An epic adventure through Namibia's deserts, wildlife, and breathtaking landscapes
Namibia had been a long-time dream. Those desert landscapes, that incredible wildlife, that freedom of driving on endless roads... For 3 weeks, we explored this extraordinary country in our 4x4 equipped with a rooftop tent.
This travel journal traces our adventure day by day, from the dunes of Sossusvlei to the elephants of Etosha, including an unforgettable encounter with the San people.
The highest dunes in the world and lunar landscapes
Jours 1 - 3
Solitaire
Hilltop spots with incredible views!
Landing in Windhoek this morning. After a short transfer, we pick up our 4x4 with rooftop tent from Asco Car Hire. First stop at Joe's Beer House, a colorfully decorated African restaurant where we taste our first Kudu meat. Minutes after leaving the capital, we're amazed by the desert landscape with rolling hills. We barely see any cars or buildings for 3 hours. Arriving at Camp Gecko, we enjoy an incredible sunset from the open-air toilet and shower! First time setting up the tent under the most star-filled sky we've ever seen.
Book Camp Gecko in advance, spots with views go fast!
NamibRand
Completely remote, stunning starry sky!
Last night was so windy we thought the tent might blow away! First stop at Solitaire for breakfast at this legendary old gas station with car wrecks half-buried in sand. The bakery serves one of the country's best apple pies - verdict: delicious! On the road to NamibRand, we spot goats, springboks, a black-backed jackal, and ostriches. Trees along the road host enormous weaver bird nests. We arrive at Africa's first Dark Sky Reserve, protected from all light pollution. Small mishap: our car gets stuck in the sand! After a 10-minute stressed walk, another car saves us. Tonight, the sky has millions of stars and we see our first shooting stars.
Sesriem
Essential to access the park at 5am
5:40am wake-up for an educational dawn walk in the dunes with a local guide. We hike for two hours tracking small desert animals and discover dancing white spiders, geckos, scorpions, and foxes. Afternoon arrival at Sesriem under 40°C heat. The canyon offers welcome shade. The campsite is basic but essential: tomorrow, we wake at 4:30am to be at the park gates at opening! Climbing Big Daddy (325m) proves easier than expected in the morning coolness. Running down to Deadvlei is the most fun part! This iconic landscape with white clay floor, millennial dead trees, red dunes, and blue sky: one of the trip's highlights.
Climb Big Daddy early when the sand is still cool. Descend to Deadvlei for iconic photos.
Between the Atlantic Ocean and spectacular rock formations
Jours 4 - 6
Swakopmund
Extraordinary view of the dunes from the room
On the way to the coast, we stop at Solitaire for apple pie... and a flat tire! First wheel change of the trip, but insurance covers everything. Arriving at Swakopmund and checking into Desert Breeze: our room looks directly onto the dunes, magical! Next morning, excursion to Sandwich Harbour in the world's oldest desert. Stopping at Walvis Bay to photograph pink flamingos and pelicans near pink salt pans. Then a rollercoaster ride through dunes plunging into the ocean - surreal! Picnic and sparkling wine with the view. On the way back, we even spot whales jumping in the ocean!
Sand Waves Adventure for Sandwich Harbour, excellent guide and unforgettable experience.
Spitzkoppe
Camping spots among granite boulders
After a hearty buffet breakfast (what a change!), 4 hours of driving await. The Spitzkoppe mountains appear at the end of the road - the 'Matterhorn of Namibia'. The community camp offers 21 spots among the rocks, but finding the right one is like a treasure hunt! After dozens of minutes, we find a perfect spot. These 700-million-year-old granite formations are impressive. We meet our neighbors: antelopes that look like deer. Climbing up to the natural arch 'The Bridge' to watch the sunset paint the domes red.
Twyfelfontein
Tour to see desert elephants
Coffee stop at Brandberg where locals sell us precious stones from the nearby mountain. After 4 hours of driving, we arrive at Twyfelfontein just in time for the desert elephant excursion! Climbing into the safari vehicle and heading into the bush. After an hour of searching with binoculars, we find our first elephant! These unique Namibian pachyderms are adapted to the arid environment: longer front legs, wider feet for sand, ability to dig for water and survive 3 days without drinking. We approach more than ten elephants just meters away! Afternoon relaxing at the pool - Léo even tries the local gym.
Book the desert elephant tour directly at the camp.
Safari at the heart of one of Africa's largest parks
Jours 7 - 8
Okaukuejo
Illuminated waterhole at night
Off to Etosha! Shopping stop at SPAR where we're surprised to see women from traditional communities barefoot and bare-chested in beautiful African skirts. Lunch of Pap (a local porridge-like dish). Arriving around 3pm and exploring the western part of the park. The show starts strong: three giraffes, zebras, jackal, antelopes... then an unexpected magical moment: three lions sleeping less than five meters away! We spend long minutes watching them sleep and turn over. The campsite is basic but the illuminated night waterhole more than makes up for it: we observe zebras at sunset.
Namutoni
Greener and quieter than Okaukuejo
Natural wake-up at 5:40am, full day of game driving. The reserve is less dense with animals than expected: sometimes an hour of driving without seeing a single animal. But at the waterholes: majestic giraffes up close, a hyena, an elephant, and a white rhino! Still missing the black rhino and leopard to complete our photo checklist. After 10 hours of driving on rocky roads, we arrive at Namutoni, greener and quieter than Okaukuejo. Pool relaxation, but the camp's waterhole doesn't offer much of a show tonight.
Stay at least 1 hour at each waterhole. Animals always end up coming.
From rhinos to hippos, toward the rivers
Jours 9 - 14
Otavi
Exceptional rhino tracking!
Final morning loop in Etosha: giraffes, antelopes, zebras, and colorful birds. Stop at Tsumeb, a former mining town, for coffee and a visit to a cultural village recreating traditional housing from different Namibian communities. Arriving at the private Ghaub reserve, strikingly green compared to the savanna. The ranger, with 20 years of rhino experience, takes us on a Rhino Drive. Surprise: he invites us to leave the vehicle and approach the white rhinos on foot! We see all 12 rhinos in the reserve, including a 5-week-old female. Three rhinos were killed by poachers years ago, hence the reinforced surveillance. Dinner of antelope T-bone - delicious!
Absolutely book the rhino outing, it's Ghaub's signature experience.
Mukuvi
On the banks of the Okavango River
Woken by the racket of thirty baboons crossing the camp! Sunrise from the nearby hilltop: magnificent view over the entire valley, Lion King vibes. Long drive east to the Caprivi Strip. Along the way, we pass many villages and schools. Children walk for hours under the sun, always smiling despite obvious poverty. Arriving at the lodge on the Okavango, the river separating Namibia from Angola. Original decor with zebra and hippo skin rugs. Sunset boat ride: dozens of hippo heads emerging from the water, a small crocodile, Angolan children playing on the opposite bank. Dinner by the river under an orange sky.
Divundu
Stunning view of the Okavango and hippos
Our lodge night was disrupted by mosquitoes - we almost preferred our tent! After a hearty breakfast, we head to Bwabwata National Park. The sign at the camp entrance says it all: 'Beware of the lions, elephants and hippos while you walk'! Safari along the river: herons, antelopes, warthogs, monkeys, and hippos. The region's humidity contrasts with Etosha. Afternoon rest well deserved in front of the splendid restaurant view, binoculars in hand to observe birds and hippos. Memorable sunset over the river and fishermen in their boats among the hippos.
Nkasa Rupara
Very close to Nkasa Rupara park
We heard hippos all night! Their footsteps, breathing, and calls seemed right next to our car. Breakfast with a view, then 3 hours of driving to the 'mini Okavango'. Along the way, cows and goats regularly make us stop to let them cross leisurely. The basic camp overlooks a waterhole where a warthog drinks. The reserve is much wilder than the others - sometimes hard to navigate! Observing warthogs, impalas, and hippos in a waterhole. Tonight, the animals (which ones?) are singing: the night won't be silent!
Mahango
Campsite overlooking the Okavango
Unexpected morning spectacle: during breakfast, dark shapes emerge in the distance. Warthogs? Rhinos? An entire herd of buffalo, hundreds of them! They come to drink at the waterhole just dozens of meters away. Back to the Caprivi Strip for the Mahango section of Bwabwata park. Zebras, giraffes, hippos, warthogs, antelopes... and a grand old baobab! The campsite is a green haven surrounded by peacocks. Fascinating chat with the Namibian owner: red meat and beers several times a day, government hunting rules, rivalry with South Africa... We hear peacocks (and hippos!) all night.
Mupapama
Very quiet and beautifully decorated
Morning safari in the Mahango section: lots of elephants near the river! Well-deserved afternoon rest at the pool, as we haven't stopped since the start of the trip. Watching hippos in the river. Dinner by the water, then a night at a charming quiet campsite, perfect for a transition before our next big adventure: meeting the San people.
Meeting the San people and wild safari
Jours 15 - 18
Grootfontein
Excellent dinner and pool to relax
Driving toward Tsumkwe with a stop at Fiume Lodge, located in a private reserve. View of animals at the waterhole right in front of us, including baby ostriches! Well-deserved pool rest as the next two days will be intense: we'll be living with a San family. Refined 5-course dinner while watching animals come to drink at dusk. Tomorrow, we enter another world.
Tsumkwe
Great value for money
Stop at Grootfontein for fuel and groceries. Visit the museum in the old German fort: collection of colonial-era objects. Then heading to Tsumkwe. On the road, clouds turn black and thunder rumbles: we get caught in a serious downpour! The road becomes slippery. Arriving at the San village to admire their artifacts (bracelets and necklaces made from ostrich eggshells), but the rain returns. We decide to spend the night at the nearby lodge to be fresh for tomorrow's activities.
Tsumkwe
BEST DAY OF THE TRIP!
The rain has stopped! Back to the village to meet our guides Petrus and Kefas, and their family of over twenty people. First activity: bush exploration and food gathering. We discover how much this seemingly arid land hides treasures. The family knows all animal tracks, medicinal plant benefits, where to find roots and berries. It's the grandmother who digs everything up with a stick and bare hands! Fire-making demonstration with traditional incantations. Léo tries the traditional outfit (the loincloth is a bit small but it works!). Making jewelry from ostrich eggshells, learning archery, knives made from tent pegs... We take our guides shopping in town - in traditional dress! People at the supermarket are stunned. Archery, traditional games, dancing in circles around the campfire at sunset. An authentic and moving day.
Book through Tsumkwe Crafts & Tours for an authentic experience that directly benefits the community.
Khaudum
Wild park with lots of elephants
After saying goodbye to the San family, we head to Khaudum park, known for its elephants. We'd heard you need two vehicles minimum for the sandy tracks, but the southern part is manageable. Very quickly, fresh elephant tracks... then a few meters later, the enormous animal, tall and dark, eating just meters from the road! We see 5 elephants total, plus warthogs, antelopes, birds, and even a tortoise. The detour was worth it! Barely time to enjoy the pool before dark clouds approach. Heavy storms part of the night - we're glad we did the park today!
Vineyards, big cats, and final Namibian moments
Jours 19 - 21
Otavi
Wine tasting with vineyard views
5 hours of driving to our next surprise: one of only three vineyards in Namibia! Lunch stop at Grootfontein, arriving just an hour before the tasting. Stroll through the vines before sitting down. Their white and red wines are excellent - we help ourselves to several glasses! A beautiful cheese board with crackers and condiments accompanies everything. Full and happy, we sleep at the foot of the vines, perfect for unwinding before the end of the trip.
Okonjima
Everything was exceptional!
Arriving at Okonjima with a pleasant surprise: we've been upgraded to a lodge worth over €1000 per night! Lunch overlooking a waterhole where wild horses suddenly appear, rolling in the mud. Our room offers a splendid view of the savanna with warthogs and curious birds. Afternoon leopard excursion with GPS tracking. First surprise: a hyena at the waterhole! Then the radar picks up a signal and a female leopard appears. We follow her closely - magical moment when she passes right by the vehicle and looks us in the eyes! Baby jackals, antelopes, zebras, giraffes. Next morning, cheetahs in rehabilitation then lion feeding: 14kg of meat each! An exceptional end to the trip.
Book the leopard or cheetah tracking, it's the signature activity.
Windhoek
City center campsite, surprisingly quiet
Heading to Windhoek and Urban Camp, a little oasis in the city center where we can camp peacefully. Pool and great restaurant! Late afternoon, we visit a painter artist whose work with desert pigments we admire. Surprise: our favorite painting was inspired by our trip that she'd been following on Instagram! 'Sea of Dunes' recalls her Swakopmund origins. Final day: Independence Museum (golden building with city views), then the Craft Center with its quality artisan shops. Returning the car to Melbic, last afternoon by the pool. The artist brings us our painting - the perfect souvenir of the Namibian desert. 21 days of unforgettable adventure, our most beautiful trip ever.
Book a 4x4 with rooftop tent at least 3 months in advance, especially during high season (June-October). Agencies like Asco Car Hire or Africa on Wheels are reliable.
Expect around 100-150 EUR per day for two people, including vehicle rental, fuel, food, and campsites.
Plan to drive maximum 300-400km per day to enjoy the scenery. Gravel roads take longer than expected.
NWR (Namibia Wildlife Resorts) offers campsites in national parks. Book in advance on their website.
Stock up on water and food at every major town. Some sections are very remote.
At Etosha, the best times to spot animals are sunrise and sunset at waterholes.