Volunteer & Safari Combo – 15 Day N/a’an ku sê, Wildlife & Himba

Overview

For the enthusiastic volunteer, this 15 day Volunteer & Safari Combo – 15 Day N/a’an ku sê, Wildlife & Himba package is the perfect combination of volunteering at the N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary and rewards you for a job well done with a tour of Northern Namibia. Enjoy sightings of wildlife at the Okonjima Nature Reserve and Etosha National Park before immersing ourselves into the rich culture of the Himba tribe. We explore Namibia’s Skeleton Coast and visit the seals at Cape Cross before enjoying our last night of the tour in Swakopmund, Namibia’s adventure capital. Here we can enjoy any number of adrenaline inducing optional activities from sandboarding to quad biking and more before returning to Windhoek where our tour ends.

Highlights:

• Cape Cross & Skeleton Coast
• Cultural Experience
• Etosha National Park
• Swakopmund
• Volunteer at N/a’ankuse Wildlife Sanctuary

Includes:

• Transport in a custom-built safari vehicle with pop up roof (no air-conditioning) – on safari
• Services of a professional English speaking guide & camp assistant – on safari
• 6 nights in twin or triple share tents at N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary
• 5 nights camping + 1 nights’ accommodation in twin share rooms with en-suite bathrooms on safari
• Camping equipment (excluding sleeping bag which can be hired)
• Meals as per itinerary
• Tap water
• National Park entry fees
• Activities as per itinerary
• Transfer from N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary to Chameleon Backpackers on day 7
• Return airport transfers

*all volunteering & camping safari combo packages include a minimum of 7 nights accommodation & the remainder of the package is camping.
**Upgrades available at N/a’ankuse from basic volunteer accommodation to lodge or luxury villas – contact us for rates
Volunteering (glamping) & Lodge Safari Combos  Valid from 1st September 2020 until 31st December 2021

Guaranteed departures
Maximum 12 pax (for safari sector only)

15 day Volunteer and Safari Combo – N/a’an ku sê , Wildlife & Himba Departs every Saturday

*2021 Price ZAR 27,720 per person

***Minimum age restriction for children to participate in a volunteer project is 14, and the minimum height requirement is 1.4 metres. For children younger and/or
shorter special arrangements can be made on request. These restrictions are only applicable to the volunteer section of the package.

Contact us here for more information or any other tours

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We will be collected from the Hosea Kutako International Airport on arrival and transferred to the volunteer centre at N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary, which provides a safe haven for injured, orphaned or conflict animals. Whenever possible the goal is to re-introduce the animals into the wild. Only animals too ill, abused or habituated remain at the sanctuary. Depending on our arrival time we have the opportunity to meet some of the other volunteers and meet some of the animals that we will be working with before we join the N/a’an ku sê team for an induction presentation and a lovely welcome braai as our evening meal.

Our morning starts with an early breakfast and Sundays are rest days but not before we prepare and feed the orphaned and injured animals. This usually takes between 1 and 2 hours in the morning. The rest of the day we can spend enjoying the beautiful outdoors, around the pool reading a book or learn more about the conservation work done at the volunteer centre.

We enjoy an early morning breakfast and a quick morning meeting with the team to start the day off. The next couple of days are the perfect opportunity to learn about and actively participate in the conservation, rehabilitation, care and research of the African wildlife. The wildlife team takes us out for group based morning activities, such as feeding orphaned and injured animals, cleaning enclosures or project work and animal enrichment. After a morning full of fun and work, we enjoy a light lunch at the Lapa. After lunch we start the afternoon activities with a presentation from the research team before we learn about the on-going projects N/a’an ku se is involved with to support wildlife conservation. Research activities may include; monitoring free roaming carnivores, analysing camera traps, analysing GPS data or game counts. Dinner each night is a delicious home cooked meal served at the Lapa.

We enjoy an early morning breakfast and a quick morning meeting with the team to start the day off. The next couple of days are the perfect opportunity to learn about and actively participate in the conservation, rehabilitation, care and research of the African wildlife. The wildlife team takes us out for group based morning activities, such as feeding orphaned and injured animals, cleaning enclosures or project work and animal enrichment. After a morning full of fun and work, we enjoy a light lunch at the Lapa. After lunch we start the afternoon activities with a presentation from the research team before we learn about the on-going projects N/a’an ku se is involved with to support wildlife conservation. Research activities may include; monitoring free roaming carnivores, analysing camera traps, analysing GPS data or game counts. Dinner each night is a delicious home cooked meal served at the Lapa.

We enjoy an early morning breakfast and a quick morning meeting with the team to start the day off. The next couple of days are the perfect opportunity to learn about and actively participate in the conservation, rehabilitation, care and research of the African wildlife. The wildlife team takes us out for group based morning activities, such as feeding orphaned and injured animals, cleaning enclosures or project work and animal enrichment. After a morning full of fun and work, we enjoy a light lunch at the Lapa. After lunch we start the afternoon activities with a presentation from the research team before we learn about the on-going projects N/a’an ku se is involved with to support wildlife conservation. Research activities may include; monitoring free roaming carnivores, analysing camera traps, analysing GPS data or game counts. Dinner each night is a delicious home cooked meal served at the Lapa.

We enjoy an early morning breakfast and a quick morning meeting with the team to start the day off. The next couple of days are the perfect opportunity to learn about and actively participate in the conservation, rehabilitation, care and research of the African wildlife. The wildlife team takes us out for group based morning activities, such as feeding orphaned and injured animals, cleaning enclosures or project work and animal enrichment. After a morning full of fun and work, we enjoy a light lunch at the Lapa. After lunch we start the afternoon activities with a presentation from the research team before we learn about the on-going projects N/a’an ku se is involved with to support wildlife conservation. Research activities may include; monitoring free roaming carnivores, analysing camera traps, analysing GPS data or game counts. Dinner each night is a delicious home cooked meal served at the Lapa.

A leisurely breakfast and after breakfast we will be transferred to Chameleon Backpackers centrally located in Windhoek. Time permitting we have the opportunity to join one of the optional activities that Chameleon Safaris has to offer, pop into their office and have a chat with one of the consultants. Enjoy your evening with a delicious “braai” and Quiz night at the Chameleon Backpackers’ bar. Overnight accommodation is in twin share accommodation with en-suite bathroom.

This morning we start our tour of Namibia, with a pre-departure meeting at 7h30 and hitting the road shortly after. We stop briefly at the Okahandja Wood carving markets. Woodcarvers from all over Namibia come here to sell their hand-crafted goods and this is the perfect opportunity to practice our haggling skills all while supporting the local community. Our next stop is our overnight destination, the world renowned Okonjima Nature Reserve. Okonjima, is an impressive 20,000ha nature reserve which is home to an incredible array of wildlife species. It is also home to the AfriCat Foundation, whose long term mission is the conservation of Namibia’s wildlife in their natural habitat, but in a protected conservation area. This includes predators and keystone species and the reserve is well known for leopard, cheetah, and hyena sightings. We aim to arrive at camp around midday, giving us ample time to set up camp and enjoy lunch before we join the afternoon activity where we have the chance to see some of the cheetah currently part of the AfriCat rehabilitation programme. The aim of this programme is to re-introduce these animals back into the wild where they can thrive. After our educational tour, we join an afternoon game drive on the reserve before enjoying our first spectacular sunset in the Namibian bush.

We depart from camp after breakfast and stop briefly at Otjiwarongo, a small town north of Okonjima to gather some fresh supplies, before continuing on to Etosha National Park, one of Southern Africa’s premier wildlife reserves. Upon entering the gate, we start our search for antelope, such as springbok and impala and with any luck some megaherbivores such as elephant, rhino or giraffe, on our short game drive to Okaukuejo. We set up camp and enjoy a delicious lunch before heading out on an afternoon game drive. Etosha is unlike any other, and our game drives take us from waterhole to waterhole in search of predators as well as plains game, birds and if we are lucky, even reptiles. We return to camp just before sunset, and whilst dinner is cooking, we have the chance to visit the excellent floodlit waterhole where rhino, elephant, giraffe, lion and hyena are frequent visitors. Dinner is prepared by our guide over an open fire.

A pre-dawn start today to have any chance of catching a glimpse of predators that are returning home after a night of hunting. We make our way across the park, visiting various waterholes and enjoy a late breakfast at one of the picnic spots within the park. We continue our journey east in search of the many species that call Etosha home. After lunch we visit the Etosha Pan where the park gets its name. Here we can get out of the vehicle and experience this 4500 sq km ‘saline desert’, a salt pan so large it can be seen from space. We continue our game drive to look for the Big 4 on our way back to Okaukuejo, arriving at camp by sunset.

Another early start where we can take in a spectacular sunrise whilst having breakfast and then a short game drive back to the park gate. The route today takes us west into the area known as the Kunene Region. Our first stop is a visit to the Otjikandero Himba Village. The Himba people are one of the last tribes in Namibia who still embrace their ancient culture and customs. We participate in a guided tour around the village where we have the chance to not only gain an in-depth insight into the Himba way of life, but to get to know the Himba people to share a little of our own culture with them. We continue west and stop briefly in the small town of Kamanjab before continuing on to the Hoada Community Campsite, situated between large granite boulders and Mopane trees, creating the illusion of a serene home in the wilderness. Here we set up camp before enjoying a leisurely afternoon and watching the sunset from the Hoada deck.

Today our adventure takes us through the infamous Skeleton Coast National Park all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. The coastline itself is a very hostile but a fascinating area known for the Welwitschia mirabilis, the Northern Namibia sand sea, the derelict oil rig near Toscanini, the Huab lagoon and the diminishing remains of the Winston Shipwreck. On exiting the national park we stop for Instagram worthy photos of the iconic skull and cross bones gate. We arrive at Cape Cross late afternoon where we set up camp for the night and have the opportunity for a sunset walk on the beach. Dinner is prepared by our guide over an open fire.

Today is a chance for a rare lie in and after a hearty cooked breakfast we take a short walk to the Cape Cross Reserve. The reserve is home to one of the world’s largest breeding colonies of Cape Fur seals and during breeding season (November-December) up to 200 000+ seals can be spotted basking on the beach, certainly a sight and smell to behold. After our visit to the seal colony we continue travelling along the coast stopping to view the Zeila Shipwreck, one of the latest victims of the Skeleton Coast from as recent as 2007. We arrive in Swakopmund early afternoon and have plenty of time to explore this quaint little town on foot, or join one of the optional activities on offer from skydiving, scenic flights, quad biking and more. Dinner tonight is at own expense in one of Swakopmund’s excellent restaurants and our guide will be happy to make recommendations or bookings depending on what we feel like.

Leisurely breakfast and for those interested in birds our driver will be happy to take us to Walvis Bay to see the flamingos in the Walvis Bay lagoon which is a protected RAMSAR Site for birds and a visit to Dune 7, the highest dune in the area, to experience the “sand sea” along the coastal strip. We will return to Windhoek in the afternoon with a light lunch served en-route. We aim to arrive at Chameleon Backpackers in Windhoek late afternoon. Dinner tonight is at own expense in one of Windhoek’s excellent restaurants and our guide will be happy to make some suggestions.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and the option to join a FREE City Walking tour so be sure to book a flight after 14h00. We will be transferred to the International Airport approximately 3 hours before our scheduled flight departure.