Namibia  Exploration Safaris

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DESERT RHINO & ELEPHANT WALKING EXPEDITION
7 nights/8 days - US$2970 per person ($292 single supplement)

Combination Discoverer Camp, lodge and serviced dome tent Adventurer camping in the Palmwag Concession.

For more than 20 years, the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) has worked ceaselessly to protect the last free-ranging rhino population on earth: the rare desert-adapted black rhino. In the remote, rugged Palmwag Concession, teams of local trackers use camel trains to help with the research and monitoring of this animal. On this original and exciting Exploration, guests join the “ships of the desert” on a great adventure: an 8 day walk (little time is spent actually on the camels) across the oldest desert in the world, where a camel train and team of Save the Rhino trackers take you deep into the heart of the Namib Desert in search of this rare and endangered species. Guests thus gain access to some of the most remote and almost inaccessible regions of the concession. This serviced camping safari offers a unique adventure for the traveller seeking an authentic African experience and a means to join skilled rhino trackers in their conservation, research and custodian work. The revenues generated are directly channelled into the critically important conservation of the rhino population of the area.

Explorations campsites provide 2.4 x 2.4m dome tents, designed for comfort in remote wilderness areas. Cotton linen and bedrolls (with duvets) with a lantern complement the atmosphere. Separate drop toilet ‘bathrooms’ with old-style bucket showers create simple serviced comfort. By means of lively camp fires, hurricane lanterns and a warm atmosphere Adventurer camping brings guests closer to nature. The safari is guided and hosted by professional guide, Gary Booth who shares his in-depth knowledge. In addition, a team of experienced Save the Rhino Trust trackers accompany the trip, providing comprehensive interaction and valuable experience of the positions they hold as caretakers of these magnificent animals. As the 450 000-hectare Palmwag Concession in north-west Namibia is a private reserve, exclusivity in this pristine and unspoiled is unrivalled. All campsite allocations are for the use of Wilderness Safaris guests only, while at Palmwag Lodge you meet other independent guests.  

ITINERARY

Day 1: Palmwag Lodge, Palmwag Concession
Palms whispering in the wind, spectacular surroundings and awe-inspiring sunsets, the home of the famous desert-adapted elephant and the rare black rhino, Palmwag Lodge is one of Namibia's oldest and most popular tourist locations. The lodge offers 24 beds in thatched bungalows, a fully licensed restaurant, swimming pool under shady palms and a small pool bar. On arrival at Palmwag Lodge, you are welcomed by the guide and receive a full briefing on the tour ahead.

Day 2: Aub River, Palmwag Concession
After an early breakfast, depart northwards by game drive to Mbakondja Camel Camp to meet the Save the Rhino camel team. Then ride/walk south to the Aub River, where the Adventurer camp has been erected prior to arrival. In addition to tracking and hopefully viewing desert-adapted elephant and black rhino, the guides reveal the sheer magnificence of nature’s survival strategies in this arid environment, concentrating on a variety of topics from birds, insects, medicinal uses of plants and viewing general wildlife.

Days 3: Barab River, Palmwag Concession
The journey continues with a walk to the Barab River, concentrating on the tracking of the elusive desert giants through a series of hills, rocky landscapes and diverse geology. After even a little rain, the gravel plains are covered in long golden grasses that ripple in the wind.

Day 4: Kudu Springs, Palmwag Concession
After an early breakfast, ride out further west through the Okomutati Springs to Kudu Springs. This area is almost inaccessible to vehicles, an area of pristine wilderness where the sense of remoteness is complete. En route you have the opportunity to see extraordinary plant life including the ancient Welwitschia plants and numerous lichens.

Day 5: Hunkab Spring, Palmwag Concession
Heading northwards, move to the next popular drinking point for the Kaokoland’s diverse animal life, the Hunkab Spring. Fresh drinking water in the desert forms the basis for seasonal animal movements and a surprisingly diverse range of animal life can be seen here. Animals from Hartmann’s mountain zebra to elephant and the endemic Ruppel’s bustard come to slake their thirst.

Day 6 and 7: Hoanib Camp, Kaokoland
Bid farewell to the Save the Rhino Trust trackers and depart on game drive from Hunkab, travelling through the concession to the ephemeral river of the Hoanib Valley. Here, in an area seemingly parched and desolate, enter one of Namibia’s richest desert wildlife areas. Stay at Hoanib Camp, and enjoy game walks, rhino tracking, game drives and night drives into the Hoanib River valley. The Discoverer-style tented Hoanib Camp close to the Hoanib River is a relaxed haven from which to explore this wild land on foot, or from the comfort of one of our safari vehicles. There are 5 guest walk-in hexagonal meru-style tents with en-suite flush toilet and bucket shower bathrooms. Each tent is furnished with necessary comforts and styled with burnt orange interiors, wood and brass, effectively recreating a sense of the early explorers.

Day 8: Air charter to Palmwag Lodge
After an early breakfast and game drive, fly back to Palmwag Lodge, in time for a lunch and final farewell to the adventure.

TAILOR-MADE ITINERARY OPTIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON FLEXIBLE DATES, FOR GROUPS OF UP TO 8 GUESTS.

SCHEDULED DEPARTURE DATES 2008: MAY 9, JUNE 9, 25, JULY 25

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