14 nights
Selfdrive
Namibia Classic
Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Twyfelfontein, Damaraland, Etosha, Okonjima
This is a travel example, which can be customized.

Namibia is a land of spectacular landscapes, endless skies, barren deserts, rugged mountain ranges and breathtaking wildlife - participants of this self-drive safari experience something of all this.

On this trip you first drive south to the great sand dunes of Sossusvlei and the beautiful Namib desert. The road north then takes you along the fringe of the desert and eventually to the coastal town of Swakopmund. Your next stop are the rock engravings of Twyfelfontein and the volcanic rock landscape of Damaraland where desert adapted elephants roam. The road then turns east to Etosha National Park. You have plenty of time to visit the many waterholes and experience a variety of animals up close. On your way back to Windhoek you will stop at Okonjima and the Africat Foundation where there is a great chance to see leopard and cheetah.

This self-drive journey starts in Windhoek, where you pick up your vehicle. We definitely recommend a first night in Windhoek, which gives you enough time to buy some snacks and water for the trip. Apart from the few paved main roads, most of the roads you drive are gravel roads. Participants in this journey are stirring up a lot of dust! You visit the most beautiful areas of Namibia and experience the entire fascination of this huge country.

By Car You travel by rental vehicle
Travel by road to Olive Grove
You pick up your rental vehicle and set off.
1 night Olive Grove, Windhoek

The Olive Grove is a charming, intimate guesthouse with eleven beautifully appointed rooms, each equipped with a minibar, air conditioning/heating, safe, TV and hairdryer. Its five standard rooms are located on the lower storey; its luxury rooms with access to a terrace are on the upper storey. Those in search of the ultimate luxury experience can book the 80 m2 executive suite, which comes with its own lounge.

A breakfast buffet is included; lunch and à la carte dinner is either served in the restaurant or on the veranda. The Olive Grove takes great pride in its cuisine and is certain to delight even the most discerning of palates.

A swimming pool provides the perfect place for a cooling dip.

The Olive Exclusive is the neighbouring house and well worth a visit. Read more about the Olive Exclusive here.  

Location
The Olive Grove is located close to the city centre in the Klein Windhoek district. The international airport is approximately one hour away; the local airport, Windhoek Eros, can be reached in several minutes.

Read more here

By Car You travel by rental vehicle
Travel by road to Kwessi Dunes
3 nights Kwessi Dunes, NamibRand

Kwessi Dunes is located in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, a place of immense beauty, where red sand dunes stretch endlessly against the backdrop of the Naukluft Mountains. The lodge offers twelve comfortable, air-conditioned tent chalets, each covered by a protective thatched roof. The rooms have en-suite bathrooms with indoor & outdoor showers and a veranda with seating. Two of the chalets are family rooms with two bedrooms (1 x king-size bed and 1 x two single beds) which share a common bathroom.

The chalets have been extended towards the rear with a separate stargazer bedroom, which is open to the sky and allows a stunning view of the millions of stars, especially during new moon and cloudless nights. The NamibRand Reserve is Africa's first internationally recognized Dark Sky Reserve, which means that light pollution is absolutely minimal.

The spacious main building is protected from the sun by a striking thatched roof. Beneath is the bar, a library with a large number of books to browse through, the restaurant and various seating areas that invite you to linger. There is also a swimming pool if you need to cool down from the heat of the day.

Location
The NamibRand Nature Reserve is one of southern Africa's largest private reserves. A large number of sheep farms were combined with the aim of creating an unfenced nature reserve where animals can roam freely. The reserve covers 200,000 hectares bordering on the Namib Naukluft Park to the west, and the Nubib Mountains in the east.

Kwessi Dunes is located south of Sossusvlei, north of the NamibRand Nature Reserve in a private concession of about 15’000 hectares. Although the dunes of Sossusvlei are within easy reach, an early wake-up call is still required (30km to the gate of the park and from there another hour drive to the vleis).

Read more here

Transport Mode Excursion to the dunes of Sossusvlei
Today you visit the high sand dunes of Sossusvlei. Dune 45, Hidden Vlei, Dead Vlei are amongst the highlights. Some guests climb Big Daddy, the highest dune in the area. A real challenge, even for the sportive ones amongst you. Please bring enough water!

Transport Mode Balloon Safari over Sossusvlei
The balloon safari at Sossusvlei starts very early, inflation of the balloon needs to be done before sunrise and before the winds pick up. Once the balloon is airborne you drift silently and effortlessly over the desert for about an hour. Every now and then the pilot starts the burners, but between these occasional blasts of fire, there is no sound. The views of the Namib Desert are exceptional.

On landing (wherever the wind has taken you) there is a champagne breakfast waiting for you.

By Car You travel by rental vehicle
Travel by road to Strand Hotel
2 nights Strand Hotel, Swakopmund

The new Strand Hotel has set a new standard in Swakopmund. Uniquely located on the iconic and historic Swakopmund Mole and surrounded on three sides by the Southern Atlantic Ocean its 125 rooms and suites make this hotel one of the larger ones in town, but of those certainly the one with the best seaside location. All rooms have tea & coffee stations, mini-bars, hair-dryers, TV’s, free Wi-Fi Internet access, telephones and air-conditioning.

The Strand Hotel offers its residential guests and all casual visitors three exciting restaurants. The Farmhouse Deli is good for coffee, cake, sandwiches and fresh salads. The Brewer & Butcher welcomes beer and meat lovers. The Ocean Cellar caters for guests who prefer seafood, sushi, oyster and a glass of fine white wine.

The Strand Hotel is destined to become the social epicenter of Swakopmund for locals and tourists alike.

Location
The Strand Hotel is centrally located directly at the beach and close to the light house. If you want to swim in the ocean be warned, the water is very refreshing due to the cold Benguela current. However you may see some brave local on his surfboard and of course the kids who play in the shallow water during the warmer summer months.

Read more here

By Car You travel by rental vehicle
Travel by road to Mowani Mountain Camp
2 nights Mowani Mountain Camp, Twyfelfontein

Mowani Mountain Camp comprises 12 charming rooms with high thatched roofs and comfortable verandas. The dome-like main roof leaves a window to the sky above the beds, stargazing from the bed so to say. The rooms are nestled between rounded boulders and blend in seamlessly with their surroundings. The room categories are defined by the quality of the view - accordingly there are 4 Superior View Rooms (No 1-4) with sunset view, 3 View Rooms (No 5-7) with view into a hidden valley and 5 Standard View Rooms (No 8-12). Some of the rooms have been extended with a canopy, under which a dome tent is placed, accommodating two children. Alternatively, these beds can be added to the room if parents prefer.

Mowani also offers a Luxury Room, a Mini Suite and the Mountain Suite with butler service, lounge and private dining area. These three rooms are larger and offer more privacy than the other rooms, but only the Mountain Suite stands out with a truly magnificent view.

The central area includes a small rock swimming pool with great views, lounge, restaurant and an extra wifi lounge. In the evening most guests visit the rock-top viewing plateau to enjoy the sunset. The sundowner drink is added to the view upon request.

Location
Mowani is located near Twyfelfontein and is accessed via D2612 or by light aircraft to Twyfelfontein Airstrip. The camp is built in a hidden valley amidst a boulder landscape only some minutes drive from the road.

Just across the road lies Camp Kipwe, Mowani‘s sister camp.

Read more here

Transport Mode Trip to find the desert elephants in Huab river
Embark on a guided nature drive. With luck, you will encounter desert elephant in their natural environment, particularly prevalent in the Huab River Valley.

Transport Mode Visit Twyfelfontein Bushman Art
The ancient rock engravings at Twyfelfontein are well worth a visit. Home to 2500 rock engravings and paintings, Twyfelfontein was added to the World Heritage Site list in 2007.

By Car You travel by rental vehicle
Travel by road to Etosha Oberland Lodge
2 nights Etosha Oberland Lodge, Etosha South

Etosha Oberland Lodge offers an ideal base for exploring Etosha National Park. The lodge is designed in a modern safari style and offers 20 tent chalets that are pleasantly private and spacious. Each guest unit has an ample bathroom, an open lounge and private seating area as well as air conditioning, fridge and coffee/tea making facilities. The required power is generated by the lodge‘s own solar system. There are also three family rooms with an extra bedroom.

The main building of Etosha Oberland Lodge is surrounded by tall mopane trees. The restaurant and its terrace offer views of the waterhole, where animals may pass by anytime. Other amenities include a swimming pool, bar and a spacious lounge area with various sofa corners where guests can relax after their safari. The curio shop exclusively offers products by artists from Namibia.

Wifi both in the main building and in the rooms.

Location
Etosha Oberland Lodge is located 12 km or ten minutes drive from Anderson's Gate in the south of the Etosha National Park in a private area of 5,000 hectares. The road to the lodge is signposted close to the new Taleni gas station.

The Etosha National Park is one of the most important nature reserves in southern Africa. It exists since 1907 and covers an area of 22,270 km². The central and eastern sections consist mainly of various silvery-white shining salt pans, which have made Etosha famous. In the dry season the park, the animals and the vehicles are covered in a whitish haze of salt dust.

On the southern shore of the huge Etosha Pan (130 x 50 km) there are several waterholes, which magically attract the animals from the surrounding area during the dry season. The three large state camps Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni connect Anderson's Gate in the south with the von Lindequist Gate in the east. The western part towards Galton Gate is much more wooded and less frequented by visitors, but it also offers less trails to drive around and find wildlife.

Read more here

Transport Mode Game drives in Etosha National Park
Today you venture off yourself to do game drives in Etosha National Park. It will probably take you the whole day as you slowly drive through the park and visit the signalled waterholes where the animals usually congregate.

By Car You travel by rental vehicle
Travel by road to Onguma Tented Camp
2 nights Onguma Tented Camp, Etosha East

Intimate and luxurious, Onguma Tented Camp offers uninterrupted views of a natural waterhole (lit at night) from anywhere in the camp. With a little luck, guests will encounter giraffe, jackal, antelope, zebra, wildebeest and maybe even a rare black rhino.

The main building houses a generously sized lounge, restaurant, wine cellar and swimming pool. The camp comprises just seven bright and spacious house tents, each with its own veranda, indoor and outdoor shower, elegant tin bathtub and separate WC. The light-coloured furnishings are designed to reflect the forms and colours of Etosha’s landscape.

The camp is unfenced, which means there is a minimum age requirement for our younger guests.

Onguma Game Reserve offers three further accommodation possibilities:

Read more about Onguma - The Fort
Read more about Onguma Camp Kala
Read more about Onguma Bush Camp

Location
Onguma Game Reserve is situated 10 km north of Von Lindequist Gate in the east of Etosha National Park. Onguma Game Reserve is made up of 34,000 hectares of former farmland, which has been restored in a few short years to its natural state. Because this huge area is used exclusively by guests of Ongumas' camps, it guarantees an almost undisturbed wilderness experience.

The Etosha National Park is one of the most important nature reserves in southern Africa. It exists since 1907 and covers an area of 22,270 km². The central and eastern sections consist mainly of various silvery-white shining salt pans, which have made Etosha famous. In the dry season the park, the animals and the vehicles are covered in a whitish haze of salt dust.

On the southern shore of the huge Etosha Pan (130 x 50 km) there are several waterholes, which magically attract the animals from the surrounding area during the dry season. The three large state camps Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni connect Anderson's Gate in the south with the von Lindequist Gate in the east. The western part towards Galton Gate is much more wooded and less frequented by visitors, but it also offers less trails to drive around and find wildlife.

Etosha National Park is Namibia's premier safari destination. Covering almost the same area as Switzerland, Etosha is one of the largest national parks in Africa. To the west of the park lay the silvery white salt pans and adjoining waterholes, which magically attract all kinds of wildlife during the dry season.

Read more here

By Car You travel by rental vehicle
Travel by road to Okonjima Bush Camp
2 nights Okonjima Bush Camp, Otjiwarongo

Okonjima is run by the Hanssen family. Wayne, Donna and Rosalea Hanssen bought Okonjima from their parents, Val and Rose, in 1993 and turned the farm into a well-known conservation project.
                                            
Okonjima is the home of the AfriCat Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the rescue and preservation of Namibia’s big cat population. It has rescued over 1000 big cats since 1993 and released 86% of them back into the wild.

Okonjima Bush Camp is located 3 km from Plains Camp (the main camp) on the edge of the game reserve. This lodge offers a greater degree of comfort and is used by us as a fly-in safari destination for guests who wish to make a stopover here and learn more about the AfriCat Foundation.  
                                                                             
Spaced a minimum of 80 metres apart, all eight chalets offer maximum privacy and a very generous 105 m2 of living space. The chalets are built in a traditional African style with clay walls and thatched roofs. The lodge also offers a swimming pool.

Okonjima offers three further accommodation options:

Read more about Okonjima Plains Camp
Read more about the Okonjima Bush Suite
Read more about the Okonjima African Villa

Location
Located 48 km south of Otjiwarongo, Okonjima sits 24 km west of the main highway at the end of a gravel road. It is the perfect place to break the journey between Etosha and Windhoek.

Windhoek International Airport is some three hours away; Etosha National Park is approximately four hours away. Okonjima can also be reached by plane and is a popular destination on fly-in safaris as well.

Read more here

By Car You travel by rental vehicle
Travel by road to Windhoek
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Details & Prices

Basic Information
Individual journey. The journey will be planned on your preferred dates.

Duration 14 nights. Min 2 guests. Trip vice versa possible.
Inclusive / Exclusive
Includes all transfers from Windhoek to the hotels/camps to Windhoek
  • Olive Grove: Luxury Room. Breakfast.
  • Kwessi Dunes: Double Room. All meals, drinks (except premier brands), twice daily activities with one of the camp guides. Includes guided excursion to the Sossusvlei dunes and balloon flight.
  • Strand Hotel: Luxury Room. Breakfast.
  • Mowani Mountain Camp: Standard Room. Dinner, breakfast. Visit the rock engravings of Twyfelfontein on your own. Includes elephant activity to find the desert adapted elephants.
  • Etosha Oberland Lodge: Double Room. Dinner, breakfast. Game Drives on your own or bookable at the lodge.
  • Onguma Tented Camp: Double Room. All meals, drinks (except premier brands), laundry service, twice daily activities with one of the camp guides.
  • Okonjima Bush Camp: Double Room. All meals, drinks (except premier brands), laundry service, twice daily activities with one of the camp guides.
Includes fully insured vehicle with maximum excess reduction. Toyota Fortuner 4 x 4 SUV or similar.
Not included are international flights, gratuities, compulsary comprehensive travel insurance, visa fees, local airport fees, personal purchases.

Learn more about these areas
Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park
Namib Rand
Namib Rand
Twyfelfontein
Twyfelfontein
Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo
Windhoek
Windhoek
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