and haunting quality that few parks can
match. Etosha National Park covers an area of approximately 22270sq km and is home to around 114 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 reptiles, 16 amphibians, and even a fish.

Meals and overnight at Eagle Tented Lodge/ Epasha Game Lodge & Spa/ Etosha Mountain Lodge.

Enjoy an early morning wake-up call followed by breakfast before we head into the park (via the Galton Gate) for a full day of game viewing, as we move across the park to reach Okaukuejo camp.

A packed lunch will be enjoyed along the road.

The park is home to 4 of the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, and black rhino). Its waterholes support a rich diversity of birds and mammals, including rare species such as blackfaced impala, cheetah, and Namibia’s smallest antelope, the Damara dik-dik.

The dry season (May to Oct) is a particularly rewarding month for game viewing as the rainwater has dried up and the game is forced to rely on the life-supporting waterholes.

But the rainy season (Nov to April) has its delights, as it is the peak calving season in the park. Young springbok, zebra, and wildebeest gambol across the plains, trying to get their legs under control, while flocks of flamingoes, ducks, and waders arrive to breed in the
nutrient-rich saline pans.

Meals and overnight at Mushara Lodge/ Toshari Lodge.

Today we'll again have a game drive in the Etosha National Park for a full-day safari. Enjoy the wonderful opportunity to explore the Etosha National Park with its abundance of wildlife.

We may encounter animal species we have not seen in the previous days, and we look forward to any new surprises at the different
waterholes we visit. The day is devoted purely to the abundant wildlife found in the Etosha National Park, which surrounds a parched salt desert known as the Etosha Pan.

Meals and overnight at Etosha King Nahale/ Mokuti Etosha.

After an early morning breakfast, you will be driven to Mount Etjo, then go to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a non-profit organization in Namibia dedicated to the conservation of cheetahs and their surrounding ecosystems.

The Cheetah Conservation Fund has a center dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of cheetahs that cannot be released back into the wild. These cheetahs could have been orphaned, injured, or otherwise unable to thrive in their natural habitat.

You will go for the rhino tracking in the evening. Rhino tracking in Namibia is an exciting and informative experience that allows people to see these iconic animals in their natural environment. Namibia has both black and white rhinoceros populations.

Meals and overnight at Mount Etjo Safari Lodge.

After breakfast, you'll return to Windhoek and transfer to Hosea Kutako International Airport to check in for your outbound flight back home.

We're sure that you have had an amazing safari with us in Namibia, but it's time for it to end. After we go our separate ways, we hope that you will take with you so many happy memories of an incredible safari.

If you would love to extend your trip to any of these African countries—Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Burundi—this can be arranged too.