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Price Guide
15 Nights - £3,995pp

Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Tour Info
  • International Flights
  • Domestic flights
  • All taxes
  • 15 nights accommodation
  • 13 days Car Rental
  • Most meals
  • All transfers
  • Activities

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Luxury Namibia Self-Drive

14008
Etosha Water hole

Etosha Water hole

Skeleton Coast

Skeleton Coast

Wolwedans Dunes

Wolwedans Dunes

Okonjima

Okonjima

 

This enjoyable two-week itinerary offers you some of the finest landscape scenery and specialist safari experiences anywhere in Africa, from wildlife in Etosha pan, Desert Elephant in the Damaraland region, the raw Skeleton Coast and some of the most spectacular mountain and desert dunes landscapes in Southern Africa.

This trip is perfect for the adventurous who are seeking to enjoy the freedom and flexibility which associates itself with self-driving holidays and as a result enables you to mix and match your accommodation to suit your personal preferences.

Enjoy staying in an exciting mix of some of the more comfortable lodges in and around Namibia.

This itinerary is also fabulous for families who wish to embark on a scenic and wildlife journey through the wonderful Namibian countryside.

At a Glance

  • 2 nights Windhoek
  • 2 nights Okonjima
  • 3 nights Etosha
  • 2 nights Damaraland
  • 3 nights Swakopmund
  • 2 nights NamibRand
  • 1 night Kalahari
  • 4x4 vehicle rental
  • Airport transfers

Day 1: Fly UK to Windhoek

Overnight flight from UK to Windhoek, via Johannesburg.

Day 2: Windhoek

You will be met at the airport and transferred to your chosen hotel in Windhoek.

Today you will have a pre-safari briefing by our partner in Namibia who will provide maps and vouchers and go over all elements of your 4x4 rental answering any questions you may have.

Overnight Windhoek. Breakfast included.

Day 3: Windhoek – Okonjima Farm

Okonjima is home to the Africat Foundation, which works with farmers and the public to conserve the big cat species in Namibia.

Cheetah and Leopard are being rehabilitated back into the wild and local farmers and locals are being educated to help secure the future of these magnificent animals.

The driving time today is around 3 hours. The afternoon activity begins at 3 pm in summer and 4 pm in winter, so we advise arriving before 2 pm.

Overnight Okonjima. Full Board with activities included.

Day 4: Okonjima

Participate in morning and afternoon shared in-house lodge activities.

Overnight Okonjima. Full Board with activities included.

Day 5: Onguma, East Etosha National Park

Drive towards Tsumeb, passing by the Waterberg Plateau Park heading towards the eastern sector of Etosha National Park.

Etosha will act as a base from which to enjoy daily exploratory self-drive trips or professionally Lodge lead (payable locally) 4x4 game drives into and out of the Etosha National Park.

Today's driving should take about 4 - 4.5 hours.

Depending on the choice of accommodation, there is the option to partake in the lodges own guided game drives in private concessions, or enjoy exploratory self-drives into Etosha National Park.

Overnight Etosha. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 6: Onguma, East Etosha National Park

We recommend joining the lodge's morning game drive into the Etosha National Park and then in the afternoon and after dinner, join them on game drives within the concession where you’re staying.

Overnight Etosha. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 7: Ongava Private Game Reserve, Central Etosha

Today self-drive into the Etosha National Park (park fees payable locally), entering at the Eastern Gate and spending the day, slowly driving through the park, exiting the park at the Anderson Gate (Central Etosha) in the mid afternoon.

A picnic by one of the water holes in Etosha makes for a perfect lunch stop.

Ongava Private Game Reserve shares the border with Etosha National Park and offers game drives into the National Park as well on its own private concession (highly recommended).

Today's driving is a full day self-drive game safari.

Overnight Ongava Private Game Reserve. All meals included.

Day 8: Damarland Camp, Damaraland

Today drive west and then south down to the Damaraland region which is located near to the dry Huab River.

This is a fabulous area, with some uniquely adapted wildlife such as the Desert Elephant. If you’re fortunate, you may also see Cheetah and Lion as well as a multitude of antelope species and rare birds.

In addition to the wonderful wildlife and landscape, this is a great area to see ancient San rock art sites.

Today's driving is about 5 hours.

Overnight at Damarland Camp. Breakfast & Dinner included.

Day 9: Damaraland Camp, Damaraland

Today we recommend joining the lodge's personally run game drives or guided walks so that you can get the benefit of their knowledge and expertise on their immediate area.

Overnight at Damarland Camp. Breakfast & Dinner included.

Day 10: Swakopmund

Continuing your self-drive Namibia adventure, head towards the coast where the scenery changes from mountains to seemingly endless gravel plains leading to the sea.

You should head to Cape Cross first to see the 10,000 strong Seal Colony before continuing south onto to Swakopmund.

Swakopmund is a fascinating old style Germanic town and a wide range of fun and exciting activities are on offer nearby.

Today's driving is about 4 hours.

Overnight Swakopmund. Breakfast included.

Day 11-12: Swakopmund

Amongst the many adventure activities around Swakopmund are  sand boarding, tandem parachuting, fishing and quad biking.

We highly recommend a day trip to the marine sanctuary of Sandwich Harbour, which has a unique environment of towering sand dunes, a freshwater lagoon and the wild Atlantic Ocean.

Driving along the Skeleton Coast beach is a fabulously exciting day trip.

Other activities include half day boat trips and sea-kayak trips from Walvis Bay where you can go whale and dolphin watching, and enjoy spotting the many different species of birds.

Spaces are limited and pre-booking is recommended.

Overnight Swakopmund. Breakfast included.

Day 13: Swakopmund to Wolwedans Dune Lodge, NamibRand Nature Reserve

Today drive southwards towards Sesriem where you will find the spectacular NamibRand Nature Reserve, one of Southern Africa’s largest privately owned reserves, close to the famous sand dunes at Sossusvlei.

The NamibRand is bordered by the Naukluft Park in the west and the Nubib Mountain Range in the East.

The special attraction here is its complete privacy, and the diversity of desert landscapes, where mountains plunge into grassy plains, interspersed by red vegetated dunes.

The scenery is really spectacular and the area is home to some wonderful wildlife such as gemsbok, mountain and plains zebra, springbok, red hartebeest, bat-eared fox, spotted hyena, cape fox and African wildcat.

Today's driving is around 6 hours.

Overnight NamibRand Nature Reserve. All meals and activities included.

Day 14: Wolwedans Dune Lodge, NamibRand Nature Reserve

Enjoy a full day of specialist in-house shared activities in the reserve.

Overnight NamibRand Nature Reserve. All meals and activities included.

Day 15: Wolwedans - Kalahari

Head north and east towards Mariental and a different type of landscape on the edge of the Kalahari Desert.

Stay at the Bagatelle Game Ranch which is located in a more savannah environment with wide open grasslands and stunted acacia bushes.

This is home to many interesting wildlife species and the lodge offers optional nature drives showcasing the ecology of this landscape.

Today's driving is around 4.5 hours.

Overnight Bagatelle Game Ranch. Breakfast & Dinner included.

Day 16: Gocheganas Nature Reserve, Windhoek

Today drive north to the southern outlying area of Windhoek with the afternoon and final day to relax and unwind at the end of your self-drive holiday.

Relax and enjoy beautiful panoramic views out across the private game reserve from the pool or head out on a game drive to see their own white rhino, zebra and other antelope species.

The lodge also has a wellness centre offering soothing massage treatments (great to treat tired shoulders, weary from the driving).

Today's driving is around 4.5 hours.

Overnight Gocheganas. Breakfast & Dinner included.

Day 17: Depart Windhoek to the UK

After lunch drive back to Windhoek International Airport for your flight back to the UK.

Today's driving is around 4.5 hours.

Day 18: Arrive UK

Arrive back in the UK.

Self-Drive Namibia Holidays

Self-drive holidays to Namibia are a very popular, easy and affordable way to discover the natural beauty of Namibia.

Booking your self-drive Namibia holiday with us allows you the freedom to enjoy the open road and immerse yourself in this vast and remarkable country.

Depart at your leisure, stop when photo opportunities arise and meet the local people on a one to one basis.

Booking your Namibia self-dirve holiday with us means that you have the back-up and support of the most innovative and attentive 24/7 fly-drive & self-drive operator in the country.

With safety and comfort a priority on a self-drive in Namibia, we will always recommend a 4x4 vehicle. This gives you more ground clearance and is a tougher build of vehicle more suitable and practical for the terrain in Namibia.

Planning

The lodges you will stay in and the route you take will all be part of a carefully prepared and planned itinerary.

Drawing on our expertise, combined with your personal interests, preferences and budget, we can together plan the perfect Namibia self-drive itinerary to suit your interests and budget.

Support

Namibia, more than any other African nation, lends itself to self-drive holidays.

Namibia's roads, even the gravel ones, are well maintained and easy to navigate.

Our expert ground operator’s staff, based in Windhoek spend quality time with each of our guests, talking over the route, providing marked road maps, further information, advice and necessary vouchers.

We insist that clients take delivery of the hire vehicle in the presence of their staff, to double check everything and ensure the vehicles' perfect condition.

Also included are two spare tyres as standard and rentals incorporate the most inclusive insurance cover available.

Safety

To ensure peace of mind, our partner in Namibia will advise all lodges of our client's routing and estimated arrival time.

Should you be running late, the lodges immediately inform us.

Our specialist ground handler are also the only company to supply all our clients with a mobile phone pre-programmed with the direct number of each lodge plus our 24-emergency contact details.

Safety is at the fore of all our planning, but should something untowards happen, you'll find that your inclusive, first call EVAC medical evacuation and treatment policy will be there to help you.

Child Seats and Baby booster seat regulations do not meet the same strict criteria as they do here in the UK.

Sizes vary enormously according to demand and it may be that you are given a child seat that may be too small or too big for your child. If in doubt and you plan a lot of travelling, it may be worth considering bringing your own seats where you know your children may feel most comfortable and secure.

Top Tips for Self-Driving:

SPEED:

On any road surface other than tar, never exceed 80km/hour. Normal range is 60km – 80km/h

BREAKING ON DIRT ROADS:

Never break hard, especially going into a corner

SALT ROADS:

North of Swakop tend to dissolve in mist and get slippery

DUST:

It is advisable to always drive with your headlights on

DUSK/NIGHT:

Never drive on unlit gravel roads after dark

SAND ROADS:

Stop the car, engage 4x4, drive. Disengage after crossing.

ROAD SIGNS:

Observe road traffic signs, particularly those that indicate gentle or sharp curve ahead.

ANIMALS:

Always look out for animals, especially warthog on the side of the road

LIGHTS:

Always drive with your lights on.

TROPICAL DOWNPOURS:

Pull well off the road, keep lights on and wait.

RIVERS:

Ephemeral rivers spring up quickly, wait until the flow subsides.

TYRE PRESSURE:

Toyota 4x4 hi-lux double cab: Tar roads 2.2 bar, gravel roads 1.8 bar.

PUNCTURES:

Always use the safety triangle provided and find a flat place to change a tyre.

LEFT HAND SIDE:

We drive on the left hand side of the road.

SEAT BELTS:

The driver, as well as all passengers in the vehicle need to wear their seat belts.

DRIVE TIMES:

Ensure that daily average drive time don't exceed 5 hours.

FUEL:

Please carry enough cash to pay for your fuel as credit card payments are not accepted.

POLICE ROAD BLOCK:

Always stop. If fined for any offence, insist on a receipt.

Extra drivers, Tom-Toms/Sat Navs, Child Seats / Baby booster seats are not included in the car rental agreement and will need to be paid for.

Damaraland

A dramatic mountainous region between Swakopmund and Etosha, Damaraland is famous for its desert elephants and the ancient rock art of Twyfelfontein.

Exploring Damaraland is most easily done by car, and both Mowani Mountain Lodge and the stylish new Doro Nawas makes excellent bases from which to discover the Damaraland region.

Fossilized tree-trunks, flat-topped mountains, bushman art and wildlife such as desert elephant and black rhino all await discovery on a tour of Namibia’s Damaraland.

Windhoek

Windhoek enjoys a dramatic location in central Namibia surrounded by mountain ranges and is an inviting blend of African and European cultures. Although it may be tempting to rush through Windhoek on the way to Namibia’s many other attractions, Windhoek does have several reasons to extend your stay.

The German colonial buildings give Windhoek a European feel, whilst Tukondjeni market offers all the sights, sounds and smells of Africa.

There are several great boutique hotels in and around Windhoek, making a stay in Windhoek that much more pleasant.

Swakopmund

25 km apart and often enveloped in an Atlantic fog, Swakopmund & Walvis Bay cling to Namibia’s Atlantic shoreline between two oceans of sea and sand. Swakopmund is the livelier of the two towns and offers a temperate climate, pleasant townsacape, colonial era buildings and a range of adventure activities.

Walvis Bay is the largest deep-water commercial port in Namibia and is a magnet for birders and watersports enthusiasts. Boat cruises from Walvis Bay are popular in search of dolphins, seals and spectacular seabirds.

Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park is one of Africa’s finest game reserves, offering fabulous game drives and abundant wildlife.

Etosha has lions in large numbers, leopard, cheetah, black and white rhino, elephant and many more species, and Etosha’s waterholes are perfect wildlife viewing spots.

There are several private camps by Etosha National Park in private reserves such as Onguma and Ongava, offering ideal bases for luxury game drives or self drives within Etosha National Park.

Central Highlands

The Central Highlands broadly covers the region south of Etosha and north of Windhoek. This mountainous region has several privately owned guest farms offering game viewing.

Okonjima is a very popular destination and home to the Africat Foundation, a charity dedicated to the rehabilitation of Namibia's big cats. This is a great way to experience some of Namibia's large cats.

To the east of the region, the Waterberg Plateau offers superb trekking and scenery.

Namib-Naukluft

Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft encompasses both a large section of the great Namib Desert and the spectacular Naukluft Mountains to the East and is one of the largest and most beautiful reserves in Africa.

Highlights of the Namib Naukluft include the great sand dunes of Sossusvlei and Sesriem, the varied desert scenery of the NamibRand Nature Reserve and the trekking opportunities in the Naukluft Mountains.

Accommodation in the Namib-Naukluft ranges from exclusive luxury lodges to simple and great value camps and many visitors incorporate a few days in a luxury lodge into a self-drive Namibia holiday.

Windhoek Hotel Suggestions:

  • Olive Exclusive
  • Villa Vista
  • Villa Violet

Okonjima

  • Okonjima Main Lodge or Okinjima Bush Camp

East Etosha

  • Onguma Game Reserve (5 different lodge options)

Central Etosha

  • Ongava Main Lodge
  • Ongava Tented Camp
  • Andersons Camp

Damaraland

  • Doro Nawas
  • Kipwe Camp

Swakopmund

  • Hotel Zum Kaizer

15 nights Luxury Namibia Self-Drive

  • Price from £3,995 pp

This is a guide price only, based on travel in low season.

Prices will vary according to choice of hotel and seasonal airfare and hotel surcharges. Please ask us for any current special offers.

Contact Us:

All of our Namibia Holidays are completely tailor made and we can put together any kind of itinerary to suit your interests and budget.

Call us now to speak to a Namibia holiday expert about your Namibia holiday or honeymoon to Namibia.

Call us now on 0333 7000 747

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We're open from 9 until 9 daily and our 0333 number is a local rate number included in most call packages.