Africa’s oldest deserts

Your trip starts with an overnight stay in the Namibian capital of Windhoek, situated in the scenic Central Highlands region. The stylish Olive Grove Guesthouse is located in the heart of upmarket Klein Windhoek, just a 5-minute drive from the Central Business District and the city’s most popular restaurants. It has five standard rooms, five luxury rooms, and an executive suite, all decorated in a neutral, contemporary style with a slight Moroccan twist. We would recommend the luxury rooms or the suite as they are more spacious, have a private balcony, and benefit from an alternative dining area. Windhoek is an attractive city, surrounded by rolling hills, and has a relaxed and cosmopolitan feel.

Flying south-west out of Windhoek, you will pass over the spectacular Naukluft Mountains and the expansive rolling dunes of the Namib, before touching down on the 27,000-hectare Kulala Wilderness Reserve. Wilderness Kulala Desert Lodge is located on the reserve. It has its own private airstrip and a private access road into the dune fields, enabling guests to avoid any waiting time at the main gate when taking guided excursions. There are 23 spacious canvas-and-thatch chalets, each set on a raised wooden deck, to make the most of the stunning views! The chalets at Wilderness Kulala also have a ‘sky bed’ on each of their roofs, should guests wish to spend a night sleeping under the stars. This region is truly breathtaking, with towering orange sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see, all set under a cloudless blue sky.

Leaving the Namib behind and this time heading eastward, you fly over the ancient wilderness of Damaraland. Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp is set in a wide valley among the rocky hills of the vast Palmwag Concession. Accommodation comes in the form of eight spacious Meru-style safari tents, all with sweeping views over the surrounding plains and the Etendeka Mountains. The area around Wilderness Desert Rhino is very rich in game – in fact, the concession is home to the largest population of free-roaming black rhino in Africa, and the camp works in collaboration with the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) to preserve and monitor the species. During their stay, guests are able to view these incredible animals and learn more about the conservation work being done in the concession.

On Day 7, you’ll fly up to the Ongava Game Reserve, which lies along the southern border of Etosha National Park. Made up of 30,000 hectares of land, Ongava is a haven for large concentrations of wildlife and offers visitors a truly memorable safari experience. Ongava Lodge comprises 14 luxurious stone-and-thatch chalets dotted along the top of a small kopje, which overlooks an active, floodlit waterhole. While at the lodge, guests can take guided day and night drives on the reserve, track the reserve's rhinos on foot, or drive themselves into neighbouring Etosha National Park.