DAY 1: JOHANNESBURG – AUGRABIES NATIONAL PARK (LODGE)

After breakfast and a warm welcome from your tour leader we leave Johannesburg and head west with the pleasant feeling of the morning sun on our backs. Today will be a long drive, so we will try to limit the stops. Arriving at Augrabies one can see why they call it one of the great natural wonders of South Africa with its majestic 56m high main fall that plunges into an 18km long gorge. There are numerous hiking trails from short scenic walks to 3 day hiking trails, so the afternoon can be spent exploring this beautiful area. The reserve is home to a number of antelope species as well as the endangered Black Rhino in the north of the park.

DAY 2 & 3: AUGRABIES NATIONAL PARK – FISH RIVER CANYON (CAMP)

Today we enter Namibia, so an early morning start to negotiate the border crossing, and then keep the direction west towards Ai-Ais. Some 65km north of Ai-Ais lies the spectacular Fish River Canyon, 2nd largest canyon in the World, with a depth of up to 549m, and a width of up to 27km, it is surpassed in size only by the Grand Canyon. There are fantastic panoramic photo opportunities from the viewpoints and also scenic walks to the points. We overnight at Ai-Ais, which has a natural hot spring that feeds an outside swimming pool with mineral rich water. The resort also has a modern indoor spa, restaurant, bar and a shop with most necessities. Here we have a day at leisure and can be spent hiking up the nearby mountain, or just relax in the spa or outside hot pool.

DAY 4: FISH RIVER CANYON – SOSSUSVLEI (CAMP)

We head in a northerly direction today and pass through the most arid, but beautiful part of Namibia. We cross through the Namib Naukluft Park, which forms part of the Namib Desert, and the chances of seeing game here are very real. Animals that can be spotted here include springbok, gemsbok (Oryx), ostrich, and a variety of smaller game. As we enter further into the Namib Naukluft Park you can see the change in colour as the reddish contrasts of the Sossusvlei dunes breaks through the landscape. The dunes of Sosusvlei is constantly moving because of the wind, and in rainy season this desert area is transformed into a green paradise, even the dunes turn green. We camp at the foot of the  majestic red dunes tonight, enjoying a cold beverage observing the most spectacular sunset. Tonight dinner will be cooked on a fire and enjoyed around it.

DAY 5, 6 & 7: SOSSUSVLEI – SWAKOPMUND (LODGE)

Early morning we drive into Sosusvlei to enjoy and appreciate the desert, which is the oldest in the world, and the sunrise, which brings these dunes to life. We go on a guided tour with a local guide into the dunes and learn more about this area’s wildlife and how they survive out here in the desert. There is an option to go Hot Air Ballooning, or take a scenic flight over Sosusvlei as well. We continue in a northerly direction towards the town of Swakopmund where we will spend the next couple of days. This is a much laid back town, and has got a constant flow of tourists. There is a lot to do activity wise in Swakopmund, so on arrival we go straight to the booking office and book your activities for the next couple of days. Activities such as quad biking, skydiving, sand boarding, township tours, and dolphin charters ect run on a daily basis. This couple of days can be spent at own leisure on activities or just relaxing on the beach. There is a wide variety of restaurants and pubs in Swakopmund and most of them do decent to excellent food, and the vibe is very laid back in the pubs. At night Swakopmund’s nightlife starts and there is a couple of clubs that play some nice music and the people are friendly. Everybody will meet on the 7th night for dinner and a get together to discuss the next couple of days ahead.

DAY 8: SWAKOPMUND – TWYFELFONTEIN (CAMP)

Early morning departure takes us to Cape Cross, north of Swakopmund,via Hentiesbaai. Cape Cross is an area with a huge concentration of seals, with good feeding grounds and where they come to mate. We spend some time here until we can’t stand the smell anymore. From here we head north towards twyfelfontein where we’ll stop at one of the Herero roadside shops to look and buy some curios from the Herero woman dressed in their traditional big dresses and oversize hats. On the way you can keep an eye out for desert Elephant that dwells in these areas, they are a rare sighting. At Twyfelfontein we go on a guided walk in the mountain amongst thousands of rock engravings, which were made by the Bushmen people thousands of years ago. Here we get the opportunity to experience this piece of history hands on. After the walk we visit the Burnt Mountains, and the Organ Pipes. The campsite is situated on the banks of the Aba Huab River, which only runs during rainy season. There is a bar that serves cold beverages and has some entertainment by means of cultural dances and such at night.

DAY 9, 10 & 11: TWYFELFONTEIN – ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK(CAMP/LODGE)

Early morning departure takes us in a westerly direction, we first stop at the Petrified Forest, which were caused by an ancient flood that brought these trees down to where it presently lies petrified today. A guided walk takes you over an area of about 2,5ha in approximately 30-45min with a well informed guide. After that we carry on straight and after reaching Outjo we turn into a northerly direction and after about 80km we reach the gate of Etosha National Park. Tonight we overnight in Okaukeujo, a beautiful camp situated in the south west of the park. The waterhole is lit up at night by big spraylights, and the seats around the waterhole have got an amphitheatre look and feel to it, almost like watching National Geographic live. Plenty of animals come to drink water here during the evening, and the sighting success is very good and rewarding. Etosha has got all big mammals except for Buffalo. The 2nd and 3rd night will be spent in the park, just at different camps, trips between camps will be game drives.

DAY 12: ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK - KATIMA MULILO (LODGE)

Today is going to be another long stretch, so we leave Etosha National Park at sunrise. We will have a packed breakfast for today to save time. The first quarter of the road will be gravel and when in rainy season the road gets unpredictable, so the state of the road will determine time spent traveling today. First on the tar the road is in really good condition, except for the last 100km of bad tar before Katima Mulilo. We enter the Caprivi Game Park just after Rundu, which is really just an en-route to Katima, where wild game still roams freely. The area is unfenced, so keep an eye out for animals that might cross the main road. After a long day’s driving we reach Katima Mulilo where we will overnight at a lodge, which is situated on the banks of the Zambezi River.  

DAY 13, 14 & 15: KATIMA MULILO – LIVINGSTONE (LODGE)

Today will be a short drive, but still we have a border crossing to negotiate, so another early morning departure is required. We cross over at Wenela Bridge into Zambia and about 180km further we reach the town of Livingstone, which is named after the great explorer Dr. David Livingstone. Arriving at our destination we head for the activity centre to book our activities for the next couple of days. Highlights to do are White Water River Rafting, Bungi Jumping, Scenic Flights (Airplane, helicopter, micro light), Elephant back Safaris, go walk on the edges of the mighty, awe-inspiring Victoria Falls, 2nd largest waterfall which is surpassed in size only by Niagra Falls in the USA, or do a Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River where you can see animals such as crocodile, hippo, elephant and an abundance of birds. Livingstone is an old Victorian style town with a couple of nice restaurants, old historic buildings and a busy market life, so go walk the flee markets and look for interesting curios and souvenirs.  

DAY 16, 17 & 18: MARAMBA RIVER LODGE – CHOBE NATIONAL PARK (CAMP)

We leave the Victoria Water Falls behind and head southwest towards Botswana, Chobe National Park is our destination, in the northernmost camp called Ihaha where we will brave the wild outdoors for the next couple of nights. Chobe is 10 698km² of untamed nature at its best which consist of the Big 5, plains animals and a rich variety of birds. Sitting around the campfire at night listening to the soft crackle it produces brings you back to an ancient time when man depended on nature, experience and his instinct to survive, with the sound of hungry predators on the hunt close by, the laughter of hyenas, almost like it has pity, waiting for you to make the wrong move, the call of the jackal inviting his kind for a feast to come, the roar of lion doing its routine rounds, walking his territory looking for unwanted rivals, and only the fire that’s keeping them from us, and then the thought of your tent, with warm comfy blankets come to mind.   

DAY 19: CHOBE NATIONAL PARK – NATA/MAKGADIKGADI PANS (LODGE)

An early departure takes us in a easterly direction heading out of the park, due to an abundance of wildlife the trip can take us anything between 3 and 6 hours to the main road which takes us southbound another 320km to the town of Nata. Arriving at Nata, we unpack and enjoy what Nata Lodge has to offer us. The Lodge has an A’lacarte restaurant and a bar that overlooks a swimming pool with a lounge that has satellite TV. We drive out to the Makgadikgadi Pans just before sundown and enjoy this 12 000km² of vast empty land, observing the sunset and greet the day with a sundowner in hand. In rainy season the Pans fill up with water and big swarms of migrating flamingos and pelicans nestle themselves here while the water last. In the evening we can relax in the lounge/bar area while watching the bushbabies, which is a nocturnal animal, come down from the trees to feed and  jump around in the trees above us. After a good meal you have the night at leisure and can be spent according to your discretion.  

DAY 20: NATA/MAKGADIKGADI PANS – KWA-NOKENG (LODGE)

From Nata we head south towards the border of Botswana/South Africa. Tonight we stay at a lodge close to the border

DAY 21: KWA-NOKENG - JOHANNESBURG

Today is a short drive back to Johannesburg. We only have the border crossing to negotiate, and after about a 5 hour drive we arrive in Johannesburg. At the start of the trip we met as strangers, but now we part as friends after a satisfying trip. We hope to see you again on one of our exciting tours.