Essential Namibia Self-Drive

Arrival in Windhoek

Welcome to Namibia. Upon arrival in Windhoek, a driver will transfer you to your boutique hotel in the oldest suburb of the city. Settle in and meet a local tour representative, who’ll go over your itinerary and, if you’re taking a self-drive trip, help you plot your route. Spend the rest of the day as you please. Relax in the tropical garden, take a dip in the pool or explore Windhoek’s German-colonial architecture. After dinner, enjoy drinks around the fire pit ahead of tomorrow’s journey. Overnight at The Elegant Guesthouse.

Namib Desert

Today you’ll drive four hours south to the Namib, the world’s oldest desert. Check into an eco-friendly camp, where you’ll stay in a luxury, safari-style tent. Take in views of the desert and Naukluft mountains from your private deck, sip a sundowner by the pool and dine in the open-air boma. The beds at Elegant Desert Camp can be rolled out onto the deck so you can fall asleep beneath the African stars. Overnight at The Elegant Desert Camp.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Elegant Desert Camp: an eco-oasis in the Namib Desert

Optional

Explore Sossusvlei on a guided nature drive

Optional

Escape to the desert at Sossusvlei Lodge

Namib Desert & Sossusvlei

Discover the wonders of the Namib Desert today, either on your own or with a guided excursion. Head out early to watch the sunrise at Sossusvlei, a former riverbed home to some of the tallest sand dunes on the planet, including Big Daddy and Dune 45. Scale one of these epic sand masses for panoramic views and visit iconic Deadvlei, a collection of skeletal camelthorn trees stuck in a lunar-like salt flat. On your way back to camp, stop at Sesriem Canyon, a geological gem carved by the Tsauchab River over 15 million years. Overnight at Elegant Desert Camp.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Elegant Desert Camp: an eco-oasis in the Namib Desert

Optional

Discover soaring sand dunes and skeletal trees in Sossusvlei

Optional

Explore Sesriem Canyon: a geological gem in the Namib Desert

Swakopmund

Today starts with a five-hour drive north to the coastal town of Swakopmund. Sandwiched by the ocean and The Namib, the city is a launching pad for boat cruises and desert excursions. Check into your hotel, then explore this colonial German seaport. Wander streets lined with half-timber houses, stroll on the pier and visit the candy-striped lighthouse. For dinner, you can feast on bratwurst and Bavarian beer at one of the city’s German-inspired eateries. Overnight at Namib Guesthouse.

Things to do:

Optional

The Strand Hotel Swakopmund: your oceanside retreat

Swakopmund

Uncover Namibia’s coastal treasures with a variety of optional tours. Take a catamaran cruise on Walvis Bay to spot pelagic birds and the marine Big Five: whales, dolphins, sunfish, leatherback turtles and seals. The highlight is visiting a colony of around 60,000 barking Cape Fur Seals. If you want to get your blood pumping, take a sandboarding trip to rocket down dunes at speeds reaching 50km an hour. For a gentler adventure, take a cycle through the desert on a fat bike, savouring dune-top views of the coast and looking out for desert creatures. Overnight at Namib Guesthouse.

Things to do:

Optional

The Living Desert Tour: meet the creatures of the Namib

Optional

A fat bike adventure in the Namib Desert

Optional

Encounter marine life on a Walvis Bay catamaran cruise

Optional

Sandboarding in the Namib Desert

Damaraland

Continue your journey north to rugged Damaraland. Here, the vast grasslands are scattered with gorges, petrified forests and mountains. These include Namibia’s highest peak, Brandberg, and the Matterhorn-shaped Spitzkoppe. You’ll stay in Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its extensive prehistoric rock art collection. Peruse over 2,500 engravings carved by Namibia’s nomadic hunter-gatherer communities such as the Damara, San and Himba people. Overnight at Twyfelfontein Country Lodge.

Things to do:

Optional

Explore Damaraland: peaks, petroglyphs and desert elephants

Etosha

Drive four hours east today to the wildlife-rich plains of Etosha. This national park is home to Africa’s largest salt pan, which is visible from space. It’s also one of the best places to spot wildlife in Namibia thanks to its spring-fed waterholes that draw a kaleidoscope of African beasts. Settle into your peaceful lodge, which lies on a dolomite outcrop shaded by mopane trees. Take the rest of the day to relax, or to enjoy your first self-drive game drive in the park or an optional 4x4 guided game drive. Overnight at Etosha Toshari Lodge.

Things to do:

Optional

Explore Etosha, the jewel in Namibia’s safari crown

Etosha

Spend today on a self-drive safari in Etosha National Park. The waterholes are particularly impressive during dry season when animals flock to these vital water sources. Look out for over 114 species of mammals and 350 bird species. Highlights include bathing elephants, big cat hunts and colourful birdlife. Travel on to your next camp, where you’ll stay in a luxe thatched bungalow. Cool off with a swim followed by a cold sundowner overlooking the camp’s active waterhole. Overnight at Onguma Forest Camp.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Relax in the Namibian bush at Onguma Forest Camp

✓  Included

Explore Etosha, the jewel in Namibia’s safari crown

Optional

An Out of Africa experience at Onguma Tented Camp

Etosha

Enjoy an early-morning game drive in Etosha National Park, courtesy of your lodge. Travel in an open safari vehicle with an expert guide, who’ll take you to the top places in the park for observing animals. Along the way, watch the sunrise over the plains. There’ll be plenty of opportunities to photograph wildlife and learn about Etosha’s vegetation and geology, including its salt pan, which was once a colossal lake. If you’re visiting during the rainy season, the pans may have transformed into glassy lagoons that attract algae-munching flamingos. End the day with an sundowner game drive on the Onguma Reserve. Overnight at Onguma Forest Camp.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Relax in the Namibian bush at Onguma Forest Camp

✓  Included

Discover Onguma’s diverse wildlife

Optional

A walk in the wild at Onguma Nature Reserve

Optional

Spend a night on the Dream Cruiser

Okonjima

After breakfast, drive four hours south to Okonjima, a 22,000-hectare nature reserve. Visit the on-site AfriCat Carnivore Care Centre to learn all about the non-profit foundation’s work and visit some of their rescued cheetahs. In the afternoon, you'll head out for a game drive with one of the lodge’s experienced guides. Thanks partly to the AfriCat Foundation, Okonjima is home to Namibia’s largest density of leopards, some of which have been radio-collared for research purposes. Look out for these stealthy big cats, as well as other endangered species that live in the reserve, from rhinos to brown hyenas and pangolins. Overnight at Okonjima Plains Camp. Ask our travel experts about adding an additional night here to enjoy all the reserve has at a more relaxed pace.

Things to do:

✓  Included

Okonjima Plains Camp: the cattle farm turned conservation success story

✓  Included

Spot endangered species on an Okonjima game drive

Optional

An African wildlife experience at Okonjima Bushcamp

Optional

Meet AfriCat’s rescued cheetahs

Okonjima & Departure

Drive back to Windhoek this morning in time for your onward flight.