|
April 2 - Vancouver – Frankfurt
Our great adventure begins with an overnight Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. Dinner, breakfast and drinks on board.
April 3 - Frankfurt – Johannesburg
On arrival at Frankfurt International Airport we will transfer to a convenient and comfortable hotel where day rooms have been booked for our convenience. The remainder of the day at leisure to relax or take public transport into Frankfurt for an optional tour. This evening we will transfer back to Frankfurt International Airport for our overnight Lufthansa flight to Johannesburg. Dinner, breakfast and drinks on board.
April 4 - Johannesburg – Windhoek
In the morning we will arrive in Johannesburg and connect to our onward British Airways by Comair flight to Windhoek. On arrival in Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia, we will be met and transferred to the Kalahari Sands Hotel.
Situated in Windhoek’s central business district, the Kalahari Sands Hotel & Casino comprises 151 twin rooms and 16 executive rooms each equipped with 2 double beds, air-conditioning, bath/shower, telephone, TV, tea/coffee making facilities and a mini-bar. Amenities include the Dunes Restaurant, which offers a choice of buffet or à-la-carte menus; the Oasis Lounge Bar and the Sands Casino. A gym, sauna and rooftop swimming pool offer relaxation.
In the afternoon, after we have had a chance to rest, we will be taken on a tour to view the historical buildings and surrounding suburbs of this interesting city with its German colonial atmosphere.
Overnight Kalahari Sands Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
April 5 - Kalahari Region
Our Namibian guide will meet us at our hotel to commence our Namibian experience. We will journey to the south and the Kalahari Desert Region of Namibia. Endless lines of vegetated red dunes capture the imagination with yellow grass and green trees growing on their slopes and in the riverbeds. An afternoon sundowner drive into these terracotta dunes is richly rewarding (optional).
On the edge of the Kalahari Desert, 40km from Mariental, lies Anib Lodge surrounded by white “vleis” (water collecting pans) and bush savannahs that interrupt the endless red dunes of the Kalahari. The lodge offers en suite rooms and a warm family atmosphere where guests can enjoy excellent cuisine and friendly service. Activities include excellent bird and game watching, hiking trails and excursions to sites of Namibian history such as “Schutztruppe” and Hendrik Witbooi.
Overnight at Kalahari Anib Lodge on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 6 - Fish River Canyon
We will travel south to the picturesque Garas Quiver Tree Park and Giant’s Playground, which is an impressive jumble of massive boulders, a virtual maze where time can be spent wandering through the extensive rocky labyrinth. Proceed to the magnificent boulder-studded plains and hills to the east of the great Fish River Canyon, where impressive, surrounding rock formations provide many interesting hours for the enthusiastic nature lover.
The Canon Village fits snugly into the surroundings of the Gondwana Nature Park and affords easy access to the Fish River Canyon some 20km away. Activities offered: horse riding, sundowner drives and walking trails. Accommodation is in 28 en suite Cape Dutch cottages.
Overnight at Canon Village on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 7 - Fish River Canyon
This morning we will enjoy a guided excursion to the majestic Fish River Canyon with its viewpoints high above the deep winding gorges. Eroded over millennia, the Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. It is set in a harsh, stony plain dotted with drought resistant succulents. The Canyon itself is a spectacular phenomenon that took hundreds of millions of years to evolve into its current shape.
The afternoon is at leisure back at the lodge to relax or enjoy some of the activities offered.
Overnight at Canon Village on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 8 - Luderitz
The next leg of our journey takes us via the small historic village of Aus and through the vast, barren expanse of the Prohibited Diamond Area, to Lüderitz. After a short sightseeing tour of Luderitz, we will enjoy an afternoon excursion to Diaz Cross where daring Portuguese sailors erected a stone pillar in the 1480s.
The Nest Hotel is situated in the picturesque town of Lüderitz and offers luxurious beachfront accommodation. The hotel comprises 58 double rooms, 9 single rooms, 3 suites and 3 wheelchair-friendly rooms; all sea-facing and air-conditioned, with en suite bathrooms, satellite TV, radio and telephone. A private beach, swimming pool, sauna and solarium offer relaxation while the oyster bar on the sundeck and the Penguin Restaurant boast excellent cuisine.
Overnight at the Nest Hotel on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 9 - Central Namib Desert
After breakfast we travel to the famous ghost town of Kolmanskop and head inland across the impressive Neisip Plains to Helmeringhausen. Experience the changing landscape from mountain massif through white gravel plains to the towering red dunes of the central Namib Desert.
Situated about an hour’s drive south-west of Maltahöhe, in scenic surroundings below the Tsaris Pass, lies Hammerstein Guest Farm. The German name of the farm is derived from one of the granite boulders in the vicinity, an enormous rock, shaped like a hammer. We will be accommodated in some of the 24 twin-bedded rooms with en-suite shower and toilet. A swimming pool, bar and restaurant
serving typical Namibian dishes complete this overnight facility situated a mere 80 km from Sesriem, gateway to the famous Sossusvlei.
Overnight at Hammerstein Guest Farm on a bed and breakfast basis.
April 10 - Sesriem/Sossusvlei
An early start is imperative as our journey takes us to the famous Sossusvlei with its monumental star shaped dunes, some up to 325m high when measured from the base. Formed by strong multi-directional winds, the warm tints of sand, ranging from apricot to orange, red and maroon, contrast vividly with the stark, white surface of the clay pans at their base. This provides photographers with a spectacular display of images to capture. Climbing one of these dunes affords the energetic traveller with an unforgettable experience of endless vistas across a sea of dunes.
Namib Desert Lodge sits at the foot of a red sandstone cliff, the 'fossilised' dunes of the protomorphic Namib. Situated 60 km north of Sesriem, the lodge is an ideal finishing point for an excursion to the highest dunes in the world. Among tall trees and palms are 21 rooms en suite, a restaurant and swimming pool, all of which invite you to linger and relax. Join a drive through the magnificent scenery or simply enjoy the thrill of gemsbok and springbok frequenting the illuminated water hole after dusk.
Overnight at Namib Desert Lodge on dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 11 - Swakopmund
Our destination today is the coastal town of Swakopmund via the Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons. Visit Namibia’s most celebrated endemic plant, the ancient Welwitschia mirabilis, found on the vast gravel plains. Prior to arrival in Swakopmund we visit Moon Valley, an unusual view overlooking the landscape formed by the valleys of the Swakop River.
Swakopmund is Namibia's premier holiday resort on the Atlantic coast. With lovely promenades, palm trees and beautiful gardens one is reminded of a small, European seaside town. Excellent hotels, shopping and restaurants provide a striking contrast to the vast desert that lies just on the edge of town.
The Hansa Hotel nestling in the very centre of this charming little town offers you a feeling of being enveloped in a luxurious and sophisticated hospitality with a satisfying blend of both classical atmosphere and truly elegant interior, matched with friendly and personalised service. Founded in 1905 this grand hotel is only 5 minutes walk from the beach. The 58 rooms all have TV, telephone and heating facilities, with air–conditioning in the public areas. The Hansa Hotel is internationally acclaimed and well known for its superb kitchen and personalised service.
Overnight at the Hansa Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
April 12 - Swakopmund
This morning we will be introduced to the marine life and waters along the Namibian Coast in a unique and fun way! Cruise the harbour and trawler boat areas in ski boats and then cut across the lagoon to Pelican Point where the entertainment is provided by a large seal colony and schools of dolphins swimming alongside the boats. Lunch will be served on the beach.
Overnight at the Hansa Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.
April 13 - Damaraland
We will travel along the coastal road northwards to Henties Bay and visit the Cape Cross Seal Reserve which, with its surrounding area, was proclaimed a reserve in 1968 to protect the biggest and best known of the 23 colonies of Cape Fur Seals which breed along the coast of South Africa and Namibia.
Returning to Henties Bay, we travel inland past the Brandberg Mountains (the highest point in Namibia) into timeless Damaraland.
Twyfelfontein Country Lodge is situated 5kilometres from the historic Twyfelfontein site, which boasts the highest concentration of rock engravings in Southern Africa. Also, in easy reach of the Burnt Mountain, Organ Pipes and Petrified Forest, the lodge offers 56 spacious twin-bedded rooms with en suite shower, toilet and private veranda. The impressive main building, hidden behind a natural rock entrance, is made of rock and thatch, and houses the restaurant, lounge, bar and curio shop. The lodge also has a swimming pool.
Overnight at Twyfelfontein Lodge on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 14 - Outjo
Today we will tour the many scenic and historical sites in Damaraland. Twyfelfontein, meaning ‘doubtful spring’, has been occupied for thousands of years with its spring attracting huge herds of game, making it an excellent base for early hunters. The slopes of the area are strewn with boulders; all dotted with thousands of engravings and some ancient paintings, a virtual open-air museum. Geological features in the area include the Organ Pipes, angular slabs of dolerite in a ravine forming part of Namibia’s rich natural history. In the vicinity is the Petrified Forest where millions of years ago giant tree trunks were deposited and subsequently turned to stone.
From Damaraland we will continue to Outjo, close to the southern border of the world-famous Etosha National Park.
Etosha Garten Hotel with 20 rooms, each with en suite facilities (bath or shower) in the town of Outjo, is surrounded by a tropical garden of 30.000m2. You can cool off in the sparkling swimming pool or simply enjoy the colours of the tropical gardens. The Etosha Garten Hotel is one of the first buildings in Outjo and is already 100 years old. It is a place where you can relax after a long dusty journey and get ready for your next destination. The town offers banks, grocery shops, filling stations and other facilities. Meals can be enjoyed in the a-la-carte restaurant or in the buffet-style barbecue restaurant, where you have the opportunity to savour a typical Namibian meal of barbecued meat and freshly prepared salads under a clear African sky.
Overnight at Etosha Garten Hotel on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 15 - Etosha National Park
This morning we will enter the world famous Etosha National Park, one of the largest parks in Africa and drive through the Park to our accommodation at the eastern edge.
Etosha owes its unique landscape to the vast shallow depression – the Etosha Pan. During drier seasons it becomes an expanse of white cracked mud, shimmering with mirages and spiralling dust devils. Waterholes along the southern edge frequently offer a rewarding game-viewing experience and include several rarer species such as black and white rhino. Black-faced impala are restricted to Namibia and southern Angola, and the Damara dik-dik, the Park’s smallest antelope, is also endemic. Hundreds of bird species have been recorded, with many migrants during the summer period.
Mokuti Lodge is situated on a 4,000ha game park on the eastern edge of the Etosha National Park. The 106 standard and luxury thatched chalets have air conditioning, en suite shower or bath and television. The exotic gardens include a large swimming pool, pool bar, tennis courts and separate children’s playgrounds. Fine dining can be enjoyed in two restaurants or under the African sky around a fire in the boma - entertained by the resident tribal dancers and singers. The lodge offers a large variety of activities including trail blazing on foot or horseback, a visit to the Ontouka Reptile Park, a bush-style exercise circuit and bushveld cycle track as well as game viewing in open safari vehicles.
Overnight at Mokuti Lodge on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 16 - Etosha National Park
A full day of game viewing in the Etosha National Park, stopping at waterholes and viewing points along the way.
Overnight at Mokuti Lodge on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 17 - Otjiwarongo Region
Travel to the town of Tsumeb, a mining town known for its copper, zinc, lead, silver and a variety of unusual crystals. Whilst in the area, we will visit Lake Otjikoto where in 1915, the retreating German force dumped weapons to prevent them from falling into the hands of the South African Union Force. Several of these weapons have been recovered and can be viewed at the Tsumeb Museum.
We will also visit Okonjima, home of the AfriCat Foundation, which is committed to researching and rehabilitating Namibia’s threatened big cat populations, particularly cheetahs.
Mount Etjo Safari Lodge is built on a private nature reserve in the Kalkfeld area. Hundreds of species of animals dwell here in rugged mountainous terrain and on the savannah. Accommodation at Mount Etjo Safari Lodge is in 25 chalets nestling in beautiful surroundings. Rooms have en suite bathrooms and several rooms at the main lodge have their own jacuzzis. There is a swimming pool and game viewing is undertaken in open safari vehicles or on foot.
Overnight at Mount Etjo Safari Lodge on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
April 18 - Windhoek – Frankfurt
After breakfast we return to Windhoek via the Kavango craft markets in Okahandja. We will be dropped off at Hosea Kutako International Airport for our British Airways by Comair flight to Johannesburg and onward overnight Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt.
April 19 - Frankfurt – Vancouver
At Frankfurt International Airport, hotel day-rooms have been reserved for a few hours until our onward Lufthansa flight to Vancouver.
|
