9 Day Etosha, Skeleton Coast & Sossusvlei Camping & Lodge Safari

We meet all together for brief pre-departure talk at Chameleon Backpackers before departing Windhoek.

We stop briefly at the Okahandja Wood carving markets. Woodcarvers from all over Namibia, who practice their ancient skill, come here to sell their goods. This is the perfect opportunity to practice your haggling skills all while supporting the local community.

Our next stop Mount Etjo Game Reserve, who’s mission has been to make significant contributions to conservation, at the same time trying to ensure the survival of Namibia’s black and white Rhino`s in their natural habit. We aim to arrive at camp before lunch, giving us ample time to set up camp and enjoy lunch before we join the afternoon activity. This afternoon you have an game drive on the reserve looking for some of the rhino`s that was saved by the hard work of Mount Etjo Rhino Trust . We end our, afternoon game drive on the reserve while enjoying a Namibian sunset.

We depart from camp after a leisurely breakfast and stop briefly at Otjiwarongo, a small town north of Mount Etjo to gather some fresh supplies, before continuing on to Etosha National Park, one of Southern Africa’s premier wildlife areas.

Upon entering the gate, we start our search for wildlife. We enjoy a short game drive through to Okaukuejo, where we set up our camp and enjoy a delicious lunch, before heading out on an afternoon game drive. Etosha is unlike any other, and our game drives take us from waterhole to waterhole in search of predators as well as plains game, birds and if we are lucky, even reptiles. We return to camp just before sunset, and whilst dinner is cooking, we have the chance to visit the excellent floodlit waterhole where rhino, elephant, giraffe, lion and hyena are frequent visitors. Dinner is prepared by our guide over an open fire.

We start our first game drive at sunrise, to catch many of the predators still active, visiting various waterholes, making our way across the park, where we enjoy breakfast at one of the (fenced) picnic spots within the park. After breakfast we continue our journey arriving at the Etosha Pan “great white place” where we can get out of the vehicle and experience this 4500 sq km “saline desert” before continuing our game drive to look for the Big 4.

We make our way across the park to Halali, the central camp, where we can take a dip in the pool, visit the waterhole and enjoy lunch.

After lunch we game drive back to Okaukuejo camp, visiting many waterholes, arriving at camp by sunset. Enjoy our last night camping in Etosha, and a visit to the waterhole after dinner is highly recommended.

Another early start where we can take in a spectacular sunrise whilst having breakfast and enjoy a final game drive as we exit the park

After a short drive we arrive at the Otjikandero Himba Village. The Himba people are one of the last tribes in Namibia who still embrace their traditional culture and customs and during a guided tour around the village we will have the chance to not only gain an in-depth insight into the Himba way of life, but to get to know the Himba people to share a little of our own culture with them.

After our visit to the Himba village, we continue to Palwag Campsite. Here we set up camp and have some time to relax and if very lucky spot a Desert Elephant. Dinner is prepared by our guide over an open fire.

Today our adventure today takes us all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and our final destination at Cape Cross. We travel westwards where we enter the Skeleton Coast National Park. The coast line itself is a very hostile but a fascinating area known for its numerous shipwrecks over the years, all victims of the thick fog, unpredictable currents and rough seas.

We arrive at Cape Cross Seal Reserve home to one of the world’s largest breeding colony of Cape fur seals and during breeding season (November-December) up to a 200 000+ seals can be spotted basking on the beach, certainly a sight and smell to behold.

Known as the “Matterhorn of Namibia,” Spitzkoppe is a breathtaking granite mountain range rising dramatically from the desert floor. Camping here offers a unique experience under vast star-filled skies, surrounded by striking rock formations and ancient San rock paintings. The campsites are rustic but well-situated, blending naturally into the landscape, with stunning sunrise and sunset views. It’s an ideal spot for photography, stargazing, hiking, and soaking in Namibia’s raw natural beauty.

We pack up camp, enjoy breakfast and enjoy the raw beauty of Spitzkoppe before heading back to the coast line and stop at the Zeila Shipwreck

After leaving Spitzkoppe we continue travelling along the inland, stopping to view the Zeila Shipwreck, one of the latest victims of the Skeleton Coast from as recent as 2007.

We arrive in Swakopmund early afternoon and have plenty of time to explore this quaint little town on foot, or join one of the optional activities on offer from skydiving to quad biking and more. Dinner tonight is at own expense in one of Swakopmund’s excellent restaurants and our guide will be happy to make recommendations or bookings depending on what we feel like.

Today we leave Swakopmund at 11h30 so we have time to join one of the many optional activities. For the adrenaline junkies this could be flying down a sand dune head first at 60km/h on a sandboard, exploring the dune field on a quad biking tour or cycling through the 'old city' of Swakopmund on a bicycle tour.

Stopping briefly, enjoy a chance to stretch your legs and take some photos of the desert area.

A quick stop for a bathroom break and chance to grab a cool drink and snack.

We arrive at Desert Camp late afternoon where we can settle in to our rooms and take a quick walk to enjoy the sunset. Dinner is prepare by our guide.

First stop for the day is the 4x4 carpark from where we explore Deadvlei.

After exploring Deadvlei, we make our way to Sossusvlei for brunch.

On our way out of the dunes, we make one more stop at the famous Dune 45 for photos.

Explore Sesriem Canyon, a small but important water source for the local wildlife.

Spend an hour learning about cheetah at Solitaire Carnivore Conservation project.

We return to Windhoek past the Naukluft Mountains and Rehoboth arriving early afternoon. No flights recommended on this day.