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FROM US$5,560-US$7,400

Pelican Fly & Drive Safari

A unique itinerary visiting the must-see highlights combining the adventure of a classic Namibian self-drive with the ease and spectacular views of a fly-in safari.

Pelican Fly & Drive Safari: Summary

Pelican Drive & Fly in a nutshell

After a first night in Windhoek, begin your adventure with a drive through the desert to the beautifully set Hoodia Lodge to explore the majestic Namib Sand Sea’s towering dunes at Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon.

Then follow the road to the coast to a remote peninsular jutting out into the Atlantic and the utterly unique Pelican Point Lodge. Beside a lighthouse and all but surrounded by the ocean, it’s a great base for kayaking with the local seal colony, dolphin spotting, birdwatching, kite surfing and more.

Next, hop in a light aircraft for a scenic flight north and inland over Damaraland’s rocky hills to the Palmwag Concession, an enormous protected area that’s a sanctuary for all manner of rare wildlife. Staying at Desert Rhino Camp, this is one of only of the only places in Africa where you can track rare black rhino on foot.

The final hop takes you to the edge of Etosha’s lunar salt pans and Ongava Private Game Reserve. White rhino are a speciality here, as are lions, which you can spot on day and night game drives as well as walking safaris.

It’s also a great jumping off point for a game drive into Etosha where elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, oryx and impala immerge out of the dusty heat haze to gather in their dozens around waterholes – perhaps Namibia’s most unforgettable sight.

At a glance

Starts: Windhoek International Airport
1 night Galton House - Windhoek, Namibia Bed & Breakfast
2 nights Hoodia Desert Lodge - Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia Half Board
3 nights Pelican Point Lodge - Swakopmund & Walvis Bay, Namibia Half Board
2 nights Desert Rhino Camp - Damaraland, Namibia Full Board & Activities
2 nights Ongava Tented Camp - Etosha National Park, Namibia Full Board & Activities
Ends: Windhoek International Airport

Galton House

Day 1

Galton House, named after the early explorer Sir Francis Galton, is just ten minutes' drive from central Windhoek. A modern yet homely guesthouse, with a backdrop of rolling hills, it was opened in the residential suburb of Eros in 2011. There's a mix of comfortable indoor and outdoor spaces in which to relax and the convenience of an in-house restaurant that caters for all meals.

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Hoodia Desert Lodge

Days 2-4

Set at the foot of the Namib-Naukluft Mountains, Hoodia Desert Lodge overlooks the ephemeral Tsauchab River. It was opened in 2008 by owner-managers Thomas and Henreza Becker, an easy 22km drive to Sesriem, the gateway to Sossusvlei. The name comes from the flowering cactus, which dots the surrounding plains that seem to go on forever.

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Pelican Point Lodge

Days 4-7

Pelican Point Lodge stands near the end of a long, flat peninsula of sand (known as Pelican Point) which stretches into the South Atlantic Ocean and protects the port of Walvis Bay. It's in an amazing location; see our satellite image. It's very exposed to the elements, but in a rich area for marine life and very close to a Cape fur seal colony.

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Desert Rhino Camp

Days 7-9

Remote, exclusive and specialised, Desert Rhino Camp lies in the vast Palmwag Concession. This semi-desert reserve of about 5,000km² between Etosha National Park and the Skeleton Coast is one of the best places to see desert-dwelling black rhino and other desert-adapted wildlife. The camp has been operating for more than 20 years and its activities – run by a reliably superb and committed team – centre on tracking black rhino.

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Ongava Tented Camp

Days 9-11

Nestled in mopane woodland, Ongava Tented Camp overlooks a waterhole within the private Ongava Game Reserve. This 300km² reserve, which offers both day and night drives and guided walks, borders Etosha National Park on the south side, near the Andersson Gate, and benefits from similar wildlife, with the notable inclusion of both black and white rhino.

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Galton House

Galton House

Windhoek, Namibia

Hoodia Desert Lodge

Hoodia Desert Lodge

Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia

Pelican Point Lodge

Pelican Point Lodge

Swakopmund & Walvis Bay, Namibia

Desert Rhino Camp

Desert Rhino Camp

Damaraland, Namibia

Ongava Tented Camp

Ongava Tented Camp

Etosha National Park, Namibia

About image

Highlights

Our thoughts on five of the top experiences of this Pelican Fly & Drive Safari.

  • Exploring Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert
  • Coastal adventures from the unique Pelican Point Lodge
  • Tracking rare black rhino in Damaraland
  • Safari on the Ongava Reserve & Etosha National Park
  • Mix the adventure of driving with the luxury of flying

Activities

Some activities which can be included in the Pelican Fly & Drive Safari: talk to us about those which interest you.

  • 4WD Safari

  • Birdwatching

  • Boat trip

  • Cultural excursion

  • Dune-boarding

  • Fishing

  • Guided walking safari

  • Helicopter

  • Hot air ballooning

  • Kayaking

  • Mountain biking

  • Night drive

  • Quad-biking

About image

Key species to see on the Pelican Fly & Drive Safari

Based on our travellers' observations, we’ve estimated the likelihood of seeing these species during the Pelican Fly & Drive Safari. Click on the animals and our wildlife surveys page for more info.


Lion

100% chance

Black Rhino

100% chance

Giraffe

100% chance

Oryx

100% chance

White Rhino

100% chance

Zebra

100% chance

Elephant

97% chance

Wildebeest

97% chance

Spotted Hyena

50% chance

Eland

41% chance

Brown Hyena

39% chance

Cheetah

26% chance

Leopard

24% chance

Meerkat

22% chance

Roan antelope

6% chance

Sable antelope

6% chance

Aardvark

0% chance

Pangolin

0% chance

Side-trips whilst on this trip

We may be able to build in some of these optional excursions from the Pelican Fly & Drive Safari. Talk to us: they’re usually best arranged when you book.


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)
Kayaking with seals

Kayaking with seals

Morning incl. tea, coffee & sandwiches

Get up close and personal with a colony of Cape fur seals on a kayaking excursion from Walvis Bay. Enjoy a gentle morning’s paddle in Walvis Bay Lagoon as seals surround and interact with you and your kayak. If you’re lucky you may even catch a glimpse of some Heaviside’s or bottlenose dolphins.

More about Kayaking with seals
98% (176 reviews)
Coast and Sandwich Harbour

Coast and Sandwich Harbour

Full day

Experience this usually inaccessible part of the Skeleton Coast, where the dunes of the Namib plunge into the Atlantic Ocean. One of our top recommendations, this is an adventurous 4WD trip, guided by experts. You'll explore the Kuiseb Delta and (tides permitting) traverse dunes and the beach to reach Sandwich Harbour, a remote freshwater lagoon with abundant birdlife.

More about Coastal tour
94% (219 reviews)
Dolphin and seal cruise

Dolphin and seal cruise

Half-day inc brunch

A boat cruise around Walvis Bay lagoon is a must for lovers of wildlife and the great outdoors. Seek out the ‘marine big five’ – from Cape fur seals to bottlenose dolphins – and marvel at the range of bird species for whom this haven on the Skeleton Coast is home. Then round off the morning with an oyster brunch.

More about Dolphin & seal cruise
89% (14 reviews)
Desert tour

Desert tour

Variable, depending on the tour

Discover the unexpected on a trip into the desert surrounding the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. A must for wilderness lovers, this extraordinary landscape encompasses the Welwitschia Plains, sculpted dunes, the magic of the Kuiseb Delta – and much more. There are plenty of options, each with its own unique focus.

More about Desert tour
96% (11 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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