Kaokoland 4x4 tour Namibia

Ultimate Namibia, the far north of Kaokoland, Etosha, Kunene Region and the Namib Desert

This incredible journey, which starts in the well-known Etosha National Park, will take us through the northwestern areas of Namibia to the center of the most fascinating, wild, remote regions of the Namib Desert. In this well-planned safari, the emphasis is on the natural beauty of the Kunene region inhabited by the Himba herders with their ancestral traditions. Further west, we will be surrounded by landscapes similar to those of western movie sets where wildlife remains important. Giraffes, mountain zebras, black rhinos, elephants, lions and other predators have all adapted to the harsh living conditions of the Namib Desert. We will end our trip in the ochre dunes that reach the shores of the Atlantic. This journey is a pure 4X4 expedition where we will alternate between camps with tents and lodges.

Highlights

• The rich wildlife of Namibia's Etosha National Park
• Kunene River and Himba herders from the Kaokoland region
• Splendid northwestern vistas
• Free roaming desert adapted wildlife
• The endless landscapes of the Namib Desert
• The ochre dunes of the Namib Desert
• A memorable experience while camping in the middle of nowhere
• All meals and activities included

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1:

Windhoek – Otjiwarongo

Meet and greet at the airport with immediate departure towards Etosha. We will overnight at a lodge en route near Otjiwarongo.

Day 2:

Etosha National Park – Namutoni

We enter Etosha National Park on the eastern side at Namutoni. In the afternoon we will embark on our first safari game drive until sunset to discover the wildlife near the natural springs of this area. We overnight in comfortable rooms at Namutoni.

Day 3:

Etosha National Park – Okaukuejo

The whole day is dedicated to the search and viewing of wildlife. From the smallest antelope, the Damara dik-dik, to the biggest mammal on earth, the elephant, most of Africa's species are present in Etosha. Predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas occur in this area. We overnight in chalets at Okaukuejo near a waterhole, which provides an interesting opportunity to observe animals which are rarely seen during daytime – among them the black rhinoceros.

Day 4:

Etosha National Park – Hobatere Lodge

Today we transit through the western part of the park in search of more elusive wild animals like elands, Hartmann zebras and black rhinos. We exit Etosha in the afternoon to overnight at Hobatere lodge. A nearby waterhole allows animal watching where even lions may show up! We stay in comfortable chalets.

Day 5:

Hoanib - Purros

A 5 hours road trip is necessary to reach Ruacana and the Kunene River, Namibia's natural border with Angola. We will then use a small dirt road along the green riverside. We will settle next to the river with a charming backdrop at Kunene River Lodge.

Day 6

Epupa Falls – Omarunga Lodge

After half a day of gravel road, we will reach the marvelous Epupa Falls. We will settle under the shade of an incredible palm grove at Omarunga Lodge. A relaxing afternoon will be dedicated to visiting Epupa Falls on foot and travelling to the different viewpoints of the site.

Day 7

Western Kaokoland

We will travel on a scenic dirt road leading to the heart of Kaokoland. The landscapes are especially impressive: they include some of the world's most ancient rocky plateaus and dry riverbeds tracing their paths through a mineral universe. Herds of springbok and ostriches are hardly disturbed by our presence, and from time to time we will meet with the Himba herders with whom we will initiate friendly contact. Tourist activities have considerably disturbed their ancestral way of life, with the introduction of money and alcohol. Therefore, we prefer to wait for a spontaneous visit while having a picnic or a camp rather than to force contact upon them. You will certainly meet less Himba people but trust us the quality of the few meetings you do have will be of a much higher value! Tonight we will settle into our first camp in the wild.

Days 8 and 9

Hoarusib Valley – Purros

We drive along the Khumib River where we may observe desert adapted wildlife such as giraffes, oryx and springboks. We will reach Purros in the afternoon; an isolated village lost in the middle of sands and inhabited by both the Himba and Herero people. We will put up our camp in one of the community camping site for 2 nights.

Day 9, we will explore the scenic landscapes of this arid area near the border of the Skeleton Coast National Park. On our way we will search for the fauna that roams the desert; elephants, giraffes, oryx, Hartmann zebras... We will return to our camping site before sunset.

Day 10 and 11

Southern Kaokoland – Hoanib Valley

We drive across a plateau to reach the Hoanib riverbed where huge trees, Faidherbia Albida, shelter a large diversity of wildlife such as desert adapted elephants, giraffes, oryx and lions. We will spend two days in this wonderful and isolated environment where we will set up our camp.

The desert elephants have adapted to extreme conditions. They play a very important role in this fragile ecosystem. They go to dry riverbeds in search of food and water and dig holes in the sand on which a large number of other species depend on. Almost forced into extinction in the 70s due to poaching, they now number about 100. http://desertelephantconservation.org/index.html

Day 12

Damaraland – Palmwag Lodge

The tracks will lead us to Sesfontein where we drive through magnificent sceneries of basaltic table mountains. We will settle in comfortable chalets at Palmwag Lodge on the bank of the Uniab River. We will spend the end of the afternoon at our own leisure.

Day 13

Skeleton Coast – Swakopmund

This morning we will discover a lunar landscape scattered with Welwitschia Mirabilis, the oldest plants on earth. We enter the Skeleton Coast National Park at Springbok Water Gate and drive across the park until Ugab River Mouth. We reach the Cape Cross seals colony where about 100 000 seals will welcome our arrival in a visual and audio symphony. In the afternoon, we will settle in a hotel for two nights in the coastal town of Swakopmund which will surprise you with its German architecture. We will dine in a restaurant in town.

Day 14

Sandwich Harbour – Swakopmund

After breakfast, we will reach Walvis Bay, which is a former South-African enclave reattached to Namibia in 1994 and where we will observe thousands of greater and lesser flamingoes. The Benguela current streams directly from Antarctic and these special conditions provide the area with many bird species. According to the tides, we'll spend the rest of the day at Sandwich Harbour where massive dunes meet the ocean.
We will back in Swakopmund before sunset and meet for dinner in town.

Day 15

Namib-Naukluft Park – Sesriem

We drive across the endless landscapes of the Namib Naukluft Park through the Kuiseb Pass and Solitaire. We reach Sesriem within the afternoon where the highest dunes in the world start. We will set up our camp for 2 nights.
Optional – overnight at Sossus Dune Lodge inside the park.

Day 16

Namib Desert Dunes – Sossusvlei

We start early in the morning to discover the highest dunes in the world lighted up by sunrise. It is a surreal place where dunes form and a panel of orange colors compose a unique breathtaking landscape. The fittest will be able to climb to the top of a 250 meters dune to admire the Namib sand sea. In the afternoon we will visit the Sesriem Canyon as well as Elim Dune in time for sunset.

Day 17

Windhoek

We drive back to Windhoek through the Khomas Hochland landscapes and settle in a guesthouse situated in a quiet area of the capital. You'll spend the afternoon at leisure with the opportunity to visit the city center. Dinner is at the guesthouse.

Day 18

Departure

Transfer to the airport according to flight departure.