Namibia - 11-day Tour through the Deep South - Private Self-drive

Touchdown at Windhoek airport, where you will be met and taken to your guesthouse for the night. In the afternoon your rental car will be delivered and a detailed briefing will be given to you by our partner on the ground. For dinner we recommend Joe's Beerhouse - booking is essential and can be done online. 

After breakfast, check out and start your adventure, driving south to the red dunes of the Kalahari.  Along your journey to Kalahari Anib Lodge, keep your eyes out for animals - you may come across anything from springbok, impala, oryx, wildebeest, giraffe, warthog, to aardvark and aardwolf. Settle into the lodge on arrival, before enjoying a guided sundowner drive.

Driving time: ~3.5 hours

Enjoy the sunrise from the lodge, or perhaps book a guided sunrise drive with the lodge. After breakfast, make your way further south, all the way to the second largest Canyon in the world, the Fish River Canyon. Your surroundings change from red sand dunes to a stark landscape of black rocks and quiver trees. Get comfortable at Fish River Lodge and delight in the sunset from your bungalow terrace.

Driving time: ~5 hours

Plan your day with Fish River Lodge as you check in, with the option to book activities such as hiking, mountain biking, sundowner drives, canyon rim walks and more - prebooking is also an option and recommended to avoid disappointment with regards to availability. Enjoy your day exploring Fish River Canyon and the surrounding environment. 

After another incredible sunrise and leisurely breakfast, make your way west to the small town of Aus, which will be your base to explore the coastal town of Lüderitz and its surroundings. Your stay is at the Desert Horse Inn just outside of Aus on the Klein-Aus Vista Farm. Take the afternoon to explore, perhaps going on a self-guided walk through the surrounding hills or driving to Garub in search of the last few wild desert horses. 

Driving time: ~3-4 hours

Spend the day exploring the area, heading west to the ghost town of Klomanskop, which used to be a wealthy German mining settlement that developed in the early 1900s following the discovery of diamonds in the area. Afterwards, make your way to the town of Lüderitz for lunch, returning to the Desert Horse Inn in the afternoon. 

Today, you will head up north to Sesriem, the entrance to the Namib Naukluft National Park. As you drive north, you will notice another landscape colour change and pass through some beautiful areas. Arrive at Desert Camp, which is situated right at the entrance gate, just in time for dinner. 

Driving time: ~5 hours

Rise early and enter the park at 6 am in order to spend the cooler hours of the day in Sossusvlei, watching the spectacular colour shift of the dunes as the sun climbs higher in the sky. Once the sun rises, climb up Dune 45 and Big Mama and pay a visit to Deadvlei - take a 4x4 shuttle from the parking space in the park to get all the way to Deadvlei - those shuttles do not have to be prebooked and can just be picked up on the spot. On the way back, you can also visit Sesriem Canyon. For the afternoon, relax on your terrace, or book an activity with the adventure centre at Sossusvlei Lodge.

After a last breakfast in the breathtaking environment of the Namib Desert, you continue your drive north to your next stop of the trip, the historically German coastal town of Swakopmund. On your way, stop off at Solitaire, which has a fabulous bakery. Drive through ever-changing landscapes - parts of this stretch may look as if someone had rolled out a velvety green carpet on top of the orange sand. You can stop along the way to see some of the up to 1,500-year-old welwitschia plants and the moon-like landscape close to Swakopmund.  Take a stroll through town and maybe along the beach, looking out onto the rough and cold Atlantic Ocean. In the evening, go out for a traditional German dinner in town (not included). 

Driving time: ~5 hours

Explore Swakopmund, a breath of fresh sea air in the desert. There are many optional activities to keep you busy, from a leisurely catamaran cruise to view seals and dolphins, or a living desert tour to get a closer look at all the small desert-adapted creatures, to the many adventure activities offered here, such as quad biking, sand boarding, sky diving, etc. (activities not included)

Enjoy the very last breakfast of your Namibian adventure before driving back to Windhoek. Return your car to the depot at the airport, where your journey draws to an end. 

Driving time: ~4 hours