Luxury Grand Tour of Namibia

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Luxury Grand Tour of Namibia

Duration10 days

Price guide

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Gemsbok with orange sand dune at sunset.

Portrait of a big male lion lying in the grass, Etosha National Park, Namibia.

Heard of elephants gathered at a waterhole

Destinations

Days 1–2

Etosha

A remarkable Namibian grand tour that takes you on a luxury safari through surreal desert landscapes to find wildlife and quirky towns. From its capital, Windhoek, head to the endless dunes of the Namib Desert to explore Sossusvlei and Deadvlei. Travel to Swakopmund, a German town squeezed between the Atlantic and endless sands, and on to the rugged mountains of Damaraland for ancient rock art, black rhinos and desert elephants. End at Etosha whose waters draw a wonderful array of wildlife.

Trip highlights

Set off on private tours over the dunes of the Namib
Explore Damaraland and Etosha National Park
Enjoy a Walvis Bay Sea and Dolphin cruise
Explore Swakopmund and Windhoek on city tours

Views over the Namib Desert

Stargazing at Wilderness Little Kulala

Desert adapated elephants in Damaraland

San ancient rock art

Sundowners on safari at Ongava, Etosha National Park

Bespoke safaris with Jacada

We design one-of-a-kind journeys incorporating luxury in all its forms. Our bespoke luxury safaris in Namibia include:

Exclusive luxury safari lodges, camps and hotels
Curated and private experiences
Skilled guides and local wildlife experts
Decades of combined safari expertise from our team
Full support from your concierge in Africa

Itinerary in detail

Every Jacada trip is tailored to your personal preferences and interests. Below you’ll find a sample itinerary to inspire your own custom-designed journey.

Days 1–2

Overnight in Windhoek

Windhoek is one of the smallest capital cities in the world with a population of just 234,000, but it is home to some fascinating buildings with typical German architecture. You could also visit the National Botanical Gardens featuring mountain aloes, a large evergreen succulent with a dense rosette of fleshy, green leaves and striking orange flowers.

Where you could stay

Windhoek

The Olive Exclusive

Your home before you venture off into the barren and beautiful Namibian Desert, this stylish boutique hotel is hidden away in the Eastern corner of Namibia’s capital and only proclaimed city, Windhoek. The city itself is the seat of the country’s cultural and administrative powers but despite this, it remains one of the smallest capitals in the world with just 250,000 residents. The Olive reflects Windhoek’s small size, providing a cosy but luxurious bolt-hole with great access to the surrounding wilderness. Reminders of the prevalent Namibian culture are spread throughout the hotel as the modern is combined with the traditional. Rough-hewn wooden benches sit on plush carpets around sculpted granite coffee tables, animal-skin rugs lay beneath large beds covered in crisp white cotton and wide glass doors lead out onto your personal terrace for a view across the small city.

Windhoek

Hotel Heinitzburg

Housed in a turreted castle built by Count Schwerin for his fiancee and with fabulous views over Windhoek, this Relais & Chateaux property is hands down the most luxurious place to stay in the capital city. The sixteen rooms are contemporary and chic with a traditional twist, very well-equipped and highly comfortable. A quiet sanctuary in the midst of the city, the hotel’s gardens and pool are a joy to relax in and a nearby golf course means getting in a couple of holes before your flight home or a good way to begin your trip, is pleasingly straightforward. A fantastic restaurant and with tables set up on the wonderful terrace outside, means very few guests choose to dine out.

Days 2–4

Two nights exploring the Namib Desert

The towering terracotta sand dunes and clay pans that belong to Sossusvlei form the signature landscape of Namibia. Located in the Namib-Naukluft National Park in the southern Namib Desert, this rippling sand-sea of huge dunes has been shaped by the winds and the underground Tsauchab River.

Enjoy your time in the world’s oldest desert with your guides taking you on walking safaris, scenic drives and perhaps a photography lesson or two. Your travel designer will be able to talk you through the various activities available depending on which accommodation you choose to stay at.

Where you could

Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei Desert Lodge

Designed to capture the splendour and solitude of the desert, just ten stone and glass desert villas spread out along the curve of the escarpment allowing absolute privacy. Each air-conditioned suite features a private veranda, split-level bedroom and living room with fireplace, en-suite glass-encased bathroom and outdoor shower. The villas are equipped with a stunning star-viewing skylight, discreet CD system, custom-stocked personal bar and compact spotting scope for magnificent star and game viewing. The guest area, where walls have become windows that fold away completely, boasts unimpeded desert vistas. The split-level Lodge features a fire-lit bar, comfortable sitting room, swimming pool, wraparound verandas and a Safari Shop. A fine selection of wines from an impressive walk-in wine cellar complements delicious Pan African meals. Guests can escape the desert heat with a revitalizing midday dip in the pool fed by water from an underground spring. At sunset, animals are drawn to a nearby waterhole, enhancing desert sundowner drinks.

Positive Impact

Sossusvlei

Wilderness Kulala Desert Lodge

Located within the 37,000 hectare private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, this lodge enjoys convenient access via a private gate to the iconic red dunes of Sossusvlei.

Positive Impact

Sossusvlei

Wilderness Little Kulala

Offering more of a ‘boutique’ polish and size set in the 37,000- hectare private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, and a stone’s throw from the Sossusvlei dunes, this beautiful lodge is easily the most luxurious in the area. Wilderness Little Kulala consists of 11 climate-controlled thatched suites, sympathetically designed so as to merge deceptively into the desert landscape. Each one is air conditioned with an en-suite bathroom, and has its own private outdoor pool and shower. The rooms are huge and with floor-to-ceiling windows designed to spoil you with the incredible views that flood in. Or take it a step further and star gaze in style on your own private rooftop. The main lodge is built on three levels and provides an elegant entertainment area, with a spacious lounge, stylish dining area , well-stocked reference library and its own wine cellar to boot.

Explore the desert

Dry trees with orange sand dunes in the background in Dead Vlei, Namibia.

A discovery of the Sossusvlei dunes

Embark on an excursion to the incredible Sossusvlei dunes, to admire the incredible views and experience the magical silence of the desert. Hike the high peaks, wander the petrified deserts, look out for desert wildlife and marvel at the other-wordly landscapes.

Days 4–6

Two nights in Swakopmund

Enjoy some time exploring Swakopmund, a small German coastal resort situated between the desert and the sea. This charming town boasts a combination of German architecture, good hotels, shops, restaurants, museums, craft centres, galleries and cafés for you to enjoy. Alternatively you may like to partake in any of the adventure activities on offer including quad-biking in the dunes, sky diving and scenic flights, which your travel designer will be able to advise you about.

Explore the rugged coastline

A flock of pink flamingoes in Walvis Bay.

The Walvis Bay sea and dolphin cruise

From Walvis Bay embark on a sea and dolphin cruise where you’ll spot Cape fur seals, Heaviside and bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, flamingos and a wide variety of other sea birds. Whales, leatherback turtles and sunfish also frequent these waters. In the afternoon explore Walvis Bay lagoon and the salt pans. The lagoon and surrounding wetlands are a RAMSAR wetland site of international importance and an important feeding area for many migratory birds: a prime location to spot coastal species.

Days 6–8

Two nights exploring Damaraland

One of the most scenic parts of Namibia, with plenty of scope for adventure, Damaraland encompasses the expanses of rugged wilderness in Namibia’s northwest between the Skeleton Coast, Kaokoland and Etosha. It is home to very few people, wandering herds of desert-adapted elephants and black rhino. The plains are dotted with surreal rock formation decorated with ancient San rock art, petrified forests, the imposing Spitzkoppe mountain and the Brandberg Massif (Namibia’s highest mountain).

Though there are no national parks here but instead a collection of game reserves and concessions that house remote safari lodges. Here you can hope to spot wildlife including lions, cheetahs, giraffes and more in the captivating surrounds.

Where you could stay

Namibia

Wilderness Damaraland Camp

This is one of Namibia’s finest camps, blending magnificent views, comfort and exclusivity. Cradled in the Huab River Valley, Wilderness Damaraland Camp is set among desert plains, ancient valleys and the amazing Brandberg Mountains. All ten adobe-designed thatched units are en-suites with shower facilities and built-in fans. Other facilities include a large viewing deck boasting magnificent views, a restaurant and bar area, swimming pool and outside boma, while their list of exciting activities is also impressive. During the day go on guided nature walks to sundowner drives, to tracking the rare desert-adapted elephant. As evening comes, dine on meals by lantern light followed by the staggering stargazing that Namibia has to offer.

Positive Impact

Namibia

Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp

You’ll find Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp in a wide valley, nestled amid the undulating hills of the 450 000-hectare Palmwag Concession. This tranquil area is recognised for its minimalist beauty and the large range of desert-adapted wildlife that call the area their home, most noticeably for its free-roaming black rhino population, the largest in Africa.

Namibia

Mowani Mountain Camp

Grouped together like a typical African village in squeezed between huge rust-coloured boulders of the Twyfelfontein Conservancy, Mowani is an imaginative and sustainable eco-lodge with astonishing desert views. Perfectly placed to explore the landscapes of southern Damaraland and the bushman rock art the area is famed for, not to mention the desert elephant and black rhino within the conservancy, Mowani conjures up a wild romance and ethnic tranquility in its setting and service. Four ‘View’ tents, eight standard ones, one luxury room and one suite (with private deck & private lounge area) give you a choice as to the type of traveller you are.

Damaraland

Camp Kipwe

Huddled among – and even built around – huge orange boulders of a rocky outcrop in the dry grasslands of the Aba Huab Valley, Kipwe is a gem of an eco-friendly camp. There are nine dome shaped rooms at Camp Kipwe and one sprawling, thatched roof suite. Natural touches such as rocks embedded in the floor and animals carved into the wood, mimicking the area’s famous engravings, add to the unique sense of place, as do incredible views out across Damaraland. Follow paths through the rocks to the heart of the camp – the communal lounge area and dining area with its expansive deck area and cool swimming pool where birds flock. Explore the area in search of long wandering desert adapted elephant herds, hike along the river bed and marvel at the ancient rock carvings at Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the oldest engravings might be as old as 10,000 years. Sustainable eco-tourism and community upliftment is of the utmost importance and local villagers can also give you a unique insight into life and traditions here.

Namibia

Etendeka Mountain Camp

Boasting an incredible setting at the foothills of the immense Grootberg massif and amongst the ancient Etendeka lava flows of northern Damaraland, Etendeka Mountain Camp puts its emphasis on nature, and rightly so. The eco-friendly camp uses solar power and features ten en-suite meru tents connected by pathways to the main dining tent. Modern amenities such as flush toilets, hot-and-cold running water, and a stunning open-air “bucket” shower will make your stay as luxurious as it’s possible to be while in the heart of the wilderness. You’ll enjoy simple but delicious meals, prepared on solar or on open fires and eaten under starry African skies. You’ll spend your days here exploring the area by foot and in open game drive vehicles accompanied by exceptionally knowledgeable guides. Keep your eyes peeled for desert elephant and black rhino, cheetah, lion, zebra, and herds of oryx.

Positive Impact

Namibia

Wilderness Doro Nawas Camp

Blending in with the surrounding rugged terrain, the thatched stone Wilderness Doro Nawas Camp is set atop a rocky mount in the dry and dramatic Aba-Huab River Valley.

Days 8–10

Two nights by Etosha National Park

Etosha’s most distinguishing feature is its horizon-less silvery salt pan that covers 6,133 square kilometres, as well as the variety and concentration of game that crowd its surrounding spring-fed waterholes. Nicknamed the “Place of Mirages”, the terrain is extraordinary especially when a pride of lions, herds of blue wildebeest or desert elephants stand against this stark backdrop.

The remains of an ancient inland lake, the Etosha Pan, takes up about a quarter of the park’s land and there is a variety of habitats within the park’s borders from mopane woodland to treeless plains, open savannah, becoming more hilly the further west you go.