Essential Namibia Self-Drive

Discover Namibia on this highlights self-drive or guided tour, which takes you through ancient deserts and mountain-studded plains to the wave-worn coastline. Along the way, you’ll scale Sossusvlei’s towering sand dunes, spot marine life in Swakopmund and park beside Etosha’s waterholes for a wildlife bonanza. Round off your adventure with game drives in Okonjima, where you’ll meet endangered species and visit the AfriCat Foundation.

Itinerary
10 nights
10 nights from Windhoek , Windhoek: 1 night , Sossusvlei: 2 nights  , Swakopmund: 2 nights , Damaraland: 1 night , Etosha National Park: 3 nights , Otjiwarongo: 1 night
Safari, Self-Drive

£4,195 - £4,495pp including international flights

Itinerary overview

Day 1

Arrival in Windhoek

Welcome to Namibia. Upon arrival in Windhoek, a driver will transfer you to your boutique hotel i...

Day 2

Namib Desert

Today you’ll drive four hours south to the Namib, the world’s oldest desert. Check into an eco-fr...

Day 3

Namib Desert & Sossusvlei

Discover the wonders of the Namib Desert today, either on your own or with a guided excursion. He...

Day 4

Swakopmund

Today starts with a five-hour drive north to the coastal town of Swakopmund. Sandwiched by the oc...

Day 5

Swakopmund

Uncover Namibia’s coastal treasures with a variety of optional tours. Take a catamaran cruise on ...

Day 6

Damaraland

Continue your journey north to rugged Damaraland. Here, the vast grasslands are scattered with go...

Day 7

Etosha

Drive four hours east today to the wildlife-rich plains of Etosha. This national park is home to ...

Day 8

Etosha

Spend today on a self-drive safari in Etosha National Park. The waterholes are particularly impre...

Day 9

Etosha

Enjoy an early-morning game drive in Etosha National Park, courtesy of your lodge. Travel in an o...

Day 10

Okonjima

After breakfast, drive four hours south to Okonjima, a 22,000-hectare nature reserve. Visit the o...

Day 11

Okonjima & Departure

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

Day 1

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.

Day 2

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.

Day 3

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.

Day 4

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.

Day 5

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.

Living Desert Tour

Namibia

Meet the unique creatures of the Namib Desert on this educational tour. The aim is to get people to see the dunes with a different eye and realise they’re not just a pile of sand, they’re home to incredible wildlife. Departing from Swakopmund, you’ll be taken in a 4x4 to the coastal dune belt just outside of town. This area is part of a protected national park. During the drive, your guide will be looking for tracks and signs in the dunes. Looking for scorpions, spiders and the group informally called the little five: the palmato gecko, sand-diving lizard, fog-basking tok-tokkie beetle, sidewinder snake and chameleon. These secretive animals are tough to spot without the help of an experienced local guide. When something is spotted, you’ll get a closer look as your guide tells you all about the special adaptations each creature has to survive in this inhospitable environment. You never know what you’re going to encounter in the desert though. End the trip with some exciting big dune driving in custom-built safari vehicles, it’s like a rollercoaster ride.

Day 6

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.

Explore Damaraland: peaks, petroglyphs and desert elephants

Damaraland

Damaraland is unlike anywhere else in Namibia, home to table-topped peaks carved with ancient petroglyphs and dry river beds where desert elephants roam. Explore Damaraland’s highlights, starting with its collection of ancient rock art in Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As Africa’s most extensive rock art collection, you can see over 2,500 animal shapes and geometric designs carved over thousands of years by Namibia’s native bushmen. As you drive through Damaraland, your guide will point out its signature landmarks; geological formations carved by wind and sand over centuries. There’s a set of impressive dolerite pillars nick-named the organ pipes, a petrified forest of trees frozen in sediment over 200 million years ago and the Matterhorn-shaped volcanic peak, Spitzkoppe. Namibia’s highest mountain, Brandberg, is gorgeous at sunrise and sunset, when it appears to glow, earning itself the title Fire Mountain. You may see Namibia’s desert elephants, who live in dry riverbeds such as the Huab, Hoarusib and Uniab. These ephemeral rivers flood during rains and are lined with vegetation like ana trees, a vital food source for elephants. Classed as endangered, only an estimated 150 desert elephants are now left in the wild. If you’re lucky enough to spot the elephants your guide will point out the unique adaptations that allow them to survive in the desert, including larger feet to stop them from sinking into the sand.

Day 7

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.

Explore Etosha, the jewel in Namibia’s safari crown

Etosha

If you’re craving a safari, there’s no better place in Namibia than Etosha National Park. The country’s oldest conservation area is home to 114 species of mammals and 350 bird species. What’s really special about Etosha though is its spring-fed waterholes, which draw animals from far and wide, especially during the dry season from June to November. Etosha is good for a self-drive adventure, guided tour or the individual lodges also offer full and half-day safaris with their guides, who’ll know all the best waterholes and wildlife-watching destinations in the park. Perhaps take a break from behind the wheel or your guided tour vehicle and enjoy a ride in an open-sided 4×4, perfect for photographing animals and Etosha’s vast landscapes. Your guide will help you spot everything from giraffes and elephants to big cats and rhinos, as well as plains game like zebra, oryx and the rare black-faced impala. There’s more to Etosha than just its diverse wildlife; the baobab-studded plains are covered with over 20 types of vegetation. Then there’s the Etosha salt pan, which is Africa’s largest and visible from space. In fact, the local Ovambo people refer to Etosha as the Great White Place after this geological marvel – traversing the pan is like travelling across the surface of the moon, with clouds of white dust flying up in your wake. While the dry season might be best for waterhole sightings, during the wet season the pans flood, creating mirrored lagoons that attract migratory birds, including flocks of flamingos – it’s quite a picture.\

Day 8

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.

Explore Etosha, the jewel in Namibia’s safari crown

Etosha

If you’re craving a safari, there’s no better place in Namibia than Etosha National Park. The country’s oldest conservation area is home to 114 species of mammals and 350 bird species. What’s really special about Etosha though is its spring-fed waterholes, which draw animals from far and wide, especially during the dry season from June to November. Etosha is good for a self-drive adventure, guided tour or the individual lodges also offer full and half-day safaris with their guides, who’ll know all the best waterholes and wildlife-watching destinations in the park. Perhaps take a break from behind the wheel or your guided tour vehicle and enjoy a ride in an open-sided 4×4, perfect for photographing animals and Etosha’s vast landscapes. Your guide will help you spot everything from giraffes and elephants to big cats and rhinos, as well as plains game like zebra, oryx and the rare black-faced impala. There’s more to Etosha than just its diverse wildlife; the baobab-studded plains are covered with over 20 types of vegetation. Then there’s the Etosha salt pan, which is Africa’s largest and visible from space. In fact, the local Ovambo people refer to Etosha as the Great White Place after this geological marvel – traversing the pan is like travelling across the surface of the moon, with clouds of white dust flying up in your wake. While the dry season might be best for waterhole sightings, during the wet season the pans flood, creating mirrored lagoons that attract migratory birds, including flocks of flamingos – it’s quite a picture.\

Day 9

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 a sundowner game drive on the Onguma Reserve. Overnight at Onguma Forest Camp.

Day 10

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.

Day 11

Okonjima & Departure

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

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Guide price information

Low Season

01 Jan - 30 Jun, 01 Dec - 30 Dec

£4,195pp

High Season

01 Jul - 30 Nov

£4,495pp

Guide price information is based on the included flights from London, accommodation, transport and experiences detailed in the itinerary above. Guide prices do not include optional things to do. Call us for up to date prices – the cost of your holiday depends upon the time of year you travel, how long you go for, preferred departure airport, airlines, hotels and things to do. Based on 2 people sharing.