Find here a video resume of our roadtrip with the best moments of our trip.
Some days ago we got back to Barcelona after spending two weeks in Namibia during our summer holidays. We had planned a trip around almost the entire country (excluding the Caprivi Strip) in an envisaged itinerary that we shared with you here some time ago. Now that the trip has ended and has become no longer a plan but a memory, we can say that we have mainly complied with the intended route, with some precious time for improvisation.
When we started thinking of Namibia as a holiday destination, we had some doubts about the days that we needed to cover the main hotspots of the country and the fact of doing a self-organized trip. Now we can say that it is possible to organize a trip to Namibia on your own and that, if you are not afraid of driving lots of hours each day (Namibia is quite large…), in two weeks you can get at least a good view of what the country has to offer. You will find below a general description of our final route. We will explain hotspots with more detail in future posts.
Day 0: Barcelona – Doha
We travelled from Barcelona to Windhoek via Doha with Qatar Airways. We landed in Doha in the night and did a quick transfer in the fascinating Hamad International Airport.
Day 1: Doha – Windhoek – Hoachanas (Kalahari Desert)
We arrived at Windhoek mid-morning and were picked up at the airport by a private transport company. The driver took us to the offices of Camping Car Hire, where we picked up our 4×4 with a roof top tent. In our opinion, it is highly advisable to arrange the transfer from and to the airport with your car rental company when possible. Afterwards, we moved to the Grove Mall of Namibia, where we had lunch and bought in the supermarket some groceries for our trip. And then we started our roadtrip towards the Southern Namibia and spent our first night in Panama Kalahari Guest Farm, located among the red dunes.
Day 2: Hoachanas (Kalahari Desert) – Fish River Canyon
That morning we had booked a walk with the Bushmen (San) in Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch, which is located near Mariental. In this walk we had the chance to learn about their ancient traditions and survival skills and ended with our shoes full of the red sand of the Kalahari Desert. Then, we followed our trip towards the Fish River Canyon, the largest one in Africa, 160 km long. That night we slept in Hobas Camp, at the north end of the canyon.
Day 3: Fish River Canyon – Lüderitz
One of the reasons for us to visit the Southern Namibia (less touristic than the centre and the northwest of the country) was located 10 km inland from the coastal town of Lüderitz. Kolmanskop was once a rich diamond mining village that had been constructed in the architectural style of a German town. However, around the middle of the last century the village was abandoned and its inhabitants have been replaced by the sand of the Namib Desert. After a lunch in the Ghost Town Tavern, we moved to Lüderitz and visited the city centre, bought some groceries and exchanged some money to continue our trip. We also visited Diaz Point, while fighting against the wind, and slept in the Shark Island Campsite, next to the sea.
Day 4: Lüderitz – Sesriem
We left Lüderitz quite early in the morning and drove towards the Kanaan Desert Retreat (located in the border with the Namib-Naukluft National Park), where we had booked a scenic dune drive in that magical landscape. We had lunch in the lodge restaurant and followed our trip towards Sesriem. We hadn’t been able to find any accommodation available in Sesriem before our trip (it’s a very touristic place because it is in the entrance gate to the Namib-Naukluft National Park). However, we tried in the Sesriem Campsite and we managed to camp in their open space, that is, without access to power, but it didn’t matter: we were already inside the Park and that gives you access directly to the internal gate that opens before sunrise (while the general gate opens 1hlater). This allowed us to watch the sunrise while climbing Dune 45.
Day 5: Sesriem – Sossusvlei – Sesriem
We woke up really early to cross the internal gate on the opening time and stopped at Dune 45 to climb it during the sunrise. Afterwards, we drove towards Sossusvlei and climbed the Big Daddy, which is said to be the highest dune in the world. We could also contemplate the famous clay pan called Deadvlei, full of tree skeletons. Our last stop in the Park was the Sesriem Canyon. Then, we went to Hauchabfontein Camping Area, where we spent that night.
Day 6: Sesriem – Solitaire – Swakopmund
It was time to move to the north, to the coastal city of Swakopmund. In our way we passed through Solitaire, a curious settlement featuring a petrol station and a lodge. Solitaire is situated at the junction of the maing roads C14 (highly corrugated and dangerous) and C24, in a sparsely populated area; therefore, is a common stopover for tourists. Once in Swakopmund, we did a three-hour horse ride with Okakambe Horse Stables, during which we had the opportunity to watch the sunset in the moon landscape.
Day 7: Swakopmund – Walvis Bay – Swakopmund
We moved to Walvis Bay in the morning, from where the 4×4 guided tour to Sandwhich Harbour that we had booked departed. This is an amazing place where giant sand dunes run straight into the ocean. Later, we moved to the city centre of Swakopmund to do some shopping and relax in our campsite (Sophia Dale Base Camp, where we spent two nights: this one and the prior one). In the evening, we had a booking for dinner in Jetty 1905, a great restaurant located in Swakopmund’s jetty itself. Without any doubt, that was the best meal in our trip.
Day 8: Swakopmund – Spitzkoppe
In the morning we drove around the city and had an incredible experience: a scenic flight over the coastline of the Namib Desert. Definitely, the best way to explore Namibia’s landscapes is from the air. In the afternoon we moved to Spitzkoppe to spend a night in its community restcamp, under a sky full of stars. Spitzkoppe is a group of bald granite peaks located between Usakos and Swakopmund.
Day 9: Spitzkoppe – Cape Cross – Uis
From Spitzkoppe we went back to the coast, this time to Cape Cross, a small headland in the Skeleton Coast, 120 km north of Swakopmund. Cape Cross is now a protected area, home of the largest colony of Cape fur seals in the world. After lunch, we just drove through the Damaraland corrugated roads, which are rewarded by beautiful landscapes. The night found us in Uis, where we slept in the Brandberg Rest Camp.
Day 10: Uis – Twyfelfontein – Petrified Forest – Khorixas
Still in Damaraland, it was time to visit Namibia’s first World Heritage site: the ancient rock engravings of Twyfelfontein. And heading towards this historical site we got a bit lost, since initially we thought that we were driving in a different road than the actual one. But finally we managed to arrive at Twyfelfontein through the corrugated roads of the area and took the guided tour around the rock engravings. After having lunch in Twyfelfontein Country Lodge, we moved to the Petrified Forest, a deposit of large tree trunks that have turned to stone due to diagenesis (yes, a strange word… Dídac, as a physicist, knows better than me!). We ended our day in the Khorixas Rest Camp.
Day 11: Khorixas – Vingerklip – Opuwo
From Khorixas we drove to the east, to take some pictures of the Vingerklip, a rock finger, one of Namibia’s most remarkable rock formations. Then, we headed towards Opuwo, where we arrived with sufficient time to buy some groceries among Herero and Himba people. We also could relax in the terrace of our camp, Opuwo Country Lodge, which has a swimming pool with breathtaking views.
Day 12: Opuwo – Okaukuejo
We had booked a morning guided tour to a Himba settlement directly with Opuwo Country Lodge. During the visit we could learn about Himba’s culture and traditions, speak with the settlement’s inhabitants and buy some jewellery pieces handmade by them. Afterwards, we had a long journey to Okaukuejo Camp, in the Etosha National Park. We did the check-in, had dinner in a rush and did a guided night safari during which we managed to spot a male lion, elephants, hyenas and even rhinos!
Day 13: Okaukuejo – Namutoni
This day we drove from the west towards the east of the Etosha Pan and stopped in some waterholes where we could spot a female lion, elephants, hyenas, giraffes and lots of antilopes. We ended our day with a nice dinner in Namutoni Camp’s restaurant.
Day 14: Namutoni – Hoba Meteorite – Windhoek
We woke up in the Namutoni Camp and spent the first moments of the day exploring some waterholes. Then, we left Etosha and drove back to Windhoek, but we slightly deviated from the route to visit the Hoba Meteorite, the world’s largest one, located near Grootfontein. We arrived at Windhoek in the afternoon and had some time to visit the city centre. We slept in Arebbusch Travel Lodge.
Day 15: Windhoek – Doha
First thing in the morning in our last day in Namibia we returned our car and then a driver took us back to Hosea Kutako International Airport. Our flight was scheduled for mid-morning so we still had time to buy the last souvenirs and to have a coffee.
Day 16: Doha – Barcelona
And finally, we got back home with our bags full of new experiences! We really encourage you to visit this amazing country and hope that this information will be useful. Just one more tip: if you wish to visit Namibia in August as we did (Europe’s school holidays) book your accommodation in advance where possible, since tourists mainly use to go to Namibia on that time. Note that we slept all the nights in campsites; therefore, the lodges that we have mentioned in this post also have a camping area available.
Thank you for sharing your adventure and these fabulous photos!! I may never travel to Namibia, but I am grateful for the opportunity to enjoy your visit – thank you for the enlightenment.
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Thank you for your comment! Never say never. We did it by half of the price travel agencies offer and we saw more places and did more activities than what they offer. We are glad you liked it and hope it will inspire you. We are going to write a lot more details about this travel in the following weeks. Hope you’ll read them and convince you to try this adventure 😊
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Wonderful. I look forward to it – Right, Never say Never 🙂
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So glad everything went well and you enjoyed the trip! I am looking forward to reading more details about some of your favorite spots in Namibia. #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Thank you! Everything was perfect. We will write about them soon!
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wow! what a trip #theweeklypostcard
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Namibia is an amazing destination!
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Wow what an amazing road trip!! And that house with sand in it is so fascinating! I’ve seen that before somewhere, so that’s awesome you got to see it! Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard!
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Thanks for your comment Cali! We are glad you liked it and we will do a post about Kolmanskop in the future. It deserves it. We are also working on some videos.
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That’s amazing – that photo of the building engulfed in sand just boggles my mind. And your banner photo doesn’t look real! It’s extraordinary. What an experience. It’s never been on the list but it is now. AMAZING
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We’re glad that our post has placed Namibia in your bucket list. The country has extraordinary landscapes and the colors in Sossusvlei (where the banner photo was taken) are just incredible. Thanks for your comment!
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Sounds like you guys did a lot and managed to see a lot in a short time! I’d be super exhausted if I did that much, but then again I’m a very lazy traveller. The Petrified Forest sounds fascinating – would love to check that out, and a night safari is a unique experience! #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Well… For sure it is not possible to be lazy in Namibia… At least with this kind of travel 😜 but it can be done in a more relaxed way and stay in luxury lodges. Thanks for your comment!
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Namibia is so high on my bucketlist! I hope I will make it next year. So I pin this one for later. #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Hi Wendy! This is fantastic 🙂 Then don’t miss our following posts next weeks because we will give you details about everything. Traveling to Namibia is not like traveling to Europe, everything is a bit more difficult but better. We promise! Thanks for your comment!
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What an amazing adventure! #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Yes, it was! Thank you!
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I really like this. It looks like an epic adventure. I like that you organized your trip but booked several excursions. That gives you the opportunity to learn and appreciate the county even more. #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Yes, there are some activities that need to be booked, such as the visits to the San and Himba settlements, you should go with someone that knows their culture and language.
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Incredible journey! Looks like Namibia is a country which you can experience the desert, coast and safari all in one – such diverse landscapes, brilliant 🙂 #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Yes, is a very complete country and the landscapes are just incredible!
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Sounds like the perfect adventure! Seems like most places you explore had few crowds which is always a plus. Seeing wildlife would probably be a highlight for us! Glad you enjoyed and made lots of memories. #theweeklypostcard
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Yes, except for Etosha and Sossusvlei, which are more visited by tourists, the rest of the country has no crowds.
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Amazing, I am dreaming of going to Namibia next year!
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Thanks! Hope that our posts will be useful for your future trip! 🙂
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Very exciting trip! I’d love to visit Africa someday, but I din’t think I’d dare to take a road trip on this continent (for safety reasons). To me what you did sounds like a great adventure and I am not very brave. On the other hand, a road trip is the best way to explore a country and experience its culture. I envy you though for visiting these great places. Great photos, by the way! #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Hi Anda, thanks for your comment! One of the reasons to do this travel is to prove that it is possible to do it. It is possible to do a roadtrip in Africa in a safe way, at least in Namibia. If you drive carefully there is nothing else to fear. Namibia is safe, unexplored and you take with you the essence of Africa. We are not so brave 🙂 We always consider every danger and potential unexpected situations.
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This looks like such an amazing road trip. What a variety of things you got to see! Those desert photos are gorgeous and the safari sounds amazing as well! What an great trip 😀
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Thank you! Sossusvlei and Etosha are two of the hotspots of Namibia!
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This sounds like an itinerary I might have to steal some day! I’d love to visit the ghost town and I’ve seen so many pictures of those lonely trees in the desert and they always make me want to book a flight immediately!
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We highly recommend Namibia as a destination so you can use our itinerary, of course! 🙂
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This sounds like an amazing trip! The ghost town especially sounds SO cool.
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Hi Addie, thanks for your comment 🙂 Glad you liked the post
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Namibia is definitely a country that’s much more fun to DIY. It works out much cheaper and you manage to see sooo much more. I love Namibia and so glad you had such an incredible adventure there ☺
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Completely agree! It is cheaper, funnier and you see more things and discover more. DIY Namibia is an unforgettable experience. Thanks for your comment and follow! 😀
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I would love to know how much did you spent in total for the trip
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Aproximately 2300€ per person considering everything, also small shoppings there. This is less than half the price you could find with a travel agency. If you would like to know how to organize it to achive this budget, contact us using the Contact form 🙂 We’ll share with you everything you could need.
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What an epic and incredible trip! I always appreciate DIY approach to planning these types of trips. Thanks for showing us it can be done. Love your itinerary and everything Namibia has to offer. Such a beautiful country and we hope to make it there one day soon. This was an inspiration!
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Thank you Mary! We always try to prepare our trips in our own because we love all the planning before leaving and it makes the trip more special to us. We highly recommend Namibia!
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Great 👍 Visit my place to see the experience from the Lofots, Iceland and some other places
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Will do! Thank you!
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Really cool post! This is the most incredible thing! I hope to travel to more exotic places like this one day and I’m slowly making my way round! Just got back from a USA road trip if you wouldn’t mind having a look 🙂 x
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Hey! Thanks for your comment and your nice words. We are glad you liked it 🙂 We have looked at your blog and the US roadtrip that you just have started to write about is just perfect. This is something we want to do someday, so we are going to follow your blog and take some ideas. Feel free to follow us too!
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Definitely, we can steal ideas of each other then ☺️ followed you, looking forward to seeing more of your adventures!
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Wow, what an itinerary! I really want to visit Namibia, the dunes look so incredible 🙂 #WanderfulWednesday
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Hi Jessi! Sorry for the late response and thanks for your comment! We are glad you liked it 🙂 Namibia is a dreamy place!
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I’ve heard how spectacular Barcelona is many times and have yet to go.
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It’s a nice city with lots of things to see and do! You should come 🙂 Thanks for reading us.
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