Namibian Family Adventurer

We begin the adventure at Arebbusch Lodge, where you can wash off the journey with a dip in the pool. There is a welcome briefing this evening, a good chance to get to know the group a little and ask any questions you may have. Stay: Arebbusch Lodge (or similar).

Today we embark on our longest drive of the trip as we head southwest through the spectacular scenery of Namib-Naukluft National Park to our first campsite at Sesriem. This national park, one of the largest in the world, is home to one of the driest and oldest deserts on Earth. It contains the finest desert scenery in Africa, if not the world, with towering, jagged rock formations and incredible lunar landscapes. Drive: 220mi (350km), seven hours Stay: NWR Sesriem Campsite (or similar) (B/L).

We spend all day in the Namib Desert. Rising early, we catch the tallest dunes in the world in the best light and have the opportunity to climb one as the sun rises, truly one of the great sights in Africa. We can either walk to Hiddenvlei (a 1hr 45min round walk) or catch a transfer (optional extra) to Deadvlei where ancient acacia trees in the desert form an eerie scene. If we're lucky, we may see gemsbok or ostriches among the dunes.

In the afternoon, we visit Sesriem Canyon before joining a guide to see the cheetahs at the Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre (please see Responsible Travel section) – depending on time we may go tomorrow morning. Drive: 125mi (200km), three hours Stay: Solitaire Guest Farm campsite (or similar) (B/D).

We have a long, but very scenic, drive through the Namib-Naukluft National Park to Swakopmund. En route, we visit Walvis Bay for lunch and to see flamingos. A centre for adrenaline activities, Swakopmund is a small German colonial resort town with quaint cake shops and coffee houses. Drive: 185mi (300km), 5hr 30min Stay: Prost Hotel (or similar) (B).

Today is spent in and around Swakopmund. There is time to go fishing, relax on the beach, or enjoy a cream tea and a seafood dinner along the front. If you're keen for action, there are enough options for the whole family such as experiencing the thrill of quad biking over dunes or try the popular sport of sandboarding. Stay: Prost Hotel (or similar).

After a relaxing start, we leave the cool breeze of the Atlantic Ocean and head inland towards the highest mountain in Namibia, the Brandberg, in Damaraland. The Damaraland area is famous for desert elephants, which roam the Ugab River; there may be the option of a 4×4 game drive looking for them, if there's time. Alternatively, you can do this tomorrow morning instead of the walk to the White Lady painting.

In the evening, we turn our attention to the skies – stargazing is normally spectacular from this remote area. Drive: 155mi (250km), 4hr 30min Stay: Brandberg White Lady Lodge campsite (or similar) (B/L/D).

We begin our day with a short drive to the Brandberg, where we walk through valley 45 for approximately 1hr 30min. Along the way, we view beautiful, granite formations and a variety of birdlife. The valley takes us to the White Lady rock painting, which, along with several other small paintings and engravings, are thought to have been left by indigenous San people at least 2,000 years ago (please note, if elephants walk into this area then it might be too dangerous to do the walk; in this case, we typically go on a game drive looking for elephants).

Afterwards, we drive towards the Khorixas area where we should pass various Himba and Herero women selling crafts from the roadside. There is also the possibility of spotting desert elephants and meerkats on the way. We arrive at our accommodation after lunch. Drive: 145mi (230km), four hours Stay: Igowati Lodge (or similar) (B/L/D).

The first day is spent with a scenic drive to Etosha. We should arrive in time for a late afternoon game drive before setting up at our camp. Our itinerary allows plenty of time to really enjoy this fabulous game park. Drive: 150mi (240km), 3hr 30min Stay: Okakuejo (or similar) (B).

Etosha is a huge park of mixed forest and grassland centred around a large saltpan. Etosha is home to a great variety of species, which are generally easy to find as the animals congregate at different times around the waterholes. Wildebeest, zebras, impalas, springbok, kudus, elephants, giraffes, lions and even rhinos are all common sights here. Take plenty of camera memory and lots of patience and you will be rewarded by one of the greatest game spectacles in southern Africa.

Etosha is also a good place for birds, with plenty of water birds on the lakes (when filled with water), and weaverbirds and hornbills in the trees. While in Etosha, we typically stay within the park on some or all of the nights (subject to availability) and some of these are next to waterholes. These camps also offer optional night drives which you can book and pay for on arrival. Stay: Namutoni Camp (or similar) Day 9 meals included: (B/L/D) Day 10 meals included: (B).

After a relaxing start to the morning, we have a short game drive out of Etosha before making our way to Otjiwarongo, where we stop for lunch. We then spend our final night of camping under the African sky on a private farm. Drive: 235mi (380km), six hours Stay: Otjiwa Safari Camp (or similar) (B/D).

Start early today to see rhinos up close! We're led by a well-trained guide who tracks the rhinos by vehicle; once they're spotted, we carefully get closer to the rhinos on foot. This is an incredible experience, allowing the group to admire rhinos from a safe distance.

In the afternoon, we drive to the gigantic Waterberg Plateau, a 655ft (200m) high plateau covered with bushveld. It is one of the more fertile areas in Namibia and very colourful, especially after the rains. Here, there are several walking trails, including one leading to a viewpoint near the top of the plateau for a great view. In addition to a guided walk, there are many smaller walks to explore without a guide. Drive: 75mi (120km), two hours Stay: NWR Waterberg Lodge (or similar) (B).

A 3hr 30min drive brings us back to Windhoek, where our adventure ends. Bid farewell to new-found friends and begin your return journey home. If you'd like the adventure to continue, speak to our sales representative about extending your stay. Drive: 200mi (320km), 3hr 30min Please note: The group transfer back to Windhoek is scheduled to align with a chosen flight to London, UK; therefore, you should not book flights leaving before then. Please contact your sales representative for the timings of this flight (B).