The Namibia Flying Safari Experience

Kwessi Dunes + Hoanib Valley + Skeleton Coast

There aren’t very many places in the world where you can travel across the country in a private airplane, sip bubbly at sunset in a vast desert, head out on a desert safari drive and sleep in luxurious tents to unwind and refresh after a long day in nature.

Join us on our 7-day luxury adventure in Namibia and experience a desert safari, unlike anything you’ve ever dreamed of. You can’t call yourself a bougie explorer until you have lived and experienced the beauty of the dunes in Western Africa for yourself on this ultimate glamping experience.

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of the cork poppin’ on your beach picnic while sharing notes with your crew about all you’ve experienced during your week in the Namibian desert. From learning about the ecosystem from environmentalists, watching vast herds of elephants, giraffes, and seals in the dunes, to enjoying a sundowner around a campfire before heading back to your luxurious tent in the middle of the desert for a delicious meal.

And you didn’t come snatched for anything! The pics you will snap of your melanin poppin’ on safari as you watch wild animals, sand surf, or take in the sites from above will shut down the gram. No cap.

Whether you are soaking it all in on your lunch picnic in the middle of a game drive or getting a birds-eye view of the wilderness from the private airplane, the breathtaking scenery and the mix of cultures will make you feel blessed to experience the beauty of Namibia.

Priceless moments with new friends, natural exploration, exciting game drives, and pampered relaxation await during your Up in the Air Life journey through Namibia.

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Here's your trip at a glance.

WHERE YOU'LL GO

From exploring the depths of the desert to visiting local tribes, this trip offers a wide variety of scenery (and selfie) opportunities. Stay in a different location every two days as you fly over the country with your crew on a private airplane. You'll spot the Kwessi Dunes before swooping over the vast Namib desert as you touch down for a beach lunch in Swakopmund, before hitting the skies again for an incredible flight over the Atlantic, taking in the infamous Skeleton Coast.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

This trip is your chance to be classy, bougie, and a little ratchet. From joining desert safari drives and optional ATV rides to enjoying the sunset, star-gazing at camp, and visiting indigenous cultures, we will help you experience the full spectrum of what Namibia has to offer.

WHERE YOU'LL STAY

Don't let the Desert Safari name fool you. Our accommodations are completely over the top. After a long day flying over the desert, admiring the majesty of elephants or soaking in the camp, you will relax in elegant air-conditioned tents complete with en suite bathrooms, hot water, and a swimming pool; perfect for relaxing with a drink in hand as the desert sun beams down on you. Escaping the heat of the day has never been more luxe.

Explore the day-by-day itinerary.

THIS TRIP IS FOR YOU, IF:

THIS TRIP IS NOT FOR YOU, IF:

Day 1

Welcome to Namibia!

Upon arrival at Windhoek International Airport, you will be met by our guides where you’ll hit the skies again as we begin our onward journey to the Kwessi Dunes in the NamibRand Nature Reserve.

After checking in at the camp, you’ll be pinching yourself… wondering if all of this is real!

Our camp is lovely and welcoming and offers one of the best services we have ever had. Each room is luxurious and comfortable, but if you’re looking for an experience of a different kind and are brave enough, their open-air “rooms” literally allow you to sleep out under the stars.

Enjoy a ride out to the desert where you’ll spot some oryxes and other wild animals native to the region.

Once back at camp, retire to your super comfortable tent for a restful sleep in preparation for an early start tomorrow.

Day 2

Today you’ll wake up to a delicious breakfast before starting the day’s adventure. We’ll enjoy a “walking tour” through the area, joining a local guide to learn about the desert and the environment. You’ll be surprised to learn what you can find in the desert!

Later we’ll go on another Desert Safari Drive exploring the magic in the NamibRand Nature Reserve and the Sossusvlei area; the largest private nature reserve in Africa full of mountains, savannahs, and dunes to spot a great diversity of animals in the plains.

If you are up for some adrenaline, join an optional ATV tour through the dunes to complete the day before resting on your last day at camp.

Days 3 & 4

It’s time to hit the skies again… hop back on our private plane for a scenic flight over more famous sites before touching down in Swakopmund for lunch, and heading to the Hoanib Valley Camp; the glamping ground you’ll call home for the next two days.

After landing and settling in, you’ll get a sneak peek of the Himba tribe; one of the few cultures that have never been colonized. Relish in their authenticity and purity, as they showcase their traditional nomadic culture.

Join the game drive and spot the wildlife that calls the region home. Hoanib Valley Camp is teeming with elephants and desert-adapted giraffes and it’s here where you’ll learn how the camp aims to preserve these animals through the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. You may even be lucky enough to sport a desert lion or herd of rhinos.

Day 5

Today you’ll head out on a scenic drive to the Skeleton Coast where you’ll stay in the award-winning Shipwreck Lodge. This waterfront accommodation is one of the most unique glamping experiences we’ve ever had. On the drive, you’ll spot giraffes, baboons, and hyenas hiding in the dunes, before heading back to enjoy the incredible architecture and ambiance of the lodge.

A short drive to the coast and your eyes will spot hundreds of Cape fur seals who call the bay home. Here the birdlife comes to play, with plenty of species flitting through the cold ocean spray.

Join the 4X4 ATVs for a blood-pumping drive through the sand dunes at sunset, before heading back to the lodge to unwind in your surrounds.

Day 6

Today is your last full day of glamping, and we’ll enjoy a beach picnic with a glass of bubbles in hand, taking in the incredible landscapes and escaping the heat with an ocean dip.

Tonight we’ll meet for a sumptuous farewell dinner as we say goodbye to new friends and talk about everything we’ve experienced during the week.

If you haven’t got enough of exploring the dunes, join the last optional ATV ride as you take one last moment to appreciate the vastness of the desert.

Day 7

Rise and shine for your last day in Namibia.

Before heading home, we’ll visit the unusual natural rock formations that litter the Skeleton Coast, known as the Clay Castles.

Afterward, you’ll board our private plane and take the breathtaking journey back down the stunning coast before arriving at Windhoek to head home or onward to your next adventure.

Our flying safari is hands down the bougiest way to experience Namibia’s vast desert and natural beauty.

"The Up in the Air Life trip to South Africa was everything I expected and more. Every historical and cultural detail was curated based on our interests and passions and they still provided some great surprises as well as flexibility for spontaneous changes and personal time. "

Shauna

"This was an amazing trip, all of the details were worked out before we arrived, the individual attention to our care was most important to my family. We were celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary"

Monique

"I felt safe, I felt cared for, I felt pampered, I felt like this trip was made for me! My friend and I looked at this trip through the lenses of "could we have done this ourselves" and the answer was overwhelming NO! From the opening dinner in Johannesburg we would have never found or been too afraid to try, to the hotels we would have considered too extravagant, to the Game Reserve we would have felt wasn't something we "needed" to do, to the helicopter ride we are both too afraid to attempt - it was so many things we realize we would have never experienced without Up in the Air Life."

Tracy

YOU CAN ALWAYS EXPECT TO:

Connect with amazing people.

We provide the opportunity to make friendships with people who share your worldview and won't ask why you wear a bonnet to sleep.

Experience attentive and authentic hospitality.

Not only is the staff of Up in the Air Life dedicated to making sure your trip is flawlessly executed, but we are also intentional about choosing locales and vendors who celebrate Black travelers

Be pampered with only the best.

There is no need to take a break from your baller lifestyle when you travel with us. Our lodging, excursions, and dining are pure luxury.

Feel safe and secure.

Our experienced American guides and well-maintained local relationships mean that you will have peace of mind when you travel with us.

Say "goodbye" to FOMO.

Our trips are anything but basic. While we make sure you see well-known main attractions, we also develop itineraries that will give you unique stories to share with your friends back home.

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