The new Strand Hotel has set a new standard in Swakopmund. Uniquely located on the iconic and historic Swakopmund Mole and surrounded on three sides by the Southern Atlantic Ocean its 125 rooms and suites make this hotel one of the larger ones in town, but of those certainly the one with the best seaside location. All rooms have tea & coffee stations, mini-bars, hair-dryers, TV’s, free Wi-Fi Internet access, telephones and air-conditioning.

The Strand Hotel offers its residential guests and all casual visitors three exciting restaurants. The Farmhouse Deli is good for coffee, cake, sandwiches and fresh salads. The Brewer & Butcher welcomes beer and meat lovers. The Ocean Cellar caters for guests who prefer seafood, sushi, oyster and a glass of fine white wine.

The Strand Hotel is destined to become the social epicenter of Swakopmund for locals and tourists alike.

The Messum crater is a gigantic, circular formation of 18km in diameter, which was created during a primeval explosion of a volcano. The structures of the crater are clearly visible from the air.

The Messum crater is located south-west of the Brandberg massif. Inside the crater you can admire huge Welwitschia mirabilis, notabene the national flower of Namibia.

We camp inside the crater under some shady trees, dividing the stretch from Swakopmund to Damaraland / Twyfelfontein / Torra Conservancy into two pleasant sections. The 4 x 4 track leads along the Messum river bed from the western side into the crater, across the crater and northwards out of the crater towards the Brandberg massif.

Where we set up camp site will be decided on the way by the team. This always depends on the weather and the course of the day.

Damaraland is one of Namibia’s most fascinating and beautiful regions. It is situated north of the Swakopmund – Windhoek line (Erongo), and south of Kaokoland (Kunene). Its interior is characterised by table mountains, hills and canyons.

This is the kingdom of the desert adapted elephants. The elephants like to remain close to the Ugab and the Huab Rivers, which will be our areas to explore and set up camp for the night. Both rivers are seasonal that only carry water after rains.

Where we set up camp site will be decided on the way by the team. This always depends on the weather and the course of the day.

The Palmwag Concession is an area that extends between the Torra Conservancy and the Hoanib River.

The area near Palmwag itself is rather hilly and mountainous and you can often see zebra and springbok. The western and northern part, however, is rocky, hot and offers little shade. Alongside with the Torra Conservancy, this is one of the most important retreats for the endangered black rhino and it hosts the largest population of rhinos outside any National Park.

Of course we would love to show you one of the endangered rhinos in its natural environment. There are various natural water sources along the route, which the rhinos frequent in the evening. If you are lucky, you may observe a rhino how it cautiously approaches the water and feeds on some leaves on the green bushes.

The Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) looks after all these rhinos. If you want to know more about their work or if you want to support the Trust, you can find more information on our SwissAfrican Foundation website.

Where we set up camp site will be decided on the way by the team. This always depends on the weather and the course of the day.

The catchment area of the Hoanib River is situated to the west of the Etosha National Park. From here, the river winds its way via Sesfontein towards the Atlantic Ocean. However, like most rivers in Namibia, the Hoanib only carries water after rains.

We visit the Hoanib area between the Obias, Mudorib and Amspoort. At Amspoort we leave the river valley and drive up onto the plains, where the road continues towards Hoarusib. The area west of Amspoort belongs to the private concession of Wilderness and may only be used when visiting the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp.

The Hoanib area is incredibly beautiful and driving in this area does not stop to impress. The river is the only water source far and wide and attracts various animals. Desert adapted elephants, giraffe and oryx are quite common. With a little luck you may also spot brown hyena, jackal, cheetah or even the famous desert lions.

Where we set up camp site will be decided on the way by the team. This always depends on the weather and the course of the day.

Engo Valley is a mysterious place on the route between Purros and Serra Cafema. The track hits the border of Skeleton Coast Park and leads north right between the vast sand dunes and the foothills of the Hartmann mountains. The road is partially blocked by sand dunes, but this does not pose any problem for our vehicles.

The endless, yellow-colored dunes of the desert stretch from Swakopmund along the Skeleton Coast all the way up to Angola. Once the temperatures drop during the night, the fog drifts from the ocean across the sand dunes and covers the land with a heavy, gray veil. However the first rays of the sun in the morning dissolve the fog and push it back to the ocean, a beautiful spectacle. Get up early and climb a rock for the views!

Where we set up camp site will be decided on the way by the team. This always depends on the weather and the course of the day.

Eight elegantly furnished, thatched Meru-style villas sit nestled in the green belt along the banks of the Kunene River. The main building houses a dining area with large outdoor terrace, a river bar, gift shop, lounge/library and a swimming pool.

The camp is stylishly and luxuriously furnished and each of the en-suite rooms is equipped with a lounge, outdoor shower and fantastic terrace, where guests can relax and read on the sofa or in the hammock. The views over the lush green vegetation along the riverbanks and the sweeping desert landscape are breathtaking.

Running a large distance parallel to the coast, Hartmann Valley acts as the gateway to Serra Cafema. The airfield where guests arrive was built on a plateau, from where the road leads steeply (and full of surprises) down to the river. The surrounding area is a spectacular combination of sand dunes, rugged rocky outcrops and the broad grass plains of Hartmann Valley, lined with rolling hills and sprinkled with so-called ‘fairy circles'.