Namibia · 10 days · 9 nights

Khaudum & the Wild Northeast

Waterberg Plateau → Tsumkwe → Khaudum → Kavango

Khaudum & the Wild Northeast links Waterberg Plateau, Tsumkwe, Khaudum and Kavango over 10 days — a moving route with several changes of landscape. It suits travellers who would like a thoughtful mix of game viewing, comfortable camps and time to be still, with the pacing adjusted in your proposal.

A note from your safari desk

This is how we would run the route for a first visit, not a fixed package. We hold two things firm — the pace of the days and the driving times — and stay flexible on camps until we know what matters to your party. Send us your dates and we will come back with a version written for you, with the trade-offs explained plainly.

Take Me There Safaris · Safari desk, Nairobi

What this journey is about

Waterberg Plateau
A guided plateau walk for the area’s endemic species, with the escarpment below you.
Tsumkwe
A guided walk with a local San guide, arranged through the community with their consent and a fee agreed in advance.
Khaudum
A full day of self-sufficient 4x4 exploration, with the camp team ahead and no other vehicles in sight.
Kavango
A river day on the Kavango, with birding and a walk in the riparian forest.

The route

Stop 1
Waterberg Plateau
Stop 2
Tsumkwe
Stop 3
Khaudum
Stop 4
Kavango

Route order as travelled. This is a schematic of the sequence, not a scale map — driving times are given in the itinerary.

The route on a map

4 stops · drag and zoom to explore

Loading map…

01Waterberg Plateau
02Tsumkwe
03Khaudum
04Kavango

Pins mark the regions in travelling order, not exact camps or lodges. Driving times are given in the day-by-day plan above.

Day by day

10 days · 9 nights, totalling exactly the advertised nights

Day01Arrive and settle into Waterberg PlateauWaterberg Plateau · overnight Waterberg Plateau
You are met on arrival and driven to your first camp. Depending on your flight time, there is a first evening drive or simply time to settle in. A guided plateau walk for the area’s endemic species, with the escarpment below you.
Transfers
Met at Windhoek (WDH), then a transfer of approximately 3–4 hours by road from Windhoek.
Meals
Dinner
Overnight
Waterberg Plateau
Pace
Light — settle in, with one short drive if your flight allows
From the safari desk: Send us your flight number before you travel. If you land after 15:00 we move any first drive to the following morning rather than rush you into the park tired.
Day02Waterberg Plateau — full dayWaterberg Plateau · overnight Waterberg Plateau
A drive around the plateau base and time at a waterhole in the afternoon.
Transfers
No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight
Waterberg Plateau
Pace
Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day03On to TsumkweTsumkwe · overnight Tsumkwe
After breakfast you travel on to Tsumkwe. The afternoon is kept light: A guided walk with a local San guide, arranged through the community with their consent and a fee agreed in advance.
Transfers
approximately 5–6 hours by road from Waterberg.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight
Tsumkwe
Pace
Half a day in the vehicle, then an afternoon drive
From the safari desk: Where the road allows it we plan the drive to arrive before lunch, so the afternoon is a proper game drive rather than a rushed arrival at dusk.
Day04Tsumkwe — full dayTsumkwe · overnight Tsumkwe
A drive towards the Khaudum gate, with a slow afternoon at camp.
Transfers
No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight
Tsumkwe
Pace
Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day05On to KhaudumKhaudum · overnight Khaudum
After breakfast you travel on to Khaudum. The afternoon is kept light: A full day of self-sufficient 4x4 exploration, with the camp team ahead and no other vehicles in sight.
Transfers
a long guided 4x4 day from Tsumkwe on sand tracks.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight
Khaudum
Pace
Half a day in the vehicle, then an afternoon drive
From the safari desk: Where the road allows it we plan the drive to arrive before lunch, so the afternoon is a proper game drive rather than a rushed arrival at dusk.
Day06Khaudum — full dayKhaudum · overnight Khaudum
A slow day at a waterhole and along the omuramba, with a guide reading the sand.
Transfers
No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight
Khaudum
Pace
Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day07Khaudum — full dayKhaudum · overnight Khaudum
A morning drive before the long transfer towards Kavango.
Transfers
No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight
Khaudum
Pace
Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day08On to KavangoKavango · overnight Kavango
After breakfast you travel on to Kavango. The afternoon is kept light: A river day on the Kavango, with birding and a walk in the riparian forest.
Transfers
approximately 5–6 hours by road from Etosha, or a light-aircraft flight to Rundu.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight
Kavango
Pace
Half a day in the vehicle, then an afternoon drive
From the safari desk: Where the road allows it we plan the drive to arrive before lunch, so the afternoon is a proper game drive rather than a rushed arrival at dusk.
Day09Kavango — full dayKavango · overnight Kavango
A drive through the river villages with a local guide, and time on the water again.
Transfers
No long transfer today; game viewing from camp.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight
Kavango
Pace
Two game drives with a long midday rest
From the safari desk: We go out at first light and again from about 16:00, when the light and the movement are at their best. The middle of the day belongs to you: the pool, a long lunch and your notes.
Day10DepartureKavango · onward travel
Your guide sees you to the airport in good time for check-in. If your international flight leaves late in the day, a day room or an extra night can be arranged.
Transfers
A final morning at camp, then a transfer of approximately 5–6 hours by road from Etosha, or a light-aircraft flight to Rundu to Windhoek for your onward flight.
Meals
Breakfast
Overnight
Onward travel
Pace
Morning only, then onward travel
From the safari desk: We confirm your transfer time the evening before against the live flight schedule, and build in a buffer for road conditions. Late departures can keep a day room.

Transfer times are estimates and depend on road and weather conditions. Flight connections on arrival day are checked before we confirm the first night; if your flight cannot connect comfortably we will suggest an extra night.

Included

Meet-and-greet and road or light-aircraft transfers as shown in the itinerary
Private safari vehicle with a professional guide for the safari days
Accommodation as proposed, on the meal basis shown for each day
Park, reserve and conservancy fees for the areas on the route
Drinking water in the vehicle and game drives as scheduled
Planning by a safari consultant before you travel

Not included

International flights and any flights not listed in the itinerary
Visas, entry fees and travel insurance
Optional experiences such as balloon flights, mokoro trips, scenic flights and spa treatments
Gorilla and chimpanzee permits unless the proposal states otherwise
Drinks, laundry, tips and personal spending
Anything not listed in the inclusions

When to travel

Dry months (roughly May–October)

The best time for Etosha waterhole viewing and clear desert skies. Nights are cold in the desert; days are warm.

Hot months (roughly November–February)

Very high daytime temperatures in the desert, with green landscapes after rain and good photography light. Some areas are quieter.

Rain

Rainfall is unpredictable and can affect gravel roads. We plan routes and vehicle types around your month.

Good to know

Style: Private safari. Private journeys include your own vehicle and guide on safari days.
Accommodation level: proposed budget to midrange. Specific properties are offered privately in your proposal — we do not name properties or publish rates here.
Group joining: shared departures are only offered once confirmed. This route is planned privately for your party.
Children: many camps welcome families, but room configurations, drive lengths and activity minimum ages vary. Share each child’s age at travel so we can check.
Accessibility: tell us about mobility needs and we will say honestly which camps and activities can accommodate them.
Arrival and departure: enter via Windhoek (WDH); depart from Windhoek. Transfers are by guided 4x4 as shown.

Questions about this journey

Can we change the route or the number of nights?

Yes. Every journey here is a starting point. Add a night in one place, drop another, or finish at the coast — tell us what you would prefer in the enquiry.

Is this itinerary confirmed as available?

Not yet. It is a proposed route and is checked against your dates, camp availability and seasonal conditions before it is offered as confirmed.

Can we add a balloon flight or another optional experience?

Often, yes — subject to availability and weather. Balloon flights, extra permits and scenic flights are quoted separately and never assumed in the base arrangement.

Will we see every animal mentioned?

No. Wildlife moves freely and sightings cannot be guaranteed. We plan routes where the chances are good for the season, and we will always be straight with you about that.