Namibia Safari

July 22, 2023: Arrive at any time today in Windhoek (airport code WDH), where one of our representatives will greet you and transfer you to our hotel in Windhoek. Tonight we will have a short introductory meeting, a question and answer session, and a group dinner.

July 23–25, 2023: The morning journey takes us into the scenic countryside of Etosha National Park, passing small towns and communities along the way. Our luxury camp is our base for the three days, and we will embark on photo safaris each morning and evening with guided game drives through Etosha. The Park consists of grassland, woodland and savannah. Game-viewing centers on 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.The camp has an active floodlit waterhole for photography and wildlife viewing through the night. We can expect to see lions, zebras, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs, and much more wildlife. Etosha is a world-class African wildlife destination.

July 26, 2023: Today we will leave behind the bushveld of the Etosha National Park as you make your way to the desert landscape of the Spitzkoppe.

Along the way you will visit a Himba village. You will be able to meet some of the local community who will be happy to demonstrate elements of their traditional lifestyle. The Himba are one of the last truly traditional peoples of Namibia and they are normally nomadic, but those that have settled here are now firmly established and unlikely to move on. They have little time for conventional practices but welcome visitors who want to photograph and learn about the customs and traditions of this very proud nation, and they are very willing to offer insight into their beliefs, way of life and everyday routine. A picnic lunch will be enjoyed en-route at a scenic location before continuing further to your lodge.

After dinner, explore the peculiar inselbergs and their surroundings which offer spectacular scenic and stary night photographic opportunities in Spitzkoppe.

July 27, 2023: After a sunrise shoot and breakfast, we drive further to Walvis Bay. Walvis Bay is the main harbor town in Namibia and is visited by many fishing boats, cargo vessels, and an increasing number of passenger cruise liners. The main attraction here is photographing Pelicans, seabirds and the thousands of flamingos that call the area home. Overnight at hotel in Walvis Bay.

July 28–30, 2023: We will drive into the Namib Desert, through the spectacular scenery of the Tiras Mountain Conservancy and the NamibRand Nature Reserve, before reaching our camp in Namib Naukluft National Park. Our drive is approximately 5–6 hours with photo stops along the way. For the next three days, we will explore and photograph the remarkable Namib Desert. This most frequently visited section of the massive 50,000km² Namib Naukluft National Park has become known as Sossusvlei, and is famous for its towering apricot coloured sand dunes which can be penetrated by following the Tsauchab River valley. Sossusvlei itself is actually a clay pan set amidst these star shaped dunes which stand up to 300 meters above the surrounding plains, ranking them among the tallest dunes on earth. Our lodge affords a prime location within the boundaries of the Namib Naukluft National Park and the largest sand dunes in the world. Namib Naukluft National Park is also the home of Deadvlei and the dancing dead camel thorn trees.

** Here at Sossuvlei, there will be an opportunity to do aerial photography from a helicopter (optional, and at extra cost). We’ll discuss it with you well before the safari, and you can decide if you are interested. **

July 31, 2023: We’ll travel further south in the Namib Desert to the coastal town of Lüderitz, passing through the spectacular scenery of the Tiras Mountain Conservancy and a section of the NamibRand Nature Reserve. We’ll spend the afternoon and evening photographing the famous Kolmanskop Ghost Town. Our drive today is approximately three hours, with plenty of photo stops along the way. The houses of Kolmanskop have been slowly overtaken by the desert, but are in good shape otherwise.

August 1, 2023: It’s up early this morning for another visit to the historic ghost town of the Kolmanskop. The aim is to reach Kolmanskop early enough to set up your equipment in time to see the sun rise and to capture the dunes and remnants whilst the light is soft and shadows accentuate their eerie shapes and curves. We’ll then travel to the Quivertree Forest for sunset and night photography. The Quiver Tree is one of the most fascinating and characteristic plants of Namibia. The name Quiver Tree refers to the traditional use of the branches by Bushmen and Hottentots tribes to make quivers for their arrows. Today is our longest drive of the safari (about five hours), but we have some photo stops and lunch along the way.

August 2, 2023: We will have a morning shoot before making our way back to Windhoek with photo stops and a lunch stop along the way. We should arrive in Windhoek sometime between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM. Group dinner in the evening at a favorite local restaurant where we’ll celebrate an amazing safari.

August 3, 2023: Breakfast, airport transfers, and departures. Or, continue on our Namibia Hoanib Valley Safari extension!