11-Day Luxury Fly-In Page

Day-by-Day Itinerary

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Complete List of Eco-Safaris

Enjoy A Great Diversity of Experiences on this
 11-Day Fly-In Safari

"We arrived at Wolwedans in the late afternoon and were shown to our tent.  WoW!!  Who would think that sleeping in a tent, set up on some boards stuck in the sand, would be such a terrific experience.  As usual, we did not expect the high level of comfort and great food we got."
    Kathy L.

"All of a sudden you turn a corner or come up over a hill and you are in a different world.  This is what our reaction was at Sossusvlei:  mountains in the background and desert in the foreground when all of a sudden we saw HUGE sand dunes, mirages, dry riverbeds and (oh yeah) a bus stuck in the sand.  Kent and I climbed up one of the dunes at Sossusvlei itself (there were a couple of rest stops on the way up).  After taking in the view and recording same for posterity, we ran down the front of the dune."
      Kathy L.

Scenery and Game Drive at Wolwedans

Dunes at Sossusvlei

Semi-Precious Gemstones
from Namibia

"At times, there were more opportunities to photograph animals than I could absorb. The excitement of suddenly spotting a single unsuspecting animal or watching various herds adjust to our presence and then go on about their lives exceeded my expectations.  At many times, I felt like an active participant in their experience rather than a passive spectator at a distance."
   John H.
 

"Blue" Bull Eland, the largest wild  antelope, in western Etosha Park 

Lion at Ongava Camp
 

"Blue" Bull Eland, the largest wild  antelope, in eastern Etosha Park 

"For total enjoyment, Okonjima /AfriCat was the top.   The range of (environments for) cats was fascinating. Getting within 10-15 yards of a wild cat (who kills for food) was the absolute highlight!!"
   Hugo Y.

Important Notice:

These Fly-In Safaris Use Small Aircraft Able to Land On Remote Airstrips.  As a Result, Luggage for Each Client Must Be Limited to

10 Kilograms (22 Pounds)

Including Cameras and Other Carry-On Items

Out for a Stroll at Okonjima

11-Day Luxury Fly-In and Driving Eco-Safaris to the Namib Desert, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Epupa Falls, the Himba, Etosha Park, and Okonjima Resort

 Day-By-Day Itinerary

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US:

tours@ecovitality.org
727-593-5878 (Phone & Fax)

Day 6.   Wednesday:  Be among the few who will view the spectacular, remote Epupa Falls, one of Southern Africa’s most scenic waterfalls. Epupa Falls was created by a tectonic fracture in the desert plateau, and it is the second largest in Southern Africa after Victoria Falls. Few people have the opportunity to see the striking Epupa Falls, unlike the crowds at Vic Falls.  Your flight to Epupa Falls offers great views of the desert terrain in the Kaokoland wilderness and then follows the Kunene River, which has water year round despite the arid conditions.  In the afternoon, drive to a Himba encampment to meet these fascinating people whose lives have not changed too much in the last century.  End the day at Epupa Camp with beautiful views of the Kunene River and the Kaokoland stony desert.

Day 7.   Thursday:   Visit Himba encampments in the Epupa area and enjoy cultural interactions with the tribespeople using a local interpreter. You will have the opportunity to purchase unique Himba handicrafts, and these exchanges help the Himba improve their livelihoods without sacrificing their traditional way of life. On the drives between Epupa Camp and the Himba encampments, observe more of the region’s desert scenery and occasional wildlife sightings.

Then fly south over the rugged Kaokoland wilderness to the Kavita Lion Lodge.  Kavita is a private game reserve that also serves as the home of the Afri-Leo Foundation of Namibia, our conservation partner.  Kavita is a sanctuary for lions unable to survive in the wild, and the staff will take you on a game drive around their large property and introduce you to the lions the Afri-Leo Foundation is protecting.  The Kavita Lion Lodge is located just below the western entrance to world-famous Etosha National Park.

Day 8.   Friday:   This morning you will switch from flying to driving as you explore the restricted, undeveloped western half of Etosha National Park.   After several hours driving through the game-filled park, you will arrive at the luxurious Ongava Camp, just below the entrance to Okaukuejo Camp in central Etosha.  Ongava Camp is operated by the Wilderness Safaris Company and has a rustic thatched appearance with every modern luxurious convenience.  The Ongava staff will take you for a game drive in Etosha during the late afternoon and will show you the diverse wildlife at their lighted waterhole in the evening.  The facilities, staff, and cuisine at Ongava Camp are all outstanding.

Many of the best wildlife photos in our Namibian PHOTO GALLERY were taken on game drives in the central region of Etosha Park.  Be sure to pause at the edge of the vast Etosha Pan, where you can hear the winds blowing over the seemingly limitless parched, salt-white, flat-as-a-pancake earth.  It seems impossible that any life could survive here, and yet the wildlife is teeming during Etosha's dry season.

Day 9.  Saturday:   Following a morning game drive around the Ongava Camp area, you will travel slowly through the park toward its eastern boundary, viewing wildlife along the way. You will stay overnight at the small but very comfortable Mushara Lodge.  Your guide will take you for a game drive the next morning in the eastern areas of Etosha Park, which have perhaps the highest density of animals in Namibia.  You have a chance to see all of the major predator species, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas, as well as elephants and many diverse antelope species.  Giraffes and zebras are almost too common.

Day 10.  Sunday:   After the morning game drive, you'll leave Etosha Park and drive south to Okonjima, an exceptional luxury resort and predator rehabilitation center.  Okonjima also serves as a sanctuary for cheetahs and lions that cannot safely be returned to the wild, and the resort is the home base for the AfriCat Foundation of Namibia.  Close-up sightings of resident cheetahs and lions will provide you with excellent wildlife photographic opportunities, and there is also a good chance to see leopards.  You will overnight in luxurious Okonjima cabanas.

Day 13.  Wednesday:  After breakfast at the Castle, you'll take a short tour of Windhoek and then will have time to shop in the capital's finest handicraft and gem stores.  You'll eat a  picnic lunch on the road to the airport and will catch your afternoon flight to Johannesburg before the evening flight back home.
 

The flight routing is flexible and clients may choose to travel via Cape Town on their way to Windhoek, or they may choose to spend the first Saturday night in Windhoek rather than Johannesburg. The fly-in safari itinerary assumes that the tour in Namibia begins on Sunday because of the typical week-end air flight schedule from the U.S.A.  However, this safari can start on any day.
 

Highlights . . . . . .

  Ø    Experience the
  awesome   beauty of the
  Namib Desert

Ø    Climb a high sand dune at Sossusvlei if you wish, with stunning views of the surrounding "sand ocean"

   Ø    Visit striking Epupa Falls and meet the Himba tribe, southern Africa's last nomadic livestock herders

Ø    Fly to Kavita Lion Lodge, a resort and sanctuary for lions unable to survive in the wild.  Kavita is the home of the Afri-Leo Foundation

Ø   Be among the few groups authorized to visit western
Etosha Park with its different ecosystems and wildlife

Ø    Explore famous Etosha National Park, Africa’s largest wildlife park, while staying at luxurious Ongava Camp and Mushara Lodge

Ø    Visit Okonjima, a luxury resort and rehabilitation center for big cats, and the home of the AfriCat Foundation

Ø   Enjoy a congenial night at the vintage Hansa Hotel in Swakopmund, and shop for Namibian bargains

Ø    Stay at the fabulous Hotel Castle Heinitzburg
and shop in Windhoek for great buys on Namibian handicrafts, gemstones,
and jewelry before your return flight

Iron-oxide sand of the Namib Desert

The Tour Guides  

The pilot of your aircraft will serve as your guide to Namibian scenery and diverse attractions. Each resort Camp or Lodge you visit will supply their own guides and vehicles for game or scenic drives in their areas.  Epupa Camp will also provide a guide and interpreter for your visits to Himba tribal encampments.  When you switch from flying to driving through Etosha Park, you'll be accompanied by one of our professional guides.
 

"Namibia is unspoiled, not "touristy."  On this tour, I felt guided versus regimented. The guides made us feel like a family."
    Hugo Y.

Temporary Himba Hut in Kaokoland

Lioness in western Etosha Park

We spend three days in world-famous Etosha National Park, Africa's largest wildlife park with an amazing abundance and diversity of animals.  The wildlife here are used to vehicles and this acclimation enables our guests to take many close-up photographs.

"For a novice like me, the tour was a wonderful introduction to African wildlife. The guides were terrific. I loved the challenge of spotting animals in the wild."
    Norman C.
 

"I think it is important for visitors, who have come because of their fascination with African wildlife, to see what concerned and dedicated Namibians are doing to improve wildlife conservation in their country."
    Harriette F.

Guests can safely get close to
some predators at Okonjima