World-Exclusive Safari with GPS Tagging of Giraffes
Namibia: Giraffe Conservation Safari
Overview
Join field conservationists and vets from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and work alongside them for the thrilling experience of tracking and attaching GPS tags to giraffes in the wild—be prepared to be awed! We have two tagging days with the GCF staff and pioneering conservation scientist Dr. Julian Fennessy for an adventure in a unique country that is one of Africa's greatest wildlife conservation stories. Encounters with the giraffe will be unforgettable, but we'll also radio-track leopard at famed AfriCat, track desert-dwelling black rhino with rangers at the Save the Rhino Trust, and meet the nomadic Himba people of the remote Kaokoveld.
Arrive: Windhoek, Namibia
Depart: Windhoek, Namibia
Highlights
- Just 6 participants—and led by Jason Nott, one of Namibia's most respected safari guides
- Hands-on participation in GPS tagging of giraffe with Dr. Julian Fennessy—an incredible experience!
- Track leopard at AfriCat, track endangered rhino in Damaraland with the Save the Rhino Trust
- Stay in gorgeous game lodges and wonderfully remote camps
Itinerary
We head out for Okonjima, home of AfriCat, the world's largest center for the rehabilitation of Africa's big cats, where we can radio-track leopards as they roam the Okonjima Nature Reserve.
In our exclusive semi-permanent “under canvas” camp in wild Damaraland, we search for rare desert-adapted wildlife, including black rhino. WT is proud to support the vital anti-poaching work of the Save the Rhino Trust—Namibia now has the only growing black rhino population in Africa.
We'll feel like we're on another planet amid the sand dunes and towering mountains of theKaokoveld in northwest Namibia. From our mobile camp, we look for desert-adapted wildlife, meet the nomadic Himba, and learn about Namibia's conservation practices on communal land.
We have the extraordinary—and world exclusive—opportunity to be part of a GPS team tagging giraffe in the wild. We'll work alongside them, assisting with tagging and
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
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 game viewing by 4WD vehicle, nature walks, and long driving days. There will be some sections of walking through sand dunes or on rough, hilly terrain with loose scree. Although this is not a particularly rigorous trip, we still recommend you undertake a preparatory program of physical conditioning. Daily walking or regular hiking, jogging, and stair-climbing are excellent preparatory exercises. Any African safari is an adventure, and the traveler should bring along flexibility, a sense of humor, curiosity about new peoples and places, and an openness to the unexpected.
Review Trip Level Details
Namibia has a typical desert climate: hot in the day, and cool at night, mostly sunny and dry. Between November and April, daytime temperatures can be in the low 90s, with night temperatures dropping to the 50s. Between May and October, daytime temperatures generally reach the mid-70s and can drop to as low as 40 at night. The coastal region is cool and dry throughout the year.
Our accommodations are in hotels (2 nights), superb permanent camps (8 nights), and in one expedition mobile camp (3 nights), which offers incredible access to the giraffe habitat and has basic domed tents outfitted with cots, linens, en suite bathroom facilities, a shade canopy, and chairs. Meals are prepared over open fires by our camp crew at the mobile expedition camp and served at a dining table with comfortable canvas-backed chairs.
While on safari, most breakfasts and evening meals will be taken at the lodge or camp you are staying at. Lunches while traveling between destinations will be served picnic-style en route or at a café or restaurant if there is not a suitable picnic site. Bottled water, soft drinks, juice, house wine, and beer are included throughout the trip. All vehicles are equipped with a fridge or cool box stocked with bottled water. Tea and coffee are offered at most accommodations free of charge with meals and at afternoon tea time.
Due to Namibia's vast distances, an integral part of any Namibia safari is driving, and this is part of the adventure. The Trip Leader will make the road journeys very interesting and point out many highlights en route. While the driving times may appear long, there is a lot to see and the scenery is dramatic and beautiful. The road journeys are essentially game drives since Namibia's wildlife isn't restricted to parks. Our vehicles are very comfortable and have supplies for tea, picnic lunches, etc.
Client Testimonials
"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
"This trip far exceeded our expectations, largely due to Jason’s leadership, passion for his country and its wild places, and intimate knowledge and participation in conservation projects around the country."
Heather L.
South San Francisco, CA
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.