Namibian Family Adventurer

Experience Overview

The sun is rising and we are sat on top of one of the highest dunes in the world. A burst of orange and red explodes on the surrounding landscape as warm rays caress the shifting sand. We are in Sossusvlei. Over the coming days, we explore the amazing diversity of Namibia. Sit by watering holes watching wildlife, hike through rock formations to ancient engravings, enjoy Viennese-style cake shops and discover a country where the desert scenery changes with every turn and the night sky sparkles with countless stars.
Profile
— Accommodation: 5 Classic nights (lodges and chalets), 7 Simple nights (full-service camping) — Travel in an overland truck with standing space and a reference library — Group normally 8 to 14, plus leader — Designed for 13 to 16-year-olds, also suitable for 9 to 12-year-olds — Some long drives
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 5 Classic nights (lodges and chalets), 7 Simple nights (full-service camping) — Travel in an overland truck with standing space and a reference library — Group normally 8 to 14, plus leader — Designed for 13 to 16-year-olds, also suitable for 9 to 12-year-olds — Some long drives
Trip For You
This trip has been graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. Though this trip has been designed for 13 to 16-year-olds, it’s also suitable for nine to 12-year-olds. Our Family trips are aimed at children in the primary age group, so if your child is in the secondary age group, they may find it a little harder. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us. Drive times are moderate and we normally arrive at our destination by lunch or just after. We rarely exceed six hours of driving in one day. The road conditions are dependent on how they are being maintained at the time and, on occasion, conditions can be poor. This can have an impact on journey times as well as comfort and can be punishing on the vehicles. There are breaks on the longer drives and there is also a reference library in the vehicle. We use a combination of lodges, chalets and campsites. Due to the limited amount of accommodation within Etosha National Park, it may be necessary to sleep outside the park on some or all of the nights we are there. This will not impact the number of game drives we have within the park. We visit some areas with malaria. Activities such as climbing a dune at Sossusvlei and the walk to the White Lady painting could be challenging for younger children but there is the option to skip them. Most days involve early starts with our days in Sossusvlei and Etosha beginning before sunrise. During the cooler months, please bring adequate warm clothing, especially for the evenings when the temperature can drop quickly when the sun goes down. It can also get very warm from September to May, so please pack accordingly.
Group Description
The trip is led by an experienced and knowledgeable safari guide/driver. All camping chores, including cooking, washing up and putting up and dismantling of tents, is done for you.
Eating Drinking
All breakfasts, four lunches and five dinners are included. For meals not included, allow approximately 190 Namibian dollars (US$13) per person. Camp meals are wholesome and plentiful, but do not expect cordon bleu cuisine and please note it is not always easy to get a wide range of fresh vegetables. However, generally the standard of food is good. Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note, the availability of certain products can be minimal or non-existent, for example wheat- or dairy-free. Please be prepared for this – you may be best advised to bring these items from home.
Transportation
The vehicle normally used for this trip, including for the safaris in Etosha, is a specially modified safari vehicle with 12 seats for group members. Seating is forward facing and the windows are large and easy to open. Smaller groups may be in a Toyota Hilux/Land Cruiser. People are expected to move around to permit everyone a chance to have a window seat. There is plenty of legroom and packing space plus a reference library and icebox. On certain departures, we may use an alternative vehicle – this will be a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with sliding windows, library and fridge. These are comfortable, especially for long journeys on gravel roads. All gamed drives in Etosha on all tours is done in our vehicles and any one is free to take an open option game drive. (These are not always available and only booked on arrival.)
Joining Instructions
­­­Key information Start hotel: Arebbusch Lodge, Cnr of Golf & Auas Rd, Olympia, Windhoek Phone: +264 61 252 255 Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately Airport: Windhoek Airport (WDH) Getting to the start hotel The start hotel is approximately 45 minutes’ drive from the airport. Exodus provides free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for all customers. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative. Catching your return flight The last night of the trip is spent in the Waterberg Plateau Park and the tour finishes in Windhoek. 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. Free airport departure transfers are only available for return flights departing after the chosen flight route to London – from our Windhoek hotel (if you have booked post tour accommodation) to the airport. Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts. Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Weather Information
June, July and August, while clear and warm during the day, can be cold and even freezing at night. Between September and May, it is considerably warmer with the time between October and April being the hottest, when it often reaches 30C (86F). However, it is always a dry heat and the temperature does drop at night. The wet season is between November and February (this can vary a month either side), but this is not a bad time to go as the desert blooms after rainfall and it never rains for very long.
Spending Money
Optional excursions (approximate costs, depending on group sizes) Budget an average of 370 Namibian dollars (equals to US$20) a day for non-included meals and snacks. There are several optional activities in Swakopmund, such as ocean fishing, quad‐biking and sandboarding but there’s plenty to occupy you if you don’t participate. These prices are approximate and to be paid in local currency or card: — Swakopmund township tour: 800 Namibian dollars (US$52) — Sandboarding: — Lay down: 650 dollars (US$41) — Stand up: 900 dollars (US$49) — Waterberg safari (three hours): 700 dollars (US$44) — Windhoek township tour (minimum two people): 520 dollars (US$32) — Daan Viljoen Game Reserve: 150 dollars (US$9) entrance fee for walking trail plus 1,300 Namibian dollars (US$88) for a round-trip transfer to the reserve — Elephant game drive: 700 Namibian dollars (US$37)
Tipping
This is entirely optional, but we would recommend approximately 25-45 Namibian dollars (US$1.70-US$3) per person per day in either local currency or any other major denomination. For other staff such as porters and guides on optional activities we recommend that you budget for the equivalent of a further USD5-8, however, this is also optional. In most restaurants and bars, an average of tipping 10 percent is common but be sure to check. This tip is voluntary and can be declined if service was unsatisfactory.

Highlights