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Etosha national park namibia, best road trips
Walking on the Big Daddy dune in Sossusvlei
Victoria falls, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Africa

Road Trip: Desert Adventure, Waterfalls and Safari Magic

22 Days from $9,190 USD / person

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 – 2

International arrival

Transfer to Car Rental Station and Pick Up Rental Car

Drive to your accommodation in Windhoek with early check-in and late check-out

1 Night

Windhoek

Windhoek, Namibia’s small capital yet the largest city, lies in a beautiful valley bordered by the Eros Mountains in the north and the Auas mountains in the south. Its German colonial past has lingered, especially in language and architecture, yet it is fused with a modern style. Whilst some call the city provincial, it also has a cosmopolitan flare. Enjoy traditional German dishes, bread and beer, and even celebrate the German carnival. Explore the center, Independence Avenue, by foot. Visit the Tintenpalast (Ink Palace), which houses Namibia’s parliament, the 19th century Lutheran Christuskirche (Christ Church), the Alte Feste (Old Fort), and the National Museum.

Hotel options

Villa Violet – Opt 1
Room Standard Room
Meals Breakfast
Style Guest house
Galton House – Opt 2
Room Standard Room
Meals Full Board plus Activities
Style Boutique
Day 2 – 4

Drive to Kalahari Desert (3-4 hrs)

2 Nights

Kalahari Desert

Explore an insatiable ‘thirstland’! The imposing Kalahari desert stretches from the Orange River in the south to Angola in the north, and from eastern Namibia through Botswana until after the mountain ranges in Zimbabwe! The intense orange-red sand formations of this vast expanse and the soft rock formations at the Orange River, are a result of sixty million years of erosion! Dominated by grasses, thorny bushes and acacia trees, the desert receives a fair amount of rainfall, which is filtered rapidly, leaving the region dry and arid as ever! The Kalahari has the longest continuation of sand dunes in the world!

Hotel options

Kalahari Anib Lodge – Opt 1
Room Comfort Room
Meals Half Board (Breakfast and Dinner)
Style Lodge
Bagatelle Game Ranch – Opt 2
Room Chalet
Meals Half Board (Breakfast & Dinner)
Style Lodge
Day 4 – 6

Drive to Sossusvlei (4-5 hrs)

2 Nights

Sossusvlei

The sand dunes of Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert are often referred to as the highest dunes in the world. Correct or not, Sossusvlei is surely one of the most spectacular sights in Namibia. Located in the Namib Naukluft, the largest conservation area in Africa, and fourth largest in the world, we recommend you view Sossusvlei at sunrise and sunset when the colors are strong and constantly changing, allowing for wonderful photographic opportunities. The midday heat is intense and best spent in the shade. Sesriem Canyon, close to the the campsite, is another popular attraction.

Hotel options

Desert Quiver Camp – Opt 1
Room Standard Room
Style Lodge
Desert Homestead Lodge – Opt 2
Room Chalet
Meals Full Board
Style Lodge
Day 6 – 8

Drive to Swakopmund (5-6 hrs)

2 Nights

Swakopmund

A true oasis! Find your respite from the solemn desert and monotonous heat. Filled with old world charm of quaint German colonial influences and modern amenities, tranquil Swakopmund offers promenades, palm trees and beautifully tended gardens. Visit the museum (covering natural history, mineralogy, botany, historical and ethnological aspects), the National Marine Camp; Research Center, an aquarium or a grassed golf course in a desert setting. Experience the local brewery for traditional German beer, or the tannery that produces leather shoes. You can go quad biking, sand boarding, rock and surf fishing. Or simply, sit back and relax in the many restaurants and bars!ny restaurants and bars!

Hotel options

Cornerstone Guesthouse – Opt 1
Room Standard Room
Meals Full Board & Drinks
Style Guest house
The Delight – Opt 2
Room Standard Room
Meals Breakfast
Style Boutique
Day 8 – 10

Drive to Damaraland (Twyfelfontein) – Proceed around 120 km along the scenic C35 heading north from Swakopmund to visit the colony of Cape Fur Seals at Cape Cross before heading to your next location (5-7 hrs)

2 Nights

Damaraland (Twyfelfontein)

Invoke the spirit! In the northwest of Nambia lies Damaraland. The former homeland of the Damara people, it is an arid place of imagination with its bizarre rock formations across a stunningly beautiful mountainous landscape. Near Twyfellfontein, you can witness the ancient rock formations and some 2,000 petroglyphs (engravings) that date back to 3,300 BC. From the Burnt Mountain and Organ Pipes to the Doros Crater, these once invoked the shamanistic rituals of the people. Explore the petrified forest for your own chance at glancing this region’s past!

Hotel options

Vingerklip Lodge – Opt 1
Room Bungalow
Meals Half Board (Breakfast & Dinner)
Style Lodge
Camp Kipwe – Opt 2
Room Chalet
Meals Half Board (Breakfast & Dinner)
Style Camp
Day 10 – 11

Drive to Etosha (Anderson Gate) – Namibia’s main wildlife area (4-5 hrs)

1 Night

Etosha (Anderson Gate)

Discover ‘the big white place of dry water’! Etosha National Park is home to over 100 mammals, including rare black rhinos, elephants, wildebeest, zebras, buffaloes, antelopes, hyenas, lions, cheetahs and leopards. Bird lovers will enjoy the 300-strong species, including bee-eaters, vulture species, falcons and herons, whilst botany enthusiasts might enjoy the enchanted forest between Okaukuejo and the Charl Marais Dam where you can find the African Moringa trees in the plains.

Hotel options

Taleni Etosha Village – Opt 1
Room Luxury Canvas Suites
Meals Half Board
Style Camp
Okutala Etosha Lodge – Opt 2
Room Luxury Room
Meals Half Board
Style Lodge
Day 11 – 13

Drive to Etosha (Van Lindequist Gate) – Traverse the park from southwest to east with game viewing opportunities at numerous watering holes (4-5 hrs)

2 Nights

Etosha (von Lindequist Gate)

Discover ‘the big white place of dry water’! Etosha National Park is home to over 100 mammals, including the rare black rhino, elephants, wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, antelope, hyena, as well as lions, cheetahs and leopards. Bird lovers will enjoy the 300-strong species, including bee-eaters, vulture species, falcons and herons, whilst botany enthusiasts might enjoy the enchanted forest between Okaukuejo and the Charl Marais Dam where you can find the African Moringa trees in the plains.

Hotel options

Mushara Bush Camp – Opt 1
Room Chalet
Meals Full Board
Style Camp
Mushara Lodge – Opt 2
Room Spacious Chalet
Meals Half Board (Breakfast and Dinner)
Style Lodge
Day 13 – 14

Drive to Caprivi (Rundu) (6-7 hrs)

1 Night

Caprivi Rundu

Visit the liveliest open market in Northern Namibia! On the northeast of the country, at the border with Angola, lies the Kavango River and the town of Rundu – the capital of the Kavango-East area and a seat of government. During the struggle for Independence, Rundu a base for the South African armed forces. Today, this frontier town boasts the biggest healthcare centre in the entire Kavango region as well as an airport and various different types of accommodation. A popular stopover for travelers en route to Caprivi, Rundu offers you dynamic cultural encounters, warm and friendly locals, and delicious local cuisine.

Hotel options

Taranga Safari Lodge – Opt 1
Room Luxury
Meals Half Board
Style Lodge
Hakusembe River Lodge – Opt 2
Room Chalet
Meals Full Board
Style Lodge
Day 14 – 16

Drive to Western Caprivi (2-3 hrs)

2 Nights

Western Caprivi

Explore biodiversity in a wetland! A narrow strip of land in the extreme northeast of Namibia, the Caprivi Strip is about 400 kilometers long. This is one of the wettest regions of Namibia, not only because it rains a lot here but also because of the three rivers that flow through here – the Okavango, the Kwando and the Zambezi. Several reserves have been built in the area to protect the wild animals, which walk around freely inside the reserves as there are no fences to restrict their movement. The region offers you fantastic game drives and incredible mokoro or dugout canoe rides.

Hotel options

Nunda River Lodge – Opt 1
Room Luxury Bungalow
Meals Half Board (Breakfast & Dinner)
Style Lodge
Divava Okavango Resort and Spa – Opt 2
Room Luxury Chalet
Meals Full Board
Style Lodge
Day 16 – 17

Drive to Eastern Caprivi (2-3 hrs)

1 Night

Eastern Caprivi

Namibia’s Caprivi region is one of Southern Africa’s emerging wildlife spots, just waiting to be explored. A little off the beaten track, Eastern Caprivi is largely a river country, enclosed by the Zambezi, Kwando, Linyanti, and Chobe rivers. It is marked by mopane woodlands, camelthorn, Natal mahogany and mangosteen. The flood plains, oxbow lakes and conserved swampland were once home to one of the greatest concentration of wildlife in Namibia till heavy poaching over the last couple of decades ravaged the land. The good news is that the wildlife has been slowly returning in recent years. The best game viewing season is during the dry winter months of June to October. You will find herds of elephants, hippos, buffalo, zebras, kudu and impala in abundance, together with crocodiles, warthogs, and baboons. Eastern Caprivi is a great destination for bird lovers too, with waterfront flocks of egrets, herons, cranes, and plovers, nesting by its many rivers, lakes and watering holes.

Hotel options

Camp Kwando – Opt 1
Room Tented Chalet
Meals Breakfast
Style Lodge
Zambezi Mubala Lodge – Opt 2
Room Luxury Tent
Meals Halfboard
Day 17 – 19

Drive to Katima Mulilo (1-2 hrs)

Transfer to Chobe (2.5 hrs)

2 Nights

Chobe National Park

Explore Botswana’s first national park! Once inhabited by the San bushmen, Chobe National Park is unique with its San paintings that were carved into the rocks. Today, Chobe is a haven for many animal species including impala, giraffe and a wide variety of birds, and is most renowned for the multitude of elephants that concentrate on the Chobe River during the dry season. It is estimated 50,000 pachyderms have made Chobe their home! There is also a large concentration of predators such as lions and leopards. Experience the wildlife diversity for yourself with wonderful game drives and boat safaris

Hotel options

Kubu Lodge – Opt 1
Room Chalet
Meals Full Board
Style Lodge
Chobe Bakwena Lodge – Opt 2
Room Standard Rondavel
Meals Full Board & Drinks
Style Lodge
Day 19 – 20

Transfer to Lodge (1-2 hrs)

1 Night

Victoria Falls

Angels in their flight! This is how David Livingstone described the breathtaking Victoria Falls, where five million cubic meters of water cascade over every minute during wet season. Hear the roar and see the spray upon approach. Experience the falls by helicopter or canoe amongst hippos and crocodiles. Located on the river’s banks, explore Zambezi National Park; Matetsi, home to elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe and zebra, hippo, crocodile and iridescent birds such as bee-eaters, storks, herons, kingfisher and, fish eagles.

Hotel options

Batonka Guest Lodge – Opt 1
Room Standard Room
Meals Breakfast
Style Lodge
Victoria Falls Hotel – Opt 2
Room Standard
Meals Breakfast
Style Heritage
Day 20 – 22

Transfer to Hwange (3 – 4 hrs)

2 Nights

Hwange

Explore Zimbabwe’s largest game park! Located on the border of Botswana, Hwange National Park amazes you with its sheer size – it covers almost 15,000 square kilometers! The vast park has varied types of scenery – from the semi-arid scrubs near the edge of the Kalahari in the south, to forests, granite hills and valleys of the mopane woodlands in the north. Over 100 species of mammals, including lions, leopards, rhinos and huge herds of elephants, call Hwange home. Best for game viewing during the dry season of August to October, the park offers you day and night drives as well as walking safaris.

Hotel options

Robins Camp – Opt 1
Room Standard Room
Meals Full Board and Activities
Style Lodge
Ivory Lodge Hwange – Opt 2
Room Tree House
Meals Full Board & Drinks
Style Lodge

Transfer to Victoria Falls (3 hrs)

International departure

Price & Inclusions

Option 1

From $9,190 USD / person

Option 2

From $12,190 USD / person

Prices are in USD and exclude international flights. This trip price is based on low season rates for accommodation and other applicable services, and may change depending on availability, currency fluctuations and number of people traveling together. For high season prices, please contact us with your exact travel dates and preferences.

Price Includes
  • Accommodation & meals as specified in the itinerary
  • Activities & excursions as specified in the itinerary
  • Transportation services as specified in the itinerary
  • Your Trip Coordination Team: Dedicated support throughout your journey, with a primary, personal point of contact. Plus, in case of emergencies while you’re traveling, our trip coordination team are available 24/7 by phone
Not Included
  • Entrance fees & meals, unless mentioned in the itinerary description
  • Tips & personal expenses
  • Visa & tourism fees
  • Travel, health and cancellation insurance
  • International airfare

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