Namibia Self-drive Camping Safari

Rivendell Guesthouse
Rivendell is a cosy 10-room guesthouse situated in a quiet suburb of Windhoek, within easy reach of the city centre and airport. It has a pleasant garden terrace with swimming pool, a guest lounge with Wifi, and self-catering kitchen.

Your hired campervan – a Toyota Hilux Double Cab 4x4 – will be dropped off to you this afternoon by our agent. They will give you a tour of the car and answer any questions you might have about the itinerary ahead.

Sossus Oasis Campsite
Sossus is a modern campsite with excellent facilities including swimming pool, internet café, barbecue facilities, and a fuel & tyre workshop. The individual camping pitches at Sossus all feature shaded seating areas, toilets, wash basins and camp showers. There is a restaurant at the nearby Sossusvlei Lodge.

The next two days are free to explore the surrounding region. Close to your camp is Sesriem Canyon, a deep gorge formed by the Tsauchab River. The canyon serves as the gateway to the Namib-Naukluft National Park; from it, you can follow the course of the Tsauchab River (which is dry for much of the year) through the park and to the famous sand dunes of Sossusvlei. The canyon is also an interesting natural attraction in its own right. High stone walls rise on both sides of the canyon, revealing ancient layers of sedimentary rock in beautifully contrasting colours. The canyon is a haven for many varieties of bird that come to roost on the canyon walls, as well as lizards and other reptiles that make their homes in the cracks of the walls to escape the intense desert heat.

A visit to Sossusvlei is a must. Here you can spend time exploring the famous apricot-hued dunes, the largest of their kind in the world, and one of the main highlights of any trip through the Namib Desert. Dune 45, a behemoth of a sand dune, is reputed to be the largest of all; it is quite the sight!

A short distance from Sossusvlei is the dry lake of Deadvlei, or “Dead Marsh”. The trees here are long since dead, yet they have been preserved for centuries due to a lack of moisture preventing normal decomposition, creating a starkly beautiful landscape.

Cornerstone Guesthouse
Cornerstone Guesthouse is an intimate bed and breakfast set within easy walking distance of the sea and Swakopmund town centre.

Occupying a quiet corner of the old town, near the marine museum and the old brewery, Cornerstone Guesthouse offers the charm and intimacy of a family-run B&B combined with the modern amenities of a good-standard hotel. Each room has a private entrance and patio with table and chairs; inside, the rooms are light, spacious and neat with tile and wood floors, beach house colours and your choice of double or twin beds. All rooms have en suite bathrooms with large solar-assisted showers and modern fittings.

Swakopmund has the distinction of being a seaside town located in a desert! The town is a quirky mix of German and Namibian influences and a great location for outdoor activities including quad biking, horse riding, fishing, kayaking, bird watching, paragliding and desert tours.

Mowani Mountain Campsite
Mowani Mountain Campsite has a fantastic location on the edge of Twyfelfontein, between the Ugab and Huab Rivers, and overlooking Abu-Huab Valley. The campsite is part of Mowani Mountain Camp, a comfortable tented lodge. There are seven camping pitches spread out across the property, each with its own toilet and washing facilities. Please note that the camping areas as Mowani do not have any electricity supply.

The next two days can be spent exploring Twyfelfontein, the Huab Valley, and the wider Damaraland region.

Namibia’s first World Heritage Site, Twyfelfontein is the setting for one of the most extensive galleries of rock engravings found anywhere in the world. Created by Namibia’s native San people, the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein are thought to range in age from 1,000 to 10,000 years. Despite their age, many are almost perfectly preserved, owing to the unique conditions provided by their desert environment.

Other sites of interest within the region of Twyfelfontein include the Petrified Forest, a collection of millennia-old preserved tree trunks; the Organ Pipes, a collection of unusual dolomite rock formations; and the desolate Burnt Mountain, a 12km volcanic ridge.

Etosha Trading Post
Etosha Trading Post is located 6.5km from the Andersson entrance gate to Etosha National Park, providing easy access to the southern Okaukuejo section of the park. The campsite offers 8 individual camping areas, each of them equipped with private bathroom facilities (shower, toilet and wash basin), shaded seating area with wash-up facilities, power outlet, running water, lights and barbecue. Shared facilities include a camp pool, fuel station 7 tyre workshop, and camp shop with groceries and basic supplies.

The next two days can be spent exploring southern Etosha on independent game drives. This is one of Namibia’s great wilderness areas, protecting species such as lion, giraffe, elephant, both white and black rhino, and a multitude of plains game.

Onguma Leadwood Campsite
One of two campsites within the Onguma Reserve, Onguma Leadwood offers 6 individual camping pitches, nestled within a copse of leadwood trees in the centre of the reserve. Each of the camping areas has its own toilet, shower, washing area and power point. There is a restaurant at the nearby Onguma Bush Camp.

Onguma Game Reserve protects just over 50,000 acres of savannah grassland, dry pan and bushveld on the eastern boundary of Etosha National Park. Although a relatively small territory, Onguma is packed with game, including rarities such as black rhino. It is also one of the best birding regions in all of Etosha, famous in particular for its flamingo flocks which congregate at Fischer’s Pan, in the west of the reserve.

Waterberg Andersson Campsite
Positioned on the upper slopes of the Waterberg Valley, with views down to the valley floor, Waterberg Andersson Campsite offers four secluded camping pitches separated by bush. Each pitch has its own toilet and shower in the central ablution block with hot and cold water. The campsite also has a swimming pool and café/restaurant.

The afternoon can be spent exploring the Waterberg Plateau. This is a beautiful region, much of which was once used as cattle land but which has since been returned to the wild, with most of the area converted into a nature reserve. Today, the Waterberg region is once again home to a good variety of wildlife, including rare species such as cheetah, leopard, eland, and both black & white rhino. Other, more common sightings include giraffe, zebra, and buffalo.

Perhaps the real appeal of the Waterberg Plateau, however, is its stunning landscapes. The Waterberg itself is a giant table mountain, almost 50km wide, with a stark escarpment that looks down onto beautiful green valleys. The views are amazing!