Namibia & Botswana: Dunes, Delta & the Kalahari

Arrive in Johannesburg and transfer to your hotel. Meet your fellow guests tonight at a welcome dinner.

This morning, fly to Walvis Bay, where you are met and transferred to Swakopmund. Tour this historic small town with its timeless German village feel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Explore the coastal area of Walvis Bay. Start the day with a dolphin and seal cruise on a catamaran in the outer lagoon. Cross to Pelican Point to see large colonies of Cape fur seals up close, as well as pelicans, flamingos and bottlenose dolphins. Come ashore for a guided tour of Sandwich Harbour via 4x4 vehicle, seeing giant sand dunes run straight into the sea. Enjoy the dune drive before returning to Swakopmund for an evening at leisure.

Fly to Sossusvlei and your luxurious desert lodge. Situated in the private NamibRand Nature Reserve, the andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge offers 10 air-conditioned stone and glass villas that capture the splendor and solitude of the desert. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure, taking advantage of the lodge’s many activities, including ATV rides, hiking and stargazing.

No Namibian safari is complete without a visit to world-renowned Sossusvlei, a place of awe-inspiring beauty. Rarely filled with water, the salt and clay pan is surrounded by magnificent terra cotta sand dunes that rise nearly a thousand feet into the vast, blue sky. A climb to the top of one of these dunes — among the highest in the world — is an unforgettable experience. Return to your lodge for an afternoon at leisure.

Start the morning with a nature drive to explore the fascinating NamibRand Nature Reserve, observing its unique desert-adapted plants and wildlife, as well as beautiful landscapes of dunes and bright blue skies. Return to the lodge for breakfast. Later in the afternoon when it is cooler, venture out for a trail ride over the dunes and rocky outcrops on an ATV, led by an experienced guide. Return to the lodge for dinner. Spend the evening at leisure, with time to reflect on your day spent exploring the stunning, stark desert panorama.

Fly to Windhoek and check in to your hotel, a restored castle set on top of a picturesque hill. Relax for the rest of the day, perhaps around the swimming pool. Enjoy dining this evening at the hotel restaurant.

Set off for Maun via Johannesburg, continuing on to Sanctuary Chief’s Camp in the Okavango Delta. The camp is situated in the Mombo Concession of the Moremi Game Reserve, the “predator capital of the world” and one of the best places in Botswana to see the “Big Five” — the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and Cape buffalo. This is primarily because the lush delta draws a fantastic concentration of wildlife. White and black rhinos are also found here, the latter of which is among Africa’s fastest-disappearing species. Settle into your luxurious camp, with 12 secluded and spacious bush pavilions set along natural pathways frequented by the local wildlife, and enjoy your first game drive this afternoon.

Game viewing in the Okavango Delta area is nothing short of spectacular. This area is renowned for its large population of elephants, buffalo, giraffes and of course predators, such as leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas and a large resident pride of lions. Enjoy a seasonal mokoro (dugout canoe) ride for a rare safari opportunity across deceptively quiet marshlands alive with crocodiles; bathing hippos; birds; and tiny, red reed frogs. On your afternoon game drive, listen for roaring lions on the hunt or spy nocturnal animals as they start out for the night. Visit an area that is now home to 20 endangered black rhinos relocated for their safety. Learn how Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy and Sanctuary Retreats partnered with the Botswana Defense Force and Wilderness Safaris to protect these precious animals from poachers. After an exciting day of game viewing, return to your camp to relax, dine and enjoy more of the activities on offer.

Depart the delta this morning for the Makgadikgadi Pans and your accommodations at Jack’s Camp. A series of large salt pans left over from a vast ancient lake, the Makgadikgadi Pans are an unforgettable destination, with a silence unlike anything you’ve experienced. After settling into your tent, join your guide for tea before driving into the grasslands and the beautiful evening light.

Set off in the morning to visit some of the Kalahari’s most fascinating inhabitants, the meerkats. Thanks to an ongoing habituation program, it’s possible to get up close and personal with these captivating creatures. On chilly mornings, you might find a meerkat snuggling up to you for warmth, or in the absence of a termite mound or tree, using your head as a handy lookout post. Leave the meerkats to visit a remote cattle post, where you learn about the traditional culture of the Batswana people. Later today, take off across the pans on an ATV ride; with no landmarks to gauge distances, the terrain scrolls endlessly under your tires, making for a perspective-shattering experience. End your ride as the stars begin to emerge from the vast overhanging sky.

Early in the morning, comb the edge of the extinct lakeshore to hunt for stone tools and fossils left behind by human ancestors. In the afternoon, head off in search of some unique desert species, such as aardvarks, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves and the elusive brown hyena, one of the rarest carnivores in Africa.

Rise for an unforgettable walk with the Zu’hoasi Bushmen trackers, an extraordinary group of men who share a rare glimpse of the land and their means for survival, along with an opportunity to interact with a unique — and quickly disappearing — culture. Depart Jack’s Camp for Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero in Chobe National Park. This exquisite lodge sits above the Chobe River and offers unparalleled panoramic views across the islands and floodplains. Enjoy lunch and time to relax on your first night. Begin the next day with a sunrise game drive. Chobe National Park covers a diversity of landscapes ranging from riverine forests to floodplains and periodic marshlands. The area is home to the largest concentration of elephants in Africa, as well as an abundance of hippos, buffalo, antelopes and lions. You may also embark on a boat safari and photographic cruise on the Chobe River. Back at camp, enjoy a Chef’s Table experience offering you a taste of traditional local cuisine.

Return to Johannesburg for your flight home. The Premier Lounge is available for you while awaiting your departure.