Namibia
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Join us on a tour to wild, wonderful Namibia in the southern autumn - the best time to go - for a dazzling array of birds, and some terrific mammals too!
From swirling apricot-coloured dunes and stark granite hills, via Namibia's mist-shrouded Atlantic coast, to an extended stay in legendary Etosha National Park, our acclaimed Namibia tour will surprise you in its magnificence of landscape, the hospitality of its people and, above all, the wonder and sheer variety of its birds, mammals and other wildlife. Leaving the capital Windhoek, our journey takes us first to Namibia's cool Atlantic shore, where we spend two nights at Walvis Bay, at the extreme southern end of the fabled 'Skeleton Coast'. The graveyard of so many ship-wrecked sailors over the centuries, this infamous stretch of fog-shrouded coastline is better known nowadays for its enormous concentrations of shorebirds, flamingos, cormorants and Cape Fur Seals. Inland, the remarkable desert is home to the ancient Welwitschia, a bizarre desert plant that may live for over 2000 years. From our base on the coast, we'll explore the towering red dunes, with their sand-diving lizards and fog-drinking beetles, and the seemingly endless gravel plains. Crossing the Namib desert, our visit to the Erongo Mountains offers both stunning lodgings and many Namibian specialities. Heading north, we reach the Brandberg, Namibia's highest mountain. This huge desert inselberg towers above the shimmering desert plains and is home to a range of endemics - and the elusive 'Desert Elephant'. To complete our tour, we'll then enjoy the best part of a week in and around famous Etosha. One of the world's finest National Parks and the undoubted jewel in Namibia's glittering wildlife crown, Etosha's vast natural basin has long since lost the lake that it once held. But this 'place of dry water' remains an oasis for an extraordinary wealth of wildlife. Scenes from countless television wildlife spectaculars spring to mind as we come face to face here with Lion, African Elephant, Common Zebra and herds of dainty Springbok. Our tour is timed to run at the end of the rains (the biological equivalent of the European spring), when many birds are still in breeding plumage, and with many intra-African migrants in evidence, too. Daytime temperatures are also cooling at this time and the land is surprisingly green, making travelling much less dusty than in the dry season. This will be Callan's 8th visit to Namibia for us. With our exciting itinerary finely tuned, there's no better way to see this bird-rich land of vivid contrast and compelling natural beauty. Accommodation: We stay at a choice selection of good-excellent guest houses, lodges and permanent tented camps. All rooms have private facilities (please note: just occasionally at Etosha, some accommodation here may be in two-bedroomed cottages, each with its own shared bathroom). Meals: All included in the price. Food is very good. Some lunches will be picnics. Walking: Easy. At Etosha, please note that the presence of wild animals precludes excursions on foot. Sturdy, comfy walking shoes adequate for this tour. Ground Transport: By minibus. Roads in Namibia are generally good but some travel will necessarily be on well-graded gravel roads. Principal Leader: Callan Cohen Numbers: Max. 12 clients |
© Callan Cohen
Dunes near Walvis Bay
Price: £ 4,495
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of return scheduled flights London-Windhoek, all accommodation, meals, surface transport, entrance fees and permits to parks, tips, airport taxes, map, checklist of bird and mammals, and services of the leader/s.
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Click here for a full, printable itinerary |
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