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The Desert Trail - Namib desert of Namibia
offered by supplier M08340 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 5
day(s)
Group Size: 1
- 6
people
Destination(s):
Namibia
Specialty Categories:
Hiking & Trekking
Desert Expeditions
Season: March - October
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 9375 South Africa Rand (ZAR)
Maximum Per Person Price: 17475 South Africa Rand (ZAR)
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The beauty of a Namib Trail is the fact that you experience so many different aspects of the desert – from mountainous terrain to sandy dunes. Walking is conducted at a leisurely pace and normally does not exceed 12 km per day. This trail is not difficult, but challenging. Fitness and good condition is essential as the trails entail 7 to 8 hours walking. Bulk of the luggage will be transported by back-up vehicle; you only carry your day pack, including a lunch pack, water and your camera equipment. As some of the routes lead through rough terrain and over sand dunes it requires well balanced and secure walking. Please be aware of high temperature fluctuations, which can reach a high of 35°C during the day whilst sometimes plummeting down to -5°C at night, which can cause additional stress to your heart and circulation. We recommend that you prepare yourself for the trail with some fitness training.
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Meet your host at Namibia's International airport and transfer via Windhoek to near the edge of the Khomas Hochland (our central highlands). Relax as much as time will allow, and acclimatize to Namibia.
Walking time: morning: 0 hrs / afternoon: 0 hrs
Sleeping at a Khomas Hochland guest farm; Includes (D).
Day 2: An early breakfast, then continue to the edge of the escarpment. Spare a few minutes to absorb the vista of the endless Namib desert at your feet. Descend into the Namib and proceed towards an old desert farmstead to arrive before 14:30. Here you will be introduced to your guide. Prior to departing on a short scenic drive to the starting point of the trail, you will be given a day pack with a water bottle and some raisins and a cup. All you have to do is add your camera, binoculars and a book to read during the heat of the day. Your luggage needed for the duration of the trail will be transferred to your overnight camp by vehicle. From your drop-off point in the sand dunes it is a short walk to your first overnight camp. The dunes are not the massive ones that are encountered at Sossusvlei, but small, vegetated dunes that have a unique beauty of their own. Relax with a sundowner, marvel at the magnificent scenery and start “feeling” the desert. Enjoy a wholesome three-course dinner and unwind before falling asleep in the open, under a blanket of stars - the true Southern Skies!
Walking time: morning: 0 hrs / afternoon: 1 – 2 hrs
Sleeping out in the open on stretcher beds; Includes (B, Lunch Pack, D).
Day 3: Early morning tea or coffee is served before sunrise, followed by a light breakfast so that you can set off in the cool of the early morning. You will be given a lunch pack, as the day heats up it is time to stop at a shady spot. The highlight of the walk is the breathtaking view of the dunes and plains as well as the “coming alive” of the desert as the guide allows you to feel, smell, taste and see the oldest living desert in the world. The “morning news”, as written in the sand of the dunes is always fascinating and with some luck, and the guide’s trained eyes, you may spot some of the desert specials. (Golden Mole, Dancing White Lady, Barking Gecko, Dune Lark, Flightless Wasp, to name a few). You spend a good part of the morning on the mountain before descending the other side to a dry riverbed. During the course of the day your guide will explain the wonders of the Namib - how the fascinating desert flora survives by tapping underground water from the riverbed, how insect life, which is prolific, adapts to the harsh environment. Birding is surprisingly good and you may be lucky enough to see one of Namib endemics, the Dune Lark. Larger animals you might come across include Bat-eared Fox, Oryx, Springbok and Ostrich. As the day heats up it is time to stop at a shady spot where you can enjoy your lunch pack and fill up your water bottles. There is plenty of time to relax, have a siesta and reflect on all you have seen. As the heat recedes you start walking – on and through the dunes to your second overnight spot. The scene in front of you is an endless dune sea and “fairy circles” with a backdrop of magnificent mountain scenery. Photography is spectacular as the shadows on the dunes create an ever-changing palette of colors shortly before sunset. A delicious dinner after a long and enjoyable day is indeed welcome. The sound of barking geckos, the occasional cry of a hyena, the hooting of spotted eagle owls and, more likely than not - the silence - accompanies you through the night.
Walking time: morning: 4 – 4.5 hrs / afternoon: 2 – 2.5 hrs
Sleeping out in the open on stretcher beds; Includes(B, Lunch Pack, D).
Day 4: Once again you are woken in the soft light shortly before sunrise. Coffee and breakfast is served before you set off through the dune field. The soft and rolling dunes are interspersed by camel thorn trees, which provide welcome shade for a rest. Today’s walk is easy and you arrive at the farmstead at approximately 10:30 When time allows we visit the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET), a non-profit, donor sponsored trust, which aims at developing environmentally responsible citizens of Namibia. Relax during the hottest part of the day to enjoy your lunch pack before returning to Windhoek. Not to cause too a sudden transformation to civilization, you will sleep at a small Game Lodge en-route to the airport. No camping tonight, and a hot, welcome dinner awaits you!
Walking time: morning: 3 – 3.5 hrs / afternoon: 0 hrs. Includes(B, Lunch Pack, D).
Day 5: Subject to flight departure time, you may have a leisurely breakfast, explore your surroundings on nature walks, or simply laze on a pool chair, viewing wildlife at the waterhole. Transfer to Namibia's International airport to arrive in time for your departure flight.
Walking time: morning: 0 hrs / afternoon: 0 hrs. Includes(B).
Member discount:
10% discount for InfoHub customer. Request a free gift certificate.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
The customization of this safari is only possible by adding days before or after the actual trail - the trail itself is Not customizable. The quoted prices are only valid until 31 October 2008.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Namibia
Hiking & Trekking
Desert Expeditions
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