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What an epic adventure! We arrived in the Capital, Windhoek mid-April 2024, for an overnight stay before we embarked on our self-drive to Sossusvlei. Our vehicle was fitted with Wi-Fi, and a tracking system, in case we got lost but we knew that was not going to happen as we had detailed instructions and Google Maps.

Our first stop had to be Solitaire Bakery, well known for its delicious apple pie and cream.

We arrived at Dead Valley Lodge, which is right inside the National Park, giving us access to Sossusvlei National Park an hour earlier than everyone else.

The day started with sunrise over the dunes followed by exploring Dead Vlei.

Our next stop was Swakopmund, right on the coast – driving from Walvis Bay to Swakopmund with ocean on one side and dunes on the other with fog rolling in off the ocean! Spectacular!

The Strand Hotel is the best city hotel we have ever stayed in – with a warm welcome, stunning rooms overlooking the ocean, and a varied choice of restaurants.

We left Swakopmund and headed for Damaraland – arriving at the airstrip, we were met by our guide and transferred in their vehicle to Onduli Ridge, our minds were blown by this stunning lodge, set amongst huge granite boulders. Our Suite overlooked the plains of Damaraland, an open-air bathroom, and the bed was rolled out onto the deck each night so we could sleep under the stars. The perfect air-con!

Our next day was spent searching for the desert-adapted elephants, once we found them, we spent a few good hours with them, as they made their way towards the water reservoirs close to the village.

It was hard to say goodbye to the team at Onduli Ridge as we made our way to Etosha – with two nights at Ongava Lodge, we were ready to go in search of wildlife within their private reserve. Whilst eating dinner, we were surprised by three rhinos appearing out of the bush to drink at the nearby waterhole.

The following day was spent exploring all the waterholes inside the Etosha National Park. It is a big park and much busier than the private game reserves, but worth the drive and stunning landscapes. The wildlife did not disappoint.

For our final stay, we drove through the Etosha National Park, stopping at waterholes along the way before leaving the park. We spent our last night at Onguma Tented Lodge – another stunning camp, with a large waterhole right in camp. To our delight, there was an outdoor bubble bath waiting for us on our return from our game drive. The perfect end to a safari day!

Back to Windhoek for one night – oh and did I mention the great food at Joe’s Beer House – we went there twice!

So, no need to fret about doing a self-drive in Namibia is simple, the roads are in good condition, (even the gravel roads), WIFI works almost everywhere, the Namibian people are lovely, the food is fantastic and not too mention a landscapes, it will blow your mind…..