Journeys: Discover Kruger & Namibia
16 days, Johannesburg to Windhoek
Itinerary
Day 1Johannesburg
Arrive at any time. Transfer to hotel. Enjoy a traditional South African braai (barbecue) welcome dinner.
Our accommodation is in the Rosebank area, just north of central Johannesburg. The hotel is conveniently located, should you have additional time. Taxi's can be easily arranged to get you around.
If you are interested in spending more time in Johannesburg, it is recommended to book pre-accommodation to enjoy the sights of the city at your own leisure.
Arrival Transfer
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
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.
Meals included:
DinnerDay 2Johannesburg/Kruger National Park
Enjoy a full day scenic drive along the famed Panorama Route with stops at Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and God's Window. Continue to our tented camp located just outside Kruger National Park and this evening enjoy a delicious South African dinner on the deck or in the boma.
Today is a very long driving day; however, we will make many stops along the way at sites along the Panorama Route.
Panorama Route Scenic Drive
Enjoy a scenic drive along the famed Panorama Route. You’ll see magnificent mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, and waterfalls. There will also be stops at Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and God's Window.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 3Kruger National Park
Opt to take a morning wildlife safari drive or bush walk, or relax on the deck with views of the watering hole, a popular spot for wildlife to visit. This afternoon, take an included wildlife safari drive inside Kruger National Park in an open safari vehicle. Take in views of the abundant wildlife from your seat. Return to the camp and enjoy a delicious South African dinner on the deck or in the boma.
At over 19,000 sq km (7,500 sq mi), South Africa’s Kruger National Park is one of the largest and most impressive animal reserves in the world. With 147 species, Kruger has more species of large mammals than any other park on the continent.
Free Time
Opt to take an optional afternoon safari drive or nature walk.
Kruger National Park Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive - Full day
Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.
Safari Vehicle
Get a better view and take better snapshots aboard this off-road ride.
Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow
Kruger Area Wildlife Walk
1220ZAR per personEmbark on a bush walk in Kruger National Park with a local guide/ranger. Encounter the wildlife and enjoy an on the ground perspective of this amazing ecosystem.
Kruger National Park Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive - Full day
Hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle and get yourself one step closer to the surrounding nature. Be ready to spot elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras, and many other species in this impressive South African national park.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 4Kruger National Park/Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Continue on to a private nature reserve in the Greater Kruger area to enjoy open vehicle wildlife safari drives while searching for Africa's famed Big Five.
For the next two days, enjoy ranger-led morning and evening wildlife safari drives in an open safari vehicle in Karongwe Nature Reserve. Search for buffaloes, elephants, leopards, lions, and rhinos – Africa's famed Big Five. With over 9,000 hectares (22,240 acres) of supreme African bushveld, Karongwe Private Game Reserve is home to many creatures, and our safari drives provide several opportunities for wildlife viewing.
We use various accommodations within the reserve (the location is based on availability). During your time here, you will either stay in lodge rooms or very comfortable permanent tents (both of equal quality and with similar amenities).
Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers who will share their vast experience of the African bush.
On some occasions, if space is unavailable, we may need to change accommodations or even use a different private reserve. In such a case, be assured we will choose other lodges or comfort camps (of equal quality) within the Greater Kruger area.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Karongwe Private Reserve Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Jump into a safari 4x4 and keep your eyes open for fantastic wildlife encounters. Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers; both will share their vast experience of the African bush.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 5Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Enjoy an early morning safari drive with our local guides. This afternoon, take in a lecture with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project who will share information about their efforts to protect cheetahs and other carnivores. This National Geographic-sponsored project is part of the Big Cats Initiative. After, the researcher will join us on our evening wildlife safari drive.
Wake up before the sun (around 5am) and sip your morning coffee before heading out on a morning wildlife safari drive. Return to the lodge following the wildlife safari drive for brunch and some leisure time. Converse on the deck, walk the grounds and gardens, and enjoy high tea. Following tea, it's time for the late afternoon wildlife safari drive. After spotting tons of wildlife, it’s time to return to camp and freshen up before dinner.
Karongwe Private Reserve Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Jump into a safari 4x4 and keep your eyes open for fantastic wildlife encounters. Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers; both will share their vast experience of the African bush.
Free Time
Relax and enjoy some down time between wildlife safari drives.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Carnivore Conservation Experience
Meet with a researcher from the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Cheetah Range Expansion Project. Listen to a talk about cheetahs here and the important research this project is doing. We will also discuss conservation within parks and reserves in South Africa and National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative. You will then be accompanied by the researcher on a wildlife safari drive to give you more insight into cheetahs and other carnivores.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 6Karongwe Private Game Reserve/Johannesburg
After one last safari wildlife safari drive, head back to the city. In the evening, enjoy dinner at our local guest house.
Karongwe Private Reserve Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Jump into a safari 4x4 and keep your eyes open for fantastic wildlife encounters. Wildlife safari drives are conducted with qualified wildlife rangers and local expert trackers; both will share their vast experience of the African bush.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 7Johannesburg/Windhoek
Fly to Windhoek and transfer to the hotel. Free time to explore Windhoek in the afternoon and then meet your CEO and the rest of the group in the evening.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
Optional Welcome Meeting for Travellers on Combos
You may be a seasoned pro at group travel by now, but there will likely be some new travellers joining the group. Sit in on the welcome meeting to meet the newest members of your group and learn about the next leg of your tour.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Windhoek/Sesriem
Enjoy the dramatic Namibian landscapes as we drive to the desert area of Sesriem, gateway to Namib-Naukluft National Park. Settle in to our desert lodge, relax at the pool, or enjoy a cool drink watching the stunning sunset over the desertscape.
Enjoy postcard perfect desert scenery around Sesriem and Sossusvlei - vast desertscapes of reds and orange, stark camel thorn trees and towering dunes with dramatic curved ridges. Also keep an eye out for the surprising amount of wildlife that call this area home such as oryx, springbok, jackal, ground squirrel and hyena.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 9Sesriem
Embark on a scenic excursion into the national park to explore the Namib Desert. Visit Sossusvlei and Deadvlei — clay pans covered in a crust of salt-rich sand surrounded by burnt orange and red towering dunes. It's considered one of the most stunning desert landscapes in Africa. After, visit Sesriem Canyon, a natural gorge carved out by the Tsauchab River.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
4x4
Roads? Where this rough-and-ready vehicle's going, we don't need roads.
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.
Sossusvlei Dunes Visit
This area is famous for its high, red sand dunes. This clay and salt pan is surrounded by the dunes, making it a spectacularly beautiful sight with a remote and isolated feel.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 10Sesriem/Swakopmund
Continue through changing desert landscapes, keeping an eye out for free-roaming zebra, kudu, springbok, and oryx. Stop in the quirky town of Solitaire for a break before heading out into the countryside. Here, we meet a local of this remote region who takes us on a drive and talks about the survival strategies of ancient and modern Bushmen who live in the area. We also search out smaller animal life that manages to survive in these harsh conditions such as snakes, geckos, spiders, and insects and learn how they have adapted to this arid region. After, continue to Swakopmund on the Atlantic coast.
Living Desert Tour
Hop into a 4x4 vehicle and set out into the desert. An expert guide will point out signs of animal life and emphasize survival in the harsh desert landscape for both humans and animals.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 11Swakopmund
Enjoy the morning free and opt to go quad biking or sandboarding or just take a walk in town. This afternoon, visit the township of Mondesa with a local guide. Visit the lively local market for an introduction to traditional food including Wild Spinach, Mopane worms and dried Kapenta Fish. Also visit Datango art and craft shop, a project that helps train local unemployed youth in traditional crafts. After, visit the shebeen (Tavern) for a cool drink, then visit a traditional restaurant for dinner and enjoy entertainment by the local choir.
Explore the town's unique mix of German and African culture and opt to visit curio shops, the museum and restaurants. Optional activities include sandboarding, quad biking, or if you're feeling brave, skydiving.
Please note that there are no remaining departures for Swakopmund Skydiving in December 2019.
Free Time
Enjoy a free morning in the historic coastal town of Swakopmund.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Mondesa Township Walk
Visit the community of Mondesa Township with an expert resident guide. Learn about its daily life, history and traditions through an immersive experience with the welcoming people that live here. Visit its lively market for an introduction to traditional foods like wild spinach, mopane worms, and dried kapenta fish. Also visit an arts-and-crafts shop that helps train the township’s youth in traditional crafts. Drop by a shebeen (tavern) to enjoy a favourite drink, and meet some local residents. Finally, continue on to a nearby family run establishment for dinner and local entertainment.
Optional Activities - Day 11 HideShow
Fat Tire Bike Tours
480NAD per personDiscover the beauty of Namibia’s landscapes on a fat tire bike tour, from a scenic ride through the world’s oldest desert to the historic streets of Swakopmund. Whether you choose to partake in a thrilling adventure or take your time exploring the desert’s unique flora and fauna, this is a unique way to journey through one of the most breathtaking regions of Namibia.
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.
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!
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 12Swakopmund/Twyfelfontein
Continue on to Twyfelfontein where we visit the ancient petroglyphs which were named Namibia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is thought to hold the largest concentrations of Bushman engravings in Africa with over 2,500 figures ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 years old.
Prehistoric Rock Engravings Guided Tour
Step 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.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 13Twyfelfontein/Etosha National Park
Depart early to visit the Petrified Forest national monument, a stunning site of fossilized tree trunks dating from approximately 280 million years ago. Continue to our lodge located in the Etosha National Park area, considered the greatest wildlife sanctuary in Namibia. This afternoon, take an open vehicle wildlife safari drive to view the abundant wildlife who congregate around the park's waterholes.
After the vast desert, Etosha National Park, offers a contrast of wide open grasslands, a massive pan that covers 4731km² and tall camel thorn trees intermixed with Mopani trees. Combined with the vast amount of natural waterholes with this diverse vegetation, wildlife flock to the park. Some of the largest elephants in Africa can be found in areas of thicker vegetation, as well as leopard and the critically endangered black rhino. Lions, giraffe, ostrich and heard animals the grasslands, while birders will love the salt pans which attract flamingos in the rainy season. More than 340 bird species have been counted in Etosha National Park including the European bee-eater, the kori bustard and numerous migratory birds.
Etosha is a very popular park with limited accommodation. While we aim to secure lodging inside the park, on some departures we will stay at lodges adjacent to the park (the park is unfenced allowing the animals to roam freely throughout the area) which still provides access to all safari activities and wildlife.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Visit Petrified Forest national monument
Visit the Petrified Forest national monument, a stunning site of fossilized tree trunks which was discovered in the 1940s by local farmers. This bizarre stone forest consists of fossilized tree trunks dating from approximately 280 million years ago.
Etosha Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Set 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:
BreakfastDay 14Etosha National Park
Early this morning, embark on a sunrise wildlife safari drive in an open vehicle with a local guide through the park. There is abundant wildlife that congregate around the waterholes, so keep your cameras at the ready for elephants, lions, endangered black rhinos, and even leopards. The remainder of the day is free to relax at our lodge. Take a swim or join our CEO for a drive. Our lodge is perfectly situated so sit back with a sundowner and enjoy the sunset over the park. This afternoon or evening, opt to take another open vehicle safari drive.
Etosha Open Vehicle Wildlife Safari Drive
Set 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.
Free Time
Enjoy free time to relax at the lodge or participate in additional safari activities.
Optional Activities - Day 14 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:
BreakfastDay 15Etosha National Park/Windhoek
After breakfast, visit the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a global field research and education facility founded by Dr. Laurie Marker whose research has been supported by National Geographic. Tour the facility to learn about the important research, conservation, and community outreach work they do as one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to saving the cheetah in the wild. Meet with a researcher for a lecture to learn about the various projects in the works, then enjoy a cheetah drive to view some of these amazing creatures up close. After, enjoy lunch on the veranda overlooking the magnificent Waterberg Plateau. Continue on to Windhoek for our final evening.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cheetah Conservation Experience
The Cheetah Conservation Fund is a global field research and education facility founded by Dr. Laurie Marker whose research has been supported by National Geographic. Tour the centre and learn about the important conservation and community outreach work they perform as one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to saving the cheetah in the wild. One of the program’s researchers will give us a lecture before we head out on a cheetah drive to view some of these incredible creatures up close in their natural habitat. Conclude the experience by sitting down as a group for lunch on the veranda that overlooks the magnificent Waterberg Plateau.
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 16Windhoek
Depart at any time.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.