Compare Wonders of Namibia by G Adventures vs 8-Day Classic Namibia Group Safari by Nature Travel Namibia

Day 1 Windhoek

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.

Day 2 Windhoek/Sesriem

Set off from the Namibian capital towards Sesriem, the gateway to jaw-dropping Namib-Naukluft National Park. Drive past red-hued desertscapes, stark camel thorn trees, and dramatic curved dunes while keeping an eye out for the astonishing creatures that call these arid lands home—the oryx, springbok, jackal, hyena, and more. Settle in to our lodge and relax poolside, watching a fiery crimson sunset over the desert.

Enjoy postcard perfect desert scenery around Sesriem and Sossusvlei - vast desertscapes of reds and orange, stark camel thorn trees and towering dunes with dramatic curved ridges. Also keep an eye out for the surprising amount of wildlife that call this area home such as oryx, springbok, jackal, ground squirrel and hyena.

Day 3 Sesriem

Embark on a thrilling excursion into one of Africa’s largest national parks. Explore the Namib desert, the oldest desert in the world; and venture to the massive dunes at Sossusvlei and the white clay pan of Deadvlei. Capture dramatic images of dead camel thorn trees against a backdrop of orange dunes and a crisp blue sky. Then visit the Sesriem Canyon, a natural gorge carved out by the Tsauchab River over millions of years.

Day 4 Sesriem/Swakopmund

Continue by road through changing desert landscapes towards the coastal city of Swakopmund. Look out for roaming zebra, kudu, springbok, and oryx on the way, and take a break in the quirky town of Solitaire before heading into the countryside. Here, we meet a local for a 4x4 drive through the desert, learning about the survival strategies of bushmen who lived in this inhospitable area thousands of years ago. We also search for the smaller wildlife that has managed to survive here, such as snakes, geckos, spiders, and an array of insects.

Day 5 Swakopmund

Enjoy a free morning in Swakopmund, getting a taste of the town’s unique Afro-German culture; or opt for sandboarding in the Namib desert. This afternoon, take a tour of Mondesa township with a local guide, learning about its people and history. Visit the local market for an introduction to traditional foods such as wild spinach, mopane worms, and dried sardines or kapenta. Stop by an arts and crafts shop; chat with the locals; and round off the day with dinner and a performance at a cozy family-run establishment.

Explore the town's unique mix of German and African culture and opt to visit curio shops, the museum and restaurants. Optional activities include sandboarding.

Day 6 Swakopmund/Damaraland

Make your way to Twyfelfontein—Namibia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site—to see some of Africa’s largest concentrations of petroglyphs. Marvel at these remarkable engravings, carved by prehistoric hunter-gatherers and depicting rhinos, elephants, and ostriches, as well as human and animal footprints. Then continue to our lodge on the heart of the Damaraland area. Enjoy some free time to swim in the pool or admire a colourful sunset from the deck.

Day 7 Damaraland/Etosha National Park Area

Enjoy a relaxed morning at our lodge and explore the rich sandstone treasure of Damaraland. In the afternoon, travel towards Etosha National Park, arguably Namibia’s most spectacular wildlife sanctuary. Settle into our lodge, located outside of the park.

Day 8 Etosha National Park Area

Spend a full day on safari in Etosha National Park, where open grasslands converge on a massive salt pan. Etosha harbours some of the largest populations of lions, elephants, and other endangered species, so keep your camera on the ready as you explore in your open vehicle. Enjoy lunch at one of the park’s rest areas, where you can also take a swim; and sit back and watch all manner of creatures—including hundreds of species of birds—flock to the nearby watering hole.

After the vast desert, Etosha National Park, offers a contrast of wide open grasslands, a massive salt pan that covers 4731km² and tall camel thorn trees intermixed with Mopani trees. With a combination of natural waterholes, and diverse vegetation, wildlife flock to the park. Some of the largest elephants in Africa can be found in areas of thicker vegetation, as well as leopards. Lions, giraffe, ostrich and many antelope species can be found in the grasslands, while birders will love the salt pans which attract flamingos in the rainy season. More than 340 bird species have been counted in Etosha National Park including the European bee-eater, the kori bustard and numerous migratory birds.

Day 9 Etosha National Park Area/Windhoek

After breakfast, visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a global research and education center founded by National Geographic Grantee Dr Laurie Marker. Tour the facility to learn about the important conservation and community outreach work they do to protect the world’s fastest land animal, and enjoy a talk by one of the researchers. Then head out on a drive through the grounds to meet some of the center’s rescued and rehabilitated cheetahs. Continue to Windhoek for our final evening.

Day 10 Windhoek

Depart at any time.

Day 1: Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Namib Desert Lodge; Mid-range lodge located just outside Namib-Naukluft NP

Main Destination: Sossusvlei (Namib-Naukluft NP)

Drinks not included

After breakfast you will depart for Sossusvlei. We will drive through the Khomas Hochland and down the escarpment via one of the scenic mountain passes into the Namib Desert. This journey will take about 4 hours including stops for photographs. After lunch and settling in at the lodge we will depart for a late afternoon scenic nature drive.

The Namib is the oldest desert and boasts the highest sand dunes in the world. This region is one of the most spectacular areas in Africa. The name Sossusvlei refers to the vlei or pan into which the seasonal Tsauchab River flows in years of exceptional rainfall. The neighbouring Dead Vlei with the ancient dead Camel Thorn trees is one of the most photographic sites in good early morning light. The Sesriem canyon is a narrow gorge about 1 km long and is well worth a visit. Several desert adapted wildlife like oryx, springbok, black-backed jackal, ostrich, sociable weavers and plenty of reptiles and small mammals call this place home.

Day 2: Sossusvlei and Swakopmund

Meals: Breakfast  and Lunch (Dinner not included)

Accommodation: Swakopmund Sands; Mid-range hotel located in or near Namib-Naukluft NP

Main Destination: Swakopmund

Drinks not included

After an early breakfast and coffee we will depart for a morning excursion to Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei. We will stop at the scenic Dune 45 along the way and spend a couple of hours at both Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei. Some of the dunes in the area are a few hundred meters high but the view from the top for those that dare is one you will never forget.

After lunch we will depart for Swakopmund via the Namib Naukluft National Park. We will spend the night at a guesthouse and enjoy dinner at a restaurant in Swakopmund. Please note that dinner tonight is not included and for your own account.

Swakopmund has plenty of great restaurants and bars, good shopping opportunities and fascinating architecture. For the adventurous there is quad biking, sand-boarding, skydiving, beach angling and scenic flights over the coastline and Sossusvlei to name a few.

Day 3: Living Desert Adventure and Walvis Bay

Meals & Drinks: Breakfast  and Lunch (Dinner not included)

Accommodation: Swakopmund Sands;  Mid-range hotel located in or near Namib-Naukluft NP

Main Destination: Swakopmund

Drinks not included

After breakfast we will depart for a living desert adventure where we will encounter and learn more about the fascinating wildlife of the Namib Desert. We will look for gecko's, scorpions, side-winder snakes, lizards and beetles as well as the incredible plant life that survives in this harsh environment.

Once we are back in Swakopmund we enjoy lunch and then have the afternoon available to explore the town or perhaps finish the day with an optional quad-biking and dune-boarding adventure. Other optional activities that could be arranged include scenic flights over the coast and dunes.

Day 4: Skeleton Coast and Damaraland

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Twyfelfontein Country Lodge; Mid-range lodge located inside Damaraland

Main Destination: Damaraland (Kunene Region)

Best Time to Visit: May to September (Animals are easier to see)

High Season: July to November (Some places can get quite busy)

Best Weather: May to August (Less hot during the day)

After breakfast we continue our safari northwards along the Skeleton Coast. After visiting a shipwreck we will turn inland towards Damaraland. We will drive past the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain with the highest peak at 2573 meters.

We will visit the Twyfelfontein rock engravings (Namibia’s only world heritage site), burnt mountain and organ pipes rock formation.

Day 5-6: Etosha National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Etosha Safari Lodge; Mid-range lodge located just outside Etosha NP

Main Destination: Etosha National Park

Best Time to Visit: July to September (Animals come to water)

High Season: July to November (The park gets crowded)

Best Weather: May to August (Less hot during the day)

After breakfast we will depart for Etosha National Park where we will spend the next 3 nights.

An optional Damara Living Museum Village visit can be arranged and we will stop at the Petrified Forest en route.

We will do an afternoon game drive in our own vehicle on arrival and the following day an early morning and late afternoon drive visiting various waterholes famous for huge numbers of animals drinking here.

Drinks not included

Day 7: Eastern Etosha National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Mushara Lodge; Luxury lodge located just outside Etosha NP

Main Destination: Eastern Etosha National Park

After breakfast we will spend a full day travelling through the park, game viewing en route, to Mushara Lodge. The lodge is situated just outside the eastern section of the park on its own small game reserve.

This section of Etosha with the more lush vegetation offers fantastic game viewing. We will spend our final evening relaxing at the beautiful Mushara Lodge.

Drinks not included

Day 8: Departure to Windhoek

Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)

Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour)

Main Destination: No major destination visited

After an early morning game drive or a relaxing breakfast we will depart for Windhoek where you will catch your connecting flight.

We can also organise an extension to visit the San Bushman and perhaps spend the a night at Okonjima Lodge, home of the African foundation.

Many of our clients prefer to spend an additional night at Mushara to fully explore and appreciate the game rich eastern section of Etosha.

Drinks not included

End of tour (See Getting There for more details)

Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.

You'll be dropped off at the airport (or hotel).