Highlights

Departures on this 3-day and 2-night accommodated adventure are from Windhoek every Tuesday and Thursday, and this itinerary is a fantastic way to quickly ‘’Snapshot’’ three of Namibia’s greatest highlights.

Amazing wildlife opportunities abound in Etosha National Park, where in numerous instances the animals come to us as we seek out the myriad of waterholes. We are looking for predators and prey alike, lion and leopard, elephant and giraffe, black rhino and eland are all in the mix of possible sightings, together with so many more species of mammals and birds that it is impossible to mention them all. The mineral pan ‘’The Great White Space’’ from which Etosha takes its name is 22,000 square km of desolate, dazzling expanse, so big it can be seen from space.

Beautiful Damaraland gives us a unique ‘’Big Sky’’ experience, where the towering pink granite koppies seem to touch the very sky on our horizon. Stunning in every season, this region of mountains and grassland, trees and riverbeds, desert elephant and desert rhino, puts real meaning into the words ‘’breathtaking. We meet some of the locals as we travel through Damaraland. Himba, Herero & Damara people, often in traditional dress, who welcome us to their makeshift roadside stalls where they sell traditional handicrafts to the passing traffic. Onwards, westward, passing under the shadow of Namibia’s highest mountain, The Brandberg, we make our way down to the Atlantic Ocean.

Reaching the wild and rugged Skeleton Coast, we follow the ocean road into the unusual and quirky town of Swakopmund. Referred to by some as the adrenaline capital of Namibia, there are certainly some hair-raising experiences on offer, but Swakopmund is also a place where you can relax and recharge.

Information

Included:

✓ Transport in a custom-built safari vehicle with USB charging capabilities & air-conditioning

✓ Services of a professional English-speaking guide

✓ 2 nights’ accommodation in twin shared rooms with en-suite bathrooms as above

✓ Meals as above (B – breakfast, L – lunch, D – dinner)

✓ National park entry fees (2 days Etosha)

✓ ½ Day Game drive as above in a Chameleon Safaris vehicle

✓ Full-day game drive in an open game viewer

✓ Pick up within Windhoek city limits and drop off within Swakopmund city limits

✓ Tap Water

✓ Shared airport shuttle to and from the Windhoek International Airport 

Excluded:

❌ All drinks

❌ Snacks between meals

❌ Tips

❌ Item of a personal nature

❌ Optional activities

Tour Program

BB = Overnight stay | Breakfast

DBB = Dinner | Overnight stay | Breakfast

FB = Lunch or lunch packages | Dinner | Overnight stay | Breakfast, activities and activity

Day 1: Windhoek – Camp inside Etosha National Park – 500 km (Okaukuejo or Halali Resort)

You will be collected from your accommodation within the Windhoek city limits at 07:00 and transferred to Chameleon Headquarters for a short pre-departure meeting.

Heading north from Windhoek, we stop briefly at the small town of Otjiwarongo to gather some last-minute supplies before continuing on to Etosha, and we enjoy a light lunch pack whilst “on the move”. We enter Etosha National Park and game drive our way to our overnight accommodation.

Etosha is huge, just over 22,000 square km and is home to 114 species of mammal, 350 species of bird, 110 species of reptile, countless numbers of insects and, somewhat bizarrely, one species of fish. There are good chances of spotting many of these different creatures as we tour through the park, stopping at the various waterholes along the way.

All visitors must be in camp by sunset, and we aim to arrive at our lodge before sunset and with time to settle into our rooms. Dinner is at the camp restaurant tonight.

The ‘game show’ in Etosha doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. All the Etosha camps have floodlit waterholes for extra game viewing opportunities. The waterhole is located near our accommodation. A visit, or two, is highly recommended this evening as we can expect many species to visit during the night, and this waterhole is known to be very popular with elephants and the critically endangered black rhino.

Accommodation: Twin share, en-suite bathroom

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2: Etosha- Accommodation near Anderson gate – 70 km (Etosha Village, Okatula Lodge or similar)

We have the whole day to explore Etosha in an open game viewer, and we want to make the most of it. We enjoy an early breakfast and then start our day. Early morning is usually a productive time for game viewing, and the first thing in the morning is a good time to catch big cats returning from their hunts.

Etosha is a desert landscape, and water is the most scarce natural resource. There are, however, numerous waterholes here, both natural and man-made, and our game-driving technique is to take in as many of these as possible. Here, we hope that the game will come to us as thirsty animals come for a much-needed drink.

On our way today, we will stop to have a closer look at the Etosha Pan. The name Etosha translates as ‘great white space’, but this name does not do justice to the immensity of the pan. Over 4,700 square km of dazzling white mineral pan, so big that it can be seen from space.

We exit Etosha at the Anderson Gate, just in time for sunset, and it's a short drive to our accommodation, which features a comfortable, spacious twin-share room with modern en-suite bathroom facilities. An ideal space to sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. A fantastic dinner tonight.

Accommodation: Twin share, en-suite bathroom

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 3: Etosha – Swakopmund - 510 km

After breakfast, we aim to be on the road by 7:30 this morning. We are heading for the Skeleton Coast, and we are taking the scenic route. We first head south on the main road, passing the small town of Outjo, and then continue west, picking up the gravel road as we travel through the area known as Damaraland.

Damaraland is renowned for its stunning scenery, majestic mountains, vast open grasslands, and tall koppies (small hills) of rounded pink granite boulders, as well as its expansive landscapes and vast open spaces. We also have the opportunity to meet some of the locals, as there are several places along our route today where we can find informal shops selling locally made, handcrafted souvenirs. Represented here are ladies from the Himba, Herero, and Damara tribes, and most often, they are wearing their traditional attire. Here we can interact with some of the colourful local characters who live in this harsh environment. Making a small purchase here is a good way to inject some cash directly into the local economy.

We continue through the beautiful landscape, making a stop for a light picnic lunch, under the shadow of Namibia’s highest mountain, the Brandberg. Rising from the desert floor, this giant monolith is 2,573 m above sea level and is formed of pink-tinged granite.

We continue our journey west and soon arrive at the coast and the chilly Atlantic Ocean. The whole coastline of Namibia is known as the Skeleton Coast, and it is easy to see why this barren seaboard is so named, with its forbidding mountains and barren beaches. The wind, the waves and the huge fog banks all conspire to push ships onto the beach. The countless mariners who, in olden times, found themselves shipwrecked here faced the stark prospect of no fresh water, no food, no rescue and a slow death by exposure. Their Shipmates who went down with their ship were thought to be the lucky ones.

Heading south on the coast road, our next stop is a more recent shipwreck. 15 km south of the small town of Henties Bay, a fishing trawler, The Zeila, was beached in 2008. She was an old vessel that had been sold for scrap and was under tow at the time. The cable snapped, and like so many vessels before her, she was caught in the swell and currents and ended up on the beach. She lies pretty close to the shore and is well-positioned for photos.

Swakopmund was founded by Captain Kurt von François of the imperial colonial army of the German Empire in 1892. (He also founded Windhoek in 1890). It is an interesting town to say the least, bounded to the north, the east and the south by the mighty dunes of the Namib Desert and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. There are still many examples of colonial German architecture to be seen, and the German language is still widely used.

You will be dropped off at your accommodation anywhere within the Swakopmund city limits. Swakopmund boasts some truly excellent restaurants, and again, your guide will be able to help you with recommendations and bookings.

Accommodation: None

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,