This quintessential journey encompasses Namibia's attractions as a whole: stunning landscapes, endless skies, barren deserts, rugged mountains and spectacular wildlife. Explore the dunes of Sossusvlei and the awesome space of the Namib Desert. Encounter the stark beauty of the Skeleton Coast, marine life around Swakopmund and the game-filled savannahs of Etosha. Such experiences are enhanced by a range of Discoverer camps and lodges, including diverse activities such as a scenic Skeleton Coast flight, a dolphin cruise with private beach lunch at Walvis Bay, hiking and cycling in Damaraland, interacting with the Damara and Himba peoples (dependent on their movements) and tracking black rhino on foot in Damaraland.

Please note that road transfers in Namibia are primarily on gravel roads which may cause discomfort for guests with back or kidney problems. The Great Namibian Journey does include a few medium/ long road transfers. Please consult your doctor for advice if this is the case. This quintessential journey encompasses Namibia's attractions as a whole: stunning landscapes, endless skies, barren deserts, rugged mountains and spectacular wildlife. Explore the dunes of Sossusvlei and the awesome space of the Namib Desert. Encounter the stark beauty of the Skeleton Coast, marine life around Swakopmund and the game-filled savannahs of Etosha. Such experiences are enhanced by a range of Discoverer camps and lodges, including diverse activities such as a scenic Skeleton Coast flight, a dolphin cruise with private beach lunch at Walvis Bay, hiking and cycling in Damaraland, interacting with the Damara and Himba peoples (dependent on their movements) and tracking black rhino on foot in Damaraland.

Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is located in a basin between the Khomas Highland, Auas and Eros Mountains. Windhoek is home to approximately two hundred thousand people, an extremely small capital by global standards. Tourists comment on the cleanliness of the city, and often pronounce Windhoek to be a most un-African city. The Windhoek city centre is characterised by a proliferation of German style buildings, a lasting reminder of Namibia's early colonial history. It is a flight gateway to the rest of the country.

Airport transfer with private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide.

Olive Grove is an upmarket establishment, situated close to the city centre in a quiet, peaceful area. It is the place to stay in Windhoek and whilst each room caters for every need of the most discerning traveller, their emphasis is one of simplicity and elegance. The inside lounge is tastefully decorated, with comfortable chairs and a welcoming fireplace. Each room has a large veranda with tables and chairs for al fresco dining. The open-air lounge, spa bath, plunge pool and tranquil garden all invite the visitor to unwind and relax under Namibia’s open skies.

Overnight at Olive Grove.

Airport transfer with private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide.

From Windhoek, travel by vehicle approximately 205 miles to Kulala Desert Lodge in the 91430 acres private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, enjoying awe-inspiring views of the mountains and the desert floor. En route, enjoy a lunch close to the Khomas Hochland escarpment, reaching onto sweeping vistas below. Often referred to as the highest dunes in the world, the Sossusvlei are some of the most spectacular sights in Namibia. Located in the Namib Naukluft park, the largest conservation area in Africa, and fourth largest in the world - the sand dunes at Sossusvlei are the jewel of the Namib desert. This evening you stay will be at the Kuala Desert Lodge.

The Desert Homestead lies three kilometres northwest of the C19 and D854 roads junction, approx. 32km southeast of Sesriem. The wide grassy valley is sheltered by the Nubib, Tsaris and Naukluft mountains with a view reaching the distant dunes of the Namib Desert in the west.

Overnight at Desert Homestead .

Spend a second day travelling by over the beautiful expanse of the Namib Desert where you will encounter more the the famous Sossusvlei red sand dunes. One of the most enduring impressions of the Sossusvlei area is the early morning light on the sea of vivid orange dunes, some as high as 984 feet. Nearby world-famous Sossusvlei is an enormous clay pan, flanked by the famous red sand dunes that stand out starkly against the blue sky. The 'vlei' itself only fills after rare heavy rainfall when, in a complete turn-around, it transforms into a spectacular turquoise lake. Afternoon activities include nature walks, drives to scenic viewpoints and marveling at the unique Namib fauna and flora in the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve. Spend a second night at the Little Kulala Lodge.

Overnight at Desert Homestead .

Swakopmund is a city on the Atlantic coast of northwestern Namibia, 280 km (175 miles) west of Windhoek, Namibia's capital. Swakopmund is a beach resort and an excellently preserved example of German colonial architecture. It was founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South-West Africa. Attractions in Swakopmund include a transport museum, the National Marine Aquarium, a crystal gallery and spectacular sand dunes. Outside of the city, the Rossmund Desert Golf Course is one of only 5 all-grass desert golf courses in the world. Nearby lies a camel farm and the Martin Luther steam locomotive, dating from 1896 and abandoned in the desert.

Travel 224 miles by road north-west via the Kuiseb Canyon with its dark, craggy canyons and via a moon-like landscape of flat gravel plains (with stops along the way that include the Walvis Bay lagoon for some bird watching viewing inter-alia pelicans and flamingos). Arrive at the grand Hansa Hotel in Swakopmund in the early afternoon in time for lunch. The afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the towns quaint mix of European and African culture, as well as a little shopping in the vibrant markets.

The four star Hansa Hotel is nestled in the centre of Swakopmund and offers easy access to everything the town has to offer. This classical building dates from 1905, and it is an integral part of the architectural heritage of the area. The Hansa has twice received the Best Hotel in Namibia Award. It is also a 5 time winner of the Award of Excellence, a Golden Award of Excellence and a HAN Gold Award winner. The hotel has also been awarded the prestigious Diners Club Wine List Platinum Award, for outstanding selection and quality of it's wines.

Overnight at Hansa Hotel.

On your second day on the Namibian coast, explore the ice-blue Atlantic water, from the port towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund to its incredible marine mammals. A private boat cruise at Walvis Bay and down the coast to Sandwich Harbour (weather permitting) provides a unique chance to see the diverse pelagic (ocean-going) birdlife, Cape fur seals and rare Heaviside's dolphins up close. This activity is rounded off with a private seafood lunch, before returning to the hotel in the late afternoon. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure before arriving at your lodging for the night, the Hansa Hotel.

Overnight at Hansa Hotel.

Twyfelfontein is a site in the Kunene Region of Namibia containing 2,000 figures of rock carvings. In 2007, UNESCO approved it as Namibia's first World Heritage The figures at Twyfelfontein were created over the course of two thousand years, before 1000 AD. The hunter-gatherers who lived in the region created them as part of their rituals. The carvings represent rhinoceroses, elephants, ostrichs and giraffes as well as depictions of human and animal footprints. Some of the figures notably the "Lion Man" depict the transformation of humans into animals.

Travel approximately 174 miles, partly up the legendary Skeleton Coast (named for the numerous shipwrecks the treacherous shores have claimed over the years). From here you are driven along the back roads through the game productive Ugab riverbed, travelling north past the Brandberg Mountain - the second largest monolith on earth - to Damaraland. This all-day excursion with lunch en route ends with upon arrival at Damaraland Camp. Stark desert beauty and early morning mists, generated by the clash between the icy Atlantic Ocean and the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast, drift inland along the canyons, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of the region. Rare succulent plants abound in this harsh countryside. Activities include explorations on foot or 4x4 vehicles, viewing springbok, gemsbok and ostrich, and tracking the unique desert-adapted elephant.

Damaraland Camp is located in possibly the most pristine wilderness area in Namibia, the Huab River Valley. Boasting panoramic vistas of stark plains, ancient valleys and the soaring inselberg of the Brandberg Mountains, cheerful Damaraland Camp integrates the local community and environment through sustainable ecotourism. This rare synergy has won a host of awards, including the 2005 WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Conservation Award which is one of the top two global environmental travel awards.

Overnight at Damaraland Camp.

Palmwag is a nature reserve in northern Namibia. It is located in the Kunene region, in north-western Damaraland, half way between Swakopmund and the Etosha National Park. It covers an area of 400.000 hectars. Wildlife in Palwag include leopards, lions, cheetas, mountain zebras, giraffes, springboks, kudus, and desert elephants. The reserve also has the largest population of black rhinos in Africa; a local organization called Save the Rhino Trust protects them.

Depart Damaraland Camp and drive into the Huab riverbed to search for desert-adapted elephants, before heading north to the mountainous and rocky paradise of the massive Palmwag Concession. Desert Rhino Camp is situated in the enormous private Palmwag Reserve in north-west Namibia, between Etosha and the Skeleton Coast - few places on the planet can offer this level of privacy and wilderness experience. Stay overnight in a luxury tent at the Desert Rhino Camp.

Desert Rhino Camp offers one of the most thrilling adventures to the intrepid explorer - an encounter with the astonishing desert-adapted black rhino! Set in the 450,000 hectare Palmwag Concession, which boasts the largest free-ranging population of black rhino in Africa, Desert Rhino Camp is a truly original and exclusive experience. Set amongst rolling, rocky hills with scattered euphorbia, ancient welwitschia plants, scrubby vegetation and isolated clumps of trees of the 450,000 hectare Palmwag Concession. This region is marked for its tranquil, minimalist beauty, surprising wealth of arid-adapted wildlife and the largest free roaming black rhino population in Africa. 

Overnight at Desert Rhino Camp.

Today get acquainted with the large population of wildlife, in the expanse of the Desert Rhino Camp. This reserve has a number of freshwater springs that support healthy populations of animals including desert-adapted back rhino and elephant as well as large populations of the rare Hartmann's mountain zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, springbok and greater kudu. On rare occasions, predators such as lion, cheetah, leopard, and hyaena may also be seen in the area. Bird life is prolific and diverse featuring most of Namibia's endemics. Welwitschia plants (ancient and highly unusual succulents) dot the plain in front of the camp. The speciality of the area is its growing population of the rare desert-adapted black rhino (the largest concentration in the world outside a national park), which are monitored and protected by the Save the Rhino Trust. Spend a second night overnight at the Desert Rhino Camp Lodge.

Overnight at Desert Rhino Camp.

Etosha National Park is one of Southern Africa's finest and most important Game Reserves. Etosha Game park was declared a National Park in 1907 and covering an area of 22 270 square km, it is home to 114 mammal species. It is a desert park and water is precious, so game viewing is superb at watering holes. Visitors can expect to see many buck species, elephant, giraffe, rhino and lions. More fortunate visitors will see leopard and cheetah. There is a network of roads linking the three campsites and subsidiary roads lead to various waterholes.

Depart Palmwag eastward on an extended combination wildlife viewing (first part of the drive) and transfer drive of approximately 218 miles to Etosha National Park. Etosha National Park is a renowned park, boasting the most wildlife prolific game experience on a salt pan in the world. A healthy mix of wildlife, ranging from savanna based species like impala and then desert species like springbuck abound. Elephant roam the pan fringes and large herds of zebra are often highlighted against a mirage background of the white expansive salt pans. Within Etosha we visit numerous perennial springs and pans, encountering a myriad of differing species. Stay overnight at the Ongava Tented Camp.

Ongava Tented Camp is one of Namibia's best kept secrets. Tucked away at the foot of a dolomite hill in the Ongava Game Reserve, which borders the Etosha National Park to the north, Ongava Tented Camp offers private luxury, great company, delicious food and an original African wildlife experience without the crowds. Relaxation at Ongava Tented Camp typically takes place around the main area with its relaxing bar and swimming pool, watching the wildlife that comes to drink at the water below.

Overnight at Ongava Tented Camp.

Today you will experience the pinnacle of game viewing - accommodated in the privacy of an exclusive bush camp situated on an extensive private game reserve at Ongava. Ongava is situated just outside of Etosha National Park and houses healthy populations of the parks wildlife (except elephant) with rhino and predators often sighted. Whilst at Ongava enjoy a day trip to Halali, located halfway between Okaukuejo and Namutoni. Located at the base of a dolomite hill, amongst shady Mopane trees, Halali provides an ambiance of tranquility and space. It is surrounded by some of the most popular waterholes in the park. Spend a second night in a luxury tent at the Ongava Tented Camp.

Overnight at Ongava Tented Camp.

The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean coast of Namibia and south of Angola from the Kunene River south to the Swakop River, although the name is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast. The Bushmen of the Namibian interior called the region "The Land God Made in Anger", while Portuguese sailors once referred to it as "The Gates of Hell". The coast is named for the bleached whale and seal bones which covered the shore when the whaling industry was still active, as well as the skeletal shipwrecks caused by rocks offshore in the fog. More than a thousand vessels of various sizes and areas litter the coast.

Enjoy a breathtaking scenic flight over dramatic desert landscapes to the exclusive Skeleton Coast Research Camp situated in a private concession in the Skeleton Coast Park. This is one of the most inhospitable but hauntingly beautiful places on the planet: desolate and uninhabited. It has everything, from roaring sand dunes, windswept plains, towering canyons and saltpans to seal colonies, bleached whale bones and shipwrecks. Overnight at the Skeleton Coast Research Camp

Skeleton Coast Research Camp is incredibly remotely located in the fabulous and enormous Skeleton Coast North concession of northwest Namibia. Located just around the corner from the more illustrious Skeleton Coast Camp, this simple tented facility provides a still pricey but considerably lower cost option. More importantly, it provides exactly the same access to an amazing 16000 square kilometres of stunning wilderness. Inland trips provide gameviewing including desert elephant, giraffe and oryx, plus visits to authentic Himba villages, whilst out on the Atlantic, huge seal-lion colonies lie amidst shipwrecks and whale carcasses.

Overnight at Skeleton Coast Research Camp.

Take in a full exploration in a 4x4 Land Rover. Today travel across huge sand dunes, and witness hundreds of seals in their natural habitat, on an isolated Namibian beach. Spend a second night overnight at the Skeleton Coast Research Camp.

Overnight at Skeleton Coast Research Camp.

Spend a third day exploring the beautiful, yet haunting scenery of the Skeleton Coast. Today includes cultural visits to the remote villages of the Himba people, shipwrecks, canyons and saltpans and also a chance to see gigantic bleached whale bones as your memorable Namibian adventure draws to a close. Final night at the Skeleton Coast Research Camp.

Overnight at Skeleton Coast Research Camp.

Say goodbye to the Skeleton Coast as you depart on+ a transfer flight to Windhoek Airport.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport).