Fly-in safaris in Southern Africa

On what kind of holiday are the outward and return journeys a real treat, and the transfers from one lodge to the next genuinely good fun? On a fly-in safari in Southern Africa! As you hop between lodges in a small propeller aircraft, the vast scale of these spectacular landscapes and their wildlife becomes especially striking.

What can you experience on a fly-in safari?

Here is a popular example of a fly-in safari through Namibia:

Days 1 - 2: Sossusvlei – in the land of giant dunes

The journey gets off to an absolutely spectacular start. From Windhoek, the small private aircraft heads for its first destination: Sossusvlei. Some of the highest sand dunes in the world surround this clay pan in the Namib Desert. As the plane slowly comes in to land, you get a first impression of what awaits you here: pure, parched aridity. From the air, the dried-up riverbed looks even more dramatic. Only after heavy rains, which fall here just once every few years, does a small lake form in the middle of the valley. Huge dunes tower all around the vlei. Climbing these giants of sand is an experience in itself. Once at the top, you enjoy an impressive view across the apricot-coloured sand. There is no one to be seen for miles around, and no sizeable town nearby. This also means that an incredible starry sky shines at night – a breathtaking natural spectacle you simply have to see. The best way to enjoy it is from the comfort of your bed: at Little Kulala Camp, guests can sleep in specially prepared beds on the roofs of their chalets.

Days 3 - 4: Damaraland Camp – the pure safari feeling

The sun makes an early alarm clock. After breakfast, another flight in the small aircraft takes you north. Damaraland is home to an abundance of wildlife. Getting really close to desert elephants on hikes and walking safaris – that is the pure safari feeling, and you can sense it in the lodge’s luxurious safari tents in the Huab River valley, too. From the main building of Damaraland Camp, you enjoy a magnificent view over the surrounding wilderness.

Days 5 - 7: Skeleton Coast – a unique desert landscape on the Atlantic

The journey continues to the Skeleton Coast, a place that sounds far more sinister than it really is. Elephants and lions live in this unique desert landscape, and during your safari you will see some of these majestic animals at close quarters. You stay in an especially luxurious lodge set in a small canyon in the heart of the wilderness. Whether by the campfire, at the breakfast table in the lounge or in bed: at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, you always feel a natural part of this awe-inspiring wilderness.

Days 8 - 9: Boat trip on the Kunene in north-western Namibia

The next adventure is not long in coming, as this place can only be reached by plane. A green oasis stretches along the banks of the Kunene, and in the middle of it lies Serra Cafema Camp, surrounded by rugged mountains and sand dunes. Here you can let off steam on a quad bike or unwind on a boat trip on the Kunene. The region is also home to the Himba people. Probably the last nomads in Africa, they are extremely hospitable. Days 10 - 12: Etosha National Park – lions and rhinos up close Finally, one more highlight awaits you. Little Ongava Lodge lies among bushes and trees, with its houses linked by wooden walkways. The terrace overlooks a large part of the savannah around Etosha National Park and the huge waterhole that draws the animals as if by magic. Lions and rhinos abound here. At night in particular, the sounds of life in the bush carry far. A small plane takes you back to Windhoek.