Book this 16-day northern Namibia self-drive safari from N$ 171,000. You drive from Windhoek to Okonjima, Etosha National Park, Damaraland, Kaokoland and the Skeleton Coast. Then you drive south through Swakopmund and the Namib Desert and return to Windhoek.
The route includes two remote camps in the far north: Hoanib Valley Camp and Shipwreck Lodge. It is a good trip if you want to see desert-adapted elephants. People Tours & Safari CC (PTS) meets you in Windhoek, briefs you on your vehicle and route, and books every stay.
Trip Summary
- Duration: 16 days, 15 nights
- Country: Namibia
- Start and end: Windhoek
- Accommodation: Boutique hotels, lodges, tented chalets and campsites
- Highlights: Etosha National Park, Hoanib Valley, Skeleton Coast, Twyfelfontein, Sossusvlei area
- Price: From N$ 171,000
Where You Stay
- Heinitzburg Boutique Hotel, Windhoek: 1 night
- Okonjima Campsite, AfriCat Foundation: 1 night
- Ongava Lodge, near Etosha National Park: 2 nights
- Hoada Campsite, Damaraland: 1 night
- Hoanib Valley Camp, Kaokoland: 2 nights
- Shipwreck Lodge, Skeleton Coast: 2 nights
- Mowani Campsite, Damaraland: 1 night
- Elephant Rock Community Campsite, Damaraland: 1 night
- Villa Margherita, Swakopmund: 1 night
- Tsondab Valley Lodge, near Solitaire: 2 nights
- Sandwerf Retreat, near Dordabis: 1 night
16-Day Self-Drive Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Windhoek
You are transferred to Heinitzburg Boutique Hotel, which looks over the city. You meet your vehicle and get a full briefing on its equipment and your route.
Overnight: Heinitzburg Boutique Hotel
Day 2: Windhoek to Okonjima
After breakfast you take a driver safety training. You then learn where to buy food for your camping nights. Drive to Okonjima Reserve, home to the AfriCat Foundation.
Overnight: Okonjima Campsite
Days 3 and 4: Ongava Lodge, Etosha
Spend two days on Ongava Reserve, just south of Etosha National Park. The lodge is a good base for exploring Etosha. The camp waterhole has a hide where you can watch animals come to drink.
Overnight: Ongava Lodge
Day 5: Etosha to Hoada, Damaraland
Drive west to Hoada Campsite, on the edge of Damaraland before the Grootberg Pass. There are only eight secluded sites among the kopjes. Hoada is pronounced “Waada.”
Overnight: Hoada Campsite
Days 6 and 7: Hoanib Valley Camp, Kaokoland
This is a long drive north to Hoanib Valley Camp. The camp is remote and has only six tented chalets. Two nights give you time to track desert-adapted elephants, lions and giraffes.
Overnight: Hoanib Valley Camp
Days 8 and 9: Shipwreck Lodge, Skeleton Coast
A member of the Shipwreck Lodge team escorts you on the drive to the lodge. It sits in the Skeleton Coast Central Concession Area, a restricted part of the national park. The rooms are built in the style of shipwrecks and stand on the dunes. Spend two nights here to explore this remote conservation area.
Overnight: Shipwreck Lodge
Day 10: Skeleton Coast to Mowani, Damaraland
Drive south into Damaraland to Mowani Campsite. From here you can visit the ancient rock engravings at Twyfelfontein.
Overnight: Mowani Campsite
Day 11: Mowani to Elephant Rock, Damaraland
Drive to the west side of the Brandberg Mountain. Elephant Rock Community Campsite is remote and run by the local community. You can hike to Elephant Rock, which gives the campsite its name.
Overnight: Elephant Rock Community Campsite
Day 12: Swakopmund
Return to the coast and stay at Villa Margherita, a boutique hotel in the centre of Swakopmund. The rooms surround a courtyard garden.
Overnight: Villa Margherita
Days 13 and 14: Tsondab Valley Lodge, near Solitaire
Drive south to Tsondab Valley Lodge in the Namib Naukluft area. Spend two days on the private nature reserve. You can explore the fossil dunes, the 50 m deep Hidden Canyon and the Blue Mountains.
Overnight: Tsondab Valley Lodge
Day 15: Sandwerf Retreat, near Dordabis
Spend your last night in Namibia at Sandwerf Retreat. Relax and look back on the trip.
Overnight: Sandwerf Retreat
Day 16: Departure
Drive to Windhoek airport. A PTS representative meets you for your trip debrief and the vehicle hand-over, in good time for your flight.
Why Choose This Route
- Two remote camps in the north: Hoanib Valley Camp and Shipwreck Lodge
- Time to track desert-adapted elephants in the Hoanib Valley
- Two nights near Etosha National Park for game viewing
- A mix of boutique hotels, lodges and campsites
Book This Northern Namibia Self-Drive Safari
Book your 16-day northern Namibia self-drive safari with PTS. Send an enquiry with your travel dates and group size to get your quote.
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