Namibia Conservation Safari and Wildlife Tour
Be part of a unique conservation experience when you join us on this 10 day, expert-guided conservation safari, giving you the chance to spot some of Namibia’s most characteristic wildlife species and witness the country’s innovative and successful conservation measures first hand. Apart from stunning scenery and fantastic wildlife, you will go behind the scenes and visit some of the country’s leading conservation and eco-tourism organisations and reserves on this tour-of-a-lifetime conservation safari in incredible Namibia.
This conservation safari offers the freedom of doing night drives in certain areas and exploring some of the habitats on foot. Night drives and walks are an excellent opportunity to spot nocturnal animals in their natural habitat and learn more about their conservation in general.
Namibia has become a world leader in conservation and was the first African country to incorporate protection of the environment into its constitution. An astonishing 42% of the country’s land area is dedicated to wildlife conservation initiatives under private or public ownership.
Namibia’s conservancy movement and other enviro-conservation efforts include eco-tourism, sustainable farming practices, conservation education programmes and habitat protection policies. These efforts have restored populations of iconic animals like Lions, Cheetahs, Black Rhinoceros, zebras and other native wildlife of one of the world’s most arid but dramatically beautiful countries.
Namibia now boasts the largest free-roaming population of Black Rhinoceros and Cheetahs in the world and is the only country with an expanding population of free-roaming lions. Be a part of this success story on our conservation safari and make a difference!
Top 5 Highlights
- Namib Naukluft National Park: boasting some of the highest dunes op the planet and also including iconic Sossusvlei
- Etosha National Park: undoubtedly one of the greatest wildlife reserves on the planet and home to 4 of Africa’s Big Five
- Namib Sand Sea: a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you will take some of the most dramatic desert landscape photos imaginable
- Okonjima Nature Reserve (AfriCat): another top conservation organisation and carnivore sanctuary
- Making a real contribution towards ensuring the survival of Namibia’s rare and unique fauna and flora by joining this conservation safari.
Are you interested in experiencing alternative Namibia Safari Tours?
Alternative Tour Name: Namibia Conservation Safari
Welcome to Namibia! You will be met at the airport by your guide. After loading your luggage in the vehicle, we will set off for Sossusvlei. We will make regular stops along the way to take photographs of the beautiful landscape. Mid-morning we will stop for a coffee break at a perfect lookout point and enjoy the vast beauty of the Namibian vista. If time allows we will stop for the "famous Apple Pie" in Solitaire, a true Namibian tradition that cannot be missed.
This journey will take approximately 4 to 5 hours and we will arrive at our lodge located close to the entrance gate of Sesriem in time for watching the beautiful sunset and enjoying some drinks while we discuss the plans for tomorrow's early start. Situated in the largest conservation area in Africa (the Namib-Naukluft National Park), Sossusvlei is possibly Namibia’s most spectacular and best-known attraction.
We will be up before the sun rises to get ready for our Sossusvlei visit. We will enjoy a quick cup of coffee/tea and then wait for the entrance gates of the park to open. (The gates open at sunrise) We will drive for about 30 minutes while appreciating the beauty of the sun that is rising over the amazing red dunes. The dunes in this area are some of the highest in the world, reaching almost 400 meters, and provides an opportunity to capture wonderful images in the beautiful morning and evening light. For the adventurous you have the option of climbing the dunes, sliding down them or enjoy a brisk walk to Dead Vlei.
You will have plenty of time to enjoy the many highlights that surround Sossusvlei itself.
• Dune 45, the most photographed dune on earth (situated 45 km past Sesriem on the road to Sossusvlei)
• Hiddenvlei, perfect if you are looking for solitude in the desert
• The magnificently tall Big Daddy dune
• Deadvlei, a paradise for photographers, as it is punctuated by blackened, dead acacia trees, in vivid contrast to the shiny white of the salty floor of the pan and the intense orange of the dunes
We will take a break halfway and enjoy a picnic breakfast while enjoying the surrounding landscape. After a full morning's activity, we will return to the lodge for lunch and some free time. Late afternoon we will join the lodge on a sundowner drive. Another perfect end to our day on safari in Namibia.
This morning we can enjoy a relaxed breakfast and for those that are interested, there is the option to do an early morning Balloon Ride (please enquire about this option). We will slowly make our way to our next destination, Swakopmund. We will again stop along the way for a coffee break as well as taking photographs of the ever-changing landscape.
We will arrive in Swakopmund late afternoon and have time to settle in before we all meet up for sundowner drinks and enjoy dinner at one of the many wonderful restaurants in town. (Please note that dinner is for you own account, we can arrange all bookings beforehand)
We wake up to another Namibian sunrise and enjoy our coffee while getting ready for our adventure this morning. After breakfast, you will be picked up for your Living Desert Adventure. You will return to the hotel at around 13h00 and after enjoying lunch we will make our way to Walvis Bay where we will marvel at the thousands of waterbirds that call the Walvis Bay Lagoon their home.
We will head back to Swakopmund where will enjoy dinner at one of the restaurants in town. There are various optional activities you can partake in while you are in Swakopmund. These range from scenic flights, quad-biking, fat bike tours, horse riding, skydiving and Catamaran Cruises. Please enquire should you be interested in any of these options.
This morning, after breakfast we will make our way to Outjo where we will spend the afternoon at the Rare and Endangered Species Trust (REST)
You have the option to partake in the following activities:
• Observing the treatment of wildlife at the Rare and Endangered Species Trust (REST) sanctuary – current resident species include Cape Vulture, Common Duiker, Pangolin, Bateleur, Western Barn Owl, Honey Badger, Warthog etc
• Assist in conservation projects and research
• Bush Walks with one of the resident biologists: he/she will guide and assist to identify various fauna, animals, etc that they will come across on the walk.
• Observing and documenting various animals’ behaviour
• Assisting with or watching training sessions with animals during their training.
• Assisting with preparing special diets and feeding of animals
Late afternoon we check into our lodge and enjoy a wonderful dinner together.
From here we will depart for Etosha National Park where will spend the next 2 nights. Etosha is one of Africa’s biggest and best National Parks and one of the main tourist attractions in Namibia. Etosha is known for its spectacular game viewing and the waterholes attract huge numbers of game in the dry season when all the open water has dried up. 114 Species of mammal are found in the park and it is the best place in the world to see Black Rhinoceros.
Other games include Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Hyaena, Giraffe, Honey-Badger, Black-Faced Impala, Kudu, Common Eland, Kirk’s Dikdik, Common Warthog and big herds of Springbok, Zebra, Common Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest And Gemsbok. More than 300 species of birds are found here and it is brilliant for finding raptors. After arriving at our lodge and freshening up we will do an afternoon game drive in our own vehicle. We will enjoy dinner at our lodge.
We will explore the southwestern side of world-famous Etosha park today, going for a morning drive in our own vehicle after breakfast and returning to our lodge for lunch and a break in the heat of the day. In the drier months of the year, almost all the animals tend to congregate around the waterholes dotted around the massive park. They come to drink water and are inevitably followed by predators; this allows us to sit and wait at some of the waterholes and wait for the action to come to us. This is what sets Etosha apart from other parks in southern or east Africa; unique indeed! We will return to the lodge after our afternoon game drive in our own vehicle to enjoy dinner. Remember to look up before settling into your bed tonight – the African night sky, undisturbed by city lights out here in the bush, is truly amazing.
This morning we will leave the Etosha area and make our way to Okonjima Nature Reserve. The 22 000 ha nature reserve is home to AfriCAT, a carnivore sanctuary, which gives the captive cats a second chance to be released back into the wild and become completely independent hunters in a protected area right in the middle of commercial cattle farmland. We will spend two nights here while enjoying some of the many conservation activities on offer here. After lunch and settling in at the camp, we will meet up for tea/coffee and then do an afternoon Leopard Tracking drive. We return to camp for sundowners and dinner.
This morning we will visit Africat, where we will get some background information on the conservation done here. We will return to camp for lunch and do another tracking drive late afternoon. Our last dinner in Namibia will be enjoyed at our camp, a perfect way to end our Conservation Safari
This morning after breakfast you will be transferred to Hosea Kutako International Airport, or extend your visit with a night in Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia.
Optional Extensions/Additions:
• Palmwag Rhino Tracking
• Damaraland Desert Adapted Elephant Tracking
• Naankuse Foundation Visit
On this Namibia Conservation safari tour, we expect to see a very good mix of mammals and birds.
Mammal highlights include African Elephant, Black and White Rhinoceros, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Gemsbok, Black-faced Impala, Giraffe, Greater Kudu, Springbok, Spotted Hyaena, Zebra (2 species), Common Warthog, Honey Badger, Common Wildebeest, Brown Hyaena, Temminck’s Ground Pangolin, Kirk’s Dikdik, Common Eland, Common Rock Hyrax, Yellow Mongoose, Cape Porcupine, Southern Lesser Galago, Southern African Spring-hare, Aardvark, Black-backed Jackal and Caracal.
Some of the top bird species could include: Kori Bustard, Secretarybird, Ruppell’s and Northern Black Korhaan, Burchell’s Courser, Damara Red-billed and Monteiro’s Hornbill, Sociable Weaver, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Common Ostrich, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Blue Crane, Violet Woodhoopoe, Ruppell’s Parrot, Pygmy and Red-necked Falcon, Bare-cheeked and Southern Pied Babbler, Double-banded Courser, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Martial Eagle and Tawny Eagle
What is included?
- Private Air-conditioned Vehicle
- Accommodation on a double sharing basis.
- All meals except dinner in Swakopmund
- All park entry fees
- Airport transfer fees
- Provision of drinking water inside the vehicle only.
- Activities as specified on the itinerary
- Private vehicle and conservation guide
What is not included?
- International Flights
- Visa Fees
- Comprehensive Travel Insurance
- Dinner in Swakopmund
- Extra optional activities not specified in the itinerary
- Laundry
- Drinks
- Items of a personal nature
- Other unspecified cost in the itinerary.
If you are as passionate about Wildlife and Conservation as we are in Namibia, this behind-the-scenes Conservation Safari tour is for you! Our expert Conservation guide will be with you during the full duration of the safari, giving you a look into Conservation efforts and how you can get involved. This tour is offered as a private as well as group tour.
All accommodation is mid-range with en-suite ablutions. Depending on availability, the vehicles used for this safari are either an air-conditioned minivan (Toyota Quantum or similar) or a safari vehicle.
All travel is done via road (tar and dirt road) and some activities could be in open safari vehicles. Tracking activities are done by vehicle and on foot.
Our groups have a maximum of 6 travellers to ensure an exclusive safari experience. Private tours can be arranged for 2-6 travellers.
Yes we can arrange airport pick up and drop off.
If your flight arrives on the morning of departure, please arrange that the flight does not arrive later than 11am. If your international flight arrives after 11am, we suggest that you overnight in Windhoek. Flights arriving after 11am becomes a challenge to reach our destination on time.
On the final day of your safari you will need to travel for about 3-4 hours to get to the airport. Please do no book a flight that departs before 14h00 in order for you to reach the airport in time.
We allocate a specialist guide to your safari at the time of booking. We only change guides should something happen at short notice i.e illness or emergency and will let the client know immediately. Itineraries are normally not changed except if a lodge or reserve is closed for a specific reason (renovations etc). Should this happen, we will contact the client immediately with the updated itinerary.
All our safaris have a single supplement option. Some lodges have rooms that can accommodate three adults in a room (depending on availability). We will advise on which lodges can accommodated three adults in one room at the time of booking. Should a lodge not offer triple accommodation, two rooms will be booked and the single supplement will be applicable Most lodges can accommodate two adults and 1 child under the age of 10 in one room. Please enquire about this option at the time of booking.
All meals are included on this safari except for dinner in Swakopmund. Our office and your guide will assist with arranging dinner reservations in Swakopmund.
The best time for game watching in Etosha National Park is generally in our winter months when animals congregate at the waterholes. Our Conservation safari is however offered all year long as the areas we visit include some behind the scenes activities which is good all year round.
The tour is not strenuous but a basic level of general fitness is needed as some of the days are long and a basic level of fitness can be helpful.
We can accommodate clients with limited mobility, please let us know in advance to make the necessary arrangements.
Children under 6 years are not allowed on open safari vehicles. We can however make a plan should a family fill the group and we can arrange a private vehicle (at an extra cost) for the group. We can also arrange a private safari for families with smaller children.
Most lodges offer Wi-Fi but it cannot be guaranteed as it is not very reliable. A local simcard can be obtained at the airport on arrival. A package with airtime and data can be bought with the simcard. Please note that there are areas on this safari where there is no phone reception or Wi-Fi.
Yes, we can arrange accommodation as well as day trips/extension as part of your tour.
It is compulsory for each client to obtain comprehensive travel insurance for their tour at the time of booking. Nature Travel Namibia offers emergency evacuation (E-med Rescue) to all of our clients in Namibia. This service does not include repatriation. We highly recommend that you purchase comprehensive travel insurance at the time of paying a deposit. The policy should provide cover for loss of deposit, cancellation and additional expenses, medical expenses and repatriation and loss or damage to baggage and valuables. You are responsible for making any special or increased insurance arrangements which you deem are necessary.
A 30% deposit is needed to confirm the safari. Payments can be made by bank transfer or credit card. (Mastercard and Visa) Please note there is a bank charge applicable to all credit card payments. The final payment is due 60 days before the safari starts.
We will send a comprehensive packing list once the tour has been booked but to give you an idea of the general items to bring, see the list below. General packing: • Neutral coloured clothing • Warm jacket for early morning activities • Sturdy closed walking shoes (trainer type shoes are fine) • No need for any formal clothing, most dinners are casual and informal • Binoculars • Camera • A small daypack • A refillable waterbottle • Suncreen • Insect Repellant Medical: • Please bring some basic medication for headache, nausea etc with you as well as any prescription medication you might need during your safari. • All of our guides carry a basic first-aid kit with them but it is best to bring your personal medication with you. • Please contact your closest travel clinic for information on malaria and other medical information you might need. • Currently no yellow fever certificate is needed to travel to Namibia except for clients travelling from a country where yellow fever is prevalent.
Citizens of some countries need a visa to enter Namibia. Please enquire at the time of booking for up to date information on visa requirements.
Drinks are not included (except for drinking water in the vehicle) but your guide will assist you with arranging to buy some drinks during the day en-route. Lunches are usually either packed or your guide will stop at a small restaurant/deli en-route where you will be able to enjoy a meal of your choice. The only meals that are not included are the two dinners in Swakopmund.
Most lodges cater for special dietary requirements, please let us know at the time of booking and we will let each lodge know in advance. Should you have a severe food allergy, please carry the necessary medication with you at all times in case this is needed.
Credit Cards (Mastercard and Visa) are accepted at most lodges but we advise to bring a small amount of cash should this facility not be working as well as for smaller purchases like drinks, tips etc. Your guide can also assist with arranging a stop at an ATM in the bigger towns should this be necessary. For this tour you will need Namibian Dollar (NAD) or South African Rand (ZAR)
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