The well priced Diverse Namibia is an active, exciting adventure, exploring the iconic areas of this vast country – its dunes, desert, plains and superb wildlife – enhanced by exclusive accommodation in private reserves and concessions.

Diverse Namibia takes in the soaring red dunes of Sossusvlei, the life-filled blue Atlantic Ocean, the desert and denizens of Damaraland, and the dense plains game and predators of Etosha National Park. Throughout the Exploration are interspersed activities such as scenic walks, mountain biking, visiting the spectacular and ancient rock engravings at Twyfelfontein and rhino tracking, along with optional hot air ballooning and horse-riding – all together, a true Namibian adventure with a range of activities impossible to beat!

Unique features of this Safari:
• Active, exciting adventure, accessing the wilderness and wildlife highlights of northern Namibia.
• A diverse mix of locations, habitats and experiences showcasing Namibia’s iconic species and scenes.
• Driven access (along lesser known paths) through huge private concessions and reserves.
• Exclusive accommodation in private camps – mostly in private areas away from the more crowded public areas.
• Private access gate to Sossusvlei, allowing earlier access thereby improving photographic opportunity.
• Tracking the critically endangered black rhino by foot.
• Tracking the rare desert adapted elephants following ancient paths to their fresh water oases.

Adventurer camps (Kulala Adventurer Camp and Damaraland Adventurer Camp): 3m x3m dome tents, complete with mini-verandas. Pure cotton linen (with duvets) on GI stretchers with mattress, bedside table with light and mini luggage benches finishes the interior. Evening campfires are the norm and hurricane lanterns add to the atmosphere. The bathrooms are en-suite with the entrance to the canvas-wrap open air bathroom (zip door) through the rear of tent. There is a tin bucket shower – with hot water available whenever guests require it. The bathroom in each tent has a flush toilet, with a separate toilet near the main area available for use during the day.

Guide: This Exploration is led by a highly skilled and qualified professional guide with a passion for the natural regions they work in. Sharing the adventure and guiding you on this journey of discovery combined with their vast knowledge of the natural world, history and culture are their professions and personal hobby. Experience in the field and a depth of understanding of animal behavior and the environment will leave you with a sense of complete wonder.

Exclusive experience: Most areas in which we travel are private concessions, with Discoverer campsites being for the sole use of Discoverer Safari guests. At the lodges and hotels en route we have the chance to meet other Wilderness Safaris guests.

Routes: To maximize guests' travel time, a variety of travel modes that bring out the best of each area is used: flying in private charters and overland transfers provide both a bird's-eye view and an in-depth experience of the contrasting landscapes of Namibia.

Bilingual safari dates: This service aims to facilitate a greater level of experience for guests that do not speak English fluently. These safaris will be led by a guide, however there may be a translator to assist the guide. Please note on all bilingual safari dates that the guide or translator's home language is English / Afrikaans. This additional free service does not guarantee the level of fluency in the foreign language and depending on group dynamics a varying amount of the foreign language will be spoken.

Private safari options: Tailored Explorations are available on flexible dates, accommodation and itineraries, for groups of up to eight guests. These are also ideal for families or for small groups from four guests.

Safari Style:  Adventurer

SAFARI COST (2012):
20-Jan to 31-May:  ZAR 26,050 per person sharing - (Low Season)
01-Jun to 31-Oct:  ZAR 29,055 per person sharing - (High Season)
01-Nov to 31-Dec:  ZAR 26,050 per person sharing - (Low Season)

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT (2012):
20-Jan to 31-May: ZAR 2,305
01-Jun to 31-Oct:  ZAR 2,515
01-Nov to 31-Dec:  ZAR 2,305

If a guest is willing to share and we can match with another guest of the same gender, the single supplement will not be charged. However, if there is no suitable match, the single supplement surcharge will apply.

You will be met at Windhoek Airport by your Explorations guide and begin your journey by driving 211 miles through the Khomas Hochland mountains and down into the iconic Sossusvlei region, a driving time of approximately five hours.

The first two nights are spent at Kulala Adventurer Camp on the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, a 91430 acres tract of land near the spectacular sights of Sossusvlei, bordering the expansive Namib Naukluft Park. The camp, comprising dome tents under the shade, is perfect for taking in the Reserve’s expansive vistas and stark beauty and enjoys views into the Namib Naukluft National Park. Dining under the star-filled Namibian skies and watching a blood red sunset punctuated by the cacophony of barking geckos are a few highlights, as is spending unrushed quality time at the towering dunes of Sossusvlei, known for their red coloring in the early morning sunlight, accessed through our private gate which is closer to the dunes than the main park entry gate. Desert-adapted wildlife such as ostrich, springbok and gemsbok can be seen on the reserve, as well as smaller creatures like bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal and Cape fox.

Other activities include day and night scenic drives and walks, and optional early morning ballooning, horse riding or camel rides (the last three at extra cost).

We depart camp early, driving through the snaking roads of the Kuiseb Canyon and out onto the expansive gravel plains before arriving in Walvis Bay and then finally driving up the skeleton coast into the quaint town of Swakopmund, a drive of about 5 -6 hours (approximately 230 miles).

On day 4, we explore the ice-blue Atlantic coast, from the port town of Swakopmund to its incredible marine mammals. A private “Dolphin and Seal” catamaran cruise from Walvis Bay (weather permitting) provides a wonderful opportunity to explore this beautiful bay and coastline. The cruise takes in the Oyster Platforms, where we learn about the oysters cultivated here – including tasting the delicacies – before moving on to Pelican Point to see the lighthouse, and an area in which three species of dolphins may be encountered, namely the rare endemic Heaviside’s dolphin, dusky and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Aside from spotting diverse pelagic (ocean-going) birdlife, pelicans and flamingo, and Cape fur seals, the massive sunfish, leatherback turtles, southern right and humpback whales can be seen in season.

Accommodation is at the Hansa Hotel, an iconic place that forms part of Swakopmund's architectural culture and is said to be one of the oldest buildings in the town. It is ideally situated in the centre of Swakopmund within easy walking distance of town and the beach. The luxury of the hotel, its excellent cuisine and friendly service are well known locally and internationally. We will have an opportunity to appreciate this hotel as well as other restaurants and sights in Swakopmund over the two days. www.hansahotel.com.na

We continue our journey by road 200 miles (approximately 8-hour drive) to Damaraland, west of the Brandberg Mountain (the second largest monolith in the world after Ayre’s Rock, Australia), stopping for lunch at Ugab Save the Rhino Trust Camp. The Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) has been involved with rhino conservation in this area since the early eighties, and has been singly responsible for helping these rare animals survive and thrive, so that today this area boasts the largest concentration of black rhino anywhere on the planet outside of a national park. Community game scouts employed by the Trust as monitors are the trackers and guides.

Once in the private area around Damaraland, we are in the heart of the rocky desert, an ancient glacial landscape. Damaraland and this area, boasts a varied and breathtaking assortment of desert-adapted species including one of the highest concentrations of desert elephant and black rhino, and a surprisingly high diversity of wildlife including Hartmann's mountain zebra, kudu, giraffe, gemsbok, and springbok, with occasional cheetah sightings. Our activities range from nature walks, mountain biking, viewing the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein (a World Heritage Site) to day and night nature drives, exploring the mountains, hills and ephemeral river beds and springs.

Looking south from camp toward the imposing Brandberg Mountains, Damaraland offers its guests endless vistas and one of the best wilderness areas in Namibia. Early morning mists generated by the clash between the icy Atlantic Ocean and the warm desert air of the Skeleton Coast, drift inland along the river sand canyon, providing sustenance to the flora and fauna of the region.

We drive approximately 205 miles (approximately 5 hours’ drive time) to Ongava Game Reserve on the boundary of Etosha National Park, to experience big game viewing and this iconic salt pan.

Etosha remains the highest density wildlife area within Namibia, its’ fame justly acknowledged. The salt pan (largest salt pan in the world) is speculated to be a remnant of an ancient glacial lake - today being maintained by scouring winds across its surface and sporadic ephemeral flooding. Springs along the edge of the pan attract and quench the thirst of a dense and varied conglomeration of wildlife, mixing savanna and desert species like impala and springbuck. On day 9 we embark on a full day game drive into Etosha, exploring the southern roads of Etosha Pan from Okakeujo through to Halali (where we stop for lunch and relax in the cool shade watching the game coming in to drink at the waterhole), meandering our way from waterhole to spring and enjoying the endless vistas and mirages of the pan itself.

On the southern boundary of Etosha National Park and forming a buffer to the Park lies Ongava Game Reserve, a prolific 74130 acre private concession. It is a haven to large concentrations of wildlife: notably lion, cheetah, black rhino, white rhino, springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, Burchell's zebra, Hartmann's mountain zebra, waterbuck, red hartebeest, giraffe, eland and the largest population of the endemic black-faced impala outside of Etosha. Andersson’s Camp makes for a comfortable modern day, eco-friendly exploration of the Etosha landscape. Its resurrected farmstead fronts onto a waterhole and the 20 tented guest units, each with en suite bathroom, are raised on decks for an enhanced view.

To further enhance our Etosha experience and while accommodated on the private Ongava Reserve, we can enjoy night game drives and walks, while evening game viewing is enhanced with a floodlit waterhole out the front of the main area.

Driving south, we return to Windhoek at 1pm (approximate distance – 260 miles) where the adventure ends.