TRAVEL ITINERARY Your Perfect Hideaways
Namibia and Zimbabwe
Simon and Eliana Jacobs
5 September to 16 September 2024
The Olive Exclusive
Welcome to Namibia, the beginning of your African safari!
THE OLIVE EXCLUSIVE, WINDHOEK
Premier Suite: Bed and breakfast
In 5 out 6 September
Cape Town International Airport to Windhoek:
• Flight Airlink 4Z 328, departs Cape Town 18:15 arriving Hosea Kutako International at 20:25 (own booking)
• You will be met by your driver (Omahuka Transfers).
• Private transfer from Hosea Kutako International Airport to The Olive Exclusive Boutique Hotel, Windhoek (30 mins), where you will meet up with Rob and Amy.
• A late snack (chicken wraps + fresh fruit) has been ordered (for your own account) and the hotel are expecting you to arrive at 21:30.
Amy and Rob’s schedule:
OR Tambo International Airport to Windhoek:
• Flight: South African Airways SA74 departs OR Tambo at 09:05 arriving Hosea Kutako International at 11.15 (own booking). They will be met by Omahuka Transfers and transfer to The Olive Exclusive Boutique Hotel, Windhoek. That afternoon, they will take a tour of Windhoek is with Namibian Tracks and Trails. Dinner is at 7pm, and they’ll await your arrival at approx. 21:30. 5 September, Thursday Johannesburg - Windhoek - The Olive Exclusive
Kwessi Dunes
6 September, Friday
KWESSI DUNES, SOSSUSVLEI
Fully inclusive in 6 out 9 September
Windhoek - Kwessi Dunes, Sossusvlei
Kwessi Dunes is a Sossusvlei safari camp located deep in Namibia’s striking NamibRand Nature Reserve, a vast desert wilderness of over 200,000 hectares. With its rolling desert plains and backdrop of craggy mountains and iconic red dunes, this is a place where time seems to stand still and the space is never-ending. Here, it’s not about chasing big game but rather soaking up the beauty of the colourful landscape, admiring the antelope that scatter the sand, and gazing at the stars that light up the night sky.
At Kwessi Dunes, you’ll find 12 cool and comfortable (and air-conditioned) chalets all with canvas walls and thatched roofs. Each bedroom has a separate ‘star gazer’ room, completely open to the sky, and the perfect spot from which to watch the celestial theatre show above. Views from the rooms, the main area and the swimming pool are of the vast, desert vistas and when you can bear to tear your eyes away, enjoy quad biking, scenic drives and walks, hot air ballooning, helicopter flights, horse riding and day trips to Sossusvlei.
Transfers and flight info:
• Private transfer from The Olive Exclusive (estimated departure 07.30) to Eros Airport to arrive 08:30 for your flight to Kwessi Dunes. Fly Namibia will reconfirm flight times the day before with the hotel but your flight is currently departing at 09:00.
Windhoek to Kwessi Dunes flight:
• Fly Namibia* – Windhoek Eros - Windhoek International - Kwessi Dunes
• Flight departs at approx 09:00.
• Flight time is approx 30-45 mins, with a 30-45 min drive from airstrip to the lodge.
We received an update: you are flying with Fly Namibia* (not Desert Air) on this leg now.
• Aircraft changed to Caravan or a 406 (larger than Cessna C210).
• This is a shared flight (hence the Caravan) and as a result, you may be collecting two more guests at the International Airport on the way.
Accommodation at Kwessi Dunes:
Includes:
• Luxury Tented Camp: Twin Luxury Tent
• Fully inclusive, with two drives and three meals a day
• Hot-air ballooning x 3 included and paid for. (Simon, excluded for now*)
• Quad biking or nature drive optional for Simon
• Kwessi Dunes Conservation, Community, Reserve fees, Airstrip transfers
• WiFi in the lodge
Excludes:
• Premium brand beverages
• Discretionary tips/gratuities
• Items of a personal nature
Special activity:
Hot-air ballooning with Namib Sky Balloon Safaris is planned for 8 September x 3 (Amy, Rob and Eliana), but is weather dependent.
* At this point in time, you may still join the hot-air ballooning trip, Simon. This would be own account, to be settled at the lodge.
• Quad biking and/or a nature drive is optional for you, Simon, included already.
• Your team at Kwessi Dunes will coordinate with you on arrival, if there are any changes.
Shipwreck Lodge
SHIPWRECK LODGE, SKELETON COAST
Fully inclusive in 9 out 12 September
Uniquely designed around the enigmatic shipwrecks that line the nearby coast, there’s nowhere on the continent quite like Shipwreck Lodge, our Skeleton Coast safari lodge. In fact, there’s nowhere on the continent quite like the Skeleton Coast. It’s a raw, rugged and impossibly remote slice of African wilderness, where towering dunes and wind-swept plains roll as far as the eye can see, buffeted by the icy Atlantic seas.
But there’s much more to the area than simple isolation. Stay at Shipwreck Lodge and game drive in search of desert-dwelling fauna; discover the enchanting desert flora (succulents and lichens); sit atop the dunes as the sun sinks below the horizon; spend the day beach-combing for whale bones and debris from centuries of shipwrecks; and marvel at the geologically-remarkable Clay Castles. Really, there’s nowhere like it on earth.
Transfers and flight info:
• You will be transferred back to the Kwessi Dunes airstrip 45mins from the lodge.
• Lodge will confirm the time with you the night before departure but it will probably be at around 10:15.
• Today is a full day of travel taking you over some of the world’s wildest and most desolate landscapes, magnificent when viewed from the air. Kwessi will make you a packed lunch.
• If there are any changes to these flights, I will let you know, but at the moment this is your guideline:
Kwessi Dunes to Swakopmund: flight
• Fly Namibia – Kwessi to Swakopmund.
• Flight time: 11:20 arrives 12:10 Swakopmund (40 min flight) Swakopmund to Twyfelfontein: flight
• Fly Namibia via Swakopmund to Twyfelfontein.
• Flight time: 12:50 arrives 13:30 (40 min flight)
Twyfelfontein to Shipwreck Lodge: flight
• Desert Air - Twyfelfontein to Shipwreck Lodge airstrip.
• Flight time: Change planes and depart approx 20 mins later at 14:00, arriving 14:45 (45 min flight).
• Your Desert Air pilot will be staying over at the camp (in separate pilot accommodation) so that he can fly out with you on 12 September.
Upon arrival you will be met by your driver and take a two-hour transfer by road to Mowa Bay (leaves at 15:00) to the lodge. This is scenic route - you can see Suiderkus and Karimona shipwrecks, plus a seal colony on this route - or you can do this on departure. It might take a little longer if you stop for viewings! You’ll arrive at lodge for sundowners at about 16:45.
Accommodation:
Includes:
• Standard Luxury Room
• Twin accommodation
• Shipwreck Lodge Conservation, Community, Reserve fees are all included
• Airstrip transfers, all meals, daily activities, local drinks, laundry
• Road transfers from Mowe Bay are included
• WiFi in camp
Excludes:
• Premium brand beverages
• Discretionary tips/gratuities
• Items of a personal nature
Activities:
• Sundowner drives to the Roaring Dunes*
• Full day 4x4 Hoarusib River excursions, including the Clay Castles and wildlife spotting
• Beach lunch (*weather permitting)
• Sand boarding
• Quad biking (mornings only, pre-book)
12 September, Thursday Shipwreck Lodge, Skeleton Coast – Habitas, Windhoek
HABITAS NAMIBIA, near WINDHOEK
Dinner, bed and breakfast in 12 out 13 September
Set on a 51,000-hectare nature reserve, where rare and majestic wildlife roam free, Habitas Namibia is about discovering a way of life that looks to the earth beneath our feet and to the stars above for knowledge. Even if this is a short stopover, there’s an opportunity to venture out into the bush – or relax and enjoy a massage. Their therapies combine techniques and ancestral practices from different parts of the world, with a strong influence from Namibia’s indigenous culture. Habitas Namibia is a mere 45-minute drive from Windhoek, and each of the Savanna rooms have sweeping panoramic views over this wild and untouched space.
Transfers and flight route info:
• On 12 September, you will depart with your Desert Air pilot from Shipwreck at 09:00 and drive back to Mowe Bay (2 hours).
• Flight timings for Shipwreck Lodge to Hoanib Valley (Orutjandja airstrip): departs approx 11am from Mowe Bay and lands at Orutjandja Airstrip (Hoanib Valley) at around 11.30am. Kindly note this is an estimate from Desert Air but exact duration and landing time will be advised within 48-24 hours prior.
• At this point, Amy and Rob will road transfer to Hoanib Valley Camp and you will both carry on to Windhoek.
• Flight: Orutjandja airstrip to Windhoek (Habitas): approx. 2 hours.
• Upon arrival in Windhoek, you will be met by a Habitas driver who will transfer you to the lodge (a 45-minute drive).
Accommodation:
Includes:
• Luxury Suite
• Dinner, bed and breakfast
• All transfers
• WiFi at lodge.
Excludes:
• Premium brand beverages
• Discretionary tips/gratuities
• Items of a personal nature
Activities:
• Safari drives, yoga, star gazing, Pilates
Victoria Falls Island Lodge
13 September, Friday
VICTORIA FALLS RIVER LODGE ISLAND TREEHOUSE SUITES
Zambezi National Park, Zimbabwe in 13 out 16 September.
Habitas, Windhoek – Victoria Falls River Lodge
Sheltered within the tranquil seclusion of private Kandahar Island, each Island Treehouse Suite is strategically positioned to offer breathtaking views of the iconic Zambezi River and its picturesque surroundings. Accessed exclusively by boat from the mainland, Kandahar Island provides a private and secluded retreat for guests seeking a unique experience. The spacious open-plan suites extend over the river and jungle, elevated on timber decks with expansive glass windows and doors, seamlessly blending luxurious indoor comfort with the natural splendour outdoors.
Each Island Treehouse Suite features luxurious amenities and is connected to communal lounge, dining, and sunset bar areas via raised walkways.
Transfers and flight info:
• On 13 September: you will depart by road to travel back to Hosea Kutako International Airport for your flight to Victoria Falls (45 minutes).
• Flight time: Flight LH4304 departs Hosea Kutako International Airport, Windhoek, at 10:30 and arriving 12:10 at Victoria Falls International Airport.
• You will be met on arrival by your transfer driver. The journey to the lodge is approximately 45 minutes.
• Once you have checked in, you will transfer to your island treehouse by boat.
Accommodation:
Includes:
• Luxury Island Treehouse Suite on Kandahar Island, Zambezi River, with plunge pool.
• National Park entry fee and Rainforest entry fees (to visit the Falls) are all included.
• All meals, local and superior beverages, complimentary mini bar, daily laundry, complimentary access to fitness centre
• Airport transfers from Vic Falls Airport and boat transfers to Kandahar Island plus personal butler service.
• WiFi at lodge.
Excludes:
• Premium brand beverages
• Spa treatments
• Unspecified game or other off-site activities
• Discretionary tips/gratuities
• Items of a personal nature
Activities:
• Scheduled wildlife activities: this includes two game activities (morning/afternoon game drive, and a sunrise/sunset river cruise per person per day)
• Daily transfers to town at 10am and 3pm.
16 September, Monday Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe – Kasane Airport, Botswana
Transfers and flight info:
• Own arrangements for transfer from the lodge to Kasane Airport (done by Natural Selection).
NB: Mack Air flight time to be advised when you receive it, please, as well as the name of the transfer company.
Bon Voyage and
happy safari-ing!
Contact information
EMERGENCY CONTACTS:
NAMIBIA
The Olive Exclusive, Windhoek
Reception +264 61 383 890
Kwessi Dunes, Shipwreck Lodge
Natural Selection after hours: +264 81 141 7874
Office: +264 61 225 616 (Windhoek)
Our Habitas Namibia, near Windhoek
Lodge: +264 81 127 3555
ZIMBABWE
Victoria Falls River Lodge, Zimbabwe
Lodge: +263 77 213 1111