AFRICA | NAMIBIA 39 The Africat Foundation To the north of Windhoek is the AfriCat Foundation and it is a great place to stop if you don't want to spend any time in Windhoek. We advise a two-night stay here in order to give you the opportunity to visit the fascinating cheetah project, where you will not only learn about the welfare work, but also track cheetahs on foot and view leopards from game- viewing vehicles. The surrounding woodland is a birdwatcher's paradise with over 200 species including rare endemics such as the Monteiro's hornbill, Hartlaub's francolin and rockrunner being recorded. Okonjima Lodge HIGH Okonjima Lodge or the nearby Bush Camp offer luxurious African- style chalets. There is also a fabulous private villa with four bedrooms - including two super luxurious private suites where the king- size beds can be wheeled outside under the stars. Swakopmund Swakopmund is a charming seaside town and its cooler climate is a welcome relief from the desert inland. The town itself is a bizarre colonial relic, dating back to German occupation and is full of traditional pastry and cake shops. Local attractions include the ancient Welwitschia plants in the excellent desert park, huge colonies of Cape fur seals and Walvis Bay lagoon, a world- renowned bird sanctuary for some 160,000 birds, as well as a biannual feeding station for 200,000 migratory shore birds and terns. Boat trips in the bay look for birdlife, seals and the locally common Heaviside's dolphins. Erongo Wilderness Lodge MID The lodge is in Omaruru between Swakopmund and Windhoek amidst the enormous granite boulders of the Erongo Mountains. Ten Meru- style tents sit on wooden stilts with wooden decking and fabulous views out across the landscape. There is a pool and a fl oodlit water hole for game- viewing. Another good alternative if you don't want to stay in Windhoek. The Hansa Hotel HIGH This excellent hotel is considered by many to be the best hotel in Swakopmund. It has 58 rooms and dates from 1905. The emphasis here is still on the elegance and personal service of that era. It is located in the centre of town fi ve minutes from the beach. Cornerstone Guesthouse MID Cornerstone Guesthouse is a small, private bed and breakfast, an easy walk to the sea and the town centre. Occupying a quiet corner of Swakopmund's old town near the marine museum and the old brewery, it offers the charm and intimacy of a family- run bed and breakfast combined with the modern amenities of a luxury hotel. Fact! 70% of the world's chestnut- banded plovers rely on Walvis Bay Lagoon for survival and 80% of all fl amingos in southern Africa feed here. Or visit us on the web www. wildlifeworldwide. com SUGGESTED ITINERARY Day 1 Depart UK for Windhoek Day 2 Windhoek, 1- night, Casa Piccolo Guesthouse. Relax after your fl ight Day 3 Waterberg, 2- nights, Okonjima Lodge. Cheetahs and leopards are the order of the day here! ( BD) Day 5 Eastern Etosha, 2- nights, Onguma Bush Camp. Sit by a waterhole and soak up the atmosphere ( BD) Day 7 Western Etosha, 2- nights, Etosha Safari Lodge. Game drives in the park ( BD) Day 9 Damaraland, 2- nights, Twyfelfontein Country Lodge. See the ancient rock engravings ( BD) Day 11 Omaruru, 2- nights, Erongo Wilderness Lodge. Game- viewing and birdwatching ( BD) Day 13 Depart for the UK ( B) Day 14 Arrive home Departure dates Daily, throughout the year Cost per person From £ 2459 ( Jan - Mar), £ 2349 ( mid Mar - Jun), £ 2449 ( mid June - Nov) What's included Flights, transfers, meals as indicated, eleven nights lodge accommodation, guided activities Please note, a four- wheel drive is necessary a certain times of the year. GAME TRAILS SELF- DRIVE This is our classic self- drive on what has become known as the ' northern circuit'. It offers fantastic game- viewing and photographic opportunities staying in good quality ( but not over the top!) accommodation. TAILOR- MADE

40 Sossusvlei & Namib- Naukluft Park The Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world and the wildlife here is often unique having adapted itself to this harsh environment. Amongst the larger animals here are springbok, gemsbok and ostrich. Aardvark is occasionally sighted at night, along with Cape fox, polecats and aardwolf. With no light pollution and virtually guaranteed clear nights year-round, the Namib is also one of the fi nest star- gazing areas in southern Africa. Sossusvlei is the most remarkable site in the Namib- Naukluft Park. Here huge towering dunes, the highest in the world, rise dramatically over 300 metres above the surrounding plains. Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp HIGH This is a Wilderness Safaris' luxury lodge situated on a large private reserve close to Sossusvlei. It consists of nine bungalows, each with a private plunge pool. A great location. Wolwedans HIGH Wolwedans offer a selection of excellent properties located in the heart of the private NamibRand Nature Reserve. Each offers a complete desert experience - scenic drives, game drives, walks, balloon fl ights, sleep outs and scenic fl ights. Ask us for details. Kulala Desert Lodge HIGH Another luxury lodge, Kulala has 12 chalets with stunning views of the famous red Sossusvlei dunes. A highlight here is the opportunity to sleep under the stars on a special platform on your kulala's roof. The lodge also has its own waterhole. For a nature and wildlife enthusiast it's a great place to stay. Hoodia Desert Camp MID OUR CHOICE Outside Sesriem, Hoodia has 12 comfortable tented bungalows with open- air bathrooms and shaded porches. An added bonus is their stargazing platforms for the many crystal clear desert nights that characterize this area. The views are beautiful and there is an excellent bar and restaurant. Desert Homestead MID Desert Homestead consists of simple, stylish accommodation in thatched chalets. It is a warm and homely place with all the facilities that you would wish for including a swimming pool - a good value option. Damaraland The remote mountainous area of Damaraland is one of stark arid plains, deep chasms and dramatic red, rocky peaks dominated by the massive Brandberg Mountains. Early morning mists drift inland providing sustenance to various life forms and the natural laws of food and water dictate the movement of the endangered desert elephant, black rhino, gemsbok, greater kudu and springbok. Lion and cheetah move in and out of the area and keen birders have the chance to see the endemic Monteiro's hornbill, Ruppell's parrot, white- tailed shrike, rockrunner and herero chat. Damaraland Camp HIGH This luxury camp has nine large walk- in tents. There is a fabulous rock swimming pool, and activities revolve around nature drives and walks into the Huab River system to look for desert elephant. Nearby is the rock art site of Twyfelfontein. Palmwag Lodge MID Palmwag offers accommodation in thatched bungalows, luxury en- suite tents and a large family unit. There is a fully licensed restaurant and a swimming pool under shady palms. Morning and afternoon game drives are offered daily and there are well laid- out hiking trails. Twyfelfontein Country Lodge MID Twyfelfontein, just on the edge of Damaraland, is renowned for some of the best examples of bushman paintings and rock engravings in southern Africa - it is a World Heritage Site. The lodge is situated in the heart of the Twyfelfontein Uibasen Conservancy and has 56 rooms and all of the usual facilities including a lovely pool. The Skeleton Coast This is one of the most isolated, beautiful and remote places on earth. The northern sector of the Skeleton Coast has everything from soaring dunes and plains to towering canyons, mountains, saltpans, seal colonies and shipwrecks. Hartmann's mountain zebra, gemsbok, desert- adapted elephant, Cape fur seals, brown hyena, giraffe and occasionally cheetah may be found in this wild and rugged landscape. There is so much to see and experience here, that traditional morning and afternoon activities are usually abandoned in favour of full days of exploration. Talk to an expert 0845 130 6982