Tour overview

This 14-day small-group overland trip travels from Cape Town to Windhoek through some of southern Africa's most dramatic landscapes, finishing with wildlife in Etosha National Park. Groups have no more than 13 travellers aged 15 and over, with a local leader and driver in a purpose-built safari truck. You stay in hotels, lodges and desert camps, with 13 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 9 dinners. The trip is land-only, with an arrival transfer in Cape Town included.

It begins in Cape Town, with free time for Table Mountain or Robben Island and a sunset hike up Signal Hill for views over the city and the Atlantic. The road north follows the West Coast to Lamberts Bay for an open-air seafood feast by the ocean. Crossing into Namibia, you reach the banks of the Orange River, with a chance to canoe through the Richtersveld mountains. Then you continue to Fish River Canyon, one of the largest canyons in the world.

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A long drive leads to Sesriem on the edge of the Namib, the world's oldest desert. Early in the morning you head to Sossusvlei, where you can climb Dune 45 for the sunrise. You also walk across Dead Vlei, a white clay pan of ancient camel-thorn trees beneath some of the highest dunes on earth, and explore the narrow Sesriem Canyon. Crossing the desert past the Kuiseb Canyon, you reach Swakopmund on the Skeleton Coast for two nights, with free time for the beach, the markets or optional adventures.

Damaraland, the rugged homeland of the Damara people, brings the 280-million-year-old trees of the Petrified Forest and the rock engravings of Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You also see Burnt Mountain and visit the Living Museum of the Damara, where you learn about traditional skills and culture. The night skies here are spectacular.

The trip ends with two nights at Etosha National Park, where waterholes and open pans make game viewing rewarding. Game drives in the truck and a 4×4 game drive look for elephants, black rhinos, Hartmann's mountain zebras, black-faced impalas and the tiny Damara dik-dik, before the final drive to Windhoek.

Expect early starts, long drives on rough roads and a truck without air-conditioning. The trip suits travellers who want to see Namibia's deserts, coast and wildlife on a well-organised overland journey.

Trip highlights

  • A sunset hike up Signal Hill in Cape Town (Day 2)
  • An open-air seafood feast at Lamberts Bay (Day 3)
  • Fish River Canyon, one of the largest canyons in the world (Day 5)
  • Dune 45, Dead Vlei and Sesriem Canyon in the Namib Desert (Day 7)
  • Twyfelfontein rock engravings and the Petrified Forest in Damaraland (Day 11)
  • Game drives in Etosha National Park, including a 4x4 drive (Days 12–13)

Your route

10 stops from Cape Town to Windhoek

14-day route: Cape Town – Lamberts Bay – Orange River – Fish River Canyon – Sesriem – Swakopmund – Damaraland – Etosha – Windhoek
  1. Cape Town Days 1–2
  2. Lamberts Bay Day 3
  3. Orange River Day 4
  4. Fish River Canyon Day 5
  5. Sesriem Days 6–7
  6. Sossusvlei Day 7
  7. Swakopmund Days 8–9
  8. Damaraland Days 10–11
  9. Etosha National Park Days 12–13
  10. Windhoek Day 14

Why choose this tour

In two weeks you see the best of Namibia — canyon, desert, coast and savannah — with a leader and driver handling the long distances. Small groups, desert camps and lodges, and time with the Damara people make it more than a sightseeing trip.

Best suited to

  • Travellers who want Namibia's highlights in one trip
  • Photographers drawn to dunes, canyons and night skies
  • Wildlife lovers who also want landscapes and culture
  • Flexible travellers happy with long drives and early starts
Ancient dead trees on the white clay pan of Dead Vlei, Namibia

Day-by-day itinerary

14 days from Cape Town, South Africa to Windhoek, Namibia

  1. Day 1 · Cape Town Arrive in Cape Town

    Welcome to South Africa. The trip begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm. If you arrive early, you could visit Robben Island, ride the cable car up Table Mountain or join a Cape Malay cooking tour.

    Hotel
    The Cape Milner Hotel or similar
  2. Day 2 · Cape Town, Signal Hill Cape Town

    A free morning to explore the city, with suggestions from your leader. In the afternoon, join the group for a sunset hike up Signal Hill in Table Mountain National Park, with views over Cape Town and the Atlantic, weather permitting.

    Hotel
    The Cape Milner Hotel or similar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  3. Day 3 · Lamberts Bay West Coast to Lamberts Bay

    Travel north along the West Coast to Lamberts Bay, known as the diamond of the west coast for its white beaches, lobster and wildlife. Enjoy an open-air feast at a local beach restaurant with views of the ocean.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Orange River Into Namibia: Orange River

    Cross the border into Namibia on a long travel day, arriving mid-afternoon on the banks of the Orange River, the longest river in South Africa, which forms the border between the two countries.

    Hotel
    Lodge
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  5. Day 5 · Orange River, Fish River Canyon Fish River Canyon

    A relaxed morning by the pool or the river, or an optional canoe trip through the Richtersveld mountains. Later, visit Fish River Canyon, one of the biggest canyons in the world, and walk along its rim.

    Hotel
    Desert camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  6. Day 6 · Namib Desert, Sesriem Into the Namib Desert

    A long travel day to the eastern edge of the Namib, the oldest desert in the world, watching the landscape change along the way. Settle into your desert camp at Sesriem.

    Hotel
    Desert camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Sossusvlei, Dune 45, Dead Vlei, Sesriem Canyon Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei

    An early start for Sossusvlei, at the end of an ancient riverbed, with the option to climb Dune 45 for wide views. After breakfast, walk to Dead Vlei, a white clay pan of dead trees surrounded by some of the highest dunes in the world. Later, explore the narrow gorge of Sesriem Canyon.

    Hotel
    Desert camp
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  8. Day 8 · Kuiseb Canyon, Swakopmund To Swakopmund

    Cross the Namib Desert past the Kuiseb Canyon to the Atlantic coast and the seaside town of Swakopmund on the Skeleton Coast. The rest of the day is free, and your leader can suggest activities.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  9. Day 9 · Swakopmund Free day in Swakopmund

    A free day in Swakopmund, within walking distance of your hotel. You could walk on the beach, browse the open-air markets, visit the museum or try one of the town's adventure activities. In the evening, the group may gather for dinner.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Damaraland Into Damaraland

    Head into Damaraland in the Kunene Region, the ancestral homeland of the Damara people, a rugged landscape of sunsets and star-filled night skies, home to desert-adapted wildlife.

    Hotel
    Lodge
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  11. Day 11 · Petrified Forest, Twyfelfontein, Burnt Mountain Petrified Forest and Twyfelfontein

    With a local guide, visit the Petrified Forest, with 280-million-year-old fossilised tree trunks, and Twyfelfontein, one of the largest collections of ancient rock engravings in southern Africa. See Burnt Mountain and visit the Living Museum of the Damara to learn about traditional ways of life.

    Hotel
    Lodge
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  12. Day 12 · Etosha National Park Etosha National Park

    Travel to Etosha National Park for a short afternoon game drive. Strict protection against poaching means large herds of elephants, antelope and other animals, and the waterholes draw wildlife close.

    Hotel
    Lodge
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  13. Day 13 · Etosha National Park Etosha game drive

    A 4x4 game drive through Etosha looks for black rhinos, Hartmann's mountain zebras, black-faced impalas, roan antelope and the tiny Damara dik-dik. The open pans and waterholes make wildlife easier to spot.

    Hotel
    Lodge
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  14. Day 14 · Windhoek To Windhoek

    Drive from Etosha to Windhoek, Namibia's capital, where the trip ends. If you stay on, the Tintenpalast parliament building and the German colonial architecture are worth a visit.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Elephants at a waterhole in Namibia

Where you stay

  • Cape Town (2 nights) The Cape Milner Hotel or similar
  • Lamberts Bay (1 night) Hotel
  • Orange River (1 night) Lodge
  • Fish River Canyon area (1 night) Desert camp
  • Sesriem (2 nights) Desert camp
  • Swakopmund (2 nights) Hotel
  • Damaraland (2 nights) Lodge
  • Etosha National Park (2 nights) Lodge

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 13 nights in hotels, lodges and desert camps
  • Meals 13 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 9 dinners, including the seafood feast at Lamberts Bay
  • Transport purpose-built safari truck (some departures use a van with a luggage trailer), plus an arrival transfer in Cape Town
  • Activities Signal Hill sunset hike, Fish River Canyon, Sesriem Canyon and Dune 45, the Petrified Forest, Twyfelfontein, Burnt Mountain and the Living Museum of the Damara
  • Etosha game drives in the truck and one 4x4 game drive
  • Local leader and driver throughout

Not included

  • Flights to Cape Town and home from Windhoek
  • Departure transfer in Windhoek
  • Visas for South Africa and Namibia, if required
  • Meals not listed, and optional activities such as Robben Island, Table Mountain or canoeing on the Orange River
  • Single supplement, tips, travel insurance and personal spending
A shipwreck on the Skeleton Coast near Swakopmund, Namibia

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want flights included — they are not
  • You need air-conditioning — the safari truck has opening windows instead
  • You want short travel days — several days involve long drives on rough roads
  • You need power overnight — some lodges and camps switch off their generators

Good to know

FCDO advice UK FCDO travel advice for Namibia · UK FCDO travel advice for South Africa
Fish River Canyon in southern Namibia

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £3,280 per person, twin share, tour only. 31 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Are flights included?

No. You arrange your own flights to Cape Town and home from Windhoek. An arrival transfer in Cape Town is included if you send your flight details at least 14 days before travel.

What is the vehicle like?

A purpose-built safari truck, or on some departures a van with a luggage trailer. It has sliding windows for air and wildlife viewing, but no air-conditioning.

How fit do I need to be?

A basic level of fitness. You climb in and out of the truck many times a day, and there are early starts and long drives on rough roads. Climbing Dune 45 is optional.

What are the camps and lodges like?

A mix of hotels, lodges and desert camps. Many lodges and camps run on generators that are switched off at night, so bring a battery-powered CPAP machine if you use one.

What meals are included?

13 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 9 dinners, including the open-air seafood feast at Lamberts Bay.

Can delays happen at the border?

Yes. Border crossings can take anywhere from one to four hours, and road conditions can change daily timings. Pack patience and a good book.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary

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