7 Day Southern Swing Namibia

This safari is a 7 day Tour of the Southern regions of Namibia and includes highlights like the Fish River Canyon, Klein Aus Vista and Sossusvlei dunes. The tour has a guaranteed departure every Friday of the year, with a minimum of 2 people.  There is no single supplement, and the price is virtually fully inclusive of everything you will need whilst travelling with us.  The style is limited participation, assisted camping.

This safari can also be combined with our 7 day Northern Adventure itinerary to make an unforgettable 14 Day Namibian Experience.  To make a comprehensive 10 day itinerary, combine this with our 3 day Etosha Link itinerary.

Itinerary:

Day one Windhoek – Quiver Tree forest (500 km) (LD) (camping)
You will be collected between 07:30 & 08:00. We start our long journey south on the main B1 highway, travelling through the thin strip of Kalahari Desert that protrudes onto the eastern side of Namibia.  Stopping at small towns along the way including Rehoboth, traditional home of the Baster people, we aim to arrive at the Quiver Tree Forest in the middle afternoon. Located just north of the southern centre of Keetmanshoop, (officially the sunniest town in the world), we make camp and have time to explore the area on foot.
Quiver trees are not in fact trees, they are a type of aloe, (Aloe Dichotoma), so called because the branches fork “dictomously”.  These weird looking plants dot the landscape in this part of the world and are locally common, however they are one of the world’s rarest flora species.

Day two Quiver Tree Forest – Fish River Canyon (250 km) (BLD) (camping)
We leave Keetmanshoop and head further south to Fish River Canyon.  We are heading to the main view point where we can see how impressive this canyon actually is.  This is an ideal opportunity for photos and to spend some time experiencing this amazing sight. Viewing from the top we can see the river sparkling in the sunlight far below us, and can barely imagine how many millennia it took for the forces of erosion to carve such a magnificent vista. 
We camp tonight in the southern end of the Canyon at Ai-Ais. In the late afternoon, we will have a chance to enjoy the warm springs that occur naturally here.

Day three Fish River Canyon – Klein Aus Vista, southern Namib, (250 km) (BLD) (camping)
An early morning rise today to enjoy a short walk into the canyon before we head of south to the South African border, the Orange River.
Our route takes us along the Orange River where we will take a short break before arriving at our destination, the tiny town of Aus in the middle to late afternoon. We sleep tonight at Kline Aus Vista, a private reserve, beautifully located in the Aus Mountain Range, (Huib-Hoch-Plateau region).
There is time to explore this stunning area on foot and to find a lofty perch in the mountains to watch the sun slip over the western horizon.

Day four Klein Aus Vista – Luderitz – Klein Aus Vista (250km) (BD) (camping)
We are up with the dawn this morning for the short drive to Luderitz, we travel on the main road and keep a sharp look out for the unique Namib wild horses.  These horses are the only feral horses in Namibia and have, very unusually, become adapted to an existence with very limited water.  Where they originated from is un-clear, some people think they are the descendants of the horses used by the German cavalry during the First World War.  Another theory is that they originally came from a horse farm that used to be run by a German Barron, (von Wolff), in the very early colonial days.
We arrive in Luderitz in time to join an optional extra excursion, a trip on an old wooden sailing ship, “The Sedina”.  We take a cruise around Luderitz bay and, weather permitting, to Halifax Island to see the Jackass Penguins.  If the weather conditions are suitable we turn off the engines and come back to Luderitz under sail. 
Straight after the Sedina trip we drive out to Kolmanskop, a desert ghost town about 20 km out of Luderitz.  It was built in the 1920′s during the diamond rush and was abandoned when bigger and better diamonds were found further along the coast.  The area is still abandoned and the desert has encroached over the entire town, giving an eerie feeling and real meaning to the word “ghost”.
Lunch today is not included in the programme, this is to allow everybody as much flexibility with their time as possible and to give us the opportunity to sample some of the excellent local cafes.
During the middle of the day there is time to explore Luderitz Town with its traditional German architecture and later we will take a drive out to Diaz Point to see the bird life, hopefully a few seals and the stone cross replica, originally erected by the Portuguese mariner Bartholomew Diaz. 
Returning to Klein Aus Vista in the late afternoon, the road takes us through the “forbidden Zone” so named because in years gone by, the alluvial diamonds found in Namibia were simply scattered across the desert and we again have time to enjoy sunset over the mountains.

N.B:  The “Sedina” excursion is subject to availability and, if undertaken, will be for the clients own risk and expense.

Day five Klein Aus Vista – Namib Desert Camp, outside of the Namib Naukluft Park  (350km) (BLD) (camping)
Turning north, we once again head deep into the ancient southern Namib, travelling on small gravel roads and passing some tiny rural communities along the way.  The scenery is harsh, and sometimes forbidding.  The process of erosion in these areas is well advanced and we pass time rounded “koppies” arid terrain and outcrops of tortured rock.
Our lunch stop will be near to Maltahohe at a Namib cultural centure, so we can stop and learn a little of the culture and lives of the people of this region.
Traversing this bleak yet beautiful landscape, the terrain begins to change and we cross some open grass savannah and farmlands before the terrain begins to give way to the immense red sand dune desert of the Namib.  We aim to arrive at our camp during the late afternoon and watch the colours glow and change on distant mountains to the east.

Day six Namib Desert Camp – Sossusvlei – Namib Desert Camp, outside of the Namib Naukluft Park   (camping) (BLD)
A pre dawn start is essential this morning as we want to catch the soft light of the sunrise on the desert. After passing through Sesriem, the gateway to the dunes and driving into the heart of the dune field, we reach Sossusvlei itself by walking the last 5 km through the dunes. 
The walk is like nothing else, in the cool of the morning, with soft sunlight just beginning to play over the dunes creating a sharp light and shadow contrast across the whole desert. 
Ancient mineral pans, stunted camel thorn trees and the chance of seeing a gemsbok or maybe an ostrich make the photo opportunities perfect. 
We spend the morning in and around Sossusvlei, also visiting dune 45, and as the day wears on we return to Sesriem for lunch to escape the heat of the afternoon.  As the day cools off in the late afternoon we will take a short excursion to the Sesriem Canyon.

Day seven Namib Desert Camp – Windhoek (350 km) (BL)
After breakfast we begin our journey, over the mountains and along scenic roads, back to Windhoek.  We will travel over the Naukluft Mountains and also the Khomas Hochland Range, through beautiful mountain passes on our way back to civilization.
We are due back into the city around 16:00 and you will be dropped off at your accommodation on our return.

Accommodation: Camping

Cost: R 7800pp sharing