Trip Highlights
- See places off the tourist Radar
- Taste the foods you never saw before
- Gain insight experience into the local culture
- Experience the Himba and Aawambo people’s culture
- One night stay at a traditional Homestead with the local family
- The most comprehensive selection of Namibia’s unique regions
- Wildlife discovery in Etosha National Park and Hobatere Concession
- Nine full days of unforgettable wildlife, cultural experience and landscape tour
Travel Plan
Day 1: Etosha National Park
Morning pick up from your accommodation in Windhoek and depart to Etosha National Park famous for its wildlife capabilities and floodlit waterholes. Up-on entry in the afternoon, we already game driving inside the park looking for lions, elephants and many other species. Afterward, drive to our overnight Lodge inside the park, Okaukuejo Rest Camp with Dinner and Breakfast.
Day 2: Safari in Etosha National Park
Full day of game drive in the Park, visiting numerous waterholes that attract a large diversity of wildlife and bird species. During the dry season, we may also make a detour visit to the great ‘Etosha Pan’ a shallow chalky-white cracked mud, shimmering with mirages and upward- spiralling dust in winter. It was once a large inland lake fed by rivers from the north and east and dried up 120 million years ago. We spend a night at Onkoshi Eco Lodge, on the rim of Etosha Pan on a secluded peninsula, and it is a low impact environmental friendly lodge. Onkoshi offers superb view of the Etosha pan, which has shimmering mirages during hot season. During the wet months, birding is excellent from the comfort of your chalet or entertainment area. Sunsets and sunrises are magnificent over the pan with dramatic colours and vistas. Overnight stay at Onkoshi Eco Lodge with Dinner and Breakfast.
Day 3: Uukwaluudhi | Tsandi District
After a relaxed breakfast, leave the park and head north to Ovamboland (the tribal area of Aawambo people). Despite being the most densely populated part of Namibia, the central northern region is less explore, which make it unique and suitable for adventure. Here you will have an opportunity to sleep in a traditional homestead of an African family, mingle with them and experience their way of life. Aawambo are mainly crop farmer producers, although they have animals such as cows, goats, chickens and pigs. Your meals will be prepared by your guide on an open fire while you enjoying a cold beer or a glass of wine. There is a full network coverage in the area, you can communicate and send photos to your family and friends back home. Electricity is available at the Homestead, a shared shower and a flushing toilet. Overnight stay at the Traditional Homestead with all meals.
Day 4: Tsandi District
Today’s highlight is an excursion to the Uukwaluudhi Royal Homestead, take a step closer and meet the people of this region, gaining insight experience into the local culture and learn about elements of custom and tradition of Uukwaluudhi people. Have the opportunity to meet the king in person (when he is available). Cultural festival events in the region such as Olufuko can also be one of the highlight during August of each year. Afterward, we bid farewell to the family, and drive back to our homestead. Today’s meal is a goat or sheep barbeque on an open fire wood, served with some good local foods, beer, wine and many stories to tell. Overnight stay at Village House with all meals.
Day 5: Epupa Falls
The Epupa is a magical belt of makalani palm forest on the perennial Kunene River situated in the northwest of Namibia, which is also the border between Namibia and Angola. The Kunene drops into a 60m deep gorge and runs through the landscape like a green ribbon. The sight leaves us with a good idea of how powerful the falls must be when the river is at full capacity. Our Lodge is 200m upstream from the cascading fall, and the sound of the falls turns into music. Dine with a river view and wake to the music of the falls and the sound of palm thrushes and singing in the trees. Overnight stay at the Omarunga Lodge with dinner and breakfast.
Day 6: Epupa Falls
Today’s highlight is the excursion to a Himba settlement. Himba or Ovahimba is an African tribe in northern Namibia that until today they live relatively untouched by the European civilisation. They are normally nomadic, you will meet some of the local communities and they will be happy to welcome visitors who want to learn about elements of their customs and traditional life style. After the excursion, you will have time to relax and in the afternoon, we will go on a guided excursion to the Epupa Falls and enjoy the sunset afterwards. Overnight stay at Omarunga Lodge with Dinner and Breakfast.
Day 7: Hobatere Concession West Etosha
The Lodge is on a concession area of about 8808 hectares, lions and other game species thrive here. At dusk, while you sip on a cold beer they appear at the waterhole right below you, presenting onlookers with an awe-inspiring encounter. This wildlife rich concession is opposite the western part of the Etosha National Park. Afternoon, we will have an opportunity to enjoy a game drive in an open jeep with an experienced and knowledgeable rangers. After dinner, we do the evening game drive and with a bit of luck, we may see the elusive nocturnal animals, such as the aardvark, cape fox, bat-eared fox, aardwolf, and many others. Overnight stay at Hobatere Lodge with Dinner and Breakfast.
Day 8: Etosha National Park
From the west of Etosha you will enter the park and will drive toward the south of Etosha in search for game species. Make sure you have enough space on your camera’s memory card. Our lunch will be at Okaukuejo rest camp inside the park, afterward we game drive out of the park to our overnight lodge on the southern outskirt of the park and the reminder of the day will be at leisure. Overnight stay at Toshari Lodge with Dinner and Breakfast.
Day 9: Windhoek
After a tasty breakfast, and many great impression our nine days adventure is slowly ending as you drive back to Windhoek. End of tour.
Please Note
- Tour can be customised to suite your interest.
- Service subject to availability at the time of booking.
- Rates are subject to change without prior notice due to circumstances beyond our control, such as fuel increases, currency fluctuation and high season tariffs etc.
- We are strongly advice our guest against flying out on the day that your tour ends, unless you overnight at a lodge not so far from Windhoek. We generally travel long distances and late arrivals are common sometimes.
- Mannor Safaris will not be held responsible/accountable for missed flight in such cases.
- Whilst we endeavour to accommodate guests at the above stipulated accommodations, Mannor Safaris reserve the right to replace such accommodation with one of similar standard.
Facts about Namibia
Location: Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and South Africa.
Namibia is the second least densely populated country on earth, after Mongolia which is also a vast country, there are just over two million people living in Namibia.
Namibia has the largest free roaming Cheetah population on earth, estimated to be between 2500 – 3000. Lions and Leopards are also indigenous cats in Namibia.
Climate: The climate is typical of a semi Desert country, days are warm to hot and nights are generally cool. Temperatures are modified by the high plateau in the interior and by the Cold Benguela Current that runs along the Atlantic coastline.
Winter months, are typical mild to warm, but dawn temperatures may drop to freezing, therefore a warmer jacket and a long trousers are essential. Along the coast it can be very cold and windy, sometime foggy.
Summer months, Cotton clothes which is cooler then synthetic material is recommended for the Namibian summer and can be purchased in Safari shops in Windhoek. The rainy season lasts from October to April and the rest of the year is dry and cloudless. Namibia averages 300 days of sunshine a year.
Packaging Suggestions
You can expect hot, wet summers and cooler, dry winters in Namibia. Generally the days can be quite hot and the evenings and early mornings can be remarkably cool.
- Protection against the sun, sunblock, lip balm, moisturising cream, bush hat (if possible no flashy colours/shapes)
- Comfortable walking shoes/boots, sandals and torch.
- Swimwear, towels as most lodges and hotels have swimming pool
- Binoculars, Camera with plenty of film or memory card
- Comfortable lightweight clothing for the daytime and a sweater/jacket for early morning and evenings
- Good quality sunglasses - preferably polarised
- Tissue / Wet one
- Warm jersey or fleece plus anorak or parka, gloves or beanies for the cooler months
- Medical kit: insect repellent, aspirins, plasters, antiseptic cream, Imodium, Anti-histamine cream
- Visas, passports, money, etc.
- For those wearing contact lenses, we recommend that you bring along a pair of glasses.
- A 2 litre water bottle to prevent dehydration, Namibia is quite dry during hot summer months
Luggage:
Should be limited to a maximum of 20 kg.
Only soft canvas bags or rucksacks are recommended, hard suitcases are not suitable.
Due to the dust conditions, we suggest you keep your camera equipment in dust proof bag.
Miniwebs