Namibia 23-day Self-Drive

Villa Violet
Villa Violet is a charming guesthouse situated in the quiet suburb of Klein Windhoek. It offers just five bedrooms, each furnished in a contemporary style with double or twin beds, air conditioning, a safe for personal belongings and a compact en-suite bathroom with shower and toilet. There's a TV in every room as well as a telephone and free WiFi access.

A breakfast buffet is served daily in the bright dining room. A veranda leads into the garden, where you’ll find a small pool and sun loungers.

Anib Lodge
Kalahari Anib Lodge nestles in a lush green oasis under tall palm trees, surrounded by the endless dunes of the Kalahari Desert. This is a region of spectacular colours, where green acacias and yellow grasses clash with the red sand dunes.

Facilities at Anib Lodge include restaurant, bar & two swimming pools.

Activities include sunrise and sunset scenic drives in Gondwana Kalahari Park. Hiking trips into the Kalahari can also be organized.

The wildlife is rich in this area, and a variety of species, including gemsbok, kori bustard and ostrich, can be found around the lodge. The dunes and dune valleys of the Kalahari Desert also provide a home to jackal, hare and porcupine – though these may prove more elusive!

Desert Horse Inn
Located in the Aus Mountains at 1,400 metres above sea level, Desert Horse Inn offers grand vistas of the surrounding mountains and desert plains.

There are 30 spacious en-suite chalets at Desert Horse Inn. The chalets are generously sized, with en-suite bathrooms, separate sitting areas, and double/twin bedrooms. The décor – a blend of farmhouse furnishings, with wooden trunks for storage and cowhide rugs on polished stone floors – lends the rooms a suitably rustic and cosy atmosphere.

The rest of the evening is at leisure. Relax with a sundowner on the wooden deck before enjoying a 3-course meal in the restaurant, or exchange travel experiences with fellow guests around the fireplace at the Wild Horse Bar.

You may like to visit the coastal town of Lüderitz, or alternatively, you can drive to the lookout points near the lodge and try to spot the elusive desert horse.

Desert Quiver Camp
Situated just 5km from the entrance gate to Sesriem and Sossusvlei (Namib-Naukluft National Park), Desert Quiver Camp is self-catering at its best. This relaxed camp nestles under centuries old thorn trees, from where it enjoys a 360 degree view over the desert landscape and surrounding mountains.

Twenty affordable eco-friendly self-catering accommodation units under canvas with adobe-style walls are available. Each twin bedded unit has a spacious bedroom, en-suite bathroom equipped with a shower, toilet and wash basin, shaded veranda with fitted kitchenette, braai/barbecue, lights, and power points.

The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure. Explore the desert via the hiking trails at Sossusvlei Desert Camp (keep to the trail to avoid a surprise meeting with a snake, scorpion or other wild animal!), or just cool down by the pool. The main attraction of this area is, of course, the sand dunes of Sossusvlei. Drive to the dunes on your own, or join a guided drive from the nearby Sossusvlei Lodge. Sossusvlei Lodge also offers other activities, including quad-biking and hot-air ballooning.

The ‘must-see’ sights in the area are the famous Sossusvlei dunes and Sesriem canyon. We would suggest an early start to catch the morning light on the dunes, and to ensure a cooler climate if you wish to climb to the summit!

Camp Gecko
Camp Gecko occupies a wonderful location just below the Spreetshoogte Pass, in the Namib Desert. Accommodation is in spacious bush tents (of which there are 3, in addition to 4 bush cottages), all of them en-suite with separate shower and toilet. Every tent has its own braai place and light is provided by petrol lamps. Cameras can be recharged at the Farm House, as the tents lack electricity.

This evening, relax by the campfire and admire one of the wonderful sunsets for which this region is famous. Fall asleep while counting the stars and listen to the sounds of the night.

Swakopmund is Namibia’s most prominent coastal town. Surrounded by the sweeping expanse of the Namib Desert, one of the largest wilderness areas in the world, the town is almost entirely isolated, yet retains a bustling atmosphere despite being situated in the middle of a desert!

The architecture is not typical either, with a Germanic colonial influence visible in many of Swakopmund’s buildings, most clearly in the Railway Station, State House, and the Bavarian church spires that dominate the town skyline.

Swakopmund is a busy entertainment centre. However, the atmosphere is friendly and perfectly suited to those who just wish to relax, explore the town and enjoy the nearby Atlantic Ocean.

Grootberg Lodge
Grootberg  Lodge  occupies  a  wonderful  location  in  the  Hoas  Conservancy,  Damaraland. Perched on the edge of the Grootberg Plateau, it enjoys spectacular views of the vast landscape below.

Grootberg has 12 rock and thatch chalets, all of them en-suite with separate shower and toilet. Mosquito nets are fitted to the doors and windows. Each of the chalets has been positioned to make the most of the impressive views into the gorge, where black eagles hunt just below the level of your private deck.

Activities available include guided walks on top of the plateau, Elephant and Rhino tracking, visits to nearby Himba settlements, horse riding safaris, and scenic drives down the Klip River.

Khowarib Lodge
Khowarib Lodge nestles on the banks of the Hoanib River, in the magnificent Khowarib Gorge. 14 canvas chalets project out from the river bank on stilts, providing unrivalled views of the cliffs opposite. Situated on the fringe of Kaokoland, the lodge offers a perfect jumping off point to explore the remote north west of the country, either independently or on one of the lodge's extensive guided tours.

The area of Damaraland immediately surrounding Khowarib has many interesting activities – you can track the desert adapted elephant and rhino, explore ancient rock art sites, or visit nearby Himba settlements, a number of which are within easy reach of the lodge.

You can explore the region independently, or in the company of Khowarib Lodge’s talented wildlife guides, who have many years’ experience in the area and an excellent knowledge of the local environment and wildlife.

Available activities include:

•    Search for desert elephant in the Hoanib river area
•    Rhino tracking a short drive to the south of Khowarib
•    Nature walks in the Hoanib river beds and area surrounding the lodge.
•    Meet the indigenous Himba tribe in their villages to the north of the camps
•    Half-day birding drives with local experts
•    Rock art excursions in Kaokoland
•    Day trip to nearby Fort Sesfontein

Opuwo Country Hotel
Opuwo Country Hotel perches on an isolated hilltop just north-west of the bustling town of Opuwo, from where it enjoys magnificent views of the surrounding valleys and mountains.

Opuwo Country Hotel offers 40 en-suite, air-conditioned rooms. The rooms are positioned around the thatched main building, which houses a open-air dining room, lounge & bar. There is also a small pool positioned on the edge of the hill with a view into the valley below.

Opuwo serves as an ideal base from which to explore the vast region of Kaokoland. This remote area, south of the Kunene river, is home to the Himba, a people who have kept their ethnic individuality and culture alive in the seclusion of the Kaokoveld.

Activities available locally include guided excursions to the nearby Himba villages, Epupa Waterfalls tours, and pioneer track hikes. Rural self-drive trips are also a particular pleasure of this region.

Dolomite Bush Chalets
Dolomite Camp is situated in the western Etosha National Park, and takes it name from the imposing dolomite outcrops that dominate the landscape of this region. It offers accommodation in 20 luxury safari chalets, which sit perched on a prominent outcrop surveying the landscape below. Each features a private verandah with plunge pool and a spectacular view of the plains.

The guest areas include lounge, bar and restaurant area, offering sunrise and sunset views over the surrounding savannah. There is also an infinity pool positioned on the edge of the outcrop. Walkways lead out from the main lodge to the chalets.

Like so many of Namibia's most famous landscapes, Etosha National Park is simply immense. It is the third largest national park in the world and boasts a truly unique landscape, as well as a diversity of wildlife barely matched anywhere else in Africa.

Much of the park is occupied by the Etosha pan, a huge saline desert surrounded by waterholes. During the dry season thousands of animals come to these waterholes to drink, giving you a wonderful opportunity to sit and observe. During the rainy season, the pan itself fills with water, prompting the big game to disperse more widely, but attracting a multitude of wading birds, including flamingo, in their place.

Okaukuejo Restcamp
Situated in west-central Etosha National Park, close to Anderson Gate, Okaukuejo Restcamp is the largest of the rest camps within Etosha, and also doubles as an administrative centre for the park’s rangers and researchers. Facilities include a large swimming pool, restaurant with buffet and a la carte menus, and bar & lounge.

Okaukuejo Restcamp was the very first camp to open in Etosha and has the advantage of a great location. Its main attraction is a permanent waterhole situated just in front the camp, which is floodlit at night. Here a wide diversity of wildlife can be spotted at different hours of the day and night. The spectacle starts at dawn, with animals coming in large numbers to quench their thirst, and continues throughout the day and deep into the night. In the early evenings, it is not uncommon to have elephant, lion and even black rhinoceros all drinking at the same time.

Okaukuejo is particularly well suited to those on self-drive holidays, being easy to access and with good self-catering facilities.

We recommend setting off early morning, when the wildlife is most active, and returning to camp for lunch, though you may prefer to head out with a picnic lunch and enjoy a full day to explore the wilderness of Etosha. Just ask the hotel if you’d like them to arrange a picnic lunch.

Waterberg Wilderness Lodge
Waterberg Wilderness Lodge lies sheltered in a long valley in the midst of the Waterberg massif. Built from red Waterberg sandstone, the lodge is nestled under enormous old trees, which offer shade to the guestrooms and lodge gardens.

Facilities include a dining room, bar with fireplace and a spring water swimming pool.

In the afternoon guests are welcome to enjoy tea and cake in the tea garden, before departing the camp for a scenic drive. The place for a drink after sunset is around the campfire or by the fireplace at the bar. Fresh dishes from the traditional Namibian farmhouse kitchen are served each evening for supper

The rest of the afternoon is at leisure at the lodge. Alternatively, you can choose to book one of the various activities on offer.