Himba Tribe Cultural Kaleidoscope (High Season) Accommodated Tour

This morning, A Tour Guide from Nali Safaris will collect you from your various accommodation establishments or from the Windhoek International Airport (assuming you land before 08h00). You then depart Windhoek in your safari vehicle with your private guide and head north via Okahandja town for a short visit to a local market, to shop for woodcarvings and curios. The local community operates the stalls on a co-operative basis and the market is a perfect place to do last minute shopping for truly Namibian souvenirs. Another short stop for lunch in the town of Outjo en-route to Etosha National Park.

You arrive late afternoon in Etosha National Park at your accommodation of Okaukuejo Wildlife Resort and you will stay here for one night whilst you explore the remarkable sights Okaukuejo area. If there is still time today, your guide will take you to nearby wildlife waterholes to begin your wildlife viewing experience. However, if you prefer, you can just relax and soak in the scenic and tranquil surroundings at the Resort.

After sunset floodlights illuminate the waterhole. This is the best time and place to see the endangered black rhino. This archaic mammal can often be seen drinking alongside lion and elephant. The number and interaction of the animals is the major drawcard of Okaukuejo Rest Camp in Namibia.

This morning you will need to rise early for a magical wildlife encounter’s experience with your guide in the famous Etosha National Park, normally setting off before sunrise with luck on your side, you will observe nocturnal animals in the early mornings. Today you will spend a full day in this world-class game park in your touring vehicle, visiting a number of waterholes to observe the wildlife. Etosha translated, means ‘The place of dry water’ and here we get our first view of the magnificent salt pan.

Etosha National Park is home to 114 different mammal species including zebra, springbok, eland, oryx, kudu, giraffe and the all-important big four: the lion, the leopard, the elephant and black and white rhino.  The wide variety of animals guarantee impressive game viewing.  Etosha is also a bird watchers’ paradise, with more than 340 bird species recorded in the park.

Perched on the top of a little hill Dolomite Camp offers sublime view to complement the luxuriously appointed camp. The camp is unfenced allowing animals to roam freely between the tents and communal area. However, with personal escorts your safety is guaranteed at all times. The restaurant serves delicious and satisfying meals and the personnel will always greet you with a smile. A rim flow  swimming pool, a curio shop and a viewing deck overlooking a prolific waterhole provide entertainment during the day, while the bar area is ideal to relax and socialize with other guests.

After an early morning breakfast, we depart for Epupa Falls. One of the highlights of Kaokoland in the far northern reaches of Namibia, Epupa is a magical belt of makalani palm forest on the perennial Kunene River. There’s something special about this Kaokoland refuge 180km north of Opuwo, where the Kunene River plunges into the gorge below. Baobab trees cling to the rocky slopes as torrents of water rumble and tumble down the rocks with a flash of rainbow and an invigorating burst of wonder.

The Himba tribe inhabit the Kunene Region (also known as Kaokoland) in the north-west of Namibia – a region that has a population density of only one person to every two square kilometers! Namibia’s northwestern region extends from the Kunene River on the Angola border down to the Ugab River, the southern border of the Skeleton Coast Park. The park is a massive wilderness reserve known for its untouched and diverse landscape, much of which is inaccessible, saved for fly-in safaris. Occupying a huge, harsh stretch of landscape to the northwest of the country, even the people and wildlife have adapted accordingly.

We pass through the small town of Opuwo, we make a stop for lunch and fill up our tour vehicle. After our lunch we proceed to Epupa Falls to arrive at our lodge at mid-afternoon.  Two hundred meters upstream from the cascading falls, Omarunga Epupa-Falls Camp is a cozy thatched lodge on the riverbank set under the palms, and the perfect place from which to experience Epupa enchantment. Dine with a river view and wake to the music of the falls and the sound of palm thrushes singing in the trees. Let Epupa lull you into a peaceful reverie.

We rise early this morning for a day which is sure to prove most memorable. With their intricate hairstyles and traditional adornments, the Himba are one of Namibia’s most distinctive tribes. We spend time with these proud people, learning about their captivating heritage and special way of life. Adorned with handmade jewelry, the beautiful Himba women and children are instantly recognisable due to their intense red ochre coloured skin and intricate hair styles. Himba women spend many hours attending to their beauty care and grooming. The women and children, clad only in loincloths and goat skin mini skirts, protect themselves from the weather, moisturize and beautify with ‘otjize’.

They use ‘otjize’ to cream their entire bodies with butterfat and red ochre mixed with an aromatic resin from the Omazumba shrub. The lotion gives their skin a reddish glow – ideal beauty for the Himba people of the Kaokoveld. Their dreadlocked and braided hair is intricately styled and they wear jewellery made from materials such as shells, copper and woven reeds. The women wear heavy metal rings around their ankles and those that are married wear a small headpiece made of soft skin on their heads.

In between rest and relaxation, there is much to experience here. Take the golden opportunity to visit the Himba, one of the last semi-nomadic groups in Africa; get your courage in check for a guided walk in search of the Kunene crocs or a rafting trip on the river (seasonal); and follow trails downstream keeping eyes open for our avian friends who favour this riverine habitat. And at sunset join the sundowner drive to a hill overlooking Epupa Falls for that time of day when everything pauses for beauty and celebration.

After an early morning breakfast, we depart to see the highlights of Damaraland – one of the last true wilderness areas in Africa; we pass through scenic landscapes. Damaraland is one of Namibia’s most dramatic collections of landscapes. Hidden in the rocky clefts is Twyfelfontein, which along with the Brandberg contains some of Southern Africa’s finest prehistoric rock art and engravings, and there’s even a petrified forest nearby, as well as palm-fringed, oasis like valleys. Damaraland is also one of Southern Africa’s most underrated wildlife-watching areas. One of Namibia’s last ‘unofficial’ wildlife regions, it’s home to critically endangered black rhinos, desert-adapted lions and elephants, as well as the full range of Namibia specialities such as gemsbok, zebra, giraffe and spotted hyena.

Damara Mopane Lodge is constructed in a semi-circle of interlinking pathways leading to a lavish swimming pool at its centre. Innovatively designed, each chalet has its own small garden planted with vegetables. Bright yellow sunflowers peep out between verdant spinach, beetroot and zany scarecrows, creating an enchanting lodge setting. The labyrinth of walkways leads to a large and cheerful central area. A wash of fresh green brightens the interior as does the heart-shaped mopane leaves stenciled throughout the lodge.

A highlight at the end of the day is to ascend the hill to a viewing platform for a sweeping vista of the mopane woodland illuminated by the setting sun. It also is the best spot for a sundowner drink and to gain a view of the intriguing construction of the lodge. As the day darkens it’s time to return to the restaurant where a fire burns in a grate and a delicious supper awaits – served with a fine selection of fresh vegetables and herbs! Damara Mopane Lodge is a Damaraland lodge that charms guests with its original themes, touching hearts and eliciting smiles.

After breakfast we depart to the Kalahari’s Table Mountain. Waterberg is one of the greatest attractions in the northern central of Namibia, 50 km long and 16 km wide Table Mountain rising from the plains to a height of up to 200 meters. Fascinating geological genesis, perennial springs on the south-eastern slopes, one of the most diverse flora area in southern Africa (500 species). The Plateau declared as a national park in 1972, it is home to rare game such as sable, buffalo, and black and white rhino.

We arrive in the afternoon at the lodge, you can opt to join an optional afternoon excursion like: Plateau Hike: tour onto the table mountain (no park entrance fee), Rhino Drive: rubbing shoulders with rhinos, giraffes and other game, Rhino tracking: tracing rhinos on foot, Cultural Tour: Everyday life of the Herero tribe, Hiking trails with “botanical garden”, History Path to sites of Herero history, Valley with spring, lush vegetation and over 200 bird species.

After breakfast and optional morning activities, we depart for the capital city Windhoek via the town of Okahandja. Expect to arrive in the city at around 12:30, although please note that times may vary.

END OF SAFARI