Leaders	Darren Rees and Dalton Gibbs
Flights	Lufthansa, scheduled Outbound: Overnight, Heathrow - Windhoek Inbound: Overnight, Windhoek - Heathrow (outbound and inbound via Frankfurt)

Days 1-2	Overnight flight from London to Windhoek (via one stop) - 1 night Arebbusch Lodge.
Days 3-4	Drive south to Namib-Naukluft National Park, birding enroute. Following day explore red dune field at Sossusvlei and desert birding - 2 nights Soft Adventure Camp.
Days 5-6	Drive to Walvis Bay birding enroute. Following day boat trip (am) and explore Swapokmund/Welwitchia area (pm) - 2 nights Iris Boutique Hotel.
Days 7-8	Cape Cross and Skeleton Coast. Drive to Brandberg. Exploration of Ugab River valley - 2 nights Brandberg White Lady Lodge.
Day 9	Etosha National Park (west). Wildlife viewing from Okaukuejo - 1 night Okaukuejo Rest Camp.
Days 10-11	Etosha National Park (central). Wildlife viewing from Halali - 2 nights Halali Restcamp.
Day 12	Etosha National Park (east). Wildlife viewing in eastern area, plus night drive - 1 night Namutoni Camp.
Day 13-14	Travel to Waterberg birding enroute, followed by final game drive next day - 2 nights Waterberg Restcamp.
Days 15-16	Return to Windhoek for flight home, via one stop, arriving UK on Day 16.

Weather	Sunny and mild with the evenings cool - occasionally cold at night. Rain is rare during this period (0°-22°C).
Walking	There will be regular short easy walks, occasionally on sand dunes and sometimes over rocks.
Meals	All included from lunch on Day 2 to lunch on Day 15.
Health	There is a low risk of malaria in the areas we visit but please take advice from your local travel clinic/doctor about malaria prophylaxis.
Insects	Mosquitoes and biting insects will be rare, but you may still wish to bring repellent.
Accom	Lodges, guest houses and chalets all ensuite. Any named accommodation may be subject to change.
Group	12

One of the best safari experiences, with incredible wildlife and stunning desert scenery. Red dunes, Skeleton Coast and famous Etosha NP, plus Oryx, Elephants, Rhinos and Lions.

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	*   Red dunes of the Namib Desert
	*   Big game at Etosha National Park
	*   Floodlit water-holes for Black Rhino and more
	*   Rich birdlife from Ostrich to Scarlet-chested Sunbird
	*   Many endemics such as Damara Hornbill, Dune Lark and Herero Chat
	*   Fur Seal colony and dolphins along Skeleton Coast
	*   Great, comfortable lodges

Days 1-2	After an overnight flight from London, via Frankfurt, we arrive in Windhoek. On arrival, we meet our experienced guide Dalton Gibbs and transfer to our hotel to freshen up and relax, before birding for the rest of the day.
Days 3-4	We travel south to the stunning Namib-Naukluft National Park, one of the world’s most photographed desert areas, with red dunes towering 300m into the air – the perfect backdrop to striking Southern Oryx. From the Weltevrede Guest Farm we can explore the dunes and gravel plains that support Ostriches, Mountain Zebra and Springbok, as well as a world of tiny mammals, reptiles and insects. Birds include colourful Bokmakierie, elegant Ruppell’s Korhaan, huge Lappet-faced Vulture and the elusive Dune Lark.
Days 5-6	The road west leads us to Walvis Bay, taking us from mountains and dunes to rolling grass-covered hills, with scattered acacia and we’re birding all the way, with species such as Black-chested Snake-eagle, Double-banded Courser and Pale Chanting Goshawk (last time we compared the Meerkats!). Next, a tour highlight is our boat cruise from Walvis Bay, with the opportunity to see Cape Fur Seals, plus Heaviside’s and Bottlenose Dolphins. At one of Africa’s most important saltwater lagoons, expect White Pelicans, Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Kittlitz’s Plover, an abundance of gulls, terns and migrant waders, plus endemic Cape and Crowned Cormorants. Inland, beyond Swakopmund, is the bewildering moon-like landscape of Welwitchia, home to primitive desert conifers, as well as Stark’s Lark, Tractrac Chat and Ludwig’s Bustard.
Days7-8	Leaving Walvis Bay, our route takes us to Cape Cross on the Skeleton Coast - a sliver of desert, renowned for winds, shifting sandbanks and rusting wrecks. It’s also home to Namibia’s largest Cape Fur Seal colony with 100,000 animals - attracting sharks offshore and scavenging Black-backed Jackals. Inland we head for Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain (home to Rock Hyrax, Verreaux’s Eagles and Klipspringer), before our next base for two nights. We shall explore the Ugab River that dissects an amazing, unpopulated desert wilderness, home to Violet Wood-Hoopoe, Bare-cheeked Babbler, Damara Hornbill and Hartlaub’s Spurfowl. We shall search for the much-prized desert-dwelling Elephants – we had wonderful sightings last time.
Days 9-12	Etosha National Park is the jewel of Namibia and rivals any destination in Africa. From three bases we can explore the huge Etosha Pan, with its plentiful herds of Burchell’s Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Southern Oryx and, with luck, Lion and Cheetah. During the dry season waterholes, like the one at Okaukuejo, are magnets for wildlife with Elephant, Giraffe, Kudu and Springbok visiting throughout the day. The rich birdlife includes Grey Go-away-bird, African Hoopoe, Bateleur and Martial Eagle and Namaqua and Burchell’s Sandgrouse. However, it’s after dusk at the floodlit waterholes that the excitement is greatest: Double-banded Sandgrouse come to drink, followed by ghostly Elephant and perhaps shy Black Rhino or elusive Leopard. At central and eastern locations, there are Spotted Hyena, endemic Black-faced Impala and shy Damara Dik-dik. The more verdant grasslands have larger birds, such as Blue Crane, Kori Bustard, Red-crested Korhaan, Secretary Bird and a fine array of raptors. Again, after ‘sundowners’, exciting evenings can be spent at the waterhole. Our last night in Etosha will be at Namutoni and we’ll arrive in good time to prepare for our night drive: nocturnal prizes may be Bat-eared Fox, Aardwolf, Aardvark or Brown Hyena.
Days 13-14	We travel to Waterberg Plateau Park, where 120m high, sheer orange sandstone cliffs rise above the acacia savanna. There’s a high diversity of birdlife in the broad-leafed woodlands, thornbush and rocky screes: African Paradise Flycatcher, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Rockrunner, Ruppell’s Parrot and endemic Hartlaub’s Spurfowl occur. Here we shall search for endearing Dwarf Mongoose, cackling Violet Wood-Hoopoe and Rosy-faced Lovebirds breeding in the cliff faces. In previous visits we’ve also seen cliff-dwelling Verreaux’s Eagles. Our extended stay here allows us one last game drive around the plateau – there’s more Mountain Zebra, hopefully large Eland (the biggest of the antelope species), but perhaps the most prized animal will be the White Rhinos that find sanctuary here. It could be a grand ending to the tour.
Days 15-16	After an optional early morning bird walk, we breakfast, then return to Windhoek for our flight home, arriving in London on Day 16.

Just some of what we hope to see..

Black Rhino	Springbok	Secretary-bird
White Rhino	Black-faced Impala	Hartlaub's Gull
Elephant	Damara Dik Dik	Martial Eagle
Lion	Roan	Ruppell's Korhaan
Leopard	Eland	Ostrich
Southern Oryx	Cape Fur Seal	Bateleur
Spotted Hyena	Heaviside's Dolphin	Hartlaub's Spurfowl
Cheetah	Bottlenose Dolphin	Kori Bustard
Giraffe	Lappet-faced Vulture	Ruppell's Parrot
Blue Wildebeest	African Black Oystercatcher	Burchell's Sandgrouse
Burchell's Zebra	Verreaux's Eagle	African Paradise Flycatcher
Hartmann's Mountain Zebra