Namibia has been described as the last frontier, a wild and rough country, exposed to the elements like no other southern African nation. Sandwiched between two of the world’s oldest deserts, the Namib and Kalahari, the landscapes are weathered, desolate, and exposed to some of the harshest conditions on the face of our planet. From the rolling hills of Kaokoland, to the Skeleton Coast and the misty cold blanket of the South Atlantic, to the diamond rich area of Sperrgebeit, Namibia is a diverse and contrasting place to photograph.

Join the guides of Wild Safari Africa on the ultimate photographic experience in Namibia.  Staying in the world famous Etosha National Park and visiting the Himba people, this trip offers wildlife viewing, landscapes, and cultural interaction to satisfy any photographer.  We will be able to enter Himba villages, offer the opportunity to participate in night game drives and game walks, which will increase our chances of capturing incredible images.

Namibia is the first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution, giving life to thousands of species and providing great photographic opportunities for tour participants.

Our photo safari provides you with an opportunity to experience and photograph Africa’s predators, the iconic elephant, giraffe, abundant plains game and incredible diversity of bird species in addition to the enigmatic Himba peoples of the far northwest.  We have carefully selected these places of interest to maximize our time and photographic opportunities.

As the groups are limited to 6 people, you are able to focus on developing your own style of photography.

August is a great time of year to visit Namibia.  The temperatures are comfortable and cool as this is the end of Namibia’s winter months.  The wildlife is drawn to the waterholes with great predictability and the Himba peoples are settled near towns.

An exclusive group of only 6 participants, this is an excellent opportunity to improve your photography portfolio and experience one of Africa’s truly unique destinations where there are more wildlife than people.

 

Your Itinerary & Highlights

Departure Dates:

August 28 – September 6, 2012    8 participants – Guided photo safari

 

Itinerary

 

Day 1 – Arrive to Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia

Day 2 – Enjoy afternoon activities at Etosha National Park

Day 3 – Enjoy a full day of activities at Etosha National Park

Day 4 – Enjoy a full day of activities at Etosha National Park

Day 5 – Enjoy a morning activity at Etosha National Park before departing for Kaokoland

Day 6 – Enjoy a full day of activities at Kaokoland to connect with the Himba people

Day 7 – Enjoy a full day of activities at Kaokoland to connect with the Himba people

Day 8 – Enjoy a relaxing morning before departing for Huab Lodge to track down the Desert Adapted Elephant

Day 9 – Enjoy a full day of activities at Huab Lodge

Day 10 – Enjoy morning activities at Huab Lodge before departing for Windhoek and preparing to leave Namibia

 

Download this brochure Itinerary

The Investment of Your Photo Safari

Photo Safari Investment

The investment for this all-inclusive, exclusive guided photo safari to Namibia is USD $ 6,500 based on 2 people sharing.

 

• USD $6,500 guided photo safari (find scheduled dates above)

 

What is Included?

 

• Park entrance fees
• Vehicle – Guide
• Optimal photographic opportunities to expand your portfolio
• meals (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Game drives at Etosha and Huab Lodge
• Airport transfer shuttle services

 

What do you need to cover?

 

• International flights.
• Tips – In Etosha I recommend $20 per day per person, $10 to your guide, $5 to the tracker, and $5 to the staff, when it applies.
• Any additional accommodation /safari services outside of the itinerary
• Personal purchases
• Travel Insurance – The camps require that you have comprehensive travel insurance with medical coverage. I sell Travel Guard and can assist with a policy or you are welcome to secure your own.
• Health Precautions – I recommend a visit to a travel clinic. This itinerary does not cross into malarial areas.

 

How to Book Your Photo Safari

Booking process:

If you are interested in booking this incredible safari, then please contact Jeremy at jermibia@wildsafariafrica.com.  Space is limited for the specified departure, so booking early is essential.

Once you are ready to commit, I will put you in touch with our dedicated safari planner.  They will deal with the payment process, in addition to any or reservation or flight assistance you may require.

Handled by a dedicated safari planner.

 

Our safari planner is Jeremy Allen from Wild Safari Africa.  Once in his capable hands, he will act as your main contact for payment and any scheduling.

Jeremy will be able to extend your safari, book your international airfare and any overnight stays that you may require.

Early Booking Special

If you book prior to January 31^st 2012, you will receive a $250 discount per person off the quoted price.

 

Etosha National Park

Days 2, 3, 4, 5

 

In 2007, Etosha celebrated its first 100 years of existence and continues to be one of Africa’s best game parks. Viewing Africa’s large game populations against the Etosha Pan backdrop is like no other experience found in Africa.

The Etosha Pan, the parks definitive feature, is an immense, shallow depression of some 5,000 km² of dry, white sun beaten mud. Mirages shimmer in the distance while game animals stride across the desolate lands looking completely out of place.

Throughout most of the year the area is dry, giving rise to the name ‘the Great White Place of Dry Water.’ When the rains begin, the oshanas in Owamboland drain into the pan, creating an important breeding ground for flamingos. Like that of the Okavango Delta, the life giving power of water is incredibly apparent with the onset of rains. The pan quickly becomes a vast lake teeming with grasses and wild flowers, while elephants gracefully stride through. There are a total of 114 species of mammals, including the rare and endangered black rhino, cheetah, and black-faced impala. The only animals that are not found in Etosha are the hippo and crocodile. Almost every other animal can be found roaming the park. There are also about 340 different species of birds including the ostrich and secretary birds.

The best places to see game during the dry season is at one of the parks thirty something waterholes. During the rainy season the animals are hidden behind the dense vegetation and congregate around natural depressions and puddles only present during this season. Nevertheless, it is almost guaranteed to see lion, plains game, giraffe, and other big cats when visiting Etosha. The leopard is a rarity, and if you are extremely lucky you may even witness a predator kill.

Waterholes

Etosha Park hosts several different types of waterholes. Small lakes, depressions, and pans quickly fill during the rainy season and make water available in all areas of the park. During these months, sightings of animals decrease significantly, simply because they are not forced to drink at only a few selected waterholes. Although during the dry months, waterholes are a busy place for all animals, thus increasing your chances to see more types of species. There are five different types of waterholes found in Etosha.

Natural shallow depressions, known in the area as pans, easily collect water during the rainy season. During these months water dependent animals have plenty of opportunity to drink at waterholes at Etosha Park. These waterholes begin to fill as early as October and will completely dry by June. Occasionally depressions will be deep enough to come in contact with the natural water table, called water table springs. They vary from year to year, depending on the amount of rain fall. Animals have been known to dig these depressions deeper to find water, proving to be both successful and crafty.

Natural contact springs are numerous throughout the park. A contact spring happens when water seeps out of layers of rock, and are entirely reliant on the rainy season to keep them active. During drought years, these springs (waterholes at Etosha) dry and become nonexistent.

Artesian springs are formed when pressure within the underlying rock forces water to the surface. During the rainy season the water finds a way into the underlying rock, where porous rocks are cramped between impermeable rocks. The impermeable rocks keep the pressure high, and when the water is abundant it finds a way to the surface thus creating an artesian spring.

Artificial waterholes have been created and maintained by the park services. This is done by drilling a borehole at select locations. These waterholes at Etosha Park receive water from deep within the ground and are propelled to the surface by wind, diesel, and solar power.

Kaokoland – Home of the Himba People

Days 6, 7

Nestled in the low-lying surrounding hills, Opuwo is an Otjihereo word meaning ‘the end.’ This small frontier town grew out of nothing when the South African Defense Force established a military base in order to launch expeditions into the surrounding area. Today, Opuwo is the gateway to Kaokoland and home to the mysterious Himba people who have maintained their original identity and culture for centuries. Himba congregate in town, walking from surrounding villages, often for many kilometers, to replenish supplies and trade goods. Some Himba have even made Opuwo their permanent home, leaving their traditional nomadic lifestyle behind in hopes for a more centralized life based on a money economy. Many make small incomes with selling their crafts and jewelry, in addition to charging tourists for taking their photo. Walking through town, it is easy to see the influence the outside world has had on the people. Himba men often dress in a mix between their traditional ’skirts’ topped with a western shirt and ball cap. The dusty town with flocks of people and the fresh scent of the Himba women’s ochre, beautifully decorated in their traditional animal skin-wear, take you back in time to a world that is sadly, slowly fading away. Although the Himba elders are determined not to deter away from tradition, it is the school children who are challenging tradition with Western dress and modern amenities. Herero are also very prevalent and the two groups create a community that is something special.

 

 

Huab Lodge – Tracking Desert Elephant

Days 8, 9, 10

 

It was once thought the elephant found in Kaokoland, the elusive desert elephant, were of a different species. Its longer legs, bigger feet, and incredible ability to withstand periods of drought all gave valid reasons to think so. Today, however, it is not considered a different species, rather regarded as only ‘desert adapted.’ The herds in this area remain separate from other elephant herds in Namibia and only appear to have longer legs and bigger feet because they eat less than elephants living in more food abundant areas such as Etosha National Park, the Caprivi, and Chobe region in Botswana.

The desert elephant are truly incredible survivalists, claiming a three-thousand square kilometer range and regularly traveling up to two hundred kilometers in search of water. They only drink every three or four days, compared with elephant in Etosha drinking one-hundred to two-hundred liters of water a day. They also seem to be more environmentally conscience than other elephants. Unlike other elephants, the desert adapted elephant rarely knock over trees, break branches, or tear away bark, as if knowing if they do so their food will be less than what it was before.

They are commonly roaming the dry riverbeds of the westward flowing Huab, Hoanib, Hoarusib, and Khumib rivers. It is along these riverbeds the animals find the occasional spring fed waterhole and most of their nutrient rich foods: mopane bark, tamarisk, reeds, and the pods, bark, and leaves of the ana tree. On a typical day, desert elephants travel up to sixty kilometers over rocky, difficult terrain between feeding areas and waterholes. When water is truly scarce, as in times of drought, they dig holes, commonly known as gorras, in the dry riverbeds. Water seeps up from below the surface creating a much needed water source for themselves, and other animals in the area.

 

 

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