Namibia Tour Plan

by a2zcamerablog · Published November 17, 2020 · Updated September 3, 2021

Namibia is among countries that start with N listed on Countryaah.com. In Namibia, only 2.1 million people live on over 800,000 km². They belong to various African tribes or groups of European immigrants who have settled in southern Africa since the 17th century. In total, over 30 languages are spoken in Namibia. The San and Damara belong to the oldest ethnic groups. German is also spoken in Namibia – the country was a German colony from 1885 to 1920.

Day 1: Welcome to Cape Town!
Day 2: Hike on the Cape of Good Hope
Day 3: Hike to Table Mountain
Day 4: Stellenbosch, wine country & the cedar mountains
Day 5: Hike to the Wolfberg Bogen
Day 6: The cultural treasure of the Khoisan
Day 7: Half day canoe trip on the Gariep River
Day 8: Hike into the Fish River Canyon
Day 9: Quiver Trees & Giants’ Playground
Day 10: Hike between the highest dunes in the world
Day 11: Hike through the Namib Desert
Day 12: Another day in the Namib
Day 13: Kuiseb Canyon & Flamingos
Day 14: Colonial history & hike to the Spitzkoppe (1,728 m)
Day 15: The Erongo Mountains
Day 16: Safari in the Etosha National Park
Day 17: Safari!
Day 18: Heading south: to Windhoek!
Day 19: Goodbye, Africa!

In Simonstown near Cape Town we pay a visit to a penguin colony, then we go to the Table Mountain National Park, which stretches from the waterfront in Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope. Often we come across cap zebras and blue ibex, with luck also eland antelopes, baboons and ostriches. We come to Sirkelsvei Lake and the wreck of the American freighter “Thomas T. Tucker”, which ran aground in 1942 during the Second World War due to a navigation error.

It is a tour full of highlights that our partner Jens has put together with Cape Town, South Africa’s west and Namibia. In Stellenbosch, the center of viticulture in South Africa, we won’t miss a tasting. With the Namib Naukluft Mountains we hike the largest nature reserve in Africa and in Bushman’s Paradise we find rock carvings of the Khoisan. Our second guide Thomas grew up in Namibia, for Jens South Africa is the adopted home. Both speak German.

We can especially look forward to the hike through the Namib Desert. From the dunes of Sossusvlei, the highest in the world, we get a first overview of the red desert sea. Again and again we will discover new things, from edible plants to beetles to ostriches. Our night camp is a comfortable camp bed, we eat at the table in the open air and with shiny wine glasses.

Meals: B = breakfast / L = lunch / packed lunch / D = dinner

1st day:

Welcome to Cape Town!

Our guide greets us at Cape Town Airport and takes us to the guest house in a quiet location at the foot of Table Mountain. Depending on the time of arrival, we can still explore the city on foot. In the evening we dine in an “Africa Café”, which is located in the popular nightlife district, and let us be surprised which specialties are served to us.

The trip does not include an international flight!

Travel time: 0.5 hours.
Overnight in the Rosedene Guest House or similar.
(- / – / A)

2nd day:

Hike on the Cape of Good Hope

Let’s go to Simonstown on the Cape Peninsula. We visit a penguin colony and then the Table Mountain National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site), which stretches from the waterfront in Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope. Our hike takes us to the Thomas T. Tucker shipwreck on the wild Atlantic coast and to Sirkelsvlei through diverse coastal fynbos. Then there is a picnic by the sea. Afterwards we visit the Cape of Good Hope. With a little luck we will see eland antelopes, multiborn, baboons and ostriches on the way. When we have reached the Kappunkt above the rocky coast after a 1-hour hike, a great all-round view awaits us. We drive back to Cape Town via the spectacular Chapmans Peak Drive.

Driving time: 3 hours.
Hike: approx. 4 hours (+200 m)
Overnight in the Rosedene Guest House or similar.
(F / – / -)

3rd day:

Hike to Table Mountain

After a short drive we reach the famous Kirstenbosch botanical garden. From here we walk directly up Table Mountain to the highest point (1,087 m). Horsetail, Proteas, Erikas, but also carnivorous sundew line our way. From here we have a beautiful view of the city below. We then descend again via Casteels Poort and along the pipe track to Kloof Nek.

Driving time: 0.5 hours. Hike: approx. 6 hours (+1,000 m)
Overnight in the Rosedene Guest House or similar.
(F / – / -)

4th day:

Stellenbosch, wine country & the cedar mountains

Today we leave Cape Town behind and drive to nearby Stellenbosch, the center of South Africa’s viticulture. We make a short stop in the city center. Our stomach growls slowly and lunch is announced. A wine tasting awaits us at a winery in the early afternoon. We continue to the Cedar Mountains, a unique hiking area approx. 280 km north of Cape Town. Spacious chalets on a guest farm by a river will be our accommodation today.

Driving time: 4 hours.
Hike: 1 hour (+100 m)
Overnight stay in Kromrivier Cederberg Park or similar.
(FA)

5th day:

Hike to the Wolfberg arch

A great natural highlight awaits us today. The Wolfberg Arch. Even the hike to the plateau is spectacular. We are accompanied by a great view. Once on the plateau, we then hike to the arch, which appears like a heavenly gate. We take a break at this incredibly beautiful place and then hike back home through a great gorge.

Driving time: 1/2 hour.
Hike: approx. 7 hours (+/- 900 m)
Overnight stay in Kromrivier Cederberg Park or similar.
(FA)

6th day:

The cultural treasure of the Khoisan

The Khoisan rock carvings that we will see today are several hundred years old. In the morning we hike to the well-preserved rock carvings and the Staatsaal Cave, an impressive red sandstone formation. The orange stone shows its best side, especially in the morning light. Afterwards we continue through the Namaqualand to Springbok. The wildflowers bloom here between the beginning of August and mid-September.

Driving time: 6 hours.
Hike: approx. 2 hours (+50 m)
Overnight stay in Mountain View Guest House or similar.
(F / – / -)

7th day:

Half-day canoe trip on the Gariep River

Our journey and entry to Namibia, the “land of the red silence”, takes only a short time. Today there is no hiking, but paddling! We glide along the calm waters of the Gariep / Orange River on our 3-hour canoe trip. No paddling experience is necessary. The contrast between the narrow, green shoreline and the barren cliffs towering into the sky is impressive. With a bit of luck you can see hyrax.
After lunch we drive to the Gondwana nature reserve and spend two nights there in a beautiful lodge.

Driving time: approx. 4 hours. Paddling time: 3 hours.
Overnight at Canyon Lodge or similar.
(FA)

8th day:

Hike into the Fish River Canyon

In the morning we undertake a short hike on the edge of the Fish River Canyon with beautiful views. The canyon is 160 kilometers long and up to 550 meters deep. The view from Hobas Viewpoint in particular invites us to look over the lunar-like and at the same time second largest canyon in the world. After lunch we go on an easy hike in the Gondwana Nature Reserve, a private nature reserve that was established in 1996. We are in the face of plateau mountains, granite hills and quiver trees, which offer great photo opportunities. And who knows which animals will run in front of the photo lens – maybe mountain zebras, oryx or kudu?

Driving time: 0.5 hours. Hike: approx. 4 hours (+500 m)
Overnight Overnight Canyon Lodge or similar.
(FA)

Day 9:

Quiver trees & giants’ playground

On the way through southern Namibia we stop in Keetmanshoop, the second colonial settlement after Lüderitz. Some houses still bear witness to this time. We rest in the quiver tree forest and strengthen ourselves with a small picnic. A surprising number of the aloes that bloom in June and July grow on rocky ground here. On a circular hiking trail (1 hour) we explore the “playground of the giants”, a bizarre rocky landscape near the quiver tree forest: Large dolerite rocks can be seen here in various stages of erosion – the approx. 170 million year old rock formations awaken the It looks as if they were the work of giants. Then it goes via Mariental and Maltahöhe to a lodge at the foot of the Tsaris Mountains, an approximately 100 km long mountain range. Today we will spend the night in a charming hotel in town.

Driving time: 7.5 hours.
Hike: approx. 1 hour (+/- 50 m)
Overnight stay at Hammerstein Lodge or similar.
(FA)

10th day:

Hike between the highest dunes in the world

At sunrise today we drive into the dune fields to the marvels of Sossusvlei. Once again we are reminded why Namibia is nicknamed “Land of the Red Silence”. We go on an interesting hike on hidden paths, on which we can experience in detail the minimalism with which plants and animals secure their survival in these harsh conditions. The ascent to the highest dune, the “Big Daddy”, takes about an hour. From here there is a fantastic view over this red shimmering desert sea. Then we continue to a farmhouse and begin a unique adventure: Our host walks with us for 2.5 days through the oldest desert in the world. We learn more about the unique flora and fauna. Our camp for the following nights is a lounger under the starry sky!

Driving time: 5 hours.
Hike: approx. 2 hours (+200 m)
Overnight on camp beds under a starry sky
(B / – / D)

11th day:

Hike through the Namib Desert

After a hearty breakfast, we hike for 4-5 hours in the morning and 2-2.5 hours in the afternoon. There is always something new to discover: edible plants, beetles and other insects, even billy goats or ostriches. We spend another night under the stars in comfortable camp beds.

Hike: 6 hours (+400 m)
overnight on camp beds under a starry sky (B / L / D
)

12th day:

Another day in the Namib

After another 3 hour hike we reach a farmhouse. Our hosts give us a warm welcome and proudly explain their environmental projects and the farm to us. Then the journey continues along the Naukluft Mountains to the next lodge. Another landscape awaits us and a pool to cool off in.

Travel time: 3 hours.
Hike: approx. 3 hours (+200 m)
Overnight at Solitaire Lodge or similar.
(FA)

13th day:

Kuiseb Canyon & Flamingos

Today we drive over the Tropic of Capricorn to the Kuiseb Canyon. This marks the border between the sand and rock deserts of the Namib. At Walvisbay there is cooler air from the Atlantic Ocean. Large and small flamingos fish in the plankton-rich lagoon. On Namibia’s only coastal road it goes to nearby Swakopmund. Today we will spend the night in a hotel in the center of the city. Founded in 1892 by German colonialists, their influence is still unmistakable today – it is probably the most German city in Namibia.

Travel time: 4 hours.
Overnight at Hotel Schweizerhaus or similar.
(F / – / -)

14th day:

Colonial history & hike to the Spitzkoppe (1,728 m)

In the morning we have a short time to stroll through the city. Then drive to Namibia’s landmark, the Spitzkoppe. Spitzkoppe is an island mountain that towers over its dry and seemingly endless surroundings at 700 meters. Its distinctive shape has earned it the nickname “Matterhorn Namibia”. Spitzkoppe is embedded in the Erongo Mountains, a bizarre volcanic mountain formation made of granite. The 1,728 m high mountain not only offers magnificent views of the surroundings, but also beautiful photo opportunities. Here you hike to the Bushman’s Paradise, a historic settlement area with rock formations and a cave system. On a rock face protected from the weather, numerous Khoisan rock drawings can be seen, which are among the most famous in southern Africa.

Driving time: 4.5 hours.
Hike: approx. 2 hours (+/- 200 m)
Overnight stay in Omaruru Guesthouse or similar.
(FA)

15th day:

The Erongo Mountains

In the morning we lace up our hiking boots for the impressive Erongo Mountains. Here we have the choice between different hiking trails with different levels of difficulty. For lunch we stop at a lodge, which gives us wonderful views of the mountains and invites us to observe different species of birds. With a little luck we will also see antelopes and baboons. The afternoon is free and in the evening we enjoy the surroundings with a delicious sundowner on the Erongo plain.

Driving time: 0.5 hours.
Hike: 4 hours (+/- 300 m)
Overnight Omaruru guest house or similar.
(FA)

16th day:

Safari in Etosha National Park

Our road trip leads via Omaruru and Otjiwarongo to the unique Etosha pan, to the Etosha National Park. The salt pan is even visible from space. Still, there is an abundant animal population here that we can observe. With the exception of buffalo, we can see the “Big 5” here: elephants, lions, rhinos and leopards. But also cheetahs, jackals, giraffes and large herds of plains zebras and springboks are at home here. Many national and international projects for the protection of animals take place here, in the largest nature reserve in Namibia.
We will spend the following two nights here.

Driving time: 3 hours. Overnight Okaukuejo Rest Camp or similar.
(F / – / -)

17th day:

Safari!

Cameras packed? Then we are ready for the Etosha National Park. Today we are on the prowl all day. We pass many water holes and viewpoints of the Etosha pan and we can look forward to seeing which animals we can observe today.

Overnight in Okaukuejo Rest Camp or similar.
(F / – / -)

18th day:

It goes south: to Windhoek!

After another safari we leave the national park and drive back to Windhoek via the lively handicraft market in Okahandja and spend our last night in a guest house.

Driving time: 5 hours. Overnight stay in Windhoek Guest House or similar.
(F / – / -)

19th day:

Goodbye Africa!

After breakfast we can get one or the other souvenir to take home. Then we will be driven to the airport, to Hoseo Kutako International Airport, and say goodbye to this wonderful country.

Travel time: 45 min.
(B / – / -)