Extraordinary Namibia – Self Drive Tour

Arrive in Windhoek
Upon arrival at Windhoek Airport you will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel.

Car Pick up & Self Drive: Windhoek to Kalahari Desert
This morning we collect our rental car and then we leave the big city, heading south east into the Kalahari Desert. Whilst not officially a desert due to its higher than average annual rainfall, the Kalahari offers impressive views over the deep red dunes speckled with desert species like oryx, springbok and ostrich. This afternoon we can enjoy a sundowner nature drive, exploring the Bagatelle Ranch, searching for wildlife such as giraffes, kudus, zebras, oryx, gnus and eland antelopes. The reserve has some of the highest dunes in the region and offers a fascinating view over a salt pan characteristic of the Kalahari. The Kalahari is home to more than 150 bird species, many of which can also be found in our reserve and the popular meerkats families can also be watched with us, even though they are actually very shy.

Breakfast included.

Self Drive: Kalahari Desert to Namib Desert
A leisurely start today to take in the morning in the Kalahari before we head west into the Namib Desert. This area offers equally stunning photography opportunities and for those that can’t get enough of landscape photography this afternoon we can take a self-guided walk or join a guided quad biking excursion to see more of this incredible area.

Guided Sossusvlei Excursion
Early this morning you will depart your lodge on a guided half-day excursion to Sossusvlei. Located in the scenic Namib-Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei is where you will find the iconic red sand dunes of the Namib. The clear blue skies contrast with the giant red dunes to make this one of the most scenic natural wonders of Africa and a photographer's heaven. This awe-inspiring destination is possibly Namibia's premier attraction, with its unique dunes rising to almost 400 metres-some of the highest in the world. These iconic dunes come alive in morning and evening light and draw photography enthusiasts from around the globe. Sossusvlei is home to a variety desert wildlife including oryx, springbok, ostrich and a variety of reptiles.

Return to the lodge to spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure or take part in optional activities offered by the lodge (at your own expense).

Self Drive: Namib Desert to Swakopmund
Our drive today takes us through to Swakopmund via the Gaub and Kuiseb passes. Our first official stop is Solitaire, a small but important outpost for tourists and locals alike, and a popular place to stop and enjoy some more unusual photographic opportunities. From Solitaire, we continue through the ever-changing desert landscapes before arriving in Walvis Bay, the main harbour in Namibia. Here we have the opportunity to visit the Walvis Bay Lagoon, a RAMSAR listed wetland site, famous as the feeding ground for many bird species including the Greater & Lesser Flamingos, as well as the endemic Damara Tern amongst others making it an ornithologist paradise. From Walvis Bay it’s just a short drive to Swakopmund where we will spend the next two nights.

Optional (extra fee): Desert Explorers Quad Biking 1 Hour Tour
Desert Explorers Quad Biking 1 Hour Tour is a guided tour which covers 20km of the Swakopmund sand dunes.

Breakfast included.

Swakopmund Day at Leisure
A day of rest and relaxation, or explore the coastal region on one (or two) of the many optional activities available. Explore the desert on a Living Desert Tour, join a boat cruise to enjoy the fresh air as the seals, dolphins and pelicans cruise alongside the boat. Alternatively, enjoy the Skeleton Coast from the air and take a scenic flight (south or north) to get another perspective of this dramatic landscape. Alternatively, meander through Swakopmund, explore the local galleries and enjoy a walk along the Atlantic Ocean.

Breakfast included.

Self Drive: Swakopmund to Damaraland
From Swakopmund we head north along the coast with our first stop at the Zeila Shipwreck, the Skeleton Coast's most recent victim. Then, we have the option to take a short detour north to Cape Cross, home to one of the worlds largest colonies of Cape Fur seals. It’s a smelly but fascinating stop and as we meander along the boardwalk the seals will oblige us with a million photo opportunities.

From here, we travel inland along the C35, one of the most culturally diverse roads in the country. Here, we have the chance to stop and meet the 3 different tribal groups, the Herero, The Damara and The Himba, that have made this area their home. These entrepreneurial women have created small craft stalls along the road in the hope of enticing the passing tourists to buy some locally crafted souvenirs. This is a great opportunity to meet some of the local women, and learn a little more about life in the rural parts of Namibia.

Our next stop is the heart of Damaraland and our home for the night, just a stone's throw from Twyfelfontein and the perfect place to spend the night and enjoy our first Damaraland sunset.

Breakfast included.

Huab River Nature Drive Tour
We head out early this morning on a guided drive through the ephemeral river beds in search of the elusive desert elephant that roam Damaraland. Namibia is one of just 2 countries in the world (the other Mali) where elephants have specially adapted to harsh desert environments and now roam freely through the Damaraland and Kaokoland region. We return to the lodge around midday for lunch.

Optional (extra fee): Afternoon Twyfelfontein Excursion: Head out in the afternoon to visit Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world's largest collection of San rock etchings in the world, with some being estimated at more than 5000 years old.

Breakfast included.

Drive to Etosha National Park
After breakfast, we pack our things and make our way towards Etosha National Park. Today we are heading into Etosha via the western gate and game driving across the park to Okaukuejo.

This western part of the park offers incredible game viewing opportunities including species that are not seen in other areas of the park including the Hartmann's Mountain zebra. Our camp inside the park means that our game viewing can continue into the night should we wish to sit up around the waterhole after dinner.

Breakfast included.

Self Drive: Etosha to Onguma Nature Reserve
Today we make our way east across the park. This is a great chance to experience a variety of habitats from open savannahs where animals can be spotted from a vast distance, to dense woodland areas that require a little more careful searching. We aim to exit the part early afternoon so we can check in at Onguma Bush Camp where we spend our next two nights in the Etosha area.

Should we wish, we can choose to enjoy the afternoon at camp where wildlife is known to wander by, or we can head out on an optional sundowner drive to explore the reserve.

Breakfast included.

Onguma Nature Reserve Day at Leisure
A full day to enjoy eastern Etosha either on guided or self-guided game drives. Alternatively, spend the day enjoying the private Onguma Reserve. This could be relaxing at camp and seeing what passes by camp, or enjoying an optional activity such as a visit to the Onkolo Hide, a must see for photography enthusiasts as you get a rather unique perspective as the animals come into drink.

Breakfast included.

Self-drive: Etosha National Park to Okonjima Nature Reserve
A leisurely start today with a lazy breakfast before departing, or instead choose to enjoy another optional activity on the Onguma Reserve such as a guided nature walk, a good chance to stretch the legs before another day in the car.

Aiming to arrive at Okonjima early afternoon, we can settle into our accommodation before heading out on an afternoon leopard tracking activity. For most this is a highlight as these cats are highly illusive in the wild and sightings are extremely rare.

Breakfast included.

Self Drive: Okonjima Nature Reserve to Greater Windhoek & Car Drop-Off
A leisurely start today as we have a lie in and a leisurely breakfast before hitting the road and making our way back to Windhoek. We aim to arrive around midday where we can drop off our rental vehicle in the city and are transferred out to Voigtland Guesthouse where we spend out last night.

Arriving in time for lunch, we can relax in the garden before enjoy high tea, a special experience as we are joined by some curious giraffe that are also keen on a snack (camelthorn pods for them).

Depart Windhoek
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.