Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls - Tour Destination

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Our popular Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls overland tour visits some of the major highlights of three of Africa’s most remarkable countries, all offering vast areas of pristine wilderness. From the ochre-coloured dunes of the Namib Desert to the lily-choked backwaters of the Okavango Delta, the flamingo-studded lagoons of the Skeleton Coast to the game-filled waterholes of Etosha National Park and the breath-taking Victoria Falls, these countries provide incredible contrasts and an eco-tourism experience like no other. Our comprehensive tour combines the numerous endemic and special birds and animals of the dry, western deserts and Okavango region with the more widespread and spectacular savanna species, never neglecting the incredible scenery and prolific wildlife for which the region is famous. Spending quality time observing mammals, large and small, will be a major focus of this tour and we should see creatures ranging from Elephant-Shrews to Elephants, Fur Seals to Hippopotamus and an exciting range of charismatic African big game including the fabled ’Big 5’ (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo and Elephant). Operating this tour in the winter and early summer months allows us to escape the extreme temperatures experienced in the closing months of the year. As a further bonus the game viewing is best at this time as the lack of rain forces animals to concentrate in predictable areas allowing for spectacular game viewing.

We begin our explorations in the rugged highlands around Windhoek, before making our way through the vast desert plains of the Namib-Naukluft National Park to Walvis Bay. Here, thousands of flamingos and other waterbirds feast on the richness of the cold Atlantic Ocean and a unique ecology survives in the tallest dunes in the world. In particular, we will take time out to find the world’s strangest plant, the Welwitschia, growing in the seemingly lifeless gravel plains.

Moving northwards, we will visit sites for Namibia’s endemic birds in the world’s most ancient mountains, the Erongos, and then combine birding with unrivalled game-watching in the famous Etosha National Park. As we move to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the woodlands become taller and denser and we will search for a range of new species. Days spent along the floodplains of the Kavango and Zambezi River systems provide some of the most exciting birding and animal watching in Africa. Finally, after crossing the Caprivi Strip, we will end our tour in Livingstone after marveling at one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the mighty Victoria Falls.

Some of our target birds include Slaty Egret, Wattled and Blue Crane, Ludwig’s and Kori Bustard, African Skimmer, Pel’s Fishing Owl (one of ten probable owls!), Hartlaub’s Fran-colin, Rüppell’s Parrot, Rockrunner, White-tailed Shrike, Herero Chat and an incredible diversity of larks.

Please contact us for the detailed itineraries for these tours.

tour name & dates 2011	Cape to Windhoek: 17 Sep - 1 Oct (15 days) Best of Namibia: 1 - 11 Apr (11 days) Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls Overland I: 25 July - 11 Aug (18 days) Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls Overland II: 1 - 18 Oct (18 days)
tour cost 2011	Namibia Overland I & II: US$ TBA Cape to Windhoek: US$ TBA Best of Namibia: US$ TBA
max group size	12 & 2 Rockjumper leaders
tour leaders	Markus Lilje (NBZ I), Cuan Rush & Jan Pienaar (NBZ II), Rainer Summers & Jan Pienaar (Best of Namibia)
habitats covered	coastal estuaries, Acacia & broad-leafed woodlands, riverine forest, floodplains, mountains, gravel & sandy deserts
climate	cold to warm (winter), warm to very hot (summer)
tour pace & walking	relaxed pace, undemanding walks
accommodation	comfortable hotels, national park bungalows and lodges
ease of birding	easy, open country birding
no. of species expected	300 - 350 (winter); 380 - 430 (summer); 200+ (Best of Namibia)
top mammals	The “Big Five”, Cheetah, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, Sitatunga, Meerkat
other attractions	Welwitschias, Namib sand dunes, Etosha, Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls, African art
photographic opportunities	excellent

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