Namibia is a vast and impressive country located on Africa’s south west coast where the scorched deserts that cover the country meet in dramatic style with the ice-cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This spectacular coastline stretches the entire 1600km length of the country from the infamous Skeleton Coast in the north to the vast Namib Desert in the south.

Namibia’s mainland holds some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Africa. The salt-pans of Etosha National Park which sustain much of Africa’s most recognised wildlife, the nearby Waterberg National Park which provides spectacular views from it’s plateau, the deserts of the Namib-Naukluft National Park where you can watch the sunrise sat on top of gigantic sand dunes, and the awesome Fish River Canyon, the second largest in the world. In the north west of the country traditional Himba Tribes can be visited and ancient rock painting can be seen around the area of Damaraland. A major focus of all Namibian expeditions is the project phase which normally lasts 10 days. In the past teams have been heavily involved in education development throughout the country: working at schools in rural communities.Teams can also get involved in environmental/wildlife conservation projects in Namibia’s National Parks.

Some possible expedition objectives are given below, please note these may alter between now and your expedition. The Expedition Programme Manager for Namibia will agree a suitable expedition itinerary for you, to best match the abilities and aspirations of your team. Namibia expeditions are divided into Northern or Southern itineraries. Both options offer wonderful opportunities for trekking and project work.

North
Acclimatisation trekking can be enjoyed either within the Nauklauft National Park where a series of day treks will provide you with wonderful views, or inside the tranquil Nambigrens private reserve, where teams can embark on a three day, two night trekking phase or split the trek up into a series of day treks. Alternatively, teams may decide to spend a few days completing day treks in ancient Damaraland, which encompasses some of Namibia’s most dramatic natural features such as the Spitzkoppe and Brandberg mountain ranges. It is also possible to spend an entire day trekking to 3 major attractions. An early start to watch the sun rise from Dune 45, before heading further in to the desert to trek to Sossusvlei, returning to Sesriem for a short hike into the local canyon to watch the sunset.

 For your main trekking phase, the Waterberg Plateau offers a 4 day guided trail around its enormous escarpment and we are currently looking into the possibility of a new main trek either in the Nauklauft National Park or in the spectacular Ugab River Valley (far North). For extremely fit teams who like a challenge, trekking on the Brandberg Massif, the highest mountain in Namibia, will combine spectacular desert scenery with rugged mountain terrain, wildlife and local culture.

South
Acclimatisation options in the South are as above. The main trekking phase will be a dramatic and very challenging 90 km, 5 day self-guided trek in the Fish River Canyon. Following the dried river bed along the base, you will be dwarfed by the immense size of the canyon walls on either side. You must be self-sufficient with water and food, and camps will be set by the teams usually opting to sleep under the stars.

Rest and Relaxation
The coastal town of Swakopmund is an ideal destination for Rest and Relaxation, where many teams head into the surrounding desert to enjoy an afternoon of sand-dune boarding! In the North, the salt-pans of Etosha offer teams a chance to view many of Africa’s most famous species. In addition teams can visit the historic town of Luderitz in the South and take a boat trip to see the local seals, penguins and dolphins.

Projects
Teams normally go to schools in rural areas to work on a variety of projects including designing vegetable gardens, repainting school buildings and creating recreational grounds/playgrounds, as well as helping with teaching and getting involved in after school sports or clubs. Conservation or environmental work is also be possible within Namibia’s National Parks and game reserves.