Wilderness Safaris' Best of Namibia Wing Safari

THE BEST OF NAMIBIA WING SAFARI

Guests on this fly-in safari experience the highlights of Namibia - Sossusvlei, the Namib, the southern Skeleton Coast, Swakopmund, Damaraland and Etosha. Every Sunday and Thursday we fly from Eros Airport in Windhoek on our "Best of Namibia Wing Safari". All meals, park fees and activities are included. Group size is a minimum of two guests - but we can increase the size of the trip according to availability at the lodges.

DAYS 1 & 2
SOSSUSVLEI

Depart Eros Airport (Windhoek) by light aircraft for Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, approximately an hour's flight away. We will be departing in the late morning, at a time best suited to the guests and their incoming flights. Best of Namibia Wings Safari map

Situated approximately 30 kilometres from Sesriem on a 7 000 ha property, the Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp has wonderful desert scenery. The lodge offers close access to Sossusvlei as well as privacy and exclusivity. The property harbours vast desert plains and rugged mountains, with views of the dunes in the distance. The camp, consisting of nine comfortable rock, timber and thatch guest rooms recessed into the face of a low hill or "kopje" ensures personal service and attention, while at the same time protecting the wonderfully peaceful atmosphere of the desert. The en suite bathrooms have both hot and cold running water, showers and flush loos, as well as a panoramic view of the plains below.
Access to the bungalows and central lapa area is by elevated walkways, with hidden swimming pools and shady nooks giving relief from the midday heat. Activities are excellent and varied, with experienced guides and pilots bringing the desert to life during drives, walks, flights and ballooning. An early morning drive to Sossusvlei, with breakfast under the camelthorn trees. An optional extra is to see the sun changing the colours of dunes and mountains at dawn from a hot air balloon!
It goes without saying that the night skies are amongst the clearest on this planet, with the stargazing platform and astral telescope being a popular after dinner rendezvous.

Overnight at the Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp for two nights with all meals, table wine at dinner and all activities included, extras to be settled directly.

DAYS 3 & 4
DAMARALAND

We depart by light aircraft and fly over the dunes of the Namib and Sossusvlei to gain a different perspective of the area from the air. We continue westwards to Meob Bay on the Atlantic Ocean and then fly up the Skeleton Coast, where the dunes and the desert meet the Atlantic Ocean. Our flight takes us over the site of Eduard Bohlen Shipwreck, past Conception Bay and the wreck site of the Shawnee, over Sandwich Harbour and its famous lagoon, and the flamingoes at Walvis Bay.
We land at Swakopmund and drive through to Walvis Bay for a boat trip (weather permitting) to see the Seals, Dolphins and possibly Penguins . We enjoy lunch on the beach (weather permitting) and are then driven back to Swakopmund, the attractive town further up the coast.

Swakopmund is much loved by Namibians and visitors alike because of its old-world charm and relaxed atmosphere. Founded in 1892 during the period of German colonial rule, it served as the territory's main harbour for many years. Today this curious desert town, hedged by desert and sea, is enhanced by lush green lawns, palm trees and carefully tended and colourful public gardens. It offers solid comforts such as good hotels, pensions, restaurants and coffee shops selling traditional German cakes and pastries, while the sweep of coastline and desert hinterland offers adventure and relaxation in unspoilt nature. Quaint architecture from a bygone era adds to the continental atmosphere of Swakopmund. When approached from the interior, antique domes, turrets and towers on the skyline appear as a hazy desert mirage. The distinct German colonial character has been well preserved and today many of the old buildings serve a useful purpose. Woermann House (1905) now houses an art gallery and the Public Library. The Woermann Tower, which can be viewed at specified times, affords a panoramic view of desert and sea. It has a platform from which, in earlier times, a flag was flown whenever a ship of the Woermann Line was sighted. One of the town's most prominent landmarks, the Swakopmund Lighthouse, was completed in 1903, together with the harbour breakwater known as The Mole. The elaborate Railway Station building (1901) has been transformed into a luxury 90-room hotel and entertainment centre complete with casino, cinemas, bar and restaurant. Swakopmund has a heated indoor swimming pool of Olympic size, hot sea baths and saunas. There is a paddling pool nearby, as well as a hydro slide, which is one of the longest in southern Africa. A mini-golf course is located in the beachfront area. Palm Beach is a popular, if rather cold, swimming area, with the lee of the mole serving as a launching spot for yachts and pleasure craft. Swakopmund has several excellent restaurants, pubs and discos and a few night clubs. A special feature of the coastal town is its jewellery shops, which offer pieces ranging from contemporary African to continental designs. Art and crafts shops offer local products, while street vendors sell Namibian rural art.

Year-round sport and recreation include paragliding, hang-gliding, surfing, windsurfing, yachting, sand skiing, sky-diving, table tennis, fistball, handball, snooker, billiards and golf. The golf course in its desert setting has been described as one of the best in southern Africa.

After an interesting and informative tour of the coastal town. We board the aircraft and continue up the Skeleton Coast, and over the Cape Cross Seal Colony before we turn east and fly up the Huab River to Damaraland Camp for two nights. Highlights of the stay at Damaraland Camp are nature excursions into the rocky desert in search of the rare and endangered desert Elephant and Rhino. We are in an area where the chances of encountering the Elephants are high.

Soaring mountains and rolling plains give way to the shifting dunes of the fabled Skeleton Coast, and rain is often just a memory in the midday shimmer of a Damaraland mirage.

Situated on the north slopes of the Huab River terraces is a very special camp. The Damaraland Camp is a rare venture that integrates the local community, environment and wildlife, offering a true wilderness experience in magnificent surroundings. Nine large en-suite tents face the southern view and have a shaded veranda to sit and enjoy the endless views. the menu is rated as excellent, with a simple but comprehensive wine list. A small rock pool nestles at the foot of an ancient waterfall in a nearby ravine. Desert-adapted elephant frequent the dry river lines along with an amazing variety of other mammals, birds and reptiles. Strange plant play host to stranger insects, and your guide brings insight to the questions and answers of survival in a desert environment.

Overnight at Damaraland Camp for two nights with all meals, table wine at dinner and all activities included, extras to be settled directly.

DAYS 5 & 6
ETOSHA AND ONGAVA GAME RESERVE

We fly by light aircraft from Damaraland to Ongava Game Reserve, where you will stay at either Ongava Lodge or Ongava Tented Camp, for a further two nights. Highlights are the game drives into Etosha and the night drives, walks and hides on the private reserve.

Ongava Game Lodge is situated along the southern boundary of Etosha National Park in the privately owned Ongava Game Reserve. Accommodation here comprises 10 air-conditioned rock and thatch chalets, each with air-conditioning, bathroom en-suite and private balcony overlooking the expansive plains of the Ongava Game Reserve. Meals of the highest order are served in Ongava's spacious thatched lapa with its comfortable lounge area, convivial bar and magnificent views.
Ongava offers daily game drives in open-sided vehicles and walking trails (with armed guide), as well as excursions into the Etosha National Park. Game drives normally leave in the early morning and late afternoon, ideal times for game viewing. Dusk and night drives offer an opportunity of experiencing nature after dark. You will be accompanied by an ecologically aware ranger who will guide you on an informative tour of the reserve, helping you discover some of the fascinating indigenous elements of the bushveld.

A number of safe and secure hides are also available for guests wishing to spend time on close-up wildlife viewing or photography. Game on the reserve includes elephant, lion, rhino, various kinds of buck and a multitude of bird species.

Ongava Tented Camp is situated along the southern boundary of Etosha National Park in the privately owned Ongava Game Reserve. The small tented camp is built in a different sector of the reserve to Ongava Lodge. Accommodation comprises of six large comfortable walk-in tents with en-suite facilities, including flush toilet and a hot shower. All meals are enjoyed in the main dining area under thatch. There is a small pool as well. Activities include game drives into the Okaukuejo area of Etosha where Lion, Elephant, Cheetah, Gemsbok, Springbok, and Hartebeest can be seen at many of the waterholes in the park. In addition, night drives and walks are offered on the private reserve. Ongava has resident White Rhino, and Etosha has Black Rhino, allowing guests staying at Ongava the opportunity to see both species.
The Etosha National Park, 22 270 square km of saline desert, savannah and woodlands, first gained conservation status in 1907 when it was proclaimed as Game Reserve 2 by the German Governor, Friedrich von Lindequist. Over the years the boundaries of the park were changed many times until in 1956 it extended over a vast 99 526 square km. Unfortunately the existence of what was effectively the largest game reserve in the world was short-lived. By 1970, for political reasons, Etosha had been whittled down to its present size, a reduction of 77%. Nevertheless, by today's standards it is still a very large park, certainly one of the largest in Africa. Etosha's definitive feature is the Etosha Pan, a vast, shallow depression, about 6 133 square km in size. Classified as a saline desert, the expansive white 'place of dry water' is an unusual setting for game and the factor which sets Etosha apart from other reserves in Africa. On some days the pan is a shimmering sheet of mirages on which the animals appear to be floating on air. A total of 114 mammals are represented in the park, including several rare and endangered species such as black rhino and black-faced impala. The latter is endemic to north-western Namibia and south-western Angola. Due to the timeous translocation of black rhino from Kaokoland to the safety of the park in the 1970's, Etosha's current population of approximately 300 animals represents one of the few growing populations in the world. Etosha's elephants are reputed to be of the tallest in Africa, the tallest measuring up to 4 metres at the shoulder.

Their tusks, on the other hand, are relatively small, due to genetic defects and mineral deficiencies in their diet. Other large mammals represented in the park include blue wildebeest, mountain and plains zebra and lion. Cheetah and leopard complete the trio of "big cats". The giraffe, the tallest animal on earth, is also well represented. Standing almost 6 m high from hoof-tip to the curious bony "horns" on its head, its striking patchwork colouration makes it visually an exceptional and photogenic creature. Antelope species range from kudu, gemsbok and the large and stately eland, to the diminutive Damara Dik-Dik. These tiny antelope have a height of less than 45cm at the shoulder and weigh about 5 kg. Smaller mammals include jackal, hyena, bat-eared fox, honey badger, warthog and ground squirrel. Etosha's rich bird life consists of about 340 species, of which approximately one third are migratory, including the European bee-eater and several species of waders.

Etosha is one of the most important breeding grounds of greater and lesser flamingos in the southern African region. During a good rainy season, millions of these birds congregate on the pan to breed. Ten of Etosha's 35 raptor species are migratory.
Most commonly seen are lappet faced and whitebacked vultures, and less frequently Cape, Egyptian, palmnut and hooded vultures. There are eight species of owls, including the pearlspotted and white-faced, and four species of nightjars. For the greater part of the year, Etosha's animals and birds are dependent on 30-odd springs and waterholes. This provides for excellent game viewing and ideal conditions for photography. Wildlife lovers who visit the area usually select a favourite waterhole which they maintain is "lucky" for them. The best was to see the widest array of game is to stake out a waterhole and let the game come to you. Before setting out it is always a good policy to enquire from camp officials what the current game movements are. The vegetation in the park varies from dwarf shrub savannah and grasslands, which occur around the pan, to thorn bush and woodland savannah throughout the park. Eighty per cent of all the trees are mopane. West of Okaukuejo is the well-known Sprokieswoud (Phantom or Fairy Forest), the only location where the African moringa tree, Moringa ovalifolia, grows as a dense forest in a flat area. These are the "upside down" trees which, according to Bushman legend, were thrown out of the Garden of Eden by the God of Thunder and landed with their roots facing upwards.
Extract from Namibia Holiday & Travel - published by Venture Publications

Overnight at Ongava for two nights with all meals, table wine at dinner and all activities included, extras to be settled directly.

DAY 7
WINDHOEK

Depart Ongava for flight back to Windhoek.

Suggested add-on on this safari:

Guests can combine the two Namibian fly-in Safaris, the "Best of Namibia Wing Safari" and the "Skeleton Coast Safari". On the last day of the Best of Namibia Wing Safari, we fly to the airstrip at Damaraland Camp and drop off the guests who want to continue onto the Skeleton Coast Safari. The Skeleton Coast Safari flight picks them up from the Damaraland Camp airstrip, and they depart for their Skeleton Coast experience. The combination of these two first class safaris is the ultimate wilderness experience in Namibia.

INCLUDED
Charter flights Windhoek to Windhoek
Accommodation on a shared basis
All meals
All activities
All park fees
Drinks (except for imported liqueurs and champagne)

EXCLUDED
Scheduled flights to and from Windhoek and the transfer to Eros Airport
Insurances
All items of a personal nature
Gratuities

Rates: on request

Code	Total number of days and nights	Itinerary description with the number of nights in each area in brackets	Departs	Days	Ends	US$ Rate Per Person Sharing		US$ Single Room Supplement
						01 Dec to 14 June and 16 Nov to 15 Dec	15 June to 15 November	All years around
BONWS	7 days and 6 nights	Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp (2), boat trip at Walvis Bay; Damaraland Camp (2), Ongava / Etosha (2)	Windhoek International or Eros Airport	Sunday	Windhoek International or Eros Airport	-	-	-

* Sunday departures applicable all year around.

�� Scheduled departures with a minimum of two guests. One person can be accommodated if more participants booked.
�� Groups of 4 or more can have daily departures, subject to availability of planes and pilots/guides.
�� A flight along the Skeleton Coast and a boat trip to sea for dolphins and seals, plus a seafood lunch in Swakopmund is included.
�� Luggage restriction is 12kg per person in a soft bag.
�� 15% VAT included.
�� This safari is usually accommodated at Ongava Tented Camp, however, may stay at Ongava Lodge for certain departures.

6 nights or longer in any of Wilderness Safaris' camps & lodges (except Skeleton Coast):
3% discount!

Full list of camps and lodges is here

All Wilderness Safaris' establishments: due to a high demand the full balance is due strictly not later than 10 weeks prior to arrival!

Reservations & information agent:

Elena Travel Services & Car Hire CC
P.O. Box 3127 Windhoek, Namibia
Fax: +264 61 244558
E-mail: info@namibweb.com

To book:

1) you can e-mail us requesting information and/or rates

Reservations are only accepted in writing: by fax or via e-mail.
Final availability confirmation: in writing: by fax or via e-mail.