9 Day Namibia Camping & Lodge Safari

Tour Overview

• Day 1: Windhoek to Etosha Park (Halali Camp)
• Day 2: Etosha National Park
• Day 3: Swakopmund via the Skeleton Coast and Damaraland
• Day 4: Sesriem (Oshana Campsite)
• Day 5: Sesriem (Oshana Campsite)
• Day 6: Klein Aus Vista
• Day 7: Klein Aus, Kolmanskop and Diaz Point
• Day 8: Quiver Tree Forest and Fish River Canyon
• Day 9: Quiver Tree Forest and Windhoek

Day 1: Windhoek to Etosha National Park – Namibia

This morning, we’ll collect you from your accommodation within the Windhoek city limits at 07:00, ready to set off on the exciting journey that awaits. We depart from Windhoek after a pre-departure meeting and stop briefly at Otjiwarongo, a small town north of Okonjima. In Otjiwarongo, we gather some fresh supplies before continuing to Etosha National Park, one of Southern Africa’s premier wildlife reserves.

Our journey heads north, with a brief stop in the small town of Otjiwarongo to gather last-minute supplies before continuing towards Etosha National Park. En route, we enjoy a light packed lunch before entering the park and beginning our first game drive on the way to our overnight stop at Halali Camp.

Covering over 22,000 km², Etosha is a vast wilderness teeming with life — home to 114 species of mammals, 350 bird species, 110 reptiles, countless insects, and, rather unusually, a single species of fish. As we travel through the park, we pause at waterholes, offering prime opportunities to spot a wide range of wildlife. All visitors must be inside the camps by sunset, and we aim to reach Halali Camp just before dusk, leaving time to settle into our rooms, each equipped with en-suite bathrooms and tea/coffee facilities.

The name “Halali” originates from a traditional bugle call used in European hunting to signal the end of the chase — a fitting name here, as within the protected boundaries of Etosha, the hunt is over forever.

But the wildlife encounters don’t end with the sunset. Each Etosha camp features a floodlit waterhole for exceptional after-dark game viewing. At Halali, the Moringa waterhole — named after the abundant moringa trees in the area — is just a short walk from our twin share, en-suite bathroom accommodation. It’s well worth a visit, as elephants, and often the critically endangered black rhino, are frequent nighttime visitors.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Distance travelled: about 500km

Day 2: Etosha National Park – Namibia

Today is dedicated to exploring the wonders of Etosha National Park, and we make the most of every moment. After an early breakfast, we leave Halali and head to the park gate, where we meet our local guide before setting off in an open game-viewing vehicle. Early mornings are often the most rewarding time for wildlife sightings, with big cats frequently spotted returning from their night hunts.

Etosha’s arid landscape makes water a precious resource, and the park is dotted with both natural and man-made waterholes. Our game-viewing strategy focuses on visiting as many of these as possible, waiting patiently as animals arrive for a much-needed drink — a prime opportunity for unforgettable encounters.

Along the way, we pause to marvel at the vast Etosha Pan. Its name, meaning “great white space,” barely hints at its sheer scale — over 4,700 square kilometres of shimmering mineral pan, so expansive it is visible from space.

As the sun sets, we exit Etosha through Anderson Gate and take a short drive to our lodge. The last hues of the sunset fade across the horizon as you settle into a spacious twin-share room with a modern en-suite bathroom — a peaceful retreat where the stillness of the bush lingers into the evening.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Distance travelled: about 70km

Day 3: Etosha Park to Swakopmund – Namibia

After an early breakfast, we depart the magical Etosha and head into Damaraland, where we can interact and support the Himba and Damara women who display their crafts for us. In the shadow of the Brandberg, we enjoy a roadside lunch.

The adventure takes us through the infamous Skeleton Coast National Park all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline itself is a very hostile but fascinating area. It is known for the Welwitschia mirabilis, the Northern Namibia sand sea, the derelict oil rig near Toscanini, the Huab lagoon and the diminishing remains of the Winston Shipwreck. We continue travelling along the coast, stopping to view the Zeila Shipwreck, one of the latest victims of the Skeleton Coast from as recent as 2007.

We arrive in Swakopmund mid-afternoon. The rest of the day is free for you to do some sightseeing and explore the quaint town on foot. Alternatively, you can embark on one of the many optional activities on offer in and around Swakopmund, including skydiving, scenic flights, quad biking, dolphin cruises and more. Dinner tonight is at your 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. Tonight you sleep in a comfortable accommodation with an en-suite bathroom.

• Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
• Distance travelled: about 500km

Day 4: Swakopmund to Sesriem, Namib Desert – Namibia

Today we leave Swakopmund at 11h30, so we have the time to enjoy an optional activity. For the adrenaline junkies, this could be flying down a sand dune headfirst at 60km/h on a sandboard, exploring the dune field on a quad biking tour or discovering the “old city” of Swakopmund on a fat bike (e-bike option available).

Whatever we choose, we depart Swakopmund no later than 11h30 and drive through the Namib Desert via the Kuiseb Pass, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn, stopping briefly in Solitaire and arriving at our camp late afternoon. We set up our tents and enjoy the sunset over the Namib Desert while listening to the barking geckos. There is a pool and bar at camp. Your guide makes you dinner, and we get an early night.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Distance travelled: about 350km

Day 5: Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei & Sesriem Canyon, Namib Desert

We leave camp before dawn on day five, heading into the desert to catch the sunrise over the orange-red dunes.

We drive down an ancient river bed, surrounded by towering dunes, and our first stop is at the famous Dune 45, where we have the chance to climb to the top to enjoy the sunrise. On the descent, we replenish our energy and enjoy breakfast before continuing to the Sossusvlei area. Next, we explore Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei on foot, taking in the surreal desert landscapes. This is a place of stark contrasts with the dead thorn trees, white ground, tall orange dunes and deep blue skies. Walk across the cracked clay earth, bleached by the sun and try to capture the scene in photos.

We have the opportunity to climb the dune at Sossusvlei before we return to Sesriem for lunch and a swim or siesta during the heat of the day. Mid-afternoon, we visit the Sesriem Canyon before your guide drops you at Elim’s Dune for a short and educational sunset walk back to camp through the desert. End the day with a tasty dinner made by your guide.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Distance travelled: about 150km

Day 6: Klein Aus Vista Campsite, Namib Desert

We pack up camp and enjoy breakfast before heading south through some of the most spectacular desert landscapes in Southern Namibia. Our destination today is the small outpost of Klein Aus, nestled in the Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park. We arrive early afternoon and set up camp. For the active, there is a short, optional, unguided hiking trail. Permits and a map are available at reception. We enjoy a beautiful sunset and dinner cooked over an open fire.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Distance travelled: about 380km

Day 7: Klein Aus, Kolmanskop & Luderitz, Namib Desert

After an early breakfast, we make our way from Klein Aus to the ghost town of Kolmanskop, situated 15km outside of Luderitz. During a diamond boom in 1910 Kolmanskop quickly became one of the richest towns in Africa boasting the southern hemisphere’s first X-ray machine, a bowling alley and luxury housing. As the diamond boom came to an end

and the town’s inhabitants abandoned the area, Kolmanskop became a ghost town.

After our tour of Kolmanskop, we continue our adventure to the small town of Luderitz, situated on the rocky shores of the Atlantic Ocean and well known for its unique and colourful colonial-style buildings. We stop at Diaz Point, the famous site of the Original Diaz Cross and enjoy a picnic lunch. On our way back to Aus, we scan the landscape for the famous wild horses of Namibia. It is a mystery how these horses ended up roaming the Namib Desert, but miraculously, they continue to survive in this inhospitable environment. With a bit of luck, we will get a glimpse of these wild horses, which roam freely between Luderitz and Klein Aus. Arriving at camp in the late afternoon, there is time to relax and take in the sunset over the Aus Mountains with a sundowner.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Distance travelled: about 260km

Day 8: Fish River Canyon & Quiver Tree Forest – Namibia

We enjoy another early start this morning as we pack up camp and head east to the Fish River Canyon. Reaching the massive gorge, we stop at the Hell`s Bend viewpoint to soak up the geological marvel. The Fish River Canyon is an impressive natural sight, being one of the world's biggest canyons. The Fish River Canyon is about 161 km in length and some 27 km wide, reaching depths of 550m in places. The canyon started forming along fault lines about 350 million years ago due to tectonic movement, followed by water erosion.

After lunch, we continue our adventure, heading to our last destination: The Quiver Tree Forest. It is located just north-east of Keetmanshoop, and here approximately 250 quiver trees can be found. The forest grew spontaneously, and the oldest trees are estimated to be around 200-300 years old. The quiver tree (Kokerboom in Afrikaans) is also Namibia’s national tree, and the forest was declared a national monument in 1995. On the final night of our Namibia Safari, we camp out under the stars near the quiver trees. This is an ideal location for stargazing and photographing the night sky. You can also get a permit to photograph the quiver trees at night (at extra cost).

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Distance travelled: about 480km

Day 9: Quiver Tree Forest to Windhoek – Namibia

After a tasty cooked breakfast, we start the day with a chance to really explore the Quiver Tree Forest and Giants Playground, a geological phenomenon of dolerite rocks that appear to have been stacked by giants. From here we begin our journey back to Windhoek, passing Brukkaros Mountain, an extinct volcano which is 650m above the surrounding area. We pass through the small towns of Mariental and Rehoboth before arriving at the backpackers in Windhoek late afternoon. There is a shuttle option for those staying elsewhere within the city limits.

• Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
• Distance travelled: about 500km

Please note:

• We do not recommend booking flights departing on the final day of the safari.
• The maximum group size on this tour is 12 travellers.
• The tour is assisted, comfortable camping with participation limited to only helping with the tents.
• Accommodation is in dome tents, and 5cm thick mattresses are provided, as well as camping chairs.