Your first taste of Namibia will be in the wildlife-packed Etosha Heights Private Reserve and Safarihoek Lodge. Binos (and G&Ts) at the ready!

Accommodations

Cool and comfortable Safarihoek Lodge is perched high on a ridge, with camera-loving vistas across the plains of Etosha Heights Private Reserve. The 11 thatch chalets are raised above the ground on wooden platforms, truly making the most of that view, and all have ensuite bathrooms with private loos and indoor showers. At the main area, there’s a swimming pool, wine cellar, indoor lounge, outdoor bar, and a large deck with a fireplace.

Drive through the animal-dotted plains of the reserve, keeping your eyes peeled for white rhino, and head out on foot for a taste of the smaller flora and fauna.

Wildlife

Etosha Heights Private Reserve is home to a fascinating range of desert-adapted wildlife including elephant, kudu, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, gemsbok and springbok. Lion, cheetah and leopard are all present, but the real star of the show here is the regal white rhino. The endangered giants amble between the private reserve and nearby Etosha National Park, ears twitching and tails flicking, leaving unmistakable footprints in the dust and memories to last a lifetime.

Today, you’ll head west over the rolling dunes and rocky mountains of Kaokoland before settling into Hoanib Valley Camp.

Accommodations

Hoanib Valley Camp is tucked deep into the dry riverbeds and towering dunes of Kaokoland in north-western Namibia. The camp is an elegant, intimate affair that immerses you into the wilds of the desert and the six rooms are bush-chic down to a T. Then, it’s off to the funky and ever-so-trendy Shipwreck Lodge to sleep inside a ‘shipwrecked’ cabin and enjoy the comforts of the lodge in one of the most desolate landscapes on earth…

Explore the wonders of this stark area on foot and by vehicle, tracking black rhino and searching for desert-adapted wildlife, before falling asleep under the twinkling skies.

Wildlife

In the Hoanib Valley, the elephants who’ve managed to adapt to a harsh life in the desert are fascinating to watch and the stately giraffe are also quite something to behold. Birdwatchers will enjoy sightings of Monteiro’s hornbills or Ruppell’s korhaans in the valleys and a morning spent tracking black rhino through the sandy riverbeds wont’ be forgotten in a hurry!

Make your way even further west to where the sand meets the sea: the Skeleton Coast and the funky Shipwreck Lodge.

Today is for marvelling at the magic of this isolated area – but keep your eyes peeled for the unique, desert species of the area. It’s never as quiet as it seems.

Wildlife

The Skeleton Coast is all about spectacular landscapes but when you do spot a sign of life, it’s a fascinating experience. There are ellies, digging deep holes in the sand, and brown hyena skulking on the beach, you’ll see Cape fur seals harping noisily at Mowe Bay and plenty of birds, and if you’re really lucky, perhaps even a lion or two.