Namibia Fly-In Safari

The Namibia Fly-In Safari is a 9 day circular loop in the upper regions of Namibia encompassing some of the top tourist sights and of course, the unique Namibian safari experience at Etosha. The tour starts and ends at Windhoek International Airport with guest travelling between lodges by light aircraft. The Fly-In safari gives guest the opportunity to maximise their time enjoying the sights of Etosha, Sossusvlei and Damaraland where they can track Desert-adapted elephant and Black rhino.

Namibia Fly-In Safari
Day 1: Windhoek – Sossusvlei
After landing at Windhoek’s International Hosea Kutako Airport, you will be welcomed by our representative who will assist you with your luggage and take you to meet your pilot. Board your light aircraft for the flight to the Sossusvlei area, where you will be met at the airstrip by a lodge representative who will transfer you to Hoodia Desert Lodge. Experience the beauty and tranquility of the setting, which is surrounded by majestic mountains on the banks of the Tsauchab River. Only a 20 minute drive will bring you to the Sesriem Gate, entrance of the world famous red sand-dunes of Sossusvlei and the magical world of the desert.

Hoodia offers luxurious 5* accommodation with thatched bedrooms that overlook the desert valley. Each spacious room has a four poster bed, a large bathroom which is partially open to the sky, en suite facilities and air conditioning. In the main lodge building there is a bar, restaurant and a sparkling swimming pool.You will spend 2 nights on a Full board basis at the lodge with selected local drinks. During your stay enjoy a Sundowner Drive and a Sossusvlei Excursion.

Day 2: Sossusvlei
This morning you rise early for a magical guided excursion with a local lodge guide into the Namib Naukluft National Park, entering the park gates at sunrise to capture the dunes whilst the light is soft and shadows accentuate their towering shapes and curves. This area boasts some of the highest free-standing sand dunes in the world. Your guide will give you an insight on the formation of the Namib Desert and its myriad of fascinating creatures and plants that have adapted to survive these harsh environs.

Once you have explored the areas around Sossusvlei and Deadvlei you can enjoy a relaxing picnic in the dunes. Return to Hoodia Desert Lodge in the afternoon.
The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure (from experience, this is usually welcomed after an exhilarating morning in the dunes) or can be spent joining in on an optional sundowner drive (optional and at an additional cost, if already done the previous afternoon).

Sossusvlei: This most frequently visited section of the massive 50,000 km2 Namib Naukluft National Park has become known as Sossusvlei, famous for its towering apricot coloured sand dunes which can be reached by following the Tsauchab River valley. Sossusvlei itself is actually a clay pan set amidst these star shaped dunes which stand up to 300 meters above the surrounding plains, ranking them among the tallest dunes on earth. The deathly white clay pan contrasts against the orange sands and forms the endpoint of the ephemeral Tsauchab River, within the interior of the Great Sand Sea. The river course rises south of the Naukluft Mountains in the Great Escarpment. It penetrates the sand sea for some 55 km before it finally peters out at Sossusvlei, about the same distance from the Atlantic Ocean. Until the encroaching dunes blocked its course around 60,000 years ago, the Tsauchab River once reached the sea; as ephemeral rivers still do in the northern half of the Namib. Sand-locked pans to the west show where the river previously flowed to before dunes shifted its endpoint to where it currently gathers at Sossusvlei. Roughly once a decade rainfall over the catchment area is sufficient to bring the river down in flood and fill the pan. On such occasions the mirror images of dunes and camel thorn trees around the pan are reflected in the water. Sossusvlei is the biggest of four pans in the vicinity. Another, famous for its gnarled and ghostly camel thorn trees, is Deadvlei which can be reached on foot over 1 km of sand. Deadvlei’s striking camel thorn trees, dead for want of water, still stand erect as they once grew.They survived until about 900 years ago when the sand sea finally blocked the river from occasionally flooding the pan.

Sesriem Canyon has evolved through centuries of erosion by the Tsauchab River which has incised a narrow gorge about 1.5 km long and 30 meters deep into the surrounding conglomerates, exposing the varying layers of sedimentation deposited over millions of years. The shaded cool depths of the canyon allow pools of water to gather during the rainy season and remain for much of the year round. These pools were a vital source of water for early settlers who drew water for their livestock by knotting six (ses) lengths of rawhide thongs (riems) together, hence the canyon and surrounding area became known as Sesriem.

Day 3: Sossusvlei – Damaraland
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight into Damaraland, with a short stop at Swakopmund Airport for refueling purposes. The first stretch of the flight takes you on a scenic route north over the famous Sossusvlei dunes and the great Namib Sea Sand (declared a natural World Heritage Site) towards to coast, where (weather dependent) you will see deserted mines, shipwrecks and seal colonies on the way up towards Sandwich Harbor and the port of Walvis Bay.

Upon arrival at a local airstrip in Damaraland, you will be met by your naturalist guide who will transfer you to the camp with time to settle in. Depending on what time you arrive at the camp, the afternoon can be spent enjoying a guided nature drive or walk, or you can simply relax, with time to enjoy sundowners appreciating the unique surroundings of your camp in the Damaraland wilderness. The region is typified by displays of colour, magnificent table topped mountains, rock formations and bizarre-looking vegetation. The present-day landscape has been formed by the erosion of wind, water and geological forces which have formed rolling hills, dunes, gravel plains and ancient river terraces.

Your accommodation is at Camp Onduli in a Suite on a Fully Inclusive basis. (All Meals, Camp Activities & Local Drinks.) Camp Onduli has only six rooms, nestled amongst the granite boulders that surround the camp, and the more temperate climate of central Damaraland allows for naturally ventilated rooms, partial open-air bathrooms, and largely open communal areas. The camp is designed to maximise the views of the extraordinary local landscapes, and every space offers a viewpoint whether from the bed, the desk or the bathroom. Louvered shutters can be opened completely, blurring the lines between the indoors and the surrounding nature, or closed for complete privacy if preferred. A king size bed cooled by its own ‘climate conditioner’ (Evening Breeze) is the perfect place for afternoon siestas and the bed can also be rolled out onto your private deck for a night under a billion stars if that appeals.

The camp exudes character and meticulous attention to detail while meeting all requirements, from large rooms to libraries, rain showers to an infinity pool, and plenty of places to relax and laze the day away. Exceptional activities combine with delicious food that tantalises the palate to create a genuinely unforgettable stay.

Day 4 – Damaraland
After an early breakfast you will be treated to an exciting 4×4 excursion along the ephemeral river valleys to explore this remarkable region and to search for game, including the elusive desert adapted elephants. Damaraland is home to a variety of desert adapted wildlife and hidden desert treasures, and after a morning of exploration you will return to your camp for lunch unless you would prefer to stay out longer and have a picnic lunch during this excursion.

Your guide will arrange to fit in a visit to Twyfelfontein and other nearby attractions at a suitable time if you haven’t already done so the previous day. On return to the camp there should be time to take a walk into the local area with your guide, or simply relax and enjoy some well-deserved leisure time.

Day 5 – Rhino Tracking
Today you will spend an exciting and memorable morning out rhino tracking with the assistance of local trackers. It is worth noting that these black rhino form part of one of the only free-roaming black rhino populations in Africa and tracking animals in an unfenced and uninhibited environment is an absolute privilege. You will return to camp for a freshly prepared lunch and with time to relax at camp during the heat of the day.

Later in the afternoon you head out again for a scenic nature drive or walk to explore this vast and astounding ecosystem. Camp Onduli works together with the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) – an NGO that has been instrumental in the preservation of the rare, endangered, desert adapted black rhino.

Day 6 – Ongava Game Reserve & Etosha
Depart after breakfast on your light aircraft flight to the southern boundary of the Etosha National Park and the Ongava Game Reserve. Upon arrival at the local airstrip, you will be met by a camp representative, who will transfer you to the camp.

Ongava Tented Camp is tucked into a valley on the privately owned 30,000 hectare Ongava Game Reserve bordering Etosha National ParkThe main area has a bar and swimming pool fronting onto a much-frequented waterhole. The camp accommodates guests in large Meru style tents, all with en-suite facilities, open air showers and private verandas.  Your stay is on a Fully Inclusive basis of meals, local drinks and twice daily game drive activities on the Ongava Reserve and into the Etosha National Park.

Activities on offer include Ongava Reserve and Etosha game-drives, guided walks, bird watching, hides, and night drives. There is no fence between the two areas so animals move between the reserve and the national park.

In the afternoon depart on the sundowner game drive on the camp’s private reserve.

Etosha National Park covers 22,270 km2, of which approximately 5,000 km2 is made up of saline depressions or ‘pans’. The largest of these pans, the Etosha Pan, can be classified as a saline desert in its own right. It is nowadays filled with water only when sufficient rain falls to the north in Angola, inducing floods to flow southward along the Cuvelai drainage system.

The Park consists of grassland, woodland and savannah. Game-viewing centers around the numerous springs and waterholes where several different species can often be seen at one time. The Park boasts some 114 mammal and over 340 bird species. Wildlife that one might see includes elephant, lion, giraffe, blue wildebeest, eland, kudu, gemsbok (oryx), zebra, rhino, cheetah, leopard, hyena, honey badger and warthog, as well as the endemic black faced impala.

Day 7 & 8 Ongava & Etosha
The mornings are dedicated to game drives inside the southern Etosha National Park. Return to the camp for lunch and a small siesta. In the afternoon embark on a safari drive on the private Ongava Reserve with a camp Ranger.

Day 9 Departure
You will be transferred back to the Ongava airstrip in time for your flight to the Hosea Kutako Windhoek International Airport, where you will be met by your guest liaison who will assist you with the check-in for your departure flight and to bid you farewell.

If you would like more information about the Namibia Fly-In Holiday itinerary, speak to our Africa safari team on +44 208 249 5919. Alternatively you can contact us here by email.