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FROM US$4,780-US$6,520

Flamingo Fly-in Safari

Short on time but big on experience, this luxury fly-in safari takes in Sossusvlei’s famous dunes and Etosha National Park’s captivating wildlife with stays at two excellent luxury lodges.

Flamingo Fly-in Safari: Day-by-day

More detailed information of what each day entails, and the various places you’ll stay on the Flamingo Fly-in Safari. Everything we do is completely tailor-made so while this is an idea which works well, we’ll always design an itinerary just for you.


Day 1

Starts: Windhoek International Airport

Day 1

Windhoek Airport to the city by road

Your driver will meet you in the arrivals hall of the international airport before escorting you to a waiting vehicle. It’s then a journey of around 45 minutes through the rolling hills outside Windhoek to the Olive Exclusive, in one of the capital’s leafy suburbs – just 10 minutes from the city centre by taxi.

Olive Exclusive
Day 1

Olive Exclusive

1 night
Bed & BreakfastWindhoek, Namibia

The Olive Exclusive combines understated luxury with contemporary amenities for a top-class small hotel close to the centre of Windhoek. If views over a tranquil olive grove from your own private courtyard sound appealing, read on.

Olive Exclusive

The Olive Exclusive combines understated luxury with contemporary amenities for a top-class small hotel close to the centre of Windhoek. If views over a tranquil olive grove from your own private courtyard sound appealing, read on.

For at the Olive Exclusive, just a few minutes’ drive from the centre of Windhoek, that vision is reality. With their subtle colours, natural materials and carefully chosen photographic artwork, four premier suites and three smaller but no less luxurious suites ooze a feeling of relaxation, as if the olive trees themselves have had a calming influence on the designers of this attractive boutique hotel.

As a place to recuperate after a long international flight, or to round off a self-drive trip around Namibia, it would be hard to beat. Ease away the stress of the journey with a hot bath, complete with candles, or slip off your shoes and wander outside, coffee or glass of sherry in hand, and settle down in the shade of a mature tree. In-suite facials and massages take indulgence to the next level, while a pool (or private plunge pool) offers a refreshing lift.

"Lovely room; helpful staff."

PC GreenfromSchrassig

Arrived 16 Sep 2022, 2 nights

When hunger calls, dine at the hotel’s equally exclusive restaurant, The Olive, which looks out over the twinkling lights of the city. Then wind up the day in the comfort and seclusion of your own personal oasis. See our full report on Olive Exclusive

93%
39 reviews of Olive Exclusive by travellers since August 2007

Activities

Cultural excursion

Day 2

Windhoek to Sossusvlei by road & air

From the Olive Exclusive you’ll be driven back to the international airport for your stunning light-aircraft flight to the Sossusvlei area. The route traverses the weathered slopes of the Naukluft Mountains before arriving in the Namib Desert, a short drive from Kulala. Allow 3–4 hours for this transfer.

Kulala Desert Lodge
Days 2-4

Kulala Desert Lodge

2 nights
Full Board & ActivitiesNamib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia

With mountains to the east, and the great Namib Sand Sea to the west, Kulala excels at natural grandeur. The exclusivity of a private reserve makes the setting feel even more special, and with its own private entrance into the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Kulala Desert Lodge takes a lot of beating.

Kulala Desert Lodge

With mountains to the east, and the great Namib Sand Sea to the west, Kulala excels at natural grandeur. The exclusivity of a private reserve makes the setting feel even more special, and with its own private entrance into the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Kulala Desert Lodge takes a lot of beating.

Blending almost seamlessly into the scenery, the thatched roofs at the heart of the lodge rise to a peak, mimicking the surroundings. Natural wood, stone floors and rough white walls help to minimise the desert heat, while touches of greens, browns and burnt orange reflect the natural world.

During the day, discover the majesty of the dunes by 4WD. Nearer to home, explore the reserve on foot, take to the air in a hot-air balloon, or round off the day with a sundowner drive.

And then to bed. Meaning “to sleep” in the Oshiwambo language, “kulala” here refers to the chalets – and with good reason. There may be 23 of them, but in this vast environment each feels like a tented oasis, with a private veranda, comfortable beds, and a ceiling fan to enhance the cooling breeze through mesh windows.

Best of all, though, is to fall asleep on your own roof terrace, the myriad stars of the Namibian night sky above, the desert all around. Just how cool is that?

"A very nice lodge in a lovely location."

Mr D fromLondon

Arrived 25 Sep 2023, 2 nights

Stop Press: In early march 2024 Kulala suffered a fire that destroyed the lodge's main area, luckily no-one was injured. The team at the lodge hopes to have a new main area built and ready to re-open in June this year. Please speak to one of our team for more information. See our full report on Kulala Desert Lodge

92%
353 reviews of Kulala Desert Lodge by travellers since August 2007

Activities

4WD Safari

Guided walking safari

Helicopter

Hot air ballooning

Mountain biking

Sleeping under the stars

Day 4

Sossusvlei to Etosha by road & air

Allow around 3½–4 hours for today's journey, which takes you from the Namib's dunes, over the Skeleton Coast and Damaraland's mountains to the Ongava Reserve, bordering Etosha. En route, your light aircraft will usually stop for fuel and to allow others to alight; you may even change planes.

Ongava Lodge
Days 4-7

Ongava Lodge

3 nights
Full Board & ActivitiesEtosha National Park, Namibia

Stunning views over the plains of its own private reserve set the scene at the smart Ongava Lodge. And if the view is superb, so is the wildlife – perhaps to be expected in such close proximity to Etosha National Park.

Ongava Lodge

Stunning views over the plains of its own private reserve set the scene at the smart Ongava Lodge. And if the view is superb, so is the wildlife – perhaps to be expected in such close proximity to Etosha National Park.

With plains game aplenty on the reserve, predators are rarely far behind, but pride of place goes to both black and white rhino. Spotting these primeval giants from a game-drive 4WD is exciting in itself, but to approach white rhino on foot is an opportunity not to be missed.

Back at the lodge, every area maximises the views – and the wildlife. In the spacious, air-conditioned chalets, floor-to-ceiling glass doors open onto a veranda that overlooks the plains. At the hub of the camp, an attractive dining terrace looks down onto a floodlit waterhole. And a strategically placed hide allows you to get even closer to the animals.

"a great setting"

Mr and Mrs Wfromlondon

Arrived 5 Jul 2023, 2 nights

In this exclusive setting, comfort is the watchword. Wander down to the pool for a cooling afternoon dip, or freshen up before dinner in your open-air shower. Then order a drink at the bar, and take in the Namibian night sky from the terrace. Or, come the cooler evenings, cosy down around a wood fire with a book from the library. And if you’re lucky enough to spot rhino at the waterhole, that’s a further bonus. See our full report on Ongava Lodge

92%
158 reviews of Ongava Lodge by travellers since August 2007

Activities

4WD Safari

Birdwatching

Guided walking safari

Night drive

Day 7

Etosha to Windhoek by 4WD & air

Depending on your onward arrangements you may have time to enjoy an activity and brunch before heading to the airstrip for your 1½ hour flight back to Windhoek. Flying south over the rolling hills of the Central Highlands, you’ll arrive at the international airport in time to make your onward connection.

Day 7

Ends: Windhoek International Airport

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Experiences you can add to this trip.

Optional extra day-trips and excursions possible whilst staying at lodges on this trip. These are usually best arranged in advance so talk to us.


Ballooning in the Namib Desert

Ballooning in the Namib Desert

Half day, including breakfast

Ballooning over the world’s oldest desert is an experience you shouldn’t miss. Enjoy spectacular views as the sun rises over the dune-covered plains and rocky mountains of the Namib Desert. You may even spot the occasional oryx or black-backed jackal punctuating the landscape below.

More about Ballooning
94% (70 reviews)
Scenic flights in Namibia

Scenic flights in Namibia

Variable, depending on the flight

Namibia is famed for its stark beauty and boundless desert vistas and there is no better way to soak these in than from the air. A scenic flight gives you a unique perspective on this stunning and varied country, and may even provide a bird’s-eye view of areas that are out of reach to those restricted to terra firma.

More about Scenic flights
94% (7 reviews)

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