NAMIBIA “Self Drive”

THIS IS A DRAFT ITINERARY PREPARED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS SITE: IT IS THE FIRST STEP FROM WHICH TO CREATE A TAILOR-MADE TRIP TO MEET THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF EACH USTOMER.

A MORE SPECIFIC DRAFT CAN BE DRAFTED AND SENT UPON REQUEST.

ACCOMMODATIONS, DURATION OF THE TRIP, EXTENSIONS AND COMBINATIONS WITH OTHER PLACES (WITHIN THE SAME COUNTRY OR IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES) CAN BE DETERMINED TOGETHER WITH KALAHARI AND MODIFIED ACCORDING TO YOUR DESIRES

This itinerary provides convenient travel from one point to another and enough time for excursions. It is a route that includes the best of Namibia with the possibility of different accommodations at all levels. The structure of a trip like this requires careful consideration in the choice of lodges and hotels so that they can be met in the most of the demands and needs of each client.

You can also choose the lodge whereby, once arrived, the ranger will accompany customers on great tours.

ITINERARY ” SELF DRIVE” CLASSIC

The trip starts at Windhoek

Kalahari has its main office in Windhoek. Upon arrival in Namibia customers are greeted with a warm "welcome", being offered cake with tea / coffee and a "briefing" before the departure. This briefing is very important to go over point by point before the journey, for clarifications regarding any doubts one might have, and to provide the latest information necessary for self-drive travel. Meeting clients upon their arrival in Africa is a tradition that Kalahari has always kept over the years making it part of its working philosophy especially in a country where the itineraries expected are self-drive.

Day 1 Windhoek Arrival at Windhoek, meeting with Kalahari Namibia and pick-up the rented car with which you will directly enter into a contract. Start of ground services. Accommodation on bed and breakfast basis in a very central hotel.

Day 2 & 3 Namib Desert in the Namib Rand Departure with your car to the Namibian mountain range that longitudinally crosses all the country. After the first few kilometers of a paved road you will exceed the mountain range that crosses the north from the south of Namibia: ancient mountains eroded by the wind and crossed by canyons, opening up into wide valleys, beautiful landscapes inhabited by families of ostriches, gazelles and oryx. Accommodation at the edge of the Namib Desert. There are many accommodations available in this area: from farms to luxury lodges, more or less close to the park entrances (Namib Naukluft). Dinner and breakfast. The next day is dedicated to the visit of Sossusvlei: walk among the high red dunes and visit to the Sesriem Canyon. Always with your own car in full freedom.

Day 4 & 5 Swakopmund or Walvis Bay

You will leave in the morning to cross the beautiful area of the canyon, the Naukluft Park, up to the Moon Valley and Swakopmund. Free afternoon around the lagoon, meeting point at the restaurant to enjoy freshly caught shrimps and oysters, served directly from the pot with spectacular seafood sauces (suggested by Kalahari.)

The arrival in Swakopmund is in the afternoon. Accommodation on bed and breakfast, at the selected hotel or lodge. Breakfast. The following day, free time for shopping in Swakopmund, visit the market and the museum in freedom. The town is very small and it is pleasant to walk along the ocean. You can also hike with their cars around the lagoon of Walvis Bay, to admire the pink flamingos at sunset.

Kalahari suggests a cruise in Catamaran and an excursion in the desert with the ranger in 4x4 vehicle. Completely different emotions from anything seen before. Champagne-coloured sand, high “erg” that throws itself directly into the ocean waves. An incredible sight. Wonderful walks along the beach of the Atlantic Ocean, and back along the shore waiting for the retreat of the waves.

A pleasant cruise in the lagoon of Walvis Bay amongst the dolphins, flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, gulls and seals that jump into the boat. Sometimes, depending on period of time, you can meet penguins, whales and sea turtles. A good snack; oysters and champagne on the boat. The boat crosses all of the lagoon.

You will continue the tour by 4x4 vehicles across the bay on a strip of sand where seals like to sunbathe. In a gymkhana in the dunes you will get to Sandwich Harbor. For those who enjoy walking, you can walk along the coast on the beautiful stretch of beach before returning to the car to Swakopmund. Lunch on the dunes. All day dedicated to the beautiful wild coast of Namibia.

Day 6 Skeleton Coast up to Damarland You will go through a part of the Skeleton Coast, in this first part of the coast you can see a wreck stranded on shore: one of the many ships in history, which has lost its way and sank on this legendary coast, because of the dry and strong currents. There are two options: you can drive along the Skeleton Coast up to the Terracebay junction or enter the territory of Damaraland covering all of it, until you arrive up to the lodge. You will find yourself in the area of the cave paintings, where once the Sun population taught hunting and survival by sketching it on the rock. Time for a splendid walk between graffiti and paintings.

Accommodation in a lodge in the Damaraland (several options), with dinner and breakfast.

Kalahari suggests the excursions to the elephants of the desert with the lodge. The excursion to the elephants in the Damaraland area lasts only half day. (This excursion is more complete if you arrive in Kaokoland adding two more days to the trip because it lasts almost a whole day, with a picnic lunch along the way following the desert elephants. An unforgettable experience to follow their footprints along the dry and sandy rivers between small green oasis where these animals find their natural sources).

Day 7 & 8 Etosha National Park Departure to Etosha Park, arriving at the lodge in the afternoon. The next day is to be spent entirely in Etosha. The safaris follow the tracks indicated and pass through an area mainly crossed by animals. Safari with own car in full freedom. The Etosha is the richest park with animals in Namibia and also the easiest to visit. Sightings of large herds of each species such (antelopes, kudu, zebra, wildebeest, gazelles), many elephants and giraffes, one can also often encounter cats. The safaris are very simple because of the large amount of animals. Accommodation is in the lodge near the entrance to the southwest of the park (several options). Dinner and breakfast.

Day 9 Return to Windhoek - Departure Return to Windhoek. Drop-off rented vehicle at the airport will full fuel in tank. End of ground services.

RECOMMENDED EXTENSION KAOKOLAND BY CAR OR BY PLANE

You will leave Damaraland to advance in the rugged expanses of Kaokoland. Immediately, you feel a different kind of Africa, wilder, more abandoned. The brilliance of the colours of the north is impressing due to the great contrast with all that is left behind. The sand, sometimes white and sometimes black alternates to the remotest oasis of palm trees. Here the colours acquire light colours: from white to beige to ochre. You are on the route of the desert elephants crossing immense dry and sandy rivers. Once in Sesfontein the accommodation is in a beautiful tented camp along a river loved by elephants. The choice to dwell in this area is for the environment and for the beautiful excursions in search of the desert elephants, where often one can encounter many families.

Excursions are always accompanied by experienced rangers in 4x4 vehicles. During the excursion to the elephants, a "picnic" lunch is served amid the unique landscapes of Kaokoland. These are among the best excursions that you can do in the area, they pass between "gorges" and narrow passages until arriving in large dry rivers, the most important of which is the Hoanib. An unforgettable experience to follow their footprints along the wide sandy paths, between small green oasis, where these large animals find natural sources to quench their thirst.

Kalahari suggests to stay for three nights at this lodge to dedicate sufficient time to this beautiful corner of Namibia. This may include various excursions: a whole day dedicated to the research of the elephants, a game drive and an expedition in search of the Himba villages still natural and off the touristic tracks. A full day excursion in search of rhinos with "picnic" lunch. The rhino is an animal, which is very difficult to meet, but the excursions leads to several different areas expanding experience of the place.

EVEN MORE TO THE NORTH: Leaving the car at Twyfelfontain, flight to Purros: a valley further north, in a wild and little explored area. One of the most beautiful and fascinating lodges in Namibia. The atmosphere is refined and elegant and its incredible position makes it a very privileged place. Broad, dry, white sandy rivers and palm trees form the backdrop to the paths traced by the desert elephants. Excursions are included in 4x4 open vehicles with ranger for the search for these particular pachyderms. The area is also populated by gazelles, zebras, oryx, giraffes, rhinos and big cats. A natural park without barrier. The trips are within the white desert and often you will go down so deep in the gorge that you will feel the cool breeze of the Skeleton Coast! Accommodation on full board basis and excursions with ranger.

The beauty of creating a tailor-made travel experience is that of being able to choose the accommodation, and to have direct contact with those who can provide all the information and advice they need to meet your specific request. Namibia offers many alternatives, not only with regards to luxury, but also for the great range of places of different atmosphere, able to give a more interesting touch, sporty, exciting, adventurous or reserved to your own holiday. It is important not to choose all the lodges belonging to the same owner so you have different emotions during the dinners, the welcome, the experience of the lodge.

SELF DRIVE TRIP WITH RANGER:

EXCURSION WITH RANGER AND 4X4 VEHICLES. This itinerary is created using a series of lodges that offer, including it in the price, excursions accompanied by ranger in 4x4 vehicles. This makes the trip without a guide even much simpler. In this case the choice for the alternative accommodation will be more limited. (To ask Kalahari for details.) This proposal adds a day in the Kalahari Desert, or immediately after Windhoek, or before returning to town, depending on the direction of travel (v . Extension)

EXTENSION: ONE NIGHT IN THE KALAHARI DESERT

The Kalahari Desert is located about two hours south of Windhoek, the desert covers an area that includes a great part of Botswana and a large area south of Namibia. Accommodation is in a lodge on half board basis. Excursions in the reserve with ranger and open 4x4 vehicles and hike with Bushmen included.

The excursion with the Bushmen is usually done early in the morning, the day after your arrival, and takes an hour without affecting the time and the day's program. A small contact with the Bushmen population who once lived in this arid and difficult desert. You will learn how they used to haunt animals, how they used to find water and how they treated diseases. Ancient wisdom and deep knowledge of the secrets of nature were the recipe for this harsh survival, which transmitted to the Western world, remains an unforgettable moment to share with family.

SELF DRIVE TRIP WITH GUIDE:

The same trip can be done with a guide. Kalahari always suggests local guides. Professionals with driving permit or license as required by the authorities. These are always people with a particular love for their country who love showing the beauty and secrets. For them it is very important to do this work, and by working with Kalahari for many years, they have learned to appreciate Italian customers, agreeing also to apply to certain flexibility! Namibia has been for years a territory with a German footprint, combined with that of the local people, born and raised in the deserts or in the remotest farms. The result is reflected in the order, in the care of the environment and of the territory, with respect to the water and to the life which in these places is even more valuable. All the guides are sensitive to these issues and on the way, they teach customers old tricks and the countries secrets.

Note: The cost of a trip like this - with guide – can be often compared to that of a flight journey. Therefore we advise to take into consideration the trip "Fly Namibia" (ask Kalahari or log on the site www.kalaharinafrica.com) with charter aircrafts. This will shorten the distance between one point and another, and this will give you more time to devote to the tour and the lodge. The value for money is often very competitive.

The vehicles: Kalahari has agreements for years with international trusted car-rentals. We do not rely on private operators and improvised managers. Despite our 40 years in Africa, we prefer to keep our work as a tour operator, and not offer direct car rental services. This allows us to have up to date choices, get the best rates and often new cars. They always suggest to us non-modified cars but amended ones, as required by the parent company such as; Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Mitsubishi or similar. The best solution remains the 4x4 double - cab. More stable than any car, and takes up to 5 people. Mostly used for groups of more than four people are especially the VW or Toyota Quantum minibus, used by all operators in both tourism as well as in private business. They have an ongoing maintenance, spare parts are easy to find almost everywhere, easy to drive, comfortable and easy to handle. Each rented vehicle from Kalahari has regular maintenance agreed between the parent company authorized car-rental. Kalahari never recommends cars not approved by the parent company!

KALAHARI

Africa Headquarters: Namibia - P.O. Box 21508 [email protected] Europe branch: Malta [email protected] – www.africaxposure.com

PRIVATE: per viaggi stra-ordinari lungo rotte sconosciute al turismo dei più, all’insegna della privacy, del relax e di ogni più stravagante esigenza Kalahari “Haute Couture” (KHC): [email protected] Web: www.kalaharinafrica.com - www.kalaharihc.com