Wagon Trails | Cape Town to Windhoek extended itinerary

Cape Town to Windhoek extended itinerary

Day 1 Cape Town

Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa.

An arrival transfer is from the airport to your hotel is included in your tour. If you have confirmed this transfer by providing your flight details at least 15 days prior to departure you will be met at the airport and taken to the joining point hotel.

You can arrive at any time on day 1 as there are no activities planned until the important welcome meeting at 6:00pm tonight. Your leader will leave a note at reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. Your leader will collect your local payment at this meeting.

After the meeting, feel free to explore this cosmopolitan city and perhaps experience South Africa's rainbow of cultures first-hand by enjoying a meal out in one of the many fine restaurants.

Cape Town is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous city, with plenty to see and do if you arrive early. Consider taking a cable car up the iconic Table Mountain, chill out in the Botanic Gardens, take an amazing prison tour to see where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated on Robben Island, or head to a museum - District Six and the South African Museum are both worth a wander.

Meals included: None
Overnight: Tudor Hotel
Our Cape Town accommodation is within walking distance of the city centre. Rooms come with all facilities including air conditioning, cable tv full ensuite bathrooms.

Days 2-3 Cedarberg/Orange River

Departing Cape Town we make our way to the Cedarberg Mountains where we spend the night. It is approximately 3 hours (300km) from Cape Town to Cedarberg. Time permiting, there may be the opportunity to exploring this beautiful area on local hiking trails.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: We overnight in en-suite cabins.

On day 3 we continue north, reaching the Orange/Gariep River. The Orange River forms the border between South Africa and Namibia and the evening is spent in a lodge on its scenic banks. From the Cedarberg to the Orange River is approximately 350km. We travel through the Namaqualand via the town of Springbok arriving in time to enjoy an awesome African sunset over its well-known golden cliffs and spend the evening relaxing with a sundowner or two from the bar.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Our accommodation is in comfortable en-suite chalets with a great riverside location.

Day 4 Fish River Canyon

This morning after breakfast, we explore the beauty of the Orange/Gariep River on a half-day canoe adventure through the Richtersveld mountains, the oldest desert mountains in the world.

After lunch we will drive to the Fish River Canyon making our way into the magical land of Namibia- you'll notice a stark change in the landscape. Our journey takes us through an area famous for its quiver tree forests and then on to the mighty Fish River Canyon, second only to the Grand Canyon in size. Todays travel distance is 150kms which will take approximately 4 hours including the border crossing.

After settling into our lodge, we head out to enjoy a magnificent sunset over the canyon. It isn 40kms from our accommodation to to Canyon, approximately 45 minutes drive each way.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Our lodge offers rooms with en-suite facilities. There is also a swimming pool and comfortable lounge area. Rooms have fans and are equipped with mosquito nets.

Day 5 Sossusvlei

Departing the Canyon we make our way to the eastern edge of the Namib Desert (580km- approx. 8 hours travelling including a lunch stop) This is an amazing drive in terms of contrasting scenery with great photo opportunities around every corner. Expect to see a vast diversity of wildlife including springbucks, oryx, Hartman's zebras and ostriches roaming the vast plains of the Namib. After arriving at the lodge and enjoying a refreshing swim in the pool, we take a short drive to enjoy sundowners and sweeping views of the Namib landscape.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Lodge
Our lodge for this evening has twin share or double rooms with ensuite bathrooms, a swimming pool and fantastic views out over the Namib desert.

Days 6-7 Swakopmund

Awake very early the next morning we venture into the heart of the Namib Desert. Here there is an opportunity to climb the world-famous Dune 45 for unforgettable views over the desert. We explore the dunes on foot, enjoying a fascinating desert walk with "Bushman", the Steve Irwin of the desert. You will be amazed at what a simple animal track or spore can reveal, and the huge variety of communities living in and on the sand. While here we visit the world renowned Sossusvlei, an ancient lakebed in the middle of the desert with scattered skeleton camel thorn trees dating back over 1,000 years.

The total drive distance from our accommodation to Soussesvlei is around 140kms and will take approximately 2 hours.

This afternoon we continue to the oasis town of Swakopmund. The distance travelled today is about 320km which will take around 5 hours, including stops.

Day 7 is at your leisure to explore this attractive and historic town. Relax on the beach, take a walk to admire the German architecture, browse in the many boutiques or take part in the various adrenaline activities on offer. Evenings can be spent exploring the popular nightlife that Swakopmund has offer.

Meals included: Breakfasts
Overnight: Our accommodation for these days is centrally located in simple but comfortable ensuite rooms.

Day 8 Spitzkoppe

After two nights in Swakopmund we travel north to the majestic Spitzkoppe. The Spitzkoppe is a huge granite outcrop towering some 1,950 m above sea level, dominating the flat landscape. Explore the strange rock formations around the area on foot and take the opportunity to view the beautiful and ancient Twyfelfontein bushman paintings this area is famous for. Today we travel around 280 kms. This is made up of around 4 hours driving time and 4 hours of sight seeing.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Our accommodation tonight is comfortable with ensuites.

Days 9-10 Damaraland

Get off-the-beaten-track travelling to the Kaokoveld and Damaraland regions. These remote areas are especially famous for wild elephants and the nomadic Himba people.
Enroute from Spitzkoppe to our accommodation we visit the beautiful and ancient Twyfelfontein bushman paintings. Distance travelled on day 9 is approximately 550kms.

We begin day 9 with a visit to Cape Cross, one of the biggest seal colonies along the African Coast. After seeing the seals, we travel up the skeleton Coast National Park with an opportunity to stop at some ship wrecks and to find out more about the ancient welwitchia plants.

On day 10 we explore the area, tracking the elusive desert elephants and there may be an opportunity to visit a local Himba tribe. The untouched wilderness and these beautiful tribespeople will ensure that your visit to this area is truly unforgettable.

Meals included: Breakfasts, Dinners
Overnight: We spend these nights making the most of the dramatic surroundings staying in luxury tents with full ensuites. There is also a swimming pool and bar to enjoy.

Days 11-12 Etosha National Park

We depart the magical Damaraland to head to the Etosha National Park. Travel distance today is around 350km which will take us around 5-6 hours depending on road conditions. The Etosha is ranked as one of Africa's greatest game parks and is home to a large population of animals. The saline Etosha pan, which dominates the park, stretches for 120 km and is a sanctuary for the largest population of black rhino in the world.

After settling into our lodge, we take an afternoon game drive through this expansive park.

Day 12 is spent exploring Etosha, spending the day game spotting, stopping at all the waterholes along the pan's edge. The lodge's sparkling pool is a great place to refresh after our long day of wildlife viewing.

Meals included: Breakfasts
Overnight: These nights we enjoy comfortable rooms with ensuites. There is a relaxing terrace perfect for a drink, and a swimming pool to cool down in.

Day 13 Waterberg Plateau Park

Today we travel from Etosha National Park to the Waterberg Plateau (a journey of approximately 2 hours, 250km).

Waterberg National Park was the site of one of the major turning points in Namibia's History. It was at Waterberg, in the foothills, that the Herero people lost their last and greatest battle against German Colonial forces at the beginning of the 20th century. The Herero were forced to retreat from the Waterberg and headed eastward to British Bechuanaland (now Botswana). Thousands were killed by the pursuing Germans and many lost their lives in the Kalahari Desert due to lack of food and water. Estimates are that nearly two thirds of the Herero population lost their lives during this period. The graves of German soldiers who lost their lives at Waterberg can still be viewed near the Bernabe De La Bat rest camp at the base of the park.

This 20 kilometre wide and 50 kilometre long sandstone Waterberg Plateau stands out spectaclarly from its surroundings. It is part of a nature conservancy and endangered species such as the black and white rhino, sable antelope and blue wildebeest have been introduced and there is the option to participate in a guided afternoon game drive. We may even spot the rare Cape Vulture which nest here if we are very lucky. This region is also one of the main settling area of the Herero people.

Depending on how energetic you are feeling, there is the option for great hikes as well as relaxing walk in this area.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Tonight's accommodation is twin share with ensuite bathrooms.

Day 14 Windhoek

There is time for an optional morning game drive before we head to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. We travel south, stopping to buy souvenirs from the local San and Herero people along the way (300kms, approx. 4-5 hours including a lunch stop).

We arrive at about 6pm. Please arrange your flights for a late evening departure at the earliest. We bid farewell in the pretty, colonial-style streets of the Namibian capital. Our tour finishes on arrival in Windhoek at the Roof of Africa Hotel. It is possible to arrange addtional accommodation- please ask at time of booking.

Meals included: Breakfast