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Sat 31 July - Sat 14 August 2004
In April 2003 Diana Penny Sherpani, with two companions, went to Namibia to explore walking and running holidays to add to the Bufo portfolio. This 2 week adventure running holiday includes three adventure runs in the dunes, the mountains and a desert crater plus visits to Swakopmund on the Atlantic coast, the Cape Cross seal colony and Etosha national park. Ideally runners should have experience of cross country or fell running; non-running companions are welcome
Namibia is a vast and empty country straddling the Tropic of Capricorn, bordered to the west by the Atlantic Ocean with South Africa to the south, Botswana to the east and Angola to the north. The central spine of the country is a 2,000m high plateau with the best farmland. To the east the land drops gently to the Kalahari Desert. To the west the dramatic escarpment of the Naukluft mountain range drops to the Namib Desert, stretching 1,600 km along the Atlantic Coast. This is one of the world\rquote s oldest deserts and the Namib-Naukluft National Park is one of the largest in Africa. In the north is the Etosha national park which provides some of the best game-viewing in Africa.
CLIMATE: Namibia has a sub-tropical desert climate. December to March is the hot, rainy season, although the Kalahari and the coastal Namib deserts may receive no rainfall for several years. April to November is the dry season. From May to September daytime temperatures are about 25degC but the nights are much colder.
ITINERARY:
Sat 31 Jul: Afternoon departure on British Airways from London Heathrow to Frankfurt. Change flight and continue on Air Namibia.
Sun 1 Aug: Arrive Windhoek in the morning. Drive south and west to Sesriem on the edge of the Namib desert: well appointed camp.
Mon 2 Aug: Dune run. Before sunrise, drive to the first Sossuvlei car park. Run up and down the highest sand dune in the area (320m); run 5 km along the jeep track to Dead Vlei and run up and down the second highest dune (260m). After a meal and siesta, explore the other dunes and return to the Sesriem camp site for a well earned swim and beer.
Tue 3 Aug: Explore the Sesriem Canyon, sculpted in the sandstone by the Tsauchab River, before driving on to the Naukluft National Park camp site. The Naukluft moutain range forms the eastern escarpment of the Namib desert.
Wed 4 Aug: Walk the 17 km Waterkloof Trail up to the ridges above the camp site with excellent views over the Naukluft mountains. Return to Naukluft camp site.
Thu 5 Aug: A short drive to Tsams Ost (camp), stopping for apple pie at Solitaire. Free afternoon.
Fri 6 Aug: Mountain run from Tsams Ost to Die Valle (17 km). This is just a short part of the 8 day Naukluft Trail. After time to recover we take a long drive across the Namib desert to the Atlantic sea and the coastal resort of Swakopmund . Two nights' bed and breakfast at a comfortable backpackers' lodge.
Sat 7 Aug: Independent activities in Swakopmund where there are numerous craft shops, an Olympic size swimming pool, a fascinating crystal gallery (with the largest crystal clusters in the world), aquarium and museums. It is also possible to arrange quad-biking, sand and dune boarding, paragliding and sea kayaking.
Sun 8 Aug: Drive north along the Skeleton Coast to Cape Cross where there is a huge colony of Cape fur seals which can be observed at close quarters.. Continue through fragile lichen fields into the Messum Crater . The ancient volcano, 22 km across, now forms two circles of mountains around the gravel plains. Wild camp.
Mon 9 Aug: Crater run: 21 km across the crater floor. Drive on to Ugab rest camp below the Brandberg mountain range.
Tue 10 Aug: Visit the White Lady bushman paintings before driving on to Etosha National Park . Etosha is home to most of the big game animals associated with Southern Africa, including elephants, rhinos, lions, giraffes and zebra. Camp at Okaukuejo ; evening game drive.
Wed 11 Aug: Drive on to Halali ; morning and evening game drives.
Thu 12 Aug: Drive on to Namutoni ; morning and evening game drives.
Fri 13 Aug: Drive back to Windhoek and depart on Air Namibia in the evening
Sat 14 Aug: Change flight in Frankfurt and continue on British Airways to London Heathrow, arriving in the morning.
The price includes:
London/Windhoek return on Air Namibia including all airport taxes,
all transport within Namibia;
all park entrance fees and permits, 10 nights camping (all meals);
2 nights bed and breakfast at backpackers' lodge in Swakopmund,
Tour leader and Namibian guide.
The price does not include:
bottled water, other drinks and refreshments :
travel insurance (compulsory): see below
while travelling main meals and optional activities in Swakopmund
sleeping bag and mattress
tips for the camp staff and drivers
Please e-mail Bufo Ventures for a booking form, booking conditions and insurance details
e-mail: sherpa@bufoventures.co.uk
BOOKING PROCEDURE:
The booking form should be completed and returned with a deposit of £100 per person plus insurance premiums if required.
9 weeks before the departure date a final invoice will be sent to you showing any price adjustments.
Full payment is required 8 weeks before departure
INSURANCE: Insurance is compulsory. We can arrange insurance through Campbell Irvine Ltd as follows:
17 days: £56.00 for non-runners; £70 for runners
annual: £89.00 for non-runners; £99 for runners
family annual: £132.50 + £10 per runner
These premiums are valid until 31.12.03. 20% discount if you do not require cover for baggage (may be covered under your house insurance). If you arrange your own insurance we will need full details: it must cover running, helicopter evacuation, medical expenses and repatriation.
VISAS AND VACCINATIONS: British passport holders do not require a visa for Namibia. Vaccinations are recommended for tetanus, polio, diphtheria, hepatitis A and typhoid. Malaria prophylaxis is not required during the 'winter' season in the central part of Namibia but is recommended for Etosha. Nivaquine (chloroquine) and Paludrine (proguanil) are recommended. Check with your chemist or surgery. Larium, Mefloquine, Malarone and doxycycline are not recommended in the UK.
FINANCIAL SECURITY: Bufo Ventures Ltd is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator holding Air Travel Organisers' Licence (ATOL) no 4821 issued by the Civil Aviation Authority, which means that our accounts are subject to regular and stringent independent scrutiny. In the event of our financial failure before your departure, all monies paid, excluding insurance premiums, will be refunded to you. If failure occurs while you are abroad the CAA will apply the bond so that you can complete your trip.
REFERENCES:
Please write, telephone, fax or e-mail for further information and application forms
BUFO VENTURES LTD
3 Elim Grove, Windermere LA23 2JN
Great Britain
UK: Tel 01539 445 445 ; Fax 01539 447 753
International: Tel ++ 44 1539 445 445; Fax ++ 44 1539 447 753
e-mail: sherpa@bufoventures.co.uk
