Day 1: Bagatelle Kalahari Game Lodge, Mariental area, Namibia

Arrive at the Windhoek International Airport, clear customs and immigrations into Namibia. Upon arrival a representative will meet you in the Arrivals Hall - look out for your names on a sign board. They will assist you. You will then be transferred to the car depot for the collection of your rental vehicle. Please ensure to collect your information pack with all documents from them.

Leave Windhoek in a southern direction via Rehoboth until you reach the small settlement of Kalkrand, turn left here on the road C 21 and follow the signs. Turn right later on the road D 1268 for another 40km to the lodge entrance.

Bagatelle Kalahari Game Lodge lies on the edge of the southern Kalahari in the mixed tree and shrub Savanna. The ranch is characterised by huge red sands dunes running parallel, and in a north-westerly to south-easterly direction. The valleys in between the parallel dunes are commonly known as ‘streets’. The design and décor, materials and furnishings gardens and natural settings, all combine to ensure guests live their dream of an African safari. A rambling old farmhouse was extensively altered, upgraded and renovated to not only serve as a residence, but also as the main nerve center of the Lodge.

There is a swimming pool and recreation area with a pool table and hammock. An open air lapa for outdoor meals captures the atmosphere of an African Safari. Although two styles of bungalows are provided, both have the same standard of luxury and finish quality. Chalets, constructed of wood and on stilts are built on top of a Kalahari Sands Dune, with unsurpassed views to the Southwest. The other six bungalows are built in the street or valley between the dunes. These chalets are built of ‘hay balls’ with walls 600mm thick, the insulation and atmosphere are equally fantastic.

Days 2 & 3: Wolwedans Dunes Camp, NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia

After breakfast, depart on the road D 1268 towards the road C 20, turn right and later left on the road B 1 towards Mariental. By-pass the town and turn later right on the road C 19 towards Maltahohe. Drive through the town and turn left at the junction, still on the C 19 via the Tsaris Pass. Turn left later on the road D 845 for 14km until seeing the sign of Wolwedans and drive a further 60km.

Located on the very edge of a 250-meter high dune in the 185 000 hectare NamibRand Reserve, the Wolwedans Dune Camp sleeps guests in a totally unspoilt setting. Guests stay in comfortable tents pitched on wooden platforms and there are furnished with standard beds, bedside tables and a suitcase rack. Each tent has a spacious veranda and private bathroom fitted with a hot shower, washbasin and flush toilet. Meals are enjoyed at the central lapa.

The lounge, dining area and an open-plan kitchen, which allows guests to chat to their chef while he is preparing a three-course dinner, guarantee a cosy ambiance. A sun-downer deck with fireplace provides a relaxed atmosphere for brilliant stargazing. Ideally suited for the more adventurous traveller the charm of the camp lies in its tranquil and intimate atmosphere, capturing the romance of a bygone era. Accompanied by experienced guides, visitors are introduced to the many facets of NamibRand Nature Reserve's desert habitat with its diverse fauna and flora - on foot, by car, or from the air.

The classic programme - that is if you stay for two nights - would entail an afternoon drive on the day of arrival, followed by a full day-safari with picnic lunch en-route. Alternatively you can join one or two half-day excursions, perfect if you feel like lazing around for an afternoon, simply admiring the views and colours which change by the hour. The choice is entirely yours. A special attraction at NamibRand is hot-air ballooning. If a plane is available, scenic flights to the Diamond Coast and Sossusvlei are undertaken during the late afternoon. For hiking enthusiasts a walking trail can be arranged.

Absorb the unique NamibRand Nature Reserve landscape during a morning and afternoon excursion by LandRover through the dunes, endless grassy plains and along mystical mountain formations. You could encounter large and small desert animals, learn about their unique habits and explore the ancient hunting spots of the Bushmen. Revel in the incredible landscape around you and Wolwedans’ commitment to care for guest and nature alike.

Here in this land of stretching blue skies, endless plains and countless creatures enacting natures savagely exciting passion play, you will find beauty feeding your soul, tranquility to clear your mind and space for your imagination to fly! Optionally (depending on tours and season), you could join a day-safari with picnic lunch en-route at one of the famous picnic sites – the “HardRock Café” for example.