Affordable Nature
Namibia

Discover the magnificent landscapes and unique wildlife of Namibia, where apricot-hued desert sands swirl into razor sharp towering dunes, the largest in the world.  Marvel at coastal shores spotted with charming seaside towns that map the trials and tribulations of centuries of ocean voyages. Bushwalking and drives in open 4x4 vehicles reward you with the wildlife treasures that inhabit this sometimes rough and harsh terrain.  Find out about the latest research and conservation efforts of the Cheetah Conservation Fund to protect this endangered cat, of RARE to protect the Cape Griffon Vulture and of the Rhino Trust’s efforts to preserve this prehistoric creature. Luxury lodges and tented camps make almost dream-like havens for relaxing under the starry skies.

Days 1/2 - Washington, D.C. or New York/ Johannesburg/ Windhoek
Board your overnight flight.  The next day connect in Johannesburg with your flight to Windhoek, Namibia, where you are escorted to your hotel.  SAFARI COURT HOTEL. (Meals Aloft)

Days 3/4 - Sossusvlei
Begin your adventure with a drive to the stunning scenery of the Namib Desert region and your home for the next two nights, Sossusvlei.  For over 80 million years, the parched and desolate beauty that is the Namib Desert has endured endless orange dunes blown into razor sharp ridges by the sand-shifting wind.  The immense rich ochre of the Sossusvlei sand dunes are the highest in the world, towering at almost 1,000 feet over their nearest rivals in Arabia.  Your camp is situated on the 51,891-acre Kulala Wilderness Reserve featuring wonderful desert scenery.  It affords access to Sossusvlei and also offers privacy and exclusivity.  This is not an animal rich region, so you appreciate the sightings of animals such as springbok, oryx and ostrich who manage to survive in these harsh conditions.  Nature walks and night drives are also offered.  KULALA WILDERNESS CAMP. (All Meals Daily)

Days 5/6 - Kuiseb Canyon/Swakopmund/Namib Naukluft Park
Travel through the geological wonders of Kuiseb Canyon, the best place to see the ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis plants that live for centuries and where geologists Henno Martin and Hermann Korn found refuge during World War II. Arrive at charming Swakopmund and the elegant décor of your historic hotel, built in 1905. Next day, walking trails allow you to discover Namib Naukluft Park, a mountainous region that rises up from the gravel desert plain dominated by the Naukluft Massif and high plateaus split by deep gorges. A stronghold of the Hartmann’s mountain zebra, other wildlife includes steenbok, springbox, oryx, chacma baboon, klipspringer and over 200 bird species, such as Black Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture and the endemic Herero Chat. HANSA HOTEL. (B Daily)

Days 7/8 - Cape Cross/Skeleton Coast/Damaraland Region
Drive along the infamous Skeleton Coast, whose shores speak of countless shipwrecks.  The cold waters support a rich marine life.  At Cape Cross, see thousands of seals that inhabit the area.  Arrive at your lodge situated on the Uniab River within a landscape of free-roaming wildlife, including Hartmann’s mountain zebra, giraffe, springbok and kudu. A healthy predator population resides here with lion, cheetah, leopard and brown and spotted hyena. Meet with researchers from the Save the Rhino Trust to learn about their mission to stop the horrendous slaughter of rhino, elephant and other wildlife. Since the Trust was founded over 20 years ago, poaching has drastically declined and the rhino numbers have more than doubled. PALMWAG LODGE. (All Meals Daily)

Days 9/10 - Twyfelfontein
On a small, rocky outcrop with spectacular views of tabletop rocks, small canyons, dry riverbeds and grassland vistas is your unique lodge that co-exists in harmony with the surrounding scenery. Explore the San rock engravings created on the red sandstone cliffs of Twyfelfontein. Go in search of desert-adapted elephant that roam dry riverbeds to witness their unique and playful behaviors, including sand baths. Burnt Mountain is a fascinating formation of metamorphized shale burnt millions of years ago that dazzles with shimmering colors when hit by sunlight. The ancient Petrified Forest complete with petrified bark, growth rings and wood grain was established here 260 million years ago. Birdlife is abundant with regular sightings of Secretary Bird, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Booted Eagle and the endemic Rupell’s Korhaan. In 4x4 open vehicles, search for herds of steenbok, kudu and gemsbock. In the evenings, relax under the dazzling African skies twinkling with stars.  DORO NAWAS CAMP. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 11/12 - Etosha National Park
The Ongava Reserve adjacent to Etosha National Park is home to your luxury tented camp. Spend the next two days exploring Ongava Private Reserve and Etosha, Namibia’s premier park and one of Southern Africa’s most important wildlife reserves, established in 1907. Part of the Kalahari Basin, the park is dominated by a massive mineral pan of flat saline desert that originated over 12 million years ago, surrounded by Mopani woodland and savannah grassland. Currently, it holds water for only a brief period each year attracting scores of wading birds, including flamingo and pelican. This is big animal country where elephant, giraffe, blue wildebeest, Burchell’s and Hartmann’s zebra and the rare black rhino roam the forbidding terrain. Abundant antelope, including the endemic black-faced impala share the precious grasslands with ostrich and Kori Bustard with lion, leopard and cheetah well-hidden nearby. ANDERSSON CAMP. (B,L, D Daily)

Days 13/14 - Otjiwarongo
Begin with a drive to Otjiwarongo to experience the traditional life of your host Namibian farm family by night, and by day the inspiring efforts of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).  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 operation.  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.  Learn about the plight of the Cape Griffon Vulture, critically endangered, with an estimated 8 to 11 birds left in Namibia – all making their home in the Waterberg Plateau – and the efforts of RARE and your hostess, another American, Maria Diekmann, to save them.  FARM STAY. (All Meals Daily)

Days 15/16 - Johannesburg/Washington, D.C. or New York
Your incredible journey to Namibia has come to an end as you embark on your flight to Windhoek, where you board your flight home via Johannesburg. (B, Meals Aloft)  

Your Safari Includes:

• Superior accommodations throughout or similar.
• All meals as specified.
• All wildlife viewing by private 4x4 open vehicles, driven by professional driver/guides.
• Complimentary bottled water in vehicles and at meals.
• All applicable hotel/lodge taxes and gratuities for baggage handling.
• All park entry fees.
• Complimentary backpack, baggage tags and passport wallet.

2008 Dates	Main Trip Price/Person Land Only	Airfare	Single Supplement	Extension to Cape Town	Single Supplement
Mar 15-30	$3,795	$2,000	$1,495	$2,195	$695
May 23- Jun 7	$4,495	$2,100	$2,195	$1,995	$695
Jun 14-29	$4,495	$2,500	$2,195	$1,995	$695
Aug 1-16	$5,195	$2,500	$2,395	$1,995	$695
Nov 2-17	$4,595	$2,100	$2,295	$2,395	$695

For reservations or more information, please contact:
Classic Escapes, Inc. at (800) 647-1244