9 Day Namibia Exclusive Safari: A Journey with Expert Naturalist Guides

Our 9 Day Namibia Exclusive Safari is an intimate and immersive journey tailored for small groups of up to seven participants. Guided by knowledgeable naturalists, this adventure takes you through Namibia's most stunning and diverse landscapes, from wildlife-rich Etosha National Park to the rugged beauty of Damaraland and the towering dunes of the Namib Desert. Learn about successful conservation initiatives and witness Namibia's diverse ecosystems firsthand.

9 Day Namibia Exclusive Safari Itinerary

Experience close encounters with iconic African wildlife, visit successful conservation projects and enjoy the comfort and exclusivity of handpicked lodges and camps. Whether tracking leopards, rhinos, or desert-adapted elephants, this safari promises unforgettable moments and deep insights into Namibia's natural wonders.

Day 1: Windhoek to Southern Etosha National Park via Okonjima

Your journey starts in the morning when your private guide collects you from your hotel in Windhoek. En route to Ongava Game Reserve on the southwest border of Etosha National Park, you'll visit Okonjima's AfriCat Day Centre, where you'll learn about big cat conservation efforts. After a light lunch, you'll continue heading north, arriving at Ongava in time for an afternoon game drive in an open safari vehicle.

Ongava Game Reserve, a sprawling private sanctuary adjacent to Etosha National Park, is home to a diverse array of game including lions, leopards, giraffes, rhinos, Hartmann's mountain zebras, oryx, kudu, and steenbok. The reserve's landscape features expansive open plains, Mopane tree woodlands, and striking dolomite outcrops, creating an attractive and varied backdrop for wildlife viewing.

• Accommodation: Ongava Game Reserve
• Activities: AfriCat Day Centre visit and Ongava game drive

Day 2: Etosha National Park

Today, embark on a morning guided game drive in Etosha National Park, renowned for its diverse game and bird species. Etosha National Park covers 22,270 km², including over 5,000 km² of saline depressions or "pans". The largest pan, the Etosha Pan, is a saline desert, once part of a vast shallow lake fed by the Kunene River. Today, the pan spans 4,760 km². During the dry season, animals gather in large numbers around water sources, creating spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities.

After a morning of exploration, return to Ongava Game Reserve for a late lunch. Relax by the swimming pool before heading out for an afternoon game drive in Etosha. Alternatively, spend the entire day in the park, enjoying lunch at a rest camp or picnicking by a productive waterhole. In the evening, enjoy dinner while game viewing at Ongava's floodlit waterhole

• Accommodation: Ongava Game Reserve
• Activities: Etosha National Park game drives and evening waterhole viewing

Day 3: Southern Etosha to Damaraland

After breakfast, continue your Namibian journey through picturesque farmlands and charming small towns to the heart of Damaraland, a region renowned for its vibrant colours, majestic table-topped mountains, unique rock formations, and unusual vegetation. Damaraland's present-day landscape, shaped by wind and water erosion along with geological forces, features rolling hills, dunes, gravel plains, and ancient river terraces. The area's vastness and breathtaking scenery offer a profound sense of wilderness. En route, savour a delicious Magic Box picnic and arrive at your Damaraland accommodation, Camp Doros, in time for fireside sundowners.

• Accommodation: Camp Doros
• Activities: Scenic drive, Magic Box picnic and fireside sundowners

Day 4: Damaraland - Black Rhino Tracking

Join local trackers in search of free-roaming black rhinos. Rhino-tracking is an experience unique to this region, which is home to the last remaining wild, unfenced population inhabiting the arid western Kaokoveld. Camp Doros collaborates with the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT), an NGO crucial in preserving the rare, endangered, desert-adapted black rhino.

After lunch at camp and some relaxation during the midday heat, you will set out again for a scenic nature drive or bushwalk to explore the vast and striking ecosystem.

• Accommodation: Camp Doros
• Activities: Rhino tracking with Save the Rhino Trust and scenic nature drive or bushwalk

Day 5: Damaraland - Desert Adapted Elephants

Continue your Damaraland adventure today, exploring its captivating landscapes with your private naturalist guide by vehicle and on foot. Damaraland is a haven for desert-adapted wildlife, including elephants, giraffes, oryx, springbok, and even predators like lions. Today, the focus will be on searching for elusive desert-adapted elephants in the ephemeral river systems. Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch prepared by your guide, and return to camp in the late afternoon.

• Accommodation: Camp Doros
• Activities: Search for desert-adapted elephants and picnic lunch

Day 6: Damaraland to Swakopmund

After an early breakfast, today's drive takes you past Namibia's highest mountain, the Brandberg, which peaks at 2,573 meters above sea level to Swakopmund, a small coastal town nestled between the ancient Namib Desert and the Atlantic Ocean. Swakopmund boasts a charming blend of German colonial architecture and modern amenities, including hotels, shops, restaurants, museums, craft centres, galleries, and cafés.

Here, you'll enjoy the pleasant seaside location and cooler coastal air for the night. Your accommodation is on the eastern outskirts of the town, overlooking the Swakop River valley and desolate desert dune landscapes. Tonight's dinner is at a popular restaurant renowned for its locally harvested fresh seafood and a variety of local and international dishes.

• Accommodation: Desert Breeze Lodge
• Activities: Scenic drive and seafood dining

Day 7: Swakopmund to Namib Tsaris Conservancy

After an early breakfast, depart through ever-changing desert landscapes, passing through the impressive Gaub and Kuiseb canyons before reaching the dunes at the settlement of Solitaire. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route and continue to the Namib Tsaris Conservancy, where you will spend the final two nights of your safari at Camp Sossus. Arrival is expected in the mid to late afternoon, allowing time to familiarize yourself with the camp and enjoy a hot bucket shower before dinner.

• Accommodation: Camp Sossus
• Activities: Scenic drive and picnic lunch

Day 8: Sossusvlei Exploration

Rise early for an excursion into the Namib Naukluft National Park, entering the park gates at sunrise to capture the dunes in the soft morning light, with shadows accentuating their towering shapes and curves. This area is home to some of the highest free-standing dunes in the world. Your expert naturalist guide will provide insights into the formation of the ancient Namib Desert and introduce you to its fascinating creatures and plants that have adapted to survive these harsh conditions. Explore the areas around Sossusvlei and Deadvlei to your heart's content, then enjoy a picnic in the shade of a camelthorn tree.