Namibia for Honeymooners Self–Drive

Day 1 Windhoek

Upon arrival in Windhoek collect your vehicle and drive to your guesthouse nearby. You’ll meet one of our tour consultants’ who will go through your travel plans and answer any last–minute questions you may have. Depending on your arrival time you may choose to wander into the city centre, or relax by the pool, alternatively join an optional township tour, horse ride, or even head out for a birding trip.

Day 2&3 Namib Naukluft Park area.

The next days are spent exploring this ancient landscape of stark beauty, where you can climb to the top of a dune and gaze in awe as they stretch as far as you can see. Early morning is best when first light trickles over bright red dunes and casts stunning shadows. Wander through Dead Vlei with its ancient and skeletal trees and relax under the shade of a camel thorn tree close to Sossusvlei taking in the magnificent desert vista before returning to your camp/lodge for a refreshing plunge in the pool. Perhaps also stop at Dune 45 or Sesriem Canyon during your stay

Day 4&5 Swakopmund

Drive through the desert plains to Swakopmund today, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn, en–route you may choose to stop at Walvis Bay to visit the lagoon, a protected RAMSAR wetland site, to see the many species of birds including greater and lesser flamingos, pelicans, avocets, plovers and the endemic Damara tern. From here, it is a short coastal drive to the historic and adventure seaside town of Swakopmund, where you can join optional activities on offer, such as a marine cruise or a highly recommended trip along the coastal dunes to Sandwich Harbour. Scenic flights take you over the Sossusvlei dunes and coastline to see dunes falling into the ocean, a shipwreck 200m inland and old diamond mines. For the more adventurous, kayak, tandem skydive, sand board, quad bike tours and more are available.

Day 6 Twyfelfontein, Damaraland

Drive north along the Skeleton Coast, stopping at a shipwreck south of Henties Bay and onward to Cape Cross seal colony – a huge colony where over 100,000 congregate on the beach and rocks during breeding season. Continuing, your destination today is the Twyfelfontein area, a very vulnerable and delicate ecosystem renowned for some of the best rock engravings in Southern Africa and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Desert–adapted elephants wander through dry riverbeds whilst granite kopjies rise above the gravel plains

Day 7&8 Northern Damaraland

This incredible area of ancient lava and rock–strewn terrain with strange plant and tree life is home the last place on earth where black rhino freely roam among the dramatic plateaus and valleys. Activities focus around game drives, tracking elephants or rhinos and engaging with local communities and winner of sustainable tourism award at Grootberg (Camping & Accommodated sections), for the luxury option, Damaraland Camp has won several awards for sustainability and community support

Day 9&10 Etosha National Park

Etosha is Namibia’s prime game reserve and spend the next nights enjoying game drives and exploring this fantastic park. There is great diversity of wildlife and during dry winter months animals jostle for position around waterholes. Watch out for herds of elephant, hundreds of plains game such as zebra, springbok, wildebeest, and giraffe, along with predators from prowling lion, and the secretive leopard, to cheetah and spotted hyena. Spend nights either inside the park or on adjacent private game reserves where game viewing is second–to–none

Day 11 Okonjima for AfriCat Foundation

After a leisurely breakfast and a final game drive out of the park, head south to Okonjima, home of the AfriCat Foundation. A beautiful lodge set among 15,000ha of land where guided game drives are offered. You can track leopard from the vehicle, perhaps track radio–collared rehabilitated cheetah or hyena and find out the challenges of predator survival and human conflict. Namibia has a high concentration of cheetah and the AfriCat Foundation gives an insight into research work as well as the chance to see these magnificent cats at close quarters. A favourite destination for staff and visitors alike

Day 12 Windhoek/Departure

If time permits, you may wish to enjoy an optional activity at Okonjima this morning, then drive south perhaps stopping at Okahandja for some last–minute souvenir shopping at the craft markets where you can barter some gifts. Your self drive safari in Namibia ends as you drop your vehicle and take onward connection – no flights prior to mid–afternoon.