Namibia

You will be travelling with African Wanderer Tours and Safaris, who have established a professional reputation in many fields over the years.

Wedged between the Kalahari and the South Atlantic, Namibia boasts deserts, seascapes, bushwalking and boundlessness. Blessed with rich natural resources, a solid modern infrastructure, diverse cultures and an annual quota of 300 days of sunshine, it is a beautiful country of vast potential.

The dry winter season (May to October) is the most pleasant time to visit Namibia. During this period you can expect warm, sunny days and cold nights, often with temperatures falling below freezing.

Namibia derived its name from the Namib Desert, a unique geological feature renowned for the pristine and haunting quality of its landscape. Far from being lifeless and barren, this narrow strip of moist coastal desert features an unusual variety of desert-adapted flora and fauna, including a large number of endemic plant, bird, reptile and insect species.

As temperatures can be very high during the summer months, clothing made from cotton is preferable. During winter, light clothing, combined with a sweater and/or jacket is recommended, as it becomes cold in the evenings and early mornings.

Important items to pack: comfortable walking shoes, swimsuits, binoculars, sun hats and sunglasses, sun block, mosquito repellent and battery-operated or conventional razors for visiting remote areas.

Namibian Dollar (N$), divided into 100 cents. Notes of N$10, N$20, N$50 and N$100 are in circulation. South African notes and coins are also legal tender.

The official language is English and all documents, notices and directional signs are in this language. German and Afrikaans are also used throughout the country and there are numerous African languages and dialects which fall into two main groups: Bantu and Khoisan.

Day 1:
Arrive in Windhoek where you will be met by a VetAdventure representative. You will have the opportunity to meet the rest of your group and then the whole group will enjoy a tour of the city.
You will stay at Villa Verdi Guesthouse on a bed and breakfast basis.

Day 2:
After an early morning departure you will be driven towards Sossusvlei through the Naukluft Mountains, enjoying a tasty packed lunch en route.
You will stay at Sossusvlei Lodge with dinner and breakfast provided.

Day 3:
You will enter the Namib Park at sunrise where you will enjoy your packed breakfast before moving on to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. Sossusvlei is Namibia's famous highlight in the heart of the Namib desert. It is a huge clay pan enclosed by sand dunes, some to a height of 300m - the highest in the world. You will spend a few hours walking around the dune area and then head back to view Sesriem Canyon.
Again you will stay at Sossusvlei Lodge with dinner and breakfast provided.

Day 4:
After breakfast you will leave for the Northern section of Namib Park. The journey will take you across the Kuiseb Canyon to the Welwitschia Plains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Welwitschia Plains are a moon landscape famous for their large numbers of rare Welwitschia plants, some of which may be up to 2,000 years old. From here your journey will proceed on to the beach resort of Swakopmund, an excellently preserved example of German colonial architecture.
You will stay at the Swakopmund 5* Hotel.

Day 5:
Following a delicious breakfast you will make your way to Walvisbaai where you will spend the morning cruising leisurely around the harbour. During this relaxing cruise you will see dolphins, seals (that may jump onboard boat!), pelicans, flamingos and possibly even whales. A champagne lunch will be served on board. Your afternoon will be free to enjoy the sites of Swakopmund.
Again you will stay at the Swakopmund 5* Hotel with breakfast included.

Day 6:
After driving north along the infamous Skeleton Coast to visit the Cape Cross seal colony you will head inland into Damaraland. Damaraland is one of the most scenic areas in Namibia, with prehistoric water courses, open plains and grasslands, massive granite koppies and distant mountains. Game species include desert elephants, black rhino, ostrich and springbok. Lunch at the White Lady Lodge will be followed by visits to the local Herero women and the ancient Twyfelfontein rock engravings, renowned for some of the best examples of Bushman paintings and engravings in Southern Africa. Here a local guide will take you into the rocky hillside on foot for a more in depth exploration of the engravings. Next you will go on to the Organ pipes rock formation before heading back to the lodge.
You will stay at Twyfelfontein Country Lodge with dinner and breakfast provided. The Lodge is a joint venture with the Twyfelfontein-Uibasen Conservancy. This means the local community benefits from tourism in the area and in the process become more attuned to the importance of protecting the wildlife and environment.

Day 7:
Continuing north you will visit the Petrified Forest and then proceed into the Kaokaveld. En route you will stop at the oasis of Palmwag for a break before continuing on to Sesfontein, where you will stay in an old German fort.
You will stay at Fort Sesfontein with dinner and breakfast provided.

Day 8:
Most of the day will be spent on a 4x4 excursion into the very wild Hoanib dry river valley in search of the rare desert elephant. You will also have the chance to see gemsbok, giraffe, springbok and maybe lion. Around mid-afternoon you will proceed on to Opuwo.
You will stay for two nights at Opuwo Country Lodge in luxury rooms with excellent views and air conditioning. Dinner and breakfast will be provided.

Day 9:
Following an early morning departure into Himba territory you will visit the Epupa Falls on the Kunene river bordering Angola. You may have the opportunity to visit a Himba village. The Himba people have kept their ethnic individuality and culture in the seclusion Kaokoland.

Day 10:
Today will be spent travelling towards Etosha National Park, one of Africa's best game reserves. During the dry season tens of thousands of animals converge to drink at the waterholes beside this pan. For most the year these water holes are ideal places just to sit quietly observing and photographing game. Most of Africa's big game species are found here, often in large numbers. Etosha has over 300 species of birds and a high concentration of lion.
You will stay in a private lodge, Naua-Naua, with dinner and breakfast provided.

Day 11:
You will have the opportunity to join early morning and late afternoon game drives in Etosha National Park, where you may see lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, black rhino, white rhino, giraffe, zebra and many types of antelope. There will be a leisurely lunch at the lodge and then you can relax through the heat of the day.
You will spend a second night at Naua-Naua lodge.

Day 12:
Heading towards the Eastern area of the park, the whole of the day will be spent on safari. You will enjoy a packed lunch at Halali camp, with its awesome elevated waterhole viewing point.
You will stay for two nights at Mokuti Lodge with dinner and breakfast provided.

Day 13:
Today you will have your final opportunity to enjoy morning and afternoon game drives with a relaxing break for lunch at the lodge in between.

Day 14:
After a final farewell to your new friends at the lodge you will head back to the capital, stopping en route for a scenic packed lunch. You will arrive in Windhoek in time for your departing flight home.

The cost of this trip is £1,800 per applicant. This includes all accommodation, vehicle and fuel costs, guide services and expenses, park entrance fees, all specified activities and most meals. It does not include flights, insurance, drinks, dinner in Windhoek and Swakopmund or any additional activities. Applicants will be met on arrival by a VetAdventure representative. You will be responsible for transport to and from the airport in the UK.

Applicants will be required to pay a £500 non-refundable deposit at the time of booking.

Flights will be to Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport. Flights are expected to cost around £800-£1,000 depending on availability. You will be responsible for booking your own flights, if you have any queries please feel free to contact Mhairi on mhairi@wvs.org.uk

We recommend that you book travel insurance prior to your trip. VetAdventure frequently use Go Walkabout Insurance (www.go-walkabout.co.uk).

Please check with your local doctor or travel clinic for details of which vaccinations are required for travel in this area . More information can be found at www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel, just click on the "Country Guide". You may need to allow several weeks before travel in order for immunisations to be effective so don't leave this to the last minute.

Please e-mail the office directly and we will send you a booking form. Please let us know in advance if you have any special dietary requirements.For further enquiries please contact bookings@vetadventure.com