Itinerary Details
Tauck World Discovery: Namibia: Epic Safari
Day 1 Windhoek, Namibia
Arrive Windhoek, Namibia
Tour begins: 5:00 PM, The Weinberg Windhoek. Welcome to Namibia! Enjoy an included transfer upon your arrival at Windhoek Airport to The Weinberg Windhoek, nestled on the grounds of the Am Weinberg Estate, in the center of the city. Enjoy a welcome reception dinner tonight at your intimate hotel.
Meals: D
Day 2 NamibRand Nature Reserve NamibiaLearn about life in the Namib Desert, from insects to brilliant night skies
Enjoy a flight to the NamibRand Nature Reserve, established to help protect and conserve the unique ecology and wildlife of the southwest Namib Desert. Spend two nights deep inside this private reserve at your luxury lodge where thatched-roof chalets feature unique star-gazing rooms that open to the sky. After lunch at the lodge, join a Bushman guide for a walk into the Namib Desert, hearing stories about desert life, both for the people who live here and the hardy insects and wildlife that survive in the desert plains; its resilient wildlife include oryx, bat-eared foxes, Burchell's zebras, and loads of lizards. Enjoy one of Africa's amazing sunsets before dinner at the lodge. Be sure to gaze up at the spectacular night sky; the reserve is Africa's first designated International Dark Sky Reserve and has been recognized as one of the least light-polluted and naturally darkest places on Earth.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 3 NamibRand Nature Reserve NamibiaExplore the towering sand dunes of Sossusvlei
Visit the spectacular red-tinted dunes of Sossusvlei this morning; the dunes are among the highest in the world, reaching a height of almost 1,300 feet. View them as you explore the region with an expert guide, stopping for an opportunity to climb 1,066-foot Big Daddy and a walk through the salt-and-clay pan known as Deadvlei, inhabited by fascinating fossilized trees. This afternoon, join us for an ATV excursion on the dunes around your lodge that you'll not soon forget; as an alternative, safari jeep rides will be available for exploring the area.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 4 Swakopmund NamibiaFly to coastal Swakopmund where beaches attract local wildlife
After breakfast, enjoy a flightseeing excursion over the massive dunes of the Namib Desert and Sossusvlei, void of human intervention with the exception of its long-abandoned diamond mines. Continue soaring over the coastline, viewing an endless expanse of pristine beaches favored by the locals – seals and flamingoes! Touch down at Swakopmund for lunch and an afternoon at leisure at your hotel, steps from artisan shops and a craft market. Enjoy dinner tonight at your beachfront hotel.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 5 Swakopmund NamibiaSearch for wildlife by kayak or catamaran
Drive down to the coast this morning for a choice of excursions; you can kayak amidst playful seals in Walvis Bay, rich with marine life, the bay is home to thousands of Cape Fur seals, bottlenose dolphins, flamingoes and pelicans, many of which you may spot today out at sea. Alternatively, enjoy a leisurely catamaran cruise in search of seals, bottlenose dolphins, flamingoes and pelicans (Please Note: This option does not go to Walvis Bay). Enjoy a seafood barbecue on the beach before returning to Swakopmund.
Meals: B, L
Day 6 Ongava Game Reserve NamibiaVisit a Himba village & fly to Ongava this afternoon
Board a charter for a flight to Opuwo, home to the indigenous Himba people living according to the traditions of their ancestors; Himba women are known for their use of red otjiize, a blend of red ochre and butterfat they use to beautify their bodies and hair. Enjoy an opportunity to interact with the women and children during a memorable visit to a tribal village; the men traditionally spend their days herding cattle. An afternoon flight brings you to Ongava Private Game Reserve on the border of Etosha National Park for a three-night stay in thatched en-suite chalets at a luxury lodge perched on a hilltop in the heart of the reserve. Your lodge features an amazing watering hole and a concrete blind – a partially underground, windowed enclosure that is close to the watering hole – enabling up-close wildlife viewing day and night. Enjoy a sunset game drive in the reserve before dinner tonight at your leisure.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 7 Ongava Game Reserve NamibiaTwo game drives in the Ongava Private Game Reserve
Wake up early for a morning game drive in the reserve, looking for black-faced impala, lions, white and black rhinos, plains game and more with your expert safari guide, and stop at the Ongava Research Center to learn about the ongoing studies on the flora, fauna and environmental changes of the region. After lunch, embark on an afternoon game drive and then look for rhino on a guided walking safari. Join us for a traditional sundowner in the bush, before dinner tonight at your lodge. The sunsets are beyond magnificent.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 8 Ongava Game Reserve NamibiaView wildlife on a game drive in Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is a haven for wildlife, boasting the continent's largest concentration of black rhino and other large mammals in abundance, including elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, wildebeest, kudu, oryx, eland and hartebeest. Spend a full day in the park, viewing the animals on a game drive in special safari vehicles. Return to your lodge mid-afternoon for time at leisure. Dine as you wish at the lodge tonight.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 9 Windhoek, NamibiaWildlife Watching at your lodge, then on to Zannier Reserve
Enjoy a final game drive this morning on the grounds of the wildlife-rich Ongava Reserve and have lunch at your lodge, before heading to the airstrip for a flight to Windhoek. Upon arrival, drive out of the city to your luxury safari lodge in the Zannier Reserve, a 22,000 acre wildlife sanctuary set in a diverse natural habitat of near-desert savanna. Hundreds of rescued animals live in the wild here, including lions, elephants, leopards, cheetahs and rhinos. Stay two nights in thatched huts inspired by traditional Owambo architecture and nestled in the heart of the reserve. The Omaanda Lodge, whose name means rhino, overlooks the savanna all the way to the distant mountains, promising endless views.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 10 Windhoek, NamibiaHold hands with baby baboons at a wildlife sanctuary
Your safari adventure continues today with a unique opportunity to meet and interact with baby baboons on a private behind-the-scenes visit to a wildlife sanctuary, bordering the reserve. The sanctuary provides a home to a wide variety of animals and birds, including meerkats, mongooses and rock hyraxes, along with monkeys, lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, and more. A musical performance by local schoolchildren and a presentation on the on-going conservation efforts underway at the sanctuary follow, making for a most interesting morning. Enjoy lunch and return to your lodge. Join us tonight on the deck of your lodge as we toast a sunset spectacular to behold at a memorable sundowner, followed by a farewell dinner.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 11 Windhoek, NamibiaJourney Home
Tour ends: Windhoek East, Namibia. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Omaanda Lodge to Windhoek Airport, a 30-minute drive; allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.
Meals: B
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