7 Day Exploring Namibia – Private Lodge Safari

Your adventure begins in the capital city of Windhoek, where your professional guide will meet you with a warm welcome. Leaving the city behind, you will journey south, winding through the rolling hills and scenic mountain passes that lead toward the Namib-Naukluft region. As the landscape transforms, a mandatory stop is made at the tiny, remote settlement of Solitaire. Here, you have the chance to taste their famous local apple pie—a delicious tradition for travelers in this region. The final leg of the drive brings you to the Elegant Desert Camp, your home for the next two nights. Before dinner, you can stretch your legs with a walk in the surrounding area or opt for a scenic sundowner drive offered by the camp to watch the colors of the desert shift at twilight. The day concludes with a three-course dinner under the stars.

Stay at Elegant Desert Camp

Nestled in Namibia’s rugged Tsaris Mountains, The Elegant Desert Camp is an eco-friendly safari retreat offering open-air boma dining, panoramic mountain-view swimming, and guided excursions to Sossusvlei, distinguished by its ten exclusive canvas tents featuring roll-out beds that allow guests to sleep directly under the unpolluted African night sky.

This is a day for early risers, as the Namib Desert is most spectacular at dawn. You will enter the Namib-Naukluft Park just as the sun begins to rise, illuminating the towering red dunes in a display of fiery oranges and deep shadows. After a breakfast picnic amidst the dunes, the journey continues deeper into the desert toward the iconic Deadvlei. Your guide will navigate the challenging 4×4 track to reach this surreal white clay pan, punctuated by ancient, scorched camelthorn trees and surrounded by some of the highest dunes in the world. Before returning to camp, you will explore the Sesriem Canyon, walking through a narrow gorge carved by the Tsauchab River over millions of years. You will return to the lodge in the afternoon to relax before enjoying dinner under the Namibian sky.

Stay at Elegant Desert Camp

Today’s drive offers a dramatic change in scenery as you leave the dunes behind and head toward the coast. The route takes you through the rugged Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons, geological formations that look like the surface of the moon. If recent rains have fallen inland, you might be lucky enough to see these usually dry riverbeds flowing. As you approach the coast, the temperature drops and the Atlantic Ocean appears on the horizon, flanked by desert sands. Your destination is the charming colonial town of Swakopmund. The afternoon is yours to explore the town’s seaside promenades, markets, and architecture. Your guide can offer recommendations for activities and dining, as Swakopmund is renowned for its excellent seafood restaurants.

Stay at Organic Stay Guesthouse

Located in coastal Swakopmund, Namibia, Organic Stay Guesthouse is an eco-conscious boutique retreat where guests can enjoy fresh organic breakfasts and relaxing garden strolls, distinguished by its modern minimalistic architecture that seamlessly blends sustainable, eco-friendly luxury with warm Namibian hospitality.

Traveling north, you will drive along the infamous Skeleton Coast, a stretch of land synonymous with isolation and shipwrecks. You will stop to view one of the vessels that ran aground here, a stark reminder of the ocean’s power. Further along, you will visit the Cape Cross Seal Reserve, home to a massive colony of Cape fur seals; the sights and sounds of thousands of seals are an unforgettable sensory experience. As you continue, the landscape becomes increasingly desolate and beautiful—a region the San people called “The Land God Made in Anger.”

Stay at Malansrus Tented Camp

Upon reaching Torra Bay, the tour turns inland toward the red rock vistas of Damaraland, where you will settle into the Malansrus Tented Camp for the night. Situated along a bank of the Aba-Huab River in Damaraland, Namibia, Malansrus Tented Camp is a customized safari hideaway where guests can embark on guided tracking drives to spot rare desert-adapted elephants and black rhinos, distinguished by its luxurious, shaded canvas suites offering breathtaking 360-degree views of the surrounding red-granite kopjes.

You can choose from a variety of sights and experiences in Damaraland. There is the possibility of visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Twyfelfontein. The area was inhabited between 6000 and 2000 years ago by hunter-gatherers who engraved rock-engravings. Your guide can show you these places away from the main tourist crowds. The Petrified Forest is a good place to visit if you are interested in geology. A fossilised tree trunk estimated to be 260 million years old is found here, with information on how it got there. Petrified Forest also boasts a fascinating and unique plant called Welwitschia mirabilis, which can live up to 1,000 years. Etosha Safari Camp is the next accommodation on your Namibia tour, just south of the Etosha entrance gate. The safari game drive begins as soon as you enter the park. During the afternoon, you explore the park and observe the wildlife. A relaxing supper awaits you as the sun sets.

Stay at Etosha Safari Camp

Located just south of Etosha National Park’s Andersson Gate in Namibia, Etosha Safari Camp is a lively safari lodge where guests can enjoy guided game drives to spot abundant wildlife, distinguished by its quirky, colorful Shebeen-themed restaurant and bar that immerses visitors in authentic local township culture and live music.

To make the most of your safari in Etosha National Park, you should rise early and get started early. During the day, you can explore Etosha’s many inhabitants and learn about its immense size. Animals such as elephants, lions, wildebeests, giraffes, hyenas, and various antelope species may be encountered. It’s possible to see cheetahs or leopards if you’re lucky. Despite the fact that they can be difficult to spot, your guide will be able to make you aware of animals that you didn’t even know existed. Etosha Pan in Oshiwambo, which means ‘Great White Place,’ might also be worth a visit. As the pan extends into the horizon, it is easy to understand why. There is a deafening silence. A delicious dinner awaits you at Etosha Safari Camp after plenty of game viewing and new impressions.

Stay at Etosha Safari Camp

In the morning, you awake to a relaxed start to the day, followed by a hearty breakfast before beginning your journey back to Windhoek. Experience Namibia’s changing landscapes once more as you drive through its wide-open spaces. On the way, you may want to stop at Otjiwarongo for lunch or enjoy some ‘biltong’, a local favorite (both are optional). Local woodcarvers’ markets are available at Okahandja for last-minute souvenirs. Upon entering Windhoek, your 7 day Namibia tour comes to a close; your guide will either transport you to your next lodge or the Windhoek airport. The memories of Namibia will remain with you for a lifetime.