| Starts | Windhoek, Namibia, Namibia |
|---|---|
| Ends | Cape Town, South Africa, South Africa |
| Region | Africa |
| Duration | 13 days |
| Tour Operator | Peregrine |
Itinerary
Day 1 - Starting: Windhoek & Finishing: Windhoek
Your journey begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm on Day 1. You can arrive at any time as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception where it will take place. Those arriving early can take a stroll around the town and visit some of its museums or perhaps take a township tour. Take in the German architecture evident in a number of buildings. The finest are the Tintenpalast (Ink Palace), the Christuskirche (church), the gymnasium and the Genossenschaftshaus.
Day 2 - Starting: Etosha National Park & Finishing: Etosha National Park
Travel to our lodge located just outside Etosha National Park ( 400km approximately 7–8 hours including stops). On arrival the afternoon will be free to relax at the Lodge. Maybe cool off in the pool, read a book, or enjoy a sundowner by the bar. Be sure to charge your camera's tonight. Tomorrow we will have a full day in the Park. This is one of the world's premier game-viewing destinations; spotting animals in the park is relatively easy due to the man-made waterholes and the large, sparsely vegetated pans. The bushland surrounding the pans is difficult to see through, but there are enough clearings, pans and waterholes to allow for sightings. Namibia has protected its game reserves against poaching, so there are large herds of elephants, antelope and other herbivores.
Day 3 - Starting: Etosha National Park & Finishing: Etosha National Park
Rise early and enjoy a full day of game viewing in the truck. Keep a close eye on the landscape for black rhino, Hartmann's mountain zebra, black-faced impala, roan antelope and the tiny Damara dik-dik. The park is also home to some 340 bird species. Return to the lodge and reflect on the day's adventures with your fellow travellers over dinner.
Day 4 - Starting: Damaraland & Finishing: Damaraland
Enjoy a morning Game Drive in the Park then venture off the beaten track as you head into the heart of Damaraland (220km approximately 5 hours). Home to Namibia's highest peak, ancient rock paintings and petrified forests, the harshly beautiful and sparsely populated Damaraland region is a land of spectacular contrasts. Depending on the time of year, you might be lucky enough to see the desert elephants that roam the area. Your home for the next two nights is the Mopane Lodge, constructed in a semi-circle of interlinking pathways leading to a lavish swimming pool at its centre. Innovatively designed, each chalet has its own small garden planted with vegetables. Bright yellow sunflowers peep out between verdant spinach, beetroot and zany scarecrows, creating an enchanting lodge setting. A highlight end of the day is to ascend the hill to a viewing platform for a sweeping vista of the Mopane woodland illuminated by the setting sun. It also the best spot for a sundowner drink and to get a better view of the intriguing construction of the lodge.
Day 5 - Starting: Damaraland & Finishing: Damaraland
Spend the morning visiting the surrounding sights such as Twyfelfontein Heritage Site and the Petrified Forest. Twyfelfontein has one of the largest concentrations of ancient rock engraving in southern Africa and is a fascinating insight into the past. The Petrified Forest looks back into nature’s history, where 280 million-year-old fossilised tree trunks lie. Continue on to the Living Museum of the Damara, which aims to reconstruct and preserve the 'lost culture’ of the Damara. Learn about this fascinating traditional culture that is, along with the Bushmen, the oldest nation in Namibia. Their original culture was a mixture of an archaic hunter-gatherer culture and herders of cattle, goats and sheep. Due to their loose social structures, the Damara struggle to defend themselves against colonisation – one of the reasons that the culture faced extinction. Return to the lodge around 2pm, with the rest of the day free to relax by the pool, with a book or a nap.
Day 6 - Starting: Swakopmund & Finishing: Swakopmund
Travel on through the Namib Desert today ( 330km approximately 6 hours with stops) to reach the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Take in the beautiful, diverse and colourful landscapes that stream past along the way; mountains, sand dunes, ocean waves and, shipwrecks. Your destination is the beachside town of Swakopmund on the Skeleton Coast. Upon arrival at Swakopmund, you will check into your hotel and have free time to enjoy this interesting township of German-Namibian atmosphere. The accommodation is within walking distance of the town, and you can enjoy a walk on the beach, or visit the open-air markets or local museum.
Day 7 - Starting: Swakopmund & Finishing: Swakopmund
With free time today, you may wish to take an optional trip north to Cape Cross, a breeding site for Cape fur seals. There can be in excess of 100,000 seals there at any given time, making for quite the spectacle. Quite a smell too, if the wind happens to change direction. Wander the coastline and attempt to document these beautiful creatures in a photo or two, and visit the large cross that sits nearby, left there by Diego Cao (the first European to arrive on Namibian soil in 1485). There are also a number of optional activities available here (at extra cost) for those who are interested.
Day 8 - Starting: Sossusvlei & Finishing: Sossusvlei
Depart your coastal retreat in Swakopmund and head south today towards Sesriem (300km approximately 6 hours). Walvis Bay is the hibernation area for thousands of migratory birds, most notably flamingos. If in season you may take quick detour to see these elegant birds. Continue on past moon valley; an eerie rocky granite valley, and the Tropic of Capricorn. Stop by the small settlement of Solitaire before arriving at your lodge. Scattered with abandoned trucks, cars, petrol pumps and cacti, it's the only place between Walvis Bay and Sossusvlei to feature a petrol station, post office, general dealer, and bakery! The local Apple Pie has earned itself quite a reputation too.
Day 9 - Starting: Sossusvlei / Sesriem & Finishing: Sossusvlei / Sesriem
Make an early-morning visit to Sossusvlei, which lies at the end of an ancient riverbed. This is a great opportunity for unsurpassed views of the surrounding area. Climbing to the top of Dune 45 will reward you with spectacular vistas of the surreal desert landscape. After breakfast, travel to Dead Vlei, a clay pan best known for the iconic postcard like images that many snap here. The pan is surrounded by some of the highest dunes in the world, "Big Daddy" or "Crazy Dune" average about 350 metres in height. In the afternoon you will visit Sesriem Gorge, a tranquil natural corridor that you can walk through and explore. Return to the lodge for the evening.
Day 10 - Starting: Fish River Canyon & Finishing: Fish River Canyon
Depart Sossusvlei early this morning and travel to Fish River Canyon (600km approximately 8-9 hours). Your accommodation for the next two nights is a gem hidden in this rugged environment. It's easy to see why the Canyon Lodge is a feature stay on this trip. A fusion of farmhouse flavour and natural splendour, walkways lead to 25 natural stone chalets nestled amongst granite boulders and perfectly landscaped gardens, making it really feel like an oasis in the middle of nowhere. After checking into the lodge you may like to cool off in the stunning pool, wrap up the day with a short excursion to our very own ‘local’ mountain, or simply have a drink and watch the sun go down.
Day 11 - Starting: Fish River Canyon & Finishing: Fish River Canyon
Rise early and witness the colourful sunrise from the edge of Fish River Canyon. At 500 metres deep and over 160 km long, this gaping chasm is one of the largest canyons in the world, ranking close in size to Peru's Colca Canyon and the Grand Canyon in the USA. You will stop at various lookouts, which offer spectacular views and photographic opportunities. Keep an eye out for some of the birds that inhabit this area, including plovers, wagtails, hammerkops and herons. If you're lucky you might even catch a glimpse of a baboon or antelope. After capturing all the photos you like, make your way to the main viewpoint and sit down to enjoy picnic breakfast with an unforgettable view over the canyon. Return to the lodge and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. There are a number of optional activities that you might like to join: take a guided drive to the Fish River Canyon and be inspired by new perspective; meander along the 4x4 Wildebeest Drive watching plains animals; or celebrate sunset from a hillock, overlooking the spectacular scenery.
Day 12 - Starting: Orange River & Finishing: Orange River
Farewell Fish River Canyon and head on to Orange River, just a short 2.5 to 3 hour drive away ( 200km ). You should reach your destination on the banks of the river by lunchtime. The Orange River is the longest stream in South Africa, running from high up in the Drakensberg mountain range and down into the Atlantic Ocean. This stream is significant for its role in transporting diamonds, which in turn leaves the deposits that are found along the Namibian coastline. Set off this afternoon on a 10 kilometre canoe journey down the Orange River. The canoe trip will be done in 2 man canoes with a local guide. It is a slow paced, easy trip, and you should be travelling simply down stream for most or all of the trip.
Day 13 - Starting: Trawal & Finishing: Trawal
Leaving Namibia behind, you will cross the border and travel into South Africa (approximately 7 hours). The approximately 450 kilometres drive will be south of the Orange River to a wine farm in Trawal. You will arrive in the late afternoon or early evening (depending on border crossing formalities). Highlanders is a working wine far nestled among the farmland of the Olifants River area, sitting at the foot of the Cedarberg mountain range. The farm uses water from the oldest irrigation scheme in South Africa and delivers its grapes to Klawer Cellars, a local cooperative wine cellar. Dutch settlers planted the first vineyards in the area in the late 1600s. However, the vineyards only flourished after the canal was built from Clanwilliam Dam during World War II, and have since won prizes both locally and internationally. This evening you’ll enjoy a unique wine tasting, taking in seven of the regions finest wines with your experienced and knowledgeable host ‘Sparky’.
Day 14 - Starting: Cape Town & Finishing: Cape Town
Continue on to the South African capital, Cape Town ( 300km approximately 5 hours). With its stunning coastline, dramatic surrounding mountains and modern cityscape, Cape Town is one of Africa's most appealing cities and a great place to end the trip. The rest of the day until the evening is at your leisure. The infamous Robben Island (Nelson Mandela’s prison for 18 years), vineyards, the V&A Waterfront, adventure activities and plenty of good restaurants and cafes are all at your doorstep. If time permits, you can take the cable car up to Table Mountain. This evening you’ll enjoy a memorable dinner with the group in the Bo-Kapp region of Cape Town. Known for its brightly coloured houses and situated at the foot of Signal Hill, Bo-Kaap is the spiritual home of the Cape’s Muslim community. Bo-Kaap has a fascinating history. Many of the residents are descendants of slaves from Malaysia, Indonesia and various African countries, who were imported to the Cape of Good Hope by the Dutch during the 16th and 17th centuries. The slaves were (often mistakenly) known as “Cape Malays”, and the term has stuck, with Bo-Kaap known today as the Cape Malay Quarter. Get an insight into this history when you step inside the ‘purple house’ of Faldela and her family. Learn how to make samosas, before sitting down to an authentic home-cooked dinner. Taste some of the traditional dishes such as ‘Bredie’, ‘Chilli Bites’ and ‘Koesisters’. Learn about why the houses are painted in bright colours and how the community supports each other from your story-telling host.
Day 15 - Starting: Cape Town & Finishing: Cape Town
You journey through Namibia and South Africa comes to an end today. There are no activities planned for the final day and this trip finishes after breakfast. There’s plenty to see and do in Cape Town and extending your stay is recommended. Please speak to your booking agent about additional post tour accommodation.
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