This is a self-drive tour, for which drivers and guides can be arranged.

With its vast open spaces, low population, clear air, and numerous national parks and reserves, Namibia is a prime location for animal-viewing and bird-watching. The vistas are excellent, the light is clear, the air is unpolluted, and photographic opportunities abound.

Namibia’s Etosha National Park is world-famous for its wide variety of animals and excellent, open-plains viewing opportunities. Lions and the other big cats, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, hyenas – Etosha has them all in abundance, and many more. However, Namibia is also famous for its desert-adapted elephants and rhinos that roam the north-west of the country, providing heartening evidence of successful conversation efforts. It is truly awe-inspiring to see these great animals in such arid conditions against the background of soul-moving, sweeping vistas. There are other successful conservation efforts as well, such as the impressive work that is done with cheetahs and other cats by the Africat Foundation. However, fine as all these experiences and sights are, perhaps there is nothing more essentially Namibian than the sight of a herd of springboks or oryxes moving across a flaxen-grassed plain with wine-dark mountains as a backdrop.

Namibia has about 620 native species of birds, so there should be plenty to keep even the most avid bird-watcher busy. In the Kalahari Desert, there are wild ostriches and the amazing nests of the sociable weavers. At the coast, Walvis Bay and Sandwich Harbour lagoons provide refuges for up to 80% of Southern Africa's population of flamingos, as well as pelicans, cormorants, sandpipers, stints, plovers and the rare Caspian and Damara terns. Etosha National Park, home to so many animal species, is also a prime location for bird-watching. Some of the largest and most conspicuous birds include ostriches and the huge kori bustards. Raptors are common; there are approximately 35 species, including the lappet-faced and hooded Vultures. In years of good rain, the huge salt pan becomes a temporary lagoon and thousands of flamingos and white pelicans fly in to breed.

Whatever your fancy, big or small, fast or slow, Namibia offers a wonderful animal-viewing and birding experience - all in a country of plenty of sunshine (more than 300 sunny days, on average), open spaces, stunning vistas, and friendly welcomes. Don't miss it!

ITINERARY FOR THE TOUR

DAYS 1 & 2: Windhoek - Upon arrival, we will meet you at the airport and will give you your travel portfolio. In addition, you will take possession of your hire vehicle. As Windhoek is the capital city of Namibia and offers a lot that is of cultural and historical interest, we recommend that you should spend one full day at leisure in the city. Because of its situation and the fact that it is the site of the country’s major airport, many visitors begin and end their Namibian holiday in Windhoek.

Accommodation: Olive Grove Guest House or Hotel Heinitzburg

Activities: General tour of the city; historical walking tour; township tour; craft centres; places of particular historical interest, such as those connected with the German period, the South African period, and the independence period; browsing the stores and bookshops; relaxing with a coffee or a beer at a cafe in or just off Independence Avenue, absorbing the ambience of Namibia’s capital city.

DAY 3 & 4: Bagatelle Kalahari Game Lodge – Today, driving southwards, through an area of large ranches that mainly raise sheep and ostriches, you enter the rolling red dunes of the Kalahari Desert.

Bagatelle Kalahari Game Lodge lies on the edge of the southern Kalahari in mixed tree and shrub savanna in an area that is characterised by huge red sands dunes running parallel to each other in a north-westerly to south-easterly direction. The valleys in between the parallel dunes are commonly known as 'streets'.

Activities: Sundowners on a red Kalahari sand dune offer the perfect way to watch the sun sink away into the distant dunes; visiting the sheep and cattle farming operations to learn about ranching in this unforgiving environment; viewing cheetah at play from a platform overlooking a natural waterhole; walks and hikes.

In association with the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Bagatelle cares for a number of cheetahs. The conservation facility was built to specifications that exceed official guidelines and under the guidance of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. These captive cheetahs cannot be released into the wild and Bagatelle aims to provide them with optimal quality of life. Also view wild ostriches and the amazing nests of the sociable weavers

DAYS 5, 6, & 7: The Namib Desert - Your drive today takes you westwards into this famous desert. Your destination is in the vicinity of the famous red dunes of Sossusvlei, the highest in Namibia and reputed to be amongst the highest in the world.

Situated south of the Sesriem gate to Sossusvlei lies the private 21 000 hectare Kulala Wilderness Reserve, the closest reserve to Sossusvlei itself. Little Kulala Lodge offers magnificent dune scenery to the west and the rugged Namib mountainous escarpment to the north and east with grassy plains and 'fairy circles' filling the spaces between. The lodge offers accommodation in eight thatched and canvas chalets or 'kulalas' ('kulala' means 'to sleep' in Oshiwambo). Each unit is set on a wooden platform to provide maximum airflow, and each has its own private en-suite bathroom and wrap-around verandah with a small plunge pool.

Activities: These include early morning guided game drives to the spectacular Sossusvlei dunes through a private gate on the Tsauchab River. Game drives and walks on the reserve offer incredible views as well as the opportunity to view desert game and smaller desert fauna and flora, while the scenic sundowner drive envelopes guests in wonderful colours and views. Another option is early morning ballooning; starting at first light, the 60-minute balloon safari offers a truly unique experience as you soar silently above the magnificent sand dunes and desert, followed by a champagne breakfast served at your landing site

A water hole in front of the main building attracts oryxes, springboks, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, ostriches, and jackals.

DAYS 8, 9 & 10: The West Coast Recreation Area - Today you drive to Walvis Bay through the golden grass of the Pro-Namib with the mountains of the escarpment to the right. Then you enter the badlands of the Kuiseb Canyon and, after traversing the canyon, you begin to drive across the great gravel plains of the desert towards your destination at the coast.

Although Swakopmund is the premier tourist resort on the coast, we recommend that you should stay at Walvis Bay because of the superior birding opportunities that it offers. Swakopmund is close, being less than 40 kms away from Walvis Bay by means of a pleasant coastal drive.

Accommodation: Lagoon Lodge

Walvis Bay is one of the best locations in Southern Africa for greater and lesser flamingos, chestnut-banded plovers, black terns, European oystercatchers, and red-necked phalaropes. Usually there are large numbers of waders and terns in the lagoon. Along the coast between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, huge numbers of Cape cormorants breed on a platform just off-shore, while crowned cormorants and Hartlaub's gulls are common sights. Within specified localities, birds such as Damara terns, black-necked grebes, and Gray's larks can easily be seen.

General activities: You should spend at least three nights at the coast because of the many sights and activities that can be enjoyed there. Set between dry desert and fertile ocean, with its German-era buildings and unusual misty climate, Swakopmund is well worth an extensive visit. Stroll along the pleasant beachfront, relax at the chic Mole beach, visit the art galleries, and enjoy the good restaurants, most of which specialise in seafood.

The coast and its adjacent hinterland also offer a host of other sights and activities, such as

• a desert tour that includes the ancient welwitschia plants;
  
• a day trip in a 4X4 vehicle to Sandwich Harbour, a desert-fringed, bird-rich marine lagoon that is fed by the underground waters of the Kuiseb River;
  
• a cruise to view dolphins, seals, and other marine life;
  
• deep-sea or shore-based fishing;
  
• a visit to the singular museum at Swakopmund;
  
• browsing for art works and bric-a-brac;
  
• a visit to the aquarium at Swakopmund;
  
• quad-biking, hang-gliding, and sand-boarding on the desert dunes.
  

Click here for a more comrehensive description of activities at the coast. Also click here for details of scenic flights from Swakopmund.

Walvis Bay and Swakopmund major destinations for a holiday in Namibia!

Half-day and day flights from Swakopmund: Click on the link for details of scenic flights from Swakopmund. These flights cover most of the coast between Luderitz and the central Skeleton Coast, as well as parts of the adjacent interior, including flights over the Namib Desert.

DAY 11: Cape Cross Seal Reserve - Today you travel northwards along this stark, almost eerie coast with its arid desert and fertile sea. At Henties Bay, stop for refreshments and wonder at how a modern town has been built on shifting and unstable sands. Then drive on to your destination at Cape Cross Lodge, which has its own private beachfront and is very convenient for the seal reserve, the biggest mainland-breeding seal colony in the world. It is only four kilometers from the lodge and is the main reason for the lodge's existence. The lodge is built in a mix of Cape Dutch and west-coast fishing village style, with a fully-glassed frontage that harnesses plenty of natural light.

Activities centre on the seals. Visitors can self-drive or join a guided tour to the colony with its thousands of seals - young and old, bleating pups, snorting bulls and protective mothers - conducting their teeming communal lives on- and off-shore almost within arm's reach. Right next to the seal colony is a replica of a cross that was erected here by Portuguese explorers in 15th century, as they pushed southwards into the unknown, searching for the sea-route to the Indies.

While at Cape Cross, take time to view the ancient lichen fields, once neglected but nowadays recognised as vital components of the delicate ecology of the coastal region. Other activities include guided quad bike excursions to places of interest such as Messem Crater and a shipwreck - something for which the Skeleton Coast has always been notorious - as well as shark fishing.

The common black-backed jackal prowls the edges of the colony at day, whilst the brown hyena is a bolder predator amongst the younger seals. Sea birds abound.

DAY 12: Twyfelfontein and vicinity – today you backtrack for a short distance to Henties Bay and then turn north-eastwards into the desert, with the Brandberg ('Burning Mountain') looming ahead of you. Although the Brandberg is the highest mountain in Namibia, it isn't particularly high by world standards - in fact, it's rather low compared to the many plus-8000 metre peaks of the Himalayas - but nevertheless it is impressive in its own context, as a massif that rises sheer off the desert floor. If you have time, stop to view the famous 'White Lady' rock painting (in fact, it’s neither 'white' nor a lady!) in its atmospheric ravine. The White Lady isn't alone in 'her' remote location, because the Brandberg houses numerous galleries of ancient rock paintings that are celebrated amongst the cognoscenti.

Continue to Mowani Mountain Camp, which is situated close to Twyfelfontein, Burnt Mountain and the Organ Pipes. The most renowned of these sites is Twyfelfontein, which has some of the best known rock paintings and engravings in Southern Africa. The interesting rock formations of the Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain are nearby, providing awe-inspiring evidence of prehistoric volcanic action.

This vast and unspoiled wilderness with magnificent desert scenery, fascinating geological formations, archaeological sites and a unique variety of desert fauna and flora lies between the Ugab and Huab Rivers in southern Damaraland. It is also the southernmost roaming ground for the rare black rhino and desert elephant. Mowani Mountain Camp nestles amongst the boulders of this beautiful area on a high spot commanding distant views over the ancient landscape. The luxury tented accommodation is built unobtrusively, so as to ensure minimum impact on the natural environment.

Activities: Ramble amongst the vivid galleries of ancient rock art at Twyfelfontein; visit the impressive sites of Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain; learn about the fascinating environmental and natural features of this unique region.

DAYS 13 & 14: Palmwag Rhino Camp - Today you drive further northwestwards and westwards to your destination, which is only about 100 kilometres from the coast. The environment appears to be so barren and harsh that it is difficult to imagine that any living things, particularly mammals, can survive here. However, it is one of the wonderful features of Namibia that the area has large populations of Hartman's mountain zebras, giraffes, oryxes, springboks and kudus, as well as predators such as cheetahs, leopards, brown and spotted hyenas, and more than 100 lions. Bird life is also prolific. Above all, the concession area, 450 000 hectares in size, is known for its populations of desert-adapted black rhinos and elephants.

Palmwag Rhino Camp is a mobile camp run in conjunction with the Save the Rhino Trust. The camp offers comprehensive insights into the ecology and conservation challenges of this incredible area and at the same time contributes directly to the Trust and ultimately to the sustainability of this vulnerable area and its wildlife.

This is a luxury tented mobile camp that can be easily moved if game movements make it necessary. A maximum of twelve guests have the rare pleasure of exploring this wild and remote area in the company of the dedicated conservationists hosting them, together with local trackers.

Activities: Rhino tracking on foot or by vehicle; game viewing; night drives and full day outings (with a picnic lunch) on the concession; visit to a Himba village.

DAYS 15 & 16: Western Etosha National Park and vicinity - Today you drive to Ongava Safari Lodge, which is situated just outside the Andersson gate, the western entrance to the highly reputed Etosha National Park, a major destination for a holiday in Namibia. Ongava, one of the finest lodges in the Etosha area, is situated on the 35,000 hectare Ongava Private Game Reserve which shares a common border with Etosha National Park. A never-to-be-forgotten experience at Ongava is outdoor dining under the stars whilst viewing game drinking at the waterhole.

Activities: Ongava reserve has a good population of lion, eland, mountain zebra, black-faced impala and a number of other antelope species, but its highlight is that it is one of the few private game reserves in Southern Africa where visitors can see both black and white rhinos. For those who enjoy close wildlife encounters, tracking white rhino on foot with an armed guide is an experience not to be missed. The birding is also superb, with a number of Namibian specials including short-toed rock thrushes, Hautlaubs francolins, white-tailed shrikes, and Ruppels parrots. Guests can also enjoy game drives in nearby Etosha National Park.

DAYS 17 & 18: Eastern Etosha National Park and vicinity - Today you drive through Etosha park from west to east to your accommodation at Mushara Lodge, which is conveniently situated just outside the eastern (Namutoni) gate of the park. The lodge offers spacious accommodation in 10 twin-bedded thatched bungalows, one family unit, and three single rooms, all stylishly decorated.

The eastern part of Etosha Park receives higher rainfall than other parts and thus has heavier bush cover. Giraffes and elephants are common, while there are frequent sightings of the big cats and hyenas, as well as shyer antelopes such as kudus. The area is also rich in bird life, such as vultures, ostriches, blue and crowned cranes, and red-crested korhaans. During the wetter months, Fischer's Pan, just north of Namutoni Camp in Etosha, has numerous ducks, flamingos, and storks.

DAYS 19 & 20: Okonjima Bush Camp – Today you drive southwards to Okonjima. Along the way, you might like to stop at Otjikoto Lake, a large, water-filled sinkhole that is a visible reminder of the huge underground aquifer that honeycombs this part of Namibia. The turn-off to Okonjima is a few kilometres south of the town of Otjiwarongo.

Okonjima Bush Camp has eight luxury thatched chalets, a minimum of 80 metres apart from each other for privacy. With half of each chalet made from canvas, the entire front can be rolled up at night to allow the cool breeze and sounds of the Namibian bush into the bungalow. The less adventurous can close the sides and sleep safely in the knowledge that the outside world is where it belongs..... outside!

Activities: Okonjima is well known as the site of the Africat Foundation, which has been in the forefront of the initiative to preserve cheetahs in the wild. Here you can learn more about the fascinating, heartening work of the Foundation and meet some of the cheetahs as well as accompany guides as they monitor progress of these animals in the Tusk Rehabilitation camp. Okonjima is home to over forty cheetahs, many of which were separated from their mothers before they learned how to survive on their own. The rehabilitation camp gives these animals an opportunity to learn survival skills such as hunting in a closely monitored environment. Successful cheetahs are relocated to parks and game farms.

At Okonjima, wild leopards are fed every night and guests can observe these elusive predators from the safety of a hide. Okonjima is also the site of a leopard monitoring project in which leopards are collared and tracked to determine the number in the area as well as their movements and activities. This information is used to improve understanding of how leopards live and operate on farms and so reduce the conflict between leopards and farmers.

Other activities include viewing tame lions, walks and trails, observing game from a night hide, and bird watching. (Over 300 bird species have been identified at Okonjima.)

DAY 21: Travel back to Windhoek. Motorists often see troops of baboons, small antelopes, and warthogs along the roadsides. In Okahandja, about 90 kilometres north of Windhoek, you can stop at the large open-air curio markets that are situated at the northern and southern edges of the town.

In Windhoek, stay overnight at the Olive Grove Guest House or Hotel Heinitzburg .