Namibia Solo Self Drive

[SaminKaz]

Hi, looking at doing this trip in late Jan/Feb and wanted to get people's impressions.

 

Thanks, Sam

 

Windhoek – place with a pool and decent food (2 nights)

Accomodation:

Windhoek – Okonjima (3 nights) – Plains Camp View room

Accommodation: Okonjima Bush Camp

Waterberg – Etosha (3 nights)

Accommodation: Onguma Bush Lodge

Etosha Park (3 nights) –

Accommodation: Halali Lodge

Etosha Park (4 nights) – Waterhole Chalet

Accommodation: Okaukuejo Lodge

Etosha Park (3 nights) -

Accommodation: Dolomite Lodge

Etosha – Damaraland (3 nights)

Accommodation: Grootberg Lodge

Etosha – Damaraland (3 nights)

Accommodation: Huab Lodge

Damaraland – Erongo (3 nights)

Accommodation: Erongo Wilderness Lodge

Swakopmund (2 nights)

Accommodation: Sea Breeze Guest House

Swakopmund – Sossusvlei (2 nights)

Accommodation – Desert Lodge/Moon Mountain Lodge

Sossusvlei - Klein Aus Vista (2 nights) - Chalets

Accommodation: Eagles Nest - Klein Aus Vista

Aus - Fish River Canyon (3 nights)

Accommodation: Canon Lodge

Fish River- Bagatelle (3 nights) – Dune Rooms

Accommodation: Bagatelle Kalahari Lodge

Windhoek (1 night)

Accommodation:

 

Skeleton Coast and Walvis Bay area. Should I be staying there and can I take scenic flights to see the Skeleton Coast from there? Is there another area that I should visit so I can experience the Skeleton Coast and stay for 3 nights?

[MR1980]

Hi @@SaminKaz,

 

I can't give you any advice on scenic flights but I have to say this looks like a dream itinerary, 3 nights at most places seems ideal to me!! I have visited a couple of places you mention and I'm sure you will have an amazing time. Bagatelle, Dolomite, Grootberg Lodge and Okonjima are just fantastic, the only advice that I can give you is about Sossusvlei. My girlfriend and I stayed at Hoodia Desert Lodge and we can highly recommend it. Gorgeous surroundings, super friendly staff, great food and their Sossusvlei tour lasts all day with a delicious lunch next to a dune. Very knowledgeable guide also... Check them out on Tripadvisor if you want, we stayed 2 nights but would have loved to stay for 3, so we could have relaxed around the lodge some more.

 

Cheers,

 

Michel

[Atravelynn]

How wonderfully leisurely!

[SaminKaz]

Hi All,

 

I have finalised the trip to the following:

 

My trip detail is below:

Windhoek Haus Sonneneck 2

Waterberg Region Okonjima Plains Camp 3

Etosha National Park Onguma Bush Camp 3

Etosha National Park Halali Camp 2

Etosha National Park Okaukuejo Camp 3

Etosha National Park Dolomite Camp 3

Damaraland Grootberg Lodge 2

Damaraland Mowani Mountain Camp 2

Central Namibia Erongo Wilderness Lodge 3

Swakopmund Sea Breeze Guesthouse 3

Namib Desert Camp 2

Namib Klein-Aus Vista - Eagle's Nest Chalets 3

Fish River Canyon Canyon Lodge 3

Southern Namibia Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch 3

Back to Cape Town

Now researching activities, finalising flights and deciding on the cameras that will join me.

I have loved reading all the trip reports and seeing people's videos online to get my travel juices flowing. Hard to think that I have to wait 4 months!!

[xelas]

@@SaminKaz, you are about to have one great trip in Namibia! About activities, I highly recommend you a rhino tracking while at Grootberg Lodge, a half day tour with Steve Braine from http://www.batisbirdingsafaris.com/index.php while in Swakopmund, and also a half day tour to Sandwich Harbour. There is a very detailed trip report in progress on TripAdvisor by poster Supratik: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293820-i9680-k7859938-Trip_Report_on_My_Arid_Eden-Namibia.html .

Looking forward to read yours, with photos, before April next.

About cameras: best combo would be a full frame body with a 16-35 zoom for landscapes and a crop body with 80-400 zoom for wildlife. Bring A LOT of SD cards, and back-up your photos daily on an external hard disk.

[SaminKaz]

I have a Nikon D7100 with a 18-300mm, Sigma 50-500mm and 10-20mm, Canon PowerShot sx50 and some Go Pros with mounts etc. Looking forward to using them at a more leisurely pace this time, the benefit of a solo self drive!

 

Will definitely check out your activity suggestions. Thank you very much.

[MR1980]

Like I said before @@SaminKaz, that's one hell of a trip!! I see you've added Mowani Mountain Camp to your trip, we stayed at their campsite and did the Elephant Nature Drive with them which I highly recommend! Stunning area and the Elephants are the icing on the cake. The camp looked great also... At Grootberg the Rhino Tracking of course but @@xelas has already mentioned that...

 

Cheers,

 

Michel

[xelas]

@@SaminKaz

Take 10-20 and 50-500 and leave 18-300 at home. If possible get a second body; for 10-20 and landscape shots even a D60 will do its job (and its CCD sensor has beautiful colours). I am sure it could be bought second hand for very cheap.

[SaminKaz]

I have a D90 as a second body. Thinking about investing in a Nikon D810 with a 70-200 2.8 and using a converter to start using a full frame. Will have a look around when in Australia because the prices there are better than the UK.

I changed around the trip a bit because my parents decided to join me so I have shorted some of my stays so that they won't get bored and extended by starting in Livingstone, then Impailia Island on a river boat, then making my way down the Caprivi region to Etosha. This will be a 35 day trip showcasing the best of what the country has to offer. Super excited and looking forward to trying my hand at the different ideas for photos that I have seen from some of the photos I have seen on the forum.