We drove 3,000 miles around Namibia and Botswana over the course of three weeks. We went from the giant deserts of southern Namibia, up the coast, through Etosha national park, and up to the wetter Caprivi region on the northern border. Crossing over into Botswana, we spent time in Chobe national park, as well as a detour to Vic Falls. Along the way, we slept in fold out tents on top of our car, with a meticulous itinerary supplied by Namibia's nationally subsidized travel agency. A+ trip with almost zero problems!
Full Itinerary
This awesome trip was done via 4×4 truck, driving during the day and camping at night. The tourism infrastructure of Namibia is built for these long distance road trips, whether you decide to self drive or not. Similarly, lodging can vary based on budget, as many locations offer both rooms or designated campsites. As you’ll see in the photos, each car comes equipped with foldout tents, cooking supplies, chairs, etc. so a campsite really just constitutes a place to park with water and a bathroom.
Our trip was done through Cardboard Box (namibian.org), who handled the renting of the car as well as booking each of our campsites. The entire itinerary is quite extensive, so I’ve included it below, verbatim from the site. I’ll focus instead on the customizations we made, as well as the highlights!
HIGHLIGHTS:- Obviously all of the nature. From the animals of Etosha to the Dunes of Walvis Bay there is no shortage of unbelievable sights on this trip.- The Mokoro trip: You pole out in dugout canoes to an island in the middle of the Okavango Delta where you camp for the night. You are fed well, go on walks around the giants islands looking for wildlife, and enjoy two awesome days in and around the depths of the Delta.- The day trip in Walvis Bay. This is a MUST. You can book a combo tour that allows for a morning of kayaking through a seal colony, and an afternoon atop MASSIVE dunes along the coast. This is the best day and one I’ve done twice in my life. I have a feeling I may find my way back again in the future.
EXPERIENCE:- Driving around was easy as we had pre-downloaded maps of the country onto our phones. The cars are left handed stick shift and on the wrong side of the road on gravel roads….. which is fun!- The car comes with a refrigerator, stove, and more!- We cooked for ourselves half of the nights and went to small restaurants the other half. Boiling water for coffee in the morning and eating cold lunches and breakfasts was the norm. Big warm dinners around the campfire the rest of the time!________________________________
Day 1: Windhoek – Sossusvlei
This morning, head south-west via Rehoboth and then along gravel roads into the desert. It is just over a four hour drive but allow longer as it is worth considering a stop at the top of the Spreetshoogte Pass, which offers beautiful views over the Namib plains and rolling dunes. We suggest staying at Desert Quiver Camp this evening as it is close to the park entrance gate which means there isn’t so far to drive if wanting to see the dunes in the early morning when light is at its best and in summer temperatures are bearable.Meals: DinnerAccommodation: Desert Quiver Camp
Day 2: Sossusvlei
It is an hour’s drive from the Namib Park entrance gates at Sesriem to Sossusvlei so this morning is an early start. Either stop at the 2×4 car park and walk along the dry river bed into Sossusvlei or take a shuttle unless you have a 4×4 and feel adventurous. With the growing number of tourists visiting this iconic location, if you are interested in appreciating the desert without hordes of other people you may want to avoid both Deadvlei and Sossusvlei. Just remember to take stock of your surroundings before disappearing into the desert.In the afternoon you can relax around the pool before heading to the nearby Sesriem Canyon.Meals: Breakfast & DinnerAccommodation: Desert Quiver Camp
Day 3: Sossusvlei – Swakopmund
Heading north your route will take you via a scenic stretch of road as far as the Kuiseb Canyon, then you have a vast stretch of gravel plains until you reach Walvis Bay. It often takes 5 hours to drive this section so allow plenty of time and snacks/drinks as there is very little en-route until you reach the coast. You may also want to allow enough time to drive to Walvis Bay Lagoon to see the flamingos, pelicans and other aquatic birdlife. The salt works just south of the lagoon are also worth seeing, a slightly surreal crystalline landscape of pastel pinks, blues and greens. It is then a short hop up the coast to Swakopmund. After settling into your accommodation, head out and enjoy an evening meal.Meals: BreakfastAccommodation: Alternative Space
Day 4: Swakopmund
There are a number of interesting day trips that can be arranged from Swakopmund ranging from sandboarding to exploring the desert on a night walk. Otherwise you can simply relax and wander around the town which has some interesting examples of German colonial architecture. Namibia’s coastline does not offer typical beach tourism as normally it tends to be too cold and misty, a wondrous change from the heat of the interior if visiting during the summer.Meals: BreakfastAccommodation: Alternative Space
Day 5: Swakopmund – Twyfelfontein
Today is a long drive, around 4.5 hours directly via Henties Bay and Uis, and an additional couple of hours if you decide to visit the seal colony at Cape Cross. Once again there are not many options for places to stop en-route so either pack food for lunch or make a plan that includes either Cape Cross Lodge or one of the few options in Uis. It is worth arriving as early as possible at this evening’s destination if you want to visit the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, as they are best viewed in the afternoon (if not summer months and therefore too hot). Twyfelfontein contains around 2,000 rock carvings and in 2007 UNESCO approved it as a World Heritage Site. The site is one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock art in Africa. Tonight’s accommodation does not have a restaurant so you may want to bring provisions for dinner from Swakopmund.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Madisa Camp
Day 6: Twyfelfontein – Etosha
Today you head to Etosha, a massive game park that is dominated by a 4731㎡ salt pan and is home to a multitude of animals and birdlife. As one of the most established camps, Okaukuejo attracts an enormous amount of game and your evening might best be spent relaxing at the waterhole here.Meals: None
Accommodation: Okaukuejo Rest Camp
Day 7: Etosha
For the most part game viewing is best done early in the morning and in the cooler hours before the sun sets. The edge of the pan often attracts good sightings but remember that it is worth being patient and stopping off for a while at one spot. Also make sure you pack your binoculars and a Southern African bird book is also a valuable resource.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Okaukuejo Rest Camp
Day 8: Etosha
Your accommodation this evening is in the central Etosha camp, the smallest of the 3 main camps along the pan and know for having some of the best sightings for leopard. Unlike Okaukuejo, the waterhole is set away from the accommodation and therefore tends to have a more tranquil atmosphere.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Halali Rest Camp
Day 9: Etosha – Grootfontein Region
You have around 300kms to cover today so you should have plenty of time to include a leisurely drive out of the park before heading towards Rundu. The most likely route will take you via the small and relatively pretty towns of both Tsumeb and Grootfontein where you may want to have a stop for lunch. Roy’s Camp is situated 55kms north of Grootfontein and offers guests simple, rustic accommodation with a quirky twist. There is a small waterhole close to the accommodation that attracts antelope and smaller game such as warthog.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Roy’s Camp
Day 10 & 11: Grootfontein Region – Divundu
Heading further north, your next destination is around 400kms away. Once you have crossed the vet fence (a boundary to help prevent diseases such as Foot and Mouth) the scenery changes and you pass numerous villages with traditional huts and kraals.Ngepi is nestled among the trees along the Kavango River and a good base from which to explore Popa Falls and Mahango Game Reserve. Boat and mokoro trips, fishing, guided walks and village tours can be arranged from here.Meals: BreakfastAccommodation: Ngepi Camp (treehouse)
Day 12: Divundu – Kasane
There are both a lot of kilometres to travel and borders to negotiate, so an early start is definitely recommended. Crossing the Zambezi Region / Bwabwata National Park (formerly the Caprivi Strip) watch out for elephants as they are often munching only metre away from the road. After crossing into Botswana via Ngoma, you have a short drive to Kasane, a small town that is basically the junction point for Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana and where the Chobe and Zambezi rivers meet. Activities centre around the river and it is definitely worth considering a boat trip. Depending on the time of year you are likely to see elephants, buffalo, hippo and crocs as well as a rich variety of birdlife. The other option is to arrange a game drive into Chobe National Park, which is home to Africa’s largest elephant population but this should be arranged for when you have a full day free.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Old House
Day 13: Kasane – Vic Falls – KasaneDue to the hassles of taking a vehicle into Zimbabwe, we strongly recommend arranging a day trip to see Vic Falls, if you want to include this Natural World Wonder in your itinerary. Even crossing the border with a guided trip requires a fair degree of patience and fortitude and normally means forking out a fair amount for a Zimbabwe visa. You can visit from the Zambia side but the views are not as spectacular. Once over the border it is an hour’s drive to Victoria Falls. If rains have been good then it can often be difficult to see the falls in April and May due to the amount of spray created. The water is at its lowest during October and early November so generally the best time to visit is sometime between these two extremes. The park is close to town and is an easy stroll with many great locations to take shots of the falls. For the more adventurous there are various adrenalin activities such as white water rafting, high wires and bungee jumping. Return in the late afternoon back to your base in Kasane.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Old House
Day 14: Kasane
Because of the long drive to Kasane and the lack of time to book any activities other than an evening boat trip, today is open for doing activities in Chobe.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Old House
Day 15: Kasane – Nata
Hit the road again, commencing the return loop of your trip. It is not that far to Nata (just over 300kms) but the road condition can make this section slower than you might expect. For those who are keen on birding, the Nata Sanctuary is just 20kms south of the town and has 165 species of birds including flamingos, pelicans and the rare crowned crane. As well as the amazing birdlife, there are also a variety of antelope, zebra, wildebeest and other smaller animals. You can either drive yourselves or take a guided tour.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Nata Lodge
Day 16: Nata – Maun
Similar in distance and time to your previous day’s journey, you head directly west along the A3 to Maun, the hub for trips into the Okavango Delta and Moremi. There is not much to really see in Maun itself so we suggest just having a relaxing evening.Meals: None
Accommodation: Audi Camp (en-suite tent)
Day 17 & 18: Okavango DeltaFor the next 2 days we suggest booking either a trip into the Delta or into Moremi. The former is about being gently poled around the meandering water channels in mokoros, enjoying the rich birdlife and idyllic scenery. The latter is more a land based trip that concentrates on game viewing, of which there is an abundance. We have quoted on the cheaper Delta trip.Meals: Breakfast at Audi and all meals included whilst on tour
Accommodation: Audi Camp
Day 19: Maun – Ghanzi
Today is roughly a 3-4 hour trip to Ghanzi, trying to avoid the goats and cows who tend to wander in the road throughout Botswana. Just before you reach Ghanzi, the small settlement of D’Kar is well worth visiting for its museum and cultural centre, housing a history of the San people and a variety of local crafts. You can also see work by local San artists, for which D’Kar is well known. For those who are further interested in the Bushman traditions, your accommodation this evening offers a Bushman walk that demonstrates some of their tracking and food gathering skills. This must be booked in advance.Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Thakadu (meru tent)
Day 20: Ghanzi – Windhoek
Heading back to Windhoek this is a long day of driving (roughly 6 hours if the border crossing goes smoothly) so we suggest a reasonably early start. There is not much reason to stop en-route and not much in the way of recommendations for lunch stops so a packed lunch may be advisable.
