When you think of Africa what comes to mind? Safaris, tents, mission trips, deserts and lions? Do you think of cities, nice hotels or lodges and breathtaking scenery? Well based on the itinerary I received for this study abroad, I and the rest of my group will get to experience everything Namibia has to offer and I can’t be more excited! If you, like myself, have never traveled to Africa and have no idea what you would even do there, where you would stay or what you can expect, then this may help you out. Below are excerpts from my itinerary along with descriptions and links to where I will be staying over the next month. Follow along with this blog to see what these places are like in real life! You will see plenty of pictures, and some video of my travels so make sure you subscribe to the mailing list (scroll to the bottom) to get updates as soon as I make a post! We travel between locations every few days so there is always something new to see!
City Lodge O.R. Tambo | https://clhg.com/hotels/152/City-Lodge-Hotel-OR-Tambo-International-Airport
Located at OR Tambo Airport, this hotel offers a resting place for travelers commuting to and from Johannesburg and is great if you need immediate access to the airport. Guests have access to the wide variety of airport amenities as well as a fitness room, pool and coffee shop within the hotel.
Heja Game Lodge | http://www.hejalodge.com/facilities.htmlt
While staying here my group will get a tour of the city, spend time at the Neudamm Campus at the University of Namibia, meet with Peace Corps and US Embassy representatives and enjoy a game drive at this lodge. I linked you to the facilities page where you can see the wide variety of activities this lodge has to offer, it seems like a great place for families wanting some recreational downtime as well as some adventure!
Kalahari Farmhouse | http://www.gondwana-collection.com/the-kalahari-experience/accommodation/kalahari-farmhouse/
This location is described as “an oasis in the desert” on their website. Based on the photos and the 360 ˚ virtual tour of the lodge showcasing the lush grass and palm trees it certainly looks like it. We get to see the “Soul of the World,” better known as the Kalahari Desert, home to the largest continuous expanse of sand on earth according to the desert’s website. You would think that title would belong to the larger Sahara desert, however sand dunes only take up 15% of that area. We will also be touring a family farm during our visit to “Patria Boerdery” to understand how a commercial farm is run in Namibia.
Sossusvlei Lodge | http://sossusvleilodge.com/gallery.html
This lodge has an award winning eco-friendly design and has won several awards of excellence from the Hospitality association of Namibia. From the pictures inside of their tent-like units you would not be able to tell the difference between a room in a nice hotel building, both include all the amenities you need to be completely at ease. We will visit one of the oldest deserts in the world, the Namib, explore the surrounding area, climb to the top of the dunes and visit the Sesriem Canyon – carved from occasional floods during exceptionally good rainy seasons.
Gobabeb Training Centre | http://www.gobabebtrc.org/
Gobabeb is an internationally recognized center for dry land training and research. We may get to see Springbuck, Oryx, Ostriches and Mountain Zebras during our time there! We will learn about the research this center had done over the past 50 years during a tour of the grounds as well as learning how residents of the Namib have survived in this hyper-arid environment. It should be interesting to learn the uses of different plants and animals by the Topnaar people and their cultural traditions.
Hotel Europa Hof | http://www.europahof.com/main_e.htm
Along the shore of Swakopmund the German architecture and atmosphere of this hotel located between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the sweltering Namib Desert will be different and exciting to see – I always look forward to experiences relating to my heritage, maybe I’ll get to see Germany in person one day! We will get to sail along the coast via catamaran with the possibility of seals joining us on the boat in return for some fish, hopefully we’ll get to see dolphins surfing the waves as well.
Farm Habis | Family home
Farm Habis is a normal farm where we will learn about different challenges Namibian farmers face as well as general information about cattle and livestock farming.
Twyfelfontein Lodge | http://www.finesse-namibia.com/twyfelfontein-country-lodge
This lodge, located in Damaraland is surrounded by the gorgeous wilderness and mountainous region and is only 2.5 miles away from the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein,. We will get to see this “open air art gallery,” home to many engravings and paintings. Other sites around the area are the Organ Pipe rock formations, hundreds of years old Welwitschia plants and Burnt Mountain which gives off various colors during the day including purple, reds, browns and creams. Hopefully we will see Elephants during a game drive while we’re there.
Okaukuejo Camp | http://www.nwr.com.na/index.php/resorts/okaukuejo-resort
This resort gives visitors a unique view of its flood-lit waterhole where we will get a close look at wildlife interacting. Most often people see rhino, elephant, giraffe, lions, hyenas and possibly some zebras and springbok. During our stay we will visit a traditional Himba village and learn about the nomadic tribe’s traditions.
Mokuti Lodge | http://www.mokutietoshalodge.com/game-drives-etosha-national-park
This lodge is located near the eastern Von Lindequist Gate near the historical Namutoni Fort. The lush greens and beautiful grounds get you as close to nature as it can. While accompanying one of Mokuti’s experienced game guides we will explore Etosha National Park, a one of the largest and diverse wilderness areas in Africa. We will see the dense Mopane forest which support many antelopes, predators including leopards and offers safe cover and nesting sites to various types of birds.
Kavango River Lodge | http://www.natron.net/kavango-river-lodge/
This small location offers beautiful river views and is great for nature and bird watchers. During our travels we will visit the Ombili Foundation, founded 25 years ago by farmers, consisting of around 350 San (people).
Popa Falls Lodge | http://www.nwr.com.na/index.php/resorts/popa-falls-resort
Located on the beautiful banks of the Okavango River, this lodge opens up to woodlands, forests and floodplains in north-eastern Namibia. We will enjoy a game drive through the Mahango Game Reserve which is considered one of Namibia’s most varied and fascinating conservation areas. It is home to rare species including Puku, Lechwe, Roan and Sable as well as attracted predators such as lions, cheetah and leopards.
Protea Hotel Zambezi River Lodge | http://www.proteahotels.com/hotels/Pages/Protea-Hotel-Zambezi-River-Lodge.aspx
This location is our gateway to beautiful Victoria Falls, as well as the Chobe National Park. Rooms at this lodge can overlook the Zambezi River, garden or pool areas that allow guests to soak up the beauty of the natural surroundings.
The Kingdom Hotel | http://www.africansunhotels.com/stay-with-us/victoria-falls/the-kingdom-at-victoria-falls/
We will drive across the Namibian border to one of the seven natural wonder of the world, Victoria Falls, which is only five minutes away from this Zimbabwe hotel. It is also near the Victoria Falls National Park allowing visitors to fully experience the beauty of this region.
I don’t know about you but this trip sounds amazing. I read through my itinerary and researched the different locations and sites for the first time while writing this and I could not be more pleased with the variety of locations my group has the opportunity to visit. I hope that anyone who is interested in traveling to Africa gets the opportunity to do so, I could not be more thankful. As a last reminder, the easiest way to stay updated on my travels is to subscribe to the mailing list, I look forward to sharing my experiences with you!