Adventure Tour Through Namibia

Arrival at Windhoek International Airport you will be met by a driver and driven to the rental car company.

Pick up the rental car and drive to Windhoek.

In the afternoon you have the option of taking a city tour of the Namibian capital on your own or booking one.

You can visit the Christ Church, the Equestrian Monument, the old fortress, the gardens of the Ink Palace. A walk along Windhoek’s “boulevard”, Independence Avenue (formerly Kaiserstrasse), is also recommended. Windhoek is the largest city in the country with almost 300,000 inhabitants and is the political, economic and cultural centre. The city is situated at an altitude of 1650 metres, nestled between the Auas Mountains to the south, the Eros Mountains to the north-east and the Khomas Highlands to the west.

Overnight and breakfast, Maison Ambre Guest House.

Travel distance: 42.0 km

In the morning, drive via Rehoboth and Kalkrand to Kalahari Anib Lodge.

The Kalahari Desert forms a large part of eastern Namibia and stretches about 500 km from north to south. Because of its porous and sandy soil, which does not allow water to be absorbed, the Kalahari is commonly referred to as a desert. In reality, however, it is quite a lively wilderness and huge herds of antelope and other animals graze on its sparsely vegetated grassy plains.

Overnight and breakfast, Kalahari Anib Lodge.

Travel distance: 280.1 km

After check-in you have the option to go on a self-guided walk or optionally book a sundowner nature drive to the Red Dunes.

Overnight and breakfast, Kalahari Anib Lodge.

After breakfast, continue south via Keetmanshoop and the Quiver Tree Forest to Canon Roadhouse.

Keetmanshoop is the administrative centre of southern Namibia. This is where the first Europeans from the South African Cape moved to. In 1866, the missionary Johann Schröder pitched a tent in the settlement. Later he built a hut for himself and his family, then a church made of reeds, which he plastered with dried mud. Lacking money, Schröder turned to the chairman of the Rhenish Mission, the wealthy German entrepreneur Johann Keetman, who donated 2000 Reichsmark to build a proper church. In gratitude, Schröder christened his settlement Keetman, and over time it became Keetmanshoop.

The museum is housed in the picturesque church, completed in 1895, which was built after the old one was destroyed in a flood. The Quiver Tree Forest is situated a few kilometres north-east of Keetmanshoop. The tree aloes are usually solitaires, but here there are over 250 specimens among the black dolerite rocks, forming an unusual “forest”. Some of the large plants are up to 5 m high and their age is estimated at 200-300 years.

You will cross the famous Lion River, a dry river that only carries water in particularly rainy years.

Arrive at Canon Roadhouse in the afternoon and check in.

Overnight and breakfast, Canon Roadhouse.

Travel distance: 393.7 km

A walk along the canyon rim with its magnificent photo scenery is unique and certainly one of the highlights of your trip!

The Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon on earth and one of the most important scenic sights in southern Africa. In some places the canyon is up to 27 km wide and 500 metres deep. Only a few plants and animals can survive in the barren landscape. Besides quiver trees, you can see the camel thorn tree and some euphorbias, wild tamarisk and hawthorn grow at the bottom of the canyon. Occasionally you will see mountain zebra, kudu, oryx and klipspringer, and if you are lucky you might even see a leopard.

The afternoon is at leisure.

Relax by the pool or join a nature drive (optional).

Overnight and breakfast, Canon Roadhouse.

Travel distance: 100.0 km

Early in the morning you drive towards Lüderitz via Aus.

Near Aus there is a herd of wild horses, about 150 of them, trotting back and forth between the barren pastures and the waterhole at Garub, having adapted to the conditions of the desert. Near Aus are also the remains of the internment camp from the First World War; from 1915, about 1500 soldiers of the Schutztruppe were imprisoned here for four years.

Overnight and breakfast, Klein Aus Vista Eagle Nest.

Travel distance: 280.9 km

After breakfast, drive north along the Namib Rand area. Today you have the opportunity to visit Duwisib Castle on the way.

The initiator of Duwisib Castle was the Saxon Baron von Wolff, who commissioned the Berlin-born architect Sander to build Duwisib Castle in 1908. The forts of the Schutztruppen in Namutoni, Gibeon and Windhoek served as models. Twenty-two rooms are grouped around a beautiful courtyard. Except for the building blocks, the building material and furniture came from Germany. The stonemasons came from Italy, the carpenters from Scandinavia and the builders from Ireland. The castle is furnished with old furniture, pictures and weapons from the last century.

Then on to Hoodia Desert Lodge.

Dinner, overnight and breakfast, Hoodia Desert Lodge.

Travel distance: 360.4 km

Early morning departure to Sossusvlei (optional).

Sossusvlei is a large, drainless clay depression surrounded by dunes, some of which are over 300 metres high. Most of the time the depression is dry, but in good rainy years, when the Tsauchab River has enough water, it reaches the depression and forms a lake. From the dunes you have an almost unreal view over the sea of dunes of the Namib Desert.

Afterwards you visit the Sesriem Canyon.

The Sesriem Canyon is particularly impressive. Here the Tsauch River has carved a bed up to 30 m deep through layers of rock that were deposited here 15 to 18 million years ago during a wetter phase of the Namib. The formation of the canyon dates back to 2 to 4 million years ago.

Return to Hoodia Desert Lodge.

In the afternoon you can relax and enjoy the various activities offered by the lodge (optional).

Dinner, overnight and breakfast, Hoodia Desert Lodge.

Travel distance: 200.0 km

After breakfast, the journey continues via Solitaire and Walvis Bay to Swakopmund.

Solitaire is 80 km from Rostock Ritz. This place, which is marked on all maps, is nothing more than a crossroads with a petrol station and a shop. The dead tree with a cut-off gas bottle is the bell tower – and landmark of the place.You then drive westwards, through the Naukluft Park down to the coast.

The drive goes over two passes, the Ghaub and the spectacular Kuiseb Pass with its bizarre rock formations. Continue through the endless stony desert of the Pre-Namib until you see the small harbour town of Walvis Bay ahead of you in the haze of the coastal fog.

In Walvis Bay you can visit the lagoon to view many sea birds (especially flamingos and pelicans live here!).

Long and narrow, the Namib stretches over 1900 km from South Africa’s Cape Province to Angola. It is considered one of the oldest deserts on earth.Two year-round rivers cut through the Namib, with the Kunene forming the northern and the Orange the southern border. In the driest areas, it extends up to 200 km inland. Walvis Bay is the only well-developed port on the Namibian coast. Although Namibia gained independence in 1990, Walvis Bay remained a South African enclave until 1994. Walvis Bay is sheltered in a bay, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the golden sand dunes of the Namib. Flamingos and lesser flamingos are often seen foraging in the lagoon.

Arrive in Swakopmund in the late afternoon.

Overnight and breakfast, Cornerstone Guesthouse.

Travel distance: 340.5 km

You have the opportunity to visit Swakopmund on your own. In addition, you have the opportunity to participate in Swakopmund activities (boat trip) in Walvis Bay with champagne, oysters and snacks, quad bike tour, Living Desert Tour, as well as various sightseeing flights, etc).

This small, pretty coastal town has many beautiful buildings from the German colonial period. You will see the Hohenzollern House, the Woermann Tower, the landing stage, the pier with lighthouse and naval monument and other Art Nouveau buildings. Many inhabitants speak German and you can stroll along Kaiser-Wilhelm-Strasse or along the Atlantic in Strandstrasse. A visit to the local museum and aquarium is recommended.

Overnight and breakfast, Cornerstone Guesthouse.

After a leisurely breakfast, you drive via Henties Bay and Uis to the Brandberg White Lady Lodge.

En-route you drive past the Brandberg massif. The Brandberg Massif is the highest elevation in the country, the King’s Stone is 2,573 metres high. The massive volcanic massif is visible from afar, jutting out of the 700-metre-high Namib plain. The entire Brandberg massif is about 30 km long and covers an area of 750 square kilometres. In the evening sun, the mountain glows red-golden, but the area is best known for its many petroglyphs. The most famous petroglyphs of the “White Lady” can be reached after a hike of about 2 ½ km.

Dinner, overnight and breakfast, Brandberg White Lady Lodge.

Travel distance: 229.8 km

Today, after waking up to utter tranquility, enjoy a hearty breakfast before you set out to explore on your own. One of the most popular activities in the area is the hike to the White Lady Paintings and the Desert Elephant Drive (optional and can be requested at the lodge reception).

Desert Elephant Drive: Desert elephants roam the Ugab River between June/July to Nov/Dec. Their visit to this area is seasonal and depends on the rainy season. The rest of the year (summer time or when the land receives rainfall) they move further north and out of the rivers into farmland. So the rides also depend on the season and whether the elephants are in the area. The drive departs at 8am or 2pm in winter, moving to 4pm in the afternoon in summer. Sightings cannot be guaranteed, but you will be informed of your chances on the day you arrive.

Hikes: Free hiking is available in the area. There are no set trails, but you are welcome to explore the area on foot by following the marked trails around the lodge.

If you don’t want to spend the afternoon by the pool, you can join the optional sunset cruises, which start an hour and a half before sunset. You will be taken on a scenic nature drive around the area before stopping at the perfect spot for a sundowner. Please note that the red colours you see in the photos are only visible on the western side of the mountain at sunset. However, the same effect can be seen early in the morning at sunrise.

Dinner, overnight and breakfast, Brandberg White Lady Lodge.

Your journey continues, via Khorixas to Damara Mopane Lodge.

Here you have the opportunity to walk to the sundowner deck a little higher up and enjoy a sundowner (optional) and the breathtaking view.

Overnight and breakfast, Damara Mopane Lodge.

Travel distance: 112.9 km

After breakfast, embark on a full-day excursion into the mysterious Damaraland (optional).

Visit the rock engravings of Twyfelfontein, the “Burnt Mountain” and the “Petrified Forest” (optional).

Two geological features you should not miss: The “Organ Pipes”, a series of dolerite columns exposed by erosion, are located in a gorge.

The “Burnt Mountain” takes its name from the accumulations of blackened limestone at its base; black chunks of dolerite, along with the other rocks that glow in a variety of hues, give the impression that a devastating fire has raged here.

Here there is the opportunity to see one of the largest collections of rock engravings in Africa. They have been carefully carved into the rock slabs, which are located on the slopes of the flat mountain. The highlight is the “Dancing Kudu”, which is surrounded by numerous geometric patterns.

About 200 million years ago, these trees were uprooted elsewhere and carried here by rivers during a tidal wave, covered by sediment and eventually exposed again by erosion.

Overnight and breakfast, Damara Mopane Lodge.

Continue towards the Etosha National Park and commence your first game drive into the park with your rental car.

Etosha National Park in northern Namibia is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in Africa. As early as 1907, Governor von Lindequist declared Etosha a nature reserve on an area five times larger than today’s national park. The current size of Etosha National Park is 22 270 square kilometres. The national park is home to large herds of springbok, impala, zebra and wildebeest as well as elephant, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, black rhino and various species of birds and reptiles.

Overnight and breakfast, Okaukuejo Camp.

Travel distance: 226.1 km

After breakfast, you can go on full-day game drives in Etosha National Park from the rental car and visit various waterholes.

Optionally, you can join a guided game drive from the camp.

Overnight and breakfast, Okaukuejo Camp.

You haven’t been able to photograph enough animals yet? Today you have another chance to complete your photo collection. Drive across the park and stop at the various waterholes to observe animals.

Overnight and breakfast, Onguma Etosha Aoba Lodge (situated outside the park).

Travel distance: 155.7 km

Today you have another chance to photograph animals. Optional game drives in four-wheel drive vehicles can be booked.

Overnight and breakfast, Onguma Etosha Aoba Lodge (situated outside the park).

After a leisurely breakfast, continue via Tsumeb and Grootfontein to Fiume Lodge. Fiume Lodge is ideally situated for easy access to the Bushman-land, Khaudom National Park and Etosha National Park.

The history of Tsumeb is closely linked to the minerals and ores that were mined here. The town’s museum, which documents the beginnings of mining in Tsumeb, is located in the school building on the main road. There is an interesting mineral exhibition in the museum and the Khora Room houses a collection of German weapons from World War I that were sunk in Lake Otjikoto in 1915 and later recovered.

Overnight and breakfast, Fiume Lodge.

Travel distance: 193.1 km

After a leisurely breakfast, this day is free for optional activities such as game drives and bushman walks.

Alternative activities may include a day in the life of a Namibian farmer. You will be greeted by the farmer and given a briefing on the tasks ahead for the day, as well as a little about the history of the farm and what farming in Namibia entails. You will accompany the farmer to observe or actively participate in the tasks scheduled for that day. This may mean fixing a fence or branding some cattle, so get ready for a fabulous trip into real farm life.

In the afternoon, you can explore the area on a sundowner drive. The sundowner drives take place in the late afternoon and last about 2.5 hours. During the drive there is a fun and exciting discovery of the bush and its inhabitants on the 1400 hectare private game farm. Game species on the farm include: Giraffe, Eland, Oryx, Zebra, Kudu, hartebeest, Impala, Springbok, Blesbok, Damara Dik Dik and Ostrich as well as a variety of birds and smaller mammal species.

Look forward to a spectacular Namibian sunset while refreshments, drinks and delicious snacks are served. Definitely a great way to end an already exciting day.

Overnight and breakfast, Fiume Lodge.

After breakfast, drive via Otavi to the Waterberg.

On this day you have the option to visit the Waterberg Plateau, but you could also visit it in the morning, depending on your preferences.

Overnight and breakfast, Waterberg Guest Farm.

Travel distance: 304.4 km

After breakfast you can visit the Waterberg Plateau Park, which is not far from your guest farm.

The Waterberg Plateau is one of the most impressive landscapes in northern Namibia. The plateau of the national park is 50 km long and about 16 km wide and towers as a table mountain over the surrounding area by about 200 metres. The low-water plateau of the national park is covered by tree and bush savannah, while at the foot of the plateau the vegetation is very diverse. The flora includes wild fig trees, several species of acacia, fire lilies and the coral tree. Some endangered animal species have been reintroduced here, e.g. water buffalo and leopard, as well as several breeding pairs of the rare Cape vulture, ibex, klipspringer, sable and eland antelopes and other mammal and especially bird species. The area is historically significant because of the decisive battle in 1904 between the imperial Schutztruppe and the rebellious Hereros. The military cemetery at the foot of the mountain bears witness to the events of that time.

You can simply relax and unwind by the lodge’s swimming pool, or join an optional afternoon sundowner cruise.

A sundowner is one of the iconic Namibian customs. As you make your way to one of the earthen dams that serve as water reservoirs after good rainy seasons, you will see many different game animals and soak up the magical light before and just after sunset. – Note: The Sundowner Tour can only take place if the Cheetah Conservation Fund visit is not booked.

Overnight and breakfast, Waterberg Guest Farm.

Travel distance: 100.0 km

Breakfast and today is by no means boring as there are many optional activities you can take part in, such as an optional shorter tour in the morning after breakfast or in the afternoon focusing on farming activities. The guide will explain the cattle and horse husbandry and show you some of the Santa Gertrudis cattle and Arabian horses, including how they protect the calves and foals from the numerous leopards that are tolerated here because they were here first.

The other activity is an afternoon visit to the nearby Cheetah Conservation Fund (optional at extra cost).

The afternoon activity takes you across the farm to the Cheetah Conservation Fund and on the way back to a wide open field at the foot of the Waterberg, which we call the Little Serengeti because of its abundance of game. Here you will get an impression of how we farm in the presence of the naturally present game as well as the predators.

At the CCF, a guide from the centre will take over. You will have the opportunity to witness a feeding session – except on Sundays, which is the cheetahs’ fasting day – learn about everything related to the cheetahs’ struggle for survival, and be taken on a drive through an enclosure where you can get up close and personal with some cheetahs that cannot be released into the wild, while the guide answers any questions you may have.

As the sun sets, make your way to the Little Serengeti to see animals such as eland, springbok, hartebeest, oryx antelope and a variety of nocturnal animals such as bat-eared foxes and aardvarks. You may also see a pangolin, porcupine or leopard or two.

Overnight and breakfast, Waterberg Guest Farm.

Travel distance: 100.0 km

Much of the history of the Herero is closely linked to Okahandja. In 1849, the German missionary Friedrich Kolbe settled here; however, when tribal warfare broke out just three months later, he had to leave the mission.

Arrive and check-in at your delightfully and comfortably situated Immanuel Wilderness Lodge, just minutes from Windhoek and offering an oasis of tranquillity in the beautiful Namibian wilderness.

Take a dip in the refreshing pool and indulge in hearty meals prepared by the lodge’s award-winning chef.

Dinner, overnight and breakfast, Immanuel Wilderness Lodge.

Travel distance: 256.8 km

After a leisurely and delicious breakfast, you can drive to Windhoek (optional).

In Windhoek, too, African handicrafts are offered everywhere. A visit to the Arts and Craft Centre is very nice. It is located in the valley street that runs parallel to Independence Avenue. Here you will find a large selection of local arts and crafts.

Other available attractions at the lodge is the Wellness Centre, which invites you on a journey of peace and tranquillity to relax and restore body, mind and spirit. Treatments are holistic, intuitive and tailored to resonate with the body and improve mental, physical and emotional well-being.

Tonight offers you the opportunity to enjoy your last evening amidst the African bush with excellent culinary delights.

Dinner, overnight and breakfast, Immanuel Wilderness Lodge.

After an unforgettable holiday, it is time to say goodbye to Namibia.

You have the rest of the day at leisure until you reach the airport. Return your rental car and drive to the airport for your flight home.

We look forward to welcoming you back to Southern Africa soon!

Travel distance: 42.0 km

The best time to visit is between April and September, during the cooler months when hiking along the canyon rim is more comfortable.

The Brandberg massif is home to the famous “White Lady” rock paintings and offers opportunities for desert elephant drives and beautiful hikes in a tranquil setting.

Yes, Namibia’s main roads are well-maintained and safe for self-driving, though some routes are gravel roads, so it’s advisable to drive carefully and check your vehicle’s condition regularly.

Yes, desert elephants roam the Ugab River area seasonally, and you may join an optional guided drive to spot them during your stay at Brandberg White Lady Lodge.

Yes, Etosha is a self-drive park, and you can explore the park in your rental car while observing wildlife at your own pace.