Namibia: safari and desert between Etosha and the Namib dunes

First day

departure from Italy to Windhoek. Overnight stay on board. We begin this two-week journey in the most authentic and ancient Africa.

Second day

Arrival in Africa: welcome to Namibia
Arrival in Windhoek after an overnight flight from Italy. After the transfer, we will reach a historic farm, a concrete testimony to the agricultural colonization of Namibia. Here we will have dinner and spend the night, immediately beginning to savor the open spaces, the silence, and the atmosphere of the Namib Desert. Weather permitting, we will take a short excursion in the surrounding area to gradually get in tune with the African territory.

Third day

Namib Naukluft Park: discovering the desert
Departure for the Namib-Naukluft National Park, one of the largest natural parks on the planet. We are in western Namibia and the park covers part of the Namib Desert and the Naukluft Mountains. It is one of the largest parks in Africa and home to some of the world's most iconic desert landscapes, including the red dunes of Sossusvlei. During the trip, we will cross several desert ecosystems, observing how the landscape slowly changes. Once we arrive, we will set up camp and enjoy our first exploratory excursion at sunset, when the desert changes color and comes alive with silence. Dinner and overnight stay in camp.

Fourth day

The Olive Trail Canyon
After breakfast, we will walk along theOlive Trail, one of the most picturesque trails in the area, which winds through a canyon carved out by water and time.
Lunch in the bush, a term widely used in Africa , which refers to uninhabited wilderness, far from cities, roads, and infrastructure. In the afternoon, leaving the mountains behind, we will descend towards the sea of Namib dunes, exploring the Sesriem Canyon during the most magical hours of the day. We will then continue to the campsite, set up camp, have dinner, and spend the night.

Fifth day

The dunes of Sossusvlei
Departure at dawn, when the light transforms the dunes into a play of shades ranging from red to pink to ochre. Full day dedicated to exploring Sossusvlei: we will climb up and down the dunes, walk through surreal landscapes and infinite spaces, experiencing the desert slowly and with wonder. Return to camp for some relaxation, then a short excursion to the Elim Dune, the last dune, to admire the sunset. Dinner and night at the camp.

Sixth day

A sea of dunes and stars
After breakfast and dismantling the camp, we will move to a farm on the edge of the sea of dunes. From here, we will begin a journey on foot, a deep and silent exploration that will lead us to an extraordinary place: a camp set up on top of the dunes, where we will have dinner and spend the night, surrounded only by sand, sky, and stars.

Seventh day

Swakopmund: from the desert to the ocean
In the morning, we will return to the vehicle with a walk in the still sleeping desert, then a day of transition between different landscapes will begin.
Along the way, we will observe oryx, zebras, and the first Welwitschia mirabilis, a species famous for its unique characteristic in the plant kingdom of having only two leaves that grow throughout the plant's life, which can exceed 2000 years! We will discover the mystery of the Fairy Circles, mysterious circular patches of sandy soil devoid of vegetation, surrounded by a ring of grass. Arrival in Swakopmund, the most "Bavarian" city in Africa. Accommodation in a lodge and dinner in town.

Eighth day

Towards Cape Cross: among skeletons and sea lions
Leaving Swakopmund, we will travel along a stretch of the Skeleton Coast, within the Dorob National Park: famous for the thick fog that envelops the bones of whales and seals lying on the sand, as well as for the rusty shipwrecks caused by the Benguela Current, it is an area of spectacular and inhospitable beauty, almost surreal, declared a National Park in 1973. Here we will visit one of the largest sea lion colonies on the continent at Cape Cross. Walk on the beach and lunch by the ocean. Transfer to Walvis Bay to admire the sunset among flamingos and lagoons, fog permitting. Dinner in town and return to the lodge.

Ninth day

Dorob: life in the desert
After breakfast, we will set off to discover the life that inhabits the Namib Desert Namib, above and below the sand: insects, reptiles, and small mammals perfectly adapted to this extreme environment. Lunch in town and transfer inland to the foothills of the Spitzkoppe, the "Matterhorn of Africa." Set up camp and take an evening walk on the pink granite, illuminated by the sunset. Dinner, bonfire, and conversation under the stars.

Tenth day

Spitzkoppe: the San people
For those who wish, wake up at dawn to observe the Spitzkoppe massif light up. Then we all have breakfast together before setting off to explore the area dominated by Spitzkoppe, visiting sites of San rock artsites, including iraci, quiver trees, and natural granite arches. The San are also known as Bushmen and are an indigenous hunter-gatherer people of southern Africa, among the oldest inhabitants of the region. Return to camp for lunch and transfer to the Erongo Mountains, where we will set up the new camp. Dinner and bonfire.

Eleventh day

Erongo: among the last nomads
Once we have broken camp, we will venture into the Erongo Mountains, one of Namibia's most stunning landscapes. The variety of altitudes and microclimates is home to a rich biodiversity: emblematic species include leopards, kudus, and numerous endemic birds. Here we will meet a San clan, with whom we will walk, watch their dances, and discover their crafts and deep relationship with nature. Dinner and overnight stay in camp.

Twelfth day

Etosha National Park
Departure forEtosha National Park, one of the main nature reserves in southern Africa and Namibia's most important tourist destination. Established in 1907, it covers over 22,000 km² and is home to one of the richest concentrations of wildlife on the continent, centered around the spectacular Etosha Pan, a vast salt depression visible even from space. During the journey, with a little luck, we will encounter a Himba village, a tribe of semi-nomadic herders, also known as the red people because of the clay they smear on their bodies. Upon arrival, we will set up camp and take a first exploratory tour. Dinner and overnight stay.

Thirteenth day

Safari in Etosha Park
Wake up at dawn to experience one of the most intense moments of a safari in Africa, when night gives way to day and the savannah comes to life: predators return after their nighttime hunt and large herbivores begin to move towards waterholes. The entire day will be dedicated to a safari in Etosha National Park, one of the best places in Africa for wildlife viewing. We will have the opportunity to spot African elephants, rhinos, lions, antelopes, and numerous species of birds in a spectacular, unspoiled natural setting, also ideal for a photo safari. Return to camp at sunset, dinner under the African stars, and overnight stay surrounded by nature.

Fourteenth day

Waterberg history of the Herero people
Transfer to the Waterberg Plateau, a spectacular plateau and place of historical memory: in 1904, it was the scene of the Battle of Waterberg between German colonial forces and the Herero people, a crucial event in the history of Namibia. Today, monuments and memorial sites commemorate the victims and the national significance of this event. After setting up camp, a short excursion at sunset to watch the plateau turn red. Dinner and overnight stay.

Fifteenth day

Trekking in Waterberg
We will explore the numerous trails of Waterberg, an environment reminiscent of a natural fortress, observing dik-diks, buffaloes, and amazing vegetation.
After lunch, departure to return to Windhoek. Dinner and overnight stay in the city.

Sixteenth day

Departure at dawn and short visit to the city of Windhoek. In the afternoon, return flight to Italy.

Seventeenth day

arrival in Italy.