13 Days Best of Southern Africa : Sand Dunes and Living Water Tour Package

Duration: 13 Days / 12 Nights
Dates:  Nov
Priced From: $9,998 pp dbl.occ.

Southern Africa includes one extraordinary habitat after another, and a diversity of landscapes so exceptional that it’s hard to believe they share the same region. With our many years of experience, we have crafted a 13-day journey (with two intriguing extensions) with some of Southern Africa’s most remarkable locales — from the sands and game-rich waterholes of Namibia to the wildlife of Botswana’s Okavango Delta and Linyanti region.

Nowhere else will you find so comprehensive or exhilarating an introduction to Southern Africa. Among other great sites and experiences, you’re treated to the huge and ever-changing sand dunes of Sossusvlei; the abundance of animals (especially elephants) at the water holes of Etosha; the waters and wildlife of the Okavango Delta, which covers nearly 6,000 square miles; and the plains game of Linyanti Reserve.

Your accommodations are destinations in themselves, and they add greatly to the safari experience. You’ll stay in the region’s most distinctive lodgings, such as the Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, located among some of the most gorgeous desert scenery, and a superb tented camp in the heart of the Okavango Delta. We hope you’ll join us on a journey that is bound to stand out as a highlight of your travels.

Days 3 & 4
Sossusvlei, Namibia

We fly to Windhoek, Namibia and continue by light aircraft to the Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, a private reserve located in the middle of some of the world’s most spectacular desert scenery. Sossusvlei is home to the world’s tallest sand dunes, nearly 1,000 feet high. They are an endlessly fascinating and ever-changing sight, presenting myriad photographic opportunities. The dunes become an especially intense orange at sunrise and sunset, and their shapes, sculpted by wind, fire the imagination. In addition to exploring the dunes, we’ll take nature drives in search of desert wildlife including springbok, gemsbok, Cape fox, hyena and aardwolf. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 5 & 6
Etosha National Park / Ongava Game Reserve

We fly first to the charming German-influenced town of Swakopmund, taking an excursion by boat on Walvis Bay, where we look for flamingoes and dolphins. We continue to Ongava Game Lodge, on the southwestern boundary of Etosha National Park in the private Ongava Game Reserve. The amount and variety of game here is astonishing. On our game drives we’ll look for lion, cheetah, gemsbok, zebra, giraffe, kudu, wildebeest, springbok, hartebeest and both white rhino and black rhino. Etosha’s elephants are famous for their large size, and we’re bound to see herds as they come to drink. The bird life is also a delight, with ostrich, cuckoos, cranes, kingfishers and hundreds more species. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 7 & 8
Okavango Delta, Botswana

We take connecting flights to Maun, Botswana, gateway to the Okavango Delta, and continue by light aircraft to the fine Xigera Camp or Little Vumbura Camp. The Okavango is one of the world’s most remarkable ecosystems, a place you simply must see — a 6,000-square-mile inland wilderness of waterways, islands and wildlife. We’ll stay in the delta’s heart, and enjoy game viewing drives, foot safaris, mokoro (dugout canoe) excursions and boating explorations. Wildlife includes lion, leopard, hippo, elephant and rarities such as the shy sitatunga antelope. The bird life here also is exceptional. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 9-11
Linyanti Reserve / Savuti

We fly by light aircraft to Duma Tau Camp or Savuti Camp, located in Botswana’s renowned Linyanti Reserve. This is a legendary wildlife region, best known for its large number of predators, including lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog. The area is also home to a dense population of elephants, roan antelope, sable antelope and giraffe. We have the luxury of three nights here, during which we’ll take day and nighttime game drives and go on walks accompanied by an armed guide. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 12 & 13
Johannesburg / U.S.

Time permitting, we’ll view wildlife in the morning before we fly to Maun and on to Johannesburg. We remain at the airport for our evening flight to the U.S., arriving Day 13 and connecting with flights home. (Day 12: B,L,D; Day 13: B,L)

Note : On some departures, the sequence may differ from that shown above, but all the places described will be visited.

• See the wild landscapes of the Cape of Good Hope, African penguins at Boulders Beach, and the vistas of Cape Town’s Table Mountain.

• Explore the world’s tallest sand dunes (nearly 1,000 feet high) at Sossusvlei, Namibia.

• Stay in some of the finest national parks and reserves in Africa, among them Etosha National Park, the Okavango Delta and the Savuti area of the Linyanti Reserve.

• Enjoy a visit to massive Victoria Falls, with ample time to experience their power and beauty.

• Take daytime and nighttime game viewing drives, walks and excursions by boat and by dugout canoe, water level permitting.

• You’ll see a huge range of habitats and experiences, while exploring greatly diverse regions.