namibia tour; namib desert; african safari; leopards

Leopard on the prowl

Namibia is one of Africa’s prime wildlife destinations. We view game from superb “fly-in” camps and visit the traditional Himba tribespeople. Our post-trip extension visits Okonjima for amazing leopard and cheetah tracking.

Photo by Art Wolfe / Danita Delimont Agency

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Namibia Expedition

Etosha, Himba Tribes, Sossusvlei Dunes, and a Desert Trek

Namibia Expedition route-map

Trip Details at-a-Glance

Cost From: $6995   see pricing
Length: 15 days
Arrive: Windhoek, Namibia
Depart: Windhoek, Namibia
Lodging: 10 nights deluxe wildlife camps, 2 nights hotel, 2 nights B&B describe
Meals: All meals included
Activity: Safaris, Wildlife & Natural History, Walking, Cultural Adventures
Trip Level: 4WD gameviewing, easy to moderate walking
3 explain

Highlights

  • Fantastic leopard and cheetah encounters at Okonjima
  • World-class gameviewing at Etosha, track desert-adapted elephant in Damaraland
  • Remote Himba villages, prehistoric rock art at Twyfelfontein
  • Climb the towering Sossusvlei Dunes, sea kayak amid dolphins in Walvis Bay
  • Extraordinary three-day trail hike bordering Namib-Naukluft National Park


We have loved all our WT trips, but this one stands above them all. Not only was the itinerary fantastic, but our guides Orlando and Perez were the best ever. They helped us see more wildlife than I dreamed possible (and I was dreaming big!). Seventeen black rhinos, lions and lions and lions, leopard, cheetah, desert-adapted elephants, aarvark, caracal, giraffes, and thousands of seals nibbling on our kayak paddles. It doesn't get any better than this!Jeannee S.—Milwaukee, WI

Choosing the Right Trip

We work hard to help you choose the right trip for you, paying attention to your individual interests, abilities, and needs. If you have questions about the level of comfort or any of the activities described in this itinerary, please contact us.
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References

We are proud to have an exceptionally high rate of repeat travelers. For more information, we would be happy to put you in touch with a client who has traveled with us.

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Departure Notes

Once you have signed up on the trip, we send a complete packing list, relevant health information, and required travel documents.

Resources

Cheetah tracking, desert-adapted elephants, Himba tribes, sea kayaking among seals and dolphins, and a walking safari amid towering dunescapes and infinite blue skies—this is adventure travel! We track leopards and cheetahs at Okonjima, the largest rescue-and-release program in the world, safari in Etosha National Park’s newly opened western reaches (formerly restricted to wildlife researchers), climb the dunes at sunrise in Namib-Naukluft National Park, and top off our expedition with an amazing 3-day walking safari across the stunning wilderness of the NamibRand Nature Reserve, with its incredible variety of landscapes, from majestic mountains to red dunes. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience of one of Africa’s most intriguing realms.

Itinerary at a Glance

For a more complete description, Download Full Detailed Itinerary

Days 1-5
Windhoek, Namibia / Okonjima / Etosha National Park

At Okonjima Bush Camp, home to the renowned AfriCat Foundation, our adventures include radio-tracking leopards by 4WD and up-close encounters with cheetahs. World-famous Etosha National Park’s salt pans boast an immense variety of wildlife, and we look for elephant, black rhino, springbok, and hartebeest congregating at the waterholes. Our camps are at Okaukuejo, with its famed floodlit waterhole, and Dolomite Camp in incredibly scenic western Etosha, where endangered black rhinos have been successfully bred.

Days 6-7
Damaraland / Himba Tribes / Twyfelfontein

Exploring amid Damaraland’s magnificent table-topped mountains, we make a special trip to a remote Himba settlement where our Trip Leader’s connections help create wonderful cultural encounters. Our 4WD explorations take us in search of rare desert-adapted elephants, and we walk the trail at Twyfelfontein, a World Heritage Site with the finest collection of petroglyphs in Africa.

Days 8-11
Swakopmund / Sossusvlei

From charming Swakopmund, we head to dune-lined Walvis Bay to sea kayak among Cape fur seals and bottle-nosed dolphins, then enter the heart of magical Namib-Naukluft National Park for dune-climbing at sunrise and sunset, capturing the fantastic colors of Sossusvlei in perfect light.

Days 12-15
NamibRand Nature Reserve / Tok Tokkie Trail

Our grand finale is a fantastic three-day hike across the NamibRand Nature Reserve, the largest privately owned nature reserve in southern Africa. Walking at a leisurely pace, we enjoy incredible mountain vistas, breathtaking views of the dunes and plains, and a chance to experience the “coming alive” of the desert each morning. In our comfy nightly camps, we sleep under a canopy of stars with the wondrous desert silence pierced only by the occasional cry of a hyena and the hoo-hoo of spotted eagle owls. Depart via Windhoek on Day 15.

For a more complete description, Download Full Detailed Itinerary

What the Trip is Like

The trip is Level 3, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. This is a camping and lodge safari with gameviewing by 4WD vehicle and nature walks. There are a few long driving days over rough roads and rugged dirt tracks. On Days 12, 13, and 14, we will be walking on desert trails (1-2 hours on Day 12, up to 7.5 hours on Day 13, up to 3 hours on Day 14 ). The walking is not particularly strenuous (and there is a backup vehicle available should you wish to cut a day’s walk short), but you will need to bring well broken-in hiking boots for these days as well as for hikes on the Sossusvlei Dunes. Although this is not a particularly rigorous trip, we still recommend that each participant undertake a preparatory program of physical conditioning (especially if you want to climb the sand dunes in Sossusvlei, which can be quite challenging). Daily walking or regular hiking, jogging, and stair-climbing are excellent preparatory exercises. Any African safari is an adventure, and the traveler to Africa should bring along flexibility, a sense of humor, curiosity about new peoples and places, and an openness to the unexpected.

Explanation of Trip Levels

 

Departures & Leaders

Jun 18-Jul 2, 2013

Sep 15-29, 2013
May 10-24, 2014
Jun 7-21, 2014
Jul 5-19, 2014

Trip Cost

Prices are for 2013
$6995 (10-12 members)
$7395 (6-9 members)
Single supplement: $480
Forced single supplement: $240
High season surcharge (Sep): $600
Prices for 2014: To Be Announced

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Trip Cost Includes:

  • Expert leadership of a Wilderness Travel Trip Leader
  • Accommodations, based on double occupancy
  • Welcome and farewell dinners
  • All meals included
  • Bottled water, soft drinks, juice, house wine, and beer
  • Park fees
  • Land transportation
  • Airport transfers for passengers as noted
  • Baggage handling and sightseeing as noted

Trip Cost Does Not Include:

International airfare to and from Africa, any meals not specified after each itinerary day in the Full Trip Brochure, airport departure taxes, optional tipping or gratuities to leaders or staff, additional hotel nights that may be necessitated by airline schedule changes or other factors, cost of medical immunizations (if any), travel insurance, and other expenses of a personal nature (premium alcoholic beverages, etc.). Optional side trips and excursions are also at your own expense.

Trip Payment Schedule

At time of reservation: $500
120 days prior to departure: 20%
60 days prior to departure: Balance

Cancellation and Transfer Fee Schedule

Minimum fee: None
46-90 days prior to departure: 25% of trip cost
45 days or less: 100% of trip cost

Galton House

Galton House

Day 1 (1 night),
Day 14 (1 night), Windhoek, Namibia

A stay at the Galton House is a great way to kick-start our Namibia Expedition. The stylish eight-room hotel, a 10-minute drive from the center of ...
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Okonjima Bush Camp

Okonjima Bush Camp

Day 2 (1 night), Omboroko Mountains, Namibia

Home to The AfriCat Foundation, this luxury bush camp features eight thatched, African-style chalets decorated in earthy tones of ochre and ...
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Okaukuejo Resort

Okaukuejo Resort

Day 3 (1 night), Etosha, Namibia

Okaukuejo is located about eight miles from the southern entrance of Etosha National Park. Accommodations are in bush chalets that are basic but ...
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Dolomite Camp

Dolomite Camp

Days 4 to 5 (2 nights), Etosha, Namibia

Nestled in the dolomite outcrops of western Etosha National Park, Dolomite Camp offers an intimate experience of one of the most scenic areas of the ...
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Camp Kipwe

Camp Kipwe

Days 6 to 7 (2 nights), Twyfelfontein, Namibia

Situated in the Twyfelfontein Conservancy, this unique camp is creatively tucked among the dramatic granite boulders of the area. The nine guest ...
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Hansa Hotel

Hansa Hotel

Days 8 to 9 (2 nights), Swakopmund, Namibia

In the center of historic Swakopmund, the Hansa has a great location close to the main street. It was built in 1905 and still retains its ...
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Sosuss Dune Lodge

Sosuss Dune Lodge

Days 10 to 11 (2 nights), Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia

Accommodation is in en suite wood and canvas chalets with private wooden verandas overlooking the expansive desert plains. There is a large main ...
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Tok Tokkie Trail

Tok Tokkie Trail

Days 12 to 13 (2 nights), NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia

Tok Tokkie is located in the southern part of the NamibRand Nature Reserve, the largest privately owned nature reserve in southern Africa. Here we ...
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Note: Listed above are our signature accommodations for this trip. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.

Our Trip Leaders

Here are the Trip Leaders scheduled for this journey (please note that leader assignments are subject to change).

Orlando Haraseb

Departure Dates: June 18-July 2, 2013, September 15-29, 2013

“Orlando” Petrus Haraseb is a Damara with easygoing charm along with a wide-ranging knowledge of Namibia’s natural and cultural history. A former soccer star (and one-time captain of Namibia’s national soccer team), Orlando has been a professional safari guide for over 15 ...
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Perez Kamukuenjandje

Departure Dates: September 15-29, 2013

Perez Kamukuenjandje has guided safaris in the Namib Desert for many years, and has become an expert on desert ecosystems. He received his formal training on the Phinda Game Reserve in South Africa and has a wealth of experience, including walking in “Big Five” territory. He was also a ...
Click here for a full bio and list of all upcoming trips

Client Comments

We have loved all our WT trips, but this one stands above them all. Not only was the itinerary fantastic, but our guides Orlando and Perez were the best ever. They helped us see more wildlife than I dreamed possible (and I was dreaming big!). Seventeen black rhinos, lions and lions and lions, leopard, cheetah, desert-adapted elephants, aarvark, caracal, giraffes, and thousands of seals nibbling on our kayak paddles. It doesn't get any better than this! Jeannee S., Milwaukee, WI

This was our eighth trip to Africa and we were overcome with Namibia's beauty and ever-changing landscapes. This is far more than just a "big five trip." Our group was great as well. We had a wonderful time and learned a great deal.

Charles C., Wayne, PA