Classic Self-Drive around Namibia

Upon arrival in Windhoek you will collect your rental vehicle and make your way to Olive Grove.

15 Day Car Rental: Group U (Toyota Fortuner 4x4 Automatic or Similar)

Olive Grove is a small upmarket accommodation establishment situated close to the city centre in a quiet, peaceful area. The guesthouse takes homely atmosphere to a different level. Each room has been decorated and painted with new colour schemes allowing a different feel, but with the same elegant and simplistic emphasis on decor.

Windhoek

1 night at Olive Grove Guest House

Once you have checked in, our representative will call to see you and go through your itinerary in detail, answering any last minute questions you may have. She will also hand over a full holiday pack, including full directions and a map, a cell phone with a pre-paid SIM, a first aid kit, a cool box and Emergency Evacuation Cover.

Depart for the 5 hour / 345 km drive to Wilderness Safari's Kulala Desert Lodge, situated at the foot of the majestic Sossusvlei Dunes and the closest location to Sossusvlei (via a private gate exclusive to Wilderness Safaris vehicles only). An endless sea of shifting sand dunes, Sossusvlei is a worldwide sensation and easily Namibia's most iconic feature. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013, this far-reaching wave of giant orange dunes stands in startling contrast to the deep blues skies overhead and is punctuated only by stretches of cracked white vlei scattered with petrified trees.

Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert

2 nights at Kulala Desert Lodge

Depart for the 5 hour drive (approximately 345 km) to Swakopmund. After the desert heat, heading towards the coast will offer some respite from the heat. The journey will take you through the northern edges of the Namib Naukluft Park where you will be able to view the incredible Welwitschia Mirabilis, a plant said to grow 2,000 years old and only produces 2 leaves in its entire lifespan. You will also pass the Moon Landscape, often also referred to as the Lunar Landscape. This stark, bare and inhospitable looking Moon Landscape has become a favourite with the film industry. Swakopmund is a quaint desert town nestled between desert and sea, which is enhanced by lush green lawns, palm trees and carefully maintained gardens. Established by the German colonists in 1892, the town's colonial landmarks include the Swakopmund Lighthouse and the Mole, an old sea wall. Next to the lighthouse, the Swakopmund Museum documents Namibian history. The newly built Strand Hotel is situated right on the Promenade within reach of the many restaurants within a short walk or drive.

Swakopmund

2 nights at The Strand Hotel

Head north along the coast for the 5 hour drive to Damaraland (approx 350 km). You may choose to take a small detour to call at Cape Cross with its seal colony before moving inland towards Damaraland, a seemingly lifeless part of the country, but home to the desert adapted rhino and elephant. Prehistoric water courses with open plains and grassland, massive granite hills and deep gorges make up what is without doubt one of Namibia's most scenic areas and one that have geologists falling over themselves to explore. Your stay at Mowani allows for a variety of excursions to make the most of this visit and may include a visit to Twyfelfontein, one of the largest collections of rock paintings and engravings in Africa. The formation and colour of the nearby Burnt Mountain is a phenomenon that has caused much speculation and the Organ Pipes, a mass of basalt slabs in a ravine gouged out by a river, is another geological curiosity in the area. You will also be able to visit some of the rock art sites, which can be seen around the lodge. Other excursions include an Elephant and Dune Drives as well as nature walks.

Damaraland

2 nights at Mowani Mountain Camp

This morning you will depart Damaraland for the 300 km / 4.5 hour drive to the Great White Place, otherwise known as the Etosha National Park. The journey will take you via Khorixas, previously the capital of Damalarand. Dolomite is located in the previously restricted area of the Etosha National Park. Arrival should be in the mid-afternoon and you may wish to explore some of the Park in your rental vehicle before heading back to the camp.

Etosha National Park

1 night at Dolomite Camp

Your journey today takes you through the Park, enjoying a full day of game viewing in your rental vehicle. You entered the park on the western side with the aim of exiting today at the southern exit. During the day you will visit various waterholes where game can be observed in their natural habitat. An optional lunch stop can be made at one of the rest camps. Late afternoon you will arrive at the Ongava concession where you will overnight for the next 2 nights. Your stay is based on a fully inclusive basis which will allow for the option of undertaking your game drives in open vehicles without the need to self-drive.

Etosha National Park

2 nights at Ongava Lodge

Enter the Park via the Andersson Gate and spend the day driving across to exit via the Eastern Von Lindequist Gate. The Park was proclaimed a game reserve on March 22 1907 and spans an area of 22,270 square kilometres (8,600 sq mi). It gets its name from the large Etosha pan which is almost entirely within the park. The Park is home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including several threatened and endangered species such as the black rhinoceros. For the next 2 nights you will stay at Onguma The Fort, just outside the Park boundaries, but offering easy access for self-drive exploration.

Etosha National Park

2 nights at Onguma The Fort

Depart after breakfast and head for the Erongo Mountains (approx 435 km). This is a perfect location to begin to wind down after your journey through Namibia and to simply relax in the splendid surroundings.

The Erongo Mountains

2 nights at Ai-Aiba Lodge