- Tours & Safaris
- Namibia Safaris
- Namibia Self-Drive
Highlights of this Safari
- Self-drive flexibility & independence
- Diverse desert & wildlife experiences
- Guided game drives, walks & tours
- Superb accommodation throughout
FROM USD 6021 pps
Itinerary
Days 1 – 3: Into the Namib
It’s a 5-hour drive in your hire car to start the tour but it’s worth the wait: the road into the Namib Desert from Windhoek is an easy one and the reward is Little Kulala Lodge, set in a private reserve with panoramic desert views from every angle.
You’ll be well situated for an excursion to the famous red sand dunes at Sossusvlei but there’s a lot to experience at and around the lodge too. With two full days here, you’ll have time to join guided nature walks and drives, head out into the wilderness on a quad-bike or even go hot-air ballooning. At night you’ll be guided through the constellations by your guide on star-gazing evenings, and the lodge’s friendly staff will make sure you have everything you want, whether it’s a soothing massage from the wellness therapist or a made-up bed on your suite’s roof for you to sleep under the stars.
Days 4 – 5: To the Atlantic coast
Swakopmund’s incongruous blend of Namib Desert, wild ocean coast and Bavarian architecture has long made the town a popular stop-over on a Namibia safari. Your base is Swakopmund Guesthouse, set near the beach and town centre. The ocean temperature is a little bracing but the town hums with activity and is a great place to stock up on supplies. The guesthouse also has a family 4-sleeper suite, complete with private living room and open-plan kitchen for self-catering convenience.
The time here is yours – breakfast is included but lunch and dinner are your own costs – and if you haven’t decided what you want to do here then staff at the guesthouse can help you. Swakopmund is Namibia’s ‘adventure centre’ and home to dozens of activities ranging from sand-boarding and quad-biking to hot-air ballooning, bird watching, dolphin and marine tours.
Days 6 – 7: Discover Damaraland
Leaving the ocean behind, you drive into Damaraland, one of the most dramatically scenic regions of a famously scenic country. Wild, rugged mountains and stark, blasted plains appear, studded with giant granite boulders. Your destination is Erongo Wilderness Lodge, tucked away in a nature conservancy and boasting views of a primal landscape.
Here you can relax and let Erongo’s experienced guides show you around. The bird watching is very good here – several Namibian endemics can easily be found – and there is rock art to see, small animals to spot and views to take your breath away. You can also do things at your pace: the lodge has a pool, internet connectivity and safe, self-guided trails.
Days 8 – 9: In Search of Desert Elephants
Further north takes you deeper into Damaraland and to Mowani Mountain Camp. Set amongst house-sized boulders, the camp’s thatched suites have wooden decks with sensational views. Also available is a larger cottage with lounge and dining room as well as butler service.
Guided walks and bird watching are offered along with 4X4 adventures in search of Damaraland’s elusive desert-adapted elephants, somehow eking a living from this seemingly waterless environment. Also highly recommended is an excursion to the rock art site at Twyfelfontein where over 2 000 engravings and paintings have been recorded. Several of them are among the best examples of San Bushman art in Southern Africa.
Days 10 -12: A Private Etosha Safari
Set on a private game reserve bordering the Etosha National Park, Ongava Lodge makes a fitting finale to your safari. You’ll enjoy all the big game drama of Namibia’s flagship reserve as well as the privacy of Ongava’s exclusive-use setting.
You’ll divide your daytime game drives between Ongava Reserve and Etosha but night drives and guided walks, activities not permitted in Etosha, are also part of the safari offering at Ongava. And if you want to see wildlife the easiest way possible, then simply set out a chair in the shade above the lodge’s in-house waterholes and see what comes to drink. The private reserve is home to both black and white rhino as well as big cats, elephant and many antelope species.
The lodge offers a pool and a 4-sleeper family suite with two bathrooms.
Day 13: The Journey Ends
It’s a half-day drive back to Windhoek from Ongava where you’ll return your car at the airport and connect with your onward flight. If you’d like to break the journey up with an extra night in Windhoek just let us know and we’ll arrange it.
Rates
2021
These rates are per person sharing & single supplements may apply. Please treat all pricing as a guide only & the rates are subject to availability & may change slightly without notice. Request a quote from us.
Accommodation mostly on Fullboard basis (except in Swakopmund & Erongo Wilderness Lodge), Daily Activities included at the lodges, Meals & Drinks included at Little Kulala, Mowani Mountain Camp and Ongava Lodge, Toyota Double Cab 4×4 Car Rental
Excludes:Flights to & from Windhoek (Namibia), Meals & Drinks not specified, Lodge Activities can be booked at lodge if desired, Gratuities, Meals that are not Specified, Items of personal nature, Park fees, Travel Insurance, Car Rental additionals
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