After breakfast, you are transferred back to the airstrip for a light aircraft flight north to Camp Kipwe for a two-night stay. This scenic flight includes views of the Namib Sea Sand, two shipwrecks, seal colonies along the Atlantic Ocean, abandoned diamond camps, and the Walvis Bay lagoon and salt works. Low-level flying and visibility of these attractions depend on the weather and protected land rules, such as the bird sanctuary at Sandwich Harbour.
The highlight of the flight is passing over the Eduard Bohlen, a German cargo ship that ran aground in 1909 while on its way to Table Bay from Swakopmund. Over the years, the desert encroached on the ocean, and the boat, once stranded in the water, now sits about 500 meters from the shore, making it the best-preserved shipwreck along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast.
Refuel in Swakopmund before continuing north to the Damaraland airstrip, where your private Ultimate Safaris naturalist guide meets you and accompanies you for the rest of your safari.
In the afternoon, you can join a guided excursion to visit the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, a World Heritage Site, and explore the interesting geological sites around the lodge. Return to camp before sunset with time to freshen up before dinner. Pre-dinner drinks on Kipwe’s sundowner rock, a short stroll from the camp, offer stunning views of the surroundings at sunset.
Damaraland is known for its colorful displays, magnificent table-topped mountains, rock formations, and unusual vegetation. The landscape, shaped by erosion from wind, water, and geological forces, features rolling hills, dunes, gravel plains, and ancient river terraces. The area's variety, solitude, and scenic beauty provide a true sense of wilderness.
Twyfelfontein is located on a hillside among flat-topped red sandstone mountains. It boasts around 2,500 prehistoric engravings depicting wildlife, animal tracks, and abstract motifs, making it one of the largest and finest collections of petroglyphs in Africa. The engravings show animals like elephants, giraffes, kudus, lions, rhinoceroses, springboks, zebras, and ostriches, which once drank from a fountain at the hill's base. Some engravings feature footprints instead of hooves or paws, and the abstract motifs mainly consist of circles. Stone tools and other artifacts found at Twyfelfontein suggest that hunter-gatherers occupied the site for about 7,000 years. Today, a local guide accompanies visitors to showcase the rock art along two circular routes: one taking an hour to climb and the other 40 minutes longer. Twyfelfontein is one of Namibia’s key National Monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Camp Kipwe: Camp Kipwe is located a short drive from local attractions. Nestled among giant granite boulders near the ephemeral Aba Huab riverbed, it is a spot where desert-adapted elephants often roam. Each comfortable thatched bungalow is simple yet tastefully furnished and includes an en-suite open-air bathroom.
The camp's central area features a large alfresco dining area, bar, lounge, and reception, with a cozy fireplace nearby for evening relaxation. Guests can enjoy a refreshing swimming pool and a sunset lookout with beautiful views.
