24 Day / 23 Night Northern Experience Safari

HIGHLIGHTS
Cape Town City Tour / Table Mountain; Half day Canoe Trip Orange River; Fish River Canyon; Sossusvlei; Swakopmund; Cape Cross; Spitzkoppe;
Omaruru; Kamanjab; Etosha; Okavango Delta – Mokoro excursion; Chobe River boat cruise and Victoria Falls

DAY 1: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
On arrival in Cape Town, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. You have the remainder of the day at leisure to explore the city. This evening you will meet your guide and the rest of the group for your pre-departure meeting at 18h00.
Accommodation: Townhouse Hotel or similar

DAY 2: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
This morning you will be collected and taken by cable car, up the legendary Table Mountain for spectacular views of the Mother City and the surrounding peninsula. Back to the city, you will see the Company Gardens, Greenmarket Square, the SA Museum and colourful and picturesque Malay Quarter known Bo-Kaap. We suggest a visit to the V&A Waterfront, situated in the heart of Cape Town’s working harbour, offering an abundance of indoor shopping and entertainment.
Accommodation: Townhouse Hotel or similar [B]

DAY 3: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA B
Today we explore the Cape Peninsula. Travelling along the Atlantic Seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, we stop at Maiden Cove look-out point before continuing to Hout Bay. Here you have the option to take a boat trip to Seal Island (seasonal and not included in the cost). We carry on over Chapman’s Peak, one of the world’s most breath-taking coastal drives, to Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve. In the afternoon we travel on to Simon’s Town, a village with charming Victorian architecture, a naval base and a large penguin colony at the beautiful Boulders Beach.
Accommodation: Townhouse Hotel or similar [B]

DAY 4: CAPE TOWN TO CEDARBERG MOUNTAINS, SOUTH AFRICA
An early start takes us to the beach on the Atlantic Ocean to have a last look at Table Mountain across the bay. After lunch we head towards the Cedarberg Mountains, where we overnight in Clanwilliam, one of the ten oldest towns in the country. On arrival you can enjoy a local favourite of Rooibos tea tasting. Rooibos is indigenous to the Western Cape and has major nutritional and health benefits.
Accommodation: Clanwilliam Lodge or similar [BLD]

DAY 5/6: CEDARBERG TO ORANGE RIVER, SOUTH AFRICA
Travelling up the West Coast, we pass through some magnificent mountain ranges on our way to the Orange River. If you are travelling in spring you will see the spectacular carpets of wildflowers in the famous Namaqualand region. Later in the afternoon we will reach the Orange River, the natural border between South Africa and Namibia.
The next day the only travelling today is done in a canoe. Put your feet up and relax as the currents take you downstream – mind the rapids though!
Accommodation: Felix Unite Provenance Camp on Orange River [BLD][BLD]

DAY 7: AI-AIS & FISH RIVER CANYON, NAMIBIA
Today we head off for Ai-Ais, where we stop for lunch. Here thermal water rich in sulphates and fluorides and with a temperature of approx 60°C, gushes forth from the springs.. In the Nama language, “Ai-Ais” means “burning water”. We then head onto Canon Road House close to the Fish River Canyon. Later in the evening we take in another perfect African sunset with the magnificent views and scenery along the edge of the Canyon.
Accommodation: Canon Road House or similar [BLD]

DAY 8/9: SOSSUSVLEI, NAMIBIA
Moving inland we make our way towards the Namib Naukluft National Park. The next morning we need to wake up early to visit the world’s highest sand dunes at Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. These dunes, which can reach heights of over 300 m, are absolutely spectacular and provide for a fantastic photo opportunity. With luck, there may even be water in the vlei (lake). We also stop to view the Sesriem Canyon, which was carved millions of years ago by the Tsauchab River.
Accommodation: Agama River Camp or similar [BL][BLD].

DAY 10/11: NAMIBIA NAUKLIFT NATIONAL PARK TO SWAKAPMUND, NAMIBIA
The day is spent driving through the Namib Naukluft National Park on our way to Swakopmund. Namib-Naukluft Desert is an ancient land with an ageless spirit. It is home to some of the rarest plant and animal species in the world; sightings of this flora and fauna on a Namibian safari are a must. The animals of this harsh landscape include the Oryx, springbok and Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra. One can also see the Welwitschia mirabilis which is an odd-looking desert shrub and one of these ‘shrubs’ is a large, protected specimen estimated at over 1 500 years old. We arrive into the charming coastal town of Swakopmund and have the opportunity to explore this quaint German town by day and night. There are a number of activities to enjoy here; sand boarding,
quad biking, skydiving and even fishing. You may even dare to brave the Atlantic sea.
Accommodation: Hotel A la Mer or similar [BL][B]

DAY 12: CAPE CROSS SEAL COLONY AND DAMARALAND, NAMIBIA
We follow the barren Atlantic Coast on our way out of Swakopmund to visit Cape Cross – the largest breeding place of the Cape Fur Seals. Leaving the cold Atlantic coastline behind, we then head inland across the desert plains to Spitzkoppe, an iconic group of curved granite mountains with vivid colours. After a walk amongst the boulders to view the ancient Bushmen paintings and engravings, we continue on to the town of Omaruru where we overnight. Once a mission station, the settlement has great historic significance and has evolved into an artistic hub for local crafts and small industries.
Accommodation: Omaruru Guest House or similar [BL]

DAY 13: OMARURU AND HIMBA VILLAGE, NAMIBIA
On our journey today we will stop at local distillery and small wine cellar in Omaruru to taste some of its home-grown produce.. We then head off towards Kamanjab where we explore a Himba Village in the afternoon. This will be a journey of culture exchange and learning and understanding the ways of the last traditional tribe in Namibia, the Ova-Himba.
Accommodation: Oppo Koppi or similar [BLD]

DAY 14: KAMANJAB TO ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK, NAMIBIA
After our cultural experience in Kamanjab, we head to Etosha National Park. Etosha Game Park was declared a National Park in 1907 and it is home to approx 114 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 repltile species, 16 amphibian species and surprisingly, one species of fish.
Accommodation: Okaukuejo or similar [BLD]

DAY 15/16: ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK, NAMIBIA
We fill the next 2 days with game drives, including evening game viewing at floodlit waterholes. In the mornings we have the opportunity to take game drive at sunrise.
At all three camps, Namutoni, Okaukujo and Halali you can take a swim in the swimming pool or as the sun sets, and late into the night, the group can watch animals drink at the floodlit waterhole.
Accommodation: Okaukuejo and Namutoni or similar [BL][BL]

DAYS 17: ETOSHA TO KAVANGO RIVER, NAMIBIA
Our journey continues east as we drive along the Caprivi Strip to the town of Rundu. We make our way to Kaisosi River Lodge and spend a relaxing afternoon at our lodge on the banks of the Kavango River. Optional activities such as a visit to the Mbunza Living Museum, a traditional cultural school and communal business for the local Kavango people, or a sunset cruise are available. Alternatively just relax by the pool with a sundowner listening to the sounds of Mother Nature.
Accommodation: Kaisosi Lodge or similar [BL]

DAYS 18/19: KAVANGO RIVER TO OKAVANGO DELTA, BOSTWANA
We leave Namibia for Etsha13, on the western border of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Unlike other deltas, it flows into the Kalahari Desert without reaching the coast, which makes it unique. The next day is spent exploring the network of water pathways floating through thick vegetation in mokoros (traditional dugout canoes), discovering a variety of birds and wildlife. We stop at a secluded island to take a 1½ hour guided walk hoping to spot elephants, waterbuck or other animals living in this water filled paradise
Accommodation: Guma Lagoon Camp or similar [BLD][BLD]

DAY 20: OKAVANGO DELTA TO CAPRIVI, NAMIBIA
Leaving Botswana, we drive up the Western border of the Okavango Delta before crossing over into Namibia and driving through the Caprivi to our camp on the banks of the Kwando River.  In the afternoon you will go on a game drive to the Mudumo National Park. In contrast to the rest of Namibia, the area is lush with riverine forest, marshes, dense
savannah and mopane woodland.
Accommodation: Camp Kwando or similar [BLD]

DAY 21/22: CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, BOSTWANA
The next morning we head along the Caprivi and cross the border back into Botswana to drive through Chobe National Park.  After settling in to our lodge, you will have the remainder of the day at leisure or to partake in optional activities. The next day, we rise early for a morning game drive in the Chobe National Park. In the afternoon we go on a sunset cruise along the banks on the Chobe National Park.
Accommodation: Chobe Safari Lodge or similar [BLD][B]

DAY 23: CHOBE NATIONAL PARK TO VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE
Continuing our trip we leave Botswana and drive to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. In the afternoon we have a relaxing sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River, basking in the afterglow of the day. The rest of the day may be spent at leisure or partaking in one of the many activities on offer (at own expense).
Accommodation: A’Zambezi River Lodge or similar [BL]

DAY 24: END OF TOUR
Your journey ends after breakfast this morning ( B) when you will be transferred to Victoria Falls Airport.

GROUP SIZE: Minimum 4 people / maximum 12 people
TYPE OF SAFARI: Fully accommodated safari
ACCOMMODATION: For our Accommodated Safaris, we make use of mid-range typical
African standard lodge accommodation. Accommodation is situated either in National Parks, on the banks of a river, or in other place of interest. The accommodation will be a mix of Lodges, Chalets and Tented Camps. Most of them have a private bathroom with a shower and toilet, others have shared ablutions available. Some properties are equipped with swimming pools and/or bar areas.
VEHICLE: 4×4 Toyota land cruiser or similar with a music system and an off-road
trailer is fitted with a field kitchen.
STAFF: Guide