gallery of 6 photos

Damaraland, Namibia

Desert Rhino Expedition

Palmwag Lodge, one of Namibias oldest and most popular eco-tourist destinations, is set in spectacular palm-studded surroundings with awe-inspiring sunsets. The area is also home to the famous desert-adapted elephant and rare black rhino. The lodge offers 24 beds in two- or three-bed thatched bungalows, a fully licensed restaurant, swimming pool under shady palms and a small Pool Bar. On our arrival at Palmwag Lodge, we are welcomed by the guide to the area and receive a full briefing on the tour ahead.

This serviced camping safari offers a unique adventure for the traveler seeking an authentic African experience and a means to join skilled rhino trackers in their conservation, research and custodian work.

Explorations remote campsites on this itinerary provide 2.4x2.4 meter dome tents, designed for comfort in remote wilderness areas. Cotton linen and bedrolls (with duvets) with a lantern complement the atmosphere in this pristine and wild area. Separate short-drop toilet and shower bathrooms with old-style bucket showers create simple serviced comfort.

By means of lively campfires, hurricane lanterns and a warm atmosphere permeating the camp (and its simplicity), Adventurer camping brings the guest closer to nature. Such camps are specifically outfitted to create that sense of wilderness with a clear emphasis on essential camp comforts and maximum wilderness experience.

Guide: The entire safari is guided and hosted by a professional and passionate guide, Gary Booth, who shares in-depth knowledge with the guests, to present a seamless, well-rounded experience. In addition, the experienced Save the Rhino Trust tracker team accompanies the trip, providing comprehensive interaction and valuable experience of the positions they hold as caretakers of these magnificent animals.

After an early breakfast, we depart northwards by game drive to Mbakondja Camel Camp to meet the Save the Rhino Camel team. Then we ride or walk south to the Aub River, where our Adventurer camp has been erected prior to our arrival. In addition to the tracking and hopefully viewing of desert-adapted elephant and black rhino (the latter a rare subspecies of rhino), our guides reveal the sheer magnificence of nature's survival strategies in this arid environment, concentrating on a variety of topics from birds, insects, medicinal uses of plants and viewing general wildlife.

Our journey continues today with a walk to the Barab River, concentrating on the tracking of the elusive desert giants through a series of hills, rocky landscapes and diverse geology. After even a little rain, the gravel plains are covered in nutritious grasses offering life-giving sustenance.

After an early breakfast, we ride out further west through the Okomutati Springs to Kudu Springs. This area is almost inaccessible to vehicles, a pristine wilderness area with a complete sense of remoteness. En route we also have the opportunity to see extraordinary plant life including the ancient Welwitschia plants and numerous lichens.

Heading northwards, we move to the next popular drinking point for Kaokolands diverse animal life, the Hunkab Spring. Fresh drinking water in the desert forms the basis for seasonal animal movements and a surprisingly diverse range of animal life can be seen here. Animals from Hartmanns mountain zebra to elephant and the endemic Ruppells Korhaan come to slake their thirst.

We bid farewell to the Save the Rhino Trust trackers and depart on game drive from Hunkab, traveling through the concession to the ephemeral river of the Hoanib Valley. Here, in an area seemingly parched and desolate, we enter one of Namibias richest desert wildlife areas. We stay at Hoanib Camp, and enjoy game walks, rhino tracking, game drives and night drives into the Hoanib River valley.

Our Discoverer-styled tented Hoanib Camp close to the Hoanib River is a relaxed haven from which we explore this wild land on foot, or from the comfort of one of our safari vehicles. The camp is powered by solar-powered inverter systems and there are no generators or pumps running whilst guests are in camp. There are five walk-in hexagonal Meru-style tents with en-suite and flush toilet and bucket shower bathrooms in a separate portion of the tent. Each tent is furnished with necessary comforts and styled with burnt orange interiors, wood and brass, effectively recreating a sense of the early explorers of Africa.

Includes: All meals, local drinks & safari activities