Namibia Desert Road Trip - 7 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Windhoek, Drive to Mariental

Upon arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek, you will be met by a representative who will present you with your info pack and brief you on your tour before helping you retrieve your rental car. You will then depart Windhoek and drive about 149 miles (240 km) to your hotel in the Intu Afrika Kalahari Game Reserve near the town of Mariental.

Day 2: Walk with Bushmen & Sunset Nature Drive

This morning, you will be guided on a walk to a community of bushmen, where you will learn about tracking and craft making. In the late afternoon, you will take a sunset nature drive on the Intu Afrika Reserve. After your drive, you'll return to Mariental, where you can have dinner and spend the evening as you'd like.

Day 3: See the Red Dunes of Sossusvlei

Today after breakfast, you will drive west to the world-famous Namib Desert 210 miles (338 km) from Mariental. You'll go see the iconic red dunes of Sossusvlei situated in Namib-Naukluft Park. Your accommodation for the night is a lodge conveniently located at the park entrance. The rooms are air-conditioned, and enjoy views of the ever-changing colors of the Namib Desert. The lodge has its own beer garden, swimming pool, and sundowner deck.

Some activities you can book include:

• Sunset nature drive
• Guided excursions to the red dunes and Deadvlei
• Quad buggy trail rides
• Hot air ballooning
• Nature walks

Day 4: Drive to Sesriem Canyon

This morning, we suggest taking an early morning drive to Sossusvlei Dunes to visit Sesriem Canyon. The earlier you get there, the more brilliant and striking the orange colors of the canyon will be with the low sunlight, and you'll be able to better avoid the heat. You can hike around the canyon for as long as you'd wish before driving back to your accommodation.

Day 5: Drive to Swakopmund

After breakfast at your lodge this morning, you'll head to Namib Naukluft Park and drive toward Swakopmund. You'll be able to take in plenty of striking scenery on the way as you will pass the Gaub and Kuiseb Canyons and drive over expansive gravel plains that make up certain areas of the Namib Desert. This evening, you'll have a free night to explore the coastal town of Swakopmund, where you can swim in the Atlantic, relax on the beach, and have a relaxing dinner.

Day 6: Free Day in Swakopmund

You'll have the entire day free to explore this charming and historic town. Modern Swakopmund has a very strong German influence due to colonization during the 1800s, and a large portion of its residents still speak German today.

Some suggestions for activities that you can book during your day in Swakopmund include:

• Renting an all-terrain vehicle
• Horseback riding
• Taking a dolphin-spotting cruise
• Paragliding
• Fishing
• Drive 21 miles (35 km) to the harbor town of Walvis Bay
• Go hiking or rock climbing in the nearby Spitzkoppe Desert

Day 7: Depart Windhoek

It's time to say goodbye to Namibia! This morning after your breakfast, you will drive the 248 miles (400 km) back to Windhoek Airport, where you will return your rental vehicle and board your flight home.

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