Northern Namibia & Skeleton Coast

We head north toward Etosha National Park after breakfast, making a quick stop in Otjwarongo for supplies. We take a quick game drive from the main entrance gate (Anderson Gate) to the main camp at Okaukuejo, which provides a great opportunity to see important wildlife. With an area of more than 22,000 square kilometers, Etosha is home to a wide variety of animals, including one species of fish, 350 birds, 110 reptiles, and 114 mammals.

After setting up the campsite, we hunt Etosha for large game, frequently coming across giraffes, elephants, rhinos, and big cats. Along with lesser species like gazelles, ordinary zebras, and other antelope, the experience is enhanced by the amazing birdlife. at dusk, campers head back to the campsite, however if they choose, they can watch the animals at a nearby water hole.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: Okaukuejo Campsite or Similar

With the entire day at our disposal to explore Etosha, we aim to maximize our time. Etosha, a desert landscape with water as a scarce resource, features numerous natural and man-made waterholes. We’ll have a brief stop for us to enjoy breakfast at a designated picnic area before continuing the game drive en route to Halali camp.

Lunch will be at Halali, where a small shop offers basic merchandise and souvenirs. There’s also time for a swim in the pool and a visit to the Halali camp waterhole before our afternoon game drive.

On our return journey to Okaukuejo, we’ll take a closer look at the expansive Etosha Pan. Despite translating to ‘great white space,’ this name doesn’t fully capture the pan’s immense size – over 4,700 square km of dazzling white mineral pan visible even from space. As we wind our way back, vigilant for game sightings, our goal is to reach Okaukuejo just before sunset. This timing allows us to experience the best hour of the day at the Okaukuejo waterhole.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: Okaukuejo Campsite or Similar

As we bid farewell to Etosha, we embark on an early breakfast and game drive. Our first stop takes us to the intriguing Otjikandero Himba Village, located near Kamanjab. Otjikandero is a living village, offering a glimpse into traditional Himba life. During our guided visit, we’re invited to interact, ask questions, and capture photographs without intruding on anyone’s privacy.

After exploring Otjikandero, we briefly stop in Kamanjab before embarking on a spectacular westward journey toward the Etendeka Mountains and the Grootberg Pass. Etendeka, meaning ‘flat top,’ characterizes the surrounding mountains with their distinctive table-tops. The terrain, covered with uniform boulders, reflects the ancient breakup of Gondwanaland around 180 million years ago. The Etendeka basalts found here are identical to those in Brazil, a reminder of the geological events that shaped this landscape.

We then head to Palmwag, situated by the Uniab River and graced by waving makalani palm trees, a haven for Namibia’s unique desert-adapted elephants. Arriving in the late afternoon, we set up camp in anticipation of enjoying a sundowner and, with luck, witnessing some of the resident elephant herds that may venture close, even approaching for a visit or a drink from the swimming pools.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: Palmwag Campsite or Similar

Our northern adventure concludes today as we head west along the Atlantic Ocean coastline to Cape Cross. Passing through captivating scenery and encountering unique vegetation, we get to see Namibia’s national plant, the Welwitschia Mirabilis. The Skeleton Coast National Park, known for its forbidding landscapes and shipwrecks, is our route to Cape Cross. Along the way, we’ll pass remnants of past endeavors, including an abandoned oil rig and diamond mine.

Exiting the park at the Ugab River crossing, we continue to Cape Cross, home to over 100,000 Cape fur seals, making it one of the world’s largest seal colonies. The site is rich in history, marked by stone crosses erected by Portuguese mariner Diego Cao in 1485. The original cross is in a German museum, and the two visible today are replicas. After exploring the seal colony, we drive to our overnight stop at Cape Cross, arriving in the late afternoon with time for a sunset walk on the beach.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
🏨 Accommodation: Campsite near Cape Cross or Similar

We start the day with a leisurely breakfast before heading south along the coast to Swakopmund, the adventure capital of Namibia. Our first stop is The Zeila, beached in 2008, located 15 km south of Henties Bay. The vessel, an old fishing trawler sold for scrap, provides a striking photo opportunity.

Thereafter we continue along the coast, where we will encounter vast lichen fields, showcasing Namibia’s world-record number of lichen species. Lichen, a composite organism of algae and fungi, thrives in this unique environment, utilizing fog as a primary source of water. Our guide ensures we navigate responsibly to protect these fragile ecosystems.

Arriving in Swakopmund, we check into Hotel A La Mer. The town, surrounded by Namib Desert dunes and the Atlantic Ocean, features colonial German architecture, and the German language is still widely used.

Swakopmund offers various optional activities, from scenic flights over the desert to adventurous pursuits like skydiving and quad biking in the Namib dunes. Your guide will discuss options and facilitate bookings. Lunch and dinner are on your own, with the town boasting excellent restaurants; your guide can provide recommendations and assist with reservations.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast
🏨 Accommodation: Hotel A La Mer or Similar

The day begins with a relaxed morning, offering a chance to sleep in, enjoy a hearty breakfast, and explore Swakopmund. The town features great curio shops, excellent bookstores, and a vibrant café culture with small eateries serving delicious food.

Later, we depart for Walvis Bay, just 40 km south along the coast. Walvis Bay is internationally recognized for its birdlife, especially flamingos, and the lagoon is a Ramsar site. Flamingos, both lesser and greater, are attracted to the area due to the abundance of phytoplankton and zoo plankton along Namibia’s Atlantic coast. The birds, being filter feeders, thrive on microorganisms like plankton, giving them their distinctive pink color. They feed by filtering nutrients from the seawater through their beaks while walking in circles to stir up sand and mud.

Although Walvis Bay is not a breeding ground for flamingos due to its tidal environment, the birds flock to mineral pans. These seasonal pans usually stay dry but can flood with sufficient rain, prompting flamingos to head inland in massive flocks.

Returning to Swakopmund, we then take the main tarmac road back to Windhoek, with a light lunch en route. Upon arrival in Windhoek, you will be dropped off at your accommodation within the city limits.

🍽 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
🏨 Accommodation: None (end of safari)