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Day 1: Cape Town
On arriving into Cape Town International airport, you will be welcomed by a representative who will transfer you to your hotel. Spend the day at leisure. Before dinner, a briefing of the tour will be held and time given for an equipment check.
Cape Town is known as the "Mother City" as it has the status of being the oldest city in the country. It has an incredible mix of superb landscapes, historical buildings and a mixture of cultures with a charming cosmopolitan ambiance.
Day 2: Clanwilliam
We depart from Cape Town along the R27 towards South Africa's rugged and untamed West Coast. On the way we will stop at Blouberg beach to take photographs of the iconic Table Mountain.
The town of Clanwilliam is your next destination, which is situated at the foot of the mighty Cederberg mountain range and offers bird-watching, historical buildings, the scenic beauty of the flowers in "Flower Season" (July - September, depending on rain fall) as well as water sports.
Furthrmore, Clanwilliam is located in a part of the Western Cape, which is the only area in the world where Rooiboos (Red Bush) is planted, cultivated and then used to make the uniquely South African Rooibos tea. The town is also known for its "Veldskoene" (leather shoes) made by Strassbergers. A visit to the factory is worthwhile and shoes can be bought in any size and colour.
Day 3: Orange River
We depart after a late breakfast. After crossing the South Africa/Namibia border, it is a short drive to our accommodation. The evening is spent enjoying a relaxing sun-downer overlooking the mighty Orange River.
You'll be staying in a Cabana tonight with magnificent views of the Orange River. Each Cabana has air conditioning and is decorated in true African style. They all have en-suite bathrooms and sleep two people in comfort.
Day 4: Fish River Canyon
We depart the Orange River and drive two hours to Ai Ais near the Fish River Canyon. Once checked into our lodge we will have lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure. For the late afternoon shoot we either view the Fish River Canyon or go into the veld and take photos or Quiver trees.
The Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. It features a gigantic ravine, in total about 160km long, up to 27km wide and in places almost 550metres deep. The river cuts deep into the plateau which is today mostly dry and sparesely covered with hardy drought-resistant plants. The river flows intermittently, usually flooding in late summer, the rest of the year it becomes a chain of long narrow pools.
Day 5: Luderitz
Following an early breakfast we depart from the Fish River Canyon, making sure we are at the entrance as the gates open for the day. We proceed onto the viewing point and take advantage of the morning light.
En route to Luderitz, we travel along the Huib-Hoch Plateau to the town of Aus for lunch before heading down to the wild coast of Namibia. There is the possibility of viewing the famous wild Namibian Horses originating from when Namibia was occupied by Germany.
Our reason for traveling to Luderitz is to visit the nearby "ghost town" of Kolmanskop. In 1908, a railway worker found a sparkling stone amongst the sand, sparking a huge, frantic diamond rush and causing fortune hunters to converge in droves on Kolmanskop.
The development of Kolmanskop reached its pinnacle in the 1920's but the town declined after World War 1, when diamond prices crashed. Within a span of 40 years Kolmanskop lived, flourished and died. Today the ghost town's crumbling ruins bear little resemblance to its former glory. The stately homes have been nearly demolished by the wind and are gradually becoming enveloped by encroaching sand dunes, making them interesting photographic subjects.
Day 6: Sossusvlei
After a morning photo shoot at Kolmanskop, we aim to be on the road by 10am, stopping at Helmeringhausen for lunch. We continue our journey, arriving at the Sossus Dune Lodge near Sossusvlei. The lodge is inside the Namib-Naukluft Park and therefore guests can depart for the dunes before sunrise.
Day 7: Sossusvlei
Today we wake up early before sunrise and depart from the lodge to view the famous red sand dunes of the Namib Desert. The Namib is known to be the oldest desert in the world. Once through the entrance gate, we travel direct to dune 45. For the next few hours we will have a private guide at our disposal. We will also visit Dead Vlei with its unique white clay and hundreds of year of acacia trees, preserved in this harsh dry environment.
We return back to our accommodation for lunch and to get out of the heat of the midday sun. Later in the afternoon, we take a short drive to Sesriem Canyon. The canyon is only two metres wide in places and has a portion that permanently contains water, which many animals use. Past the canyon the Tsauchab flattens and grows broader and is surrounded by a riparian forest as it slopes towards the Sossusvlei salt pan.
Day 8: Swakopmund
Today we depart at 8am on a scenic route, passing Gaub terras and the Naukluft Mountains, stopping for landscape photo opportunities if and when required. We have morning tea at Solitaire and then head on to the Walvis Bay lagoon for a picnic lunch. Although the light is harsh at this time of the day, there may be photo opportunities of flamingos in the lagoon. We arrive at 2pm in the seaside town of Swakopmund, which has been described as a little corner of old Bavaria "plonked" onto the African coast.
The afternoon can be taken at leisure and gives one a break from the dust and sand of the desert. The afternoon can also be used to book optional activities for the following day, such as scenic flights, over Sossusvlei or Toscanini, visits to Sandwich harbour and Cape Cross or quad biking and boat trips etc, with the adventure centre in the town.
Day 9: Swakopmund
For those who choose not to do an optional activity we depart on a morning round trip to the Namib - Naukluft Park to capture the extraordinary Moon Landscape, a seemingly never-ending series of bizarre, barren hills resembling the lunar Sea of Tranquility.
We also visit the Khan River and the oasis of Goanikontes in search of what have been called "living fossils", the giant Welwitschia mirabilis. These extraordinary trees never grow more than two metres above the ground, but the bigger specimens have underground stems which are up to four metres wide.
Day 10: Twyfelfontein
After breakfast, we leave for our next destination, Twyfelfontein. On route we pass the western slope of the Brandberg Mountains and the possibility of sighting desert elephants. Along the way there may be chance to see the Herero People with their brightly coloured dresses. After checking into our accommodation we head to the Twyfelfontein rock carvings.
Twyfelfontien is a rocky site situated in the Kunene Region of north western Namibia. The site contains around 2,000 rock carvings and in 2007, UNESCO approved it as a World Heritage Site. The site is one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock in Africa and was proclaimed a National Monument in 1952.
Day 11: Etosha
Early breakfast is followed by visiting other attractions in the Twyfelfontien area such as the Organ Pipes rock formation, "Burnt Montain", Doros Crater and Petrifed Forest. Thereafter we drive three hours to lunch at Outjo. Etosha is a further hour and a half drive.
Once we have entered the Etosha National Park and settled into our chalets, we will head off on our first afternoon safari in the Etosha.
Etosha National Park is one of Africa's major wildlife sanctuaries, covering an area of more than 22,750sq km. During the drier months of June to November the water points exert a magnetic pull on the big game herds and form the centrepiece for seeing the nearly 150 species found in the Park including several rare and endangered species such as the black rhino, black-faced impala, tssebe and gemsbok.
Day 12: Etosha
During our time in the Etosha we will be undertaking early morning and late afternoon game drives in our overland vehicle. Over this time we will also visit the floodlit waterhole at Okaukuejo and Fort Namutoni, previously the northern most German outpost.
On the second evening we will experience a night game drive in an open 4x4 vehicle with one of the parks guides. As darkness decends, the tracker scans the landscape with a spotlight picking out the glinting eyes of nocturnal animals. A great opportunity for photography at night.
Day 13: Etosha
More photographic experiences in the National Park.
Day 14: Windhoek
We leave in the morning and travel to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Depending on flights to Cape Town, we can either catch an airport transfer to the airport or stay over in Windhoek for the night
Day 15: Departure day
Transfers will be arranged to the airport for connecting flights.
This fantastic 15 days (14 nights) photographic experience with Grand Tourist includes:
- 14 nights accommodation at a variety of hotels, lodges and chalets
- All vehicle transfers around South Africa and Namibia
- Breakfast daily
- Lunch and dinner daily
- Endless photo opportunities
- Game drives in the Etosha National Park including a night photoshoot
Notes:
- Best time to travel to Namibia is between April and September
- Best time to visit the Etosha National Park for game viewing is from May to September
- Namibia is a vast country with places of interest often over ½ a days drive apart therefore travellers should be prepared to spend a certain period of time in the vehicle
- Vehicle is fully air-conditioned and can seat 24 people
For further details of this fantastic Namibia Photographic Tour please contact Grand Tourist directly on +44 (0) 1829 751038 or email
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