My Epic Namibian Self Drive from Magnificent Namibia to Beautiful South Africa

Firstly, Map out Your Accommodation and Petrol

To make your Namibia self drive run smoothly, both your lodgings and petrol stops need to be mapped out. This amazing trip has to be planned.

Namibia does not have a lot of large towns and in fact most of the nicer accommodation is outside the town. You will usually find yourself staying in lodges whilst you are on the road. These were generally very homely, clean and comfortable.

Before your Namibia self drive, you should spend time researching Namibia and the locations you would like to visit. My Namibia Destinations page will give you a good introduction to the diverse and popular areas of Namibia.

However, when I’d decided where I wanted to visit on this Namibia self drive, I first looked on booking.com to see what accommodation was available.  Booking.com has a map feature so that you can also see what lodging there are en route between your chosen locations.

Many of the best lodgings are actually off the main roads.

Your Key Considerations / Check List on your Self-Drive

This Namibia self drive was an epic in every way. It was a thrilling adventure bursting with magnificent landscape, skies, wildlife and memories. The iconic red sand and dunes of Namibia are worth a visit on their own. 

Note: this is a one way Namibia road trip which did incur a one-way drop off fee.

Key considerations/check list:

• Hire a 4WD (or a car with a high clearance)
• Check tyres, spare and ALL tools required to change wheels 
• Check vehicle is relatively new
• Have some basic mechanical skills – like how to change a tyre
• Be prepared to pay one way drop off fee IF you return your vehicle to a different location
• If you are crossing country borders with your vehicle, make sure you have the necessary certified paperwork
• You will also have to pay a cross-border fee depending on the car model, rental agency, etc.
• Plan petrol station stops. Fill up when you can.
• Hire Sat Nav
• Download good offline maps app eg MAPS.ME
• When approaching road turns, signage not always obvious so keep vigilant
• Be prepared for all surfaces especially gravel and sand
• Be prepared for long distances between locations
• Always drive during daylight hours
• Carry water and snacks
• Pre book your evening meals in lodges

Walvis Bay, Namibia – Cape Town, South Africa Self-Drive

Day 1 – London-Johannsburg-Walvis Bay

2 X Nights Swakopmund Sands Hotel

I flew from London to Johannesburg with Virgin Atlantic.

From Johannesburg, I caught a connecting flight with Airlink to Walvis Bay, Namibia. Descending down to Walvis Bay, I truly thought I’d come to the end of the earth. Looking out of the window there was nothing but desert.

After a 2.30hr flight over stunning scenery, I arrived at my destination. Quickly through the small airport I found Hertz and my vehicle, a Toyota Hilux, for the next 2 weeks. You can rent a car at Windhoek or Walvis Bay Airport – Rental car link. Following a thorough check of the car and check of all the documentation I was ready to begin my Namibia road trip.

It took less than 40 mins to drive from Walvis Bay airport to Swakopmund where I was staying.  An easy check in, dinner and early to bed.

Day 2 – Drive Swakopmund-Skeleton Coast-Swakopmund

Follow Route C34

As I was ultimately travelling south to South Africa, I wanted to do a quick day trip north to the Skeleton Coast. I also made a stop at the Cape Cross Seal Reserve to see the seals.

The drive along the Skeleton Coast is a unique experience. It is a straight gravel road along the coast with the desert on one side and the ocean on the other.

It stretches up to Angola so I had to decide to have a turn around point which for me was Mile108. This was around 162kms from Swakopmund but obviously, you can turn around whenever you’ve seen enough .

The coastline is wild and rugged and you can’t help think about all those seamen that met their fate on that ferocious ocean. 

Day 3 – Drive Swakopmund-Gondwana Namib Desert Lodge

1 x Night at Namib Desert Lodge

Follow Route C14 -4hrs

I had an early morning start so I could climb the nearby Dune 7 before I began my trip south. Tough climb but fun and terrific views from the top.

Note: if you have the energy to climb Dune 7 on your arrival day or after The Skeleton Coast then sunset is a wonderful time to enjoy those views from the top.

Then it was time for me to hit the open road.  Leaving the cool coastal air of Swakopmund behind me,  I entered the dramatic Namib-Naukluft National Park.

Day 4 – Drive Gondwana Namib Desert Lodge – Kulala Desert Lodge, Kulala Reserve

Follow C19, D826 – 2.30hrs

2 x nights Kulala Desert Lodge

This was my base to visit Sossusvlei, Big Daddy, Dune 45 and Deadvlei. 

Note: Deadvlei is 4 miles further on from the other sites and without a 4WD, you will have to take a shuttle due to the very soft sand.

Day 5 – As Above

Day 6 – Drive Kulala Desert Lodge-Burgsdorf Guest Farm, Maltahǒhe

Follow D845, C19, C14 – 2.40hrs

1 x night Burgsdorf Guest House

Landscape and incredible desert scenes on the road south now. Very little life outside wildlife.

The accommodation is also becoming far more rustic. They really act as stop over lodgings for tourists on the way to or from Sossuvlei.

If you wish to visit Luderitz from Maltahôhe it would be a 4.30hrs drive. You would need to stay the night there and then return along the same road (B4).  (Luderitz-Goibib Mountain Lodge 4.45hrs) 

Day 7 – Drive Burgsdorf Guest Farm, Maltahǒhe-Alte Kalkoefen Lodge, Simplon

Follow via C14, B4 – 3.20hrs

1 x night Alte Kalkoefen Lodge

Interesting eco-friendly lodge set amongst African gardens.  If you’re lucky, you’ll probably even see game. 

Very friendly hosts with good food.

Lodgings are comfortable and all have their own quirky style. The locations are incredible. Fit for purpose, after all this adventure is all about the DRIVE. And this Namibia self drive was ticking every box.

Day 8 – Drive Alte Kalkoefen Lodge-Gondwana Canyon Village, Fish river Canyon

Follow B4, C12, D601 – 2.20hrs

2 x night Gondwana Canyon Village

Driving now is so exhilarating. The roads are a mixture of grit and sand. It feels like you’re driving on Mars rather than Earth. 

The lack of traffic actually means you can pick up a great speed. You tend to drive in the grooves and tracks made by other drivers and find yourself bombing along. Wind in your hair moment!

This was our last day in Namibia so I wanted to savour every minute of this Namibia self drive.

I also wanted to visit Fish River Canyon and this proved a good base to do it from. This canyon is the second biggest in the world after the Grand Canyon in the USA.

You can take your car in through the park entrance to the Main Viewpoint, Hobas. You can also drive a little further to Rocky’s Point offering another great view.

The views are best early morning or late afternoon. The sun and the shadows play games on the rocks. There are a number of hikes depending on how far you are looking to walk. Each offers a wealth of awe inspiring viewpoints.

Day 10 – Gondwana Canyon Village – Frontier River Resort, South Africa – 2,30hrs via C10, B1, N7

Day 10 -Drive Gondwana Canyon Village – Frontier River Resort, South Africa

Follow C10, B1, N7

1 x night Frontier River Resort

I crossed the border into South Africa around midday. This was really quite simple armed with all the correct paperwork.

It seemed somewhat strange to be on tarmac roads again and I felt nostalgic for where I had just come from. The Northern Cape of South Africa is really not a bustling place but after the huge vacuous and deserted spaces of Namibia it felt very strange to be here initially.

My Namibia self drive was drawing to a close and I was beginning to feel rather emotional for the incredible journey I had been on.

However, I had a wonderful evening in a very lovely glamped up tent on the River Orange to reset myself.  Beautiful position on the river, air conditioning, en suite and very comfortable bed – what more does a Glamorous Gallivant want?  The hosts were delightful too and we shared a ice cold gin and tonic with them on their veranda and very tasty homemade food. 

Day 11 – Drive Frontier River Resort – Piekenierskloof Mountain Lodge, Cederberg Mountains

1 x night Piekenierskloof Mountain Lodge

Follow N7 – 4.30hrs

After watching a beautiful sunrise from my bed and a substantial breakfast, I headed back on the road. It was now tarmac all the way as I travelled further south towards Cape Town. The roads were smooth, straight and traffic free. 

My next lodging was in a very lovely hotel some two hours’ drive from Cape Town. The lodge offered all the modern facilities of a good hotel and acted as a good transition before I hit the bustle of Cape Town.

As I lay on my crisp white sheets, catching up with the news on TV, I certainly felt like I was back in the modern world. My mind drifted off and I couldn’t help reflecting upon the incredible trip down through Namibia. 

The feeling of achievement and exhilaration was quite overwhelming.

Day 12 – Final Drive Piekenierskloof Mountain Lodge-Cape Town

Follow N7 – 2hrs

This was a straightforward drive as I made my way to Cape Town. The traffic began to build and the signage and people on the sides of the roads increased with every mile forwards.

My trusty HIlux had been phenomenal. It looked as if it was wearing half the red desert on its back. I felt like a real bush farmer as I weaved my way through the suburban streets of Cape Town. 

It had been the most wonderful adventure and as I returned the 4WD back to Hertz in Cape Town I felt quite emotional.

Summing up my Namibian self-drive

For those of you who do like to self drive, I cannot recommend enough this one way Namibia self drive to Cape Town. The scenery is truly stunning and well worth the gravel, grit and sand under your wheels. This is what makes it so very special. A true adventure.

Namibia is a beautiful country and offers the independent drivers within us the most incredible experience. You can enjoy Africa at its very best when you travel through this magnificent landscape.

There are so many different routes you can take to explore Namibia.  With so much wildlife to see and a wide variety of landscapes, you’ll have such a memorable adventure.

A future drive that I would really like to look into and could act as a starter drive loop for you would be:

Windhoek-Swakopmund-Skeleton Coast-Terrance Bay-Damaraland-Etosha National Park-Windhoek

Whichever route you choose, DON’T waste time thinking about it. Get planning and I can assure you, you will not regret it.