DAY 2

Day 2 To the Khomas Hochland
Zebra River Lodge is located in the highly dissected section of the great Escarpment, and thus the scenery and exposures are superb. Along the way we look at Damara aged turbidites, Naukluft Nappe geology and Nama sedimentary rocks. Tour the world class Nama aged fossil sites on Zebra River. These contain “reefs” of Namacalathus, of 548 million year age, the first hard skeleton animals in the world. Stromatolitic carbonate reefs include examples of some of the oldest fossils of hard skeleton animals known in the world.

DAY 3

Day 3 & 4 Sossusvlei
We look at the Tsondab Sandstone, 20 million year old fossilised Namib Dunes, visit Sesriem and the Vlei, some of the highest sand dunes in the world. The Vlei, or dried up pan, is located in the Namib Naukluft Park that covers a vast area of sifting sand dunes, gravel plains and dry river beds in the Namib Desert. The Tsauchab River, which only
flows every few years after good rains on the escarpment, “ends” in a large clay pan that is surrounded by some of the highest sand dunes in the world. The colours at sunrise and sunset are spectacular for photography.

Location: Sossusvlei

DAY 4

Day 3 & 4 Sossusvlei
We look at the Tsondab Sandstone, 20 million year old fossilised Namib Dunes, visit Sesriem and the Vlei, some of the highest sand dunes in the world. The Vlei, or dried up pan, is located in the Namib Naukluft Park that covers a vast area of sifting sand dunes, gravel plains and dry river beds in the Namib Desert. The Tsauchab River, which only
flows every few years after good rains on the escarpment, “ends” in a large clay pan that is surrounded by some of the highest sand dunes in the world. The colours at sunrise and sunset are spectacular for photography.

Location: Sossusvlei

DAY 1

Day 1 Arrive in Windhoek
Your guide will collect you from the Windhoek International airport.
Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is an excellent introduction to Africa. Safe, small and friendly, the city is a melting pot of cultures and peoples. Today you also meet a new friend: your guide, Ken Hart who will be with you throughout your stay, teaching you how to see beyond the obvious to the extraordinary, how to identify and capture the subtle beauty of all you are about to experience. Welcome to Africa!
The capital of Namibia is located in a “graben” valley between the Auas Mountains to the south and east and the rolling dissected plateau of the Khomas Highlands to the west. The graben situation accounts for the location of the city as hot water springs occur with the faults. The city is reputed to be one to the cleanest and attractive in Africa.
You can relax or visit the Geology Museum. Ken will also give a 2-hour talk on Namibian Geology and what will be seen on the tour.

Accommodation: guesthouse (B & B, dinner, drinks extra)

Location: Windhoek

DAY 5

Day 5 To Swakopmund
Today we drive through the Namib Desert. One of the oldest in the world, the present desert is at least 5 million years old, but evidence exists that hyper arid climates have existed in cycles over the last 40 million years. The cold southerly sourced Benguela Ocean Current inhibits rain in the immediate interior which coupled with strong southerly winds gives rise to a unique desert environment. Coastal fogs that condense on the desert surface are the main source of water and this has lead to specialised adaptations in the vegetation and animal inhabitants.
We drive to Swakopmund via the Kuiseb Canyon, (5 million year old wet phase in the Namib cutting the Damara rocks and the Karpfenkliff conglomerate, a 12 million years old pedigenic calcrete terrace. Matchless Amphibolite (an oceanic ophiolite). We visit the old copper workings at Gorob in the Park, (a type of Cyprus pyrite deposit now oxidised with secondary copper minerals).

Location: Swakopmund

DAY 6

Day 6 Swakopmund & surroundings
A small coastal town with last century German architecture sitting in the middle of one of the driest places on earth makes Swakop unique. In the summer the population triples as Namibian escape the heat in the interior for a holiday at the coast. Hotels, Cafes, and Pensions abound. Attractions include the geology of the “Moon Landscape” were various exposures of highly eroded Damara rocks are well exposed. We take a tour to the Moon landscape and look at the Welwitschia plants (up to 2000 years old).

Location: Swakopmund

DAY 7

Day 7 Ameib Ranch
We drive to Ameib Guest farm and visit The Bull’s Party, (spectacular granite weathering) of the Erongo mountains (Post Karoo aged) Igneous complex. The anorogenic Erongo Complex is well seen at the Ameib Guest farm just north of the town of Usakos. A post Karroo aged multiple volcanic event of very large proportions is very well exposed.

DAY 9

Day 8 &9 To Uis
We drive rive to Uis, via the Spitzkoppe Granite and stop at the stalls of the mineral sellers next to the road. Once in Uis, we look over the old Uis Tin Mine. Now closed this Damara aged pegmatite complex was the largest hard rock tin mine in the world. Low grades, falling tin prices, and material substitution of tin caused its closure.
The next day we do a tour of the geology of the Brandberg, (a 30 Km diameter post karroo granite 1500m high mountain cutting Damara rocks of 700 mil years and Karoo sediments at 250 million years). Visit 300 million years old glacial features, present day weathering features of granites, the Damara/Karoo unconformity, The Brandberg Gorges and the old Brandberg West Tin Tungsten Mine. This 30-kilometre diameter mountain rises almost 2 kilometers above the surrounding desert plains. The Damara meta- sediments and various granites, the Karoo sediments and volcanics, and the multiple granites of the post Karroo Brandberg Mountain are exposed magnificently. Glacial striations of the early Gondwana Karroo ice sheets are well exposed, and spectacular isoclinal folding of the Ugab River turbidities are visited. Isolated local communities digging for semi precious stones in the Karroo lavas that erupted out of the enormous fractures associated with the continental break up on South America and Africa are visited. A chance to see desert dwelling Elephants exists.

DAY 10

Day 10 To Damaraland Twyfelfontein
Drive to Twylfelfontein, (rock engravings). Visit The Organ Pipes (hexangonal joints in a post Karoo dolerite), Burnt Mountain, (contact metamorphic in shales coloured red and purple). Petrified Forrest of 280 mil. year old forests).
Set in spectacular scenery the area around the “ Bushman” rock engravings of Twyfelfontein offers attractions such are petrified forests, Damara sediments and granites, Karro sediments and hexagonal cooling joints on post Karro dolerite dykes.

DAY 11

Day 11 To Etosha
Etosha Pan or “great white place” is the remnant of a once huge inland drainage pan and show the gradual natural drying of Namibia over the last 7 million years. Damaran aged stromatolite carbonate reefs can be sat upon at the viewpoint in the Halali Rest Camp while watching any possibility of African big game.

Location: Etosha National Park

DAY 12

Day 12 To Grootfontein
We drive via Namutoni in Etosha National Park to Tsumeb to visit the mine museum. This famous and unique poly-metallic mine now closed produced some of the finest mineral specimens now housed in collections all over the world. A combination of multiple mineralising events, metals such as Cadmium, Germanium, Gallium and the more usual copper-lead -zinc, were deposited in a sub vertical carbonate hosted replacement pipe. This coupled to late supergene enrichment account for the occurrence of minerals found nowhere else in the world. The mine is closed and cannot be visited but the purchase of specimens is possible.
We continue our journey to Guest Farm Ghaub in the Grootfontein area, where the succession of the Damara Orogen on the Northern Carbonate Platform is well exposed.
We also have a look at the Hoba Meteorite - the largest known iron meteorite on earth and it is a protected National Monument.

DAY 13

Day 12 & 13 Waterberg
Along the way to the Waterberg we do some geological explanations of the Damara Otavi Mountain land and the base metal mines.
The National Park at the Waterberg Plateau is composed of Karro sediments. The Etjo Sandstones are petrified dunes of the upper Karro sequence and form a water rich horizontal escarpment. This is under laid by impervious shales and mudstones and at the contact numerous natural springs occur. A microclimate occurs on the top of the plateau, which is the home to both black and white Rhinos and other game species. Preservation of the plateau was due to over thrusting of the Karoo sequence, now eroded, in the other wise flat country at the edge of the Kalahari Desert.

DAY 14

Day 14 Back to Windhoek
We make our way back to Windhoek and enjoy our final dinner together. Already sadness touches the group as we prepare to say goodbye – but with so many incredible experiences shared, the bonds between us will not be broken easily. We believe that we’ll see you again – after all, Africa is on your blood now.

DAY 15

Day 15 Depart
A transfer to the airport in time for your flight either home or on to another destination will conclude this safari. We hope to leave you with Africa resonating in your soul - and a longing in your heart to return to its desolate beauty, its night skies, its rich sounds and scents.

This includes:

• All accommodation
• Most meals, unless otherwise specified in certain hotels on a bed and breakfast basis.s per itinerary above
• Tea, coffee and snacks are provided throughout the safari.
• All camping equipment.
• ·Most activities including boat rides and game drives.
• All park fees.

It does not include:

• Drinks and meals in bars and hotels that are specified on bed and breakfast basis.
• Items of a personal nature.
• Curios/Souveniers.
• Personal and medical insurance.