This Budget Namibia Camping Safari is ideal for nature-loving adventure-seekers and families travelling on a budget.
Discover the best of Namibia–from spectacular Namib desert landscapes to memorable cultural experiences and exciting wildlife adventures in Etosha!
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Our Namibia Camping Safari starts at a backpackers in Windhoek where we meet for a pre-tour briefing. Anyone not staying at the selected backpackers will be collected in Windhoek at 7h15 this morning. After the meeting we leave Windhoek, making our way north to Okahandja. Here we visit the Okahandja Mbangura Woodcarvers Craft Market where woodcarvers from all over Namibia sell their hand-crafted goods. This is the perfect opportunity to practice your bargaining skills and support the local community.
Our next stop is our overnight destination, the world-renowned Okonjima Nature Reserve. Okonjima is an impressive 20,000ha nature reserve which is home to an incredible array of wildlife species. It is also home to the AfriCat Foundation, whose long term mission is to conserve Namibia’s wildlife in its natural habitat. The Okonjima game reserve is renowned for its predators, including leopards, cheetahs and hyenas. In addition to seeing leopards and cheetahs up close, you can also view some of Africa's keystone species.
We aim to arrive at camp around midday, giving us ample time to set up camp and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon we get to view cheetahs and other animals being rehabilitated at AfriCat. The aim of this wildlife rehabilitation programme is to re-introduce big cats and other animals back into the wild where they can thrive.
After our educational tour, we join an afternoon game drive on the game reserve before enjoying our first spectacular sunset in the Namibian bush. This evening we enjoy a dinner prepared by your safari guide on the open campfire.
This morning we depart from camp after breakfast 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.
As soon as we enter Etosha the game viewing begins. We start our search for antelope, such as springbok and impala and with any luck some megaherbivores such as elephant, rhino or giraffe, on our short game drive to Okaukuejo. Arriving at Okaukuejo, we set up camp and enjoy a delicious lunch before heading out on an afternoon game drive. Etosha is unlike any other park, and our game drives take us from waterhole to waterhole in search of predators as well as plains game, birds and if we are lucky, even reptiles.
We return to camp just before sunset, and whilst dinner is cooking, we have the chance to visit the excellent floodlit waterhole where rhino, elephant, giraffe, lion and hyena are frequent visitors. Tonight we tuck into another tasty dinner cooked on the open campfire by our guide.
On day three we get a pre-dawn start. After a quick coffee and rusk, we set off on our full day game drive at sunrise to catch a glimpse of predators returning after a night of hunting.
We drive through the national park, pausing at waterholes to watch for wildlife and birds. Later we stop at a picnic site to have breakfast in the bush. Then we continue our game drive east in search of the many wild animals living in Etosha. When we reach Halali Camp you can take a dip in the pool, visit the waterhole and enjoy lunch.
After lunch, we visit the Etosha Pan where the national park gets its name. Here we can get out of the safari vehicle and experience this 4500 sq km ‘saline desert’. The salt pan is so large it can be seen from space. After exploring Etosha Pan on foot we return to Okaukuejo Camp, looking out for big game en-route. Our game viewing adventure comes to an end by sunset then we settle in for our final night of camping in Etosha Park. Tonight you can head to the floodlit waterhole at camp to watch for nocturnal visitors, including rhino, elephant, giraffe and other animals.
Day four kicks off early, starting with breakfast as the sun rises over the wilderness. Then we embark on a short game drive back to the park gate. Then we drive west into the remote Kunene Region of northern Namibia.
Our first stop is a visit to the Otjikandero Himba Village. The Himba people are one of the last tribes in Namibia who still embrace their ancient culture and customs. We participate in a guided tour around the village where will have the chance to not only gain an in-depth insight into the Himba way of life but to get to know the Himba people to share a little of our
own culture with them.
We continue west and stop briefly in the small town of Kamanjab before continuing on to the Hoada Community Campsite, situated between large granite boulders and Mopane trees, creating the illusion of a serene home in the wilderness. Here we set up camp before enjoying a leisurely afternoon and watching the sunset from the Hoada deck. Your guide cooks up a delicious dinner over the fire again tonight.
Today our 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. On exiting the national park we stop for Instagram worthy photos of the iconic skull and crossbones gate.
We arrive at Cape Cross late afternoon where we set up camp for the night and have the opportunity for a sunset walk on the beach. Tonight we enjoy another meal prepared over the campfire.
Today you get the rare chance to sleep in and after a hearty cooked breakfast, we take a short walk to the Cape Cross Reserve.
The reserve is home to one of the world’s largest breeding colonies of Cape Fur seals and during the breeding season (November-December) up to 200 000 plus seals can be spotted basking on the beach– a unique sight and smell to behold. After our visit to the seal colony, 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.
Early this afternoon we reach Swakopmund, Namibia's top seaside destination. 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 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.
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 discover 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 a bar at camp. Your guide makes you dinner and we get an early night.
We leave camp before dawn on day eight, 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.
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.
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.
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 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 skies. You can also get a permit to photograph the quiver trees at night (at extra cost).
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.
Note: We do not recommend booking flights departing on the final day of the safari.
This tour does take children.
Child Rates are applicable to children Aged 5 to 11 who shares accommodation with 2 Adults only.
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