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Oshi li nawa! Welcome to Namibia! Your adventure begins in the capital, Windhoek, known for its German architecture and relaxed atmosphere. When you arrive, you’ll be picked up from the airport by a local representative and transferred to your hotel. Meet your local leader and fellow travellers at a 6 pm welcome meeting. If you arrive early, perhaps head out for a stroll around town to admire the architecture of the Tintenpalast and Christuskirche buildings, or stop by a local market to peruse handmade crafts. After your meeting, head to a local restaurant to get to know your group and prepare for the adventure that awaits.

This morning, drive south to Sesriem – your gateway to the Sossusvlei Dunes, Deadvlei and Sesriem Canyon. Arrive at your Feature Stay accommodation for the next two nights – a collection of sustainably operated lodges constructed entirely of sandbags instead of bricks to keep them cool. Take in the magnificent views, maybe followed by a dip in your private plunge pool, take a trail walk to get a closer look at the Namib or spend the afternoon relaxing at the bar. Then, gather with your group for a special dinner under the desert sky After, settle in for an expert-led stargazing experience, learning about the constellations that map the dark expanse above.

Make an early-morning visit to Sossusvlei, which lies at the end of an ancient riverbed. This is a great opportunity for unsurpassed views of the surrounding area. Climb to the top of Dune 45 for a rewarding and spectacular perspective of the surreal desert landscape. After breakfast, travel to Deadvlei – a clay pan that lends itself to many iconic images. When you see the skeleton trees against a vibrant orange backdrop of dunes, you’ll soon understand what all the fuss is about. The pan is surrounded by some of the highest dunes in the world – ‘Big Daddy’ or ‘Crazy Dune’ – averaging about 350 m (1148 ft) in height. This afternoon, visit Sesriem Gorge, a tranquil natural corridor that you can walk through and explore. Return to the lodge for the evening.

Continue your journey to the beachside town of Swakopmund. On the way, stop by the small settlement of Solitaire. Scattered with abandoned trucks, cars, petrol pumps and cacti, it’s the only place between Walvis Bay and Sossusvlei to feature a petrol station, post office, general store and bakery. Enjoy a piece of the local apple pie, which has earned itself quite a reputation. Next, make a stop for a desert walk with a local guide. They will teach you about the dunes, diverse flora and fauna, Bushmen heritage and the mysteries of water in the desert. Continue past Moon Valley, named for its eerie lunar-like appearance, and the Tropic of Capricorn. Walvis Bay is the hibernation area for thousands of migratory birds, most notably flamingos. If in season, you may take a quick detour to see these elegant birds in their natural habitat. When you get to Swakopmund, join your leader on an orientation walk to get a feel for the township.

This morning, travel from Walvis Waterfront to Sandwich Harbour, where massive dunes meet the sea and your starting point for a 4WD adventure. In case you didn’t get a chance to yesterday, maybe stop by Walvis Bay Lagoon to see flamingos. Then continue to the Kuiseb Delta and through wetlands and dunes, looking out for desert-adapted wildlife. After filling your camera roll (and your belly with Namibian oysters and snacks along the way), you’ll head back to Swakopmund for the afternoon. Maybe take an easy walk from your accommodation into town, where you can head to the beach or visit an open-air market or visit the museum. You may wish to take an optional trip north to Cape Cross – a breeding site for Cape fur seals. There can be more than 100,000 seals there at any given time, making for quite the spectacle (and quite the smell, too, if the wind happens to change direction!).

Today, you’ll leave the Atlantic Ocean coastline behind and drive towards the Namib Desert. Take in the beautiful, diverse and colourful landscapes that stream past along the way – mountains, sand dunes, ocean waves and shipwrecks. Continue to Damaraland – home to Namibia’s highest peak, ancient rock paintings and petrified forests, the harshly beautiful and sparsely populated Damaraland region is a land of extraordinary contrasts. Depending on the time of year, you might be lucky enough to see the desert elephants that roam the area. Your accommodation features a swimming pool fringed by beautiful chalets, each with a private garden. The evening is yours to relax and enjoy the amenities as the sun goes down.

Spend the morning visiting the Twyfelfontein Heritage Site and the Petrified Forest with expert local guides who will provide insight on these wonders. Twyfelfontein has one of the largest concentrations of ancient rock engraving in southern Africa and offers fascinating insight into the past. The Petrified Forest looks back into nature’s history, where 280-million-year-old fossilised tree trunks lie. Continue to the Living Museum of the Damara, which aims to reconstruct and preserve the ‘lost culture’ of the Damara people. Your leader will tell you all about this fascinating traditional culture that is, along with the Bushmen, the oldest in Namibia. Return to the lodge in the afternoon, with the rest of the day free to relax by the pool with a book.