namibia and botswana
Namibia is a land of many faces. From the arid Namid desert on the west, the oldest desert in the world, to the north, notable for its great alluvial plain created by the Okavango River and other watercourses which flow down from Angola to feed the huge shallow depression known as the Etosha Pan, centrepiece of one of Africa's most splendid game parks. Three large rivers, the Kunene, the Kavango and the Zambezi, borders Namibia in the north. The little gem of the north is the western Caprivi strip. This is Big Sky country!
Namibia is one of the least populated countries in the world and covering an area larger than Texas and four times bigger than the size of the UK. The population is a mix of the Wambo, - Kavango, - Damara, -Nama, - Caprivians, - Hereros, - Europeans (mix of earlier Dutch and Germans), - Coloureds and Basters(mixed descent), - Tswana (related to their neighbours in Botswana) and the San people!
Windhoek is the capitol Namibia and resembles still some German architecture from the earlier days as a German colony. Swakopmund is quaint coastal town and a very popular beach holiday retreat. Walvis Bay is the only large commercial port of Namibia.
The country is steeped in history of bitterly wars that been fought internally by warring factions for domination of land and water and between German settlers and local natives and later between Germans and South Africans, World War 1 and World War 2 and of late for the independence of previous colonial masters.
Botswana is a well known safari destination and shares a lot with its neighbour Namibia, in the sense of a sparsely populated region with vast open spaces, stretching from the vast Kalahari Desert in the south to the majestic waterways of the Okavango Delta in the north. Botswana offers a variety in scenery, wilderness, wild life. The large rivers that boders Botswana are the Okavango-, Chobe-, and Limpopo Rivers. This is a hotspot for the avid bird watchers.
The Okavango Delta was created over a period of 2 million years from silt that settled when the Okavango River reach the flat areas of the Kalahari desert in northern Botswana. The Okavango River, unlike many others flow from the ocean instead towards it, ending in an immense delta. This delta is a maze of twisting and turning channels, covered in papyrus, water plants and higher busy areas that are not submerged in the wet season.
The Kalahari Desert is one of the largest deserts in the world and stretch from the south of Botswana, through Angola into the Congo DRC. The Kalahari is truly living desert and play host to big game and predators alike. This is the closest you can get to experience nature. The central Kalahari plays host to a yearly mini migration of wildebeest and zebra - similar to the migration in Kenya's Masai Mara and Tanzania's Serengeti. Large herds of antelope like Oryx, Springbok, Kudu, Wildebeest, Zebra are on offer.
The most popular national parks in the Okavango Delta are the Chobe-, Moremi-, Central Kalahari- and Kgalagadi Transfrontier park.
The parks offer a variety of breathtaking camping spots as well as tented camps, lodges and hotels. You can even book a house boat or your stay on the waterways of the Okavango Delta. A quick hop over to Zambia or Zimbabwe and you can discover the mighty Victoria Falls (the place that thunders) in a day trip. One of the most spectacular sights of Africa.
Botswana offers the opportunity to view the big five (and they are in abundance) and the little five, bird life, fishing and adventures that will create memories that will last a life time.
The population is a mix of Tswana, Kalanga, Ndebele, Herero, Afrikaner and the San people.
The highest point in Botswana is the Tsodilo Hills and is the most sacred place in the culture of the San people. This place host thousands of ancient san rock art and also a pro-claimed World Heritage Site.
Both Namibia and Botswana have good infra-structure that caters for the discerning tourist and have excellent banks, accommodation, hospitals, airports and communication systems to make a safe and pleasant stay.
Please enquire about our Tours and Rates.
Botswana & Namibia Combo - Guided Safari (17 days)
Combination of Namibia and Botswana ( 17 days)
Day 1 : Leave Cape Town for Namibian Border. Drive along the West Coast of South Africa and cross over to the Namaqualand region before we reach our Orange River Campsite.
Day 2 : The next day we do river rafting on the Orange River under the guidance of the experienced canoe and river guides of the area. This is optional.
Day 3 : We cross the Namibian Border and head for the Namibian capitol Windhoek. This is a long day of travel. Dinner will be at the famous Joe’s Beer House.
Day 4 : We leave Windhoek early and head for the Botswana border via the town of Gobabis, before we will arrive at our bush camp outside the Botswana town of Ghanzi. This area is famous for the local Bushman tribes and visit to these legendary old tribe can be arranged if you wish to do so.
Day 5 : We leave Ghanzi and travel along the western side of the Okavanga Delta side to the famous Drotsky Cabins. This Lodge is situated on the banks of the Okavango River. Here we will relaxed on the river banks and enjoy the call of the Fish Eagles, snorting of the Hippo’s, lazy crocodiles and if we are lucky – see the rare and endangered antelope, the Sitatunga. This place has the most amazing birdlife that frequent the channels of the Okavango river.
Day 6,7,8 : We leave Drotsky Cabins and head for the Western Caprivi in Namibia. Here we will spend time at the lodge with splendid views of the Okavango River.
We will explore this area and do daily game drives in the nearby Game Reserves which host Elephant, Giraffe, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Sable Antelope, Roan, Warthog, Impala, Hippo, endemic Phuku, Lechwe and a wide variety of bird of prey..to name a few.
This area is unique in the sense that it host a variety of eco systems
from river, wetlands, savannah, river forest to bush veld. This area is also host to some very old Boabab trees. Also describe as the “upside down” tree. A visit to one of the local villages can be arranged to experience the local culture.
A river cruise by motorised boat or with the local mkoro’s can be arranged – this is optional.
Day 9 : We leave the Caprivi region early in the morning and head westward to the town of Grootfontein via Rundu. We will spend the night at Grootfontein at a guest house and visit the nearby Hoba Meteorite that fallen some 80 000 years ago. This meteorite was only discovered in 1920 by the farmer that owned the land.
Day 10,11,12,13 : We leave Grootfontein and head for the Etosha Game Reserve. We will stop over at Lake Otjikoto on our way to the Etosha.
Otjikoto Lake is the smaller of only two natural lakes in Namibia. The lake was known to the San under the name Gaisis ("ugly"). When the Herero moved into the area, they named it Otjikoto (Otjiherero: "deep hole"). The lake was a dumping ground for German Schutztruppe at the end of World War 1. In June 1915 German troops dumped war materials in the lake before surrendering to stop the South African and British troops from using them.
Etosha National Park is a national park in northwestern Namibia. The park was proclaimed a game reserve on March 22, 1907. Etosha National Park spans an area of 22,270 square kilometres (8,600 sq mi). The park is home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including several threatened and endangared species like the black rhinoceros.
We will do daily game drives and visit some of the most famous waterholes in search of the wildlife that this game park offers. Time
for relaxation will be made available at your request, be it just hanging around the swimming pools or just relaxing at one of the camps waterholes watching elephants, lion, oryx, springbok,kudu, zebra and rhino come to drink.
This park offers plenty of photographic opportunities and has some of the most awesome sunsets.
Day 14 : We leave the Etosha Game reserve and head back towards Windhoek. On our way we will stop at the town of Okahandja to explore the local arts and craft. Here you can buy some curios and presents to take back home as momentums of the trip.
Day 15,16 : We leave Windhoek early and head for the Fish River Canyon. This will be a long drive. The Fish River Canyon is located in the south of Namibia. It is the second largest canyon in the world and the largest in Africa. It features a gigantic ravine, in total about 160 km long, up to 27 km wide and in places almost 550 metres deep.
The canyon is host to hot water springs and we can relax here and soak up these mineral water and use the spa to recover some energy. Hiking up the mountain and a visit to the lookout points of the canyon can be arranged.
Day 17 : We leave for Cape Town.
Some information of this trip :
Total days : 17
Total (estimated) Km’s : 7 000
Vehicle Type : 4x4 (with airconditioning, fully equipped for safari’s)
Driver and Guide : Jan Engelbrecht
Total Cost : € 6 623-00 for 2 people sharing.
Min : 2 people
Max : 6 people
What does it include?
Accomodation is mixture of Chalets, Bed ‘n Breakfast, Luxury Tents and Guest Houses (Bed and Breakfast included).
Park entrance fees.
Game drives – other than night drives (which will be extra).
Soft drinks and snacks for Game drives.
Vehicle rental, running costs, vehicle insurance, fuel.
Guide fees.
What does it not include?
Medical and personal Insurance.
Cross Border/Immigration fees.
Alcohol Beverages.
Lunches and dinners.
Any other activities that you might choose on the trip.
NB! Accommodation in the parks are subject to availability. Bookings need to be done 6 months in advance for Low Season (September to April) and 12 months in advance for High Season.(May to August).
November to February is very hot.
Namibia : Guided Safari (15 days)
The best of Namibia (15 days )
Day 1 : Leave Cape Town for Namibian Border. Drive along the West Coast of South Africa and cross over to the Namaqualand region before we reach our Orange River Campsite.
Day 2,3 : The next 2 days we do river rafting on the Orange River under the guidance of the experienced canoe and river guides of the area. This is optional.
Day 4 : We cross the Namibian Border and head for the Namibian capitol Windhoek. This is a long day of travel to Windhoek. Dinner will be at the famous Joe’s Beer House.
Day 5,6,7,8 : We leave Windhoek early and head for the Etosha National Park, a national park in northwestern Namibia. The park was proclaimed a game reserve on March 22, 1907.
The park is home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including several threatened and endangared species like the black rhinoceros.
We will spend 4 days in the south western part of the park and explore the area and water holes in and around Okaukujeo. Okaukuejo is famous for its flood-lit waterhole, where visitors can observe at close quarters a spectacle of wildlife congregating and interacting.
Day 9,10 : We will spend 2 days towards the middle of the park and explore the area and water holes in and around Halali. Halali also boast a flood-lit waterhole, where visitors can observe at close quarters a spectacle of wildlife congregating and interacting.
We will do daily game drives and visit some of the most famous waterholes in search of the wildlife that this game park offers. We will visit the Namutoni Fort on the eastern part of the park.
Time for relaxation will be made available at your request, be it just hanging around the swimming pools or just relaxing at one of the camps waterholes watching elephants, lion, oryx, springbok,kudu, zebra and rhino come to drink.
This park offers plenty of photographic opportunities and has some of the most awesome sunsets.
Day 11 : We leave the Etosha Game reserve and head back towards Windhoek. On our way we will stop at the town of Okahandja to explore the local arts and craft. Here you can buy some curios and presents to take back home as momentums of the trip.
Day 12,13 : We leave Windhoek early and head for the Fish River Canyon. This will be a long drive.
The Fish River Canyon is located in the south of Namibia and is the second largest canyon in the world and the largest in Africa. It features a gigantic ravine, in total about 160 km long, up to 27 km wide and in places almost 550 metres deep.
The canyon is host to hot water springs and we can relax here and soak up these mineral water and use the spa to recover some energy. Hiking up the mountain and a visit to the lookout points of the canyon can be arranged.
Day 14 : We leave for Lamberts Bay a small fisherman’s town on the west coast of South Africa – well known for it’s crayfish in this region.
Day 15 : After a visit to the Lamberts Bay Bird Island and a good breakfast at Issabella’s we will leave for Cape Town.
Some information of this trip :
Total days : 15
Total (estimated) Km’s : 6 000
Vehicle Type : 4x4 (with airconditioning)fully equipped for safari’s)
Driver and Guide : Jannie Engelbrecht
Total Cost : € 5 876-00 for 2 people sharing
Min: 2 people
Max : 6 people
What does it include?
Accomodation is mixture of Chalets, Bed ‘n Breakfast, Luxury Tents and Guest Houses (Bed and Breakfast included).
Park entrance fees.
Game drives – other than night drives (which will be extra).
Soft drinks and snacks for Game drives.
Vehicle rental, running costs, vehicle insurance, fuel.
Guide fees.
What does it not include?
Medical and personal Insurance.
Cross Border/Immigration fees.
Alcohol Beverages.
Lunches and dinners.
Any other activities that you might choose on the trip.
NB! Accommodation in the parks are subject to availability. Bookings need to be done 6 months in advance for Low Season (September to April) and 12 months in advance for High Season.(May to August).
November to February is very hot.
Botswana & South Africa : Amongst the Living Deserts - 15 days guided mobile safari.
Explore the Diverse Kalahari Desert of Southern Africa on a guided mobile safari.
The best of the Kalahari Desert Camping and Okavango Lodge experience.
Minimum booking of 4 people and maximum of 8 people.
You can join an existing departure or book your own private safari.
Enquire now for this unique and popular destinations!
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFO ON OTHER TOURS AND RATES PACKAGES FOR NAMIBIA AND BOTSWANA AT : jan@sanveldsafari.co.za
+27(0)825703364