A Self-Drive Adventure in Namibia

Thirteen nights around Namibia, self-guided and tailor-made, in a 4×4 with premium lodges throughout, with the price quoted on application.

This is the luxury end of an independent Namibian trip: the same driving as any other self-drive, with the accommodation chosen from the better end of the market and the whole itinerary built to order rather than taken off a shelf.

No fixed route is published, since the trip is designed around the guest’s preferences, but the classic Namibian circuit is what it covers: the Namib and the dunes at Sossusvlei, where the sand rises three hundred metres and Deadvlei sits beneath them; the Atlantic coast at Swakopmund or the Skeleton Coast beyond it, where the fog and the wrecks are; Damaraland, with its rock engravings and the desert-adapted elephants that move along the dry riverbeds; and Etosha, where the game concentrates round the waterholes on the edge of a vast salt pan.

The 4×4 rental, premium lodge accommodation throughout and the tailor-made itinerary design are included; international flights, fuel and most meals are not, and the detailed inclusions were not itemised, so they are worth settling in writing at booking. The price is given on application. The dry season from May to October is the window, when the game comes to the water and the gravel roads are at their best. No wildlife sighting can be promised. Fourteen days is the right length for the distances involved, and the lodges are what distinguish this from the cheaper versions of the same route.