Namibia flying safari
A multi centred and extremely exclusive 10 days exploring Namibia, flying between luxury lodges, enjoying everything from game drives to quad biking.
Windhoek Kulala Wilderness Reserve Namib Desert private sunrises over Sossusvlei dune boarding guided nature walks hot air balloon rides sunrise treks star gazing Swakopmund Walvis Bay kayaking with seals 4x4 dune excursions Skeleton Coast game drives Serra Cafema camp meet the Himba quad biking
Price
£9950 including domestic flights only
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More info
This itinerary is priced per person and designed to give you an idea of what can be included on your bespoke luxury tour of Namibia, tailor-made to suit your personal tastes and preferences.
Description of Namibia flying safari
Explore the towering sand dunes of the Namib Desert; spot whales, dolphins and hundreds of fur seals at Walvis Bay; enjoy a remote wildlife experience at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp; then spot desert-dwelling elephant, black rhino, lion, leopard and cheetah at Serra Cafema.
On this exclusive itinerary, you’ll fly between destinations rather than driving, to make the most of your time and see Namibia's otherworldly landscapes from a bird's eye view.
You’ll begin with a light aircraft flight from Windhoek into a private reserve within the Namib Desert, where you'll be able to discover attractions such as Sesriem Canyon, Dune 45, Big Daddy and Deadvlei.
You’ll then fly north to Swakopmund, where you'll stay at Pelican Point at Walvis Bay to enjoy kayaking with the thousands of Cape fur seals at Pelican Point, untouched beaches, marine life and the lagoon of Walvis Bay. After having explored Swakopmund you'll fly to the remote Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, where you'll take part in nature walks, wildlife-watch and experience the Skeleton Coast's stark shores and enormous seal colonies in a very remote region of Namibia.
From Hoanib Skeleton Coast, you'll next fly to Kaokoland, a wild remote region in the northwest corner of Namibia, where you'll stay at Serra Cafema, a luxurious camp on the Kunene River, to enjoy game drives in search of desert-dwelling elephant, endangered black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah, zebra, giraffe and antelope.
Itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive in Windhoek & Fly to the Namib Desert - On arrival in Windhoek, you will be met by a representative before connecting onto a light aircraft flight to Kulala in the heart of the Namib Desert. You’ll spend the next two nights at Little Kulala, a luxurious desert retreat situated in the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, at the foot of the iconic Sossusvlei Dunes. |
| Day 2: | Explore Kulala Wilderness Reserve & Sossusvlei - We recommend that you wake up early to climb the iconic sand dunes at sunrise, or if you prefer you can soar above this breathtaking landscape in a hot air balloon. Other activities you can enjoy today include a nature drive in the Kulala Wilderness Reserve to spot the desert-adapted wildlife, a dune walk or an eco-sensitive guided quad bike excursion, sand boarding and horse riding. In the evening, you can enjoy a gin and tonic on a sundowner tour, or after dark you can join a star-gazing excursion with a knowledgeable guide. |
| Day 3: | Fly to Swakopmund & Transfer to Walvis Bay - After breakfast today, you’ll take a light aircraft flight north to Swakopmund. Upon arrival, you’ll be transferred to your stunning accommodation, Pelican Point Lodge (30 kilometres from Swakopmund), which is situated on a remote peninsula with the untouched beaches of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the lagoon of Walvis Bay on the other. |
| Day 4: | Explore Walvis Bay - Today, you’ll have a full day to explore Walvis Bay. We recommend kayaking with the thousands of Cape fur seals at Pelican Point, joining a dolphin cruise around Walvis Bay Lagoon or a guided wildlife walk, where you’ll have a chance to spot seals and dolphins, plus flamingos and pelicans. |
| Day 5: | Transfer to Swakopmund & Fly to Hoanib - After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Swakopmund to catch a flight to Hoanib Skeleton Coast Lodge. This spectacular camp is situated in a very remote location of northern Damaraland, on the edge of Skeleton Coast National Park. This luxurious and exclusive camp, which has just seven twin-tented rooms and one family unit, is only accessible by light aircraft and offers a truly remote wilderness experience. |
| Day 6: | Explore Hoanib - Hoanib Skeleton Coast Lodge offers the option for morning, afternoon or full-day nature drives to spot the desert-adapted elephant, giraffe, gemsbok and springbok. You can also explore the Skeleton Coast, with its stark shores and enormous seal colonies, take a stroll through Hoanib’s spectacular moon-like landscape and interact with wildlife researchers at the Hoanib Research Centre. |
| Day 7: | Fly from Hoanib to Serra Cafema - This morning, you will fly further north to the extremely remote Serra Cafema Camp. Located on the banks of the Kunene River on the northern border of Namibia, this is one of the most secluded and off-the-beaten track camps in Africa. |
| Day 8: | Explore Serra Cafema - Serra Cafema is located in an isolated area of Namibia, where the Himba people continue their traditional semi-nomadic way of life. Himba women cover themselves in an ochre paste to protect themselves from the sun and they also have distinctive braided hair, which changes with age and marital status. During your stay here, you may have the opportunity to visit a Himba settlement, spend time with the Himba women and learn about their fascinating lifestyle and customs. Other activities from Serra Cafema include eco-sensitive quad biking excursions, nature walks, hiking in the Marienfluss Mountains, star-gazing, and boat trips on the Kunene River (water levels permitting). |
| Day 9: | Depart from Windhoek - Following breakfast at the lodge, your Namibia flying safari comes to an end with a final light aircraft flight back to Windhoek in time for your international flight home. |
Price information
£9950 including domestic flights only
Convert currency:
This itinerary is priced per person and designed to give you an idea of what can be included on your bespoke luxury tour of Namibia, tailor-made to suit your personal tastes and preferences.
Departure information
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel guides
Namibia is a destination that you want to zoom out from to really get a sense of just how massive this country is.
Reviews
1 Reviews of Namibia flying safari
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 17 Apr 2018 by Karen Davies
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Our visit to the Namib Desert, the wildlife, some of the local people we met and two lodges in particular, Doro Nawas and Okonjima.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure that your agent books a proper 4 wheel drive vehicle, the roads are mainly gravel and can be treacherous after rain. Avoid the Fort at Onguma,
incredibly over-priced. Do not be persuaded to book by your travel agent, who may pressure you because they get commission on the huge cost for one night
of £700!! They served us fried bananas with salad dressing as a veggie option, and to be honest the staff seemed tense probably because of the price the guests were paying and they were scared to make mistakes.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not sure. I believe that Namibia does try to conserve its wildlife and as tourists spending lots of money on lodges, I guess we do underline the importance of
this approach. We did drive everywhere so this is probably not very environmentally friendly, but how else to get around? I don't know whether the staff/guides are well-paid in the lodges. If so, then we probably did benefit local people.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A real adventure, but a lot of driving! We covered 3000 kilometers in 15 days, that's 200 a day, and on gravel roads that's a lot of time spent in a car. We saw some spectacular things, the desert, the stars in clear, clear skies, lots of birds and animals, and even a chameleon crossing the road in the desert, but it is a long, long way between lodges, and it is very tiring. I'm not sure I would want to do another self-drive unless it was around a smaller country like say Luxembourg!
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet
This holiday offers the opportunity to stay at the award-winning Hoanib Skeleton Coast Lodge on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. The lodge is set in one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world, and therefore it has been built with minimal impact on the environment. The camp is 100% solar powered and they make use of innovative, eco-friendly systems to break down waste water which can then be used by plant life. They have also ensured that the design of the guest tents and main area maximise natural lighting, air movement and insulation. Presentations and interaction with wildlife researchers at the Hoanib Research Centre are possible when the researchers are in camp. These cover all current research being supported at Hoanib, in particular the vital work being done by Dr Flip Stander and his team on the unique desert-adapted lion.You will visit several national parks and reserves on this itinerary. In our detailed pre-departure travel pack we have included a note to remind you not leave any litter in the national parks and reserves – everything you carry in, you must carry out. Aside from the environmental damage, litter can be harmful to the wildlife.
People
On this holiday we offer the option to stay at Serra Cafema which is located in one of the most isolated areas of Namibia where the Himba people continue their traditional semi-nomadic way of life. Himba women cover themselves in an ochre paste to protect themselves from the sun and they also have distinctive braided hair which changes with age and marital status. Guests at Serra Cafema may be able to visit a Himba settlement and spend time with the Himba women. This is a truly authentic cultural experience which offers an opportunity to interact with the Himba people and learn about their traditional lifestyle and customs.If you visit a tribe in a remote region of Namibia please ensure that you always ask permission before taking photos and respect people’s privacy. You should engage and interact with people rather than simply taking photos of them and showing them the image on your camera afterwards is a nice gesture. Please remember that cultural exchange is a two-way street and you are also an object of fascination.
During your time in Namibia we encourage you to support the local economy by buying authentic handmade products such as cotton fabrics, wood carvings, pottery and silver jewellery at markets, villages and small-scale souvenir shops rather than hotel tourist shops or on organised shopping trips. When you buy products at markets, villages and small-scale souvenir shops you are helping to support a fragile economy and supporting local artisans helps keep traditional crafts alive. We recommend that you visit the Cosdef Arts & Crafts Centre in Swakopmund which supports local artisans and unemployed people by providing a shopfront for their work. The quality of the products is high and by purchasing items here you are supporting sustainability in local communities.
Namibia is home to the Herero tribe, who are characterised by their Victorian-style colourful dresses and horn-shaped headgear. Herero women often sell dolls in traditional Herero attire at roadside markets and if you buy one of these dolls you’re showing the Herero tribe that their culture and heritage is embraced by visitors, plus of course you’re directly contributing to their economy.
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