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Spend 13 days exploring diverse and fascinating Namibia on this unforgettable self-drive tour. The itinerary includes stunning desert and dune landscapes, ancient rock art, the dramatic Atlantic coast and a big game safari.
Start and end your journey in the capital city of Windhoek. You begin with a trip into big cat country as you visit the Waterberg Plateau and Okonjima – home to the Africat Foundation and up-close encounters with Africa’s large carnivores. Then head to Etosha National Park where you keep the big game theme going with game drives in Namibia’s flagship conservation area.
Next is the geographically unique Damaraland region where you can view desert animals as well as a large collection of San Bushman rock art before travelling to the Atlantic coast and the picturesque town of Swakopmund.
Enjoy exciting adventure activities on the surrounding dune fields before continuing your desert journey into the Sossusvlei area. Here you can end your adventure off with a stay deep within vast dune fields that contain some of the highest sand dunes in the world; you get the chance to climb them as well as opportunities to explore the NamibRand Nature Reserve in search of cleverly adapted desert wildlife.
Highlights & Activities
What's on offer whilst on this itinerary?
Summary
Tour Duration: 12 Days
Start: Windhoek, Namibia
End: Sossusvlei, Namibia
Itinerary
Day to day
Your Namibian adventure begins today as you fly into Windhoek International Airport where you collect your rental car before heading directly to the AM Weinberg Boutique Hotel, the perfect spot to spend the night. Relax in the outdoor swimming pool, book some time at the world-class spa in the thermal spring-fed flotation pool, steam room or Middle Eastern Rasul mud chamber. Dining options abound, Am Weinbergu2019s in-house kitchen serves seasonal menus made up of the freshest produce, available in the Sky Lounge, the Library Lounge and in the Wine Lounge.
After a final hearty breakfast at Kulala Desert Lodge, you drive back to Windhoek International Airport and the end of your tour. Here you will connect to your ongoing travel arrangements home.
From Windhoek, you drive north to the Omboroko Mountains on the Waterberg Plateau, a beautiful skyscraping block of red sandstone. Arrive and settle in at Okonjima Plains Camp, a comfortable safari camp set in the heart of this beautiful region and famous for its big cat and large carnivore conservation programmes. Okonjima is home to the Africat Foundation – an organisation dedicated to preserving the lion, leopard and cheetah populations of Namibia. Pay a visit to the foundation to learn about the valuable work they are doing to rehabilitate injured animals and to preserve their natural environments.
Set out on guided and self-guided walking trails to explore the home of these agile beauties and to get closer to this rugged yet beautiful environment. Relax at the lodge during the heat of the day by enjoying a refreshing swim in the secluded pool or taking a stroll in the gardens. This is also a wonderful opportunity to spot birds, many of which are local or regional endemics.
Today you will head north to the world-renowned Etosha National Park, a beautiful wilderness area that is home to an appealing mix of both savannah and desert animals, a diverse birdlife and a noticeably large elephant population.
Arrive at The Mushara Outpost, an elegant safari camp located on a dry riverbed close to the park’s border. Enjoy morning, afternoon and early evening game drives in the reserve as well as guided safari walks, and close-up views of big game and fascinating bird species. The camp’s tents have glass fronts that allow you to savour Namibia’s golden sunrises and starry night skies.
You can also set out and explore the Okaukuejo area of Etosha – the region is famous for its abundance of game and its regular sightings of elephant, black rhino, lion and cheetah. One of the easiest game viewing activities is simply to park by a waterhole and let the drama come to you. After a night at The Mushara Outpost, you will move to Etosha Safari Lodge for another night near this unique national park.
After a leisurely breakfast, leave Ethosa Safari Lodge and continue your self-drive adventure to Damaraland – a semi-arid but stunningly scenic region of Namibia.
Arrive at Mowani Mountain Camp, built high up among massive red granite boulders in the heart of Namibia’s Damaraland – home to vast, spellbinding views and a surprising amount of wildlife.
Take some time to settle into your very comfortable tent before heading out on an excursion to see the extraordinary San Bushman rock art at Twyfelfontein and marvel at these ancient works of art.
Set out on a beautiful nature drive in the late afternoon to further explore this rugged region before returning to the camp’s scenic lookout point where you can enjoy a drink as you watch the sunset over one of Namibia’s most dramatic destinations.
Get ready to see a completely different side to Namibia today as you head west to the coast and Swakopmund, a popular seaside town wedged between desert dunes and the Atlantic Ocean.
Enjoy this quaint, colonial-era town’s warm atmosphere as you visit shops, local jewellery stalls and German-style cafes, perhaps stopping at one of the pubs for an evening drink before returning to Swakopmund Guesthouse.
Although the town may initially seem quiet, it offers a wide range of exciting desert adventures. Climb towering dunes, go quad biking, dune boarding or even skydiving in a desert environment; a boat ride on the other hand will take you along the scenic coastline for an insight into the abundant marine life of this cold but fertile ocean.
Leave Swakopmund behind today and head south to the renowned Namib-Naukluft National Park, a pristine wilderness reserve at the heart of the vast Namib Desert.
Arrive at the eclectic and luxurious Kulala Desert Lodge, set surrounded by spectacular scenery. Settle in before enjoying a guided nature walk or a trip out to the renowned Sossusvlei Dunes – said to be the highest sand dunes in the world.
Today you can drive to the NamibRand Nature Reserve, situated south of Sossusvlei and boasting some of the most striking scenery in Namibia, which includes dunes, grassy plains and mountain passes.
Be on the lookout for desert-adapted animals like elephants, oryx and, if you are very lucky, even lions: there is more life here than you think and you will learn about how wildlife has evolved to adapt to these harsh circumstances.
Expert Opinion
We know because we go
Liesel van Zyl
Product Manager
A lovely road trip through some varied landscape, seeing the wildlife, some rockart, getting out your vehicle to do some walking and then flying to see the dunes!