Your tailor-made holiday will be as unique as you are. These itineraries are just a starting point, a bit of inspiration to show what’s possible. Your own trip all starts with a conversation with one of our Namibia experts, who’ll take the time to understand what matters most to you and design the perfect holiday to match.
If you're coming to Namibia for the wildlife, this is the holiday idea for you. From big cats and black rhino, to hippos bathing in the shallows and elephants by the roadside, this trip combines some of the best game viewing in the country with a journey that changes pace and scenery as you go.
Starting in the private Okonjima Reserve with a visit to the Africat Foundation, where you’ll track leopard and learn all about local conservation efforts. Then it’s on to Etosha National Park – Namibia’s best-known wildlife destination – for time spent self-driving between waterholes and staying on a private reserve just outside the gates. You’ll be exploring the eastern side of the park on this holiday, a great area for a self-drive adventure with some of the best scenery in the park and outstanding volumes of wildlife.
From there, you’ll head into the lush floodplains of the Caprivi Strip, where the Okavango-like landscape shifts to be almost tropical. You'll enjoy boat cruises across mokoro-style channels, with birds everywhere you look. Finally, you’ll cross into Botswana to end your journey on the banks of the Chobe River, home to one of the highest concentrations of elephant anywhere in Africa.
Here's a summary of what you might get up to day-to-day on this Namibia holiday. As always, this is just an idea. Every single day of your trip will be tailored to suit you.
Your adventure begins with an overnight flight from the UK to Johannesburg, before flying onwards to Windhoek in the morning.
After a short onward flight from Johannesburg, you’ll be met at Windhoek airport and transferred to your hotel in the suburbs. Later today, your 4WD hire car will be delivered and you’ll be briefed on your self-drive route, all the workings of the car and given some top tips for driving in Namibia. For dinner, we recommend Joe’s Beerhouse for a lively start or The Olive for something a little more upmarket.
There are two unforgettable guided activities planned for you today, all based around the wonderful work of the Africat Foundation. From leopard tracking and cheetah conservation to nature drives across the reserve, this will be a highlight of your Namibia safari holiday. After dinner, don’t miss the night hide, where porcupine and other nocturnal creatures come out to feed.
If you like, squeeze in one final Okonjima activity before driving north to Etosha, entering through the southern gate for a night at one of the park’s rest camps. Pull up a seat at the floodlit waterhole, grab a drink and let the wildlife come to you.
You’ll spend the day driving east through the heart of Etosha today, pausing at waterholes and spotting wildlife every mile of the way. After exiting through the eastern gate, you'll stay for two nights on the peaceful Onguma Reserve, just outside the park.
This morning, you’re in for a seriously special experience as you join a guided rhino tracking excursion, tracking white rhino. This is your chance to learn all about the conservation efforts in Onguma and maybe even see these incredible animals on foot if you’re lucky. This afternoon, you can head back into Etosha National Park for more wildlife encounters and a sundowner at your lodge.
Today is a bit of a longer drive (around 4–5 hours), ending near Rundu, the gateway to the Caprivi Strip. You’ll stay at a relaxed lodge on the banks of the Okavango River, where hippos and birds are often heard (and seen) from your terrace.
You’ll continue east into the Caprivi today. Stop at local craft stalls in Kongola before reaching your safari lodge near Mamili National Park for a two-night stay. The scenery here feels like a completely different country, lush, green and full of life.
Known as Namibia’s mini Okavango, Mamili is a floodplain area that's teeming with wildlife. You can self-drive if conditions allow, but guided activities are recommended, especially during the wetter months when flooding is likely. Expect to see elephant, hippo, buffalo and plenty of incredible birds on your adventures today.
It’s time to drive east again today, passing through Katima Mulilo before crossing the border into Botswana. You’ll drop off your car in Kasane and settle into your riverfront lodge, your base for the final two nights of your wildlife adventure.
You'll spend the day exploring Chobe National Park by boat or vehicle today. Cruises along the Chobe River are a real highlight, especially in the dry season when huge elephant herds gather at the water’s edge. Game drives can also be arranged in advance or on arrival, just chat to us if you think this is something you’d like to include.
This morning, you'll transfer across the border to Livingstone, Zambia. This is the most convenient place to board your flight to Johannesburg, before connecting to your overnight flight home.
We offer tailor-made holidays to suit a wide range of tastes. Our expert Kirsty is dedicated to all things Namibia and is here to help you plan your perfect trip.
Kirsty’s travelled all over Southern Africa for more than 20 years, and Namibia remains one of her favourite spots. She’s your go-to for remote lodges, unique wildlife encounters and properly otherworldly desert scenery.
Speak to one of our travel specialists today.
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