Namibia: Sand, Stone & Skeletons
From Towering Dunes to Desolate Coast
Sand, Stone & Skeletons
Red dunes rise more than three hundred metres above a bone-white clay pan, and beyond them the Atlantic fog drifts in over a coast littered with the bones of ships and whales.
Namibia is a country of raw contrasts, sparsely populated and vast, and few journeys cover more of it than this one. The Classic Safari Company takes you from the granite hills of the Waterberg to the ancient rock art of Damaraland, north into Kaokoland’s Himba homelands, out along the wild edge of the Skeleton Coast, and south to the towering dunes of Sossusvlei and the NamibRand.
Track collared leopard and cheetah on foot with researchers from the AfriCat Foundation; watch elephant, rhino and lion drink side by side at Etosha’s waterholes; search dry riverbeds for desert-adapted elephant; meet Himba families in their own homeland; fly low over centuries-old shipwrecks and seal colonies on the Skeleton Coast; climb the world’s tallest dunes at dawn and sleep beneath open skies on a private rooftop terrace.
Along the way, cool ocean mists settle over the Bavarian spires of Swakopmund, and Windhoek’s vineyard hills offer a final, gentle stop before you head home. Twenty-one days, ten handpicked properties and a landscape that changes almost daily, from mountain bushveld to open desert, define this journey.
You will love
- Desert-adapted elephant tracking in Damaraland
- Etosha’s waterhole wildlife drama
- Himba cultural encounters in Kaokoland
- Skeleton Coast’s wild, remote isolation
- Sossusvlei’s towering red dunes
- Private charter flights over changing desert
Let us design your perfect itinerary.
A 21-DAY EXPLORATION
PLEASE NOTE:
This itinerary provides the perfect framework for a spectacular journey but it is an example only. All journeys will be individually designed and quoted on a case by case basis.
DAY 1 | ARRIVE JOHANNESBURG | THE INTERCONTINENTAL O.R. TAMBO | 1 NIGHT
Your journey begins with an overnight flight to Johannesburg, where you are met at the gate and escorted through customs and immigration before a short transfer to the InterContinental O.R. Tambo, just across the road from the terminal. The rest of the day is yours to rest and recover before tomorrow’s flight into Namibia.
DAY 2 | FLY TO NAMIBIA & OKONJIMA NATURE RESERVE | OKONJIMA LUXURY BUSH CAMP | 2 NIGHTS
This morning, you are escorted privately to the airport for the short flight to Windhoek, where your private guide meets you after customs and drives you to Okonjima, home to the AfriCat Foundation. Set in the Omboroko Mountains, the reserve was established to protect Namibia’s declining population of leopard and cheetah, and your stay includes guided game drives focused on tracking collared cats, along with nature walks and a Bushman trail exploring the finer details of the bush. Settle into your ochre-walled chalet before an evening drink overlooking the waterhole.
DAY 3 | OKONJIMA NATURE RESERVE
A day at your own pace at Okonjima. Join a guided game drive in search of leopard or cheetah, walk the Bushman trail with a local guide, or spend an afternoon at the AfriCat Foundation learning more about its ongoing research into Namibia’s carnivores.
DAY 4 | TRANSFER TO ETOSHA | ONGAVA LODGE | 2 NIGHTS
After breakfast, you are driven north to Etosha, arriving at Ongava Lodge in the early afternoon. Built into the Ondundozonanandana Hills on a private reserve along Etosha’s southern boundary, Ongava overlooks a waterhole where elephant, rhino and springbok gather through the day. This afternoon, head out on your first game drive into Etosha National Park, timed to make the most of the late afternoon light before returning for sundowners on the deck.
DAY 5 | ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK
Today brings a full day of game viewing, with a private drive into Etosha National Park in search of the park’s black rhino, black-faced impala and desert-adapted lion, followed by a shared drive on the Ongava Game Reserve itself, where both black and white rhino are regularly seen. Etosha’s vast, dry pan draws huge numbers of animals to its remaining waterholes at this time of year, and the photography here, with predator and prey drinking side by side, is some of the best in Africa.
DAY 6 | TRANSFER TO DAMARALAND | MOWANI MOUNTAIN CAMP | 2 NIGHTS
Leaving Etosha behind, you head west to the ochre boulders of Damaraland, a rugged region of ancient rock formations, petrified forest and some of Africa’s finest rock art. After a three-hour drive, you arrive at Mowani Mountain Camp, wrapped around a high granite kopje with sweeping views across the gravel plains below. Spend the afternoon settling into your stilted tent before a guided nature walk introduces you to the region’s reptile and birdlife.
DAY 7 | SEARCHING FOR DESERT-ADAPTED ELEPHANT
With your guide, head out this morning to search the dry riverbeds of Damaraland for its famous desert-adapted elephant, among the few populations in the world able to survive on minimal water for days at a time. There is time in the afternoon to visit Twyfelfontein’s ancient rock engravings or simply relax by Mowani’s pool between the boulders.
DAY 8 | TRANSFER TO KAOKOLAND & HIMBA VILLAGE VISIT | HOANIB VALLEY CAMP | 3 NIGHTS
A long and rewarding drive takes you further north into Kaokoland, one of Namibia’s most remote regions, home to the Ovahimba people and their semi-nomadic way of life. En route, you stop at a traditional Himba village, where a local guide introduces you to their customs, daily routines and the ochre paste used to protect skin and hair from the sun. It is a respectful, unhurried exchange rather than a staged performance, and offers real insight into a culture still lived much as it has been for generations. You arrive at Hoanib Valley Camp by late afternoon, a joint venture between local communities and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, built from ochre-toned canvas and local materials that echo the surrounding dunes.
DAY 9 | KAOKOLAND WILDLIFE & CULTURE
Game drives and walks here focus on the Kaokoveld’s desert-adapted wildlife, with your guide tracking lion, elephant and giraffe along dry riverbeds and through mountain passes. Those interested in conservation can meet researchers from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, whose work is based at the camp, and learn more about the project’s ongoing giraffe monitoring.
DAY 10 | KAOKOLAND WILDLIFE & CULTURE
A second day in Kaokoland brings the chance to track the region’s specialist rhino population on foot, a slow and quiet pursuit that rewards patience. Afternoon options include a further game drive in search of the area’s desert-dwelling predators, or time at camp to take in the surrounding mountain scenery.
DAY 11 | SCENIC TRANSFER TO THE SKELETON COAST | SHIPWRECK LODGE | 2 NIGHTS
Today’s transfer to the Skeleton Coast runs through the Hoarusib Valley, a scenic drive of around five hours through canyons, dry riverbeds and shifting dunes before the landscape opens onto the Atlantic. Shipwreck Lodge sits within Skeleton Coast National Park, its ten chalets built to resemble the shipwrecks scattered along this coastline. Settle in before an evening walk onto the dunes to watch the sun sink into the fog.
DAY 12 | SKELETON COAST EXPLORATION
Days at Shipwreck Lodge move between game drives along the Hoarusib River in search of desert-dwelling elephant and lion, and excursions further afield to the geologically remarkable Clay Castles, the wrecks of the Suiderkus and Karimona, and the seal colony at Mowe Bay. Nature walks explore the dunes and the delicate desert flora that survives here on nothing but sea fog, and a beach picnic makes for a relaxed way to spend the middle of the day.
DAY 13 | CHARTER FLIGHTS TO SWAKOPMUND | STRAND HOTEL SWAKOPMUND | 2 NIGHTS
A light aircraft carries you this morning from Mowe Bay to Doro Nawas and on to Swakopmund, a flight that reveals the scale of the Skeleton Coast and the Namib Desert from above in a way the ground never quite can. On arrival, you are transferred to the Strand Hotel, set directly on the Atlantic and surrounded by water on three sides. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore Swakopmund’s Bavarian architecture, palm-lined promenade and relaxed cafe scene.
DAY 14 | MARINE CATAMARAN EXCURSION & SANDWICH HARBOUR
An early breakfast is followed by a scenic drive south to Walvis Bay for a catamaran cruise through the outer lagoon, where Cape fur seals, Heaviside and bottlenose dolphins, and thousands of flamingos and pelicans gather. A light lunch, sparkling wine and fresh oysters are served on board before you return to the jetty around midday. In the afternoon, a four-hour four-wheel drive excursion takes you south to Sandwich Harbour, where towering dunes drop directly into the Atlantic. Along the way, you pass through the Kuiseb River delta and stop at a viewpoint over the lagoon for savoury snacks and a glass of sparkling wine.
DAY 15 | CHARTER FLIGHT TO SOSSUSVLEI | LITTLE KULALA | 2 NIGHTS
A short charter flight carries you south into the red dunes of Sossusvlei, where a driver meets you at the airstrip for the transfer to Little Kulala. Set within the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, each of the property’s thatched villas has its own plunge pool and rooftop skybed for stargazing. Spend the afternoon settling in before an evening drink as the dunes turn deep red in the last light.
DAY 16 | SOSSUSVLEI & SESRIEM CANYON AT DAWN
Leaving camp before dawn for Sossusvlei, your excursion is timed perfectly to catch the first light spilling across the world’s tallest dunes as their colour shifts from deep red to burnt orange. Continue on to the ancient clay pan itself, scattered with five-hundred-year-old dead acacia trees, before exploring the narrow walls of Sesriem Canyon. The afternoon is yours to walk the reserve’s trails, join a nature drive in search of the Namib’s smaller desert-adapted species, or simply rest at camp before another night beneath the stars.
DAY 17 | TRANSFER TO NAMIBRAND | WOLWEDANS DUNE CAMP | 2 NIGHTS
A two-hour drive brings you into the NamibRand Nature Reserve, a vast, privately protected stretch of sand and gravel plains, mountain ranges and dune belts bordering the Namib-Naukluft Park. Wolwedans Dune Camp is set on the edge of a two-hundred-and-fifty-metre dune, its tented rooms built on wooden platforms with private decks looking out over the reserve. This afternoon, join a game drive across the plains before dinner around the campfire.
DAY 18 | NAMIBRAND NATURE RESERVE
Morning and afternoon game drives continue the search for the reserve’s desert-adapted wildlife, while guided walks offer a slower, closer look at the smaller creatures and plants that make this landscape work. NamibRand’s community-based conservation projects are worth asking about if you would like to learn more about how the reserve balances tourism with long-term protection of the land.
DAY 19 | CHARTER FLIGHT TO WINDHOEK | THE WEINBERG BOUTIQUE HOTEL | 1 NIGHT
A final charter flight takes you from Sossusvlei to Windhoek, where you are met and driven to the Weinberg, a restored estate house set on the sunny slopes of a former vineyard in Klein Windhoek. The afternoon is at leisure, with time to explore Namibia’s German-influenced capital, from the Christuskirche to the Tintenpalast, before a final Namibian dinner.
DAY 20 | DEPART WINDHOEK
You are driven to the airport this morning for your flight to Johannesburg, connecting there with your onward flight.
DAY 21 | ARRIVE HOME
You arrive back in Sydney this afternoon, clearing customs and immigration before making your own way home, carrying with you the memory of a landscape that shifted, dramatically, at almost every turn.
ACCOMMODATION
A handpicked selection
Intercontinental O.R. Tambo – Johannesburg
Okonjima Luxury Bush Camp – Okonjima, Namibia
Ongava Lodge – Ongava Reserve
Mowani Mountain Camp – Twyfelfontein, Namibia
Hoanib Valley Camp – Kaokoland
Shipwreck Lodge – Skeleton Coast
The Strand Hotel – Swakopmund, Namibia
Little Kulala – Sossusvlei
Wolwedans Dune Camp – NamibRand Nature Reserve
The Weinberg – Windhoek, Namibia
NEED TO KNOW
Please enquire for pricing
Start: Windhoek, Namibia, ex. Johannesburg
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Finish: Windhoek, Namibia
Inclusions
- Private guide throughout Namibia
- Return international flights: Sydney-Johannesburg-Sydney (as per itinerary)
- Regional flight: Johannesburg-Windhoek
- All charter flights within Namibia as per itinerary
- Accommodation as per itinerary, including all meals & activities at all-inclusive & full-board properties
- Bed & breakfast at Johannesburg, Swakopmund & Windhoek hotels
- All road & light aircraft transfers between properties
- Game drives, guided walks & scheduled activities at each lodge & camp
- AfriCat Foundation, Himba village & Giraffe Conservation Foundation experiences as included
- Marine catamaran excursion & Sandwich Harbour four-wheel drive tour at Swakopmund
- Local drinks at all-inclusive properties
Exclusions
- International flights beyond those specified above
- Namibia visa fees (approx. AU$140 per person)
- Travel insurance
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
- Premium & imported drinks at all-inclusive properties
- Meals not specified above
- Gratuities & tips
- Items of a personal nature
This itinerary provides the perfect framework for a spectacular journey but it is an example only. All journeys will be individually designed and quoted on a case by case basis.
An absolutely fantastic travel company - every one of the many trips they have organised for us over 22 years have been faultless and fabulous.
Judith & Roger Williams
Would do it all again and not change a moment. Best holiday ever!
The McGowan Tribe
It certainly was the best trip we have EVER had. The experiences were mind blowing. We want everyone we know to experience Africa - the animals, the people - magical.
Jo-anne & Dean Mifsud
The Classic Safari Company is the best I have dealt with. Extremely knowledgeable & professional, friendly, patient & understanding of first timers to Africa.
Annette Whiley
Classic Safari Company were brilliant - 10/10
Di & Kingsley Yates
Classic Safari is the place to go to for "top end" adventure travel.
Ron & Alison Guthrie
If you want the most sensational experience in Africa let Julia and the staff at Classic Safari Co plan it for you! Their knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm for their job means your every wish will be fulfilled.
Miriam & Joseph Harrison
Their experience and knowledge of Africa is evident and we couldn't have been happier with the total package. This has given us a taste for Africa - now we are ready for more.
Andrew & Pip Stevens
Classic Safari Company has done it again! A unique experience that ticked all the boxes - wildlife, culture and dining experience. A dream come true!
Ros Wheeler
Absolutely everything was first class & so well organised.
Simon & Jackie Adams
The trip of a lifetime, couldn't have dreamt of a better adventure if I tried.
Emma Jeffcoat
You can't improve on perfection. I had my best birthday and holiday with my family celebrating my 80th birthday in Africa. Everything that Julia organised was perfect and the whole trip was a highlight!
Buckingham Family
Everything was perfect! Advice and information on destinations and activities hit everything I had hoped to experience. I contacted the Classic Safari Company upon recommendation and have now, in turn, recommended to others.
Tim Bradley
Very knowledgeable and patient. Our trip was all that we hoped for. Wonderful!
Jane & Robert Happell
Thank you for making our trip to Africa so spectacular. The attention to detail really made it special. It really was the trip of a lifetime.
Paul Cozzi
An amazing experience - the best family holiday we have ever had. We were extremely impressed by the meticulous attention to our itinerary. I can't speak highly enough of all the elements of this exciting journey!
Sheryl & Robert Taylor
We loved it all. Our son wants to go back tomorrow. We would ALL go back again!
Laurence & Remi Cunningham
Classic Safari are the people who genuinely know other culture and offer incredible insight to perfectly meet your expectations.
Melanie McMillan & Iain Jones
The trip exceeded my expectations and was the best family holiday I have ever had. Our children simply loved it and now I know more about African wildlife than they do about our own farm animals.
Rowntree family
We are so happy we put our trust in CSC, we had an amazing adventure and would recommend them to anyone.
Kim & Brad Balance
Julia you did a fantastic job - everything was first class. Well organised, efficient and stress free. We all agreed it was the best holiday we've ever had. Cant wait to travel with CSC again.
Milford family
We wanted the opportunity to see as many wildlife parks as possible and the Classic Safari Company provided an action-packed itinerary that included six, with 11 tiger sightings and nine leopard. This was overlaid with an introduction to Jaisalmer, Jaipur and the 'real' India. Pench and Panna were the hidden gems of a really great trip, very well organised, seamless and enjoyable. As a solo traveller I felt incredibly safe at all times. I want to go back!
Mark Taylor
Exellent and wonderful, reaching way above expectations.
Elizabeth Mackintosh
Thank you for putting together the ancestral adventure of a lifetime. I cannot speak highly enough of the trip.
Jenny Kidd
