Namibia, Botswana & Victoria Falls

Guided 4x4 Self-Drive Tour

A guided self-drive journey exploring Namibia, Botswana, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Exploring the highlights and the off the beaten track gems we have found over the years. Experience amazing wildlife, epic landscapes, meet the locals and get under the skin of this special part of Southern Africa.

This journey starts in Windhoek the capital of Namibia and ends in Maun in Botswana – the gateway to the Okavango Delta, the jewel of the Kalahari. We will travel in comfortable well equipped Toyota dual cab 4×4 campers. These campers are comfortable and easy to camp with and so for a lot of this journey will stay in organised campsites with good facilities. Along the journey we have also included some nights in comfortable hotels and guest houses to break up the camping. The journey will be guided and there will be a support vehicle which will also cater for most meals as we travel.

Pricing: please enquire

Tour Dates: please enquire

ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS

Namibia

Namibia and all its splendour – think big open spaces, amazing landscapes and epic wildlife. This is where the 4×4 campers will come into their own.

Explore the Dune Fields around Sesriem and the Namib-Naukluft National Park, climb some of the highest dunes in the world and test your sand driving as we explore. An expert local guide will show you just how much lives in this harsh environment if you know where to look.

Head out into the wilds and explore the rock spires of Spitzkoppe and the harsh deserts landscapes around Twyfelfontein with its amazing rock art.

Head further north into the desert in search of the elephant, rhinos and other wildlife which have adapted to live in this harsh environment.

Explore the Kaokoland and meet the local Himba tribal people still proudly keeping to their traditional ways. We will over the journey meet many different local tribes just in Namibia we will meet the Himba, San or Bushman, Ovambo and Herero all with their distinctive traditions and dress.

Explore the area of Epupa Falls deep in Himba Land on the northern border of Namibia.

Game drive in Etosha National Park marvelling at the amazing wildlife – Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard and many plains antelope in there natural environment, this is a true wildlife experience.

Relax by the river on the beautiful Caprivi Strip.

Victoria Falls

Cross the border into Zimbabwe and marvel at the incredible Victoria Falls as you stroll along the edge of this natural wonder. There is also the chance to fly over the Falls and, for the adventurous, why not white water raft the mighty Zambezi?

Botswana

Explore the Chobe National Park with some of the highest concentrations of elephant in Africa. We explore by boat and our self-drive 4×4 vehicles.

Experience the unique Elephant Sands campsite where large herds of elephant gather at one of the few sources of fresh water in this arid region.

Visit the largest salt pans in the world, the Makgadigadi Pans and head out on a guided tour in search of the unique wildlife including meerkats.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Windhoek

Arrive at Windhoek airport where we will meet you and transfer you to a comfortable hotel in the city with a chance to relax and explore the city if you choose. In the evening we head to Joe’s beer house a local institution serving local specialities and sure to be a fun night out.

Most people will arrive from Australia into Johannesburg international airport and there are easy connecting flights to Windhoek which take just under 2 hours.

Day 2 - Spreethoogte

A relaxed start to the morning and after breakfast we head off to collect our 4×4 campers We spend some time getting familiar with all the features, as well as time spent discussing how to drive the mainly dirt roads and tracks we will explore on this epic journey. Previous dirt road driving experience will be useful but not essential, and with a bit of help we are sure you will enjoy driving the many stunning roads we will explore.

It’s time to hit the road! We start off on tar which will give everybody a chance to get a feel for their 4×4 before turning off onto the dirt/gravel roads that Namibia is famous for. As we wind through the mountains we head to the top of the Spreethoogte pass at an altitude of 1822m above sea level. The drive to the top of the pass is great but the views from the top of the pass down onto the coastal plain and dune fields of the Namib Naukluft Desert are sure to inspire. After admiring the view, we head for our first camp and first of many dinners cook around the campfire. On this tour all the campfire cooking is taken care of by the crew but you are welcome to be involved if you like.

Day 3 - Sossusvlei & Namib-Naukluft National Park

Today we wind our way down towards the dune fields of the Namib Desert and Namib Naukluft National park. Enroute we stop of at Solitaire a desert outpost famous for its apple pie of all things and a great place to break the journey.

The scenery will continue to impress as we head for Sesriem where we will camp for the night and this will be our jump off point to explore the dune fields of the national park. We explore Sossusvlei literally translated to ”dead end marsh”. The huge red dunes come together preventing the Tsauchab River a passage to the Atlantic Ocean more than 60km away and creating one of the most famous landscapes in Namibia

There is some great sand driving to do and with the correct tyre pressures everybody is sure to enjoy themselves. There is the option to head into the national park in the afternoon and the following morning which should allow some great options for photos.

The nearby sand canyon of Sesriem is also worth exploring. Another night in the desert with amazing stars and a cracking fire.

Days 4 & 5 - Namib Desert

Today we head to a special destination and private game reserve/desert experience. Many years ago (well possibly like 25 years ago) when Pete first started guiding in Namibia he had the pleasure of meeting a guide who showed a side of the Namib desert most miss and don’t even know exist and he still continues to show people what this amazing desert hides. We head out on a late afternoon guided drive to see what the desert has to offer. The following day we head off on a 4×4 route to explore the surrounding landscapes.

Days 6 & 7 - Swakopmund

Today we head back to civilisation for two night stay and a chance to restock and do all those things you do in a coastal holiday town.

Swakopmund is the adventure centre of Namibia with many options on offer but taking a quad bike out into the desert with an experienced guide is a great experience. You could even jump out of a perfectly good plane at 12,000 ft and experience the desert in a tandem skydive, it’s up to you! Or you could just explore the German inspired architecture, restaurants and “kafe und kuchen” scene of this great costal town.

There is also the option of taking a self-guided day trip up the Skeleton Coast to the Cape Fur seal colony at Cape Cross.

Days 8 & 9 - Spitzkoppe

An early start today as we head back into the wilds as we head inland to the towering sandstone spires of Spitzkoppe. The scenery is amazing and there are many great walks to do as well as some great examples of local bushman rock art to view. This can be an easy walk or a challenging hike, it is up to you.

Day 10 - Twyfelfontein

As we head further into the wilds we enter Damaraland named after the local tribe we try stick to the small backroads and odd off-road tracks as we head to Twyfelfontein which translated means “doubtful spring”.

There is evidence that this area has been inhabited for more than 6000 years, but 2500 years ago San/Bushman moved into this area and left more than 2000 rock etchings to record their time spent here. We do a tour with a local guide and explore this scenic valley with its ancient spiritual past and some interesting geological formations. There is also a chance of encountering the desert elephants in this area.

Days 11 & 12 - Sesfontein

We continue heading north through Damaraland and start heading into Koakoland, the most sparsely populated region of Namibia. The area around Sesfontein has an incredible natural beauty but is also home to Desert Elephant and Black Rhino as well as Lion and other plains game.

We base ourselves in Sesfontein and do a day trip up a river bed to explore with a local guide and hopefully find some of these incredibly adapted animals which call this arid region home. This should offer us the chance to really work our 4x4s as we explore.

Days 13 & 14 - Epupa Falls

We continue north from here and should start seeing the local people of the Himba tribe, many of whom have proudly kept their local customs and dress. We will explore their way of life when we head off with a local guide to understand there many cultures, family group structures and how they exist in this harsh environment. Be prepared to try bit of the local makeup and jewellery.

While in Himba land we will base ourselves at the Epupa Falls on the Kunene River which forms the border between Namibia and Angola.

It’s a big drive day, but worth it to get this far north.

Day 15 - Ruacana

From Epupa Falls the plan is to follow the Kunene River heading for Ruacana. This is a stunning drive and will involve crossing a lot of dry river beds but will be a fun day out with a good chance of wildlife along the river. We camp at a riverside lodge and head out onto the river on a boat trip.

Days 16 to 18 - Etosha National Park

As we head east into Ovomboland and into the most populous part of Namibia, so different from the Kaokoland which we have just left. This will be our biggest day on the road, but a lot of it will be on fast tar road and we will break the journey along the way. Our destination is sure to be a trip highlight as we head for Etosha National Park, one of the best national parks in Africa. The park covers an area of 22,270 square kilometres of which the Etosha salt pan covers 4,760 square kilometres so big it can be seen from space.

With fantastic concentrations of game, we will go in search of Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Hyena, Giraffe, the many plains game and so much more. We self drive the national park but for those that fancy a drive with a knowledgeable local guide there are game drives available, but we find that most people enjoy heading off on their own. While in Etosha we will base ourselves at two different camps so as to explore as much as possible.

Day 19 - Grashoek Bushman Village

Leaving the wildlife of Etosha behind we now head to a small settlement of San bushmen the historic residence of this region. They still in many ways live a traditional life but this “living museum” has allowed them to earn a living from tourism showing their unique ways of life. We join the San hunter gathers on a bush walk and see how these bushmen survive in this harsh environment. Though tourist-orientated we have found this to be a very genuine experience and we camp close to the village for the night

Days 20 to 22 - The Caprivi Strip

This narrow pan handle strip of Namibia is sandwiched between Botswana and Angola and has a gathering of rivers including the Kavango River which all feed the desert oasis of the Okavango delta. This wild and game rich area is great to explore. We stop here for three nights, a chance to relax in comfortable accommodation. We include a sundowner river cruise but the view from the bar is also sure to be a favourite sundowner venue. While here there are many options, but for anybody who fancies a spot of fishing the local tiger fish are a true challenge to catch and the bird watching is also world class.

Day 23 - Katima Mulilo

As we continue along the Caprivi strip we head for an overnight stop just outside the town of Katima Mulilo. Situated on the edge of a lake this simple campsite is a great place to break the journey and get ready for our border crossings tomorrow.

Days 24 to 26 - Victoria Falls

We leave Namibia today and cross two borders first into Botswana and then Zimbabwe heading for the mighty Victoria Falls. This adventure hub has so much on offer but the main attraction is the Victoria Falls, known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke that thunders). Though neither the widest or highest, the Victoria Falls are considered the largest falling sheet of water in the world.

We explore the Victoria Falls National Park along the edge of the gorge with many great views back to the falls. Depending on rainfall this can be a rather wet experience as the spray from the falls can rise as high as 400m above the falls. There is also the chance to go over the Victoria Falls bridge to the town of Livingstone in Zambia which allows a very different view of the falls.

Day 27 - Kasane

We leave Zimbabwe today and head back into Botswana and base ourselves in the town of Kasane for a night. From here we will explore the Chobe National Park by boat which offers great wildlife viewing with great elephant, buffalo, hippo and crocodile viewing.

Day 28 - Chobe National Park, Botswana

We head into the Chobe National Park and spend the day exploring the park. This will be a fun day of 4×4 driving in this sandy area with great chance of all the big game. We spend the night at a lodge in the Kazuma Forest Reserve with a floodlit water hole which allows great game viewing.

Day 29 - Elephant Sands

This lodge has been setup on a major elephant corridor and sees large numbers of elephant come in to the waterhole as is the only fresh water in the area. Imagine taking a dip in the pool and metres away there are elephants in for a drink and a mud bath. A unique experience in this country with one of the largest population of elephants in Africa.

Days 30 to 31 - Makgadigadi Pans

The Makgadigadi pans sit on the edge of the Kalahari desert. These pans are the largest in the world covering an area of 30 000 square kilometres and an awe-inspiring site. In the dry this vast dry landscape of white is something to behold. We stay in a camp in a Baobab forest on the edge of the pans and venture out on a guided tour of pan in search of the unique wildlife including a family of meercats.

Days 32 & 33 - Maun

We head to Maun the gate way town to the Okavango Delta the jewel of the Kalahari and spend a night in a comfortable hotel.

From here you have the option to extend your travels by spending time in the Okavango Delta, and we can help you arrange your Delta experience.

From Maun there are frequent flights to Johannesburg or Cape Town.

Pricing & Departure Date

Tour Dates

Please enquire for more information.

Pricing

A$12,350 per person based on sharing a vehicle.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What's Included?

Support vehicle and crew who also will cater for most dinners and breakfast as we travel
Airport transfers on arrival and departure
4x4 hire (4x4 Toyota Hilux or similar, with full camping capabilities). For more information about vehicles, see the Vehicles section.
Vehicle insurance (reduced excess)
Cross-border fees for vehicle
Accommodation - 9 nights hotel, 23 nights camping. Upgrades will be available at many of the campsites along the way.
Meals per itinerary - many prepared over the campfire, able to accommodate most dietary requirements.
Included activities per itinerary including all National Park entrance fees
Maps / GPS and road book/route notes.
Two-way radios in the 4x4 vehicles

What's Not Included?

Airfares
Fuel (estimate A$1,600 per vehicle)
Personal travel insurance (compulsory)
Visa for Zimbabwe (US$50)
Meals not included in the itinerary. Note we exclude lunches as it gives everyone more freedom to drive and explore at their own pace
Any accommodation upgrades chosen
Any vehicle upgrades chosen
Vaccinations (if required)
Items of a personal nature
Local tips
Optional activities

Vehicles

We use 4×4 campers which are Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger double cab 4x4s with all the equipment needed to travel in style. There are upgrade options available but the standard camper models are very comfortable and capable for this journey. Base models have manual gearboxes but automatic may be available on request.

All upfront vehicle hire costs are included in the tour price and are hired in your name and are insured with the upgraded cover to reduce the excess to the minimum. All costs and liability relating to the use of the vehicle are the responsibility of the driver as you would have with any hired vehicle. A current credit card is required when collecting the vehicles in the name of the main driver. A small amount will be pre authorised on the card when we collect the vehicle. All hires include two drivers and unlimited kilometres. Fuel is not included in the tour price but an estimated cost of fuel for this tour is A$1,600. Fuel can be purchased using a Visa/Master debit or credit card in all countries except Zimbabwe.

Useful Information

Visas

Money

Communication

Health

Travel Insurance

What to Bring

Distances, Drive Times & Itinerary