7 Day Northern Namibia And Skeleton Coast Camping Safari

Itinerary

Day 1: Okonjima Nature Reserve

Stop At: Chameleon Backpackers, Voight Street, Windhoek, Namibia
We meet all together for brief pre-departure talk at Chameleon Backpackers before departing Windhoek.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Okahandja Mbangura Woodcarvers Craft Market, Southern Entrance to the city of Okahandja close to, B1, Okahandja, Okahandja Namibia
We stop briefly at the Okahandja Wood carving markets. Woodcarvers from all over Namibia, who practice their ancient skill, come here to sell their goods. This is the perfect opportunity to practice your haggling skills all while supporting the local community.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: AfriCat Foundation, Okonjima Game Reserve 200 square kilometres amongst Omboroko Mountains, Namibia
Our next stop is Okonjima Nature Reserve. Okonjima is home to the AfriCat Foundation, who’s mission has been to make significant contributions to conservation, at the same time trying to ensure the survival of Namibia’s predators in their natural habit.

We aim to arrive at camp before lunch, giving us ample time to set up camp and enjoy lunch before we join the afternoon activity. This afternoon you have the chance to see some of the cheetahs currently part of the AfriCat rehabilitation programme. The aim of the rehabilitation programme is to re-introduce these animals into the wild. The aim of the rehabilitation programme is to re-introduce these animals into the wild. After our educational tour, we join an afternoon game drive on the reserve all while enjoying a Namibian sunset
Duration: 18 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch: Cold meats and fresh salads with bread rolls or soup and bread in winter
• Dinner: A different dish each night – curries, pasta, braai (BBQ), stirfries etc
Accommodation included: Overnight camping at Okonjima campsite

Day 2: Etosha National Park

Stop At: Otjiwarongo, Otjiwarongo, Otjozondjupa Region
We depart from camp after a leisurely breakfast and stop briefly at Otjiwarongo, a small town north of Okonjima to gather some fresh supplies, before continuing on to Etosha National Park, one of Southern Africa’s premier wildlife areas.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Etosha National Park, Etosha National Park, Oshikoto Region
Upon entering the gate, we start our search for wildlife. We enjoy a short game drive through to Okaukuejo, where we set up our camp and enjoy a delicious lunch, before heading out on an afternoon game drive. Etosha is unlike any other, and our game drives take us from waterhole to waterhole in search of predators as well as plains game, birds and if we are lucky, even reptiles. We return to camp just before sunset, and whilst dinner is cooking, we have the chance to visit the excellent floodlit waterhole where rhino, elephant, giraffe, lion and hyena are frequent visitors. Dinner is prepared by our guide over an open fire.
Duration: 18 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: 3 varieties of cereal, yoghurt or bananas, toast with a choice of 3 toppings, tea/coffee
• Lunch: Cold meats and fresh salads with bread rolls or soup and bread in winter
• Dinner: A different dish each night – curries, pasta, braai (BBQ), stirfries etc
Accommodation included: Overnight camping at Okaukuejo campsite

Day 3: Etosha National Park

Stop At: Etosha National Park, Etosha National Park, Oshikoto Region
We start our first game drive at sunrise, to catch many of the predators still active, visiting various waterholes, making our way across the park, where we enjoy breakfast at one of the (fenced) picnic spots within the park.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Moringa Waterhole, Halali, Etosha National Park Namibia
We make our way across the park to Halali, the central camp, where we can take a dip in the pool, visit the waterhole and enjoy lunch.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Etosha Pan, Etosha National Park Namibia
After lunch we continue our journey arriving at the Etosha Pan “great white place” where we can get out of the vehicle and experience this 4500 sq km “saline desert” before continuing our game drive back to Okaukuejo to look for the Big 4.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Okaukuejo waterhole, Etosha National Park Namibia
We arrive at camp by sunset and can enjoy our last night camping in Etosha, and a visit to the waterhole after dinner is highly recommended.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: 3 varieties of cereal, yoghurt or bananas, toast with a choice of 3 toppings, tea/coffee
• Lunch: Cold meats and fresh salads with bread rolls or soup and bread in winter
• Dinner: A different dish each night – curries, pasta, braai (BBQ), stirfries etc
Accommodation included: Overnight camping at Okaukuejo campsite

Day 4: Hoada Campsite, Kunene Region

Stop At: Etosha National Park, Etosha National Park, Oshikoto Region
Another early start where we can take in a spectacular sunrise whilst having breakfast and enjoy a final game drive as we exit the park.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Otjikandero Himba Orphan Village, Road C40, Kamanjab Namibia
After a short drive we arrive at the Otjikandero Himba Village. The Himba people are one of the last tribes in Namibia who still embrace their traditional culture and customs and during a guided tour around the village we will have the chance to not only gain an in-depth insight into the Himba way of life, but to get to know the Himba people to share a little of our own culture with them.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Hoada Campsite, C40, Kamanjab, Namibia
After our visit to the Himba village we continue to the Hoada Community Campsite, situated between large granite boulders and mopane trees, creating the illusion of a serene home in the wilderness. Here we set up camp and have some lunch before enjoying a leisurely afternoon and watching the sunset from the Hoada deck. Dinner is prepared by our guide over an open fire.
Duration: 12 hours

Stop At: Hoada Campsite, C40, Kamanjab, Namibia
After our visit to the Himba village we continue to the Hoada Community Campsite, situated between large granite boulders and mopane trees, creating the illusion of a serene home in the wilderness. Here we set up camp and have some lunch before enjoying a leisurely afternoon and watching the sunset from the Hoada deck. Dinner is prepared by our guide over an open fire.
Duration: 16 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: 3 varieties of cereal, yoghurt or bananas, toast with a choice of 3 toppings, tea/coffee
• Lunch: Cold meats and fresh salads with bread rolls or soup and bread in winter
• Dinner: A different dish each night – curries, pasta, braai (BBQ), stirfries etc
Accommodation included: Overnight camping at Hoada campsite

Day 5: Cape Cross on the Skeleton Coast

Stop At: Skeleton Coast National Park, Skeleton Coast National Park, Khomas Region
Today our adventure today takes us all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and our final destination at Cape Cross. We travel westwards through to the Skeleton Coast, where we enter the Skeleton Coast National Park. The coast line itself is a very hostile but a fascinating area known for its numerous shipwrecks over the years, all victims of the thick fog, unpredictable currents and rough seas.
Duration: 8 hours

Stop At: Skeleton Coast, 60km north of Henties Bay Cape Cross Seal Reserve Namibia
We arrive at Cape Cross mid-afternoon where we can set up camp and set up camp for the night. Here we can experience the climate of the coastline in full glory. We can then enjoy our first sunset over the Atlantic Ocean before returning to camp where dinner is prepared by our guide over an open fire.
Duration: 18 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: 3 varieties of cereal, yoghurt or bananas, toast with a choice of 3 toppings, tea/coffee
• Lunch: Cold meats and fresh salads with bread rolls or soup and bread in winter
• Dinner: A different dish each night – curries, pasta, braai (BBQ), stirfries etc
Accommodation included: Overnight camping at Cape Cross campsite

Day 6: Swakopmund on the Skeleton Coast

Stop At: Skeleton Coast, 60km north of Henties Bay Cape Cross Seal Reserve Namibia
We pack up camp, enjoy a hearty cooked breakfast and then take a short walk to the Cape Cross Seal Reserve. The reserve is home to one of the world’s largest breeding colony of Cape fur seals and during breeding season (November-December) up to a 200 000+ seals can be spotted basking on the beach, certainly a sight and smell to behold.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Zeila Shipwreck, Hentiesbaai Namibia
After our visit to the seal colony, we continue travelling along the coast stopping to view the Zeila Shipwreck, one of the latest victims of the Skeleton Coast from as recent as 2007.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Swakopmund, Swakopmund, Erongo Region
We arrive in Swakopmund early afternoon and have plenty of time to explore this quaint little town on foot, or join one of the optional activities on offer from skydiving to quad biking and more. Dinner tonight is at own expense in one of Swakopmund’s excellent restaurants and our guide will be happy to make recommendations or bookings depending on what we feel like.
Duration: 18 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: 3 varieties of cereal, yoghurt or bananas, toast with a choice of 3 toppings, tea/coffee
Accommodation included: Overnight in twin share rooms at Hotel A La Mer

Day 7: Windhoek

Stop At: Walvis Bay, Walvis Bay, Erongo Region
We depart Swakopmund around 10am this morning and head south through to Walvis Bay where we visit the famous Walvis Bay Lagoon. The lagoon is a well known feeding site to a collection of water birds, most impressively the greater and lesser known flamingos.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Dune 7, just off the C14, 6km by road, Walvis Bay Namibia
From Walvis Bay, we head to Dune 7, the most famous dune in the coastal region and here we have the chance to feel the sand in our toes as we scale this impressive dune.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Windhoek, Windhoek, Khomas Region
From Dune 7, we start the journey back to Windhoek. As we travel back we will see the Spitzkoppe in the distance, Namibia's very own matterhorn. Spitzkoppe is home to a population of Damara people that make their living from the small scale mining of semi-precious stones. Time permitting we can stop at their small crystal market and have the chance to learn more about how they mine, and what treasures can be found in the mountain.

We arrive back in Windhoek late afternoon returning to Chameleon Backpackers. Those staying elsewhere will be dropped at their accommodation.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Variety of cereals, yoghurt, fruit, toast and cooked breakfast. Tea/coffee & juice.
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.