Just back from Namibia

Namibia is one of the less expensive options. It's a big country, so you need to budget 10 days to 3 weeks just to see the high points: Etosha, Swakopmund, Damaraland, Sossusvlei. You can go with a group or self-drive. While you can self drive, I wouldn't advise doing the longer trip without having a second car. In our more remote locations photographing the Himba people we were off-road up riverbeds, so we had two pick-up trucks for the 4 travelers plus I had 2 guides setting up camp. If you are only visiting Etosha and Sossusvlei Dunes, this can be inexpensive and easy self drive. I take groups of 4 to 8 to Namibia whereas in South Africa, Botswana, my group sizes vary from 6 to 18. That's how different Namibia is.

Airfare for a direct flight in May, Sept and Oct will be around $1200 from New York and be nearly $2000 in late June and July (high season). The trip itself can vary depending on lodges. A budget number would be to think $400/night/person all in, including vehicles, lodging, park fees, meals. However, it really varies depending on what you want to do. The park lodges are fairly inexpensive, whereas private reserve lodges can be anywhere from $200 to $600 per night per person. This was a 24 day trip and included 4 nights camping in remote regions to see desert lions, remote indigenous people as well as wildlife including tracking black rhino on foot and also shooting from helicopter over the dunes. btw, the helo will run you around $500/person for 2 hours flying time and takes 3 passengers at a time. I will admit that this trip also included A LOT OF DRIVING ON CORRUGATED, BUMPY GRAVEL ROADS. It was worth for this group as they wanted a full experience and all had been to Africa several times before. Info for past trips is on my web site, but don't think I'm suppose to 'sell' on the forum so I will leave it up to you to google Magnum Excursions and Buddy Eleazer.

I will be headed back in 2020, but for 2019, my groups will be doing South Africa and Botswana in May and July and Kenya/Rwanda in September 2019.

Nothing like being 1000 miles from nowhere. These shots are from within a remote area of the Namib-Naukluft National Park.

I"m not sure if I can add a link, but here are a few images by my friends and me from the trip put to, what we think, is a good song for the images. https://www.youtube.co​m …QknIv8RIgxond9Z​cc_G9llB3o

buddy4344 wrote in post #18780940
Namibia is one of the less expensive options. It's a big country, so you need to budget 10 days to 3 weeks just to see the high points: Etosha, Swakopmund, Damaraland, Sossusvlei. You can go with a group or self-drive. While you can self drive, I wouldn't advise doing the longer trip without having a second car. In our more remote locations photographing the Himba people we were off-road up riverbeds, so we had two pick-up trucks for the 4 travelers plus I had 2 guides setting up camp. If you are only visiting Etosha and Sossusvlei Dunes, this can be inexpensive and easy self drive. I take groups of 4 to 8 to Namibia whereas in South Africa, Botswana, my group sizes vary from 6 to 18. That's how different Namibia is.

Airfare for a direct flight in May, Sept and Oct will be around $1200 from New York and be nearly $2000 in late June and July (high season). The trip itself can vary depending on lodges. A budget number would be to think $400/night/person all in, including vehicles, lodging, park fees, meals. However, it really varies depending on what you want to do. The park lodges are fairly inexpensive, whereas private reserve lodges can be anywhere from $200 to $600 per night per person. This was a 24 day trip and included 4 nights camping in remote regions to see desert lions, remote indigenous people as well as wildlife including tracking black rhino on foot and also shooting from helicopter over the dunes. btw, the helo will run you around $500/person for 2 hours flying time and takes 3 passengers at a time. I will admit that this trip also included A LOT OF DRIVING ON CORRUGATED, BUMPY GRAVEL ROADS. It was worth for this group as they wanted a full experience and all had been to Africa several times before. Info for past trips is on my web site, but don't think I'm suppose to 'sell' on the forum so I will leave it up to you to google Magnum Excursions and Buddy Eleazer.

I will be headed back in 2020, but for 2019, my groups will be doing South Africa and Botswana in May and July and Kenya/Rwanda in September 2019.

Thank you very much for this. My wife and I have been considering a trip like this for a couple of years now. I will google the big hint about

Traveling up the riverbeds in Damaraland, you see Himba boys herding goats, but you also have to watch for the occasional giraffe crossing the road out of knowhere! The front vehicle is our guides and gear and the near truck are two of my group on this remote trip. Pardon the quality of that lower image, but it was shot through the windscreen of a moving truck.

The thing about being in northern Namibia and seeing wildlife is being able to see truly wild animals roaming against the interesting backdrop of ancient mountains and desert.

Great thread and fabulous photographs! Subscribed.

Fantastic pics, they tell a story.

buddy4344 wrote in post #18781151
I"m not sure if I can add a link, but here are a few images by my friends and me from the trip put to, what we think, is a good song for the images. https://www.youtube.co​m …QknIv8RIgxond9Z​cc_G9llB3o

Post the link Buddy, if people ask you it's all good.

F.Y.I., I have not gone with Buddy, nor do my comments here reflect the forum, this is just my own point of view,

When my wife and I were contemplating an all in trip organized by someone that knows the areas, it was Buddy and only Buddy we were talking with. Sadly for us, money got too tight (family and kid's school) and we had to cancel the whole idea of a trip that year.

I have been to Namibia once and Botswana twice now,. the second time with the wife on a five year delayed honeymoon, but money always meant self drive.

Again, knowing what I know and having spoken with Buddy many times, his trips look like exactly what I would do if funds allowed.

Excellent photos Buddy, thanks for sharing them and the link to YT as well, very well done and a pleasure to view.
I have a Nephew on Safari in Africa this week, I hope he has a good camera with him though he seems to be one that jets around the World with a cell phone,