North Namibia and Caprivi

Our representative will be at the hotel to meet you and hand over your accommodation vouchers, road map, and to answer any questions you may have about your itinerary. Your hire car, a Hyundai IX35 or similar, will be delivered to the hotel at the same time.

The Rivendell Guesthouse is located in a quiet suburb close to the city centre. It offers just ten guest rooms. Facilities at the Rivendell include TV lounge, swimming pool, self-catering kitchen, and bar.

The afternoon is free for you to relax around the swimming pool, or perhaps explore Windhoek’s shops and restaurants.

Cornerstone Guesthouse
Cornerstone Guesthouse is a friendly B&B located a short distance from Swakopmund town centre. It sits tucked away in a discreet corner of the city's old quarter, within walking distance of the beach, several lively pubs & cafes, and the shops and sights that make Swakopmund such a pleasure to explore.

There are just seven rooms at the Cornerstone Guesthouse, all with en-suite bathrooms with large solar-assisted showers and modern fittings. A generous breakfast is provided – fresh fruits, breads, preserves, cooked eggs and bacon – accompanied, of course, by fresh Namibian coffee!

Take the time to visit the town’s 19th-century German monuments, from the Marine memorial to the famous Höhenzollern Building; relax at the beach and on the jetty, or venture out into the surrounding desert, where you can take part in a number of activities. Further afield, the Cape Cross Seal Colony is a fabulous day trip, allowing you to experience a bit of the Skeleton Coast, while Walvis Bay offers great sea kayaking.

In the afternoon, set off along the C39 until you reach the turn off for the C43, which will take you to Palmwag. Continue to Kamanjab on the C40 until you see the signs for Grootberg Lodge, your home for the next two nights (breakfast and dinner).

Grootberg Lodge
Grootberg  Lodge  occupies  a  wonderful  location  in  the  Hoas  Conservancy,  Damaraland. Situated on the edge of the Grootberg Plateau, it enjoys spectacular views of the vast landscape below.

Grootberg has 12 rock and thatch chalets, all of them en-suite with separate shower and toilet. Mosquito nets are fitted to the doors and windows. Each of the chalets has been positioned to make the most of the impressive views into the gorge, where black eagles hunt just below the level of your private deck.

Alternatively, there are a number of activities available in and around Damaraland, including rhino and desert elephant tracking, horse riding, Klip River scenic drives, and guided tours of local Himba settlements, among other possible excursions.

Okaukuejo Restcamp
Situated on the western side of Etosha National Park, close to Anderson Gate, Okaukuejo Restcamp is the largest of the rest camps within Etosha, and also doubles as an administrative centre for the park’s rangers and researchers. Formerly government-owned and managed, but now in private hands, it's a large and old hotel originally built in the 1950s.

Okaukuejo Restcamp was the very first camp to open in Etosha and has the advantage of a great location. The floodlit waterhole in front of the camp receives regular visits from thirsty elephant, jackal, lion, and many other species. It’s also a great spot to spy otherwise elusive nocturnal species, including aardwolf, genet and bat-eared fox.

Okaukuejo is particularly well suited to those on self-drive holidays, being easy to access and with good self-catering facilities.

Game-viewing in Etosha is reliably excellent all-year round. Much of the park consists of one enormous salt pan (the Etosha pan), which is potted with water holes where the animals tend to congregate in the absence of any major rivers. In the dry season (May-Oct), it’s not uncommon to see a veritable Noah’s Ark of species gathered around a single, small watering hole. This, combined with the flatness of the land and the lack of vegetation, means that game-spotting is easier in Etosha than just about anywhere else in Africa.

As you proceed through Etosha, follow the signs for Namutoni Restcamp, situated at the eastern boundaries of the park. You may like to stop for lunch and a rest along the way at Halali Restcamp.

After a break at Namutoni, leave the park via the Von Lindequist Gate and continue to Mushara Bush Camp, which is a short distance from the eastern gate. Check in for two nights (breakfast and dinner).

Mushara Bush Camp
Part of a large collection of Mushara properties, of which the flagship is Mushara Lodge, Bush Camp is one of the newest camps to open in Etosha. It offers sixteen comfortable tented rooms set a short distance from the eastern entrance to Etosha at Von Lindequist Gate.

Mushara is more a lodge than it is a traditional bush camp. The tents are wood and canvas structures pitched on limestone foundations. They open out onto private verandahs with marvellous views, and have large en-suite bathrooms with shower units.

The main lodge at Mushara Bush Camp is a quintessentially African structure with a thatched roof. Guests can gather around the campfire in the evening to share stories and enjoy a drink together, before sharing a three course meal on the verandah with a view of the wild bush.

Kaisosi River Lodge
Kaisosi River Lodge is situated on the banks of the Kavango River, a short distance from Rundu, the gateway to the Caprivi region. It is a small and comfortable lodge with sixteen guest rooms (single, double and family units) set in thatched chalets, each with full en-suite facilities. All of the rooms open onto private balconies/terraces overlooking the river.

The main guest area at Kaisosi River Lodge is a welcoming open-air lounge and dining room with a wide viewing deck. There are also two swimming pools set on the river’s edge.

Activities at Kaisosi focus on the Kavango River – sunset cruises, fishing expeditions, and champagne breakfast cruises are all offered. There’s relatively little big game in this area, but the bird-watching cruises are rewarding, and should provide a nice change of pace from game-viewing in Etosha.

In contrast to the harsh and arid plains of southern and central Namibia, the north-eastern Kavango region is a green and verdant land defined by the broad floodplains of the Kavango River. The river, which separates Namibia from Angola, is the region’s life source, irrigating a huge region. Kavango has been settled for many years, and much of the land is given over to agriculture, but as you venture further west into Caprivi over the coming days, you’ll discover some of Namibia’s most beautiful and often-overlooked wilderness areas.

River Dance Lodge
River Dance Lodge is a small and intimate safari lodge situated on the banks of the Kavango River. It serves as a charming base from which to explore the nearby game parks of Bwabwata and Mahango. The mid-range lodge has only five rooms (three standalone rooms and two which can be combined to form a family unit with inter-connecting walkway), all of them unique glass and wood structures designed to make the most of the views. Each room has full en-suite facilities and opens onto a private deck overlooking the river.

Mahango Game Reserve and Bwabwata National Park are both within one hour’s drive of River Dance, and easily visited together as a day trip. They are rich in game yet receive very few visitors. You might also like to stop at the Popa Rockfalls, close to the little town of Divundu. The falls themselves are unimpressive (just 4 metres high!), but the surrounding landscape is beautiful.

Zambezi Mubala Lodge
This newly-built, modern and stylish lodge is a secret river hideaway located on the shores of the Zambezi river where hippos fish eagles can be seen. Leave your vehicle at Zambezi Mubala Camp, south of Katima Mulilo and cruise downriver, here you will find vervet monkeys and tree squirrels. Relax on your balcony and absorb the peace of the river or take a mokoro through the water.

Each room overlooks the Zambezi River, the spacious rooms have an en-suite bathroom, mosquito nets and tea and coffee facilities.

The lodge is a bird lover’s dream, home to over 450 species of birds and you can also see one of the largest colonies of carmine bee-eaters in Africa.

Enjoy a sunset boat cruise, stroll along the riverbank to visit the bee-eater colony, sit back in the open-sided bar or while away the hours fishing on the river where the catch-and-release of Tiger Fish is a popular activity.

Game-viewing opportunities abound. You can reach Chobe National Park from Mubala, while closer to the lodge are a number of game reserves where you can hope to see buffalo, elephant, lion, water buck, wild dog, and much more.

The lush savannah area of East Caprivi is bordered by the Zambezi, Linyanti, Kwando and Chobe River systems, which give rise to permanent swamps and floodplains that simply teem with game. Caprivi’s numerous small game reserves and wildlife concessions form part of the same eco-system as Chobe National Park, with which they share an open border.

Poaching has been a problem in this region in the past, but with the formation of new and better managed conservation areas, Caprivi is returning to something resembling its former glory. It remains an overlooked region but has much to offer safari-goers unafraid to travel a little off the beaten path.

You stay one night at Kaisosi River Lodge on half-board basis (breakfast and dinner).

After 41km you will turn left towards the mountain on the D2512. Note that the road now turns to gravel, which can be quite sandy in places as the track winds its way around the foot of the massif—not the best driving terrain! After a further 20km you will see signs for the National Park. Ignore these and continue for a further 8km until you see the entrance to Waterberg Valley Lodge.

Check into Waterberg Valley Lodge for two nights (breakfast and dinner).

Waterberg Valley Lodge
Perched on a high hill in a valley created by the Waterberg Mountains, Waterberg Valley Lodge is a tiny wilderness retreat with just five guest chalets. The lush greenness of the valley, flanked by the harsh red rock of the escarpment, form the backdrop to this remote and simple eco-lodge. The views, as you might expect, are superb.

Waterberg Valley’s eco-chalets feature canvas sides, creating the ambience of a classic safari camp, while a thick ceiling ensures the interior of the rooms remains cool. Every chalet has its own brick bathroom and a small patio with a view.

Breakfast and dinner are included during your stay at Waterberg Valley and are served in the cosy dining area with fireplace.

The real appeal of the Waterberg Plateau, however, is its stunning landscapes. The Waterberg itself is a giant table mountain, almost 50km wide, with a stark escarpment that looks down onto beautiful green valleys. The views are amazing.

Take the time to explore the Waterberg Wilderness Reserve at your own pace. We can arrange for a guide if required, but you may prefer to explore independently.

A short distance from town you will see the turn-off onto the D2102 on your left hand side. Take this gravel road and drive for about 26km to reach the entrance to the Elegant Farmstead on your right. Check into the Farmstead for one night (breakfast and dinner).

Elegant Farmstead
Situated two hours north-east of Windhoek, the Elegant Farmstead is an old farm house dating back to the 19th century. It has been thoroughly restored, and though on the outside it retains many of its original features, inside it has been given a stylish and contemporary finish.
There are just eleven guest rooms at the Elegant Farmstead, ensuring an intimate, cosy atmosphere. The rooms are located in the old farm buildings, but have been refurbished to modern standards and feature en-suite bathrooms and air-conditioning. Facilities at the farm house include a swimming pool, open-air lounge and bar, and a beautifully-furnished dining area where delicious home-cooked meals are served.

Much of the land surrounding Elegant Farmstead is now wild. Game-viewing in this area is surprisingly rewarding. There’s a small floodlit watering hole near the lodge which is often frequented by game, while 4x4 drives provide an opportunity to spot gemsbok, impala, kudu, eagle and more.

We can arrange a day room/overnight stay in Windhoek - or build in a tour of the city - if your flight schedule requires it.