Swakopmund – Sossusvlei – Helmeringhausen – Fish River Canyon – Quiver Tree Forest – Kalahari Desert – Windhoek – Swakopmund
Day 1:
Depart from Swakopmund and travel through the oldest desert into the Namib-Naukluft Park. After a short lunch break proceed via the impressive Kuiseb and Gaub Canyons in a southerly direction and experience the unsurpassed scenery of the rugged Naukluft Mountains to our left and the dune landscape to our right. Overnight at a lodge, camp or guest farm near Sesriem.
Day 2:
Early in the morning we depart on an excursion to Sossusvlei, a large clay pan in the center of the Namib Desert surrounded by the highest sand dunes in the world. Breakfast packs at Sossusvlei. Visit Sesriem Canyon: As a result of erosion over many centuries, a narrow gorge of about one kilometer in length was formed about 30 to 40 meters deep. Early explorers had to tie six lengths of thongs together to draw water from the pools in the canyon, hence the name “Sesriem”. Afterwards we continue south via the Tsarishoogte-Pass. Lunch en route. Dinner /bed/ breakfast at a guest farm or other accredited accommodation near Helmeringhausen.
Day 3:
Today we drive south along the awesome loneliness of the “Schwarzrand” and pass through the historical village of Bethanie. Visit Schmelenhaus, the oldest building in Namibia built be missionary Schmelen in 1814. After a short rest with lunch packs continue to the Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world. This gigantic ravine, in places almost 500 meters deep, has been gorged out of vast undulated plains in the course of thousands of years. Dinner/bed/breakfast at one of the fine accommodation establishments near the Canyon.
Day 4:
After breakfast we travel to Keetmanshoop, the main town of the south, where we see some historical buildings including the “Klipkerk”, a church built in 1895 from roughly hewn Dolerite blocks. We also visit the Quiver Tree Forest – a concentration of about 250 of the extraordinary tree plants, Aloe dichotoma. Bushmen used its hollow branches as quivers. After a short lunch break we continue north towards our overnight destination in the red dune landscape of the Kalahari. Lunch packs en route. Dinner / bed / breakfast at a lodge in the Kalahri desert..
Day 5:
Drive along the Auob River in a northerly direction through the Kalahari Desert. The Kalahari is not really a desert but rather a savannah-like thornveld, well covered in trees and plants with an average summer rainfall of 250mm. We pass through the historical villages of Stampriet, Hoachanas, Uhlenhorst and Dordabis, strongholds of the formerly thriving Karakul-wool industry. Time permitting visit the oldest Karakul weavery of Namibia. Arrive in Windhoek in the late afternoon. Lunch en route. Dinner / bed / breakfast at an accredited accommodation in or near Windhoek.
Day 6:
After breakfast embark on a short tour of the City of Windhoek. Afterwards depart for our return journey to Swakopmund. Visit the wood carvers market in Okahandja, and, time permitting, visit the graves of the great Herero chiefs and the old cemetery with graves of members of the German “Schutztruppe”. Lunch en route. Arrive in Swakopmund in the late afternoon.