Destination:

South Africa & Namibia

Travel Dates: 15th November to

3rd December 2010

'The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway.'
Henry Boye

Highlights
Vintage Destinations Tour Leader
CapeTown & the West Coast
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens & Table Mountain
Cederberg Heritage Route & Mountains
Pre-historic San Bushmen rock art
Springbok
Augrabies Falls National Park
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (The Kalahari)
Fish River Canyon
Sossusvlei
Namib Desert
Tsondab Sandstones
Swakopmund
Damaraland
Etosha National Park
Okanjima

Possible Extensions
Please ask for details on extending this tour to include the winelands, more time in CapeTown, or any other options that appeal to you in Southern Africa.

Itinerary
15th November
Cape Town; Pick-up and transfer for your O/N in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront complex. Depending on your arrival time a visit to the Waterfront in CapeTown will be possible.

16th November
Visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens & Table Mountain.

The beautiful Kirstenbosch gardens cover an area of 528 hectares with 36 hectares of cultivated garden. The gardens are a celebration of South African flora - showcasing only indigenous South African plants. Fynbos, proteas, cycads and rolling lawns are intermingled with streams and ponds and well-laid out pathways for easy walking.

17th - 18th November
Cederburg Mountains - O/N in chalets.
Cederberg Heritage Route: The Cederberg region, a spectacular mountain landscape and a rich botanical diversity, being part of the Cape Floral Kingdom of South Africa. A major portion is a proclaimed wilderness area that recently obtained world heritage status. It contains a unique combination of attractions, including;

- Pre-historic San (Bushmen) rock art.
- Amazing red sandstone cliffs and rock formations, sculpted and weathered by nature.
- A fascinating variety of flora, including the endemic Clanwilliam cedar tree Widdringtonia cedarbergensis, an endangered Red Data species.
- Abundant bird life and a wide variety of fauna, including the rare Cape Mountain Leopard.
- Communities of farmers & rooibos tea growers, established by early 19th Century Moravian missionaries from Bohemia, living in picturesque mountain villages.

Animal life is diverse in species and baboon, grey rhebuck, dassie and klipspringer can be seen readily. There is also the possibility of seeing leopard.

We have an opportunity for some wine tasting on the farm, in close proximity to our chalets, as well as the possibility of star gazing, from the observatory.

On the second day we will go to see the bushmen paintings that we can find in this area.

19th November
Springbok - O/N in Naries Guest Farm. We will be passing through the heart of the Namaqualand region, which in the late winter and early spring is world renowned for its wild flowers. We will spend our night in Springbok.

20th November
Augrabies Falls National Park. O/N in chalets.

Here the Orange River plunges over granite some fifty six metres to form a breathtaking waterfall. A short drive in the park in the late afternoon, holds the possibility of viewing giraffe, eland, and various other smaller antelope. Leopards occur in reasonable numbers all along the Orange River. Their main prey consists of dassies, baboons and other small antelope.

21st - 22nd November
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park - O/N in chalets.

Our next two nights will be spent at Molopo Kalahari Lodge. This is true Kalahari, with red sand-dunes, knee height grasses and various acacia trees. A wide variety of animals and birds are to be seen in this park. Lions, leopards, cheetah, hyena; both the brown as well as the spotted occur here. Various other smaller predators occur and the antelope include oryx, eland, wildebeest and large numbers of springbok . This is the original area where the bushmen used to live.

23rd - 24th November
Fish River Canyon Nature Reserve - O/N in chalets at Ais Ais.

Ai-Ais is at the southern end of the Fish River Canyon and offers an excellent place to relax after the long walk. The main attraction is the thermal bath.

25th - 26th November
Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei and Namib Naukluft Park - O/N in Sossusvlei Lodge.

The red dunes at the Sossusvlei are some of the most impressive natural treasures of Namibia. With a relative height of about 375m above the Tsauchab River and a height difference of about 225m to the neighbouring valleys these dunes are amongst the highest in the world.

Below the present dune field lie the 30 million year-old Tsondab Sandstones, which represent petrified dunes of an ancient Namib. Thus at Sossusvlei a picture of a desert is created, which lies on the petrified evidence of an even older desert. Both deserts however are separated by a long period of a more humid climate.

Sesriem, the gateway to Sossusvlei, is named after a 30m deep canyon carved through layers of conglomerate by the Tsauchab River. An early departure takes us to explore some of the highest sand dunes in the world at the famous Sossusvlei in time for sunrise and an afternoon visit to Sesriem Canyon.

Optional activities include balloon flights and scenic flights over Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert.

27th November
Swakopmund - O/N in the Hansa Hotel. The coast with its desert hinterland offers many options, both for adventure and for relaxation. Swakopmund is popular amongst visitors because of its old-world charm and relaxed atmosphere. Founded in 1892 during the period of German colonial rule, it served as the territory's main harbor for many years. Today this quaint desert town, hedged by desert and sea, is enhanced by lush green lawns, palm trees and carefully tended public gardens.

28th November
Damaraland - O/N in tented camp.

The name Damaraland is derived from the fact that the Damara people live in this area (they were relocated here as a result of the Odendaal Plan in the 1960's). The name Damaraland is still commonly used in tourism circles, although the entire region has now been renamed; the southern section now lies in the Erongo region while the north forms part of the Kunene region.

Highlights of the area include:
The Brandberg - Namibia's highest mountain and home to the famous 'White Lady' bushman painting.
Twyfelfontein - a wonderful rocky outcrop with thousands of bushman engravings. Spitzkoppe - a typical pointed inselberg, and a place of great mystery to the ancient San people.
The Petrified Forest - millions of years old.
The Vingerklip (finger rock) - a towering finger of limestone that rises 35m above its base. It is a remnant of a plateau formed over 15 million years ago.

29th - 30th November
Etosha National Park - Western side - O/N inside the park in chalets.

Our next two evenings will be spent in the western side of Etosha National Park. Our very basic routine will be to spend as much time as is possible game viewing in this world-famous park.

1st December
Etosha National Park - Eastern side - O/N in chalets in the park. Today we leave the western side of the park and we head east. We will spend one night in this side of the park.

2nd December
Okanjima - O/N Okanjima Luxury Lodge.

Okonjima, home of the AfriCat Foundation, is a non-profit organisation committed to long-term conservation of Namibia's large carnivores, especially cheetahs and leopards. A visit to Okonjima will give you a chance to witness some of AfriCat's work. Many activties are possible here.

3rd December
Tour ends in Windhoek - We depart Okanjima and return to Windhoek in time to connect with your international flight.
End of Services

Tour cost notes - Important information about the price on this tour:
Due to the nature of this exclusive tour, and the locations we visit, we have priced the tour, based on the total number of people signed up. As we don't know this in advance, we have broken this down, to reflect different numbers of guests, to a maximum of 12.

Check with us for the number of people signed up, and we will honour the price listed below, to all as the group grows. If you would like this tour 100% exclusive, (Just your party) these prices will be effective for the size of your group. Please ask for clarification if you need more information. Note: If your an experienced traveler, and you would like to do this tour without a tour leader, or as a camping trip/budget hotels, Please ask for details.

Tour cost, per person sharing, for this comfort & luxury tour...

Single Room Supplement - USD880.00
To help singles - As this tour fills we will try and match up singles to share rooms if you desire.

Tour cost notes: Special rate available for group booking - ask for details(4+).

Included
18nts in fixed accommodation (full board basis)
All meals
All transfers and game drives
Park entry fees to: Augrabis Falls, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Fish River Canyon, The Namib Park and Etosha National Park.
Day tours/excursions as specified on the itinerary
Vehicles equipped with a hydraulic lift
Services of qualified English-speaking local safari guide/drivers & Vintage Destinations tour leader

Excluded
International and domestic flights
Drinks
Transfers not specified in the itinerary
Comprehensive insurance (luggage, personal liability coverage)
Optional activities
Laundry
Gratuities & items of a personal nature
Tipping and gratuities to chauffeur & guides
Passport & visa fees

Please contact us to join this tour

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