&BEYOND ITINERARIES
Namibia Dunes and Desert Safari- 4 Days / 3 Nights
Travel to the heart of an age-old desert, where the dunes are taller and the stars are brighter than you
have ever imagined. Among these vast ancient vistas a thousand tiny miracles play out each day, as
fascinating desert animals and plants make dozens of unique adaptations that allow them to thrive in
this arid environment. Natural beauty on a grand scale stretches beneath impossibly blue African skies.
Stripped down to barest simplicity, the desert playground of &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is the
ideal place to reawaken your soul.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ITINERARY:
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Exceptional stargazing, with a highly sophisticated telescope and professional astronomer
Magnificent open spaces
Beautiful views over the desert plains
Specially adapted desert wildlife – oryx, springbok, Burchell’s zebra and the endemic Hartmann’s
mountain zebra, bat-eared foxes, as well as a variety of insects and lizards
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR ADVENTURE:
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Be enchanted by the vast open spaces, breathtaking scenery and great contrasts of this spectacular
country, which boasts a beautiful coastline, towering sand dunes, ancient mountains and the
world’s oldest desert.
Climb some of the world’s highest sand dunes at Sossusvlei in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.
Ask your ranger to show you the mysterious fairy circles.
Extend your Namibian adventure by a couple of extra days and join a three-night flying safari to
the haunting and beautiful the Skeleton Coast.
SPECIALLY CREATED FOR:
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Nature lovers
Avid photographers
Stargazers
Anyone in search of tranquillity
Namibia Dunes and Desert Safari 2015 – Rack – 2014-11 20
DESERT PLAINS AND DUNE FIELDS
AN &BEYOND CUSTOM-DESIGNED ITINERARY
DATE
SERVICE
Day 1
Welcome and assistance at Hosea Kutako International Airport (Windhoek)
Scheduled flight to &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
3 nights at &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
Day 4
Scheduled flight back to Hosea Kutako International Airport
Namibia Dunes and Desert Safari 2015 – Rack – 2014-11 20
DETAILED ITINERARY
This adventure begins and ends at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek.
DAY 1
On arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, you will be warmly welcomed by an
&Beyond Representative, who will assist you with check-in for a light aircraft flight to &Beyond
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge.
One of the oldest, driest and most pristine areas on Earth, the Namib Desert is a world of vast spaces,
endless horizons, dramatic desertscapes and jagged mountain heights. The largest private nature
reserve in Southern Africa, the NamibRand Nature Reserve spans 180 000 hectares (445 000 acres) of
this unspoiled desert wilderness. The reserve is also part of the largest conservation area in Namibia
and is home of some of Africa's most breathtaking scenery. The park is a vivid and varied fabric of all
the natural beauty of the Namib. Steep, rocky mountain ranges, enormous savannahs, vegetated
dunes of deep red sand, and clay pans are four of the NamibRand's distinct natural habitats. Many
antelope, including the gemsbok (or oryx), inhabit the park, as do over 100 bird species, among them
Namibia's only true endemic, the dune lark.
One of the highlights of any trip to Namibia is a visit to Sossusvlei in the heart of the enormous,
almost 50 000km² Namib-Naukluft Park. Easily accessible to visitors, Sossusvlei is a clay pan that is
only rarely filled by water, but is a place of awe-inspiring beauty. Visitors to the region will be left
spellbound by the magnificent ochre-coloured sand dunes, which rise over 300m into the sky – the
highest sand dunes in the world.
Unwind for three nights in a desert villa at &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. Your stay includes
three meals daily, soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers, teas and coffees,
refreshments on game drives, laundry, safari activities and an excursion to Sossusvlei.
Once you have settled in, set off on a guided walk through the desert, stopping to admire the tiny
miracles of nature that make up the unique plants and wildlife of this arid yet beautiful region. If you
have the energy, you can hike up the craggy slope behind the lodge to see the ancient San rock
paintings that are situated in a nearby cave. With no dangerous game on the reserve, you are free to
explore the lodge surroundings whenever you wish, either with a guide or on your own.
Other adventures include scenic drives with an opportunity to encounter a variety of desert-adapted
animals such as gemsbok, zebra, springbok, bat-eared fox, aardwolf, caracal and jackal. Guided quad
bike trails set out on clearly marked paths through the dunes, while the lodge’s observatory provides
the ideal place to gaze in awe at the wonders of the clear desert sky, with the resident astronomer on
hand to point out the brightest and most beautiful constellations.
Namibia Dunes and Desert Safari 2015 – Rack – 2014-11-20
DAY 2
Awaken to the perfect stillness of the desert dawn and enjoy a quiet coffee before heading out into
the cool morning air. Marvel at the sheer sense of endless space as you take off in a hot air balloon,
drifting silently above rocky outcrops, billowing sand dunes and strange yet exquisite moonscapes.
Admire the many moods of the desert as you keep a watchful eye out for gemsbok, zebra and ostrich
before settling gently back on the ground just in time for breakfast.
Returning to the lodge, cool off with a refreshing dip in the pool before enjoying a delicious lunch
served in the shade of the lodge’s spacious veranda. Indulge in a siesta before afternoon tea and then
set off on a scenic drive to the fascinating petrified dunes, a frozen landscape of endless undulating
waves or choose to explore the massive boulders of Bushman’s Koppies, haphazardly strewn one on
top of the other like a giant’s building blocks. Stop to admire the thousand hues of a desert sunset
before returning to the lodge in the evening.
Namibia Dunes and Desert Safari 2015 – Rack – 2014-11-20
DAY 3
Wake up early today and set off from the lodge before the morning sun peeps over the horizon. Travel
to the famous Sossusvlei, part of the Namib Sand Sea, an endlessly undulating landscape of sand
dunes that heaves and tosses above the rocky desert floor, coloured a thousand different shades of
orange, amber and ochre. Some of the highest dunes in the world rise on both sides as you drive
deeper into the dune field. The gold rays of the rising sun set the eastern faces of the mountains of
sand on fire as their western slopes remain in deep and dramatic shadow. In the cool of the morning
sun, slither and slide your way to the top of Big Daddy and gasp in awe as the full extent of this
majestic sea of sand is unveiled. Travel even deeper into the dune field and you will discover the
hauntingly named Dead Vlei, where the dead branches of camel thorn trees, bleached a fine white by
decades of sun and sand, stretch out in a strangely graceful dance.
As the temperature begins to rise, enjoy a picnic breakfast laid out in the shade. If you still have the
energy, there is the option to visit Sesriem Canyon, where a rare desert spring lies encased among
precarious cliff walls.
Return to the lodge with ample time to rest and relax before lunch. In the afternoon, set out on a
quad bike trail through the dunes, led by an experienced guide. Enjoy the solitude and majesty of the
desert as the trail winds over the dunes and rocky outcrops. As the day winds to a close, stop to enjoy
a chilled sundowner as a dazzle of stars slowly comes to full, blazing life in the velvety night sky.
A mouth-watering dinner awaits back at the lodge or in a dramatic desert location. After dinner, the
resident astronomer unlocks the secrets of the southern skies at the lodge’s well-equipped
observatory. End your night looking sleepily up at the African stars through a skylight positioned right
above your king-sized bed.
Namibia Dunes and Desert Safari 2015 – Rack – 2014-11-20
DAY 4
Enjoy breakfast and perhaps a morning activity before your light aircraft flight back to Windhoek.
RATES
VALIDITY
Mid Season
7 Jan – 31 May 15 ; 1 Nov – 20 Dec 15
Per person sharing
NAD 26 430
NAD 4 950
High Season
1 – 6 Jan 15; 1 Jun – 31 Oct 15;
21 – 31 Dec 15
Saving per person
NAD 36 250
(not applicable 15 Jan – 15 Feb
OR July & Aug 15)
OUR TREAT
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Guests staying at &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge will receive one hot air balloon safari per
person per stay (not valid in July and August and weather dependent). Ballooning is also closed
from 15 January to 15 February annually.
INCLUDED IN THE RATE
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Welcome and assistance service at Hosea Kutako International Airport
Scheduled light aircraft flights:
Hosea Kutako International Airport / &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge / Hosea Kutako
International Airport
Transport to and from the lodge airstrip
Twin / single accommodation
Meals on full board basis
Soft drinks, house wine, local brand spirits, local beer, teas and coffees (premium brands to own
account)
Laundry
Nature drives, guided nature walks, quad bike excursions in the NamibRand Nature Reserve
(subject to availability) and one excursion to Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon
Emergency medical evacuation insurance
Namibia Dunes and Desert Safari 2015 – Rack – 2014-11-20
NOTES
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Balloon me over Sossusvlei Signature offer included in above package and cannot be combined
with any other offers.
Additional offer available: Honeymoon offer at &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge where the bride
pays 50% for accommodation (cannot be combined with any other offers)
Rates are quoted on a per person sharing basis.
A single supplement of 50% is only charged from the third single room per booking, except for
1 - 6 Jan; Jul - Oct and 21 -31 Dec 2015, when the supplement applies from the first single room.
The operator may reroute the itinerary or accommodate in similar lodges in case of nonavailability.
Single traveller supplement and child rates will be quoted on request.
Quad bike excursions are regrettably not available for children under the age of sixteen.
Validity periods are as specified above; should a booking fall over two rate periods the rate will
change and we reserve the right to re-quote.
The rates quoted are subject to change without warning if there are any increases in bed levies,
park fees, fuel, sales tax or VAT, third-party services or any other circumstances beyond our
control in Namibia.
&Beyond trading terms apply
pp*
=
Per person
This itinerary has been carefully designed to give you a taste of the exciting, endless possibilities and
can be tailored to suit your exact preferences.
Namibia Dunes and Desert Safari 2015 – Rack – 2014-11-20