|Itinerary at a Glance
|Johannesburg Pre-Tour Extension|
|Capetown Post-Tour Extension|
|16||Depart South Africa|
|Departures||September – December 2013|
|Departs||Los Angeles (LAX), New York Kennedy (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Logan (BOS); other gateways on request|
|Highlights||Windhoek, Swakopmund, Sossusvlei, Etosha National Park, Twyfelfontein rock art, and the "Moon Valley", plus Johannesburg & Cape Town optional extensions.|
|Travel Style||This fast-paced, partially escorted tour involves a significant amount of walking or hiking, often on uneven terrain, requiring a high level of physical fitness to fully enjoy the trip. This tour also includes long scenic drives between destinations and may have limited rest stops.|
We're pleased to bring you Discover Namibia, one of our most enthralling and off-the-beaten path tours yet. Discover the startling natural beauty of this small African nation on our 14-day comprehensive tour package. You'll experience all of the highlights of this fascinating country—from the shimmering salt pan and diverse wildlife of Etosha National Park, the enormous Sossusvlei sand dunes in the heart of the Namib desert, the rugged terrain of Damaraland, the ancient rock engravings at Twylfelfontein, the quaint coastal town of Swakopmund, and more.
And as always, we've put together a package that includes everything your need to enjoy your stay in Namibia. Roundtrip flights, transfers, great hotel and lodge accommodations, daily buffet breakfast, 7 dinners, safari game drives, touring, and more are all part of these once-in-a-lifetime vacation package. But, space is very limited, so be sure to reserve your spot quickly!
Other packages you might like:
All prices, fees and deposits are per person. Prices below are subject to availability and confirmation. After we receive your booking, we will confirm all prices and availability within 1–2 business days. Prices are subject to change at any time and not guaranteed until we receive your final payment. More about our prices.
|Departures & Prices*|
|Fri||May 31||2013||Thu||Jun 13||2013||$5099||Departed|
|Fri||Jun 14||2013||Thu||Jun 27||2013||$5499||Departed|
|Fri||Jun 28||2013||Thu||Jul 11||2013||$5599||Closed|
|Fri||Jul 12||2013||Thu||Jul 25||2013||$5599||Closed|
|Fri||Aug 2||2013||Thu||Aug 15||2013||$5599||Closed|
|Fri||Aug 16||2013||Thu||Aug 29||2013||$5199||Closed|
|Fri||Sep 6||2013||Thu||Sep 19||2013||$5199||Available|
|Fri||Sep 20||2013||Thu||Oct 3||2013||$4899||Available|
|Fri||Oct 4||2013||Thu||Oct 17||2013||$4899||Available|
|Fri||Nov 1||2013||Thu||Nov 14||2013||$4899||Available|
|Fri||Nov 15||2013||Thu||Nov 28||2013||$4699||Available|
|Fri||Dec 6||2013||Thu||Dec 19||2013||$4699||Available|
Want to stay longer? We may be able to arrange for you to extend your stay later than the scheduled dates, subject to availability. Contact us about dates, prices and restrictions.
|Single room supplement||+$499|
|Johannesburg Pre-Tour Extension1|
|Single room supplement||+$200|
1. Subject to availability, and may cost more based on flight availability at the time of booking.
|Cape Town Post-Tour Extension1|
|Cape Town Extension|
|All other departures||+$799|
|Single room supplement|
|All other departures||+$300|
1. Subject to availability, and may cost more based on flight availability at the time of booking.
|New York Kennedy (JFK)||included|
|Los Angeles (LAX)||+$165|
|San Francisco (SFO)||+$165|
Departure airport prices subject to availability and may cost more based on flight availability at the time of booking.
Coming from somewhere else? Before you book, ask us about availability and prices for flights from other cities. Additional charges for flights from other cities are due within 14 days of your booking.
To make a reservation, we only require a per-person deposit payment, which you can pay with your credit card. This non-refundable deposit will be applied towards the cost of your package. You can pay the balance due later by credit card, check or money order. Your final payment is due 90 days prior to departure, or within 72 hours of booking, whichever is later.
Ticketing: Airline tickets for this tour are usually issued within 14 days of your booking, and once issued, cannot be changed, refunded or transferred. To issue tickets, we must receive photocopies of the signature and picture pages of your passport(s) within 14 days of your booking, or your reservation may be subject to a higher airfare or cancellation.
Day 2: Windhoek. Arrive today in Windhoek, Namibia's capital city. After customs formalities, transfer to your hotel for check-in. Accommodations: Safari Court Hotel or similar.
Day 3: Etosha. After breakfast this morning, depart north for Etosha, stopping en route in the small town of Okahandja, known for its woodcarvings and curios. You'll have some time at leisure to watch the artisans at work and to shop for their handicrafts at the local market. Arrive later this afternoon in Etosha and check-in at your lodge. Accommodations: Etosha Rest Camp or similar. Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 4: Etosha. Today, enjoy a full day of touring at Etosha National Park, regarded as one of most interesting game-viewing reserves in the world because of its impressive abundance of wildlife and its unusual topography. Etosha, which means "place of dry water", sits upon a unique combination of an expansive dry lake (salt pan), grasslands, dense brush, and open plains, all of which makes for a stunning backdrop for viewing the nearly 100 different large mammal species—including the elephant, giraffe, zebra, leopard, lion, and black rhino—and more than 340 bird species that call Etosha home. Be sure to have your cameras ready as you make stops for close-up viewing at the various watering holes throughout the park. Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 5: Etosha. Continue exploring the wonders of Etosha as you drive west across the majestic salt-pan, whose silvery white color makes it glisten in the sun. Stop at watering holes along the way for additional game-viewing. Accommodations: Etosha Safari Lodge or similar. Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 6: Damaraland. Set out early this morning for Damaraland, a huge, untamed, and ruggedly beautiful region, often considered to be one of the last true wilderness areas in Africa. The scenic ride takes you to a Himba settlement near Kamanjab. With their intricate hairstyles and traditional adornments, the Himba are one of Namibia’s most distinctive tribes. Spend time with these proud people, learning about their captivating heritage and special way of life. Continue to Khorixas, the capital of the Damaraland region, check-in at your lodge and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. Accommodations: Damara Mopane Lodge or similar. Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 7: Twyfelfontein. Today, visit the remote Twyfelfontein valley, the site of Namibia’s Petrified Forest and largest collection of prehistoric rock art. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Twyfelfontein is home to more than 2,000 rock carvings estimated to be more than 3,000 years old and believed to be the work of the San Bushmen. These fascinating engravings are etched in red sandstone and depict giraffes, lions, hunters, and other symbols. Discover these magnificent engravings, along with other striking geological features such as the Organ Pipes, a series of perpendicular dolerite pillars, and Burnt Mountain, a mountain that glows in the afternoon sun, giving the impression that it is burning. Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 8: Swakopmund. This morning, drive along the Atlantic coast to the charming coastal resort of Swakopmund. Its palm-lined streets and seaside promenades give the town a pleasant, laid-back feel, while its colonial German architecture and numerous beer gardens recall a quaint German village. A favorite vacation spot for Namibians, Swakopmund offers excellent beaches, tasty restaurants and several other attractions including a local history museum, aquarium, crystal gallery, and brewery.
Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure to explore the town independently. Accommodations: Eberwein Hotel or similar. Breakfast provided.
Optional Excursion: The optional Harbor Dolphin Cruise takes you to Bird Island and across the lagoon where inquisitive seals will swim up to the boats. Head out to Pelican Point where dolphins and seals can be spotted, as well as many species of birds such flamingoes, cormorants, White Chinned Petrels and even the Jackass Penguin. Enjoy fresh Walvis Bay oysters, snacks and cold sparkling wine on board. This optional excursion can only be purchased locally.
Optional Excursion: You can also enjoy an optional scenic flight over Swakopmund. Fly east via the "Moon Landscape" along the Swakop riverbed crossing the Oasis Graonikontes. Pass over the "sea" of shifting sand dunes to the coast at Conception bay, and view the wrecks of the passenger liner "Eduard Bohlen" stranded in 1909 and the "Shaunee" stranded in 1976. See the long wall of the Namib Dunes, Sandwich Harbor wetlands and the coastal salt mines, attracting thousands of birds. This optional excursion can only be purchased locally. Breakfast provided.
Day 10: Sossusvlei. Discover the stunning lunar landscape of the rocky granite valley known as "Moon Valley" as you drive toward the Namib Desert. Proceed through the southern region of the Namib Naukluft Park, the Kuiseb Canyon, and the Gaub Pass before arriving at your lodge. Accommodations: Namib Desert Lodge or similar. Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 11: Sossusvlei. Set out this morning to view one of the most spectacular sights in all of Namibia—the massive Sossusvlei sand dunes, reported to be the highest sand dunes in the world. Watch as the strong colors of these majestic red dunes change with the sun, making for excellent photo opportunities. Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 12: Windhoek. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning before departing for Windhoek. If conditions permit, drive through the scenic Spreetshoogte Pass. Arrive mid-afternoon in Windhoek and spend the balance of your final full day in Namibia at leisure. Accommodations: Safari Court Hotel or similar. Breakfast provided.
Day 13: Depart Namibia. Transfer midday to the airport for your overnight flight to New York via Johannesburg.
Day 14: Arrive USA. Your memorable Namibian adventure comes to an end today as you touch down this morning in New York.
Take advantage of your already-included international airfare to visit Johannesburg, South Africa's large metropolis, also known as "Egoli" or City of Gold. You will depart the USA 2 days prior to the dates shown above.
Day 2: Johannesburg. Arrive this morning in Johannesburg, South Africa's largest and most populous city. Enjoy a panoramic tour of this cosmopolitan city, affectionately referred to as "Jo'Burg" by the locals. Check-in at your hotel. Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure. Accommodations: Protea Fire & Ice! Melrose Arch.
Day 3: Johannesburg. This morning learn more about South Africa's turbulent past and its unwavering hope for the future on a fascinating tour to Soweto (short for Southwestern Township), a sprawling metropolis on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Your tour will give you a close-up look at daily life in this bustling neighborhood, the largest black urban settlement in Africa and center of political campaigns aimed at the overthrow of the apartheid state.
Highlights of the Soweto tour include the former residence of Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela; the Hector Peterson memorial for the victims of the civil unrest in the 1970s; the ultramodern Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital; and various other impressive community development projects. The balance of the day is at leisure. Breakfast provided.
Day 4: Johannesburg, South Africa/Windhoek, Namibia. After breakfast this morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to Windhoek. There, you will meet up with the rest of your tour group at your hotel. (Please see Day 2 of the main tour itinerary above.)
Take advantage of your already-included international airfare to visit the vibrant city of Cape Town, a truly hot destination for style, night life and gorgeous scenery. You'll return to the U.S. 3 days after the dates shown above.
Day 13: Windhoek/Cape Town. This morning, fly to the beautiful city of Cape Town, nestled between the Indian and Atlantic oceans. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Accommodations: Protea Hotel North Wharf. Breakfast provided.
Day 14: Cape Town. Your introduction to Cape Town begins with a half day panoramic tour showcasing the scenic and historic highlights of this vibrant city. Weather permitting, you'll travel by cable car to the top of Table Mountain, Cape Town's most striking landmark. Stop at Milnerton Lighthouse for spectacular views of the mountain and the city below. Proceed to the country's oldest building, the Castle of Good Hope, an imposing 17th century Dutch fort set against the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain. Continue to the Malay Quarter (Bo-Kaap). Lined with brightly colored houses and decorative mosques, this historic neighborhood was founded by former slaves from Malaysia whose Islamic culture gives the neighborhood a distinct character and contributes to Cape Town's rich cultural diversity. The final stop is the lively Cape Town Waterfront, where restaurants and entertainment options abound.
Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure to get better acquainted with Cape Town. Breakfast provided.
Excellent tour, excellent value, excellent hotels and safari in Kruger was a highlight. The trip was well organized, well paced and I am a very satisfied traveler.