Special Event!
A special variation of this itinerary is part of our Namibia: A Vision for Wildlife Symposium and Safari Program in April 2019.Overview
With its otherworldly landscape of ochre dunes, salt pans, and jagged peaks under cobalt skies, Namibia is one of the most spectacular countries on the planet. It’s also a land with an amazing story of wildlife conservation, with an unmatched 45 percent of its territory under conservation management.
On our extraordinary safari—a world exclusive limited to just six participants—we track wildlife in Namibia’s wide range of habitats and have incredible behind-the-scenes access to exciting conservation projects. Joining our renowned safari guide Jason Nott, we begin by tracking cheetah on foot at famed AfriCat, the world’s largest big-cat rehabilitation project, then search for the Big Five on the great salt pans of World Heritage-listed Etosha National Park. At our remote camp in stunning Damaraland, we look for desert-adapted elephants and meet with the field staff of the Save the Rhino Trust to track desert rhino in this dramatic wilderness.
We'll join field biologists of the Giraffe Conservation Center for two special days of tracking and GPS tagging giraffes in the wild. Giraffe numbers have plummeted in Africa, and in the past 30 years, these graceful, gentle animals have become extinct in at least seven African countries. This dramatic loss has gone largely unnoticed—a silent extinction. Our host for this hands-on experience is Dr. Julian Fennessy, Africa’s leading authority on giraffe conservation. Our entire safari will be brimming with thrilling moments, but our time in the field with Julian and his conservationists and vets will be phenomenal as we help them immobilize giraffe and fit them with tracking tags, working as an integral part of the ground team. At the same time, we will learn about giraffe ecology with a world expert—a life-enriching experience and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Good food and wine are an important part of our overall safari, and our mix of gorgeous lodges and atmospheric camps will keep us comfortable. In our camps, we will be looked after by a caring, warm tribe of “safari magicians” who love what they do and whose main ambition is to ensure that each moment at camp is as perfect as possible.
Very pertinent to current conservation efforts in Africa, this safari promises to engage, educate, and help you participate in becoming part of the solution. A portion of your trip fee goes directly to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation to help fund the tagging operation you will be an integral part of. We invite you to make Namibia’s inspiring conservation efforts part of your story on this unique and adventurous safari.
As a first-time, unique, conservation-oriented trip it was impressive! Julian Fennessy and the GCF team went overboard in their interaction with us—before, during, and after the field work. We never felt we were intruding or hindering them. This positive interaction was a true highlight of the trip.
— David and Audrey N., Albuquerque, NM
Days 1-3
Windhoek / Leopard Tracking / AfriCat
Okonjima, home of AfriCat, is a sanctuary focused on research and rehabilitation of Africa’s big cats. We search for leopard, track cheetah on foot, and enjoy remarkably close encounters with these elusive big cats.
Windhoek / Leopard Tracking / AfriCat - Days 1-3
Galton House
Day 1 (1 night),Day 12 (1 night), Windhoek, Namibia
This stylish nine-room hotel, just a 10-minute drive from the center of town, offers a casual elegance and welcoming atmosphere. Spacious and airy guest rooms are decorated in an inviting modern style, with wildlife photography adorning the walls. Communal areas include a large lounge, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a small swimming pool. The hotel is named after the explorer and polymath Francis Galton, who produced the first maps of Namibia's interior.
Okonjima Bush Camp
Days 2 to 3 (2 nights), Omboroko Mountains, NamibiaHome to The AfriCat Foundation, this luxury bush camp features eight thatched, African-style chalets decorated in earthy tones of ochre and khaki-green. The chalets are very spacious, well appointed, have en suite bathrooms, and can be opened wide during the day for enjoying the views and watching birds in the garden right from your room. A secluded swimming pool awaits at the end of a busy day of game viewing. The food is of a very high standard and the staff and guides are terrific.
Days 4-6
Damaraland / Huab Under Canvas
We head to Damaraland to our private “under canvas” camp (expect comfort!) to look for desert-adapted wildlife, including rhino. Wilderness Travel is proud to support the vital work of the Save the Rhino Trust here—Namibia now has the only growing black rhino population in all of Africa!
Damaraland / Huab Under Canvas - Days 4-6
Huab Under Canvas
Days 4 to 6 (3 nights), Damaraland, NamibiaLocated in a desert-adapted black rhino area in the Huab Conservancy in Damaraland, this semi-mobile camp has a wonderfully light environmental footprint. We will have this camp for our exclusive use. Each spacious tent is equipped with camp beds, solar lighting, and a bathroom with a toilet, bucket shower, and washbasin. Solar lighting is provided, and chairs on the patio allow guests to enjoy the surrounding view. Camp catering is of a high standard, delicious, wholesome meals prepared using fresh local produce wherever possible.
Days 7-9
Himba / Etosha National Park / Giraffe Tagging
After visiting the Himba in remote Damaraland, we continue to explore in magnificent Etosha, a haven for an immense variety of wildlife in a concentrated area, including elephant, lion, giraffe, blue wildebeest, eland, kudu, gemsbok (oryx), zebra, rhino, cheetah, and leopard. We join field biologists of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation for two exciting days of tracking and GPS tagging giraffe in the wild with Dr. Julian Fennessy, a pioneer of giraffe conservation. Our time in the field with these dedicated conservationists and vets will be incredible as they track and immobilize giraffe and we help fit them with GPS tags, working as an integral part of the ground team.
Himba / Etosha National Park / Giraffe Tagging - Days 7-9
Safarihoek Lodge
Days 7 to 9 (3 nights), Etosha National Park, NamibiaSet at the foothills of Etosha National Park and surrounded by mopane trees is the atmospheric Safarihoek Lodge. Separate private guestrooms have en suite bathrooms and fantastic views of the plains, while the main building has a great viewing deck overlooking a floodlit waterhole to watch game throughout the night. Enjoy the friendly staff, wonderful food and dining area, pool, nice lounge with a fireplace, and a photographic hide to get those up-close shots.
Days 10-13
Etosha National Park / Ongava Game Reserve
We spend time on game drives, exploring remote sections of Etosha and Ongava Game Reserve. Our lodge grants us wonderful access to the wildlife, where we can watch rhino and sometimes lion make their way to the nearby waterhole to drink. Return to Windhoek for a Farewell Dinner and final overnight. Depart via Windhoek on Day 13.
Etosha National Park / Ongava Game Reserve - Days 10-13
Ongava Lodge
Days 10 to 11 (2 nights), Ongava Game Reserve, NamibiaAn intimate lodge with 12 spacious en suite cabins built of rock and thatch, Ongava offers comfort in the wilderness, a relaxed atmosphere, and a friendly staff. The cabins have air conditioning, ceiling fans, and private verandas great for gameviewing. At the main lodge, meals are served buffet style on an open deck overlooking a waterhole, floodlit at night so guests can see wildlife, including rhinos and sometimes lions, as they gather at the waterhole. The lodge is located on private land on the southern boundary of Etosha National Park.
Galton House
Day 12 (1 night), Windhoek, NamibiaThis stylish nine-room hotel, just a 10-minute drive from the center of town, offers a casual elegance and welcoming atmosphere. Spacious and airy guest rooms are decorated in an inviting modern style, with wildlife photography adorning the walls. Communal areas include a large lounge, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a small swimming pool. The hotel is named after the explorer and polymath Francis Galton, who produced the first maps of Namibia's interior.
Namibia: Giraffe Conservation and Safari
