Deserts & Delta Easter Family Overland (Windhoek to Victoria Falls)

When you arrive, our staff will greet you at the airport and take you to your hotel to kick off your trip. You’ll have the rest of the day to relax and get settled in. Later, at 6 PM, we’ll hold a pre-trip meeting where you’ll meet our crew and get acquainted with the overland expedition vehicle that will be your home for the next two weeks.

After breakfast, we’ll head south to Namib-Naukluft National Park. The drive will take us through breathtaking desert and mountain scenery, making it hard to focus on the road! That evening, we’ll camp in a beautiful spot near the Sossusvlei dunes, inside the park, which is home to the world’s tallest sand dunes and one of the planet’s largest salt pans.

This morning, we’ll have the chance to climb the towering sand dunes at Sossusvlei, one of Namibia’s top attractions and a highlight on many tourist posters. Kids can compete with their parents to reach the summit, where breathtaking views of an endless ‘world of sand’ await, extending all the way to the Atlantic, 50 miles away. The kids can then enjoy a thrilling slide back down, a favorite activity, especially since breakfast awaits them at the bottom.

This morning, accompanied by an expert guide, we’ll explore the Namib Desert and gain fascinating insights into its wildlife. It’s not just about the Big 5; there are also the Little 5 to discover! We’ll encounter some of the smaller inhabitants of this unique ecosystem and learn how they’ve adapted to thrive in the desert. Who knows, we might even spot the beetle that performs a headstand each morning to collect fog on its back, which then trickles down to its mouth! Later we drive north-west to the Atlantic coast and the town of Swakopmund where we will settle into our accommodation and then enjoy a group meal out in the evening.

Swakopmund is Namibia's favourite holiday destination and its adventure capital. With a wide range of family-friendly and adrenaline-pumping activities, along with beautiful beaches, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. This coastal resort offers a refreshing change from the land-based wildlife experiences you’ll have in Namibia. Families can enjoy a catamaran cruise to spot dolphins, flamingos, and even whales near Walvis Bay, or kayak alongside playful seals at Pelican Point. Older kids will love sandboarding, fat biking, or embarking on 4x4 and quad biking adventures in the nearby dunes. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, the town is filled with cafes, art galleries, and museums to explore. You’ll have plenty of free time to choose from a variety of optional activities.

You have the whole day free here to participate in optional activities of your choice.

As we leave Swakopmund, our adventure takes us north along the Skeleton Coast to Cape Cross, a nature reserve famous for hosting one of the largest colonies of Cape fur seals in the world. This site also marks the spot where the first European explorer set foot in Namibia in 1486. Kids can immerse themselves in the lively atmosphere, observing the fascinating interactions of the seals from a wide walkway, safely separated from them by a low wall. As they stroll through the colony, they’ll have the chance to discover intriguing facts about seal life at various information points, and even look up at a modern replica of Diego Cao’s historical cross. Continuing inland, we’ll head to our overnight camp, a small family-run site in the heart of the Namibian desert. This camp supports the local Himba community and helps provide schooling for their children. While we’re there, there is an optional tour to meet some local tribe members and learn more about their culture, traditions, and way of life in the bush.

If you’ve loved the desert scenery and wildlife so far, it’s time for a classic safari as we head north to the southern entrance of Etosha National Park, renowned for its exceptional game-watching opportunities in Africa. We’ll arrive in Etosha by the afternoon, and that evening, we’ll embark on our first game drive. Later, we’ll have the chance to observe wildlife visiting a nearby floodlit waterhole.

Many safari enthusiasts regard Etosha as one of Africa’s premier wildlife reserves. Covering 8,600 square miles, it features a vast salt pan that is four times the size of Los Angeles and is even visible from the moon! The park is home to four of the ‘Big Five’ (elephants, rhinos, lions, and leopards). As Namibia’s top wildlife attraction, there’s no better way to experience it than from the comfort of a truck, stopping as needed at various watering holes. Kids will love playing the role of David Attenborough, spotting giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and elephants wandering nearby, or even lions lounging by the roadside. With 114 different animal species and over 300 bird species, there will be plenty to keep the kids engaged as animal spotters. We’ll turn off the engine when needed to soak in the sight of herds of zebras, impalas, and more gathered around the watering holes. During the dry season (May to October), these areas host an incredible number of animals, making August the ideal time for a family safari adventure.

After spending a couple of days in Etosha, we’ll set off north again after breakfast, heading toward the remote northwest of Namibia to the southern banks of the Okavango River, which borders Angola. Rundu, the administrative capital, is a vibrant town that offers a fascinating glimpse into a thriving African community, where we can stock up on supplies. Once we’ve settled into our overnight camp, we’ll embark on a cruise along the Kavango floodplain, where we can enjoy a stunning sunset while observing the local birdlife and wildlife.

An optional visit is available this morning to the Mbunza Living Museum. As a community initiative for the local people of the Kavango, this sustainable project allows them to preserve their traditional culture while generating additional income. A key component of the interactive program at the Living Museum is the demonstration and preservation of the fishing and agricultural practices of the Mbunza people. The traditional presentations cover various aspects of daily life, including cooking, fire-making, basket and mat weaving, as well as bushwalks and fishing. They also delve into specialized skills such as blacksmithing, pottery, and drum-making. Like all Living Museums in Namibia, the Mbunza Living Museum aims to provide visitors with an authentic and in-depth look at traditional, pre-colonial culture, which particularly appeals to younger travelers. From there, we’ll head to the Caprivi Strip, often referred to as Namibia’s answer to the Okavango Delta. This region offers an incredible water-based safari experience. Nestled between Angola, Zambia, and Botswana, near the tip of Zimbabwe, it is surrounded by five perennial rivers—Chobe, Kwando, Linvanti, Okavango, and Zambezi—making it a sanctuary for elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and buffalo. Birdwatching here is exceptional, with an impressive 660 different species recorded. Families can enjoy a wide range of activities, including game viewing by boat, sunset cruises, and canoeing adventures, all of which provide a wonderful way to relax and reconnect. The Caprivi Strip serves as a gateway to our next adventures in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

You have a free day today on the Okavango River, with a wide variety of optional activities to choose from. One option is a Mokoro cruise, where local poler guides will navigate the extensive waterways in traditional dugout canoes. This offers a unique experience and a fantastic perspective of the surroundings from a hippo's eye view. Additionally, there are various other optional safaris, including game walks and game drives with expert guides, providing the opportunity to see elephants, crocodiles, and hippos up close. The Okavango Delta is one of the largest inland waterways in the world, and its tranquil beauty will leave you feeling incredibly relaxed.

As we leave Namibia, our journey takes us across the border into Botswana, heading to the Kasane region along the Chobe River. Chobe is renowned for its large populations of elephants and buffalo, which often gather in astonishing numbers. With an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 elephants, these gentle giants are constantly nearby. We’ll be there during the dry season, when thousands of them line the riverbanks and cross the water towards our campsite, offering the kids an unforgettable chance to see them up close and create lifelong memories. Our evening river cruise provides excellent photo opportunities and is sure to keep everyone captivated, making it a delightful way to watch the sun set over the horizon.

This morning, you have the option for a final game drive into Chobe National Park (not included). Today’s journey will take us across the border into Zimbabwe, leading us to our final destination: Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and statistically the largest waterfall on the planet. Known as “The Smoke that Thunders” in the local Tonga language, Victoria Falls boasts the largest single curtain of falling water in the world, with 70% of its breathtaking views visible from the Zimbabwe rainforest. The impressive roar of the falls can sometimes be heard from 40 kilometers (25 miles) away. At its peak, about 150 million gallons of water cascade over the falls every minute—an unfathomable amount. To put this into perspective, a standard bathtub holds 40 gallons, so 1 million gallons would equal 25,000 bathtubs. This means that the staggering 150 million gallons equates to 3.75 million bathtubs worth of water thundering over the falls each minute. That’s an incredible volume! The rainforest surrounding the falls experiences constant rain from the endless spray, creating a unique ecosystem that is a botanist’s dream and a birdwatcher’s paradise. Some species found here are not found anywhere else, and families are encouraged to venture a little beyond the 2-kilometer path and various viewpoints to spot them. One of the remarkable aspects of the falls is that the area remains largely uncommercialized. In fact, when standing by the falls, your view would be quite similar to what David Livingstone saw when he first encountered them in 1855. After our visit to the falls, our journey comes to an end (for now, at least!)—a truly unforgettable experience to cap off the trip.