Namibia – July-August, 2024

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NAMIBIA LAND COST = $2790

(includes lodging, private tour bus, entries/activities, breakfasts, 1 lunch, 6 dinners, tips to drivers & guides, Matt Ebiner as leader)

International airfare to Namibia is extra and costs about $2000 from LAX, including taxes

Thursday, July 25 – Depart USA

Depart USA to Windhoek, Namibia

Friday, July 26 – En Route

Saturday, July 27 – Arrive Windhoek from the USA

Arrive  in Windhoek, Namibia, Africa’s cleanest and safest capital city.  Two nights in Windhoek at Hilton Garden Inn or equivalent.

Sunday, July 28 – Windhoek

Walking tour of Windhoek to see the German buildings from the colonial era, parks, and churches.  Night #2 in Windhoek.

Monday, July 29 –  Windhoek to Solitaire (Namib Desert)

Leaving Windhoek we stop at the Tropic of Capricorn for a classic photo opportunity.  We head into the Namib Desert, home to some of the world’s highest sand dunes.  Spend one night in Solitaire, on the edge of Namib-Naukluft National Park. Option in the afternoon to go cheetah tracking. Two nights at Solitaire Desert Farm.

Tuesday, July 30 – Sossusvlei – Solitaire (Namib Desert) 

Early start to visit the apricot-colored dunes of Sossusvlei near sunrise, with an option to climb to the top of them.  In the morning sunlight this is one of the most beautiful sights in Africa.  Visit “Dead Vlei”, a dry lake with skeletons of dead trees still standing, some of them 500 years old and very photogenic.  Explore Sesriem Canyon, a narrow fissure in the sandstone carved by a river.

Wednesday, July 31 – Namib Desert to Swakopmund

We drive through the desert to Walvis Bay where we’ll see countless flamingoes in the shallow bay.  We continue to the charming coastal town of Swakopmund, founded by Germans in the late 1890s.  Afternoon is free.  Two nights in Swakopmund at Swakopmund Luxury Suites.

Thursday, August 1 – Swakopmund

Many optional activities are possible in Swakopmund (additional cost) – sandboarding, scenic flight over the Skeleton Coast, skydiving, camel riding, or take a desert tour with a naturalist guide.  Or just relax around Swakopmund and visit a gem museum, the National Aquarium, or the beach.  Night #2 in Swakopmund.

Friday, August 2 – Swakopmund to Omandumba

Travel along the Skeleton Coast, named for the shipwrecks due to the foggy conditions.  Visit Cape Cross Seal Reserve, home to thousands of Cape fur seals.  We go inland and hike amidst the granite outcrops of  Spitzkoppe, the “Matterhorn of Africa”.  Continue to Omandumba to spend one night at Omandumba Guest Farm.

Saturday, August 3 – Omandumba to Toshari

Spend the morning with the Bushmen to learn about their traditional lifestyle of hunting/gathering, music, and more.   Continue to Toshari Lodge for 2 nights, just outside of Etosha National Park.

Sunday, August 4  – Etosha National Park

Full-day game drive in open vehicles through Etosha National Park, one of Africa’s best national parks with an outstanding variety and concentration of wildlife.  Opportunity to see many large mammals, such as elephants, giraffes, springbok, gemsbok, impala, wildebeest, kudu, lions, and the endangered black rhino.

Monday, August 5 – Etosha to Windhoek

Visit a Himba village, one of Namibia’s most famous tribes, and learn about their culture and lifestyle.  One night in Windhoek with a farewell dinner.

Tuesday, August 6 – Windhoek to USA or to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Wednesday, August 7 – Arrive USA

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