Namibia's Unspoilt North

Arrival at Windhoek airport by midday (12 pm) at the latest. There you are already awaited and taken to Elegant Guesthouse in Windhoek. Recover from your long flight and put your feet up. In the afternoon you meet your guide and see the sights of the capital on a city tour, such as the Christuskirche and the so-called Tintenpalast (Ink Palace), seat of the Namibian parliament. For dinner (at your own expense), visit one of Windhoek's first-class restaurants and let the day wind down comfortably.

After breakfast you head north. You drive through wide farmland and pass the historic Waterberg Plateau, which rises majestically from the surrounding plain. Near Grootfontein you visit the Hoba meteorite, which struck here about 80,000 years ago and is the largest meteorite found on Earth to date. During the afternoon you finally reach Fiume Bush Camp. Here you have time to sit back, enjoy the peace of nature and look forward to tomorrow, which will be full of interesting encounters.

Authentic cultural encounters with the San, one of the oldest peoples in the world, are the focus today. With great pride they give you a comprehensive insight into their way of life, their customs and traditions in the nearby village, and explain their ancient hunter-gatherer culture as it was lived not so long ago. Walk with them through the bush and try your hand at making fire, making a bow and arrow or crafting jewellery, and at dancing and singing together. Experience an educational and at the same time entertaining day, an exchange on equal terms. You spend another night at Fiume Bush Camp.

After breakfast you set off and drive via Tsumeb and past the deep-blue inland lake Otjikoto, around which many stories and myths are woven, towards Etosha National Park. Your accommodation for today is at the gates of the park. Settle into your room and take a short breather before heading into the National Park on a first game drive in the afternoon. Etosha (“great white place”) is one of the largest game parks in Africa and, with its diverse wildlife and landscape – from acacias and wide, open plains to the huge salt pan stretching to the horizon – certainly one of the most interesting. Look out for elephants, giraffes, lions, various antelope species and much more. At the evening campfire in camp you can review the day's experiences once more. You spend the night at Mushara Bush Camp.

The next two days are devoted entirely to wildlife viewing in Etosha National Park. As you are in no hurry, you can explore the central part of Etosha very intensively. Especially in the dry months, the waterholes are the best places to see large herds of elephants, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, oryx antelopes, impalas, springboks and, with a little luck, lions, rhinos and leopards. Watch the animals and birds quenching their thirst there and study their behaviour together with your guide. Before the sun sets, you head to Etosha Village just outside the National Park. Here you can let the two eventful safari days wind down comfortably.

Your journey continues into the western part of Etosha National Park, where another day full of exciting experiences among wildlife awaits you. Alongside your guide you see your surroundings through the eyes of a local, and you will be surprised how much you have already learned about the flora and fauna. Look out for animals you have not yet seen over the last few days. In the afternoon it is time to leave Etosha National Park. Nearby Hobatere Lodge is your next destination. The approach alone through the concession area of the same name is a special experience. After a delicious dinner you can join a night drive in an open safari vehicle (optional) and, with a little luck, track down nocturnal animals.

In the morning you say goodbye to Hobatere and set off north. At first the drive takes you along the western border of Etosha National Park and then ever further north via Ruacana to the border with Angola. Along the Kunene River you drive through spectacular and almost uninhabited landscape to your next destination, Epupa. The contrast between the dry mountains and the green riverbank seems almost unreal. Omarunga Epupa Falls Camp is just a short walk from Epupa Falls. Here the Kunene plunges in countless cascades into a 60-metre-deep gorge against a beautiful backdrop – a fantastic natural spectacle. After arriving at camp you can relax and enjoy the surroundings or take a walk to Epupa Falls. In the late afternoon you drive to a nearby viewpoint to experience a dreamy sunset over the picturesque landscape dotted with makalani palms and baobabs. Overnight stay at Omarunga Epupa Falls Camp.

In the morning you visit a Himba village to learn more about the culture and traditions of this proud people and gain an insight into their everyday life. Particularly striking is the intense reddish body colour of the women. With a paste of butterfat, ochre powder and wood ash they colour their hair and protect their skin from the sun. Admire their artfully braided hairstyles and their magnificent jewellery of iron, copper and shells. In the afternoon, accompanied by a Himba guide, you go on a hike along the Kunene. Your guide tells you about the vegetation of the area, and you may even see crocodiles warming themselves in the sun. After about 2–3 hours you return. You spend another night at Omarunga Epupa Falls Camp.

Let the gentle rushing of the Kunene wake you. After a leisurely breakfast your journey continues south via the town of Opuwo, through the Joubert Mountains and over the pass of the same name. Your destination today is Fort Sesfontein. This old fortress was built in 1896 as an outpost to protect against poaching and arms smuggling and today houses a comfortable lodge where you will spend the night.

Today starts early, as a full-day excursion to explore Kaokoland is on the programme. Enjoy the impressive and varied landscapes as you cross the sandy river valleys of the Hoanib Valley, drive over flat grassland or pass through gravel desert. Keep an eye out for wildlife – you may spot desert elephants, giraffes, solitary oryx antelopes or zebras. Even lions are sighted now and then in this inhospitable wilderness. After your return and a shower to wash the dust from your body, a well-earned dinner awaits you. You spend another night at Fort Sesfontein Lodge.

You set off early and drive via Palmwag into the heart of Damaraland. At the Petrified Forest you make a stop to take a look at the mineralised tree trunks, which are more than 200 million years old. It is also worth taking a closer look at the Welwitschia plants that grow here in abundance. Via Khorixas you finally reach Vingerklip Lodge. Enjoy the last rays of the sun and the view of the picturesque valley and its plateau mountains, the so-called Ugab Terraces. Dinner and overnight stay at Vingerklip Lodge.

After breakfast you head back to Windhoek. Depending on your individual plans for onward travel, you will be taken to the airport or to accommodation of your choice in Windhoek. You say goodbye to your guide – totsiens – until next time.