Guests on this fly-in safari experience the
highlights of Namibia - Sossusvlei the Namib; the Skeleton Coast; Swakopmund;
Damaraland and Etosha. Every Sunday (and Thursday from July to October) we fly
from Windhoek International Airport or Eros Airport in Windhoek on our 'Best of
Namibia Wing Safari'. The aircraft and pilot stay with the group throughout so
there is continuity and flexibility. All meals, park fees and activities are included.
Group size is normally around four guests - but we reserve the right to go for
a maximum of ten.
Days 1 and 2 : The Namib Desert - Sossusvlei
Wilderness Camp
The safari departs from Eros Airport (Windhoek)
by light aircraft for Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, approximately an hour's flight
away. We will be departing in the late morning. Activities are conducted in 4x4
vehicles and include a safari down to the very end of the Tsauchab River and to
the heart of Sossusvlei for wonderful dune scenes. Optional early morning ballooning
can be arranged at extra cost. (This must be booked in advance). Late afternoons
are time to explore the reserve around the camp.
Days 3 & 4 : Skeleton Coast, Swakopmund
and Damaraland - Damaraland Camp
We depart by light aircraft and fly over the
dunes of the Namib and Sossusvlei to gain a different perspective of the area
from the air. We continue westwards to Meob Bay on the Atlantic Ocean and then
fly up the Skeleton Coast. The flight offers spectacular desert and Skeleton Coast
scenery, where the dunes and the desert meet the Atlantic Ocean. Our flight takes
us over the site of the Eduard Bolen shipwreck, past Conception Bay and the wreck
site of the Shaunee, around Sandwich Harbour and its famous lagoon, the flamingoes
at Walvis Bay and on to Swakopmund. Here we are met and transferred to Walvis
Bay for a wonderful boat trip out to sea where there are frequently good sightings
of dolphins, seals and sometimes even penguins and whales. In the afternoon we
depart from Swakopmund, for a scenic flight further up the Skeleton Coast, and
past the Cape Cross Seal Colony before we turn east and fly up the Huab River
to Damaraland Camp for two nights. Highlights of the stay of Damaraland Camp are
nature excursions into the rocky desert in search of the rare and endangered desert
Elephant and Rhino.
We are in an area where the chances of encountering
the desert Elephants are high.
Day 5 and 6 : Etosha and Ongava - Ongava Lodge or
Ongava Tented Camp
Fly by light aircraft from Damaraland to
Ongava Lodge or Ongava Tented Camp for two nights. Etosha, covering an area of
22,000 square kilometres, offers excellent game viewing opportunities. Our game
drive activities will focus mainly within Etosha in the mornings. In the afternoon
and evening we have the opportunity to enjoy walks, hides and night drives within
the private Ongava Reserve, activities not possible within Etosha. Lion, Leopard,
Elephant White Rhino and Black Rhino as well as all the plains game can be seen
here. Tracking Rhino on foot is one of Ongava's highlights.
Day 7 : Back to Windhoek
Depart Ongava Lodge for flight back to Windhoek.
Some itineraries may run in reverse.
Rates and Departure
Dates:
Notes :
Sunday and Thursday scheduled departures with a minimum of two guests. Groups
of 4 or more can have daily departures, subject to availability of accommodation,
planes and pilots/guides. Luggage restriction is 12 kg per person in a soft bag.
| Tour Code |
Total Number of Days
and Nights |
Itinerary Description
with the number of nights in each area in brackets |
Departs from and
ends at |
Departure Days |
Gross US$ Rate Per Person Sharing
01 Jan - 31 Dec |
Nett U$ Single room
Supple-ment |
| Dec '01 to Mar '02 |
Apr to Dec '02 |
| BONWS |
7 days and 6 nights |
Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp
(2), boat trip at Walvis Bay; Damaraland Camp (2), Ongava / Etosha (2) |
Windhoek International or Eros
Airports |
Sunday and Thursdays* |
US$ 3060 |
US$ 3270 |
US$ 600 |
* Sunday departures applicable year round.
Thursday departures applicable 01 July to 31 October only.
Scheduled departures with a minimum of
two guests. If you have one guest, please contact us as we may already have
our minimum of two booked. Groups of 4 or more can have daily departures, subject
to availability of planes and pilots/guides. Please check availability with us
first. A flight along the Skeleton Coast and a boat trip to sea for dolphins
and seals, plus a seafood lunch in Swakopmund is included. Luggage restriction
is 12 kg per person in a soft bag. 15 % VAT included This safari is usually accommodated
at Ongava Tented Camp, however, may stay at Ongava Lodge for certain departures
Guest Comments:
Firstly, thank you for the opportunity
to experience such a extraordinary fly in safari. If ever their was a safari to
a specific country with a apt name then Best of Namibia Wing Safari is it. From
the moment we arrived at Eros Airport where Eric our pilot from Sefofane greeted
us with a warm welcome and assisted us to the plane, till we said our sad good-byes
- we were privileged to some fantastic game sightings, genuine friendliness, efficiency
from the camp staff, great guides and comforts of our accommodation. I must add
that the on every sector we were given a tougher route and safety brief - the
landings and take off were straight out of the book and faultless. Eric our pilot
was more than that, he was the perfect host and saw that everything when like
clockwork. At Sossusvlei we were greeted like old friends and the plunge pools
came in real handy and I would go as far to say they were essential. The rooms
with their stunning views are amazing, we found our rooms clean and very comfortable.
I must say that the trip to Sossusvlei again made us realise the awesome power
of nature - the breakfast under the acacia trees was a real treat surrounded by
the towering dunes. The flight over Sossusvlei the Namib Desert along the coast
en route to Swakopmund was so amazing we did not know were to look - the ever
changing colours of the dunes - amazing. The tour of Swakopmund and the harbor
cruise with dolphins swimming adjacent to the boat, flamingoes and a host of other
birds was almost too much to take in. The surprise lunch was yet another of our
highlights! Damaraland Camp was my personal favorite and what a surprise- such
genuine enthusiasm amongst staff of the camp I have never experienced before!
I would advise every agent selling Namibia that Damaraland Camp is a must on the
itinerary. We expected the landscape portrayed in the brochure but we found a
sea of green and flowers to match the spectacle of Namaqualand. We did indeed
find two herds of Desert Elephants which was great but our afternoon walk up to
Som (lookout) was equal to the elephant sighting. Damaraland camp staff that night
entertained us with traditional folk songs which had everyone foot tapping in
unison to the music. Ongava Lodge was the last stop and we enjoyed every aspect
of our stay - the luxury of the units with the views combined with roaring of
lions in the morning made for a great stay. Though I must say our sighting of
5 White Rhinos and 4 lions on Ongava all within 15 meters of each other came very
close to a perfect sighting. Sadly we packed our bags and flew bag to Windhoek
in total silence everyone overwhelmed by a remarkable safari. At Windhoek International
we said good-bye to our friends Eric of Sefofane and Philip and Dinah from Australia.
Best of Namibia Wing Safaris is the best! A unforgettable fly in safari to Namibia,
long will the sights, sounds, laughs and effortless service linger in our minds.
I can not wait to return. Once again thank you to everyone at Wilderness Safaris
who made this trip possible and made it perfect for Elize and myself - a very
BIG thank you!
Kind Regards A C-T
At 58, I had one of the peak experiences
of my life--my African Safari, in Zimbabwe, courtesy Wilderness Safaris. Our party
spanned three generations, from age 18 to age 75. We were all overwhelmed by the
experience. I suspect the experience has launched me on a trail to 'safari junkie.'
The accommodations were perfect, not 'over the top' (why go to the bush for a
city experience?), but brilliant and comfortable. Our guide, Garth Thompson, made
the trip as only the great guides can. (He turned 'safari' into one of the great
learning events of my life.)" I can honestly say I'll never be the same as a result
of this experience, and my mother-in-law calls it the best experience in her life.
Tom Peters (Business guru, author and speaker
"In Search of Excellence" "The Circle of Innovation")
I spent the last three weeks in Namibia
and Botswana. These were my best holidays I ever had..!! I enjoyed your Wilderness
camps very much. The staff is unbelievably friendly, a thing we don't know in
Switzerland. Thank you very much for everything..!! I promise you that these were
not my last holidays in Namibia and Botswana. I want to see so many more of these
beautiful countries, especially the Skeleton coast of which Michael told me how
beautiful it is. Sorry for my English, it's not the best so that I can't tell
you exactly how impressed I am from these holidays. But even in German I can't
do that, it's unbelievable..!!
F.M. Switzerland
I don't know where to begin to thank
you for organising such a wonderful trip for my mother and me. We had the most
fantastic time. The itinerary was so perfect starting with beautiful scenery in
the desert and adding a little more animals at each lodge. Each lodge was so different.
You organised it so we even had rest day between countries. Then the lodges in
Botswana alternated between water camps and dry camps. You were right about Mombo,
and we were glad to spend three nights there. What a place with such luxury and
variety of plants and animals! We also enjoyed the coziness of the Ongava Tented
Camp over the main lodge. You chose them perfectly for us. The trip kept betting
better and better.
It was such a surprise to learn we would
have our own pilot, Marco in Namibia. He was so cute and good to Mom. Very professional!
We all bonded. The dunes in the Sossusvlei were stunning. Such beauty there! Mom
really enjoyed the hike and felt like she really accomplished something, I was
proud of her too. We were able to spend some time with the desert elephants in
Damaraland. That was a treat! Did you hear about little Oscar, the one year old?
His mother did not even mind us being so near to him as he played. The Ongava
Tented Camp was actually better wildlife viewing then Etosha. We spent hours at
the water hole there. Kudu, oryx, duiker, steenbok, waterbuck, eland, rhino, lots
of birds etc., and so close to us.
Then we rested in Windhoek in the comfort
of the Hilltop House. Beside beautiful scenery, wonderful nature sounds (I bought
a CD of African nature sounds), starlit nights, lots of animals, the people that
ran these lodges and guesthouses were so warm, friendly, helpful and really took
care of us. I was most impressed with them. The guides also raised the level of
knowledge about the animals for me, since they knew my background. I learned so
much more and have wonderful stories to tell on my tours at the zoo now.
Wish I could spend more time in these
countries and get know these people better. Some of the guests
were lucky enough to come to these lodges year after year. I
cannot think of anything that could improve this vacation. We
saw most of the animals that I was looking to find even a caracal
cat.
C.W. San Diego USA
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