Embark on an captivating journey through Namibia visiting some of the most famous landmarks this incredible country has to offer; from the red sands of the Kalahari Desert to the vast plains of Etosha National Park.
Breakfast: 13
Lunch: 11
Dinner: 10
Explore Tour Leader
Truck
3 nights lodge
9 nights premium lodge
1 nights comfortable lodge
Moderate
Trip maximum 10
Itineraries on some departure dates may differ, please select the itinerary that you wish to explore.
Na'ankuse Lodge (or similar)
Grade: Lodge
Lapa Lange Lodge (or similar)
Grade: Premium Lodge
Dead Valley Lodge (or similar)
Organic stay (or similar)
Palmwag Lodge (or similar)
Etosha Village (or similar)
Grade: Comfortable Lodge
Etosha Safarihoek Lodge (or similar)
Otjiwa Thorn Bush Tented Camp (or similar)
With a staggering 300 days of sunshine each year, Namibia is a year-round destination, although some may prefer to avoid the heat of high summer. The cold Benguela current keeps the Atlantic coast of the Namib Desert cool and rain-free for most of the year, with a thick coastal fog that lends a mysterious edge to the area. January and February are the hottest months, when daytime temperatures in the heart of the Namib can exceed 40°C (104°F), but nights are usually cool. Winter nights can be fairly cold, but days are generally warm and pleasant.
+1
3 Pin Round
Christian
English, Afrikaans, German
Day 1: Windhoek (only time if you arrive earlier or depart after the tour) Half day city tour: N$750 pp Half day Katutura Township tour: N$750 pp Day 5: Swakopmund Living Desert Tour half day tour N$850 pp - The Living Desert Tour is a unique 4x4 adventure drive through the dunes. The tour takes you from the vegetated, life-rich eastern side of the dunes, right through the dunes to the Atlantic Ocean on the western side (minimum 5 people and weather permitting). Swakopmund Museum N$ 50 pp Overflight of Swakopmond - (Min 2 pers) - From N$15,625 pp - N$6,250 pp (depending on numbers) Township tour N$ 750 pp Half day dolphin cruise in Walvis Bay N$ 1150, excluding transfer Day 8 and 9: Etosha National Park Night game drive N$750 pp Day 10: Waterberg Plateau Park Game drive N$ 750 pp for 4 hours Prices accurate as per 30th October 2024
Clothing should be lightweight, however a warm fleece and sweater/thick shirts are essential, as nights (and daytime) can be very cold, especially from May to September, and game drives tend to take place at dawn and dusk. Brightly coloured clothing is not suitable for game viewing.
Lightweight trainers with a good grip, and sandals.
15Kg
A soft bag or holdall/kitbag (or rucksack with detachable frame). There are no porters on this trip to carry luggage.
Bring a torch, water bottle, sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Binoculars are essential for game viewing and a 300mm lens is recommended for photography. We also recommend you bring a swimming costume.
Great locations and well appointed premium accommodation characterise this trip. Namibia has a good tourism infrastructure and generally good service standards. We start our tour in a superbly located eco lodge with a restaurant, pool and panoramic vistas of the 3,200-hectare nature reserve, in the outskirts of Windhoek. In complete contrast, our next stop is a game lodge in the middle of the Kalahari desert. The gardens and pool here create a lovely atmosphere and the restaurant is renowned for its venison dishes! On to Sossusvlei inside the Namib-Naukluft national Park where the lodge for the night is the outstanding Dead Valley Lodge, which has won sevral design awards for its eco-design and scenic setting amongst the red sand dunes. Traveling further into Swakopmund where our small, family run hotel where each of the spacious priate rooms comes with its own little garden, perfetcly set for you to enjoy the beautiful African coastal weather. In Damaraland we will be spending the nights in a carefully currated Lodge complex and during our time in and near Etosha we will be using two different properties including a number of elegant and well-equipped chalets offering a full 180 degree vista of the surrouding plaines. Finally at Otjiwa we will be staying a tented camp carefully nestled amongst palmtrees and the flat desert land.
Dietary requirements: It's very important that you let us know of any dietary requirements at least 60 days prior to the departure of your trip because your Leader might need to pre-plan certain menus and shop for the majority of the food prior to departure. In Namibia there is very limited availability for specialist food products along the way and leaders will need to pre-advise accommodations of any specific requirements so they can ensure they have options. Please note, without prior notice or if your requirements change while on the trip Explore cannot guarantee all requirements will be catered for. If you have a specialist diet, including but not limited to vegan, gluten free, lactose intolerant and/or coeliac, we strongly recommend you bring some snacks with you as options will be limited, particularly in rural parts of Namibia where specialist food products in supermarkets are very limited and restaurants will often have one or two alternative options on their menus. With prior notice our leaders will always ensure there is a meal for you, however, we must stress we cannot guarantee variety or choice. Can you drink the water? The water quality is poor and therefore it is recommended to avoid drinking tap water during your trip.
Dietary requirements:
It’s very important that you let us know of any dietary requirements at least 60 days prior to the departure of your trip because your Leader will pre-plan menus and shop for the majority of the food prior to departure. In Namibia there is very limited availability for specialist food products along the way and leaders will need to pre-advise accommodations of any specific requirements so they can ensure they have options. Please note, without prior notice or if your requirements change while on the trip Explore cannot guarantee all requirements will be catered for.
If you have a specialist diet, including but not limited to vegan, gluten free, lactose intolerant and/or celiac, we strongly recommend you bring some snacks with you as options will be limited, particularly in rural parts of Namibia where specialist food products in supermarkets are very limited and restaurants will often have one or two alternative options on their menus. With prior notice our leaders will always ensure there is a meal for you, however, we must stress we cannot guarantee variety or choice.
We strongly recommend that you check your government's travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs. For UK citizens, check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice. Please refer to our COVID-19 entry requirements page for any country-specific conditions of entry. Whilst we strive to update this on a regular basis we recommend you also check the FCDO website for the latest advice on entry requirements. Information can change at any time.
Please note that some countries require proof of parental consent when travelling overseas with under 18s. Please check requirements with the relevant embassy or consular office well in advance of travel if this applies to your party.
Once your booking has been confirmed we guarantee the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. However, please note that if you voluntarily make any changes to your booking including changing your trip or departure date, any additional costs or charges incurred will not be covered. Before booking please ensure you have read our important tour pricing information.Booking Conditions
Travelling with Minors via South Africa (including transits) and entry into Namibia Regulations affecting all children aged under 18 years that are travelling to, from or via South Africa have been updated (Nov19). The law states that visa exempt children travelling for tourism purposes with one or both parents and/or an adult who is not a biological parent require to present a valid passport for each child on arrival. We strongly recommend you to refer to the South African House website for full information and to travel with a copy of these requirements. Please refer to the FCO website for information on travelling with minors to Namibia: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/namibia/entry-requirements Namibia: Visas are not required by UK, Australian, New Zealand, US and Canadian citizens. Other nationalities should consult their local embassy or consular office. UK passport holders will need a minimum of 1 blank page in your passport for your permission to stay stamp acquired on arrival. Other nationalities should consult their embassy or consular office. When travelling via South Africa a machine readable passport is required. All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related questions with the relevant
If you do require assistance in obtaining a visa then you may be able to apply through Explore's recommended visa service in the UK, Travcour. See www.travcour.com to download the relevant visa application for your trip, if applicable (UK citizens only), along with details of how to apply for your visa through Travcour. The Team at Travcour will be happy to answer specific questions relating to visa applications, please call them directly on 0208 5431846. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, with the correct validity for your chosen destination.
Before booking your Explore trip, please ensure that you read both our Essential Information and Booking Conditions.
Customers who have chosen to book on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements of our tour, please ensure that you have checked your tour specific ‘Joining Instructions’ prior to booking your own travel arrangements. Your joining instructions can be found below in the dates and prices information. You may also be eligible for the Free Explore Transfer.
Customers booked on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements will receive a Free Transfer, provided you arrive and depart on the tour only itinerary start and end dates. The complimentary transfers will be arranged from the Explore designated airport or train station to your trips joining point, and then back from the ending point to the designated airport or train station. Generally the airport or station that Explore have selected will be the one that is closest to the town or city where the trip starts, or the one nearest to the joining point. It will be either an airport or train station but not both. The exception to this rule is customers who are booked on a tour where the joining and ending point is at the designated airport or train station.
Free transfers are not available for Polar customers.
If you are not eligible for the Free Transfer then you will need to make your own way through to the joining and ending point. On a majority of our tours Explore will be able to provide a private transfer at an additional cost. Please ask for a quote at the time of booking. For more information regarding the Explore Free Transfer click here
It is a condition of booking with Explore that you have adequate valid travel insurance. It is your responsibility to arrange appropriate travel insurance and ensure you have read and understood the full terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered for all activities you intend to undertake whilst on the tour, including all optional activities. Your Insurance Policy must fully cover you for medical expenses and emergency repatriation to your home country. Please ensure your policy includes medical emergency helicopter evacuation in the event of illness or injury and covers the entire duration of your holiday. If you are trekking at altitude please ensure that there is no upper altitude limit which may limit or exclude cover for your trip. The cost of many of our Polar Voyages will exceed the capped amount covered by standard insurance premiums and you will be required to pay an additional premium to cover the full value of your trip. Please ensure that you are covered for the full amount of your holiday cost, as insufficient cover could invalidate a claim under the policy. Medical and repatriation insurance cover is not mandatory for UK residents who are travelling on trips within the United Kingdom. Read more information about what travel insurance is required.
Explore can arrange your flights for you, to make joining and leaving our trips easy. Read more about them here.
You are able to book this tour on a 'land only' basis or as a ‘flight inclusive’ package. Your flight inclusive package will be fully protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ATOL protection scheme.
We have a good selection of flights not only from London but from many regional airports around the UK allowing us to compare fares between scheduled carriers as well as low cost and charter airlines. Our dedicated flights team will match the best flight options to your arrival and departure airport.
On our website we display the price of the tour only. Please call us or select the flight option during the online checkout to receive a quote for a flight inclusive package. To avoid paying supplements or to secure your preferred flight option, we recommend booking as early as possible, especially for peak travel dates.
Please note this trip is operated in an overland truck because many of the roads we travel on through Namibia are gravel roads. The conditions of these roads can vary depending on government maintenance and at what time during the season you are travelling. Changing road conditions can have an impact on comfort and driving times. The roads conditions can take a toll on the overland vehicles at times and urgent vehicle repairs may be necessary throughout the trip. Our leaders and drivers are all trained in vehicle maintenance and can fix many issues caused by the rugged roads, however, in some cases we may have to change vehicles or amend travel times to allow vehicle maintenance to be carried out; your leader will brief you if this is the case. The overland trucks are large vehicles perfect for adventures in Southern Africa. The windows are large and slightly tinted to maximise on sightseeing and protect from the sun. Seats are larger than average and have seatbelts. The driver's cab and main passenger compartment are separate but the trucks are equipped with PA systems for easy communication. Plus the trucks are equipped with a limited number of charging points for cameras and cool boxes for keeping drinks cool - your leader will advise when these can be used. Air conditioning is not guaranteed.
Nothing compulsory, but we do recommend protection against malaria, hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid and polio. Please note that all travellers aged over 9 months old that have travelled from or have transitted via a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission, will need to present a Yellow Fever certificate at immigration/borders in Namibia for inspection. Consult your travel clinic for latest advice on different prophylaxis available against malaria. Travellers may wish to immunise themselves against meningitis. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at Explore Travel Health and from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.