Our Tours & Safaris
Themed Safaris
Single Country Safaris
Multi-Country Safaris
Destination Map
Dunes & pans
If time is tight, this is the safari you want to do. It flies straight into the heart of the magnificent desert dunes at Sossusvlei, and then spends a few days at Etosha, whose rich ecosystem continues to defy the encroaching desert. Two contrasting sides of the land, each bewitchingly beautiful.
-
3 nights
-
3 nights
6 Nights, 7 Days
- Single supplements and child discounts may apply
- Price varies with seasonality and room options
- Indicative price is for low season
Itinerary
- 3 nights in Sossusvlei-Namibrand at Little Kulala
- 3 nights in Etosha at Little Ongava
Snapshot
Namibia, the desert kingdom that time forgot, is a vast, barren land that sweeps down from the desert oases of the Kunene River on its border with Angola, to the banks of the Orange River on its border with South Africa. From the shifting coastal dunes of the Namib to the intricately varied plains of the Kalahari, there appears to be little respite for the creatures of this land. But scratch a little deeper, and you will be amazed at the infinite variety that this special corner of Africa has to offer.
This safari covers the two 'main attractions' of Namibia. It is by no means all that the country has to offer, but if you are pressed for time, this is the must-do safari. Is spends a few days in Sossusvlei, and a few days in Etosha, both distinctively beautiful, both distinctively charismatic.
Overview
3 nights in Sossusvlei-Namibrand at Little Kulala
For most visitors it is the iconic red dunes of Sossusvlei and the NamibRand Nature Reserve that define Namibia. And no matter how many photos and documentaries you have seen, nothing prepares you for the splendour of a sunrise or a sunset in this unique environment. Namibia’s second most popular destination after Etosha, this dramatic southern section of the country is a must do for all first-timers to the region. These wide desert landscapes beg to be explored from the slow comfort of a balloon ride, but getting close and intimate with its many creatures, large and small, is equally rewarding. So is a few days spend in total solitude in a landscape as old as the ages.
3 nights in Etosha at Little Ongava
It seems miraculous that life should manage to cling to survival in this arid landscape. But, don’t be misled. In the dry north, the 22 000 square kilometre Etosha National Park rises out of the cracked white clay after the first rains to provide a feast of plenty after the harsh winter. Key to its survival is the scattering of water holes that it leaves in its wake. Just enough to survive the next winter when land turns to ashen dry clay and the vegetation withers into the dustbowl. Etosha will astound you with the tenacity with which nature refuses to let go. Seeing desert-adapted rhino and elephant, and lion if you are very lucky, grace this landscape with comfort and resolve, makes for a very special big game experience.
Detail
Little Kulala is a superbly luxurious desert retreat, beautifully positioned to maximise views of the towering red dunes of Sossusvlei. Taking inspiration from the magnificent Dead Vlei, interiors make use of neutral colours, organic textures and natural light to reflect the soothing pastel tones of the desert.
Fanned out on either side of the main area, Little Kulala’s 11 climate-controlled, thatched ‘kulalas’ are raised on wooden decking. Each suite has a private plunge pool, and offers incredible dune views from the flat rooftop. For romantic stargazing, a bedroll can be made up on the roof of your suite for an unforgettable night under the dark desert skies. A family suite is available, and children over 8 years are welcome.
Scenic guided nature drives through the 37 000 hectare reserve offer the possibility of seeing oryx, springbok, ostrich, jackal and hyena, but please bear in min that sightings are not guaranteed. The main focus is the scenic landscape and the panoramic vista of the Namib Desert.
The balloon safari (closed 15 January to 15 February) offers a truly unique experience to soar silently above the magnificent sand dunes and desert, with a champagne breakfast served at your landing site.
Sossusvlei-Namibrand
The red dunes of Sossusvlei form a dramatic backdrop to the vlei (dry pan), with it’s cracked, white clay floor and skeletal, dead camelthorn trees. The pan was created when the shifting dunes of the Namib smothered the Tsauchab River. A bird’s eye view of the wind-honed ridges and curvaceous lines of the sea of dunes is an unforgettable experience so it’s worth taking a sunrise balloon ride, a scenic flight or a hike up one of the high dunes. And leave time to explore the Sesriem Canyon, carved through the layers of conglomerate rock by the Tsauchab River, near the entrance gate.
The Namibrand Nature Reserve, to the south of Sossusvlei, offers a very different, more exclusive experience. One of the largest private nature reserves in southern Africa, it showcases a fascinating variety of game species in a brilliant setting. Majestic oryx, kudu, giraffe and endearing bat-eared fox set against the red and golden dunes are a photographer’s dream. Intriguing ‘fairy circles’ create polka dots on the landscape and the dunes harbour a rich array of endemic lizards, scorpions, beetles and spiders that are revealed on guided tours. Overnighting in the carefully designed lodges and camps in the reserve is an incredible treat. Thanks to efforts to conserve its exceptional night skies, the reserve was recognised in 2012 as Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, so is the perfect place to view the twinkling stars.
Featuring only three private units, Little Ongava is idyllically perched on a rocky outcrop. It overlooks a waterhole that is often teeming with wildlife, with panoramic vistas across the African savannah beyond.
Each of the three sumptuous units has its own unique style, yet all offer the same wonderful sense of luxurious seclusion. Built from local materials in traditional fashion, they blend tastefully into their surroundings. Each unit features its own plunge pool, indoor and outdoor showers and a bath that takes in those breathtaking views.
Little Ongava offers an exclusive, intimate safari on the private Ongava Game Reserve, with big game viewing extending across to the neighbouring Etosha National Park. Ongava is one of the largest private game reserves in Namibia, and features almost all of the characteristic wildlife of the area, including plains game such as springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, Burchell's zebra, Hartmann's mountain zebra, waterbuck, red hartebeest, giraffe, eland and the endemic black-faced impala. Elephant and cheetah can be found in the Etosha Park; while lion, leopard, and black and white rhino move freely between the Park and the Reserve. Ongava holds one of the largest rhino custodianships in the country and is one of the few private game reserves in southern Africa where guests can see both black and white rhino.
Etosha
Etosha is not just another Big 5 reserve. The ebb end flow of the park is propelled by the vast mud cracked expanse of the Etosha Pan, and nowhere else in Africa will you see wildlife in such remarkable surroundings.
Etosha it is probably best known for its vast herds of plains game such as zebra, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and springbok, but offers pretty decent sightings of the big cats and the ubiquitous pachyderms. It is also home to several rare and endangered species, including endemic black-faced impala, tsessebe and cheetah, as well as the largest population of black rhino in Africa. The latter are often sighted at the series of waterholes along the southern edge of the pan.
Etosha’s birdlife is incredible and some 340 species, about a third of which are migrants, can be found in the mopane woodlands, grasslands, savannah and saline desert. During the rainy season greater and lesser flamingos, and even pelicans are often sighted at Fischer’s Pan in the eastern section of the reserve.
LOGISTICS
This safari commences and ends in Windhoek, Namibia
- Scheduled charter flight, Windhoek to Sossusvlei
- 3 Nights accommodation at Little Kulala in Sossusvlei
- Scheduled charter flight, Sossusvlei to Doro Nawas via Swakopmund
- Scheduled charter flight, Doro Nawas to Etosha
- 3 Nights accommodation at Little Ongava in Etosha
- Scheduled charter flight, Etosha to Windhoek
-
3 nights
-
3 nights
6 Nights, 7 Days
- Single supplements and child discounts may apply
- Price varies with seasonality and room options
- Indicative price is for low season
Itinerary
- 3 nights in Sossusvlei-Namibrand at Kulala Desert Lodge
- 3 nights in Etosha at Ongava Tented Camp
SNAPSHOT
Namibia, the desert kingdom that time forgot, is a vast, barren land that sweeps down from the desert oases of the Kunene River on its border with Angola, to the banks of the Orange River on its border with South Africa. From the shifting coastal dunes of the Namib to the intricately varied plains of the Kalahari, there appears to be little respite for the creatures of this land. But scratch a little deeper, and you will be amazed at the infinite variety that this special corner of Africa has to offer.
This safari covers the two 'main attractions' of Namibia. It is by no means all that the country has to offer, but if you are pressed for time, this is the must-do safari. Is spends a few days in Sossusvlei, and a few days in Etosha, both distinctively beautiful, both distinctively charismatic.
Overview
3 nights in Sossusvlei-Namibrand at Kulala Desert Lodge
For most visitors it is the iconic red dunes of Sossusvlei and the NamibRand Nature Reserve that define Namibia. And no matter how many photos and documentaries you have seen, nothing prepares you for the splendour of a sunrise or a sunset in this unique environment. Namibia’s second most popular destination after Etosha, this dramatic southern section of the country is a must do for all first-timers to the region. These wide desert landscapes beg to be explored from the slow comfort of a balloon ride, but getting close and intimate with its many creatures, large and small, is equally rewarding. So is a few days spend in total solitude in a landscape as old as the ages.
3 nights in Etosha at Ongava Tented Camp
It seems miraculous that life should manage to cling to survival in this arid landscape. But, don’t be misled. In the dry north, the 22 000 square kilometre Etosha National Park rises out of the cracked white clay after the first rains to provide a feast of plenty after the harsh winter. Key to its survival is the scattering of water holes that it leaves in its wake. Just enough to survive the next winter when land turns to ashen dry clay and the vegetation withers into the dustbowl. Etosha will astound you with the tenacity with which nature refuses to let go. Seeing desert-adapted rhino and elephant, and lion if you are very lucky, grace this landscape with comfort and resolve, makes for a very special big game experience.
Detail
Kulala Desert Lodge is situated on a huge, private area adjacent to the magnificent red dunes of Sossusvlei. It offers superb mountainous scenery, immense open plains, and some of the best night skies in the world.
The 23 thatched and canvas have been decorated to a north African theme. Each unit is raised on a wooden platform to catch the refreshing breeze on hot summer days, and has a deck on the flat rooftop for sleep-outs under the stars. The main area of Kulala Desert Lodge includes a shady lounge, bar, plunge pool and indoor dining area, with a well-designed wrap-around veranda overlooking the riverbed.
Early morning is the best time to explore and photograph the dunes and pans of Sossusvlei. Guests at Kulala Desert Lodge have access to this magnificent area through a private gate on the Tsauchab River. This is complimented by nature drives and walks on the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, as well as quad biking and horseback safaris for the more adventurous. Hot air balloon flights are also a great way to enjoy the wonders of the desert.
Sossusvlei-Namibrand
The red dunes of Sossusvlei form a dramatic backdrop to the vlei (dry pan), with it’s cracked, white clay floor and skeletal, dead camelthorn trees. The pan was created when the shifting dunes of the Namib smothered the Tsauchab River. A bird’s eye view of the wind-honed ridges and curvaceous lines of the sea of dunes is an unforgettable experience so it’s worth taking a sunrise balloon ride, a scenic flight or a hike up one of the high dunes. And leave time to explore the Sesriem Canyon, carved through the layers of conglomerate rock by the Tsauchab River, near the entrance gate.
The Namibrand Nature Reserve, to the south of Sossusvlei, offers a very different, more exclusive experience. One of the largest private nature reserves in southern Africa, it showcases a fascinating variety of game species in a brilliant setting. Majestic oryx, kudu, giraffe and endearing bat-eared fox set against the red and golden dunes are a photographer’s dream. Intriguing ‘fairy circles’ create polka dots on the landscape and the dunes harbour a rich array of endemic lizards, scorpions, beetles and spiders that are revealed on guided tours. Overnighting in the carefully designed lodges and camps in the reserve is an incredible treat. Thanks to efforts to conserve its exceptional night skies, the reserve was recognised in 2012 as Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, so is the perfect place to view the twinkling stars.
Discreetly hidden in a valley at the foot of a hill, Ongava Tented Camp is one of Etosha’s best kept secrets. Constructed from local stone, canvas and thatch, this intimate vintage wilderness camp overlooks a waterhole that is extremely popular with wildlife.
Surrounded by bush, each of the nine spacious Meru-style tents is raised on wooden decking and includes en-suite facilities, open air showers and private covered verandas with views over the waterhole. The two tents comprising the family unit comfortably sleep four people.
Ongava Tented Camp offers an exclusive, intimate safari on the private Ongava Game Reserve, with big game viewing extending across to the neighbouring Etosha National Park. Ongava is one of the largest private game reserves in Namibia, and features almost all of the characteristic wildlife of the area, including plains game such as springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, Burchell's zebra, Hartmann's mountain zebra, waterbuck, red hartebeest, giraffe, eland and the endemic black-faced impala. Elephant and cheetah can be found in the Etosha Park; while lion, leopard, and black and white rhino move freely between the Park and the Reserve. Ongava holds one of the largest rhino custodianships in the country and is one of the few private game reserves in southern Africa where guests can see both black and white rhino.
Etosha
Etosha is not just another Big 5 reserve. The ebb end flow of the park is propelled by the vast mud cracked expanse of the Etosha Pan, and nowhere else in Africa will you see wildlife in such remarkable surroundings.
Etosha it is probably best known for its vast herds of plains game such as zebra, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and springbok, but offers pretty decent sightings of the big cats and the ubiquitous pachyderms. It is also home to several rare and endangered species, including endemic black-faced impala, tsessebe and cheetah, as well as the largest population of black rhino in Africa. The latter are often sighted at the series of waterholes along the southern edge of the pan.
Etosha’s birdlife is incredible and some 340 species, about a third of which are migrants, can be found in the mopane woodlands, grasslands, savannah and saline desert. During the rainy season greater and lesser flamingos, and even pelicans are often sighted at Fischer’s Pan in the eastern section of the reserve.
LOGISTICS
This safari commences and ends in Windhoek, Namibia
- Scheduled charter flight, Windhoek to Sossusvlei
- 3 Nights accommodation at Kulala Desert Lodge in Sossusvlei
- Scheduled charter flight, Sossusvlei to Doro Nawas via Swakopmund
- Scheduled charter flight, Doro Nawas to Etosha
- 3 Nights accommodation at Ongava Tented Camp in Etosha
- Scheduled charter flight, Etosha to Windhoek
Itinerary
Hot Right Now!
Take advantage of the lower South African exchange rate and get a luxury trip at an amazing price:
Hottest Tours of 2016
Cape Town & the Kruger
Active Adventure Tour
Golf & The Big 5
