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12 days
The starting point of our journey is Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. You will be picked up by our local guide at the airport. With a welcome drink and an invigorating lunch, you’ll have your first briefing and can familiarise yourselves with the vehicles. Dinner in a local restaurant and overnight in Windhoek in a centrally located hotel.
We leave Windhoek early on. Our route heads north through bushland to our lodge on the Waterberg Plateau (Etjo Sandstone). This plateau is around 1,900 m above sea level and stretches over 48 km. The park is ecologically diverse and rich and has over 200 different species of birds and some rare species of small antelope on the lower hills of the mountain. After checking in at the lodge, we will have dinner together.
The path takes us on a scenic route to Grootfontein, the town of the “great spring”, a colonial town straight out of a picture book. We can also refuel the vehicles here. Nearby we visit what is probably the largest meteorite in the world, which weighs around 55 tons. We spend the night in a lodge in the Nyae Nyae region south of Khaudum. After a typical African dinner, we listen to the stories of our local guide.
We dismantle the campsite and then our way leads us towards Khaudum National Park. The game reserve is not frequently visited, therefore it’s one of the most exciting parts of Namibia for off-road drivers. We will also pay a visit to a Bushman village. A few Bushman families still live in this dry area, and they mainly feed on collected wild fruits.
In addition to numerous wildlife sightings, you will get a chance to see around 320 different bird species that have settled in this region.
Before nightfall we set up our next camp in the wilderness and look forward to dinner together around the campfire. Here we enjoy our peace and quiet and can feel like real bushmen, at least for a moment. The sounds of the wilderness accompany us at night.
We leave our campsite early in the morning. In the deep sand and through dry riverbeds, our path leads us further north. The sandy slopes are best driven in the morning when the sand is cooler. This requires maximum concentration from a driver. Lower tire pressure, stay on track and steer little – that’s the only way we can move forward. We continue the journey towards the Caprivi Strip to Rundu and refuel the vehicles. Ahead of us is the Mahango National Park. The unfenced park west of the Okavango River on the Caprivi Strip is home to numerous elephants, buffalos, hippos, leopards, lions, and savannah antelope species. Our accommodation is right on the banks of the Okavango River – we check in for the next two nights. At the end of the day, we meet for dinner at the lodge.
Today we can finally sleep in for a long time. You can either stay at the lodge to relax or explore the area. One option is a guided game drive in the Mahango Game Park, which is only 2 km away. With over 400 different bird species, the area around the lodge is also a paradise for ornithologists. In the afternoon we start a boat trip to the Popa Falls. A series of cascading rapids of the Okavango plunge over rocks at a depth of about 5 meters, known for its natural beauty and the thunderous sound of rushing water. Watch out for hippos and crocodiles who have found their habitat here. In the evening we meet again for dinner.
In the morning we reach the border post for entry into Botswana. After the town of Shakawe, we can once again test the off-road capabilities of the Land Rovers on sand tracks. Today’s destination is an idyllic camp on the banks of the Guma Lagoon. A hidden place with numerous trees, picturesquely surrounded by the water.
From Maun, we first travel along gravel roads towards Moremi National Park. This approximately 5,000 km² large part of the Okavango Delta is a protected area and makes up more than a third of the total area of the delta. We enter the park through the Southgate. Here we are not in a petting zoo, but in pure wilderness, which we respect in our own interest according to the park rules. Keep the binoculars and the camera at hand here for some exciting wildlife watching. We stay overnight in a campsite outside the park.
We dismantle our last wilderness camp and can explore the wildlife in the park again. Countless animals await us on a wildlife safari, including elephants, buffalo, giraffes, lions, hippos and crocodiles. The delta can also be explored from the water. In the boat we glide through the water labyrinth of the Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta in the world. The water is sometimes only knee high and only the quiet whirring of the boat engine breaks the silence. Fascinating views of hippos and other wildlife will amaze us. We spend the night in a luxurious camp in the park.
Today we leave the Moremi Game Reserve. However, there is enough time to explore the resident wildlife again. Special attention is paid to the different forms of vegetation in the park: dense forest alternates with rough bush savannah. Depending on the water level in the delta, we not only drive on sand tracks, but also through some fords. We leave the Moremi Game Reserve and drive to our last lodge near Maun.
Today it’s time to say goodbye! The Land Rover team will transfer you to the airport in Maun. Slopes and clouds of dust are behind us. In addition to a few tired bones, there are many unforgettable memories that we can take home with us as souvenirs.