The ultimate adventure safari: Namibia

First stop is Little Kulala, one of our most beloved camps, appreciated for its beauty but also for the activities on offer. Sited in the Namib Desert not far from the Sossusvlei dunes, Little Kulala entices with its landscapes, serenity, and – if you’re so inclined – nearly uninterrupted thrills.

Climb the massive red dunes at Sossusvlei and gaze upon oceans of sand. Hike through Sesriem Canyon, carved by water over the millennia. Float above the desert in a hot air balloon, and see it come alive on nature walks, drives, e-bikes, or low-impact quad bikes. Spot desert-adapted wildlife such as ostriches, springbok, gemsbok, brown hyaenas, black-backed jackals, bat-eared foxes, perhaps an aardwolf, or the endemic dune lark. Listen for the unique call of barking geckos at dusk; follow a guide on a nocturnal scorpion safari. Stargaze in one of the darkest, starriest places on Earth at a private ‘star supper’ – just you, your loved one, the desert, the universe. Sleep out under the constellations.

Next adventure: tracking Critically Endangered, desert-adapted black rhino out of Desert Rhino Camp. The camp lies in a wide, boulder-strewn valley in north-west Namibia’s enormous Palmwag Concession. Home to the world’s last free-ranging black rhino population, Palmwag’s 550,000 hectares comprise surreal basalt landscapes created by eruptions roughly 125 million years ago – when Africa and South America were still joined as the landmass Gondwana. An inconceivably ancient, prehistoric setting for a singularly unforgettable experience.

On foot or by vehicle, led by seasoned Save the Rhino Trust trackers, follow these majestic creatures across the rocky plains. Sixty years ago, an estimated 100,000 black rhino roamed Africa. Today, though numbers have increased since 1995, fewer than 5,630 are left in the wild. Assist the monitors in their protection – a humbling, profound wilderness experience like no other.

Your journey culminates at this remote, magical camp, named after an ephemeral river meaning ‘place of the elephants’. Offering a wealth of experiences. Unusual. Exceptional. Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp.

Explore the Namib Desert’s rust-coloured crags and arid plains in search of desert-adapted wildlife – elephants, lions, hyaenas, giraffes, oryxes among the regular sightings. Take a rollicking drive over the floodplain and dunes to the Skeleton Coast, a wild stretch of the Atlantic where the desert meets the sea, where white sand beaches hold artifacts from the past, whale bones and shipwreck remains. Picnic to the sound of crashing waves, seabirds, and Cape fur seals. Fly back to camp for an aerial view of what seems uninhabitable, but is full of life – the ‘Living Desert’. Walk with a guide to witness that life, including the smaller creatures, a fascinating variety of birds (lots of raptors) and unusual flora. Discover the remnants of Strandloper – Beachcomber – lifestyle from centuries ago. In the camp’s wildlife research centre, share in the latest local conservation initiatives protecting lion, elephant, and brown hyaena. Lunch in a dry riverbed, envisioning prehistory. Learn about it on an archaeological walk.

From your suite or the common areas, marvel at the wildlife in camp, meandering elephants, on occasional brown hyaena, and others come to drink at the waterhole. Dine under brilliant, countless stars, perhaps at the firepit as a jackal cries or a lion moans, notes to the night’s stillness.