Target species are dictated by the various habitats we will explore on this tour as outlined below.

Day 1: Windhoek to Erongo Mountains Nature Conservancy, Central North Namibia 

We meet you early in the morning in Windhoek, either at the airport or your accommodation, then set off northwards for the Erongo Mountains wilderness. We explore the camp environment, tour the reserve and enjoy an exciting 3-hour night drive in an open safari vehicle. 

Target mammals: Aardvark, bat-eared fox, black mongoose, black rhino, Cape fox, caracal, cryptic brown hyena, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, honey badger, Kaokoveld slender mongoose, Kirk’s dik-dik, leopard, Namib round-eared sengi, oryx.

Target bird species: Augur Buzzard, Benguela Long-billed Lark, Burchell’s Sandgrouse, Carp’s Tit, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Damara Hornbill, Dusky Lark, Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Rockrunner (a special), Rosy-faced Lovebird, Rüppell’s Parrot, Southern Pied Babbler, Verreaux’s Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Violet-eared Waxbill, White-tailed Shrike.

Accommodation: Ondudu Safari Lodge (or similar) – 1 night

Days 2 & 3: Erongo Mountains to Erindi Private Game Reserve, Central North Namibia 

 After a sunrise nature walk, we leave the rocky hillscape behind and head east to the “Magnificent 7” Erindi Private Game Reserve (lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, cheetah and African wild dog). We explore the camp environment, tour the reserve and enjoy an exciting 3-hour night drive in an open safari vehicle. 

Target mammals: Aardvark, African wild dog, bat-eared fox, black mongoose, brown hyena, Cape Fox, caracal, cheetah, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, honey badger, Kaokoveld slender mongoose, Kirk’s dik-dik, leopard, meerkat, serval, Temminck’s ground pangolin.

Target bird species: Augur Buzzard, Benguela Long-billed Lark, Burchell’s Sandgrouse, Carp’s Tit, Common Ostrich, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Damara Hornbill, Dwarf Bittern, Dusky Lark, Hartlaub’s Spurfowl, Herero Chat, Lappet-faced Vulture, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Rockrunner (a special), Rosy-faced Lovebird, Rüppell’s Korhaan, Rüppell’s Parrot, Southern Pied Babbler, Verreaux’s Eagle, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Violet-eared Waxbill, White-tailed Shrike.

Accommodation: Erindi – Old Traders Lodge or Okonjima Plains Camp (or similar) – 2 nights 

Days 4 to 7: Erindi / Okonjima to Etosha National Park, Central to Eastern Regions of Etosha National Park, Namibia 

We start the day with a 3-hour, open safari vehicle game drive and then head northwards to the western edge of the Etosha National Park, stopping at Etosha Village for lunch. We enter this world-renowned Park through the central Anderson Gate and game drive along the south edge of the pan, searching for the magnificent elephant herds, lion prides and other abundant wildlife and birdlife. We continue eastwards and pause to watch the animal dynamics at the famed Fischer’s Pan. We exit through the Namutomi Gate and head to our bush lodge on the eastern edge of the park. After settling in at the camp, we enjoy a 3-hour sunset open safari vehicle game drive. 

Target mammals: African wild cat, brown hyena, cheetah, eland, honey badger, leopard, oryx, white rhino.

Target bird species: Bare-cheeked Babbler, Black-faced Babbler, Blue Crane, Burchell’s Courser, Carp’s Tit, Common Ostrich, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Double-banded Courser, Fawn-colored Lark, Greater Flamingo, Hooded Vulture, Kori Bustard, Lappet-faced Vulture, Lesser Flamingo, Martial Eagle, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Pink-billed Lark, Pygmy Falcon, Red-necked Falcon, Rockrunner, Rüppell’s Parrot, Secretarybird, Sociable Weaver, Southern White-faced Owl, Stark’s Lark, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Violet Woodhoopoe, White-backed Vulture.

Accommodation: Onguma Forest Camp or Emanya @ Etosha Lodge (or similar) – 3 nights 

Day 8: Wildacker to Bwabwata National Park (Mahango), North-Eastern Namibia 

We head eastwards to the 15,000-hectare big game Wildacker Private Nature Reserve bordering the Mangetti National Park. The landscape is one of tree-covered dunes, termite hills and valleys. 

Target mammals: Aardvark, African wild dog, brown hyena, caracal, cheetah, eland, leopard, oryx, red hartebeest, spotted hyena, suricate (meerkat), Temminck’s ground pangolin.

Target bird species: African Scops Owl, Bare-cheeked Babbler, Bateleur, Bearded Woodpecker, Black-faced Babbler, Black-faced Waxbill, Blue Crane, Bradfield’s Hornbill, Burchell’s Courser, Common Ostrich, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Double-banded Courser, Dusky Sunbird, Eastern Clapper Lark, Fawn-coloured Lark, Gabar Goshawk, Greater Kestrel, Grey Go-away-bird, Hooded Vulture, Kori Bustard, Lappet-faced Vulture, Marabou Stork, Martial Eagle, Meyer’s Parrot, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Northern Black Korhaan, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Pink-billed Lark, Pygmy Falcon, Red-necked Falcon, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Rufous-bellied Tit, Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, Secretarybird, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Sociable Weaver, Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Southern White-faced Owl, Stark’s Lark, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Violet Woodhoopoe.

Accommodation: Wildacker Lodge (or similar) – 1 night 

Days 9 to 10: Wildacker to Bwabwata National Park (Mahango), North-Eastern Namibia 

After a morning walk, we leave for the Caprivi Strip region of Namibia, above Botswana. We stop at the Popa Falls Resort in Popa Falls Game Park for lunch and then enter the Mahango Core Area of Bwabwata National Park. It has the famed Okavango River passing through it, and consequently, it’s home to diverse wildlife and bird species.  After checking into our lodge, we enjoy a 3-hour sundowner boat cruise along the Okavango River, viewing hippos, elephant herds and buffaloes drinking, and many bird species. With a bit of luck, we may also spot leopards and other predators coming to quench their thirst.  

Target mammals: Aardvark, African buffalo, African elephant, bushbuck, Cape buffalo, common reedbuck, giraffe, greater kudu, hippopotamus, leopard, lion, Nile crocodile, plain’s zebra, roan, sable, sitatunga, spotted hyena, tsessebe, waterbuck.

Target bird species: African Barred Owlet, African Cuckoo-Hawk, African Finfoot, African Golden Oriole, African Mourning Dove, African Pygmy Goose, African Rail, African Skimmer, Arnot’s Chat, Baillon’s Crake, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Blue-billed Teal, Bradfield’s Hornbill, Brown Firefinch, Chirping Cisticola, Collared Pratincole, Copper Sunbird, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Cut-throat Finch, Dwarf Bittern, Greater Painted-snipe, Green-capped Eremomela, Grey Penduline Tit, Grey-rumped Swallow, Half-collared Kingfisher, Hartlaub’s Babbler, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Lesser Jacana, Lesser Moorhen, Long-toed Lapwing, Luapula Cisticola, Meves’s Starling, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Rock Pratincole, Ross’s Turaco, Rufous-bellied Heron, Rufous-bellied Tit, Schalow’s Turaco, Sharp-tailed Starling, Shelley’s Sunbird, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Slaty Egret, Souza’s Shrike, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, Square-tailed Nightjar, Swamp Boubou, Tinkling Cisticola, Wattled Crane, Western Banded Snake Eagle, White-backed Night Heron, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, White-browed Robin-Chat, White-crowned Lapwing, Wood Pipit.

Accommodation: Ndhovu Safari Lodge (or similar) – 2 nights 

Days 11 and 12: Bwabwata to Chobe National Park, Caprivi Strip, Namibia, to Kasane, Northern Botswana 

In the morning, we head off in an easterly direction to travel the length of the narrow Caprivi Strip. We pass through the Kwando Core Area, game viewing along the way, before reaching Katima Mulilo, on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River and at the Zambia border, where we stop for lunch with a view! Next, we head southwards through the Salambala Conservancy to the Ngoma Border Gate. After clearing immigration and crossing the Chobe River into northern Botswana, we drive along the southern bank through the Chobe National Park, known for its abundant wildlife, to reach our lodge bordering the Park and Kasane town. In the evening, we dine overlooking the Chobe River. 

Target mammals: Aardvark, African civet, African elephant, African wild dog, blue wildebeest, Cape buffalo, Cape porcupine, caracal, chacma baboon, Chobe bushbuck, eland, giraffe, greater kudu, hippo, honey badger, leopard, lion, puku, red lechwe, sable, spotted hyena, tsessebe, warthog.

Target bird species: African Finfoot, African Fish Eagle, African Golden Oriole, African Skimmer, Arnot’s Chat, Black Coucal, Brown Firefinch, Copper Sunbird, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Greater Painted-snipe, Grey-rumped Swallow, Half-collared Kingfisher, Long-toed Lapwing, Meyer’s Parrot, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Racket-tailed Roller, Red-faced Crombec, Rock Pratincole, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Ross’s Turaco, Rufous-bellied Heron, Schalow’s Turaco, Senegal Coucal, Slaty Egret, Square-tailed Nightjar, Tinkling Cisticola, Wattled Crane, Western Banded Snake Eagle, White-backed Night Heron, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, White-browed Robin-Chat, White-crowned Lapwing, Wood Pipit, Yellow-throated Leaflove  

Accommodation: Chobe Safari Lodge (or similar) – 2 nights 

Days 13 to 14: Chobe to Victoria Falls, North-West Zimbabwe 

We leave Kasane today, heading for the Kazangula Border Gate and crossing into Zimbabwe. We travel eastwards through the wild Zambezi National Park to the renowned Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke that Thunders”). After lunch in town, we check into our lodge on the banks of the Zambezi River, a few kilometres upriver from the Falls. Today’s unforgettable experience is viewing the spectacular Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. We also explore the National Park in the golden afternoon light.  

Target mammals: African Elephant, African Wild Dog, Cape Buffalo, chacma baboon, common eland, greater kudu, leopard, lion, plain’s zebra, sable, southern giraffe, waterbuck.

Target bird species: African Finfoot, African Skimmer, Arnot’s Chat, Bearded Scrub Robin, Broad-billed Roller, Brown Firefinch, Collared Palm Thrush, Goliath Heron, Grey-headed Parrot, Half-collared Kingfisher, Kori Bustard, Lanner Falcon, Long-toed Lapwing, Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Miombo Tit, Olive Woodpecker, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Racket-tailed Roller, Red-faced Crombec, Rock Pratincole, Saddle-billed Stork, Schalow’s Turaco, Tropical Boubou, Trumpeter Hornbill, Western Banded Snake Eagle, White-backed Night Heron, White-breasted Cuckooshrike.

Accommodation: A’Zambezi River Lodge (or similar) – 2 nights