1. Going Your Own Way…
For a self-sufficient family adventure, you can’t choose better than a self-drive, which is common practice in Namibia on easy to navigate, tourist-friendly roads. Nothing screams ‘adventure’ more than the chance to pack up and hit the road as a self-contained unit in a fully equipped 4x4 off-road tented camping vehicle. Both children and parents will revel in the sense of freedom as you follow detailed instructions with comprehensive maps of how to find your next destination.
Our NEW self-drive in Namibia itineraries neatly package the pent-up demand for freedom into three superbly designed holidays – just choose which one is right for your family.
2. Extraordinary Landscapes
Geography books can teach you about deserts and their geological wonders continent by continent, but nothing can quite prepare you for the exceptional vistas and awe-inspiring landscapes you’ll experience in Namibia. Climb 85 metres to the top of Dune 45 in Sossusvlei in the spectacular Namib Desert, one of the world’s largest and most colourful collection of towering dunes and - remarkably - also home to an interesting collection of wildlife that has adapted to this harsh environment. Be amazed by the huge granite kopjes in Damaraland and marvel at the incredible 2000-year-old rock art at Twyfelfontein.
3. Learning About Wildlife Conservation
The vast Etosha National Park (which we visit on all our Namibia itineraries) is one of southern Africa’s largest protected areas and home to an abundance of wildlife across the mixed vegetation of wide-open grassland and mopane woodland.
Both heading out on a vehicle safari or simply sitting in camp keeping a lookout offer exceptional wildlife watching. Unlike other safaris where you may catch a glimpse of a rhino’s head before it disappears annoyingly behind an bush, or vaguely make out the shape of a lioness as she crouches in long grass, here the arid climate and the lack of vegetation mean you can see the animals easily - floodlit watering holes at many of the camps attract large congregations of species and offer unparalleled viewing opportunities. Just sit in your vehicle or on your viewing platform and watch the spectacle unfold before you…
Keen wildlife lovers can visit the Africat Foundation at Okonjima Reserve to understand more about cheetah conservation and how human/wildlife conflicts can be averted. (Namibia: Big Cat Self-drive Safari and Namibia's Elephant Trails Self-drive)
4. Dune & Coastal Activities
Rest assured, no matter where you go in Namibia you won’t be sitting still for long - there are plenty of activities to keep those twitchy legs happy! Climbing the huge dunes of Sossusvlei may challenge the thighs, but is worth every second for the views and hilarious sand-running descents. Also, not to be missed is a sea-kayaking expedition along the Skeleton Coast at Walvis Bay where playful and inquisitive Cape fur seals will entertain you as you paddle around the beautiful lagoon. For an extra dose of marine mammal antics, try taking an optional dolphin cruise.
5. Unparalleled Star Gazing
It’s little wonder that our favourite TV scientist, Professor Brian Cox, chooses to travel to Namibia for many of his programmes: light pollution here is minimal, meaning that some of the best star gazing opportunities can be had while camping out under clear skies in the wilderness of the Namib Desert. Namibia's Elephant Trails Self-drive will take you on a mobile-camping safari into the remote and isolated regions of Kaokoland where you can visit a Himba tribal community and search for black rhino and desert-adapted elephant.
6. Digital Detox
Whether you’re an adult or a child, after so many months of isolation and lockdown in the past couple of years don’t we all need a digital detox? Virtual reality may have a growing place in our children’s world, but it can’t always replicate the real thing. There is so much to see and do in Namibia, so embrace the opportunity to have a family adventure away from computer and mobile phone screens as you travel together, camping out, and enjoying some of nature’s most rewarding experiences.
NEW: Namibia: Self-drive Family Adventure is a two-week 4x4 tented camping vehicle trip that takes in the highlights of southern Africa’s wild west.
NEW: Namibia: Big Cat Self-drive Safari combines the highlights of the self-drive family adventure with a visit to Okonjima Private Reserve and the AfriCat Foundation.
NEW: Namibia's Elephant Trails Self-drive gives you the full experience as you drive from Windhoek into the Namib Desert, and on to Swakopmund, Damaraland, Kaokoland for four nights, Etosha National Park and Okonjima Private Reserve – a 21-day spectacular packed with highlights.
All these trips can be taken as either a camping or glamping option - contact us to find out more.
View all our self-drive family holidays to Namibia, or to find out more contact our friendly team.
