The Ultimate 16 day self-drive itinerary for Namibia

Namibia is an incredible country that checks all the boxes for travellers who love the outdoors, wildlife photography, landscape photography and more. I spent 16 days in Namibia and loved every minute. So if you’re planning a trip, here’s my 16 day self-drive itinerary for Namibia.

Who is this Namibia itinerary for?

This itinerary is for people who want to fit as much as possible into a self-drive in Namibia while staying within a reasonable budget. It covers a huge amount of the country while still allowing for a few moments of downtime so you don’t feel super rushed through your whole trip.
This itinerary It’s great for:

• Wildlife photographers/fans
• Landscape photographers
• Outdoorsy people (who still appreciate a warm shower here and there)
• Adventurous travellers
• People who are price conscious but with some room
• Anyone up to the challenge of a road trip! In the end, I drove 3833 kilometres over the 16 days (my boyfriend doesn’t have his license so it was all me haha)

Contents

• Who is this trip for?
• Self-drive overview
• Vehicle details for a self-drive in Namibia
• A detailed itinerary for a 16 day self-drive in Namibia
• What I’d add if I had more time in Namibia
• The itinerary at a glance

Road trip! 16 days in Namibia doing a self-drive

Although there are many travel companies who offer group trips through Namibia, my partner and I opted for a self-drive.

We booked through a company called Explore Namibia who helped us plan the itinerary based on what we wanted to see. They dealt with all the bookings, car rentals, and gave us helpful advice when we were weighing options. I’d definitely recommend them.

I’d never driven on the “wrong side” of the road before so it was a little stressful, but you learn pretty quick. Mostly I just wound up messing up the turn signal handle and the windshield wiper handles. When I came back to Canada my mind had swapped them to the Namibian side so I then spent months screwing the windshield wiper and turn signals up here lol.

If you want to learn more about doing a self-drive, check out this beginner’s guide to planning a road trip through Namibia.

The Toyota Hilux AKA my Mojo Dojo Casa House (MO)

As a Canadian, I’m desperately lacking the skill to drive in manual (I’m working on it okay). But thankfully we were able to get an automatic truck from the rental place. We got a pretty new (and lovely) Toyota Hilux that I immediately named MO because we would be spending a lot of time there. Look, Barbie is a great movie I will not be taking feedback at this time.

The car came kitted out with a double tank so you could drive for well over 1000 km (although they recommend you fill it up frequently because when you’re OUT THERE there’s really no options). In the back we had a table, chairs, a mini fridge, cups, plates, pillows, blankets etc etc. It made packing a breeze because we didn’t have to fret about including sleeping bags.

You can get cars that are not built for off roading for your trip but this itinerary definitely benefitted from the low range gear box (and taking care of the tires by adjusting the pressure to match the road surface). You’ll see graveyards of blown out tires on your adventure so better to be safe than sorry.

Most importantly, on the roof of MO was the pop up tent. It takes minutes to set up or take down, it was never too stuffy in there, and climbing up and down the ladder every day felt like such a fun tree house kind of adventure. Although we had a few nights in a lodge, the tent was where we spent most nights.

God I miss my truck.

A detailed 16 day self-drive itinerary for Namibia

Day 1: Arrive in Windhoek (late)

Where to stay: The Capbon Guesthouse

The airport is a little ways outside of town so I’d recommend pre-arranging a driver to pick you up (especially if you’re arriving late like we did). We got in too late to do anything except shower and rest up.

Capbon is a nice little guesthouse with a pool and comfortable rooms. Clean, friendly staff, convenient location. All you could ask for to kick off a trip. Breakfast was included for us in the AM but we were picked up very early to get started on our adventure the next day.

Day 2: The Kalahari

Where to stay: Kalahari Anib Campsite
Today’s estimated driving distance: 281 km

After getting the car we were off to grab some groceries from the Spar in Grove Mall in Windhoek. Getting a good basis of things for the trip made the rest of it much easier since they had the biggest selection (and reasonable prices). Now, with a mini fridge and a two week trip planned we couldn’t max it all out here, but we got a bunch of canned goods, breads, veggies, tea etc to keep us going.

Then we were off to the Kalahari Anib Campsite. The roads for this part of the journey are for the most part smooth tarmac and an easy drive.

Once you arrive, the camp offers a few interesting activities. We opted for an evening game drive/ sundowner to check out the beautiful rusty red landscape and see some wildlife. There’s a few different activities you can choose from though depending what time you’re there, like guided dune walks during the day and at night or self-guided hiking tours if you’re up to it.

The campsite itself is somehow basic and luxurious at the same time? Each site has a covered patio space to avoid the sun with a picnic table. Most importantly, there are electrical hook ups (mini fridge and camera charge let’s gooo). And a private shower, toilet, hand sink and dish sink. Heaven.

Days 3 – 4: Sossusvlei (Deadvlei and the Namib Desert)

Where to stay: Sesriem Campsite (inside the gates)
Estimated driving distance: 310 km (plus driving in the park)

The drive from the Anib Campsite is where the roads start to change from fairly easy to drive on to (hello darkness my old friend) corrugated roads. I will say, every single day we were driving from place to place we saw workers out trying to smooth things out and the roads in general are pretty good. But it can get to you lol.

We spent two nights at the Sesriem campsite which is inside the gates of the national park. If you’re a landscape photographer [LINK GOES HERE] you’re going to want to be inside the park. It gives you much earlier access to getting inside the National Park so you can drive the 60 km or so through the stunning desert landscape to get to Deadvlei for first light. The campsite here isn’t what you’d call luxurious. But it was comfortable. You’re close but not too close to neighbours and the washrooms were clean and well maintained. 

Once we arrived we dashed out to check out a few dunes before sunset (you must be back inside the gates before dark or there’s a fine). 

Next morning we were up by 4:20am and left through the gate the moment we could. We managed to catch a rainy (for the desert) day though. We spent a few hours taking pictures at Deadvlei, hiking the dunes, and seeing the surrounding area before returning to the campsite.

The next morning (which was the day we were leaving) we actually did it again because the weather was all blue skies. Left at the same time and spent another 3 hours just photographing Deadvlei because we loved it so much. 

I’ll be honest, that’s sort of what you do there. You go check out the petrified forest, hike the dunes (Big Daddy is really quite a big daddy), find the Hidden Vlei, and just enjoy how beautiful it is there. At night, if you wander a little ways away (but still within the gates!) you can get some beautiful dark skies to appreciate the stars and do some astrophotography is the clouds are forgiving.

There’s a few animals around, a curious jackal wandered up to see if my boyfriend had any food (we have a strict do not feed the wildlife rule though) and there’s plenty of oryx wandering about.

Remember to bring lots of water. We packed some hydration tablets that were helpful in the heat, too.

Days 5-7: Swakopmund/ Walvis Bay + stopover in Solitaire

Where to stay: Swakopmund Guesthouse
Estimated driving distance: 349 km from Deadvlei to Swakopmund

Heading out from Sesriem this drive definitely felt longer than 349 km, but was beautiful nonetheless.

En route you’ll pass a famous little spot on the map: Solitaire. It’s a great spot to refuel and is famous for its apple pie. The history goes that the Dutch Writer Ton van der Lee came to the village, opened a restaurant, and now it’s a hoppin little spot that’s perfect to break up the drive. You can stay there for a night… but I wouldn’t.

Swakopmund/Walvis Bay are two of the bigger cities in Namibia with a ton of stuff to do and restaurants to check out. We got to Walvis Bay and stopped at a little oceanside restaurant Dockside Seafood and Grill to enjoy some oysters by the harbour. Trading the Namib Desert for the Atlantic Ocean was certainly a vibe shift. It was pretty chilly here by comparison so bring warm clothes along.

The Guesthouse we stayed at was excellent – and they offer a laundry service. We had our breakfasts here too and would for sure come back.

Our first night we went exploring to some of the restaurants in Swakopmund. First, drinks at Tiger Reef which was actually lovely except we were freezing our butts off. But would love to go back during the day or on a warmer night because the seating area gives you a great view. Then we walked down the street to Jetty 1905. The food was excellent. However the ocean was roaring and you can feel the whole restaurant swaying with the waves sometimes which, when it’s pitch black outside, can be a little nerve wracking. Still would recommend.

The next day, we did an all day tour with Sandwich Harbour 4×4. In the morning, we did a sailing tour where we visited seal colonies, saw oyster farms, and enjoyed some oysters and champagne. 

That afternoon, the tour driver took us on a Namibian rollercoaster (aka driving through the dunes). This company is great because they have so much respect for the wildlife and the environment, with special permits for certain areas. Since the tide was high we couldn’t go down the coast right beside the water… so I guess I need to go back.

If we do go back I’d want to go kayaking IF the weather was a little more pleasant. I’d also like to do a full day trip out to one of the shipwrecks. Unfortunately not enough people had signed up for that trip when we were there. 

That night we ate at a local German joint, Altstadt Restaurant, which had some pretty great spatz and schnitzel. It’s like a two minute walk from the guesthouse and it’s safe to walk here at night (always use your best judgment) so it was perfect for us. 

Day 8: Spitzkoppe

Where to stay: Spitzkoppe Rest Camp
Estimated driving distance: 160 km

Spitzkoppe is a quick little trip out of town. On the way you can stop by and check out one of the many shipwrecks along the coast: The Zeila, which became a wreck in 2008. However, this spot was full of some pretty pushy people trying to sell rocks. If you get there early you might have a more relaxing time checking it out.

Spitzkoppe is a landscape photographer’s playground. The peak is 1,784 meters high and the space is surrounded by arches and boulder to climbs and explore. There’s a rock climbing community here as well as some petroglyphs that a guide can take you to if you have the time.

The campsite was a little barren you might say. But still safe. It’s first come first served with spots though so worth it to come in and stake a claim early. This is another spot where the night skies are incredibly dark and make for some lovely star gazing.

Day 9: Twyfelfountein

Where to stay: Mowani Mountain Camp
Estimated driving distance: 225 km

From Spitzkoppe head northwest on a series of gravel roads, passing the highest mountain in Namibia (the Brandberg) which is 2573 meters high.If you’d like, you can visit a nearby rock formation in the Brandberg called “the white lady”. It will add maybe an hour and a half to the drive and we had booked a tour this day in Damaraland so we passed it by.

This road is a little rough so you won’t be going quick. But the landscape is lovely so it’s at least a nice view. 

We camped at Mowani Mountain camp which was a really lovely campsite – they even came and heated up the shower water for us. Luxury. There is a lodge here but as a camper you’re not allowed to access the facilities.

Out here one of the coolest things to do is to take a safari to visit the Desert Elephants. These are a special kind of elephant who have adapted to the extreme droughts (they’re only here and in Mali so they’re quite special). We did our tour with Twyfelfountein Desert Drives, a local company run by a man who grew up in a nearby village. The experience was lovely, you do get quite close to them to see them do whatever it is they’re doing.

In this area you can also visit the Damara Living Museum which is the first traditional Damara project in Namibia. It lets you experience some of the traditional Damara culture Unfortunately, we didn’t have quite enough time (which means we just need to go back).

We had the best luck seeing the stars here, very dark skies and wide open spaces made for spectacular views.

Day 10: Etosha West

Where to stay: Olifanstrus Campsite
Estimated driving distance: 300 km + driving through the park

It’s a bit of a trek from Damaraland to Etosha but you can stop by and refuel both your car and your mini fridge on the way to Etosha.

Be mindful of the park’s meat rules. You’re can take raw meat and unpasteurised milk into Etosha if you travel from the south. However, you cannot take it out past the same control point, unless the meat is cooked. They will check your fridge when you leave and confiscate anything you miss. It’s a way to help stop disease.

Arriving in Etosha, check in at the gate. If you’re staying in the west part of the park like we were, you’ll enter through the Galton Gate. Security will check your car and take you through park rules. It feels strict because it is: animal safety and preservation is extremely important.

Etosha is where wildlife fans and photographers come to life. You cannot leave your vehicle here (because LIONS y’all) and you must drive on the marked roads to protect the land. But there’s plenty of watering holes to explore, full of zebra, elephants, giraffe, springbok, rhinos and a whole bunch of cool birds. Keep an eye out for the secretary bird, it looks like a muppet. And the vultures are pretty great.

Olifanstrus (and the whole western side of the park) is less busy than the central or east so it’s a quieter space to see some shyer animals. In fact, here’s why I think it’s the best spot for wildlife photographers to stay in Etosha.

The campsite here has all you need with showers and a communal dish area. it’s very small which means it’s peaceful and you get a lovely neighbourhood vibe.

PLUS – there’s the lit up watering hole. An amazing way to spend the evening. This hide is unique because it’s a two story tower with a watering hole around the base. You can watch from above or head down and see the animals on the same level. Truly neat.

Day 11-12: Etosha Central

Where to stay: Okaukuejo Camp (you can camp here but I would recommend a lodging if your budget allows)
Estimated driving: a few hundred km – we used the day to stop in and out at different watering holes en route to the new campsite so impossible to know

Okaukuejo is the main campsite and the busiest. You can camp here or stay in a lodge. We spent the day checking out more amazing animals ourselves, but you can also sign up for drives at the main office here for morning and night drives with a park ranger.

There’s also a lit up watering hole here which is pretty incredible. It’s much larger than Olifanstrus so you need to get there early to get a good spot (worth it to bring a camp chair if you’ve got one the benches go fast). What surprised me most was that despite there being a huge amount of people here everyone was dead silent – or hushed very quickly.  Made for some amazing wildlife spotting.

I will say, I wouldn’t camp here again although I’d want to come back. Many of the large tour buses stop here and we had people walking through and standing in our campsite all night. Like, why are you beside my tent my dude? Would need some space, ya know? So great spot but I’d stay in one of the cabins if I could just for the extra peace.

Day 13: Etosha East

Where to stay: Halali Campsite
Estimated driving: a few hundred km – we used the day to stop in and out at different watering holes en route to the new campsite so impossible to know

Our last night inside the park was out in Halali, a campsite farther east. Again, you can spend the day searching for animals and checking out the pan.

It’s a lovely campsite, less busy than Okaukuejo but still a little loud. The lit up watering hole here had a nice covered space so you could get out of the sun. For some reason this is where the audience was chattiest which I find frustrating. 

We did get to see an African Wild Cat through which was pretty awesome. This tiny little thing sent a bunch of zebras into a frenzy. Animals are so cool.

Day 14: Onguma

Where to stay: Onguma Leadwood Campsite
Estimated driving distance: Onguma is literally down the road from Etosha but again we used most of the day to drive around the park and check things out so no idea how far we really drove that day

Just outside the park is Onguma. We explored the far east part of Etosha on the way, filled up the tank, and then headed out. It’s like just down the road so it’s not a far drive. Another really great campsite though. Being a private game reserve, you’re not permitted to drive through the grounds on your own. But there’s a lovely pool and they offer a variety of drives. We lounged today and did another sundowner where we saw some lions and even had a hyena wander through our site.

Day 15: Okonjima

Where to stay: Okonjima Plains Camp
Estimated driving distance: 350 km

I was heartbroken to leave the Etosha area, but I’ll be honest Okonjima is one of the few places to ease the sadness of leaving, it’s pretty awesome. The drive is pretty straightforward – watch because these roads are patrolled for speeders.

You can stop on the way at an alligator farm (which you can also tour). The food is good and it’s nice to not cook lol. But you’re gonna wanna get going – Okonjima is well worth spending some time at.

Okonjima is a nature reserve and home to Africat which is an organization dedicated to the preservation of Namibia’s large carnivores and endangered species. The place is beautiful, the food was great, you get welcomed with a cold drink. It was by far the nicest place we stayed, with a gorgeous huge window looking out across the plains.

The activities here are also top notch. I was a little sad we didn’t have time to do the pangolin tracking (I love them) since you have to stay two days so it would be worth adding a day just for that. But we did a nature drive/sundowner in the evening and woke up bright and early for leopards tracking.

Their land is home to a few leopards who have radio collars on them as a way to track and study the animals. You don’t get a direct reading (to keep them safe) but you wind up going on quite the adventure to find them. The guides here were so knowledgeable, helpful, and we learned so much. I also love spending time with people who are so passionate about helping the planet. In the end we were lucky and saw two leopards and a glimpse of a juvenile. Incredible day.

Day 16: Windhoek

Where we stayed: Villa Vista Guesthouse
Estimated driving distance: 290 km

Ends of trips always make me so sad. We rolled in from Okonjima late and after a quick drive around town we dropped the car off and were driven to our last guesthouse of the trip.

This place was lovely – we lounged by the pool and slowly started to back up some photos and reorganize our packing. A very chilled out day for a really wonderful trip.

That night we hit dinner at Joe’s Beerhouse and very fittingly managed to run into a few people we’d met on our adventure at various times. You can shop and there’s museums in town here to explore as well, but I’m glad our last night was relaxing. In the end I’d driven 3833 km (my boyfriend doesn’t have his license lol) and I was ready to veg out

If I had more than 16 days in Namibia…

Unfortunately limited vacation time (and budget) gave us some tight parameters to play in, so if I had some more days to add to the itinerary I would do the following:

• Add a few days to drive down to Kolmanskop
• Add an extra day in Swakopmund/Walvis Bay Area to give a bit of a buffer and do some more exploring
• Stay two nights at Okonjima to experience the pangolin tracking

16 day itinerary for a self-drive in Namibia at a glance

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Heading out for a self-drive in Namibia?

So exciting! Let me know where you’re going while you’re there and if you check out any of the spots I mention above.