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Intrepid and fully immersed in nature, Etendeka Walking Trail takes you into the wild spaces of Damaraland, with the Grootberg Massif as your ever-present guide. The expert team knows every crag, animal and plant in the 500 km2 Etendeka Concession - and they'll passionately share their knowledge with you on this three-day trek. Set off from Palmwag Lodge leaving your main luggage to be delivered to your next stop, a camp overlooking a lively waterhole. Day two is the most strenuous, where you'll walk a distance of 15 - 20 kilometres - but at the end you'll be rewarded with a night atop the beautifully-named Crystal Mountain. Just imagine the stargazing...
From $230 person/night
The out-and-out adventure of this trek where the epic scenery, curious wildlife and true human-free magic of Damaraland is revealed.
The three-day trail ends at Etendeka Mountain Camp, before you're transferred back to Palmwag. If you'd like to extend your adventure, spend an extra day exploring Crystal Mountain and another evening at Hill Camp.
Children under 12 aren't able to join the trek and you need a good level of fitness to cope with walking long distances. And with scorching days and plunging nighttime temperatures, pack for everything!
On an expedition like this, there is no 'lodge' to speak of and instead, your base changes location each day. River Camp gazes out across a waterhole, where thirsty and curious wildlife come to visit, whilst Hill Camp sits on a mountaintop, surrounded by crystals, rock formations and rugged scenery. Breakfast and lunch are enjoyed along the way (usually under the shade of a tree) and, after stunning sundowners, dinner is cooked over an open fire as your guide shares the legends of Damaraland...
Both camps have five sleeping platforms that keep you within reach of nature but add a touch of comfort, too. Each has two 'bed rolls' with inflatable mattresses, cotton linens, and a warm duvet, plus an en-suite toilet and basin. There are also communal, open-air bathrooms with a (very welcome) bucket shower. Outside, each platform has an awning, providing shade for afternoon siestas, stargazing, and listening to the sounds of the African night. We hardly need to say it, but there is no electricity or charging facilities at the camps.
Led by Etendeka's fabulous, all-knowing guides, you'll spend most of your time exploring this surreal and remote concession on foot. You'll cross grasslands, dried-up riverbeds and kilometres of rocky ground, discovering the tiniest details along the way. See desert-adapted flora and fauna, identify spoor and calls, and watch scorpions scuttling across the dramatic Etendeka lava flows. You might also spot members of the Big Five as well as oryx, African wild cat, Hartmann's mountain zebra and aardwolf. And, if you're lucky, catch the majestic snake eagle in flight.