Classic Namibia Self-Drive

This evening you will be flying overnight from London to Johannesburg with British Airways.

Connect on to the regional flight to Windhoek, arriving there in the early afternoon. A driver will be waiting at the airport to transfer you in to town where you will be spending the night at The Olive Grove Guesthouse. Your rental car will be delivered this afternoon and you will have a quick briefing on the trip before enjoying an afternoon at leisure to relax and then enjoy dinner in one of Windhoek’s many excellent eateries.

Enjoy breakfast before setting off on the tarred road which heads north out of Windhoek towards the beautiful Central Highlands region. You will be staying at Okonjima Plains Camp, set within the eponymous wildlife reserve and home to an amazing array of conservation related activities. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the sparkling swimming pool and soaking up the sunshine before drinks around the campfire and dinner.

Today will be a chance for you to enjoy some of the activities on offer at Okonjima. The reserve is home to the Africat Foundation which does incredible work rehabilitating predators injured after interactions with local farmers. You can learn more about the work that they do and get up close and personal with leopard, cheetah and wild dog to name but a few. There are also a number of walking trails on the reserve if you are feeling active.

There will be the chance for one final activity at Okonjima this morning or you can have a more leisurely morning before continuing your journey north to the Etosha National Park. You will be staying at the lovely Etosha Safari Camp which is ideally located just a short drive from the Andersson Gate, the southern entrance to the park. Spend the afternoon exploring Etosha before returning to the camp in time for sundowner drinks.

With a full day to explore Etosha and enjoy its abundant wildlife there is plenty to look forward to today. A recommendation is to take a packed lunch along with you and head out early, the gates open at dawn, to enjoy as much of the day as you can in the park. There are a number of waterholes where you can park up to enjoy lunch and hopefully spot lion, leopard, rhino or elephant coming to drink as you enjoy your picnic.

Set off from Etosha this morning, picking your way west through ever more dramatic landscapes until you reach the Etendeka Plateau which commands breathtaking views out over Damaraland. Your base for the next 2 nights will be Grootberg Lodge, a charming property on its own concession with access to some amazing walking trails, unique wildlife viewing opportunities and some of the most spectacular vistas anywhere in Namibia.

Grootberg offers one of the most comprehensive and varied activities programmes of any lodge in Namibia and as such genuinely offers something for everyone. Tracking desert rhino within the concession is one of their most popular offerings, as is the chance to see elephant and lion on a game drive. There are some lovely walking trails to enjoy and their sundowner drinks trip to the rim of the escarpment is a great way to round off the day.

Continue on your road trip today as you drive through the dramatic landscapes of Damaraland where the stark desert plains are studded with rugged red mountains. You will be spending tonight at Camp Kipwe, a lovely little property set amongst rounded boulders and overlooking the beautiful flat desert. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool and enjoying the stunning views for which the property is renowned.

Start this morning with a visit to the ancient petroglyphs – rock art sites – and geological features known as The Organ Pipes which are found at Twyfelfontein. From there continue through the desert until you reach the coast and turn south to Swakopmund, a quaint little Germanic seaside town and a great spot to spend a couple of nights. You will be staying at The Cornerstone Guesthouse which is right in the heart of the town.

Swakopmund is regarded as the adventure capital of Namibia and there is a huge amount to keep you occupied whilst you are here. Some of the popular activities include kayaking with seals in nearby Walvis Bay, taking a catamaran trip down the coast or visiting the dramatic dunes of Sandwich Harbour. Closer to Swakopmund you can quad bike through the dunes, go horseriding or simply take a stroll along Swakopmund beach.

Head back in to the desert today as you drive south from Swakopmund and then inland through the Namib Naukluft Park, a stunning part of the country. Stop at the tiny outpost of Solitaire to visit the famous bakery before continuing on to Sossusvlei, an undoubted highlight of any trip to Namibia. You will stay at Hoodia Desert Lodge for 2 nights and can join one of the lodge’s guides on a sundowner drinks drive this evening.

You will need to be up early this morning to drive to the park gate at Sesriem which gives you access to the towering red dunes of Sossusvlei. Enjoy the drive through the avenue of dunes to the parking area where you will be able to set off to climb Big Daddy, take a stroll through Dead Vlei and marvel at the endless sea of red sand. There will also be a chance to stop off at the Sesriem Canyon en-route back to the lodge where you will have the afternoon to relax.

Enjoy a relaxing breakfast this at the lodge before setting off back to Windhoek, arriving in the middle of the afternoon at The Olive Grove Guesthouse where you will be spending the night. Your rental vehicle will be collected when you arrive, leaving you free to relax by the swimming pool before heading out for a farewell dinner – perhaps at the iconic Joe’s Beerhouse or the more elegant Le Stellenbosch restaurant.

After a morning at leisure you will be collected and transferred back to Windhoek where you will catch a flight to Johannesburg and then an overnight flight to London Heathrow with British Airways.