Day 1 – Arrival in Windhoek
After your international flight, you will usually arrive in Windhoek in the morning. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your accommodation, which will take around 45 minutes. On your journey, you will get your first glimpse of Namibia’s open and arid landscapes, winding through wide stretches of savannah grasslands until you start to see the distant mountain ranges that surround Windhoek. You will spend your first night in a small, charming hotel set in serene gardens where you will be given a walking route to the local area. If you’re in the mood for exploring, the route takes you past colonial buildings and traditional coffee shops, but if you’d rather rest and recover from your flight, of course, you can enjoy the peaceful surroundings by the pool and settle into Namibia.
Day 2 – Drive from Windhoek to Sossusvlei
After a traditional Namibian breakfast, you’ll meet our local representative who will give you an extensive information package for your trip with tips and answer any questions before you set off. They’ll tell you all about the roads, driving on gravel, excursion options and most importantly – the best restaurants. Then you’ll receive your rental car and it’s time to set off.
You will drive around 5 hours from Windhoek to Sossusvlei, one of the most iconic landscapes in Africa. To truly immerse yourself in the unique surroundings, you’ll be staying at an eco-friendly desert camp with 360-degree views of the vast desert landscape. Your accommodation is a self-catering lodge, including a kitchenette and barbeque area, with the bonus of a swimming pool. Enjoy a traditional home-cooked African dinner tonight as the sounds of the desert buzz around you.
Day 3 – Drive to stargazing camp
Today you’ll travel a little further north to a special lodge that we’ve hand-picked for its incredible night skies. Out here on the edge of the Namib Desert, you can see the Milky Way stretching right across the sky on a clear night directly from your room. Billions of tiny lights, the occasional shooting star, and that wonderful feeling of being very small in a very big world. It’s the kind of view you can lose yourself in for ages, and one of those quietly breath-taking moments that stays with you long after the trip is over.
Day 4 – Drive to Swakopmund
After driving for around five and a half hours, passing magical moonscape-like scenes, you’ll arrive at the charming coastal town of Swakopmund, where the former German colonial influences are still clearly visible with apple strudel and street signs being prime examples of this. There’s no need for the car while you’re here, as everything is easily reachable by foot. You’ll be staying at a small, homely B&B within walking distance of the town centre and the beach. Swakopmund is known as the ‘adventure capital’ of Namibia and is renowned for outdoor activities such as sandboarding, quad biking, skydiving and many other water-based activities. Enjoy a relaxed evening exploring the local area before getting adventurous tomorrow.
Day 5 – Kayaking with sea lions
Today you’ll be heading out onto the water in search of the huge colony of sea lions located just off the coast. There are around 15,000 of these playful mammals, so spotting them is almost guaranteed. Sea lions are curious creatures and they will often swim up to your kayak to greet you but don’t be alarmed they’re well used to interactions with humans and your experienced guide is there to keep you safe with minimal disturbance to the wildlife. In addition to sea lions, there’s a chance you may also spot dolphins and seabirds and, during migration season, you may even be lucky enough to encounter whales.
Swakopmund is truly the place to be for outdoor activities in Namibia. We have some optional tours at the bottom of this page if you fancy another adventurous excursion. Join a catamaran dolphin tour, try sandboarding through the dunes or explore a local township and visit a lively market.
Day 6 – Drive from Swakopmund to Twyfelfontain
Today you’ll set off from Swakopmund and make the scenic drive to Twyfelfontein. It’ll take four hours and you’ll journey through impressive landscapes and big desert skies. You’ll then be spending two nights in a lodge tucked into the natural surroundings with red rocks and wide-open plains all around you. The rooms are simple and comfortable, each with a veranda looking out towards the mountains — a lovely spot to unwind as the day cools and Damaraland turns golden. There’s a pool for a refreshing dip, and the restaurant serves tasty local dishes with views of the sunset colouring the horizon. It’s a peaceful base for exploring this beautiful part of Namibia.
Day 7 – Rock carvings and 4×4 elephant nature drive
This morning is yours to enjoy at your own pace. Take the time to explore the surrounding area, home to ancient rock engravings and striking formations like the Organ Pipes, or simply relax by the pool and take in the sweeping landscape. In the afternoon, you’ll head out on a guided 4×4 nature drive along the dry Aba-Huab River, where there’s a good chance of spotting the region’s famous desert-adapted elephants, though sightings can never be guaranteed. You’ll travel through savanna plains, sandy patches and rugged rock formations. Along the way your guide will share stories about the wildlife, the land and the people who call this area home. As the day begins to fade, you’ll stop at a scenic viewpoint for a relaxed sundowner, before returning to your lodge for the night.
Day 8 – Onto Etosha National Park
Enjoy your final breakfast and soak in the incredible views one last time, as you will be heading on to your next destination. You will be travelling around four hours to the largest national park in Namibia, where you will stay within the park for the next two nights. Your accommodation is known as the hub for wildlife enthusiasts and has a floodlit waterhole that attracts a huge range of animals, especially during the dry season that you can observe day and night. You can buy a map from the park’s entrance and go in search of roaring lions and graceful giraffes from the comfort of your rental car. In the scorching midday sun, most animals seek shelter in the shade which is a great opportunity to take a dip in the swimming pool at your camp. At the end of the day, many animals enjoy visiting the waterhole for a drink so this can be a great time for wildlife spotting after your swim and into the night as the waterhole is illuminated.
Etosha is very popular, and the camps in the park can get booked up very far in advance. If there is no room in the park, we will reserve both nights in our small-scale lodges outside the park.
Day 9&10 – Safari in Etosha National Park
It’s worth setting your alarm early this morning, to catch the first light, when the animals are at their most active. You have two full days to search for the big 4, so take it slow and explore the unpaved roads, looking out for any movement in the bushes. If you’re travelling during the dry season (our autumn), large herds of game gather at the waterhole and if you’re lucky you will witness an incredible moment where all species come together (although most animals make way for the elephants to show themselves, just to be on the safe side).
At the end of day three, you will check out of your safari camp and head to the east of the park, where you will stay in a beautiful safari lodge just outside Etosha National Park. The lodge is smaller than the previous nights, and family-run which makes for a more homely, intimate atmosphere for your final night in this region.
Day 11 – Head north to Rundu
Today, set off on a five-hour drive to the vibrant town of Rundu on the Okavango River. Rundu is known for its wood carvings, particularly masks, animal figures and traditional utensils and the Rundu Open Market is a great place to find these handmade crafts and connect with the local people. You will spend the night at an intimate lodge with a thatched roof and a private veranda from which you can see Angola across the river. Enjoy taking a dip in the swimming pool, or cruising on the river by boat.
Day 12 – Travel to Popa Falls
Today you’ll make the drive from Rundu to Popa Falls, breaking up the journey to Nkasa Rupara with a peaceful overnight stay near the rapids. Your lodge sits right on the banks of the Okavango River, just downstream from the falls, offering a relaxed place to unwind after the drive. Enjoy the river views from the deck at the restaurant, listen to the water flowing past, and soak up the laid-back atmosphere of this quieter corner of northern Namibia.
Day 13 – Travel to Nkasa Rupara
Today you’ll head into one of the most remote corners of the region — a place where the sense of wilderness really comes to life. Your tented lodge sits in a beautiful wetland landscape where the wildlife changes with the seasons, making every visit a little different. Nkasa Lupala Tented Lodge is run in partnership with the local Wuparo Conservancy, part of Namibia’s award-winning community conservancy programme, which means your stay directly supports local people and conservation efforts. Set on Lupala Island and only a short distance from the Nkasa Rupara National Park boundary, the lodge has no fences, so large mammals often wander freely through the area. It’s all part of the adventure — a quiet, wild setting where you can truly switch off and soak up the feeling of being far from the beaten track.
Day 14 – Boat cruise and game drive
During your stay you’ll venture out on a game drive and enjoy a relaxed boat cruise along the Linyanti River, giving you two very different ways to spot wildlife. If conditions allow, you may also have the chance to join a walking safari, led by an experienced guide. The region is known for its rich wildlife, and you have the chance to see elephants, buffalo, hippos, lions, leopards, impala, kudu, zebra and wildebeest — though, as always, nature has the final say. Back at camp, you’ll be well looked after. The food here is delicious and all meals are included, so you can simply relax and enjoy your time in this remote, peaceful setting.
Day 15 – Travel to Kasane
Today you will drive along a dusty road until you reach the small town of Kasane, on the edge of Chobe National Park and the meeting point between Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. For the next three nights, you will be staying in a charming family-owned guest lodge, under a thatched roof, right on the Chobe River. We won’t make any plans for the rest of today, so you’ll have plenty of time to relax and enjoy a drink by the river – you might even see elephants bathing.
Day 16 – Day trip to Victoria Falls
You will be collected from your lodge in Kasane and travel over the border into Zimbabwe, where you will be visiting the mighty Victoria Falls. What feels like just a river crossing, is actually a land border and it can get quite busy, but the journey to the border usually only takes around 20 minutes. After paying $30 USD for your Zimbabwe visa and $50 USD for your park entrance fees, your Zimbabwean guide will be waiting for you. He will take you to the ‘Smoke that Thunders’ where you will be introduced to one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls. During the rainy season, the falls release over 500 million litres of water per minute, which as you can imagine, creates a huge amount of spray which can be seen for miles (hence the name). After exploring this incredible natural wonder, you’ll be taken back to Kasane and spend another night at the same lodge.
Day 17 – Chobe National Park and sunset boat cruise
Today it’s time to head out and explore Chobe National Park. As one of Africa’s most prominent wildlife destinations, Chobe has an incredible amount of animals, including one of the largest populations of elephants in Africa (more than 50,000). As this park puts nature first, you won’t find asphalt roads, fences and few checkpoints. Chobe always prioritises low-impact, high-value tourism, ensuring conservation and maintaining the natural environment. You will be given an extensive map that helps guide you through the park, taking you along the river to Savuti, a dried-up swamp transformed into a vast grassland. You may find zebra, wildebeest and buffalo here, and, if you’re lucky you may spot one of the many lions that live in Savuti.
Tonight, you will experience a memorable boat cruise on the Chobe River for a completely different perspective of the area. As the sun sets behind you, the river banks come alive with wildlife, herds of elephants gather for a drink, and hippos emerge from the river for their evening forage. Get your camera ready, as close encounters are more common here(the animals are often more relaxed by the river).
Day 18&19 – Fly into the Okavango Delta
From Kasane you will fly in a small plane into the heart of the Okavango Delta and land on Chiefs Island. Your guide will meet you right at the airstrip and will be with you throughout your stay. You’ll be sleeping in spacious dome tents, each set on a raised wooden platform with a private bathroom and traditional bucket shower — all part of the authentic safari experience. The camp keeps things wonderfully simple, with no motorised activities in this pristine part of the Okavango Delta. Instead, during your stay your personal guide will take you out on a mokoro boat to explore the various channels of the Okavango Delta and show you hidden places. Together, you’ll look for animal tracks, watch for game moving through the reeds, and photograph the Delta’s incredible birdlife. Mornings are usually spent out exploring, before heading back to camp during the midday heat to relax. In the cooler afternoon hours, you’ll set off again for another unhurried adventure on the water or on foot.
Day 20 – Fly to Maun for you flight home
This morning you’ll board a small plane for your flight back to Maun, arriving in good time to connect with your journey home to the UK. As you take off over the Delta, you’ll have one last bird’s-eye view of the landscapes you’ve been exploring and head home with a camera full of photos and plenty of unforgettable memories.
Accommodation
