Three Deserts Safari

A comprehensive safari starting in Johannesburg including the Khama Rhino Sanctuary, the Nxai Pan National Park, the Okavango, the Kaudom National Park, the Etosha National Park, Kaokoland, Damaraland, the Skeleton Coast, Sossusvlei, the Richtersveld, the West Coast and ending in Cape Town.

The 21-day - Three Deserts Route

Day 1: Meet at Johannesburg International Airport and depart for Pretoria immediately. We do some shopping at a shopping mall. Lunch is taken here. After lunch we depart for the hot springs at Warmbad – now called “Bela Bela”. We should be there by 15:00 to setup the camp and have some time to enjoy the lovely hot springs. Tonight we have our first campfire and share a real African meal.  It is early to bed to have a proper rest. 210 km

Day 2: We leave early and drive through the Waterberg Mountains which is the final mountain range before entering the Kalahari Desert. We travel northwards through the magnificent Bosveld of South Africa to the border post at Martins Drift. We have something to eat immediately after entering Botswana and then proceed via Serowe to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary where we make our camp. 485 km

Day 3:After a leisurely breakfast or early lunch, we depart driving steadily north-west to reach our campsite on the edge of the Nxai Pan National Park hopefully not later that 16:00h. Le Roi La Tau is not fenced in and thus the wildlife can roam freely through the campsite. We need to get everything up and standing before sunset for it is no joke to build a camp with elephant and lion looking on! Do not worry; you will be accommodated in a comfortable rooftop tent and will be safe! (Lions prefer tour guides) 405 km

Day 4: Up early for breakfast and some last pictures of the animals at the water hole. We then drive to Maun where we should be by late morning to do some shopping. We have a picnic style lunch and proceed to Guma Lagoon Campsite. 445 km. Tonight we camp under huge indigenous trees listening to the echo's of hippos for we are right on the edge of the Okavango Delta.

Day 5 - 6: This safari is specially planned to include the world famous Okavango Swamps. For the next 2 days you are free to explore the Swamps at your own pace. You can go fishing, canoeing, do some birding or just relax and enjoy a drink in the local pub. The activities you choose is for you own account.

 Day 7: We get up early to eat and pack-up and depart for Dobe border post to enter Namibia. This 240 km drive should take no more than 4 hours including clearing customs. We should have a picnic-style lunch just inside Namibia. Shortly after the border, we turn north into the Kaudom National Park to make our camp at Sigaretti. Like at the Nxai Pan, we are again in an unprotected campsite and we need to be there not later than 16:00h in order to gather enough firewood for a proper campfire - we might have visitors! Total of 360 km

 Day 8: We spend another day in the Kaudom. We leave our camp as it is and explore this undeveloped and truly wild part of Africa. (On a previous visit, we spotted more than 500 elephant in a single morning drive!) So we spend the day game viewing. 200km

 Day 9: We leave quite early to drive via Grootfontein to the mining town of Tsumeb. Here we share a meal in a restaurant and do some shopping. Then on to the Etosha National Park and Namatoni campsite where we settle in for the evening. Hopefully the local pride of lions will give us a serenade during the night!  400 km

 Day 10: A lazy morning for enjoy a late breakfast and break camp. We slowly made our way from watering hole to watering hole searching for animals. Shortly after lunch we drive north through the Park and enter "Ovamboland" - the traditional tribal land of the Ovambo people. We make our way to Oshakati - the capital town, where we do some shopping. Then we drive directly east to the town of Ruacana where we meet up with the Kunene River and the Angolan border. We drive down the escarpment to our campsite right on the banks of the river. 370km

 Day 11: We have a late breakfast and depart shortly before lunch. We follow the river downstream to Swartbooisdrift. Then on to the Epupa Falls hidden away in the most northern point of Namibia where we should be by 16:00h. Around our campfire, we'll enjoy the mighty roar of the waterfalls and sleep peacefully under Makalani palm trees. 250 Km

 Day 12: After a lazy morning with a late breakfast/early lunch; we make our way back to Okangwati in Kaokoland and on to the Himba dwelling of Tjiposa. Here we make our camp under the Leadwood trees and the rest of the afternoon and evening we partake in the activities of the traditional Himba people. 96 km

 Day 13: Up early to share in the activities of the Himba people. After breakfast we drive to the major town in Kaokoland - Opuwo where do some shopping and have something to eat. Then on through the majestic Joubertsberge and the "Valley of the Giants" where many baobab trees grow. We now leave the Himba Highlands to drive down one of the steepest passes in Africa into the Namib Desert. By 16:00h we should be at our campsite near Twyfelfontein. It is not uncommon to have desert elephants feasting on the trees in the camp or giraffes peeking at our camp fire. 4x4 roads. 460 km

 Day 14: Up early to visit the World Heritage Site for rock art at Twyfelfontein. This is a very hot and dry area so we should complete the tour by 10:00h in order to escape the worst heat. We break camp and drive along the Aba-Huab River to Uis where we have lunch. Now we enter the "White Desert" as we drive to Hentiesbaai on the Skeleton Coast. Then on with the "Soutpad" - a road made of gravel and salt, to Swakopmund. Here we make our camp. Swakopmund is one of the most "German" towns outside of Germany and a real tourist gem surrounded by the cold Atlantic Ocean and the Namib Desert. 340 km. Supper will be in a restaurant.

 Day 15: A lazy morning to relax or do as you please. You can visit the many amazing sites in the town, do shopping, go fishing or take a quad-bike into the sand dunes surrounding Swakopmund. These activities are for your own account as well as lunch. We now drive over the desolate Welwitcia Plains towards the Kuiseb River and the "Landscape of the Moon". At Solitaire we refuel and buy some home-made bread - hopefully some "Apfelstrudel" as well. Then on to Sesriem where we make our campsite near the Sossusvlei National Park. Tonight we enjoy a lovely campfire whilst watching the antics of the jackal that roam around freely. 345 km.

 Day 16: Up long before day-break to drive the 80 km to Dooievlei. Sunrise should catch us on the dunes enjoying one of the most wonderful views in the world. After breakfast we slowly make our way back to Sesriem and break camp. Our southwards road takes us along the Rooi Rante on the Namib Rand road. In the Tiras Mountain Conservancy area we make our camp on a secluded and very unique campsite. 321 km

 Day 17: A lazy morning with a late breakfast and then on through the Tiras Mountains to Aus. Then on towards Rosh Pinah and eventually the South African border at Sendelingsdrift. After entering the Richtersveld National Park, we make our camp and enjoy our first campfire along the Gariep River and back in South Africa. 360 km

 Day 18: We break camp after enjoying a lovely evening along the Gariep River. We now make our way eastwards in the Richtersveld National Park to drive high into the Tattasberg Mountains. By late afternoon we should be at our campsite at Kokerboomkloof - the Quiver Tree Valley, overlooking the Huns Mountains in Namibia and the distant agricultural development at Aussenkehr. 60 km

 Day 19: Depending on the weather and the time of year, we either drive along the coast or inland to view flowers. We have a picnic style lunch and drive further south towards Klawer where we have our headquarters on the farm “De Brug”. You will be accommodated in a lovely cottage right on the banks on the Doring River. The farm is situated in the world famous Cederberg Mountains and we are the last inhabited farm before it is totally mountainous. Tonight we’ll have a home-cooked meal typical of the Afrikaans tradition with lots of good local wine. 550 km

 Day 20: Depart for a winery and some wine-tasting. Our area is quickly becoming the showcase of South African wine production and has won many an award. We then travel via dirt road to the Heerenlogement Mountain and take a short walk to visit the cave with handwritings of many famous explorers. Lunch is taken picnic style along the way. This is in the amazing Sandveld region where we have actually counted 26 species of flowers within a 50-meter walk!

We then proceed to Lambertsbaai with its famous Bird Island with thousands of birds. Spend the afternoon visiting the quaint little fishing town and walking on a breakwater to the bird island. Depart for Muisbosskerm, the most famous open-air restaurant in Africa for a dinner that you will never forget. Return to De Brug guest farm. The distance we covered is about 220 km.

 Day 21: We travel via Leipoldville and the Verlorenvlei to Elandsbaai. We pass beautiful lagoons and marsh areas on the way. Then on to the quaint little settlement of Paternoster. Here, on this beautiful beach, a sailing ship belonging to the shipping line of Karl Stephan of Hamburg in Germany stranded many years ago and thus the place was named. Today it has one of the most amazing little eateries and we enjoy a last feast together. The total driving time of the 400 km should not take more than 4 hours so we have plenty of time to enjoy the last bit of the West Coast. Cape Town by 18:00 in time for any departing flight.

 Conclusion:

Total distance: - 6, 500 km. Countries visited: - South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. Meals supplied: - 61. Accommodation: - Camp most of the time. B+B and cottages. Includes: - Accommodation, food, soft drinks, entrance fees, activities, beers and sodas limited to 5 per day, local wines limited to 2 glasses per day. Excludes: -  Tips, more that the quota of drinks, hard liquor.

Number of guests: 1 – 9 people in 3 vehicles 

Total costs:  2 Persons - R39, 500 p/p.  3 - 9 Persons - R27, 750p/p.          Single supplement - R32, 440               

 NB:

1: We prefer to be paid in Rand seeing the volatility of the exchange rate    2: The vehicles used are luxury SUV's with air-conditioning and CD players. 3: The clients need only to bring clothes and personal medicine and toiletries. Extra for the clients are bottled water, snacks or sweets, own shopping and the activities other than included in this itinerary.                  4: This same route can be done at a slower pace where you, our guest can determine if you would like to stay longer in a specific area. Naturally this will increase the total price but not with much seeing the fact that all travelling costs has been covered already.

This is an economy type safari and it is expected of the guests to help with the pitching of the tents, the making of beds and some cooking and cleaning. We use I tour guide to 3 guests. Prices are in South African Rand but can be paid in any accepted currency, according to the existing exchange rate.