Namibia Central Highlands – Bespoke Itineraries

Between Namibia’s capital of Windhoek and Etosha National Park lies the Central Highlands, a region of gentle rolling hills and private game reserves.

For us, the highlight of this stretch is deeply personal: it's home to two of Africa's most respected big cat conservation organizations, the Cheetah Conservation Fund near Otjiwarongo and the AfriCat Foundation at Okonjima Nature Reserve.

A group of conservationists works with a sleeping cheetah, who is blindfolded and lying on a raised platform.

A large male lion lays in the grass in Namibia's Central Highlands.

A cheetah yawns while lying in the grass in Namibia's Central Highlands.

Why visit Namibia's Central Highlands?

Namibia is home to the world's largest remaining population of wild cheetah, and that fact owes much to the tireless work of the Cheetah Conservation Fund—led by our friend and colleague, conservationist Dr. Laurie Marker. A visit to CCF offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to save a species: watch Ambassador Cheetahs at the Cheetah Run, meet the Livestock Guarding Dogs at the Model Farm, and take in sweeping views of the Waterberg Plateau from the Research and Education Center.

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Namibia is home to the world's largest remaining population of wild cheetah, and that fact owes much to the tireless work of the Cheetah Conservation Fund—led by our friend and colleague, conservationist Dr. Laurie Marker. A visit to CCF offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to save a species: watch Ambassador Cheetahs at the Cheetah Run, meet the Livestock Guarding Dogs at the Model Farm, and take in sweeping views of the Waterberg Plateau from the Research and Education Center.
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Founded in 1991, the AfriCat Foundation at Okonjima has rescued over 1,000 big cats and released more than 85% back into the wild. The focus here is on leopard and cheetah welfare, rehabilitation, and research, and the encounters it makes possible are genuinely extraordinary. Track leopards and cheetah by vehicle or on foot, visit the cheetah welfare project, and spend an evening in a night hide watching porcupines, caracals, honey badgers, and leopards move through the darkness.
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What sets the Central Highlands apart from a conventional safari stop is the depth of purpose behind every experience. Both CCF and AfriCat are doing conservation work that matters, and visiting them connects you to that work in a direct and lasting way. The animals at AfriCat are collared for research and rehabilitation purposes—but far from detracting from the experience, it adds a layer of context that makes every sighting feel all the more significant.

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Other areas to explore

A visit to Namibia's Central Highlands puts you within easy reach of many other beautiful and fascinating parts of Africa.

Cape Town

Sitting at the bottom of Africa where two oceans meet, Cape Town is one of the world's most captivating cities.

Two guests relax under a thatched shelter, enjoying sundowners as the Kalahari turns gold at sunset, in warm evening light.

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

A bold safari detour into South Africa’s remote Kalahari desert

A young lion cub rests in sunlit grass, looking toward the camera while another lion lies softly out of focus behind.

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is South Africa’s flagship safari destination. A leopard stronghold, it’s one of the best places to spot these elegant cats. With healthy wildlife populations and so many mixed species, every game drive in Kruger has thrilling potential.

Elephant swims in calm river water beside a small boat, trunk lifted above the surface in the evening light.

Chobe National Park

Botswana‘s Chobe National Park and the Savute area are renowned for great herds of elephant that come to drink and play along the sandy riverbanks of the Chobe River.

Why book with Extraordinary Journeys?

We go deep

We value depth over breadth. While we have broadened our map, our intimate expertise runs deep—from understanding each locale's hidden rhythms to cultivating relationships with exceptional guides.

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Seasoned travelers know that places change, authentic experiences migrate. We'll listen to your hopes and passions, but push back when we know something will better resonate with you.

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Traveling to wild places asks something of us— a quality of attention and presence. From behind-the-scenes logistics to bespoke culinary experiences, our team has thought of everything.

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We know it’s personal

There will undoubtedly be extraordinary unscripted moments: hippos emerging at sunset, the impossible blue of Arctic ice. We know that meaningful memories often live in personalized details.