Upon arrival, a Yampu Tours representative will meet you at Windhoek/Hosea Kutako International Airport for your transfer.

You will then depart Windhoek in your safari vehicle with your private guide, driving southwest through the scenic Khomas Hochland highlands before descending the Great Escarpment into the Namib Desert. Along the way, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch at a scenic location. You will arrive at Dead Valley Lodge in the mid-afternoon, where you will stay for two nights while exploring the remarkable sights of the Namib Desert with your guide. If time permits today, your guide will take you to visit Sesriem Canyon or explore Elim Dune. Alternatively, you can relax and soak in the scenic and tranquil surroundings at Dead Valley Lodge.

Sesriem Canyon: This canyon, formed through centuries of erosion by the Tsauchab River, features a narrow gorge about 1.5 km long and 30 meters deep. The shaded cool depths of the canyon allow pools of water to gather during the rainy season, providing a vital water source for early settlers who named the canyon Sesriem after the six (ses) lengths of rawhide thongs (riems) they used to draw water for their livestock.

Dead Valley Lodge: Opened in July 2019, Dead Valley Lodge is situated inside the Namib Naukluft Park, between the park gate at Sesriem and Elim Dune. The lodge offers 20 free-standing, climate-controlled luxury tented chalets, each with an adjoining bathroom and panoramic views of the Namib Desert. The restaurant serves delicious Namibian-style meals, and guests can relax in the picturesque bar by the swimming pool, enjoying views of the desert scenery towards Elim Dune.

Overnight in Sesriem. ...read less

Today, you will embark on a magical guided excursion to the Namib Naukluft National Park, typically setting off before sunrise to capture the dunes in soft light, with shadows accentuating the towering shapes and curves.

This area boasts some of the highest free-standing sand dunes in the world. Your guide will provide insights into the formation of the Namib Desert and the fascinating creatures and plants adapted to survive these harsh conditions. After exploring Sossusvlei, Deadvlei, and the surrounding dune fields, you can enjoy a relaxed picnic brunch in the shade of a camel thorn tree. You will then return to Dead Valley Lodge for a late lunch, with the option to visit Sesriem Canyon if you haven’t already done so. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure.

Sossusvlei: This frequently visited section of the 50,000 km² Namib Naukluft National Park is famous for its towering apricot-colored sand dunes. Sossusvlei itself is a clay pan amidst these star-shaped dunes, which stand up to 300 meters above the surrounding plains. The deathly white clay pan contrasts with the orange sands, forming the endpoint of the ephemeral Tsauchab River. The river once flowed to the sea but was blocked by encroaching dunes around 60,000 years ago. When the river floods, it fills the pan, creating mirror images of the dunes and camel thorn trees.

Overnight in Sesriem. ...read less

NOTE: Option to include a sunrise balloon flight before departing for Swakopmund (optional extra at additional cost). If interested, this must be booked exclusively with Ultimate Safaris to fit with the day's schedule.

Today's drive takes you northwest through the stunning and ever-changing desert landscapes of the Namib Naukluft National Park, including the impressive Gaub and Kuiseb canyons. You will reach the coast at Walvis Bay and then continue north to Swakopmund, where you will enjoy the pleasant seaside location and cooler coastal air for the next two nights. This afternoon, you can explore the town and wander along the waterfront on foot before heading to dinner at a popular seafood restaurant.

Swakopmund: Resembling a small German coastal resort nestled between the desert and the sea, Swakopmund features a charming blend of German colonial architecture and modern amenities. Originally a landing station in 1892, the town later declined but revived in the late 20th century with improved infrastructure. Though the sea is typically too cold for swimming, the refreshing climate is pleasant after time in the desert.

Overnight in Swakopmund. ...read less

Today, your guide will drive you along the scenic coastal road to Walvis Bay for a memorable kayaking adventure in the outer lagoon.

After meeting your kayaking guide, you will be taken on a short scenic drive to Pelican Point to see its lighthouse and windswept beauty, with a brief stop at the salt works to view birdlife. Kayaking provides a chance to see Cape fur seals, Heaviside and bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, flamingos, and various sea birds. If lucky, you might also spot whales, leatherback turtles, and sunfish. Light refreshments will be served on the beach before heading back to Walvis Bay.

Alternatively, you can choose a motorized boat seal and dolphin excursion within the outer lagoon and harbor. This option also offers opportunities to see Cape fur seals, Heaviside and bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, flamingos, and more. Snacks, local sparkling wine, and fresh oysters will be served before returning to the jetty. You can then explore the waterfront area of Walvis Bay or return to Swakopmund for an afternoon at leisure.

Overnight in Swakopmund. ...read less

Continuing your safari, you will head north and east into the diverse region of Damaraland.

You will pass Namibia’s highest mountain, the Brandberg, which peaks at 2,573 meters above sea level.

Damaraland is characterized by colorful displays, magnificent table-topped mountains, rock formations, and unique vegetation. The landscape, shaped by wind, water, and geological forces, features rolling hills, dunes, gravel plains, and ancient river terraces. Your guide will take you to visit the pre-historic Twyfelfontein rock engravings if time allows, or you can visit them the following day.

Twyfelfontein: This UNESCO World Heritage Site features around 2,500 prehistoric engravings depicting wildlife, animal spoor, and abstract motifs. The engravings include animals such as elephant, giraffe, kudu, lion, rhinoceros, springbok, zebra, and ostrich. Stone tools and artifacts suggest that hunter-gatherers occupied the site for around 7,000 years. Twyfelfontein’s rock art lies along two circular routes, one an hour’s climb and the other 40 minutes longer.

Overnight in Damaraland. ...read less

This morning, enjoy an exciting 4x4 excursion along the ephemeral Aba Huab and Huab River valleys to explore the region in search of the elusive desert-adapted elephant herds that inhabit the area.

The desert-adapted elephants in this region have adapted to their harsh environment, finding food and water in the riverbeds, especially in dry seasons. Along the way, you may also see springbok, oryx, and giraffe.

Your guide will take you to explore the fascinating geological formations of the Burnt Mountain, the Organ Pipes, and the Petrified Forest. After a scenic lunch at the lodge, the afternoon is yours to enjoy as you wish.

Burnt Mountain: Located 40 km northeast of Twyfelfontein, Burnt Mountain is a distinctive black hill formed by ancient lava flows. Its striking dark color is due to a layer of burnt shale, adding to its dramatic appearance.

Organ Pipes: A unique natural formation of perfectly shaped, hexagonal basalt columns, reminiscent of the pipes of an organ. They are best viewed in late afternoon light for an extraordinary visual effect.

Petrified Forest: Featuring ancient, fossilized tree trunks, some of which are over 280 million years old, the Petrified Forest offers a glimpse into prehistoric times. Although no longer a forest, the petrified logs remain as fascinating remnants of a bygone era.

Overnight in Damaraland. ...read less

Today, you will head to Etosha National Park, a highlight of any safari in Namibia.

This afternoon, embark on a game drive within the park, exploring the diverse landscapes and abundant wildlife from the comfort of a specially modified, air-conditioned safari vehicle with pop tops.

Etosha National Park: Covering approximately 22,270 km², Etosha is one of Namibia’s premier wildlife reserves and is renowned for its vast salt pans, diverse habitats, and abundance of wildlife. The park is centered around the Etosha Pan, a large, shallow depression that is dry most of the year. During the rainy season, it transforms into a temporary lake attracting a multitude of bird species. The park is home to a variety of game, including elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and numerous antelope species.

Overnight in Southern Etosha National Park. ...read less

Enjoy a full day of game drives within Etosha National Park.

Today you will be treated to an exciting morning guided game drive into the Etosha National Park, to see more of the wide variety of game and bird species that are to be found there. There is then time to relax by the refreshing swimming pool before you head out again for an afternoon game drive into Etosha before exiting the park before sunset. Alternatively, you can opt to spend the whole day out in the park and either take lunch by one of the other rest camps in the area, or have a picnic while watching game at a particularly productive waterhole in the area. Once you are back (gates close at sunset), the rest of the evening can be spent game viewing at the camp’s floodlit waterhole while enjoying dinner, and afterwards.


Etosha National Park: Etosha National Park covers 22,270 km², of which approximately 5,000 km² is made up of saline depressions or ‘pans’. The largest of these pans, the Etosha Pan, can be classified as a saline desert in its own right. The Etosha Pan lies in the Owambo Basin, on the north-western edge of the Namibian Kalahari Desert. Until three million years ago it formed part of huge, shallow lake that was reduced to a complex of salt pans when the major river that fed it, the Kunene, changed course and began to flow to the Atlantic instead. If the lake existed today, it would be the third largest in the world. Etosha is the largest of the pans at 4,760 km² in extent. It is nowadays filled with water only when sufficient rain falls to the north in Angola, inducing floods to flow southward along the Cuvelai drainage system. The Park consists of grassland, woodland and savannah. Game-viewing centers around the numerous springs and waterholes where several different species can often be seen at one time. The Park boasts some 114 mammal and over 340 bird species. Wildlife that one might see includes elephant, lion, giraffe, blue wildebeest, eland, kudu, gemsbok (oryx), zebra, rhino, cheetah, leopard, hyena, honey badger and warthog, as well as the endemic black faced impala.

Overnight in Ongava. ...read less

Another morning dedicated to memorable game drives within the southern section of Etosha National Park with your guide.

Your early departure will take you south from Ongava via Outjo and Otjiwarongo to reach Okonjima’s AfriCat Day Centre, a wonderful highlight with which to conclude your safari. Okonjima is home to the AfriCat Foundation, a wildlife sanctuary which focuses on the research and rehabilitation of Africa's big cats, especially injured or captured leopard and cheetah. You arrive in time for lunch before embarking on an exciting and informative game drive and tour of the centre. Here you will learn about the function and vision of the AfriCat Foundation and will also get to meet some of the Foundation’s special captive carnivore ambassadors.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be no tracking of wild cats on this visit and should that be required an overnight extension should be booked as per the below. After the excursion and freshening up, the journey continues further south to arrive back in Windhoek in the late afternoon, just as the sun is setting. Upon your arrival in Windhoek you will be transferred to your accommodation establishment of choice, or out to the Windhoek International Airport (transfer to be booked additionally) if flying out in the evening - departure flights must be no earlier than 21h00 to allow sufficient time for the visit to the AfriCat Foundation and the journey back to Windhoek, or a final night in Windhoek can be arranged at additional cost if required. A final night in Windhoek is highly recommended!

NOTE (OPTIONAL EXTENSION): You have the option to extend your safari for an additional night or two at Okonjima Bush Camp. This affords you the opportunity to get a more in-depth insight into the work being done by the AfriCat Foundation as well as enjoy a range of activities on offer by the lodge. Accommodation includes all meals, local drinks (excl. premier and imported brands) and 2 activities per person per day. The night hide and night drive activities are excluded but can be arranged direct at the lodge, subject to availability. ...read less