Namibia's Etosha, Damaraland & Sossusvlei Fly-In

On arrival at Windhoek International Airport, you will be transferred to Olive Grove Guesthouse, located in a quiet leafy suburb of what is often referred to as Africa's favourite capital city. Soothe away the stresses of your long flight at this charming and welcoming haven of tranquillity and old-world Namibian hospitality. There may even be time to soak up the sights and sounds of this small, friendly and somewhat quirky Germanic city before sampling the local cuisine in the evening.

Enjoy a hearty Namibian breakfast before boarding your charter flight to Etosha National Park. The spectacular scenery of Namibia unrolls below you as you ponder the ancient geological forces that must have created such a dramatic landscape.

Touching down at the airstrip, a guide takes you on a game drive through the Onguma Game Reserve, a private conservation area bordering Etosha National Park. The reserve encompasses a number of habitats which are home to a wide variety of desert and savannah animals.

Set overlooking a waterhole where game regularly comes down to drink, this charming lodge is a beguiling mixture of sophistication and indulgence. Likened to the gentle Namibian breeze that blows against sharp thorns, Onguma Tented Camp is a study in contrasts. Textures such as stone, suede, linen and steel create a setting that is sleek and modern but also inherently of the earth. Settle into your luxurious suite before visiting the elegant main building for a delicious high tea. After sampling a few of the delicacies on offer, set off to explore the reserve with your guide.

The varied terrain of the reserve affords different views and aspects - open savannah blends into acacia woodland where a herd of startled kudu erupts before you, moving like dancers through the trees. Allow the ambience of Onguma to wash over you as the softening light bathes the world in gentle tones. But there is drama too: elephants and lions are often seen but nothing can quite compare to the thrill of encountering a black rhino in the wild - a prehistoric animal at one within its surroundings.

As the sun begins to dip towards the horizon, your guide selects a suitable viewpoint from which to survey this primal scene. With a chilled glass in hand, salute the setting sun as it leaves behind a kaleidoscope of colour- a fitting end to your first day in the wilds of Namibia.

Return to the lodge where a delightful evening meal awaits, served by attentive staff and accompanied by fine wines. And after dinner, as the sounds of the African night reverberate around the fire deck, sip a nightcap and survey the dazzling starlit sky before slipping between cotton sheets and drifting off, lulled to sleep by a lion’s distant roar.

Morning finds you up with the sun, coffee in hand as the world comes to life around you. After a light breakfast you set off on safari once more - this time to explore the Etosha National Park.

Etosha means ‘place of dry water’and refers to a flat calcrete depression or pan thousands of square kilometres in size. The ‘Pan’ provides a parched, silver-white shimmering backdrop to an area of semi-arid savannah grassland and thorn scrub habitats. Waterholes become a focal point for water-dependent animals in this dry landscape as well as their predators: scan the area closely for big cats, lurking in the shade of a tree, waiting for the unwary.

As the heat begins to build, return to the lodge for a hearty and wholesome brunch served on the terrace of the dining area. Cool down with an outdoor shower or a dip in the pool before settling onto your private veranda to watch the wildlife parade at the waterhole. Later in the afternoon you can decide what to do next - another game drive or perhaps a guided nature walk.

Enjoy your last breakfast overlooking Onguma's waterhole before heading to the airstrip for your charter flight to southern Damaraland. Situated in the Twyfelfontein Conservancy, Mowani Mountain Camp perches like an eagle’s nest at the top of a valley strewn with enormous boulders. Take a refreshing dip in the pool nestled among the boulders before setting out to explore.

Game drives through this magical landscape reveal extraordinary plants and creatures, the most majestic being desert-adapted elephants. Marvel at how such an incredibly large animal could possibly eke out an existence in this harsh and unforgiving landscape. This is also home to the rare desert-adapted black rhino, a bombastic leviathan of the rocky plains and wooded gullies.

There are unique cultural attractions too. Take an excursion to the famous San Bushman petroglyphs and rock paintings of Twyfelfontein and gaze across the sands of time at artworks created by the hands of hunter-gatherers from another epoch.

At the end of an amazing day, there is no better place to end things off than the sundowner spot at the lodge. Sip a delicious cocktail as the setting sun paints the world with an otherworldly palette. A delicious and sumptuous dinner accompanied by fine wines awaits you while the campfire beckons below a dazzling Milky Way.

Sip coffee on your terrace as the rising sun stirs the valley below into life. Following a delicious breakfast, your guide transfers you to the airstrip for your flight to the NamibRand Nature Reserve and Little Kulala where you will be met with a welcoming smile and taken to your private suite.

Large windows and spacious decks showcase the beautiful Namib Desert, a landscape of vast open spaces, endless horizons, dune landscapes and jagged mountain peaks. Tempting as it is to remain and soak up the views, a host of superb activities are on hand to entice you away from the comfort of your suite.

A guided expedition reveals the mysteries of the desert and the creatures that survive in this harshest of landscapes, many of which occur nowhere else on Earth. Visit the iconic dunes of the Namib-Naukluft National Park where these wind-sculpted leviathans stand hundreds of metres high.

Return to the lodge in the evening to a sumptuous meal before visiting the observatory where the resident astronomer reveals the wonders of the night sky. Bathe in the tranquility of this unique setting before slipping into bed, gazing at the stars through the glass skylight above you.

A scenic road transfer through the epic landscapes of the NamibRand Nature Reserve delivers you to Wolwedans Dunes Lodge.

Its name translating as 'Where the Wolves Dance' (local brown hyenas were once known as wolves), the camp is perched upon the edge of a dune plateau with panoramic views across the striking beauty of the surrounding plains. Canvas and wood combine to make a light footprint while exuding a sense of being part of the landscape. Stylish without being over the top, luxuriously comfortable without being excessive, the lodge will draw you into the serenity of the desert.

All-day drives cover a large distance to afford a greater range of habitat diversity but game drives here are focused on the experience as a whole rather than just animal spotting; this is not Big 5 territory but rather a land of surprising wildlife encounters. Discover the inhabitants of a harsh and unforgiving environment that occasionally blossoms into a resilient beauty. Coupled with the NamibRand’s fascinating geology, this experience will give you a unique perspective of the life with which we share the planet.

Sundowner drives take you into the dunes where cocktails are served, accompanied by a desert sunset and gentle whispering breeze. Toast the end of the day as the evening’s first stars twinkle above the darkening mountains, and you become imbued with the sense of absolute tranquillity.

After a hearty Namibian breakfast and final farewell, you will be transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Windhoek and then home. As you gaze out from the airplane window at the convoluted and wondrous landscape below, recollections of your journey come tumbling back: the kind and welcoming faces you have met, the dazzling Namibian sky at night. Recall landscapes as old as time itself,animals that survive where no others can and the enveloping silence of the red Namib Desert.