TRAVEL GUIDE
SOUTHERN NAMIBIA TOUR FROM WINDHOEK
TRAVEL DATE
22 January 1 February 2015
Flight with British Airways (www. budgetair.es)
629,72
22/01/2015 Madrid Barajas Adolfo Surez 12:05
23/01/2015 Windhoek Hosea Kurtakp Intl. 14:00
31/01/2014 Windhoek Hosea Kurtakp Intl. 14:55
01/02/2014 Madrid Barajas Adolfo Surez 10:50
TRANSFER FROM THE AIRPORT TO HOTEL
(www.city-discovery.com)
Shared transport (round trip):
60,45
HOTEL IN WINDHOEK
(atrapalo.es)
Two nights (23/ 23/01/2015 and 30/01/2014)
164
Hotel Kalahari Sands **** (breakfast included)
129 Independence Ave, Windhoek
65 %
recomendations (tripadvisor.es)
Classified no. 8 of 17 hotels in Windhoek
7-DAY SOUTHERN NAMIBIA TOUR FROM WINDHOEK
(viator.com)
1.542,27
Experience the savannas of the Kalahari Desert, and walk the rim of Fish River
Canyon, the worlds second largest canyon. Marvel at the famous Sossusvlei
dunes and make your way through a ravine at Sesriem Canyon. Learn about
Quiver Tree Forest and the wildlife that roam the Namib Desert plains. Finish
your odyssey with strolls through the seaside towns of Walvis Bay and
Swakopmund
Inclusions
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Professional guide
Transport by air-conditioned vehicle
Bottled water
Entrance fees
3-star accommodation
Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
Deatils on each days activities.
Day 1: Windhoek Kalahari Desert (D)
Begin your tour with a pickup from your centrally located Windhoek hotel, and
then enjoy a scenic drive south through the town of Rehoboth toward your
lodging in the Kalahari Desert. From your open-air vehicle, watch the sunset
bathe the mountains, open plains and desert in orange and red hues.
About four hours later, arrive at your comfortable lodging, located at the edge
of the desert, and dine under the thatch roof or the stars.
Overnight: Kalahari Anib Lodge or similar 3-star lodging
Day 2: Kalahari Desert Quiver Tree Forest Fish River (B, D)
After breakfast, pack your things and set out to explore the Kalahari Desert.
More a semi-arid sandy savanna than a true desert, the desert spans 350,000
square miles (900,000 sq km) and covers much of eastern and southern Namibia.
Drive by plains of straw-yellow grass and red dunes, and visit the picturesque
Quiver Tree Forest, located about nine miles (14 km) north of the town of
Keetmanshoop. With forked branches and a stout trunk, the quiver tree grows
about 30 feet (9 meters) tall. Also called kokerboom, the quiver tree is an aloe
plant, whose pliable bark was used by tribesmen to make arrow quivers.
Stop for lunch in Keetmanshoop (own expense) and head south for about an hour
to enjoy a brief stop at the lovely Naute Dam, a gathering spot for many water
birds. Take an easy stroll up a nearby mountain and sip an included drink while
admiring the sunset.
Relaxed, climb back into the vehicle and continue south to your lodging near Fish
River. On arrival, about 90 minutes later, dig into a hearty dinner before sinking
into your comfortable bed for a good nights sleep.
Overnight: Caon Roadhouse or similar 3-star lodging
Day 3: Fish River Canyon Namib Desert Aus (B, D)
Enjoy an early breakfast, gather your belongings and depart for the gate at
Hobas Camp Site, the northernmost entrance into Fish River Canyon, located
near the lower part of the river. The second largest canyon in the world, after
the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Fish River Canyon is more than 1,800 feet (550
meters) deep, 17 miles (27 kilometers) wide and 99 miles (160 kilometers) long.
Walk along the canyons serrated ridges and, as the sun rises, watch the canyon
light up in shades of gold and orange and swallows dive into shadowed chasms.
Head north to the Namib Desert and up into the mountains to the village of Aus
for lunch (own expense). To the west of Aus, look for dark, wild horses that
have adapted to the unforgiving terrain here; their origin remains unclear but
roughly 150 of them roam the golden-grass plains.
Then, enjoy free time to take in more amazing desert and mountain landscapes
on a walk through the Aus Mountains. Late in the afternoon, hop back into the
vehicle and enjoy a scenic drive in the area. As you travel, watch the sun slip
behind the horizon and perhaps sip a refreshing drink (own expense).
End the day feasting on an excellent dinner and then spend the night at safaristyle lodging in the Aus Mountains.
Overnight: Desert Horse Inn or similar 3-star lodging
Day 4: Aus Duwisib Castle Maltahhe (B, D)
With your luggage ready to go, tuck into breakfast and head north to the
Maltahhe region; weather permitting, your route includes road D707, known for
exceptionally stunning desert vistas. Marvel at the constantly changing
landscapes, including views of the ochre-colored Koichab dunes and plum-colored
Tira Mountains, as well as the ostrich, springbok and oryx that dot the plains.
Encounter an unusual sight in Namibia and visit Duwisib Castle, a medieval-style
fortress in southwestern Maltahhe that was built in 1908 by a German baron
and his wife, with most of the materials imported from Germany. The baron died
in France during World War I, after which his wife never returned to Africa.
Today, the castle is a national monument. Some say that the descendants of
their thoroughbreds are the wild horses of the Namib Desert, although this has
not been proven.
In the late afternoon, settle in at your comfortable safari lodge in the
Maltahhe region and enjoy dinner.
Overnight: Hammerstein Lodge & Rest Camp or similar 3-star lodging
Day 5: Maltahhe Sossusvlei Sesriem Canyon Naukluft Mountains (B,
D)
Fuel yourself with breakfast, pack your suitcase and depart early for Sossusvlei
in a 4x4 vehicle. Located in the heart of Namib Desert, Sossusvlei is a salt and
clay pan more than 186 miles (300 km) long and 87 miles (140 km) wide. Iron-rich
sand dunes, shaped by the wind and believed to have formed about five million
years ago, envelop this pan and soar as high as 984 feet (300 meters), among
the highest in the world.
After exploring the ancient Sossusvlei dunes, continue on to Sesriem Canyon,
one of the few spots in the desert that holds water all year long. The canyons
name derived out of practical necessity: it took six or ses leather straps made
out of oryx hide, called riem, tied together to create a rope long enough to
5
reach the canyon bottom and collect water into buckets.
Delve into its mostly dry gorge carved by the Tsauchab River and watch your
step in this rocky, narrow pass, as the distance between the two canyon walls
sometimes spans only nine feet (three meters).
Back in the vehicle, drive northeast and pass the spectacular Naukluft
Mountains. You may catch glimpses of zebras, kudu, baboons and klipspringer on
the rocky outcrops and among olive trees.
Have dinner and spend the night in peaceful safari lodging located just outside
Namib-Naukluft National Park.
Overnight: Namib Naukluft Lodge or similar 3-star lodging
Day 6: Naukluft Mountains Walvis Bay Swakopmund (B, D)
Time to head to the coast! After eating breakfast and gathering your
belongings, drive north through the Kuiseb Canyon and reach the beautiful
harbor town of Walvis Bay. Its plankton-rich waters used to attract Southern
right whales, giving the town its name, Whale Bay.
After lunch (own expense), visit the Walvis Bay Lagoon. Note the dramatic
backdrop of sand dunes and observe plenty of sea birds including flamingos,
terns and pelicans.
Travel 30 minutes north to Namibias largest coastal city, Swakopmund, and
enjoy views of the dune belt on one side and on the other, the Atlantic Ocean.
As you arrive at your accommodation for the night, notice right away the city's
German origins from the German colonial and half-timbered buildings abound.
Meander through this bustling city, or take a trip to Moon Landscape (own
expense) and watch the sun set over the stark mountain range created by
Damara granite pushing upward through the earths crust over millions of years.
Enjoy dinner at your accommodation in Swakopmund before turning in for the
night.
Overnight: Brigadoon Guesthouse or similar 3-star lodging
Day 7: Swakopmund Okahandja Windhoek (B)
After breakfast and packing your bags, spend a leisurely morning strolling
through the seaside promenades of Swakopmund, or lounge on the beach.
Have an early lunch here (own expense) before traveling inland to the
picturesque town of Usakos, surrounded by mountains, and Karibib, located along
the Khan River.
Enjoy a short stop at Okahandja, referred to as the Garden Town of Namibia,
and perhaps purchase one-of-a-kind souvenirs of your Namibian odyssey at the
well-known craft market.
After your time in Okahandja, arrive back in Windhoek by late afternoon. Your
tour then finishes with a drop-off at your centrally located hotel.
BUDGET FOR MY TRIP
TOTAL PRICE OF MY TRIP
EXTRA MONEY
for meals (not included in the tour) and gifts
3.000
2.396,44
603,56
