|
Namibia - Land Of Contrast
Namibia is a vast land, wedged between the cold Atlantic seaboard and the shifting sand of the world's oldest desert, the Namib, in the West and the vast Kalahari in the East. Between the rocky scrubland and plains of the South and the wooded Savannah and densely wooded bushveld of the Okavango and Caprivi in the North.
Besides this variety, Namibia has an enormous diversity of highlights to offer. The world's second largest canyon, the Fish River Canyon. The highest sand dunes in the world at Sossusvlei. The bizarre desert plant Welwitchia Mirabilis that lives for more than a 1000 years.One of the most hostile places on earth, the Skeleton coast Park. Excellent game viewing in Etosha National Park. One of the most extensive rock art galleries in Africa at Twyfelfontein. The harsh Skeleton Coast, which has been a graveyard for ships and their crews over the ages. A good infrastructure with modern cities and towns. Ghost towns from a bygone diamond era. Remote, traditional villages and a small, but very friendly population of 1.8 million souls consisting of 11 ethnic groups.
Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
The Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is the second Transfrontier Park in Africa and this Mountain Desert is home to the Fish River Canyon and the Ai-Ais Hot Springs. The Fish River canyon is the second largest in the world (after the Grand Canyon in the USA). The Fish River Canyon is 160 km long and up to 27 km wide at certain places and reaches a depth of 550m. Although this is a very harsh environment, game such as kudu, klipspringer, ostrich and the rare Hartman mountain zebra can be seen here.
Namib Naukluft Park
Covering an area of 49,768 km², the Namib Naukluft National Park is not the only the largest park in Africa but also one of the largest parks in the world. This desert park, bordering the cold Atlantic Ocean in the West, includes the Namib Desert, which is the oldest desert on Earth. The main attraction is Sossusvlei. This clay pan is surrounded by red sand dunes up to 380m high, which are among the highest in the world. Other very impressive areas are the Naukluft Mountains in the east and the barren Kuiseb valley in the north, which was made famous by Henno Martin's book "The Sheltering Desert". Although this is extremely barren country, gemsbok, springbok, ostrich and the rare Hartmann mountain zebra can be seen here.
Skeleton Coast National Park
The Skeleton Coast National Park bordering on the cold Atlantic Ocean in the Namib Desert is undoubtedly one of the most hostile places on earth. Many a ship has stranded on the Skeleton Coast with the inevitable loss of human life. South of the Park is the National West Coast Tourist Recreation Area and the largest breeding colony of Cape fur seals in Namibia, numbering thousands at Cape Cross. At the site of the seal colony is the replica of the cross, planted in 1485 by the first European to set foot in Namibia, the Portuguese explorer Diego Cao. The bizarre desert plant, the Welwitchia mirabilis, which can live for more than a thousand years, grows on the barren gravel plains of the Namib Desert. Nomadic Gemsbok, Springbok, Brown Hyena and Black-backed jackal roam this vast and unforgiving landscape
Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park, with its wealth of animal and plant life, lies in the north of Namibia and covers an area of 22,270 km². It is one of the largest game parks in Africa. The pans cover an area of 5140 km², of which the Etosha Pan, which is 120 km at its longest and 72 km at its widest, is the largest. Because of the diversity of soil types in the park, a large variety of vegetation occurs, which brings along a huge variety of animal life. The approximate number of larger animals are as follows: 1,500 elephant, 300 black rhino, 2,000 giraffe, 6,000 Burchell zebra, 700 mountain zebra, 2,600 blue wildebeest, 4,000 gemsbok, 250 eland, 2,000 kudu, 600 red hartebeest, 70 roan antelope, 20,000 ostrich, 700 black faced impala, 1,500 ostrich, 300 lion and an unkown number of leopards and cheetahs.
These figures will vary according to different factors. Of the 340 bird species that have been identified in Etosha, approximately a third are migratory. Of the 35 raptor species, 10 are migratory. What makes Etosha different from many other parks is the excellent game viewing opportunities at the illuminated waterholes at the three camps Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni. Here you can sit and relax day and night and watch the behaviour and interactions of animals coming to drink.
Mahango Game Reserve
The small but picturesque Mahango Game Reserve is situated in the north-east of Namibia on the Botswana border. Mahango covers an area of about 30,000 hectares and is separated from the Caprivi Game Reserve by the Okavango River. Wildlife includes elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, hippo, lechwe, sitatunga, buffalo, sable, and roan and other antelopes. Mahango is known for its rich bird life
Caprivi Game Reserve
The 32km-wide Caprivi Game Park of 5 715km² extends for about 180 km from the Okavango River to the Kwando River. The riverine forests along these rivers attract large numbers of mammals and numerous species of aquatic birds. Caprivi Game Reserve is home to buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, hippo, and roan and other antelopes.
Mudumu National Park
The Kwando River runs through the Mudumu National Park which offers a true Africanwilderness experience. In contrast to the rest of Namibia, the area is lush with riverine forest, marches, dense savannah and mopane woodland. An astonishing 430 species of birds have been recorded (nearly 70% of Namibia’s total) and much game including the rare sitatunga and red lechwe as well as buffalo, elephant, zebra, antelopes, hippo and crocodiles.
Northern Cape - Namibia Tours
TOUR M - 7 DAY Ai-Ais – Richtersveld Trans Frontier Park Tour
This desert tour covers the Namibian and South African section of this mountain desert, with its unique succulent flora. Cross the Orange River between the two sections by pontoon at the recently opened Sendelingsdrift Border Post. Malaria free area.
Accommodation: Chalet/Guest House or camping
TOUR N – 10 DAY Southern Africa Four Deserts Tour
This unique desert tour covers all four arid biomes in Southern Africa, namely Arid Savannah, Nama Karoo, Desert and Succulent Karoo. Experience on this tour the unique landscapes, fauna and flora of the living deserts of Southern Africa. A must tour for desert lovers. Malaria free area.
Accommodation: Chalet/Guest House or camping.
TOUR O – 8 DAY Northern Cape & Southern Namibia Tour
Discovering amazing wonders on both sides of the Orange River. This Tour includes Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Mier area, Fish River Canyon, Ai-Ais Hot Springs, Klein Pella and Augrabies Falls National Park. Malaria free area.
Chalet or camping
TOUR P – 12 DAY Northern Cape & Namibia to Cape Town Tour
This tour departs from Upington and runs through the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Southern Namibia to Luderitz on the West Coast in the Namib Desert, the barren mountain desert of the Richtersveld to the wetland at the Orange River mouth at Alexander Bay. The tour continue south along the West Coast including the previous restricted Diamond Coast, small seaside villages and the West Coast National Park to Cape Town. Malaria free area. Accommodation: Chalet/guest house/hotel & camping.
TOUR Q – 11 DAY Kalahari & Northern Namibia Tour
This tour covers Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Namib Naukluft National Park, Skeleton Coast National Park and Etosha National Park. This Tour is a good combination of Wildlife and Deserts in South Africa and Namibia. Malaria area! Chalet/Lodge or camping.
TOUR R – 14 DAY Kalahari & Northern Namibia Tour
The cultures and landscapes of Damaraland, Kaokoveld and Ovamboland are added to the Wildlife and Deserts of TOUR Q. This tour is an excellent combination of Wildlife, Deserts, Landscapes and Cultures of South Africa and Namibia. Malaria area!
Chale/Lodget or camping.
NORTHERN CAPE - NAMIBIA & BOTSWANA TOURS
TOUR S – 14 DAY Northern Cape, Namibia & Botswana Wildlife Tour
This tour covers Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Etosha National Park, Mahango - & Caprivi Game Reserves, Mudumu -, Chobe -, Zambezi -, Vic Falls - & Marakele National Parks. This tour covers various wildlife parks in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana and Vic Falls in Zimbabwe. Malaria area!
Chalet/Lodge or camping.
TOUR T – 17 DAY Northern Cape, Namibia & Botswana Wildlife Tour
The pristine wildlife areas of the Okavango River & Delta including Moremi Game Reserve are added to TOUR S to offer a tour, which is a very rewarding Southern Africa wildlife safari, covering South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Malaria area!
Chalet/Lodge or camping.
Tour U – 20 DAY Namibia –& Botswana Tour
Deserts and Wildlife safari. This tour covers the desert Parks Ai-Ais – Richtersveld, Namib Naukluft, Skeleton Coast and the Wildlife Parks Etosha, Mahango, Mudumu, Chobe, Zambezi, Vic Falls & Marakele. This tour is the ultimate combination of wildlife and deserts in South Africa and Namibia. Malaria area!
Chalet/Lodge or camping
For our standard Northern Cape - Namibia itineraries and rates, go to tours M, N, O, P, Q & R and for Northern Cape - Namibia & Botswana go to tours S, T & U in the menu above. For reservations and departures please contact us and we will forward you the detailed information.
Standard included/excluded in our tours:
INCLUDED:
Air conditioned transport & accredited driver/guide
Accommodation as per itinerary
All entrance fees to National Parks and Nature Reserves
Meals as per itinerary
Activities as per itinerary
Coffee, tea and cool box with ice in the vehicle
Guide books about flora, fauna, area etc. in vehicle
EXCLUDED:
Air or bus tickets to/from Upington
, Windhoek or Johannesburg
Accommodation before and after the tour
Bottled water, soft and alcoholic drinks
KALAHARI TOURS & TRAVEL
Physical Address:
12 Mazurkadraai Upington 8801
PO Box 113, Upington
8800
TEL/FAX: + 27 (0) 54 3380375
CELL: + 27 (0) 82 4935041
EMAIL: dantes@kalahari-tours.co.za
|
