Cape & Dunes Southbound: Desert Camping & Safari Drives
14 days, Windhoek to Cape Town
Itinerary
Day 1Windhoek
Arrive at any time.
Please make sure you have all of the necessary visas for this tour by the time of the welcome meeting. It is very important to read the visa section in our trip details to make sure you know which visas you will need, if any. Please note that not all nationalities are able to obtain a visa on arrival at the border.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Day 2Windhoek/Etosha National Park
Visit the G Adventures supported Penduka Village Restaurant & Shop, just outside of Windhoek, to pick up a tasty packed lunch, then continue up to Etosha National Park. Enjoy a wildlife safari drive in the overland vehicle, then opt to take an open vehicle wildlife safari night drive.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Your G for Good Moment: Penduka Village Restaurant & Shop
Penduka works with women from the Katutura township, and surrounding rural communities, by helping them develop livelihoods through working in their handicraft workshops and cafe. Penduka trains and employs women disadvantaged through poverty, disability, ill-health, or lack of education, empowering them to develop skills in textiles, beading and pottery. Pick up a fresh-packed lunch at the cafe to help support the centre before touring the facilities and purchasing some of these crafts.
Etosha National Park Wildlife Safari Drive (Lando)
Set off into the wilds of Etosha National Park in search of a wide variety of wildlife. More than 100 species of mammals call Etosha home, including lions, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, blue wildebeest, springbok, zebra, and hyenas. As for birds, the salt pan attracts pelicans, flamingos, and many other winged wonders. Bring your camera and go wild!
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
Etosha Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
1200NAD per personSet off in an open 4x4 safari vehicle with a naturalist guide in search of the stunning wildlife in the park. Wildlife often come to the many watering holes to drink, so keep your eyes peeled for many animals on the move.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 3Etosha National Park
Enjoy a full-day wildlife safari drive in Etosha National Park.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Etosha National Park Wildlife Safari Drive (Lando)
Set off into the wilds of Etosha National Park in search of a wide variety of wildlife. More than 100 species of mammals call Etosha home, including lions, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, blue wildebeest, springbok, zebra, and hyenas. As for birds, the salt pan attracts pelicans, flamingos, and many other winged wonders. Bring your camera and go wild!
Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow
Etosha Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
1200NAD per personSet off in an open 4x4 safari vehicle with a naturalist guide in search of the stunning wildlife in the park. Wildlife often come to the many watering holes to drink, so keep your eyes peeled for many animals on the move.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 4Etosha National Park/Damaraland
Morning wildlife safari drive in the Lando. Travel to Damaraland through beautiful desert landscapes.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Etosha National Park Wildlife Safari Drive (Lando)
Wildlife safari drives are done in our overland vehicle.
Optional Activities - Day 4 HideShow
Prehistoric Rock Engravings Guided Tour
100NAD per personStep back in time to see prehistoric rock engravings made during the early Stone Age. Their exact origin is uncertain, but these works depicting animals and hunters are probably the work of Bushmen or Nama artists estimated to have lived near Twyfelfontein at least 5,000 years ago. Marvel at the more than 2,500 rock carvings and paintings and understand why this is Namibia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 5Damaraland/Spitzkoppe
Visit the Damaraland Living Museum to learn more about the lost culture of the Damara people, then travel south and enjoy the granite peaks of Spitzkoppe.
Explore on your own by foot, and be sure to check out the night sky—it's great for star-gazing!
Our basic bush camp will have long-drop toilets and no running water.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Damaraland Living Museum
Step into the past and learn about the lost culture of the Damara people at this museum depicting the life and customs of one of the oldest nations in Namibia.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 6Spitzkoppe/Swakopmund
Wake up and feel like you crash landed on Mars. Gaze in wonder at this wild landscape and let peace wash over you (trust us you’re going to need it) before the group travels through the coastal region of Namibia to the adrenaline capital of Swakopmund.
Sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the mighty Namib desert this coastal city has strong German heritage which is reflected in the architecture around town. The group will spend two nights in Swakopmund so fear not you have time for all of the things you may want to try.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 7Swakopmund
Fill free time with sandboarding, skydiving, or a living desert tour.
You can pre-book your sky dive on the checkout page, or through your Global Connection Officer or travel agent.
Please note that there are no remaining departures for Swakopmund Skydiving in December 2019.
Free Time
Enjoy a free day in Namibia's adventure capital.
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
Sandboarding in the Namib Desert
700NAD per personHead out into the desert, grab a board, and surf the sand dunes. Choose to lie down headfirst, or stand up, surfer-style.
Skeleton Coast Scenic Flight
4800NAD per personTake in amazing views of bird life, shipwrecks, and one of the largest seal colonies in the world over the northern coastline. On the way back, see Namibia's highest mountain, Damaraland, and the picturesque Spitzkoppe rock formations from above.
Swakopmund Skydiving
Buckle up your harness, practice your exit, then take a plane up and over the dunes of the Namib Desert. Take a deep breath, leap out and freefall with an instructor before he opens the parachute. Admire the view over the dunes as you descend and land safely back on the ground. Wow!
Mondesa Township Tour
750NAD per personExplore the back streets and local culture on a guided interpretive walk. Learn about the history of Swakopmund, its housing and other various topics to get a better understanding of local life. Visit a woman from the Herero ethnic group and also a Nama Medicine Woman, who will host a 'click' lesson in the local Daman language. Finish at a local pub called a 'shebeen' with the opportunity to try the local bush delicacy of Mopani worms and a drink.
Day 8Swakopmund/Namib Desert
Arrive in the area in the afternoon where we will be camping on the edge of the Namib Desert. Opt to walk with a local expert who will explain the desert and its mysteries.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 9Namib Desert
Explore the Sesriem Canyon, a small canyon typical of the area. Then continue on to the Sossusvlei Dunes and climb up breathtaking Dune 45.
We will leave early morning towards Sossuvlei campsite, where the towering red sand dunes of Sossusvlei form the gateway into the Namib Desert. Here you will really feel as though you’re in the middle of nowhere.
The afternoon is spent exploring the natural wonders of this bizarre environment. Visit Sossusvlei - a clay pan, enclosed by the world’s largest sand dunes, up to 300m (984 ft) high. Here, opt to take a guided walk in the sands dunes, or enjoy some free time to explore on your own.
Lando
Distance excludes drive to Sossuvlei.
Sesriem Canyon Visit
Enjoy a short stop at Sesriem Canyon, a small canyon typical of the area. The Tsauchab River flows through the canyon every five to ten years, and this creates the nearby salt and clay pan of Sossusvlei.
Dune 45 Visit
Set off for a climb of the mighty Dune 45. Look out and view the surrounding desert displaying its amazing orange and yellow hues. Magic!
Optional Activities - Day 9 HideShow
Namib Desert Walk
350NAD per personEnjoy a walk amongst the dunes, learning about the surrounding Namib Desert as well as the survival strategies of Bushmen who live in the area.
Sossusvlei Desert Walk
180NAD per personVisit Sossusvlei, a clay pan enclosed by the world’s largest sand dunes and enclosing ancient dead trees.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 10Namib Desert/Fish River Canyon
Enjoy the sunset at Fish River Canyon.
Lando
Duration includes canyon visit, excludes dune 45 sunrise.
Fish River Canyon Visit at Sunset
Visit Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa and, arguably, the second largest in the world. Watch as a stunning sunset slips over the canyon's rim in the early evening. We will only have access to the rim, but the views are spectacular.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 11Fish River Canyon/Orange River
Head to the border and cross into South Africa. Camp at the scenic Orange River and opt to go canoeing.
Border Crossing (Namibia - South Africa)
Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Optional Activities - Day 11 HideShow
Swimming
Grab your bathing suit and go for a refreshing swim.
Paddling on Orange River
400ZAR per personGrab a paddle and hop in a raft. Be sure to wave at the locals from Namibia and South Africa on either side of the river.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 12Orange River/Cederberg
Travel past large plantations of rooibos tea and view dramatic Western Cape scenery.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Optional Activities - Day 12 HideShow
Wine Tasting
Visit a wine cellar cooperative to taste a selection of local wines. Enjoy the experience while looking out over a beautiful view of South African winelands.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 13Cederberg/Cape Town
Visit the G Adventures supported !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre, before arriving in vibrant Cape Town. Enjoy beautiful views of Table Mountain, and opt for a final night out with the group.
Please note that we arrive in Cape Town in the early afternoon, you might not have time to participate in lengthy activities or see many sights. If you would like to see or do anything, we recommend booking an extra night or two before your return flight home.
Lando
Climb aboard our custom built ride …. overlanding G-style!
Your G for Good Moment: !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre
The San people of Southern Africa have historically faced centuries of political and cultural oppression. The !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Centre provides tailor-made training for young San women and men of Southern Africa. Travellers learn about San culture and history at the interpretive museum. Visits help trainees gain experience with international clients while garnering support for the centre's efforts to preserve San culture and history.
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 14Cape Town
Depart at any time.
We highly recommend booking an extra night in Cape Town to explore all that this area has to offer.
If you book any optional activities on the final day of your itinerary please contact your sales agent to see if booking a post-night is necessary to participate in the activity.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
Optional Activities - Day 14 HideShow
Table Mountain Cable Car
420ZAR per personTake the five-minute cable car trip to the top of Table Mountain, 1,085m (3,562ft) above Cape Town, and explore the summit. This is a great spot to sit and soak up the commanding 360-degree views of Cape Town, Table Bay, the peaks of surrounding mountains, and the rest of Table Mountain National Park. The operation of the cable car is weather dependent. This activity is self-guided.
Please note that the cable car is closed every year for a 2 week period between July and August for annual maintenance.
Wine Tour and Tasting
1675ZAR per personTake a day trip into the wine lands of South Africa with an expert guide. Visit iconic estates and lesser-visited farms only known to locals in the Stellenbosch area. Indulge in tastings and pairings with cheeses, chocolate, and local delicacies such as Biltong (salted meat). Walk through vineyards and cellars for an all encompassing look at wine production, and learn about the history of this region. Gesondheid!
PLEASE NOTE that if this activity is listed on the first or last day of the itinerary you will need to book a pre-night or post-night with a sales representative as the wine tour begins at 8 am.
Sandboarding in the Atlantis Dunes
1200ZAR per personTake this half day trip and venture into the Atlantis Dunes on the west coast of South Africa. Marvel at the beauty of the white sand as far as the eye can see. Grab a board and try your hand at boarding down dunes of different sizes. Open to both beginners and experienced sandboarders.
Two Oceans Aquarium
235ZAR per personStay dry while exploring the incredible diversity of marine life that dwells in and around the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Please note this activity is self-guided.
Tandem Paragliding
1500ZAR per personGlide over Cape Town, hovering over city life and taking in views of Table Mountain. Tandem flights are available to those who have never glided.
Cape Point & Boulders Beach Tour
1650ZAR per personTravel to Cape Point to enjoy a stunning vista and visit the penguins at Boulders Beach (optional). Visit the entrance to the Cape of Good Hope, a rocky headland along the coast of the Cape peninsula. Stop for lunch in Kalkbay and enjoy the scenery. Cape Point National Park is filled with varied wildlife. Many different kinds of birdlife, from sea birds to giant raptors wheeling overheard, can be easily seen. In the summer months (November-February) keep an eye out for southern right whales out to sea.
Table Mountain Abseiling
1350ZAR per personStep off the edge of Table Mountain and abseil over incredible views of Camps Bay Beach and the deep blue Atlantic Ocean 1000m below you. No transport included (self drive).
Table Mountain Hike
2100ZAR per personHike up one of the world's most recognizable mountains, Table Mountain. Rise early to meet your guide for a transfer to the start of the hike. Wind your way up the mountain, stopping regularly to take in the surrounding views of the city, Atlantic coast, and Table Bay. Take note of the changing vegetation on the mountain - a highlight of this trek. Once reaching the summit there are stunning panoramic views. Make your way down to the base of the mountain via the cable way.
Ascent: 700m (2,297 ft)