Namibia Highlights Guided Drive (11n) – Value

Your trip starts with an overnight stay in the Namibian capital of Windhoek, situated in the scenic Central Highlands region. On touching down at the city’s international airport, you’ll be met by your private guide, who’ll drive you to Olive Grove Guesthouse. 

Recently renovated, Olive Grove is a stylish property in the serene suburb of Klein. Its communal spaces include a pleasant lounge as well as indoor and outdoor dining areas. There’s an open-plan kitchen too, so guests can watch their meals being prepared before tucking in to delicious food and drink, for example on the guesthouse’s lovely upper deck. You’ll stay in a Luxury Room, a spacious option with plenty of modern amenities and a well-appointed washroom. 

Windhoek is an attractive city, surrounded by rolling hills and with a relaxed and cosmopolitan feel.

Board basis and activities:
Accommodation at Olive Grove is booked on a B&B basis, with your evening meal arranged by your guide. We can advise you on the best activities, excursions, and restaurants in the area, and we suggest asking one of our consultants for their recommendations.

On Day 2, you’ll leave Olive Grove and your guide will drive you south-west out of Windhoek. You’ll pass through the spectacular Naukluft mountains and into the iconic Sossusvlei area, located in the Namib Naukluft National Park. 

Your home for this part of your trip is Sossus Dune Lodge, which is the only property within the national park! Designed to resemble an ‘Afro-village’, it’s a thrilling base from which to explore the area. There are 23 guest chalets, linked via raised wooden walkways and spaced well apart to ensure ample privacy. Each offers a comfortable bedroom, smart en suite, amenities such as a small fridge and tea station, and spectacular views from a private relaxation gazebo! This region is truly breathtaking, with its towering orange sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see, all set under a cloudless blue sky.

Board basis and activities:
Your accommodation is booked on a full-board basis, and we can advise you on the best activities and excursions in the area – just get in touch with one of our consultants for their recommendations.

The next stop on your Namibian adventure is the quaint seaside town of Swakopmund. Your private guide will drive you here from Sossus Dune Lodge, and you’ll stay at Cornerstone Guesthouse. 

A small, owner-run property, Cornerstone is situated in the characterful old part of Swakopmund. Its communal spaces include a cheerful breakfast room and lounge. Accommodation takes the form of just seven rooms, all en suite. Every room benefits from a private entrance, breezy beach-house décor, a host of amenities, and even a private patio! Sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Namib Desert, Swakop (as it is known locally) is a vibrant little town with a lot to offer.

Board basis and activities:
Accommodation at Cornerstone is booked on a B&B basis, with your guide arranging both lunch and dinner for you. We can advise you on the best activities, excursions, and restaurants in the area, and we suggest asking one of our consultants for their recommendations.

After a few days on the coast, it’s time to head back into Namibia’s vast interior. This time, your guide will drive north along the coastline, before cutting eastward into the semi-desert wilderness of Damaraland. 

During your time here, you’ll stay at Wilderness Doro Nawas. Situated in the dry Aba-Huab river valley, within the Doro !Nawas Conservancy, this community-inspired conservation lodge commands stunning views of the Etendeka Mountains to the north and Twyfelfontein to the south. It has 16 stone-and-canvas chalets, each shaded by a thatch roof and incorporating a veranda that doubles as a sleep-out deck for anyone who wishes to enjoy a spot of stargazing! 

The property is within easy reach of the UNESCO World Heritage site at Twyfelfontein, famed for its ancient rock art. Wilderness Doro Nawas is also the ideal base from which to track the area’s permanent herds of desert-adapted elephant.

Board basis and activities:
Accommodation is booked on a full-board basis, and we can advise you on the best activities and excursions in the region – please ask one of our consultants for their recommendations.

Leaving Damaraland behind, you’ll continue your journey up to the Ongava Game Reserve, which lies along the southern border of Etosha National Park. 

Until 1991, the reserve was a collection of unproductive cattle ranches. During that year, several families invested in the future by working to turn the area into a private reserve. With 30,000 hectares of land, Ongava is now a haven to large concentrations of wildlife and offers visitors a truly memorable safari experience. 

Your guide will drive you to Ongava Lodge, one of just three properties within the reserve. Located on the top of a small kopje, the lodge offers very impressive views over a waterhole from its communal areas, which include a luxurious lounge, dining room, and swimming pool! Guest accommodation consists of air-conditioned thatched chalets, each with en-suite bathroom and private veranda where you can sit back and marvel at the scenery.

Board basis and activities:
Ongava Lodge is booked on a full-board basis. We’re happy to advise you on the best activities and excursions in the area, and we suggest contacting one of our consultants to request their recommendations.

Continuing your safari, you’ll leave Ongava and enter Etosha National Park through the Andersson gate in the southern sector. Travelling through the heart of the park, you and your guide will set the pace of your game drive, stopping for as long or as often as you like at the many waterholes that act as a mecca for the numerous species of mammals and birds for whom the park is home. 

Your home here is Mushara Bush Camp, an elegant property crafted in the style of a traditional African bushcamp. Situated just 8 kilometres from the eastern gate of Etosha National Park, it’s a very convenient option for exploring the park with your guide. Recently refurbished, Mushara features exquisitely presented reception and dining spaces, and a generously proportioned swimming pool! You’ll stay in a Standard Room, which has aircon, telephone, mini-bar, and fully refitted en-suite facilities.

Board basis and activities:
The camp is booked on a full-board basis, and we can advise you on the best activities and excursions in the area – do get in touch with one of our consultants for their recommendations.

The last stop of your Namibian road trip is the Okonjima Nature Reserve, which is home to the AfriCat Foundation. It’s located among the Omboroko Mountains, halfway between Etosha and Windhoek. 

Set in 220 square kilometres of pristine bushland, AfriCat, a family-run non-for-profit organisation, is dedicated to the protection and long-term conservation of all large carnivores in Namibia, and it offers guests a unique insight into the lives of these animals. With five different camps and lodges on the reserve, there is something to suit all budgets and preferences. 

Okonjima Plains Camp has 24 spacious rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms and a private veranda. Each room is individually furnished with African artwork and photographs showcasing the reserve’s wildlife. While staying at Plains Camp, guests have the opportunity to take guided excursions across the reserve to track both cheetah and leopard.

On Day 12 of your trip, you’ll be up early for one last activity before leaving Okonjima Plains Camp. Your private guide will drive you back to Windhoek, and you’ll arrive at the international airport in good time for your flight/s home.

Board basis and activities:
The camp is booked on a full-board basis, and we’re happy to advise you on the best activities and excursions in the area. We suggest asking one of our consultants for their recommendations.