Namibian Family Adventurer

From big dunes to big cats, discover how alive and diverse the desert can be

The sun is rising and we are sat on top of one of the highest dunes in the world. A burst of orange and red explodes on the surrounding landscape as warm rays caress the shifting sand. We are in Sossusvlei. Over the coming days, we explore the amazing diversity of Namibia. Sit by watering holes watching wildlife, hike through rock formations to ancient engravings, enjoy Viennese-style cake shops and discover a country where the desert scenery changes with every turn and the night sky sparkles with countless stars.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• Read more about our other initiatives here

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves generates income which is used to upkeep and develop these important sites.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices regarding working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip has been graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page.

Though this trip has been designed for 13 to 16-year-olds, it’s also suitable for nine to 12-year-olds. Our Family trips are aimed at children in the primary age group, so if your child is in the secondary age group, they may find it a little harder. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.

Drive times are moderate and we normally arrive at our destination by lunch or just after. We rarely exceed six hours of driving in one day. The road conditions are dependent on how they are being maintained at the time and, on occasion, conditions can be poor. This can have an impact on journey times as well as comfort and can be punishing on the vehicles. There are breaks on the longer drives and there is also a reference library in the vehicle.

We use a combination of lodges, chalets and campsites. Due to the limited amount of accommodation within Etosha National Park, it may be necessary to sleep outside the park on some or all of the nights we are there. This will not impact the number of game drives we have within the park.

We visit some areas with malaria. Activities such as climbing a dune at Sossusvlei and the walk to the White Lady painting could be challenging for younger children but there is the option to skip them. Most days involve early starts with our days in Sossusvlei and Etosha beginning before sunrise.

During the cooler months, please bring adequate warm clothing, especially for the evenings when the temperature can drop quickly when the sun goes down. It can also get very warm from September to May, so please pack accordingly.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Namibia

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, rabies and tuberculosis. Malaria prophylaxis is essential, seek advice from your doctor about which malaria tablets to take. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm all requirements and recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Namibia

Until the end of March 2025, travellers from the UK, US, Canada and some EU states normally do not need a visa to enter Namibia. From April 1, 2025, travellers from the UK, US, Canada, and some EU states, will need a visa to enter Namibia (see the full list here).

Visas can be obtained online (official site not live yet) or on arrival for 1,600 Namibian dollars (about US$89).

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/namibia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/namibia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/namibia/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Namibia.html

If you are transiting through South Africa and are a non-UK passport holder you may require a transit visa. Please check before travelling. Please note that if flying via South Africa you will probably have to pass immigration there.

Passports: To enter Namibia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least six months after the date you arrive. It must also have at least one blank page. If you’re travelling to South Africa, you will need an additional two blank pages.

Travelling with children: In addition to valid passports, parents travelling with children (under 18) should always carry the original or certified copy of the unabridged birth certificate (listing the child’s and both parents’ details). Adults travelling with children where they are not the biological or legal guardians of those children, should be in possession of an affidavit statement from the child’s parents giving consent for their travel. If a child is travelling with only one parent, the other parent should give consent for travel in the form of an affidavit.

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, four lunches and five dinners are included.

For meals not included, allow approximately 190 Namibian dollars (US$13) per person. Camp meals are wholesome and plentiful, but do not expect cordon bleu cuisine and please note it is not always easy to get a wide range of fresh vegetables. However, generally the standard of food is good. Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note, the availability of certain products can be minimal or non-existent, for example wheat- or dairy-free. Please be prepared for this – you may be best advised to bring these items from home.

Weather

June, July and August, while clear and warm during the day, can be cold and even freezing at night. Between September and May, it is considerably warmer with the time between October and April being the hottest, when it often reaches 30C (86F). However, it is always a dry heat and the temperature does drop at night. The wet season is between November and February (this can vary a month either side), but this is not a bad time to go as the desert blooms after rainfall and it never rains for very long.