Journey Through the Otherworldly Scenery of Namibia
Thanks to heat, water, wind, and time, the landscapes of Namibia unlike anywhere else.
Most of Namibia is covered by the Namib Desert, a harsh place that seems inhospitable to most life but in reality, is home to some of the most unique and under-the-radar safari experiences in Africa. Wildlife gathers at ancient watering holes, so you don’t have to track them as they’ll come to you, including the elusive black rhino. On the Skeleton Coast, lions prowl the beach hunting seals with a backdrop of shipwrecks on the shore.
Namib Tsaris Conservancy | 3 nights | Kwessi Dunes Lodge
Damaraland | 3 nights | Onduli Ridge
Upon arrival in the Namibian capital of Windhoek, hop directly onto your private charter plane to Hammerstein Airstrip in the rugged outlands of the country.
The Namib Tsaris Conservancy is nestled between the Nubib and Zaris Mountains, close to the Great Namib Sand Sea and the famous Sossusvlei Dunes. The Conservancy was founded by Landscape Conservationist Swen Bachran in 2010, and it serves as a natural buffer from the harshest desert conditions and a refuge that is vital to wildlife through the dry season.
Why we love it for you: The scenery around Kwessi Dunes is a sight to behold. By day, take in the changing colors of the dunes and valleys from a quad bike or hot air balloon. At night, lay out on the open-air bed underneath the tapestry of stars in Africa’s only dark sky reserve. Each of the 12 air-conditioned tents comes with a view, the ultimate luxury because you won’t want to peel your eyes away from the landscape for even a second.
The most frequently visited section of the Namib Naukluft National Park is Sossusvlei, famous for its towering apricot-colored sand dunes which stand nearly 1,000 feet above the surrounding plains, ranking them among the tallest dunes on earth. Just a mile away lies Dead Vlei, the iconic stark white clay pans dotted by dead camel thorn trees, some 900 years old.
Sesriem Canyon has evolved through centuries of erosion by the Tsauchab River which has incised a narrow gorge into the surrounding conglomerates over millions of years. The shaded cool depths of the canyon allow pools of water to gather during the rainy season and remain for much of the year round. These pools were a vital source of water for early settlers.
This morning you will rise early for a magical excursion with your guide into the Namib Naukluft National Park, entering the Park gates at sunrise to capture the dunes while the light is soft and shadows accentuate their towering shapes and curves. Your guides will give you an insight on the formation of the Namib Desert and its myriad of fascinating creatures and plants that have adapted to survive these harsh environs.
During this morning's excursion, you will have the opportunity to hike the famous "Big Daddy" dune.
Once you have explored the dune fields to your heart’s content you can enjoy a relaxed picnic breakfast in the shade of a camel thorn tree. You then return to camp in the early afternoon for lunch, stopping off to view Sesriem Canyon along the way.
It’s another early start this morning as you embark on a memorable balloon flight over the Namib Desert. After a spectacular launch and take-off as the sun rises over the world’s oldest desert, your flight takes you over desert landscapes with views of the vast sand sea, gravel plains, and breathtaking mountain scenery.
This scenic route via Swakopmund takes you north over the famous Sossusvlei dunes and the great Namib Sea Sand (declared a natural World Heritage Site) towards the coast, where you will see deserted mines, shipwrecks, and seal colonies on the way up towards Sandwich Harbor and the port of Walvis Bay.
A highlight of the flight is the Eduard Bohlen, a German cargo ship that ran aground in 1909 while it was on its way to Table Bay from Swakopmund. It is believed that thick fog caused the ship to founder close to Conception Bay. Years after the ship ran aground the desert began to encroach on the ocean and the ship that was once stranded in the ocean slowly became stranded in the desert.
Why we love it for you: Onduli Ridge has only six rooms, nestled amongst the granite boulders that surround the camp. The more temperate climate of central Damaraland allows for naturally ventilated rooms, partial open-air bathrooms, and open communal areas. The camp is designed to maximize the views of the extraordinary local landscapes and every space is set to become a viewpoint. A king-size bed cooled by its own ‘climate conditioner’ aka the evening breeze is the perfect place for afternoon siestas and the bed can also be rolled out onto your private deck for a night under a billion stars.
The Damaraland region is huge, stretching inland from the southern section of the Skeleton Coast National Park, between the Omaruru River in the south and the Hoanib River in the north. The central section is arguably the best known area where Twyfelfontein (home to the famous rock engravings), the Burnt Mountain, the Organ Pipes, and the Petrified forest lie close to the town of Khorixas. To the west of Twyfelfontein, around the Ugab and Huab Rivers, the landscape is incredibly harsh, a truly remote and rocky wilderness.
Take an exciting 4x4 excursion along the ephemeral Aba Huab and Huab River valleys to explore this remarkable region and to search for game, including the elusive desert-adapted elephants. At lunch time, enjoy a lovingly packed picnic under the shade of a large Ana tree, ideally while watching a herd of elephants grazing nearby.
Millenia-old rock carvings that have withstood the test of time are the main attraction of Twyfelfontein. There are thousands of drawings that are thousands of years old, making this one of the richest historical sites for early humans in the world.
Today you will spend an exciting and memorable morning out rhino tracking with the assistance of local trackers and a freshly prepared picnic lunch included.
It is worth noting that these black rhino form part of one of the only free-roaming black rhino populations in Africa and tracking animals in an unfenced and uninhibited environment is an absolute privilege.
Take a private transfer to the airstrip for a flight back to the main airport in Windhoek before your flight out of Namibia. The trip may be coming to an end, but the experiences will last in your memory for a lifetime.
The rugged valleys and sculpted mountains of Namibia are waiting for you. Chat with an Origin curator today to start planning your trip to this unbelievable world.