19-Day Namibia & Botswana Roundabout Self-drive Safari - Standard - RACK

With easy access from Windhoek International and situated in Klein Windhoek - the Namibian capital's prototype leafy suburb - The Elegant Guesthouse makes for a comfortable overnight stop.

The Elegant, as she is known in these parts, is in a quiet neighbourhood, very secure and close to the shops, restaurants and attractions of northern Windhoek. Getting there from the airport requires two turns, getting to the rest of the country from here requires just three turns.

Modern design and fittings give The Elegant Guesthouse a sophisticated air. Once a small six-roomer, the Elegant has been upgraded and is ever more sophisticated now, offering 17 stylish and beautiful guest rooms. They didn't just add more rooms. They first acquired more space and then expanded, so the mood is still decidedly relaxed (if not more so than before): the perfect way to start or end your Namibia holiday.

All rooms have en suite bathrooms, twin beds (together making a king) and are fitted with air conditioners as well as fast WiFi, television and most open out onto a drought resistant garden or the swimming pool area surrounded by loungers and umbrellas.

Breakfast is served in the light and airy open-plan breakfast room or out in the garden on warm days, which is about 90% of the time in Namibia.

With its quirky yet somehow harmonious design Desert Quiver Camp, near the entrance to Sossusvlei, can be a luxury camping experience, a back-to-basics desert lodge or both. And the best part - it's entirely up to you.

The 24 units, built of poles and canvas and stone, look like A-frames adrift and subsiding into the desert. The natural construction and sympathetic choice of colours help these structures blend into the dramatic scenery and, after a short while, the striking asymmetry becomes rather pleasing.

Inside, the rooms are spacious, cool and spotless. An en suite bathroom with shower, toilet and wash basin lurks behind the dividing wall and while the doorless layout - oddly popular among the newer establishments in Namibia - may not be to everyone’s liking, the spacious shower and piping hot water is a sure thing.

The unit has a large shaded porch with a kitchenette cunningly tucked away behind a canvas roll-down; the picnic bench and barbecue set the scene for a classic campout under the stars beside a flickering fire. A nice feature is you can order in your fresh cooking supplies and have them delivered to your unit.

If you’re not up to the ordeal of ready-steady-cooking your own meal or you just fancy a treat the camp’s sister property, Sossusvlei Lodge - well known for excellent service and quality food - is a few km up the road. As a guest of Desert Quiver Camp, you have full access to their activity centre, wonderful buffet restaurant, bar and pool all overlooking a waterhole.

Back at camp, a huge and ever-sparkling pool and its companion lopsided A-frame bar provide an agreeable venue for a sunset cocktail and a refreshing dip - the ochre view across the plains towards the rocky mountains is pure Namibia.

Swakopmund Luxury Suites pack comfort and convenience into an elegant apartment-style accommodation option in the belly of Swakopmund's restaurant quarter.

Although “suites” is a bit of stretch size-wise, for comfort you can expect elegant, neutral décor that is easy on the senses and top quality linen with quite possibly the most comfortable bed you’ll encounter on your tour of Namibia. Attention to detail includes Nespresso machines with complimentary pods, bath robes, extra thick towels, wi-fi that actually works, climate control, mini-bar and that general air of purpose and cleanliness of a professional outfit.

For convenience you are a few minutes’ walk to the beach, restaurants, cafes and main attractions of central Swakopmund - a feature you will welcome after many hours’ in the car on Namibia’s long and dusty roads. And the day reception is staffed with the friendliest of friendly Namibians who add that personal touch and valuable insider’s information for making the most of your visit.

A secluded upper deck lined with comfortable recliners and deck chairs is a wonderful place to catch up with your digital life. Or escape it entirely with a good book and a glass of chardonnay. Parking out front is secure with 24-hour watch and CCTV and, occupying the first storey down a pedestrianised side street, the location is quiet and safe.

Breakfast at the Swakopmund Luxury Suites is a delight. The breakfast room is stunning and the food is delicious. A great way to start your day before you head off to explore where the dunes meet the sea. You are just a short walk to the main beach and the main streets of town. Splendid.

Against and among the granite boulders, Twyfelfontein Adventure Camp has prime location for visiting the highlights of the area. From here you can easily explore the heart of Damaraland, the sights of Twyfelfontein and track desert-adapted elephants.

Within walking distance of the Damara Living Museum, Twyfelfontein Adventure Camp is a 10-minute drive from the Twyfelfontein Rock Engravings, Burnt Mountain and Organ Pipes. Situated in the Huab River Valley, there’s a chance the elephants could stroll past your tent at any moment or at the least, you won’t have to venture very far to find them.

Location is key and in that category Twyfelfontein Adventure Camp is a winner. It’s been a long day's drive from any direction to get here, so once you’ve arrived, it’s great knowing you won’t have to spend much time in the car to explore the area. Less time on the road means more time for adventure and to laze at the glistening pool with a drink in hand. Of equal importance when on holiday.

The eco-friendly camp has both standard and premium tents. The standard tents are just that, they are small and basic but tasteful and charming. The premium tents are more luxurious, both in the decor and the space. You have some added extras, a bigger room, a bigger bathroom, comfortable inside seating and a small fridge.

The main lodge area is rather lavish and quite ornate, shared by all guests for meals and to relax. There is a second more relaxed 'chill' area too and two swimming pools, one at each. Add the view and you’ll be delighted to call this home for the next few nights. Two-night stays allow you to book a spectacular guided nature drive in an open safari vehicle.

Jumbled sandstone hills, platinum-blonde savannahs and olive-green shrublands make this landscape of incredible scale, colour and silence - so much silence - a marvel. See the many wildlife species that thrive here and learn how humans and wildlife including elephant, lion, rhino, antelope varieties and smaller predators have adapted to life in a land so hot and dry that it becomes ever more a wonder.

Even before its hard refurb, Etosha Village was probably the best value safari lodge in Etosha. Replacing all tented accommodation with smart air-conditioned chalets, Etosha Village is now by far the best value safari lodge in Etosha.

Retaining its eco-conscious credentials - the bricks were salvaged from mining debris, grey water is filtered and re-used in the vegetable garden, water is solar heated and the kitchen produces a fair amount of high-quality composting material - Etosha Village had a major refurbishment in mid-2016 and what an upgrade.

Brick has replaced canvas, sleek tiles have replaced creaky wood decking and the en suite bathrooms are smart, shiny and functional. From the outside, the chalets are full of life and texture with gabion foundations, balustrades filled with pebbles, a gravelled forecourt and woven latte poles covering the roof. Inside, while a tad on the austere side, the rooms are spacious, practical and well-appointed with air conditioning, en suite bathroom, sofa bed good for two under-12s (the Village is one of a few child-friendly safari lodges in Etosha), fridge, tea/coffee, safe, balcony and a large gazebo to the side. Comfortable twin beds with soft cotton are a given.

The living areas have also retained their charm and casual comfort with a large swimming pool surrounded by loungers and parasols and a smaller pool adjacent to a third toddler-friendly pool. The food at Etosha Village is fresh and the staff here, recruited from the nearby village and trained in-house, are famous for their friendly and enthusiastic service.

Breakfast and dinner are sizeable buffet spreads and lunch is a small a la carte menu with local venison specialities. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and juice are on the house all day and the open-air bar is a convivial spot to share a drink and a tale or just gaze into the night sky as is your want.

Being just minutes from the southern gate is ideal for daily access to Etosha National Park for guided game morning and evening drives in an open-sided safari vehicle. The vehicles accommodate up to 10 people and if that’s a bit crowded or constrained, Etosha is one of the easiest self-drive game reserves in Africa: arm yourself with a prepared breakfast and lunch or a picnic hamper from the well-stocked supply store and spend the day at any number of quiet waterholes. A good reference book, binoculars and of course your camera should be required equipment.

Onguma Bush Camp is a comfortable, family-orientated lodge in a private reserve on the eastern edge of Etosha National Park. With 18 rooms including family suites as well as a small campsite, the atmosphere is tranquil and casual.

Onguma Bush Lodge is an alternative to staying inside Etosha National Park where your options are limited to three basic state-owned camps.

This comfortable lodge is located on the edge of the park near Fisher's Pan and the eastern entrance to Etosha. The rates are reasonable and the lodge is neat, small and an excellent base for families.

The en suite, air-conditioned rooms are built from local stone and have thatched roofs. The pool, open-air lapa and dining area provide the venues for some pleasant banter, spectacular sunsets and hearty meals. The lounge and dining area overlooks a waterhole for around-the-clock game viewing. The campsite has six sites with private ablutions and firewood; campers are welcome to make use of the bar, pool and restaurant.

Picture yourself as The Mariner, Kevin Costner's anti hero, meandering through the water. Think mokoro rather than a trimaran, river rather than sea. This is for those of you that like the waterworld of Africa. But whereas the film's been described as a mess masquerading as a movie you'll exit this lodge feeling calm, chilled and chipper.

Louis and Amori fancied a retirement home in the Caprivi and this is it. Next to the Bwabwata National Park you're as close to the Kavango River you can get without actually sitting in it. The lodge literally peers out of the bushes like a lazy croc. It's an easy drive to access the small village of Divundu, which is approx 10km away - it's not much more than a petrol station and a shop of a place but it's rich in the culture of the Kavango people - locals fish with nothing more glamorous than a worm, children swim and Nguni cattle wander along. You'll also be close to the Popa Falls - more of a series of rapids running over the rocks than a waterfall but they're still stunning and popular.

Luxury chalets are big and bang on the banks of the river. You can see Popa Falls, you can hear hippos roaring. Brown leathery chairs, white bed linen. The standard chalets are not on the banks but you still get a view of the river. The luxury tents are permanent, sit on stilts and they're on the riverbanks. Definitely glamping you'll have the same ensuite, lounge area, coffee making facilities and mosquito nets as the two chalet options. The camping option's hardly slumming it either - you'll get your braai spruced up over night as well as your pots and pans washed up - when does that happen?! You'll also have your own ablution block and kitchen facilities. These have roofs so you're sheltered in the rainy season and shaded when it's hot. There's also a family style campsite if you want to share washing and cooking together. Each campsite also has access to electricity and running water.

The main lodge has a coffee shop which serves breakfast and light meals till 3pm. They also import decent coffee and the resident baker (yup, baker) bakes cakes and tarts which is extremely civilised of them.

There's a swimming pool by the river so you can watch the water flow without worrying about the crocs. Talking of predators, you can go fishing and try and snare the number one bad guy after the crocodile - the manically grinning and frankly terrifying looking tiger fish. This is a high speed killing machine and keen fishermen will know it's a source of pride to try and mess with this king. Local advice is, don't eat it, they do but apparently there are too many bones for the majority of our highly strung palates.

If you want to experience the Chobe River and the Chobe National Park then you'll want to stay at Chobe Safari Lodge, in Kasane, Botswana.

Chobe Safari Lodge sits on the edge of the Chobe River (as the name would suggest), but that also means that it borders four countries! Pretty impressive, if its location to Chobe National Park, itself wasn't.

This is quite a romantic spot, while you can see it is decorated in a traditional safari style; the pool, room service and private cruises tell a different, more luxurious story.

Here you can stay in a variety of accommodation such as suites, rooms, bungalows and even camping. The accommodation is a little less fabulous than the private cruise waiting for you, but we can let it slide. The rooms are very simple with double beds, a desk and an en-suite, but unfortunately no mini-fridge and water (something you expect if you don't want to run to the bar each time for a glass of water.) However there is a TV, WiFi and as we mentioned before, room service.

But let's be fair, if you come all this way you are not going to be spending much of your time in the room anyway. Outside you have a huge pool waiting for you, an open plan restaurant overlooking the pool and that gorgeous view of the river and a small island opposite that would make anyone back at home jealous. When you go have dinner, make sure to dive into a Kudu steak, it's the best one you will ever have.

There is also a little shop, a health and beauty salon and cocktail bar for your to indulge in with gifts, a new holiday (or honeymoon) look and a fancy drink on top of it all just because you deserve it.

With this picture-perfect view and never-ending river, we won't forgive you if you are just sitting at the pool all day. Make sure to tackle land and water with that private boat cruise or a game drive to spot the iconic Chobe elephants. If you are tempted by what's around the corner you can even book an overnight or day trip to go to the Victoria Falls.

It is worth the mention that Chobe Safari Lodge is the oldest one in the region, so while some small details may be out of date (and style) other things have just been perfected, including the decor in the rooms more recently refurbished. Here it's all about the safari experience and you're bound to have one of the most memorable safari experiences by far.

Planet Baobab is a quirky camp in a thicket of baobab trees on the edge of the Makgadikgadi. Comfortable and well-positioned, the camp is a good base from which to explore Botswana's other side - the Kalahari.

Planet Baobab is an exuberant oddity in the dramatic expanse of openness called the Makgadikgadi - once a country-sized lake and now an empty wilderness of adventure, beauty and total silence. Quirky décor decisions have followed sound practical ones like an enormous swimming pool, glorious showers, a bright and cheerful bar, a convivial central campfire and a variety of accommodation options to suit every need.

Accommodation options at Planet Baobab include traditional Bakalanga and Bushman huts enhanced with modern comforts - like an en suite bathroom, cotton linen and four-poster mosquito drapes. You can barbecue on your own or enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Activities include bush walks, quad bike trails, migration excursions, cultural interaction, bush dinners and sleep-outs.

People, places and ancient history converge at Planet Baobab, itself an eccentric convergence of modern and traditional styles. The Makgadikgadi Pans are littered with artefacts from the ancient hunter-gatherer people of the central Kalahari; an infusion of Bantu and Tswana add colour to the villages nearby and the whole region is a wonder of spectacular scenery, wildlife and the fragile desert ecosystem of the Kalahari. Set among ancient migration paths, Planet Baobab has formed a modern migration path of its own with visitors between the Kalahari and the Okavango Delta.

Moremi Crossing is a modern and eco-friendly safari lodge in the Okavango Delta overlooking the Boro River and Chief's Island.

The transfer to Moremi Crossing is exciting enough: a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta lands at Chief's Island and a boat ride takes you to the doorstep of this apparently floating island lodge.

Built in the style of an exclusive and luxurious lodge, the camp manages to keep the price tag relatively low without compromising the essentials, these being: an beautiful and tranquil location, surrounded by the floodplains and channels of the Okavango Delta; amazing views from everywhere; exceptional game viewing and wilderness experience with elephant munching the trees nearby and hippos wallowing in front; exclusive access to first-rate game guides and activities including mokoro safaris, walking safaris and sunset river cruises; and of course comfortable accommodation, friendly service and good food.

The rooms are tented safari suites on wooden decks above the water level and connected by walkways. Each has an en suite bathroom with open-air showers - solar-heated water - flushing toilets with natural waste water filtration and large private balconies.

The living area at Moremi Crossing, buttressed by the dense riparian growth behind and the Boro River in front, is a multi-tiered wood and thatch construction above the water. Choose to laze in one of the private lounge areas, the bar, the dining area or the outdoor fireside deck.

Moremi Crossing has a small swimming pool shaded by wild fig, lined with loungers and surrounded by wild African bush.

Near the town of Ghanzi in Botswana, there are only a few places to stay. Thakadu Bush Camp is one of them. It’s 285km from Maun, 39km north of the Trans Kalahari Highway junction with Namibia and 526km from Windhoek. It’s the ideal stopover in the heart of the Central Kalahari if you’re travelling between Botswana and Namibia.

On the private Kabakae Game Reserve, Thakadu Bush Camp was a dream that became a reality in 1999 by Chris and Jeanette Woolcott. Now, more than 20 years later, this lodge is still in the family and they still love their special part of the Kalahari Bushveld. Better yet, they love sharing it with their guests and they’re good at it.

It’s rustic and down to earth (the brown dusty and sandy earth of the Kalahari Desert) which makes it all the more authentic. The last 3km to the lodge requires some ‘bundu bashing’ (a 4WD is ideal, but you’ll get there on these rough roads in a 2WD too). Thakadu overlooks a dry pan, which bar a few months of the year, after heavy rains, fills with water. Never mind though, there’s a waterhole there too and it draws out the plains game of the Kalahari year round.  

Thakadu (tha-ka-du) in Setswana means a ‘long pig-like snout ant eating bear’, more commonly known to safari enthusiasts as the aardvark. A fitting description. You’ll see him in these parts. Be on the lookout. You could also see wildebeest, warthog, giraffe, springbok, mongoose, wildcat, aardwolf (not related to the aardvark although his dining preferences are similar), impala, porcupine, kudu, bat-eared fox, gemsbok and eland.  

Accommodation options vary from brick walled rooms to thatched chalets and Meru-style tents. There’s a campsite too. Noku’s Nook is our favourite. An exclusive camp tucked away in the bush, 2,5km from the main lodge. It has a thatched lapa, swimming pool and its own private waterhole.  It’s certainly not a luxury stay at Thakadu Bush Camp, but that’s not what they’re about. It’s more a comfort stop over, where it’s all about the bush experience, peaceful wilderness and beautiful night skies.