Namibia and Botswana

br />Save $500 per couple on 10/7/11-4/30/13 departures. Offer valid on new bookings only made by 2/28/12.

Restrictions apply, based on availability.
Ask your agent for details today! Click here for terms and conditions.A true taste of the wild. Namibia and Botswana offer a diverse mix of natural and cultural treasures. Spend 2 nights in the vast Namibia desert. See the ancient Camelthorn tree skeletons of Dead Vlei. Tour Victoria Falls. See the largest open-air art gallery in southern Africa. Spend time in Sossusvlei, home to the highest dunes in the world and enjoy dinner under the stars. Cruise Walvis Bay. Tour a local township and interact with its inhabitants. Spot wildlife in the bush during an Etosha National Park game drive. Each experience expands on the one before as you explore southern Africa.

Day 1: Overnight Flight
Mountain scenery, winding coastlines, cultural diversity and abundant wildlife make for an incredible experience.

Day 2: Johannesburg, South Africa - Tour Begins
Overnight this evening in Johannesburg, South Africa at an airport hotel.

Day 3: Johannesburg - Windhoek, Namibia
Fly to Windhoek • Travel to your lodge located on a private nature reserve which boasts 25 large game species including rhino, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, cheetah and giraffe.

Day 4: Windhoek - Sossusvlei
Enter the vast Namib Desert • Arrive in Sossusvlei, an area marked by the highest dunes in the world • Their warm colors, which range from pale apricot to deep red, contrast with the large clay pans at their bases.

Day 5: Sossusvlei
Travel to the dunes and marvel at the colors painted by the rising sun • Take a short walk to the Dead Vlei, a large ghostly expanse of dried white clay punctuated by skeletons of ancient Camelthorn trees • Fix your gaze on “Big Daddy,” a dune that rises to 800 feet • Enjoy brunch under the shade of a Camelthorn tree • Visit Sesriem Canyon and photograph the bizarre shapes of the 100-foot deep chasm • Later in the afternoon, travel by open-air vehicle into the desert for dinner under a blanket of stars.

Day 6: Sossusvlei - Walvis Bay - Swakopmund
After breakfast travel between a majestic mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean • Walk along the steep edge of Kuiseb Pass to experience the unique ecology • Continue to Walvis Bay and visit one of the most important wetlands on the African continent • Over 80% of African flamingos feed here • Stop at Bird Island and relive the story of the man who, in the early 1900’s, first saw opportunity in guano mining • Arrive in Swakopmund and spend the remainder of your day at leisure • Relax or stroll the streets of this idyllic town.

Day 7: Swakopmund
Return to Walvis Bay for a marine cruise along the lagoon • Entertainment is provided by two types of dolphins and members of a large seal colony who climb onto the vessel for a fishy snack • This afternoon, a township tour offers the opportunity to interact with local people • Sing and dance with the children • Visit a local market and learn more about the background of previously disadvantaged Namibians • Finally, stop at a local pub for refreshments • The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 8: Swakopmund - Damaraland
Travel along the Atlantic Coast to Damaraland • Pass Brandberg, an extinct volcano and Namibia’s highest mountain • See the largest open-air art gallery in southern Africa • Browse amongst these boulders and slabs of sandstone and marvel at the grandest rock engraving in Africa • Time permitting, embark on an afternoon drive in search of the legendary desert elephants.

Day 9: Damaraland - Etosha National Park
Visit the ancient Petrified Forest fossilized remains that give a glimpse into the ecosystem 260 million years ago • Enjoy a game drive at Etosha Game Reserve before arriving at your lodge.

Day 10: Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park opens at sunrise • Enjoy a full day of game viewing • Wait in anticipation at water holes that support a rich variety of mammals and birds • You never know what you will see behind the next bush.

Day 11: Etosha National Park - Kavango Region
Your journey takes you north to the Kavango River • Stop at the Hoba Meteorite • Weighing over 60 tons, this space rock crashed through the atmosphere 80,000 years ago • Continue to Rundu, capital of the region • Explore the woodlands and boundary rivers • The Okavango River forms a natural border between Namibia and Angola • The region consists of five tribes, each led by a traditional chief who is assisted by a headman.

Day 12: Kavango Region - Caprivi
Follow the Okavango to the border of Caprivi where the river turns sharply south, forming the Okavango Delta in Botswana • The terrain consists of swamplands, floodplains, wetlands and woodlands • Home to 450 species, animals travel freely to and from Chobe National Park • Spend the remainder of the day at leisure • Choose an optional boat cruise to Popa Falls.

Day 13: Caprivi Region
Begin the day with a game drive into the Mahango Game Park • Keep a look out for puku, lechwe, road and sable • These creatures in turn attract a large variety of predators including lion, leopard and even highly endangered wild dogs • The afternoon is at leisure to relax at the lodge.

Day 14: Caprivi Region - Chobe National Park, Botswana
Travel through the Bwabwatwa Game Park • This narrow strip of land provides a migration route for a variety of game species moving from Botswana into Namibia • Visit a traditional Caprivi village • These people have made farming their way of life for hundreds of years • Arrive in Kasane, situated on the Chobe River • Your lodge offers grand views.

Day 15: Chobe National Park
After sunrise, ride in an open air vehicle to Chobe National Park, where wildlife roam freely • This park is home to Africa’s largest concentration of elephants • During the dry season hundreds of elephants congregate along the fertile flood plains of the Chobe River • Return to the lodge for breakfast • In the afternoon, embark on a guided Chobe sunset cruise • Experience the multitude of animals found along the banks of the river.

Day 16: Chobe National Park - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Cross the border into Zimbabwe and continue to the Victoria Falls Hotel, known as the “Grand Old Lady of the Falls” • Enjoy a leisurely cruise on the Zambezi River • Take in the majestic African sunset.

Day 17: Victoria Falls
Embark on an elephant back safari • Meet these powerful creatures up-close • After breakfast, interact with the residents of a local village • Enjoy lunch with a local family and take a walking tour of Victoria Falls, truly one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” • Shop at a nearby curio market before returning to the hotel.

Day 18: Victoria Falls - Tour Ends
Your tour ends today in Victoria Falls.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
10/21/2012 - 11/7/2012	$7,911
2/3/2013 - 2/20/2013	$8,111
3/3/2013 - 3/20/2013	$8,111
4/14/2013 - 5/1/2013	$8,111
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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