Guest tent at Serra
Cafema

 

 

Dining at the beautiful
Hotel Heinitzburg

 

 

Learn about the
important work of
the Cheetah
Conservation Fund in
Namibia

 

 

Visit the Himba at
Serra Cafema, a
remote tribe in

Namibia

 

 

View the wild dogs,
perhaps in the
company of
Dr. Tico McNutt

 

 

Immerse yourself in
the culture of the
San at Gudigwa


Conservation in Action

Namibia & Botswana

Journey to southern Africa and be an integral part of conservation in action. Meet research staff and founders (duties permitting) who have dedicated their lives to the conservation of endangered species – from the Cheetah Conservation Fund and Save the Rhino Trust, to the Botswana Wild Dog Project. Your ecotourism helps support the local wildlife and community.  Enjoy the rare privilege of being welcomed into the nomadic Himba community in Namibia and the Bukakhwe community in Botswana. Throughout, experience exciting wildlife viewing in open 4x4 vehicles, trekking for rhino in northern Damaraland, and gliding through Botswana’s Okavango Delta in mokoro (dug out canoe).

 

Days 1/2 - Atlanta Or New York/Johannesburg

Board your South African Airways overnight flight to Johannesburg where you are escorted to your elegant hotel. Toast the start of a wonderful safari during the welcome dinner. GRACE HOTEL. (B Aloft, D)

 

Days 3/4 - Windhoek/Otjiwarongo

Fly to Windhoek, Namibia. Board your light aircraft and transfer to Otjiwarongo to gain first hand knowledge of one of Africa’s most critical conservation efforts. Experience the traditional life of your host Namibian family by night and by day, the inspiring efforts of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. In an effort to support this critically endangered cat, the Fund reaches out to the wild, where the cheetah’s struggle for survival is most crucial and this farm in Namibia provides a permanent base of operations. Duties permitting, you will have a chance to talk to the director of CCF – American conservationist Laurie Marker, who has devoted her life to the preservation of the cheetah. You will also visit Maria and Jorg Diekmann in their farm adjoining CCF. Maria is the founder of REST (Rare & Endangered Species Trust), fighting for the preservation of the Cape Griffon Vulture, the most endangered species in Namibia. FARM. (All Meals)

   

Days 5/6 - Serra Cafema

Your light aircraft takes you to the northwest of Namibia. Located at the Angolan border, Serra Cafema is shared with the wonderful Himba people. You are welcomed to observe the daily life of the last true nomadic people in Africa. The Kunene River creates a lush oasis along its banks surrounded by rugged mountains and sand dunes. Traverse the dunes on 4x4 safaris and boat along the Kunene River as crocodiles bask along the riverbanks. Hike in the remote mountain and river valleys. Your tented camp is often visited by the native Ovahimba families who live in the nearby vicinity. SERRA CAFEMA CAMP. (All Meals Daily)

Days 7/8 - Palmwag Rhino Camp

At Palmwag Rhino Camp, a mobile camp run in conjunction with Save the Rhino Trust in the rugged beauty of northern Damaraland, track rhino on foot or by vehicle and experience the magic of night drives. Blythe or Rudi Loutit may accompany you during your wildlife viewing.  Wildlife illustrator and founder of the Save the Rhino Trust, Blythe has worked on rhino projects in Namibia since 1982 and has received numerous awards. Rudi is the Namibian Specialist in charge of the Custodianship Rhino project. PALMWAG RHINO CAMP. (All Meals Daily)

Day 9 - Windhoek

Depart for Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. A charming town, Windhoek’s German architecture is a lasting reminder of Namibia’s early colonial history. Savor the breathtaking views and spectacular scenery en route to your elegant castle hotel. Enjoy a glass of sherry or the winter favorite, Gluhwein, served by the fireplace in the Ritterraum – Room of the Knights. HOTEL HEINITZBURG. (B)

 

Days 10/11 - Maun, Botswana/Okavango Delta/Moremi Game Reserve/Chitabe Camp

Fly to Maun, Botswana and connect to your light aircraft to the Okavango Delta – earth’s largest inland water system. Your camp is situated on one of the most beautiful islands. Its variety of habitats, dry acacia and mopane woodland, riverine areas, open grasslands and seasonally flooded plains make for wonderful wildlife viewing on nature walks and day and night drives in open 4x4 vehicles. Some of the neighbors may include elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, and cheetah, as well as the endangered African wild dog. Dr. Tico McNutt, head of the Botswana Wild Dog Project or one of his researchers will share their latest insights. Your luxurious tents are built on elevated teak decks, under a lush canopy of indigenous trees. CHITABE CAMP. (All Meals Daily)

 

Day 12 - Okavango Delta/Gudigwa Camp

Gudigwa Camp is next to experience the cultural richness of Botswana’s  “Bukakhwe” San Bushman. Indigenous to the Okavango, their physical attributes vary from the Bushman tribes of the Kalahari, but their traditional ways of living off the land are very much the same. Learn the secrets of the bush from the medicinal uses of plants to how to find underground water.  Villagers will perform traditional dances and songs, tell animated stories in their mother tongue – a language of “clicks” and guttural tones – and cook local dishes. Your camp with its cozy grass huts is furnished with comfortable beds, solar lighting and open-air toilet and hot shower. GUDIGWA CAMP. (All Meals)

  

Days 13/14 - Okavango Delta/Vumbura Camp

Wing your way to Vumbura Camp, situated in the north of the Okavango Delta. Vumbura offers both water and land activities. Mokoros (dug-out canoes) traverse the flood plains under the guidance of polers from the BaYei tribe, who have been using mokoros as their traditional form of transport for hundreds of years. Walks on the islands give guests the opportunity to enjoy Africa from a different perspective, and boating allows for views of hippo and crocodile. Part of a community participation plan, Vumbura’s aim is to bring the communities around the Okavango into the tourism mainstream. The villagers who live to the north of the Okavango have been granted the rights to this area, which allow them to derive direct benefits from the wildlife through significant concession fees, employment opportunities and training. VUMBURA CAMP. (All Meals Daily)

Days 15/16 - Maun/Johannesburg/USA

Enjoy a last game run this morning before flying back to Johannesburg. Relax at the Premier Lounge before boarding your South African Airways overnight flight home. (B, Meals Aloft)

 

Your Safari Includes:

  • Round-trip air from Atlanta or New York.
  • Flights within Southern Africa as specified.
  • Superior accommodations as listed, or similar.
  • All meals as indicated.
  • Laundry and all beverages during safari in Botswana except for Champagne and imported spirits.
  • All wildlife viewing by 4x4 open-air vehicles or by boat.  Walking safaris may also be available, at the discretion of the camp manager.  
  • Complimentary bottled water in safari vehicle.
  • All applicable hotel/lodge gratuities and taxes.
  • All game park entry fees.
  • Complimentary backpack, baggage tags and passport wallet.

Call Today to begin planning your journey of a lifetime

(800) 627-1244