Day 1 – Arrival at EHRA’s Base Camp on the Ugab River

Arrive in the late afternoon at EHRA’s unique Base Camp, nestled in a remote corner of the Ugab Valley, approximately 50 km from Uis on the way to Khorixas in Namibia’s Erongo region. This one-of-a-kind eco-camp is perched along the banks of the ephemeral Ugab River—the southernmost river in Damaraland—and offers a peaceful retreat surrounded by rugged desert beauty and big open skies. After settling in, stretch your legs on a short nature walk through the valley, ending with sundowners on a cliff with spectacular views across the landscape.

Guests enjoy exclusive use of the camp, which features artistically crafted kitchen and dining areas, a braai space, eco-friendly bathrooms, and a treetop platform overlooking the dry riverbed. This is wild camping with a twist - comfortable, scenic and full of character. One of the highlights is the nearby manmade waterpoint, which often attracts local elephant herds. With a bit of luck, you might witness Mama Afrika’s herd - twelve strong - wandering through camp or cooling off in the water.

Dinner is freshly prepared and served at camp, allowing you to relax under the stars and enjoy the tranquil rhythm of life in Namibia’s wild northwest. Keep an eye out: this is prime elephant country, and the gentle giants often pass quietly through the valley, guided by generations of inherited knowledge in search of food and water.

Day 2 – Into the Desert: Tracking, Conservation and Wild Camping

Wake up to the sounds of nature and enjoy breakfast delivered right to your camp, surrounded by the peace and quiet of the Ugab Valley. After a relaxed start, your guides will help load the game drive vehicle as you prepare for the next stage of the expedition—two full days exploring the heart of Damaraland in search of desert-adapted elephants.

Before setting off, you’ll visit EHRA’s on-site information centre for a short but insightful tour. This introduction covers the basics of elephant behaviour and communication, the unique challenges of conservation in this arid environment, and EHRA’s practical, community-based strategies to promote peaceful human-elephant coexistence. It’s a grounding moment that adds depth to the encounters ahead.

The route and focus of the day will depend on the needs of the research team. You might be tracking known elephant herds to capture ID photos and assess their health, or visiting farms where EHRA’s Elephant Guard teams are working to support conflict mitigation. These areas—stretching from the Ugab River northward toward the Huab River—are striking in their beauty, with open desert plains, rocky outcrops, dry riverbeds, and distant mountains framing your journey. This is true off-the-beaten-track wilderness, where the desert elephants roam freely across vast distances, often guided by memory alone.

As you follow the movements of the herds, you’ll adopt their pace—pausing for lunch and shade under camelthorn trees, just as the elephants do. Your expert guides will share insights about the elephants' complex social structures, communication, and survival skills in such an unforgiving environment.

Later in the afternoon, you’ll head to a remote site to set up your wild camp. With no one else for miles, it’s a chance to soak in the vastness and silence of this extraordinary landscape. Enjoy a sundowner in a scenic spot as the light fades over the desert, then gather around the fire for a freshly prepared dinner under a canopy of stars. This is wild Namibia at its most authentic—intimate, raw, and unforgettable.

Day 3 – Optional Extension: Deeper Into the Desert and Deeper Into Conservation

For those choosing to extend the expedition, Day 3 offers another full day of exploration and meaningful connection with both the landscape and EHRA’s conservation efforts. After a slow and hearty breakfast in the wild, you’ll break camp and hit the road again—always guided by the movements of the elephants and the real-time needs of the EHRA team.

This day provides an even deeper look into the lives of the free-roaming desert elephants and the innovative ways EHRA works to reduce conflict between people and wildlife. You’ll continue tracking elephants, identifying individuals and noting behaviour and condition, while learning how these resilient animals adapt to extreme conditions and scarce resources.

En route, you’ll visit remote farms and communities that have benefitted from EHRA’s mitigation strategies. These visits offer a powerful glimpse into the human side of conservation—how a solar-powered water pump or an elephant-proof vegetable garden can make a life-changing difference. You may see examples like electric fencing used to protect crops or reinforced walls around boreholes that allow both people and elephants to access water without conflict. Hearing the stories directly from the people who live with elephants adds richness and perspective to the journey.

As the afternoon winds down, your guides will scout a scenic and sheltered spot to set up your final wild camp. This last evening is a special one—an opportunity to share stories, reflect on the adventure, and soak up the stillness of Namibia’s desert as the sun dips below the horizon. With dinner sizzling over the fire and the stars emerging overhead, it’s the perfect end to a rare and rewarding experience in the heart of the wild.

Day 4 – Departure

After a final breakfast in the wild, it’s time to pack up and begin the journey back. Depending on your onward travel plans, you’ll either be transferred to the nearest airstrip or returned to EHRA’s Base Camp to collect your vehicle. As you leave the desert behind, you’ll take with you not just incredible memories and photographs, but a deeper understanding of Namibia’s desert elephants and the people working tirelessly to protect them.

Learn more about EHRA and how you can support elephant conservation in Namibia.