NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA & MOZAMBIQUE

DESERT, DELTA & BEACH

Day 1            

On arrival into Windhoek Airport you will be met by a representative and assisted to your light aircraft for your flight to Sossusvlei. Sossusvlei is situated within the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world, which itself is part of the Namib Naukluft National Park that stretches 400km south of Walvis Bay and is sandwiched between the west coast and the escarpment that runs parallel more than 100km inland. Its huge red dunes and flat valley floors make up the archetypical view of the Namib that is world famous.

Little Kulala, Namibia

Little Kulala is the flagship of Namibia's extraordinary Sossusvlei area. The lodge attracts informed travelers, who enjoy the first-rate facilities, charming hospitality and nearby proximity to the towering sand dunes. This acclaimed desert retreat is located in the only reserve with direct access to Sossusvlei. The lodge offers climate-controlled villas and an elegant entertainment area that includes al fresco fine dining as a highlight. The 11 stylish thatched villas merge impeccably into the timeless desert landscape, with exquisite fittings and fixtures, innovative bleached decks each with a private plunge pool. The extensive use of neutral colors, gorgeous textures and natural light reproduce the soothing pastel tones of the desert. Each villa has a rooftop 'sky bed' for romantic stargazing, with both indoor and outdoor showers.

Early morning guided game drives to the spectacular towering dunes are through a private gate into the reserve. Guided drives and walks are also offered on the private reserve with incredible views, desert animals and smaller desert fauna and flora. 

Day 2           

This morning you will start the day with a sunrise balooning safari. You will be collected at the hotel prior to sunrise for your adventure. It is an approximate 60-minute balloon safari at first light, offering a truly unique experience to soar silently above the magnificent sand dunes and desert, ending with a champagne breakfast. Overnight Little Kulala 1 x Suite [Fully Inclusive]

Rates include: All meals, all safari activities, park fees, all local drinks (premium exported brands excluded) and laundry.

Day 3      

This morning you will have your normal activity and then after breakfast you will leave for the airstrip and you will depart on a light aircraft heading north to the Kunene Region. Your flight may touch down at Swakopmund and Palmwag to collect and drop off other guests.

The Kunene Region is located in the extreme, remote north of Namibia, where mountains of largely folded metamorphic rock are cut through by rivers, including the Kunene River, which is the natural border between Namibia and Angola. In rainy years, the large Marienfluss and Hartmann's valleys become grassy expanses, but generally their flat topographies are covered by sand broken only by a few tough grasses, shrubs and the mysterious 'fairy circles'. In this isolated region, the Himba people continue their nomadic, traditional way of life.

Serra Cafema, Namibia

Serra Cafema is located on the banks of the Kunene River in the extreme northwest of Namibia and is probably the most remote camp in Southern Africa, and quite possibly the best. The camp is set in a narrow strip of shady trees along the river, the only permanent source of water in the region. Behind this strip of vegetation is an arid landscape of sand dunes; to the north, across the Kunene, are the spectacular mountains of Angola. Serra Cafema camp is ideal for those who yearn for wild places, and for the ultimate romantic escape.

There are eight extremely spacious chalets of canvas and thatch, each with en- suite facilities including showers. Each has a private deck, complete with comfy hammock.  The camp has a dining room, a bar, a swimming pool and also a small ‘breakaway’ lounge to use if you wish to relax in some privacy.

You will spend the days out and about in this arid landscape; exploring the dunes in a jeep or on a quad-bike trail, or boating on the river. The quad-bikes allow you to visit areas that larger vehicles cannot access, but it is done in an eco-conscious manner. This area is the home of the Himba people, nomadic cattle herders whose culture and traditions remain largely unchanged and the camp organizes sensitively conducted cultural visits to their villages.

EPIC ROAD SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

Epic Road has partnered with MPOWRD to abolish energy poverty in Africa through the distribution of free solar lights to families without electricity. Thank you for choosing to be a part of this special project. During your stay, you will visit with various families of the Himba tribe sparsely dotted across the desert without access to electricity. You will have an opportunity to spend time together and learn about this warm, welcoming, fascinating and traditional culture. You will provided with 10 solar lights to be distributed to 10 pre-selected families and will be participating in a process that will significantly change these families lives. Check out this video to get a better idea... http://www.epicroad.com/luci-and-epic-road/

Day 4 – 5                        

Serra Cafema 1 x Chalet [Fully Inclusive]

Rate includes: All meals, all safari activities, park fees, local drinks (premium exports and wines are extra), laundry.

Day 6            

This morning after breakfast you will depart for the airstrip and board a light aircraft back to Windhoek. Your flight may touch down at Palmwag to collect and drop off other guests. On arrival into Windhoek Airport you will be met by your driver in the arrivals hall. He will have your name on a board and will transfer you to The Olive Exclusive in Windhoek.

The Olive Exclusive

The most stylish address in Windhoek - the Olive Exclusive offers an elegant and contemporary level of accommodation like no other.  The first ultra-chic retreat of its kind, focus remains on attention to detail, modern works of art, superb comfort, personal attention and  a restaurant that is rated as one of the best. Overnight the Olive Exclusive 1 x Premier Suite [Bed and Breakfast basis]

Day 7            

This morning you will have an early road transfer to the airport for your South African Airways flight to Maun, Botswana. 

With an area of almost 600 000 square kilometers, Botswana is virtually the same size as France or Texas. Situated in the center of southern Africa, it is a landlocked country, with Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe as its immediate neighbors. The most striking features of the country are its flatness and aridity. With the exception of the eastern part of Botswana where the great majority of Batswana live and where the summer rainfall is slightly higher, three-quarters of Botswana is technically a desert. This is what makes the Okavango Delta even more remarkable. It is a wonderful wetland within a desert, getting its waters from rain falling in central Africa, 1000km away.

Selinda Camp, Botswana

Selinda Camp rests on the banks of the eastern Selinda Spillway in the 320,00-acre Selinda Reserve of northern Botswana. This prime location is deep with in rich wildlife territory. The shaded camp affords extraordinary views over the Selinda Reserve's prolific floodplains and savannas. Dotting the landscape is commanding borassus palms, where nesting birds roost and baboon spy. The extensive raised decks, surrounding both the main lounge and guest tents, allow guests to enjoy a meal or a relaxing afternoon while still enjoying wildlife viewing. There is a hardly a moment in camp where there isn't an animal in sight.

There are few places in northern Botswana as dynamic as the Selinda Reserve, which is centered on the famous Selinda Spillway, which weaves its way east, linking the far reaches of the Okavango Delta in the south with the Linyanti water systems in the east. The Selinda Reserve is west (upstream) from Savute Channel and Chobe, so it has all the advantages of both of those famous areas but with the tremendous advantage of exclusivity. It is a truly spectacular and unique landscape.

On safari it is possible to see a tremendous diversity of species, from resident prides of lion to huge herds of elephant and packs of wild dog. It is also home to the ungulates, from the rare roan to the ubiquitous zebra. Nocturnal wildlife is prolific as well, and there are frequent sightings of aardwolf and civet. Exploration of this vast area defies imagination... by foot, 4x4 open game drive vehicle, boat or simply sitting quietly in a hide.

Day 8 – 9

Selinda Camp 1 x Tent [Fully Inclusive]

Rates include: All meals, scheduled safari activities, conservancy fees, laundry, return airstrip transfers and all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages excluding champagne and imported premium drinks.

Day 10           

After your morning safari and breakfast it is time to depart to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight to Vumbura Plains in the Okavango Delta.

The Okavango Delta is one of the last remaining unspoiled wilderness areas of Africa. The Delta is fed by the floodwaters of Central Africa and covers an area of some 16000 square kilometers. These waters fan out to create a wetland system of beautiful palm-fringed channels, lagoons and islands that support a wealth of fauna and flora alike.  

Vumbura Plains, Botswana

Vumbura Plains Camp is a luxury camp situated in a private concession in the extreme north of the Okavango Delta. The concession, which is leased from the neighboring community, includes a wide variety of habitats, diverse wildlife and an enormous traversing area of 60,000 hectares.

What makes the Vumbura concession so unique is its position on the extreme north of the Okavango Delta. This position encompasses such a wide variety of habitats and species that it has representatives of just about every animal that occurs in the Okavango biome. Both land and water activities are offered, principally nature viewing in varied habitats in open 4x4 vehicles, nature walks, mokoro trips and boat excursions. Whilst exploring the spectacular ecology of this area, one can enjoy close-up viewing of lion, leopard, elephant, cheetah and buffalo along with all the plains game.

EPIC ROAD SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE

During your stay, you will take a sunset helicopter ride over the magical Okavango Delta to visit a remote local community without access to electricity. As a result of the seasonal flooding in the region, this community is often isolated from the outside world. You will have an opportunity to meet with the warm local people and learn about their traditions, dances, musical instruments, and trades. You will provided with 10 solar lights to be distributed to 10 pre-selected families and will be participating in a process that will significantly change these families lives. To say it simply... Its a magical experience.

Vumbura Plains Camp comprises two separate seven-roomed satellite camps, each with its own raised dining, lounge and bar area tucked beneath a canopy of cool, shady, indigenous trees. Each large, luxurious room is raised off the ground on wooden decks and each comprises a bedroom, lounge, shower and full en-suite bathroom. Outdoor showers are standard. It is open on three sides, and the billowing curtains between the various areas create the sense of a yacht floating through the floodplains. Each room also has a plunge pool and 'sala' - a comfortable area to lie and relax, watching the waving grasses of the floodplain.

Day 11           

Vumbura Plains 1 x Suite [Fully Inclusive]

Rates include: All meals, all safari activities, drinks (except premium imported wines, champagnes, spirits and liqueurs) and laundry.

Day 12        

Today, after breakfast, you will board a light aircraft to take you back to Maun for your onward flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. 

Day 13-17    

You will be collected very early in the morning and taken to the airport for your flight to Vamizi Island. Upon arrival at Vamizi, set your clock forward by 1 hour. Vamizi is on its own time zone.  Upon arrival you will be met by staff and transferred by Jeep to Vamizi. Met on arrival and transferred to Vamizi Island, Mozambique for 4 nights on an all-inclusive basis. Walk the pristine white sandy beaches of Vamizi's virgin Indian Ocean coastline. Dive, snorkel, and fish the beautiful clear waters, teeming with fish, coral, dolphins, humpback whales, giant turtles, and manta rays. Take lunch alfresco on a deserted beach finish off with a lazy afternoon on a sunset dhow sailboat. Mozambique's beaches are among the best, particularly Vamizi Island - barefoot luxury at it’s finest with excellent food and wine. Choose from a range of activities, from diving one of the world’s top ten dive sites, Neptune’s Arm, to incredible game fishing, spectacular snorkelling, kayaking and sailing. Alternatively, explore inland with the resident World Wildlife Fund guide and discover the on-going conservation programs, or simply relax, do nothing, and enjoy a range of spa treatments in the comfort of your own villa. Activities including snorkeling, kayaking, dhow sailing, birding, guided nature walks, community visits, beach picnics, and Hobie Cat sailing are included. Deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, padi courses, spa treatments, yoga, and motorized water activities are excluded.

Day 17         

After lunch, say goodbye to Vamizi and your friends and head to the airport for your flight home. Connect with your evening international flight.