Chris Liebenberg's 13-day Namibia Itinerary
José Gieskes Fotografie/Getty Images
Chris Liebenberg is a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List, a collection of the top travel advisors in the world, and can help plan your perfect getaway. Below is an example of the type of itineraries he creates. To work with Chris, you can contact him directly at chris@piperandheath.com.
The below journey highlights just a few of the incredibly diverse options Namibia has to offer. Piper & Heath does not offer pre-fabricated itineraries, but curates safaris for each client based upon an in-depth safari consultation.
Day 1: Windhoek
Arrive in Namibia’s capital city of Windhoek, where you will be met immediately after your international flight and assisted though immigration. You will have a private road transfer to your lodging at The Olive Exclusive. This evening, you may choose to enjoy dinner at our exclusive table at Joe’s Beer House.
Stay: The Olive Exclusive
Days 2-3: Sossusvlei
Private road transfer back to the airport for your charter flight to Sossus Dune Lodge, from which you will enjoy the iconic Sossusvlei dunes for the next two days. Sossus Dune Lodge is located inside the National Park, allowing you exclusive access to the Sossusvlei area. Guests at all other lodges in the area are only allowed entry at sunrise, and need to exit the park by sunset — while guests at Sossus Dune Lodge have exclusive pre-sunrise and post-sunset access to the famed Deadvlei area. You will also be able to return after dark for nighttime star trail photography, expertly guided by our trained photographer-guides. During your stay here, you will also have the opportunity to visit the Petra-like Sesriem Canyon.
Stay: Sossus Dune Lodge
Days 4-5: Damaraland
Take sunrise balloon ride before boarding your charter flight to Swakopmund, where you will enjoy an elaborate seafood lunch on the beach, before continuing on your flight to the very special Desert Rhino Camp in Damaraland. The camp is a base for the field staff of Save the Rhino Trust, one that also provides exceptional accommodations for safari travelers. Your time here is spent looking for the uniquely adapted megafauna that makes this rugged terrain home: desert rhino, desert elephants, desert giraffe, oryx, antelope, springbok gazelle, and, of course, the large predators, like lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. On the second day, depart camp early in the morning with your private guide to join the Save the Rhino Trust staff on their morning patrols. You will track rhino on foot and participate both in the visual identification of the individual rhino and in essential data collection.
Stay: Desert Rhino Camp
Days 6-8: Skeleton Coast
Depart and head toward Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, which has singular access to what is considered the most picturesque corner of the Skeleton Coast. It is also a base for extensive large carnivore research, specifically related to the desert-adapted lion and brown hyena. During your three-night stay, you will meet with the researchers and enjoy a visit to the famed Skeleton Coast, exploring the coastline by ground vehicle and by air to get both perspectives on this unique landscape.
Stay: Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp
Days 9-10: Kunene River
Depart from Hoanib to Serra Cafema Camp on the Kunene River, bordering Angola. This camp is often referred to as the most remote in all of Africa, and it is no coincidence that this far-flung corner of the globe is where the nomadic Himba tribe call home. Spend the afternoon exploring the Kunene River by boat. The next morning you will meet members of the Himba, who live today much the way that they did 200 years ago before the arrival of the colonizers — not purely as a result of their isolation, but also because they have specifically shunned the influence of Western “civilization.” Piper & Heath founder Chris Liebenberg lived among the Himba for a number of years; spending time with them is a true privilege, and to do so in the awesome wilderness of northwestern Namibia makes it especially meaningful.
Stay: Serra Cafema Camp
Days 10-12: Ongava Game Reserve
Explore the desert by ATV before your charter flight to the private Ongava Game Reserve, bordering on Etosha National Park. You will be staying at Little Ongava, Etosha’s most exclusive lodge, which will serve as your base for the next three days. Collectively, Ongava and Etosha constitute some of the finest game viewing available in Africa — especially during the dry season, the concentration of wildlife here has few equals. With Little Ongava being the single most luxurious lodge in all of Namibia, we cannot think of a finer place to end your journey.
Stay: Little Ongava
Day 13: Depart from Windhoek
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
