THIRSTLAND EXPEDITION  



NAMIBIA OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
13-dAY PIONEER SAFARI

Rates from NAD18 850 PER PERSON SHARING

itinerary conducted from Windhoek to Windhoek



DAY 1:   WATERBERG PLATEAU

Meet your guide at 08h00 in the foyer of the Windhoek Country Club. After your guide has briefed you, embark on your safari through Kalahari bush savanna where you will have the chance of seeing several antelope species. Travel off the beaten track towards the Waterberg Plateau, surrounded by a wall of steep, reddish-yellow cliffs. Our exclusive campsite is situated in one of the gorges, looking over a valley towards the Northern Kalahari . After lunch, enjoy an afternoon walk along the top of the plateau where you may encounter black or white rhino and buffalo. Enjoy a delicious dinner under the canopy of leadwood and acacia trees which surround our campsite.

DAY 2: ETOSHA

After breakfast, continue your journey to our exclusive campsite in the private Fischer's Pan Game Reserve - adjacent to the eastern edge of Etosha National Park - visiting the San (Bushman) community at Ombili en route. Started as a self-help scheme, guests are invited to visit the community's local school and craft centre. In the afternoon, enjoy your first exploratory game-drive in Etosha National Park - one of the world's great conservation areas comprising 22 270 square kilometres. Visit the permanent waterhole's and viewing points at the vast, grey-white Etosha Pan which covers 4 590 square kilometres of the Park.

DAY 3: ETOSHA

Depart on an early game-drive into Etosha to further explore the eastern side of the park where numerous waterhole's and subterranean springs attract large herds of animals - including springbok, zebra, gnu, giraffe, kudu and elephant. Excellent game-viewing occurs when prides of lion dominate the water resources. Depending on game sightings and movements, you will spend the day in the Park stopping for a delicious picnic lunch at one of the rest camps.

DAY 4: ETOSHA

Depart from our private campsite and travel westwards into the Park, stopping en route for lunch at one of the rest camps. A full day's game-drive will afford you the opportunity to visit several permanent waterhole's. You will arrive at Okaukuejo in time for sundowners, and accommodation is in the Rest Camp's chalets. After dinner, spend time at the floodlit waterhole watching a variety of species quenching their thirst.

DAYS 5, 6, 7: DAMARALAND

After breakfast, continue to Northern Damaraland which has a significant population of lion, elephant, leopard, large antelope, giraffe, Hartmann's mountain zebra, and the last free-ranging black rhino population in the world. Discover this truly unique area for the next two days, searching for hidden waterhole's and camping in its wild and untouched landscapes. You will also have the opportunity to explore the ancient volcanic landscape on foot. Continue to the area between the Huab and the Ugab, where you will again be camping wild. Visit the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein - ancient works of Art attributed to the San (Bushmen) - and explore seasonal riverbeds with the possibility of encountering several species of game, including the elusive desert-adapted elephant. This area marks the southern limit of Damaraland.

DAYS 8 & 9: SWAKOPMUND

No safari in Namibia is complete without a visit to the quaint coastal town of Swakopmund . Travel from the unique landscape of Damaraland to the coast where you will visit the Cape Cross seal colony. It is here that the Portuguese explorer Diego Cao first set foot on Namibian soil in 1486. Continue southwards to Swakopmund where you will spend two nights at the Strand Hotel - conveniently situated near the beach and within walking distance of the museum and shops. Enjoy some of the town's exciting optional activities such as quad biking, camel riding, dune boarding, and the morning dolphin cruise which leaves from Walvis Bay and travels around Pelican Point.

DAY 10, 11, 12: NAMIB NAUKLUFT

Continue to the Namib-Naukluft, Namibia 's largest National Park, which offers a surprising variety of landscapes and ecosystems ranging from Sossusvlei's massive sand dunes to vast quartzite gravel plains, and the rugged Naukluft Mountains along the eastern edge of the Desert. Visit the awe-inspiring dunes of Sossusvlei - the highest dunes in the worlds, many of which are in excess of 300m high. Spend the afternoon climbing and exploring these fascinating dunes and pans before leaving the area for our exclusive campsite in the Naukluft Mountains .

NAMIB NAUKLUFT MOUNTAINS  

The Naukluft Mountains offer a surprising contrast to the surrounding area. Enjoy a 4x4 excursion up to the plateau, followed by a hiking trail to the quiver-tree gorge - the biggest fountain gorge in the Naukluft Mountains with many rock-pools to cool off in. Your hike ends back at our campsite, and an optional late afternoon activity is horse riding at a nearby Guest Farm.

DAY 13: SAFARI TERMINATES

After a leisurely breakfast, you will return to Windhoek where your safari terminates in the late afternoon.

END OF SAFARI



UNIQUE FEATURES OF THIS SAFARI:
* An adventure safari incorporating activities (game-drives/ walks) and culture (ancient and modern)
* A mixture of wild camping and camping at exclusive CC Africa safari locations * Views/ landscapes
* Peace/ tranquillity - soul food
* Vast night skies
* Guaranteed window seat

Serviced camping safari, suitable for reasonably fit people; involves some hiking and rugged conditions. This safari travels with a maximum of seven guests in an air-conditioned 4x4 safari vehicle, and accompanied by an expert CC Africa safari guide throughout. All meals - from lunch on day one, to lunch on day thirteen - are included. A reasonable amount of bottled water, local wine, beer and soft drinks are included on camping   nights. Airport transfers at the beginning and end of the safari are also included. Window seat guaranteed throughout. The upper age limit for this safari is 70 years, however, guests between the age of 70 and 75 years may be accepted provided that they produce a medical certificate stating that they are fit to travel. Minimum age limit is 12 years. Private departures are possible, subject to vehicle and guide availability.

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