This self-drive tour of Namibia takes in the highlights of this outstanding country: dunes, desert, plains and wildlife - the complete Namibia adventure.
Staying largely in exclusive accommodation in private reserves, you visit Sossusvlei’s soaring dunes, take a boat trip at Swakopmund, explore the desert in Damaraland, and marvel at Etosha’s prolific wildlife. Activities include walking, mountain biking, seeing ancient rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, and rhino tracking.
Suggested Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart the UK
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Day 2:
Arrive Windhoek, Transfer to Sossusvlei
On arrival in Windhoek, after clearing entry formalities, make your way to the Arrivals Hall and the car rental desk. You need your passport, driving licence and a credit card in order to collect your Toyota Fortuner 4x4 (or similar).
Once you have the keys, set off for Kulala Reserve, the drive takes approximately five hours through the Khomas Hochland mountains and down into the iconic Sossusvlei region. Depending on your arrival time, in the late afternoon you may head out for a vehicle safari on the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, a 37,000-hectare tract of land bordering Namib-Naukluft National Park near the spectacular sights of Sossusvlei.
Accommodation: Kulala Adventurer Camp, Sosussvlei, 2-nights
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Day 3:
Sossusvlei Dunes; Day & Night Vehicle & Walking Safaris
Soon after dawn you head into the towering dunes of Sossusvlei via a private gate which lies closer to the dunes than the main gate of the national park. In the soft morning light the dunes are flushed with an intense red colour that gradually fades during the day as the sun gets higher, and all contrast is lost. You have plenty of time to appreciate the spectacular scenery before returning to camp in the middle of the day for lunch and a siesta. Later in the afternoon you head out again for another activity.
On your drives and walks, you can see desert-adapted wildlife such as ostrich, springbok and gemsbok, plus smaller creatures such as bat-eared fox, Cape fox and black-backed jackal. One of the highlights of staying here is dining under star-filled Namibian skies, and watching a blood-red sunset punctuated by the cacophony of barking geckos.
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Day 4:
Transfer to Swakopmund
Today you head to your next destination, Swakopmund - a drive of 350 kilometres taking between five and a half to six hours. After an early departure follow the road that snakes through the dramatic Kuiseb Canyon, to emerge on a wide expanse of gravel plain before eventually arriving in Walvis Bay. From here you head a short distance up the coast to Swakop, as it's known. Once you have checked in at the hotel, the rest of the day's free to explore this quaint coastal town with its distinctly Germanic air.
Accommodation: Hansa Hotel, 2-nights
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Day 5:
Swakopmund: Boat Trip
The day is dedicated to exploring the ice-blue Atlantic coast around Swakopmund to see its incredible marine life, with a catamaran trip from Walvis Bay (weather permitting). You can visit the oyster platforms to learn how oysters are cultivated - with an opportunity to taste them - before moving on to Pelican Point to see the lighthouse and an area where three species of dolphins may be encountered: the rare endemic Heaviside's dolphin, dusky and Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. As well as spotting diverse pelagic (ocean-going) birdlife, in season you can see pelicans, flamingos, Cape fur seals, massive sunfish, leatherback turtles, humpback and southern right whales.
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Day 6:
Transfer to Damaraland
Continue by road to Damaraland, to the west of the Brandberg Mountain, the second-largest monolith in the world after Ayers Rock, in Australia. En route, take an optional stop at Ugab Save the Rhino Trust Camp to see the incredible work they do. Save the Rhino Trust has been involved with rhino conservation in this area since the early 1980s, and is solely responsible for helping these rare animals to survive and thrive - so that today the area boasts the largest concentration of black rhino anywhere on the planet outside a national park.
Accommodation: Damaraland Adventurer Camp, 3-nights
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Day 7:
Explore Damaraland
During your stay in Damaraland, you have the opportunity to explore the region's spectacular scenery and unique wildlife. Availability of food and water governs the cyclical movements of the rare and endangered desert elephant, black rhino, gemsbok and other species that have successfully adapted to this unforgiving environment. Even lion and cheetah may, occasionally, be seen in the area. Birders have the chance to spot endemic species, Monteiros' hornbill, Ruppell's parrot, plus a wide variety of resident raptors.
This evening, take some time to relax under the night skies - Damaraland’s crystal-clear skies offer fabulous stargazing opportunities.
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Day 8:
Transfer to Ongava Reserve, Etosha National Park
Drive to Ongava Game Reserve (a distance of 330 kilometres, or around five hours drive) on the southern boundary of Etosha National Park, to experience big game viewing at this iconic salt pan.
Accommodation: Ongava Tented Camp, 2-nights
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Day 9:
Day & Night Vehicle & Walking Safaris
Today you embark on morning and afternoon game drives into Etosha, exploring the south side of the pan from Okakeujo through to Halali. As you meander from waterhole to waterhole you can enjoy the endless vistas and mirages, with various wildlife encounters along the way.
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Day 10:
Transfer to Windhoek & Depart
Early this morning set off for the drive back down Namibia's main highway to Windhoek International Airport - a drive of 450 kilometres or five hours. Upon your arrival, return your hire car and check in for your flight home.
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Day 11:
Arrive UK
