Etendeka Walking Trail

On an expedition like this, there is no 'lodge' to speak of and instead, your base changes location each day. River Camp gazes out across a waterhole, where thirsty and curious wildlife come to visit, whilst Hill Camp sits on a mountaintop, surrounded by crystals, rock formations and rugged scenery. Breakfast and lunch are enjoyed along the way (usually under the shade of a tree) and, after stunning sundowners, dinner is cooked over an open fire as your guide shares the legends of Damaraland...

Both camps have five sleeping platforms that keep you within reach of nature but add a touch of comfort, too. Each has two 'bed rolls' with inflatable mattresses, cotton linens, and a warm duvet, plus an en-suite toilet and basin. There are also communal, open-air bathrooms with a (very welcome) bucket shower. Outside, each platform has an awning, providing shade for afternoon siestas, stargazing, and listening to the sounds of the African night. We hardly need to say it, but there is no electricity or charging facilities at the camps.

Led by Etendeka's fabulous, all-knowing guides, you'll spend most of your time exploring this surreal and remote concession on foot. You'll cross grasslands, dried-up riverbeds and kilometres of rocky ground, discovering the tiniest details along the way. See desert-adapted flora and fauna, identify spoor and calls, and watch scorpions scuttling across the dramatic Etendeka lava flows. You might also spot members of the Big Five as well as oryx, African wild cat, Hartmann's mountain zebra and aardwolf. And, if you're lucky, catch the majestic snake eagle in flight.