14 Day - Namibia Self Drive Holiday, Big Cat Conservation

NAMIBIA SELF DRIVE HOLIDAY, BIG CAT CONSERVATION

HIGHLIGHTS

DESCRIPTION OF NAMIBIA SELF DRIVE HOLIDAY, BIG CAT CONSERVATION

This two week Namibia self drive holiday itinerary has been carefully crafted to take you on one of the most eclectic, exquisite and exciting journeys this stunning country can offer. Such as game drives in Etosha National Park, world renowned for its thriving populations of lion, cheetahs, leopard, as well as elephant, giraffe and rhinoceros. Most of these can be seen at the park’s unique Etosha Pan, a salt-crusted, dry lakebed with wildlife packed waterholes.

Other natural wonders to be seen on this holiday include a visit to a big cat conservation reserve, dedicated to the management and rehabilitation of leopard and cheetah and where you can get involved in some leopard tracking. From land mammals to sea, you will also have the opportunity to go dolphin watching near Swakopmund. For sand dunes, however, it’s the desert rather than the coast that is Namibia’s crowning glory – the Namib Desert. Here you can walk along the iconic dunes at Sossusvlei but also visit dramatic sites such as the Sesreim Canyon. This holiday also includes a visit the indigenous Himba people, with village visits that have maintained authenticity and a genuine cultural exchange.

We always offer small, locally owned luxury lodges for road trips around Namibia, with a focus on Namibian culture and cuisine. From our years of experience, we recommend that the best time to go to Namibia is during the dry season, March-Sept, as this is not only when temperatures are manageable but also when you will get the best wildlife viewing. During these months temperatures range from 20 °C-25 °C, although they do dip at night time. The temperatures start to soar as high as 40 °C during the rainy season which, in Namibia, is between Jan-March.

DAY-BY-DAY EXPERIENCES

Day 1:
Depart from UK. Overnight flight to Windhoek.

Day 2:
Arrive Windhoek. Arrive in Windhoek. You will be transferred to your accommodation for 1 night in a luxury room on a bed and breakfast basis. Take delivery of your hire vehicle.

Day 3:
Namib Desert. Drive into the Namib Desert. Visit Sesreim Canyon before relaxing at your Lodge for a free afternoon.

Day 4:
Dunes walk. An early morning drive into the desert for a walk on the dunes. They constantly change shape with the wind and reach the height of a 70 storey skyscraper. The colourful quartz sand in the early morning provides hues of creams, oranges, reds and violets – a photographer’s dream.

Day 5:
The coast. Drive to the coast. The town has some great locally crafted gifts and shopping here is a great way of supporting the local economy.

Day 6:
Activities. Today is free for optional activities including a marine boat cruise, scenic flights over the Skeleton coast, golf and excursions to visit a Himba village.

Day 7:
Damaraland. Drive into Damaraland. Take a short hike to view prehistoric rock engravings as well as some of the area’s fascinating geological formations. The lodge where you stay offers a number of activities, including guided nature walks, elephant and rhino tracking and a cultural visit to a Himba village.

Day 8:
Damaraland. Take a guided tour to track and learn about how desert-adapted elephants survive in this environment or go on a nature walk for a surprising insight into the fauna and flora in the area.

Day 9:
Etosha National Park. Drive to Etosha National Park, widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest game viewing parks. The availability of water holes in Etosha means that the potential for viewing game (including lion, cheetah, elephant, rhino, giraffe, springbok and zebra) is excellent. Drive up to one of the waterholes and simply watch!

Day 10:
Etosha National Park. Drive through to the Southern Gate of Etosha National Park, stopping for game viewing en route.

Day 11:
Etosha National Park. Spend the day on game drives in Etosha National Park.

Day 12:
Big cats reserve. Drive to the big cats reserve, dedicated to the conservation, management and rehabilitation of leopard and cheetah. Stay for 2 nights on a full board basis. Activities include cheetah tracking on foot, leopard viewing, a visit to the cheetah project for an insight into the welfare work of the Africat Foundation and taking a self-guided walk along a nature trail.

Day 13:
Big cats reserve. Enjoy a variety of activities at the big cats reserve.

Day 14:
Windhoek. Drive back towards Windhoek for a final night on a beautiful reserve just half an hour’s drive south of Windhoek. Facilities include heated indoor swimming pool, outdoor pool, small exercise gym, sauna and self-guided walking trails. Optional early morning or late afternoon game drives can be arranged.

Day 15:
Return home. Return to Windhoek airport for your return flight to your destination.

FROM
£2,000 (ZA R43,265)

TO
£4,000 (ZA R86,529)