Namibia is an effortlessly gorgeous country. One aspect of the nation that many internationals experience firsthand are the vast distances between destinations. One of the most effective ways to see a good amount of Namibia’s famous geographical locations is by air. Fly in Safaris give you more Namibia in less time. All fly ins are booked on a fully inclusive basis, ensuring all meals and activities are catered for. The only thing you have to got to be concerned about, and rightly so is that your camera is fully charged.
Visit Namibia’s iconic Big Three destinations on a Namibia highlights fly-in. Starting and ending in Namibia’s capital city Windhoek, you will fly over the vast and mesmerizing Namib Desert to Sossusvei. Then over the Namibian Coast to Damaraland and finish off with a classic big game safari at the Etosha National Park. This fly-in safari is reversible and available in three levels of comfort: Standard and Luxury and Ultra. You can also extend the itinerary by as many days as you wish to include some of Namibia’s other major destinations like Swakopmund, the Kaokoland and the Caprivi.
Trip Highlights
- Soar over Namibia on a fly-in Safari
- Spend time in the Namib Desert
- Climb the world’s highest sand dunes at Sossusvlei
- Stay at Hoodia Desert Lodge
- Fly to Scenic Damaraland and experience its gorgeous landscapes from the air and on the ground
- Stay at Mowani Mountain Camp
- Track Desert adapted wildlife in Ephemeral River Systems
- Fly to the Southern Boundary of Etosha National Park
- Stay at Ongava Lodge
Trip Summary
Day 1 – Arrival in Windhoek
Upon arrival at the Windhoek International Airport or Eros Regional Airport you are met by a representative of Essence lifestyle who will transfer you to our head office. Here you will have time to kick, back, relax and take in your new surroundings. An Essence Lifestyle representative will run through your exciting fly in safari in detail and will provide you with your travel documents as well as an accompanying surprise from us. After your briefing you will be transferred to your accommodation if you are not staying at Essence Lifestyle. Dinner tonight can be held at any dining establishment in town as per your choice and on your own account.
Destination: Windhoek
Stay: Essence Lifestyle Windhoek (Or Similar)
Type: Boutique Guesthouse
Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Day 2 – Windhoek to Sossusvlei
From Windhoek International Airport or Eros Regional Airport you will fly over the Khomas Hochland and the Naukluft Mountains down the 1000m escarpment to Sossusvlei, what can be described as visual lavender in the Namib Desert. En route you will be exposed to a sneak peak of this desert gem. This short flight will reveal an endless sea of copper sand dunes stretching to the Skeleton Coast and the Atlantic Sea. You arrive at the local airstrip where you will be transferred to Hoodia Desert Lodge, your home for the following two nights.
Destination: Sossusvlei
Stay: Hoodia Desert Lodge
Type: Desert Lodge
Basis: Fully Inclusive – All Meals and activities with a lodge guide and vehicle on a shared basis.
Day 3 – Sossusvlei
You rise early this morning for an excursion into Sossusvlei where you will wander about at Dead Vlei, with its collection of petrified acacia trees and red dunes rising sheer from the salt-white pan. Climb a dune and capture the full force of a sea of red sand dunes as far as you can see. This is experienced at sunrise due to the huge temperature increase after 10am. Back at your lodge, take scenic game drives into the desert looking for creatures both large and small. Sunsets here are gorgeous and what comes next will take you to the origins of time itself, the inky black, star lit desert night in one of the world’s purest skies.
Destination: Sossusvlei
Stay: Hoodia Desert Lodge (Or Similar)
Type: Desert Lodge
Basis: Fully Inclusive – All Meals, Local drinks and activities with a lodge guide and vehicle on a shared basis.
Day 4 – Sossusvlei to Damaraland
After spending two nights in the desert expanse of Sossusvlei you fly over one of the world’s largest nature reserves where you will be able to visually identify the land change from dunes and mountains to vast plains that collide with a dune belt along the Skeleton Coast past Conception Bay, Sandwich Harbour and Walvis Bay. It’s a scenic flight and you will land in Swakopmund to re-fuel your plane for the flight to Twyfelfontein airstrip in Magical Damaraland. From Twyfelfontein Airstrip you will be transferred to your destination for the night, Mowani Mountain Camp set amidst granite boulders, offering undoubtedly the best sunsets in all the land.
Destination: Damaraland
Stay: Mowani Mountain Camp (Or Similar)
Type: Lodge
Basis: Fully Inclusive – All Meals, Local drinks and activities with a lodge guide and vehicle on a shared basis.
Day 5 – Damaraland
Today enjoy a drive with a lodge guide in an open-air 4×4 vehicle in search of Namibia’s desert-dwelling elephants, of which there is estimated to be about 150 left. Knowledgeable guides provide information about the area and assist with spotting the elephants and other desert adapted wildlife. A drive can last between 3 and 5 hours and may include a visit to several sights in the area such as the rock engravings at Tywfelfontein. A UNESCO World Heritage site which boasts some of the oldest rock paintings on the planet.
Day 6 – Damaraland to Etosha
Your mid-morning flight takes you over Damaraland to the southern border of The Etosha National Park. As you fly over Damaraland towards the east the land rises and levels out to form quintessential savannah plains that support the spectrum of southern African wildlife and several endemics species. No visit to Namibia would be complete without a safari in renowned Etosha National Park. A representative from Ongava will collect you from the Ongava Airstrip and transfer you over to Ongava Lodge where you will spend the following two nights.
Destination: Southern Etosha National Park Boundary
Stay: Ongava Lodge (Or Similar)
Type: Lodge
Basis: Fully Inclusive – All Meals, Local drinks and activities with a lodge guide and vehicle on a shared basis.
Day 7 – Southern Etosha
This morning you will rise early and head into the Etosha National Park with an Ongava Guide and vehicle, you spend the next few hours on an exciting game drive taking in the sights and sounds of the savannah. Etosha offers the traditional classic African wildlife safari with all of the big game and plains species present. Top this with a unique national park that has a massive pan in the middle surrounded by natural waterholes and you have an exceptional game viewing experience. After an afternoon Salsa you can take part on an exciting game drive on the Ongava Private Reserve ending in a surreal sundowner.
Destination: Southern Etosha National Park Boundary
Stay: Ongava Lodge (Or Similar)
Type: Lodge
Basis: Fully Inclusive – All Meals, Local drinks and activities with a lodge guide and vehicle on a shared basis.
Day 8 – Windhoek
Bid farewell to the wildlife, the peace and tranquillity and the unspoiled scenery as you fly back to the capital Windhoek. Upon arrival at Eros Regional Airport a representative on Essence Lifestyle will collect you and transfer you to your hotel for the night. Dinner tonight can be had at Essence lifestyle or at one of the many fine dining establishments in town.
Destination: Windhoek
Stay: Essence Lifestyle (or similar)
Type: Boutique Hotel
Basis: Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Day 9 – Depart
After breakfast this morning and depending on the time of your international flight, you are transferred to the Hosea Kutako International Airport in time for your international departure flight. We hope to see you again soon!
Breakfast
Includes
- All transfers stated above
- All accommodation stated above
- All scheduled flights stated above
- Scenic flight between Sossusvlei and Swakopmund
- All meals, local drinks and activities at Hoodia Desert Lodge on a shared basis
- All meals and activities whilst at Mowani Mountain Camp on a shared basis
- All meals, drinks and activities at Ongava Lodge on a shared basis
- Tourism levies, VAT, Park Entry fees, & community conservation contributions
- 24 hour ground support
Excludes
- International flights
- Personal travel insurance
- Visas and visa applications
- Staff gratuities
