Classic Namibian Flying Safari

Nights 3 and 4: Damaraland - Hoanib Valley Camp

This morning, it’s back to the plane for a flight towards the Atlantic Coast!

As the plane veers northwards, you’ll pass the Eduard Bohlen, one of the most famous shipwrecks on the coastline that came adrift in 1909, as well as Conception Bay and Sandwich Harbour. You’ll then land in Swakopmund for a seafood lunch on the beach and a brief tour of the quaint town, before continuing north in the plane. This dramatic coastline was nicknamed the “gates to hell” by Portuguese sailors who had to navigate the powerful currents in their quest to round the Cape of Good Hope, and the Atlantic Ocean’s power is visible from the air as it hits the rocky coastline. From the air, glimpses of the remnants of shipwrecks are still visible and a stark reminder of nature’s power.

The plane will then turn inland toward the Hoanib Valley and it’s now that you’ll start to appreciate the mindboggling vastness of the country…

ACCOMMODATION:

2 nights at Hoanib Valley Camp, an elegant tented camp located amongst the towering mountains and sand dunes of north-western Namibia.

ACTIVITIES:

• Morning and afternoon desert game drives to search for desert-adapted giraffe, elephant, lion and rhino.
• Learn about the giraffe research conducted in the area.
• Nature walks through the dry riverbeds and dunes. • Spending a morning or afternoon with the local Himba communities.

Nights 5 and 6: Skeleton Coast - Shipwreck Lodge

Today, you’ll swap two wings for four wheels for the drive to the Skeleton Coast.

The full-day journey is one of the most spectacular drives on the continent, and you will travel along the ephemeral Hoanib River, home to large herds of elephant. From there, the route follows the course of the Hoarusib River, where dry plains give way to a clay-baked landscape, and as the salty sea breeze begins to pick up, so the landscape turns to white sand dunes.

ACCOMMODATION:

2 nights at the award-winning Shipwreck Lodge, designed to resemble the shipwrecks that line the hauntingly beautiful Skeleton Coast.

ACTIVITIES :

• Trips to the Mowe Bay seal colony, including stops at the Suiderkus and Karimona shipwrecks, Westies diamond mine, and the remains of the Ventura Bomber.
• Sundowner drives to the roaring dunes. • Full day 4×4 Hoarusib River excursions, including the Clay Castles and wildlife spotting.
• Beach lunches.
• Quad biking and sand boarding.

OPTIONAL- Nights 7 and 8: Etosha - Onguma Tented Camp

Add on two nights at the Onguma Private Reserve, that shares a border with the famous Etosha National Park in the east. The reserve offers unspoiled landscapes and a sense of tranquillity and solitude. Wildlife-wise, you’ll find lion, cheetah and many of Namibia’s fascinating desert species, but the reserve is probably most famous for its strong population of black and white rhino. Game drives into Etosha National Park are also on offer.

The two nights can also be done at any of the other lodges or camps around Etosha.