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Namibia - Budget Safaris |
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Namibia - Budget Safaris |
Low budget Safari is what many of our clients ask for and they do not get any better value than these two options. From Windhoek you either set off northwards or to the south for 7 days of African magic as we take you to some of the locations in Namibia. It is easy to combine the two options with an overnight stay in Windhoek in the middle.
We spend some time at the Africat Foundation where you will se the work being carried out to help all manner of large cats, in particular the cheetah. A contribution to the foundation is built into our price, but you are free to donate additional funds if you are a wild cat lover.
Etosha National Park is the main attraction in Namibia for wildlife watchers.
Etosha
is one of the largest parks in Africa, and one of the best-known.
Huge herds can be seen teeming against the unique backdrop of
the dried up lake - Etosha Pan. The leopard and lions lie in the
sun with full bellies. After the rains the pan is briefly transformed
into a vast inland lake where flamingos breed and a diverse aquatic
life suddenly comes to life.
With this dry environment the water holes are a magnet for the
animals and make it easy for you to see part of the daily life
of many wonderful animals. More about the climate.
This safari starts and finishes in Windhoek with a departure every Tuesday all year round. Because of the mostly dry conditions travel within Namibia is easy.
You will be collected from your accommodation in Windhoek between 08:00 and 08:30 and you should be on the road by about 09:00. The price reflects the limited participatory (we now include a kitchen assistant as part of the staff on this trip) nature of this safari – you have to help set up / break camp with some supervision from our staff.
Families are welcome, with the minimum age being 10 on scheduled group safaris and no age limit on private safaris.
Vegetarians of all types are catered for. Camping Arrangements
Other budget safaris by Muir's Tours - Namibia 10 day Namibia & Botswana - South Africa - Tanzania - Kenya
Feedback from our clients about our budget Namibian safaris
OPTION ONE
Day 1 (Sunday) We will travel north, stopping at small towns along the way including Okahandja, where we have time to visit Namibia’s largest wood carving market. The market is operated on a local co-operative basis and is one of the best places to shop for truly Namibian souvenirs.
Continuing north, passing through farmland, we aim to arrive at Okonjima during the middle afternoon, giving us time to set up our camp and to relax in the shade for a while before heading out on to the property to take part in the afternoon’s activities.
Okonjima is the home of the Africat Foundation, a specialist conservation concern that centres its operations around the African Big Cats, particularly cheetah. This afternoon you will be taken on a tour during which you will be able to meet, close-up-and-personal, some of the cheetah that are going through the Africat rehabilitation programme. Most of the animals currently living at Okonjima have been rescued from various desperate situations, being orphaned or caught in a trap, and the aim of rehabilitation process is to attempt to re-introduce them into the wild.
Overnight: Okonjima.Communal ablutions /
camping.Lunch and Dinner.
Day
2 An early start and continuing north we pass
through some small towns, making short stops for fresh supplies and fuel. Our
first main port of call today is the mysterious Lake Otjikoto. Otjikoto is in
fact Namibia’s largest permanent natural lake and we take time here to rest a
little and learn something about the history of this unusual landmark.
Continuing on to Namutoni camp in Etosha National Park we again aim to arrive in time for lunch, giving us time to relax before heading out into the park during the cool of the late afternoon for our first game drive.
After your evening meal there are still more chances to see Etosha’s big game at Namutoni’s floodlit waterhole. Situated on the boundary of Namutoni and easily reachable on foot, elephants are regular visitors here and there is a good chance of seeing other species of game as well.
Driving time: approx. 4hrs (300 km). Overnight: Etosha National Park - Namutoni.Communal ablutions / camping.Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3 A full day’s game driving. We again leave early to enjoy the cool morning air as we game drive our way through Etosha to Halali camp, situated in the middle of the park. Along the way we visit several waterholes and are afforded splendid views of the massive Etosha Pan. The game viewing is usually excellent and we have the chance to tick off a few new species that are not normally seen on the Namutoni side of the park.
We stop at Halali for a rest and a leisurely lunch. There is time to visit the Halali waterhole and to make use of the swimming pool and bar facilities before continuing on our way and game driving down to Okaukuejo.
Okaukuejo is famous for its waterhole, which has been described as one of the “best game viewing opportunities in Southern Africa”. Situated on the doorstep of our accommodation, black rhino, elephant, lion and numerous species of antelope are usually seen. Overnight: Etosha National Park - Okaukuejo.Communal ablutions /camping.Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 4
Leaving Etosha we begin our journey
south with a relatively short drive to the small town of Kamanjab where we will
make a short stop here before continuing on to find the Himba Tribesmen.
This is the only traditionally functioning Himba community outside the far north Kaokoland region of Namibia These tribes-people have migrated here, lifestyle and customs intact, and are following their traditional way-of-life in their village on a farm. Oase Village is located about 15 to 20 km outside Kamanjab, the exact location of the site varies as the Himba occasionally roam to a new location.
During the afternoon we will be invited into Oase Village and will meet with the locals. We will have a specialist guide for the time we are there, who will be able to translate for us and will introduce us to this “alternative lifestyle”. We will learn about marriage customs, traditional food and the mysteries of the local religion, “Holy Fire”. Driving time: approx. 6 hrs (300 km). Overnight: Oase-Himba Village camp.Communal ablutions /camping.Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 5 Today we head into one of the most beautiful desert regions in Namibia, Damaraland. We drive south to the capital of this region, the small town of Khorixas, and then take a detour to the west, travelling via the Petrified Forest geological site, to visit the ancient Bushman rock engravings at Twyfelfontien. At both these locations we will have local guides to conduct us on a short guided tour.
From here we head deeper into the desert to Namibia’s highest mountain, The Brandberg, (2573 m). Brandberg Mountain is an ancient Bushman spiritual site and tonight we will sleep under the shadow of this giant granite monolith. Driving time: approx. 5hrs (400 km). Overnight: Brandberg Mountain. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 6 Starting early to enjoy the cool of the morning we will hike, “into” the mountain with our guide to see the world famous “White Lady” rock painting. Attributed to the Bushman artists, the white lady panel is believed by some to be in excess of 20,000 years old.
Back on the road for more beautiful Damaraland scenery. We make our first stop in the small town of Uis, an old mining town, and one of the best places to buy semi-precious stones, for which Namibia is famous. Here, rough Amethyst, Tourmaline etc can be found at bargain prices.
From here we turn directly west and cross the “gravel plains” on our way to the Atlantic Ocean and the Skeleton Coast. Meeting the ocean at Henties Bay, we first head north along the coast to visit the seal colony at Cape Cross. Here at certain times of the year there can be as many as 100,000 Cape Fur seals in attendance. The next destination is Swakopmund, following the Skeleton Coast into Namibia’s premier seaside town. We aim to arrive in the late afternoon giving us time to explore the town on foot before sunset.
Tonight we take the chance to sample one of the excellent restaurants. The seafood in Swakopmund is superb. Your guide will offer to organise a group meal in a local restaurant for this evening. Participation is recommended but by no means required.
Dinner this evening in not included in the price of the safari and will be for the client’s own account. Driving time: approx. 4hrs (250 km). Overnight: Swakopmund.Chalet Accommodation/communal ablutions.Breakfast and Lunch. (Dinner at own expense.)
Day 7
The drive back to Windhoek today will
take about 4 and a half hours. We will only depart after lunch,
giving us time to spend the morning relaxing in Swakopmund. Swakopmund is a very
pleasant seaside town with lots of shops, a good stretch of beach (although the
Atlantic here is quite cold) and an open-air curio market. There is also a very
good museum and the Namibian National Marine Aquarium is located in Swakopmund.
Alternatively, there are various optional activities that can be arranged. These include aeroplane and microlight flights over the desert, scenic drives, fishing trips (both from the beach or in a boat), four-wheel motorcycle (quad bike) trips into the desert and over the sand dunes around Swakopmund, sand boarding trips (also in the dunes), skydiving, surfing, bird-watching and many other activities are available.
Your tour guide will discuss all the possible options with you before you reach Swakopmund and will offer to make bookings in advance of your arrival. (N.B. All extra activities and excursions in Swakopmund are subject to availability and are made at the clients’ own risk and expense).
This is the last day of our trip and after lunch we will transfer back to the capital city where you will be dropped off at your accommodation.
Driving time: approx. 4.5hrs (350 km). Overnight: Breakfast and Lunch.
OPTION TWO
The 7 Day Southern Explorer
Head south to the magnificent sand dunes at Sossusvlei, on to Klein Aus and the wild horses of the Namib, a visit to Kolmanskop Ghost Town and Luderitz, then on down to see the Orange River and Fish River Canyon with the hot springs at Ai Ais. On our return to Windhoek we visit the Kalahari Desert and the San People (Bushmen) that live there.Itinerary
Day 1 (Sunday) We start our long journey south on the main B1 highway, travelling through the thin strip of Kalahari Desert that protrudes onto the eastern side of Namibia. Stopping at small towns along the way including Rehoboth, traditional home of the Baster people, we aim to arrive at the Quiver Tree Forest in the middle afternoon. Located just north of the southern centre of Keetmanshoop, (officially the sunniest town in the world), we make camp and have time to explore the area on foot.
Quiver trees are not in fact trees, they are a type of aloe, (Aloe Dichotoma), so called because the branches fork "dictomously". These weird looking plants dot the landscape in this part of the world and are locally common, however they are one of the world's rarest flora species.
Driving time: approx. 6.5hrs (500 km). Overnight: Quiver Tree forest.Communal ablutions / camping.Lunch and Dinner.
Day 2 Before leaving the Keetmanshoop area we visit another local site of interest this morning, the Giants Playground", an area filled with massively eroded dolorite rocks that are precariously balanced in tottering towers. After a short stop in Keetmanshoop itself we continue south, leaving the main road far behind us and join the extensive network of gravel roads that unite rural Namibia.
Arriving at Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world, in the early afternoon, we drive to the main look out where the views of need to be seen to be believed. We can see the river sparkling in the sunlight far below us, and can barely imagine how many millennia it took for the forces of erosion to carve such a magnificent vista.
Driving still further south, we travel all the way to the southern border with South Africa, the mighty Orange River. Coming from the arid desert regions that have formed the landscape for most of our journey, it is an amazing sight to see green vegetation and bright ribbon of flowing water appear out of seemingly no-where.
Driving time: approx. 4,5hrs (400 km). Overnight: Orange River. Rustic ablutions / camping.Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3 An easy drive this morning so we have a leisurely start. There is time for a dip in the cool waters of the Orange, (very cold waters in the winter time). Our road follows the scenic course of the river for the first part of the day's journey before heading back into the desert and the beautiful landscapes that Namibian has to offer.
Our route takes us past the zinc mines of Rosh Pinah where we will take a short break before arriving at our destination, the tiny town of Aus in the middle to late afternoon. We sleep tonight at Kline Aus Vista, a private reserve, beautifully located in the Aus Mountain Range, (Huib-Hoch-Plateau region).
There is time to explore this stunning area on foot and to find a lofty perch in the mountains to watch the sun slip over the western horizon.
Driving time: approx. 3.5hrs (200 km). Overnight: Klein Aus.Communal ablutions / camping Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 4 We are up with the dawn this morning for the short drive to Luderitz, we travel on the main road and keep a sharp look out for the unique Namib wild horses. These horses are the only feral horses in Namibia and have, very unusually, become adapted to an existence with very limited water. Where they originated from is un-clear, some people think they are the descendants of the horses used by the German cavalry during the First World War. Another theory is that they originally came from a horse farm that used to be run by a German Barron, (von Wolff), in the very early colonial days.
We arrive in Luderitz in time to join an optional extra excursion, a trip on an old wooden sailing ship, "The Sedina". We take a cruise around Luderitz bay and, weather permitting, to Halifax Island to see the Jackass Penguins. If the weather conditions are suitable we turn off the engines come back to Luderitz under sail.
Straight after the Sedina trip we drive out to Kolmanskop, a desert ghost town about 20 km out of Luderitz. It was built in the 1920's during the diamond rush and was abandoned when bigger and better diamonds were found further along the coast. The area is still abandoned and the desert has encroached over the entire town, giving an eerie feeling and real meaning to the word "ghost".
Lunch today is not included in the programme, this is to allow everybody as much flexibility with their time as possible and to give us the opportunity to sample some of the excellent local cafes.
During the middle of the day there is time to explore Luderitz Town with its traditional German architecture and later we will take a drive out to Diaz Point to see the bird life, hopefully a few seals and the stone cross replica, originally erected by the Portuguese mariner Bartholomew Diaz.
Returning to Klein Aus Vista in the late afternoon, the road takes us through the "forbidden Zone" so named because in years gone by, the alluvial diamonds found in Namibia were simply scattered across the desert and we again have time to enjoy sunset over the mountains.
N.B: The "Sedina" excursion is subject to availability and, if undertaken, will be for the clients own risk and expense.
Driving time: approx. 3hrs (240 km). Overnight: Klein Aus.Communal ablutions / camping.Breakfast and Dinner. (Lunch in Luderitz or Kolmanskop at own expense.)
Day 5 Turning north, we once again head deep into the ancient southern Namib, travelling on small gravel roads and passing some tiny rural communities along the way. The scenery is harsh, and sometimes forbidding. The process of erosion in these areas is well advanced and we pass time rounded "koppies" arid terrain and outcrops of tortured rock.
Our destination is Sesriem, the gateway to the sand dune see and one of the most remarkable landscapes on Planet Earth. Tonight we are guarded by the massive sand dunes of the Namib to our west and the towering Naukluft Mountains to the east.
We arrive in time to drive
the short distance to one of the close by dunes to watch the colours on the
distant mountains to the east, glow and change in the sunset.
Driving time: approx.
5hrs. (350 km). Overnight: Sesriem.Communal ablutions / camping.Breakfast,
Lunch and Dinner.
Day 6
A pre-dawn start to see the sunrise in the dunes. We drive a further 60 km into
the desert and have our breakfast as the colours grow across the landscape. To
reach Sossusvlei itself we walk for the last 5 km through the dunes. The walk is
like nothing else, in the cool of the morning, with soft sunlight just beginning
to play over the dunes creating a sharp light and shadow contrast across the
whole desert. Ancient mineral pans, stunted camel horn trees and the chance of
seeing a gemsbok or maybe an ostrich make the photo opportunities perfect.
We spend the morning in and around Sossusvlei, also visiting "dune
45", and as the day wears on we return to Sesriem for lunch and to escape the
heat of the afternoon. As the day cools off in the late afternoon we will take a
short excursion to the Sesriem Canyon.
Driving time: approx. 2hrs
(150 km). Overnight: Sesriem.Communal ablutions /camping. Breakfast, Lunch and
Dinner.
Day 7
After breakfast we begin our journey, over the mountains and along scenic roads,
back to Windhoek. We will travel over the Naukluft Mountains and also the Khomas
Hochland Range, through beautiful mountain passes on our way back to
civilization.
We are due back into the city around 16:00 and a taxi will be waiting to take you to the airport. Driving time: approx. 5,5hrs (350 km). Overnight: Breakfast and Lunch.
Basis: Limited Participation. You need to fit enough to erect and take down the tent. The camp assistant will do all other chores around camp. Please only tip the guide and camp assistant if you have had good / excellent service (please give your tip to each person, not all of it to the guide or assistant (unless you only feel one of them warrants a tip)). 10% is the standard level of tips in Namibia, but please feel free to adjust this to suit the level of service you have received.
NAD5280 for one 7 day
trip only or NAD1100 if you combine the two into one 14 day
trip.
The Namibia
Dollar is the base currency and payments in other currencies may need to be
adjusted for variations in the exchange rate
.
What is included
Our group equipment for tented camping. An
experienced driver and local crew providing most meals (there are just a few
occasions where the itinerary states “meal at own expense”). and non alcoholic
drinks while tented camping. English speaking local guide and camp assistant.
National park fees. Camping fees.
What is not included
The price allows for joining in Windhoek and includes
everything stated, except; sleeping bags (but you can hire these from us),
accommodation in Windhoek, international airfare, transfers from and to Windhoek
airport (about NAD230), personal insurance, visa fees (if needed), vaccination
costs, personal clothing and equipment, all items of a personal nature and all
drinks.
Windhoek
Hotels
We have not included any hotels in the price as we want to be flexible and to be
able to allow for different tastes and budgets. We would like to help you with
all your travel needs in Namibia, please let us know what type of accommodation
you would like. Some
accommodation options
Visas
A visa
is not currently required for most European or US passport-holders. See
the
embassy page for contact details.
Flights to Windhoek
The best option is often Air Namibia. The contact details for the UK
operation is...
Travel Insurance
(UK Residents only)
Comprehensive personal insurance, including search and rescue is required on
this trip. We only recommend the policies issued by the British Mountaineering Council www.thebmc.co.uk
We are unable to advise residents of other countries about insurance as
insurances are always peculiar to each country. You must buy your insurance from
a company based in your country of residence.
