Namibia Road Trip
The great thing with Namibia is that while it is a very large country, it’s mostly desert. So there is only so much that you can access.
Here is the entire route that we took over two weeks
For this trip, I would highly recommend one of the outfitted pickup trucks. The roads are rough and camping is a must.
Sossusvlei
About a 4 hour drive from Windhoek, start you tour here. You can do Sossusvlei in 24 hours. Pickup your vehicle in the morning and make it to the park by the afternoon.
In the Evening
Go to Elim for sunset. Reviews say the hike takes 15 mins, but it’s longer. Plan for at least 30 mins to reach a good view atop the dune. No trail exists, so just keep hiking up. Read on for info on staying in the park to catch the sunset.
Sunrise from Dune 45
After Sunrise Head To Deadvlei
Time to drive to Deadvlei. The last kilometer is sand, and I stopped to let air out of my tires. I did not see anyone else who did, so I think you’d be fine to avoid that hassle. Do note everyone heads here next, so there will be a crowds. Once 930am hits, it starts getting hot.
Early The Next Morning
You have the option to hit Dune 45 or Big Daddy for sunrise. We did Dune 45, its much closer to the park entrance. For Big Daddy you’ll need to be racing down the highway as it is much further and it’s a big hike. Folks start lining up at the gate about 20 mins before it opens. There will be +40 trucks there when the gate opens.
Bonus Stop : Sesriem Canyon
There is a canyon that’s pretty neat you can go after Deadvlei. It’s quite deep so the shade is nice. Few folks stop here. We saw baboon and hyena footprints, so just be aware.
Sossusvlei Accomodation
To catch sunrise at Big Daddy or Dune 45, or sunset at Elim, you must stay in the park. There are two gates: the first (purple) leads to accommodations and is open from sunrise to sunset; the second (yellow) opens an hour before sunrise and closes an hour after sunset.
For early access stay at Sesriem Oshana (15 sites, nicer facility) or Sesriem (44 sites, has a pool). These will book up.
If booked, Sossus Oasis is outside the park. Note will not be able to see sunrise/sunset from the popular locations
Next Stop : Walvis Bay/Swakopmund
Stop here the kayak with the seals. I have kayaked next to seals before, but this is different. There are thousands and they swim so close they bump your boat
Walvis Bay/Swakopmund Accomodation
We stayed at Alte Brücke Resort. It was very clean and felt safe.
Tiger was the other camping area, though the reviews of it were not as good, and it is in a windy spot.
This was my favorite stop of the trip. While striking scenery is everywhere, the unique thing here is to take your vehicle for a drive on the dried up river bed. We rode up canyons for hours and never saw another soul
Moon Landscape
Moon Landscape Accommodation
Moon River Camp - We stayed here and highly recommend this one. They have a pool, hot showers and easy access to the river bed
Palmenkop is also nice, we stopped by to enjoy a drink at the “Desert Bar”
Swakop River Campsite 3 is the government campsite, not much in terms of amenities, but very remote
Spitzkoppe
Its a giant rock in the desert, definitely spend the night here.
There are two tours you can go on to see the rock pictographs. We did both. Hit Bushman’s paradise if you only want to do one.
The sunsets are wild, but get a spot around 9-11 to watch it from your campsite.
Do note : Upon the gates there are a lot of children begging for water. I believe they do get filtered water from the campsite for free. This may be more of a strategy to have you stop and ask for food or sell some trinkets. Before you get there pick up a sack of apples, hand them out. This feeds them but also prevents trash from piling up as there is quite a bit around the town.
Etosha National Park
With the park situated in the desert, you’re able to see many animals without large trees or bushes blocking. I would recommend going here in the dry season though. We went in the wet and didnt have quite the same luck as in Kruger.
A night safari in Etosha with many Rhinos
Accomodation : Etosha National Park
We camped at Okaukeujo, Halali, and Namutoni—each one offering decent food, a wildlife-watching watering hole, and a refreshing pool. If you're camping, position yourself near the watering holes; that way, you can make a quick dash if you hear the lions!
Waterberg
This is essentially a large rock formation surrounding an area. The campsites are normal, and they have bungalows for rent too. Here there are also some short hikes. I wouldn’t go out of your way for this stop
