Grand Explorer

    start
  18-Apr
  09-May
  06-Jun
  27-Jun
  25-Jul
  01-Aug
  15-Aug
  29-Aug
  12-Sep
  19-Sep
  03-Oct
  31-Oct
  07-Nov
  21-Nov
  19-Dec
  26-Dec
  09-Jan

Highlights

• Fish River Canyon – walking
• Namib Desert – Sossusvlei dunes
• Swakopmund – dune boarding & quad biking
• Twyfelfontein – rock engravings
• Etosha NP – game drives
• Okavango Delta – mokoro excursion
• Victoria Falls – white water rafting

Includes
• Small Group Safari: Max 12 people
• Professional Safari Guides
• Transport in minibus / safari truck & 4WD
• Incl Meals: Bx20 Lx15 Dx12
• Entrance Fees
• 18 nights cabin / hotels / chalets and 2 nights serviced tented camping
• Use of camping equipment (including sleeping bag & pillow in the Delta)
• Okavango Delta mokoro excursion

Day 1 CAPE TOWN
Cape Town is one of the most picturesque cities in the world, with the majestic Table Mountain providing its central focus. After a tour briefing at 8:00am, we visit the African Penguin colony en route to Cape Point Nature Reserve, and spend the rest of the day relaxing on Hout Bay beach. We sample some of Cape Town’s culinary wonders at a local restaurant in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (own expense). [guest house - - -]
Day 2 CEDERBERG
The Cederberg is a massive rock wilderness with giant sandstone boulders that have been sculpted by wind and rain into bizarre and artistic shapes. We head north to the Cederberg and explore the rugged landscape on foot before relaxing in chalets for the evening. [chalet BLD]
[B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner]
Day 3 GARIEP RIVER
We make our way into the more arid regions and upon entering Namibia, we stay at a lodge on the Gariep River. Namibia’s southern border river flows quietly and peacefully and the river valley is hardly affected by tourism. The riverbed is sandy, the water clean and clear. Time free for swimming and relaxing or you can adventure down the river in canoes (own expense). [tented lodge BLD]
Day 4 FISH RIVER CANYON
The Fish River Canyon, situated along the lower reaches of the Fish River, is one of the most impressive natural beauties in the southern part of Namibia. With its depth of up to 550 metres, the Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. We make our way to the canyon in the afternoon and watch a spectacular sunset as the sun slips over the canyon’s rim. [Lodge BLD]
Day 5 - 6 NAMIB DESERT
The parched Namib Desert has endless orange dunes blown into sharp ridges by the sand-shifting wind and at Sossusvlei they form a gateway into the Namib Desert. We will walk to Sossusvlei, explore Sesriem Canyon and watch dramatic sunsets over the world’s highest sand dunes. [lodge or tented lodge BLD]
Day 7 – 8 SWAKOPMUND
Swakopmund is a popular seaside resort with a slightly nostalgic atmosphere, characterized by numerous colonial buildings. In terms of flora, both the Welwitschias Mirabilis and the Kokerboom grow on the stony plains of the Namib and many beautiful specimens surround the coastal town. Swakopmund is also the adventure activity capital of Namibia. Day free to explore the town or try quad biking / dune boarding (own expense). [guest house Bx2 Lx1-]
Day 9 – 10 DAMARALAND
Namibia is a land of great contrasts and Damaraland demonstrates this with stark plains, petrified forests and ancient valleys leading to rocky outcrops and the soaring peaks of the Brandberg Massive Mountains. We’ll also visit the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein. [chalets BLD]
Day 11 - 12 ETOSHA NP
Once a vast lake fed by the Kunene River, the pan that is Etosha NP dried up thousands of years ago when the river waters chose a new course. Etosha is big game country. We take game drives around the huge pan to find the elephants, herds of antelope and lions around the waterholes. We stay at a lodge on the outskirts of the national park. [guest lodge or tented camp BLD]
Day 13 WINDHOEK
This pretty town, beautifully situated in a valley, combines the architecture of a modern city with numerous buildings in the style of the German colonial era. The charm of the city of Windhoek lies in its harmonious blend of African and European cultures and the friendliness of its people. We visit the cosmopolitan capital and enjoy a restaurant meal (own expense). [Guest House BL-]
Day 14 KALAHARI
Crossing into Botswana we overnight in rustic, grass huts in the heart of the Kalahari. The sand masses were created by the erosion of soft stone formations. The wind shaped the sand ridges, which are so typical of the landscape in the Kalahari. We take a walk with the local Bushmen to learn fascinating bush skills. [San bushmen Huts BLD]
Day 15, 16, 17 OKAVANGO DELTA
The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world. Instead of flowing into the sea, the annual flood of fresh water, spreads over 15000sq km of the Kalahari sand in a maze of lagoons and channels. We journey deep into the Okavango Delta on Makoro (dugouts). We have 2 nights at our tented camp and enjoy game walks, swimming, the birdlife and game in this pristine wilderness area. We return to Maun late in the afternoon on day 17. Mokoro trail included.
For the two nights spent in the Okavango Delta you stay in a pre-erected tented camp. The facilities are very basic but you will be provided with a simple bucket shower and a toilet (of the “sand and bury” variety). All water, equipment and provisions need to be taken with us and all rubbish taken out again. All camping equipment is supplied including a sleeping bag and pillow. The tents used are dome tents with built-in insect nets. Mattresses are supplied and are about 5cm thick. [tented camp x2 BLD] [tented lodge x1 BL-]
Day 18 MAKGADIKGADI PANS
The shimmering saltpans of Makgadikgadi are the size of Switzerland and most of the time appears as a glaring, white, endless plain. When the rain comes a dramatic change takes place as the pans come to life with frantically feeding water birds and great herds of zebra, wildebeest and springbok. [Tented Lodge or Chalets BL-]
Day 19, 20, 21 ZAMBIA / VICTORIA FALLS
Magnificent Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the falls in 1885 and named them after his Queen. The scene he encountered was a mile-wide (1.6 km) sheer basalt fault line over which the mighty Zambezi tumbled to a depth of 100m, creating a cloud of spray. The falls are also the centre of a wide range of activities, including white water rafting on the mighty Zambezi, elephant back rides, scenic flights or a 111m bungi jump (own expense). Tour ends. [tented camp Bx3 - -]

finish

08-May
29-May full
26-Jun
17-Jul
14-Aug <4 seats
21-Aug full
04-Sep full
18-Sep <4 seats
02-Oct <4 seats
09-Oct <4 seats
23-Oct
20-Nov <4 seats
27-Nov
11-Dec full
08-Jan
15-Jan
29-Jan