Bushmen & Ovaherero Cultural Safari

Your Namibian cultural safari starts off in Windhoek where you will be collected from your accommodation between 06h00 – 06h30. You will be transported to the Eastern Kalahari in the Omaheke region of Namibia. The journey takes about 4 hours and a stop will be made in the town of Gobabis where you are able to purchase any last minute items that you may require. You will arrive in the bush camp shortly afterwards where you can setup your tent and meet your host family. Explore the surrounding area and participate in the afternoon’s activities. Over the next few days you will interact and spend time with the Ovaherero people as well as the Bushmen. Guests will be physically involved with all activities and will gain much insight into their traditional daily routines. Activities include baking and cooking a traditional bread as well as dressing up in traditional dress. There will also be traditional dancing and singing. Spend your evenings under the stars whilst dinner is cooked over an open fire.

The cultural safari continues with your activities with the Ovaherero people where you will learn about the holy-fire and its importance to this tribe. You will also learn about how traditional marriages work and how funerals take place as well as the traditional perfumes and dresses of the Ovaherero women. Most important to the Ovaherero are their cattle and you will gain insight as to why their cattle are central to their existence. You will be given the opportunity of milking a cow. The milk is then made into Omaere which is a popular traditional drink.

You will then meet the San (Bushmen) who will demonstrate and teach you how to make a bow and arrow and ostrich egg pearls. Lunch is taken under a shady tree, and you will get a chance to relax. The afternoon’s activities are done with our host San family. This includes a bush walk where you will experience how the San people track animals, search for edible plants, and find water in this arid region. The San are experts in surviving in this arid and harsh region and you will gain admiration and respect for their traditional life. Other activities include being taught how to make a fire with just sticks. Your day ends off with traditional San singing and dancing. Traditional usage of herbs and local plants for medicinal and healing purposes will be demonstrated to you around the campfire.

Your final day on this Namibian cultural safari starts off with an early morning breakfast and breaking down of tents. You will get the chance to say goodbye to your host families before returning to Windhoek. The approximate time of arrival is 15h00.

NB: As this safari visits real Namibian communities everything is subject to change. If the community has a special event such as a wedding you may be invited to participate. Please treat this itinerary as an outline of what to expect – you are meeting real people and the day to day itinerary has to be kept flexible to respect their needs.