Discover Namibia - Lodges

Africa's unknown gem - desert scenery, coastal wilderness and game-viewing

The scenic beauty of Namibia is only matched by its diversity. Deep canyons, towering sand dunes, otherworldly rock formations and vast salt pans seamlessly merge into each other in an endlessly shifting landscape. The sky seems particularly big here with spectacular sunsets and, at night, the sight of billions of stars twinkling overhead. This is the backdrop for healthy wildlife populations and a melting pot of different communities.

Responsible Travel

We work hard to create trips which improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally-owned accommodation and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
• Clients can further support the local economy by buying beer brewed in the area or – if you’re feeling brave- trying a regional specialty like Mowpane worms.
• We visit Swakopmund, which is a small German colonial resort town with quaint cake shops and coffee houses and a centre for adrenaline activities. This is a great chance to support locally-owned businesses and learn about Namibian culture on an optional township tour.
• There are plenty of craft markets in Swakopmund, as well as on route to Etosha, selling wooden carvings, jewellery and material Herero dolls. We encourage clients to purchase souvenirs from local craftsmen to sustain their work. 

Places

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

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• During wildlife safaris and game drives we behave responsibly with any wildlife we may come into contact with and this is reinforced by our staff and by an environmental code of conduct which is posted in every vehicle we use.
• Twenty-five percent of all park entrance fees paid is reinvested by the MET (Ministry of Environmental and Tourism) through the Game Products Trust Fund into essential infrastructure and services related to tourism in Namibia’s parks. So, by running our game drives in Etosha National Park, we are contributing to local community initiatives and helping to fund the protection of the wide range of species which live there.
• On this trip we also visit the Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre. This centre was set up to assist with the long-term conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores through research, education and rehabilitation. We will meet the centre's resident cheetahs (cheetahs are the most endangered big cat in Africa, but Namibia has the world’s largest free roaming population) and learn about the conservation efforts taking place.

Planet

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

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• We use smaller, locally-run accommodation, versus big hotel chains which have a bigger impact on the surrounding environments.
• All of the accommodation we stay at uses locally-sourced produce and supplies which have not been transported long distances.
• Vegetarian options are available at all of the accommodation and restaurants that we use.
• Energy saving bulbs and water conservation signs are common in our accommodations.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

Extra steps you could take to minimise your impact when travelling.

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip. Tap water is safe to drink and the vehicle has a water tank that we can use while on the road. If you prefer the taste of bottled water, it is possible to purchase and re-fill from 5l bottles throughout the itinerary.
• If while packing you find a spare bit of space in your bag please be sure to check out our partner ‘Pack for a Purpose’ to identify items that are needed locally by schools and medical clinics.  Your Tour Leader can assist with donating the items - http://www.packforapurpose.org

Visa

Namibia

Visas for Namibia are not required for UK or Commonwealth passport holders. Other nationalities should check before travelling. Please ensure you have at least one full blank page in your passport (but we recommend three) and that it is valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Namibia. Before leaving the immigration desk in the airport arrivals hall, check that the duration of your stay has been noted correctly - we recommend adding a week to your duration in case of COVID-19 related issues.

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.

Please note that new regulations relating to travel with children means that in addition to valid passports, parents travelling with children (under 18) should at all times 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.

Vaccination

Namibia

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements.

Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A.

Malaria prophylaxis is essential and we suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel health clinic about which malaria tablets to take.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners included.

In the itinerary we state which meals are included on which day. Please allow approximately £10/US$15 per meal per person for meals not included. Some meals are in restaurants whilst others will be prepared by the tour leader and assistants. Camp meals are freshly cooked over the camp fire. They are wholesome and plentiful, but do not expect cordon bleu cuisine and please note it is not always easy to get fresh meat. However, the standard of food is generally good. Breakfast - cereals, coffee, yoghurt, muesli, fresh fruit or the occasional fried breakfast. Lunch - cheese, cold meats, pasta, salads, bread or rolls. Dinner - potjie (stew), braai (BBQ) or stir fries. Vegetarians are well catered for on this trip though sometimes options might be more limited.

Weather Charts

Swakopmund

Is this trip for you?

Transport is in a specially modified safari truck with ten to twelve seats for clients. There is plenty of legroom and packing space as well as a reference library, fridge and/or icebox. Smaller groups may be in a Hilux/Land Cruiser. By keeping the group size deliberately small we are able to maximise the exposure to the great African wilderness.

80% of Namibian roads are good gravel roads. However, the road conditions are completely 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. Drive times on this trip are moderate and we will normally arrive at our destination in the afternoon. The total distance covered on the trip is about 2,800kms. Drive times below are only approximations and do vary with road conditions and the number of stops. We will rarely exceed 6 hours driving in one day.

All activities done on tour are moderate, such as climbing Dune 45 and visiting the White Lady rock painting at Brandberg. The walks on the Waterberg Plateau can be classified as moderate to strenuous as it can get a bit steep and rocky.

There are some days where we will have to get up before sunrise but this will allow us to get the most from our activities (for example, the game drives in Etosha where we are more likely to see wildlife in the early mornings before it gets too hot).

Please note that 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 that we are there. This will not impact on the number of game drives that we have within the park.

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.