Itinerary
- Day 1
Windhoek
You'll arrive in Windhoek today. International flights aren't part of the package, but help with booking your flight is available if you need it.
- Day 2
Windhoek
After your noon airport pickup, you might head to Daan Viljoen National Park if there's time to see zebra, wildebeest, blesbok, giraffe, and ostriches. The afternoon brings a city tour of Windhoek, walking past German colonial architecture and palm-lined Independence Avenue. Dinner happens at a local Namibian steakhouse in the evening.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at a quaint Namibian steakhouse)
Included Activities
- Visit Daan Viljoen National Park (if time permits)
- Afternoon city tour of Windhoek
Landmarks Daan Viljoen National Park Independence Avenue - Day 3
Windhoek to Kohmas Highlands
Starting early, you'll travel to a private area in the Kohmas highlands where your tents are set up. An afternoon guided hike through the bush gives you instruction on safe wildlife behavior. Later, you'll gather around the campfire for a meal your guide prepares.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Meal prepared by guide around the campfire)
Included Activities
- One-hour guided hike in Kohmas highlands
- Bush safety orientation with guide
Landmarks Kohmas Highlands - Day 4
Kohmas to Sesriem
Morning hike down Spreetshoogte Pass offers great views over the Namib Desert. You'll stop in Solitaire for oven-fresh apple pie at a well-known local bakery. After arriving at Camp Sesriem near the sand dunes, a one-hour hike in the late afternoon takes you through Sesriem Canyon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Approximately one-hour hike down Spreetshoogte Pass
- Visit Solitaire bakery for apple pie
- Late afternoon one-hour hike in Sesriem Canyon
Landmarks Spreetshoogte Pass Sesriem Canyon Sossusvlei - Day 5
Sesriem
You'll head out about an hour before sunrise to reach Sossusvlei, then climb the highest dunes in the world, which reach up to 300 meters high. The sunrise in the dune landscape is unique, and you'll have time for photography. Back at camp, late breakfast follows. Afternoon brings a drive to the Naukluft area to explore the mountain massif with its 1000-meter elevation. You're staying two nights here.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Late breakfast after morning activities), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning drive to Sossusvlei
- Opportunity to climb the dunes
- Sunrise viewing and photography at Sossusvlei
- Afternoon exploration of Naukluft mountain massif
Optional Activities
- Alternative itinerary: Canyon visit in morning and dune visit in afternoon depending on season
Landmarks Sossusvlei Naukluft Mountains - Day 6
Naukluft
Morning offers a half-day hike (about 5 hours of actual hiking) through a gorge with striking rock colors and layering. You'll need to be sure-footed and comfortable with heights. The area has lush flora, diverse wildlife, and good bird watching. Back at camp by lunchtime, the afternoon includes a short one-hour hike into a water-rich gorge with cool pools for swimming. The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Half-day guided hike through gorge (approximately 5 hours hiking time)
- Approximately one-hour afternoon hike to water-rich gorge
Landmarks Naukluft Gorge - Day 7
Kuiseb Canyon to Blutkuppe
After breaking camp, you head to Kuiseb Canyon and then drive through flat desert experiencing the surreal emptiness of the landscape. Watch for oryx, springbok, and ostriches along the way. Later you reach Blutkuppe, a granite hilltop that turns blood red at sunset. Climbing up gives you impressive views across the gravel desert with its bizarrely shaped rocks and stone formations.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Drive through Kuiseb Canyon
- Visit to Blutkuppe granite hilltop
Landmarks Kuiseb Canyon Blutkuppe - Day 8
Naukluft to Swakopmund
Traveling through a lunar landscape shaped by the Swakop River over thousands of years, you'll see Welwitschia Mirabilis plants that survive on mist moisture and can live up to 1200 years. By afternoon, you reach the colonial town of Swakopmund, where you'll switch from tents to guesthouse accommodation and enjoy restaurant dining.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Drive through lunar landscape and Swakop River formations
- Observation of Welwitschia Mirabilis plants
Landmarks Swakop River Swakopmund - Day 9
Swakopmund
This day is free to explore Swakopmund at your own pace. You can stroll through town, check out a museum, or relax on the beach. Optional activities include scenic flights over the Skeleton Coast or Damaraland, horse rides through the lunar landscape, sandboarding, tandem parachute jumps, and boat trips to watch dolphins and seals. Local operators can arrange these directly.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Scenic flight over Skeleton Coast
- Scenic flight over Namib Desert
- Scenic flight over Damaraland
- Horse ride through lunar landscape
- Sandboarding
- Tandem parachute jump
- Boat trip to watch dolphins and seals
- Museum visit
- Beach time
- Town exploration
Landmarks Skeleton Coast Namib Desert Damaraland - Day 10
Swakopmund to Brandberg
You'll drive to the seal colony at Cape Cross where thousands of seals gather (the smell can be intense). From there, remote roads head toward Brandberg, passing red mesas and round granite peaks. An afternoon walk at a scenic spot precedes outdoor camping. Evening brings roasted bushmeat around the fire under the stars with sounds of the African wilderness.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Roasted bushmeat around the fire)
Included Activities
- Visit Cape Cross seal colony
- Afternoon walk at scenic spot
Landmarks Cape Cross Brandberg - Day 11
Brandberg to Twyfelfontein
Early morning brings a three-hour guided hike to the rock paintings at Brandberg, seeing the White Lady (a 45-centimeter-high warrior figure), plus other well-preserved rock carvings of warriors and animals. You'll continue to a camp near Twyfelfontein, then visit a traditional Damara village to learn about hide tanning, spearhead making, edible plants, and traditional fire-starting. The experience ends with singing and dancing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Three-hour guided hike to White Lady rock paintings
- View additional rock carvings of warriors and animals
- Visit traditional Damara village
- Learn about hide tanning and spearhead making
- Learn about edible plants and traditional fire-starting
- Singing and dancing with villagers
Landmarks Brandberg White Lady Twyfelfontein 
- Day 12
Twyfelfontein to Palmwag
Morning visit to Twyfelfontein rock engravings, Africa's largest collection of petroglyphs with over 2000 depictions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. About an hour of guided hiking lets you see prehistoric rock art of African animals, and you'll have a good chance to spot desert elephants. Continuing to Palmwag, a palm oasis on the Uniab River, you can refresh at the pool. A late afternoon short hike shows you the unique landscape with chances to see oryx, springbok, mountain zebra, or kudu.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Twyfelfontein rock engravings (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Approximately one-hour guided hike through petroglyph site
- Late afternoon short hike in Palmwag area
Landmarks Twyfelfontein Palmwag Oasis Uniab River - Day 13
Palmwag to Etosha National Park
Driving to Kamanjab via Grootberg Pass, you'll see distinctive table mountains that look cut off with a knife from ancient times. Then you enter Etosha National Park through the western Galton Gate. Camping at Olifantsrus prepares you for early morning wildlife viewing the next day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Drive through Grootberg Pass
- Enter Etosha National Park via western Galton Gate
Landmarks Grootberg Pass Etosha National Park Galton Gate 
- Day 14
Etosha National Park
Early morning game drive focuses on the diverse wildlife and their different fur patterns and horns - grid patterns, stripes, spots, and dots in various configurations. You'll see mountain zebra species found only in this region. Moving to Okaukuejo camp for the night, evening brings a visit to an illuminated waterhole where large numbers of animals appear at dusk for viewing and photography.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning game drive in Etosha National Park
- Evening wildlife observation and photography at illuminated waterhole
Landmarks Etosha National Park Okaukuejo Waterhole 
- Day 15
Etosha National Park
Early morning drive through Etosha maximizes wildlife viewing opportunities, so keep your camera ready. You might capture diverse animals in one frame - elephants walking through herds of antelopes or ostriches standing out among other species. Lunch happens at Camp Halali. By evening, you'll arrive at Fort Namutoni where tents go up for two nights. A floodlit waterhole provides evening wildlife observation before rest.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch break at Camp Halali), Dinner
Included Activities
- Full day game drive through Etosha National Park
- Wildlife observation and photography opportunities
Landmarks Etosha National Park Camp Halali Fort Namutoni - Day 16
Etosha National Park
A full day game drive through Etosha lets you observe giraffes in dust, lion cubs playing with mothers, elephants taking sand baths, rhinos passing by, and rich bird life. Springbok, oryx, wildebeest, hartebeest, impala, and steenbok coexist throughout the park. You'll take in the wilderness with all your senses.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Full day game drive through Etosha National Park
- Wildlife observation of giraffes, lions, elephants, rhinos, and numerous antelope species
- Bird watching
Landmarks Etosha National Park - Day 17
Etosha National Park to Tsumeb
Traveling to Tsumeb, a mining town where copper, lead, and zinc have been mined since 1900, you'll visit the Mineral Museum to see about 200 minerals, some found only here. From there, the Otavi Mountains beckon where you'll camp at a former mission station turned guest farm with colonial charm. Optional afternoon cave exploration (some climbing involved) or relaxation through walks on marked trails and swimming pool access.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Tsumeb Mineral Museum
Optional Activities
- Explore Otavi Mountains caves (requires climbing skills)
- Walk on marked hiking trails
- Swim at guest farm pool
Landmarks Tsumeb Mineral Museum Otavi Mountains - Day 18
Big Cat Project to Waterberg National Park
This morning you support a big cat conservation project with a close encounter with cheetahs and learn about their work. Lunch stops at an interesting crocodile farm. In the afternoon you reach Waterberg National Park, a high plateau at nearly 1,900 meters created by erosion with steep edges. You'll camp at an adjacent guest farm with a private pool right next to the campsite. The evening brings a nice walk to a nearby spring.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at crocodile farm), Dinner
Included Activities
- Big cat project visit with cheetah encounter
- Lunch at crocodile farm
- Evening walk to nearby spring
- Waterberg National Park visit
Landmarks Waterberg National Park - Day 19
Waterberg National Park Hiking
A local guide takes you on a three-hour hike across the unique Waterberg high plateau, an area closed to regular public access. The views are hard to describe and you'll be reluctant to leave. The afternoon is free for your own activities, whether that's relaxing at the campsite or taking self-guided hikes on marked trails outside the national park.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Three-hour guided hike on Waterberg plateau (guided access to closed area)
Optional Activities
- Self-guided hikes on marked trails outside national park
- Campsite relaxation
Landmarks Waterberg National Park - Day 20
Otavi Mountains to Windhoek
You'll head to Okahandja wood market to browse and buy beautiful wood carvings. Arriving in Windhoek around 2 p.m., you can take an individual evening flight home or extend your stay at a private farm game lodge to reflect on your vacation.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Okahandja wood market
Optional Activities
- Individual evening return flight from Windhoek
- Stay at private farm Game Lodge
Landmarks Okahandja Wood Market Windhoek - Day 21
Windhoek to Germany
Return flight day. You'll land in Germany.
