Indaba News

Helping people realize their wildest dreams is part and parcel of the tourism business and Felix Unite Tours excelled in doing just that for 28 Swiss tourists who wanted to see in the new year with an exclusive black-tie dinner under an African sky, in the desert miles from anywhere.

They had 12 days in Southern Africa split between Cape Town, Botswana and Namibia, but they envisaged the desert part as the highlight of the trip," said Sean Kritzinger, managing director of Felix Unite Tours.

"We decided that the only way we could ensure they got everything they wanted was by doing it ourselves, and then we came up with the idea of building them their own private luxury camp in the desert." Sean, who grew up in Namibia and knows the desert well, called on the expert services of Hein van Blerk and Gerry Pyke of Felix Unite Tented Camps... and the three went off to survey the area in April to find the perfect location. "We had to have easy access for day trips to Walvis Bay and Swakopmund as well as trips into the desert, and what we came up with exceeded all of our greatest expectations," said Sean.

The Swiss tourists flew into Walvis Bay on a chartered Dakota from Cape Town on December 29 and drove to their desert base-camp in 4x4s. "It was a five-hour trip into the dunes and they were simply knocked out on arrival at the camp," said Sean. "Each tent was carpeted, had an en-suite bathroom and came complete with flowers, chocolates on the pillow, and toweling slippers. In the center of the tent 'laager' was the dining, pub and entertainment area, which even had a pool table."

Once settled, the group was bundled into the 4x4s and taken to the unique lunar landscapes of Goanikontes Valley near Swakopmund where tables covered in white cloths had been set up for their first dinner of seafood and wild game under the stars. "It was the most magical evening: windless and warm and totally different from anything they had experienced before," said Sean. 

The following day the group was flown in six Cessna aircraft to the Sossusvlei for a hot day of walking and photography in the magnificent dunes. Stunning views from the air included the Kuiseb River and the wild coastline from Conception Bay where abandoned diamond mines, wrecks and even old ox wagons could be seen over a kilometer from the sea—evidence of how the sea has moved back over time. In contrast to the lunch in the dunes, dinner that night was at one of Swakopmund's finest restaurants, Frontiers. There was also time for a stroll around the seaside town with its characteristic German-influenced architecture. 

The next morning the tourists were transferred to Walvis Bay where they spent the morning at sea with Mola Mola safaris on a dolphin and seal cruise. The tourists were delighted when seals hopped on the boat to be fed. An informal lunch of champagne and oysters was enjoyed on the beach before returning to the camp to prepare for the grand party.

"We had kept the dinner venue a surprise from them but in fact it was just over the sand dune within walking distance of the camp," said Sean. "We started off with champagne cocktails and oysters at the camp and then walked over for a seven-course sit-down dinner with fresh crayfish, rare fillets, French champagne and yes, as ordered, an African desert sky filled with stars."

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