Duration
16-Day
Chobe National Park, Botswana
A 16-day self drive safari through Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, combining iconic landscapes and wildlife. Explore Sossusvlei's dunes, Swakopmund's coast, track leopards at Okonjima, and enjoy Etosha safaris. Travel through the Caprivi Strip with river lodges and a Bwabwata excursion, continue to Chobe, and end at Victoria Falls with a Zambezi sunset cruise and guided falls tour. Includes comfortable lodges, scenic drives, and diverse cultural and nature experiences throughout.
Plan snapshot
Duration
16-Day
Route
Windhoek to Victoria Falls Town
Via Sossusvlei (Sand Dunes), Deadvlei (Sand Dunes), Swakopmund (City)
Country & park
Botswana / Chobe National Park
Style
Mid-range safari
Group size
1-12 travelers
Starts
Any day if available
Minimum age
1 years
Activities
game drives & boat trip
Accommodation
Olive Grove Guesthouse - Mid-range guest house in Windhoek (City, Namibia) – Breakfast Included
Meals
Breakfast Included; Breakfast & Dinner Included
Pickup
Airport transfer included
Booking
Request quote
Currency
NAD
Rates
NAD
Before booking
Quote flow
This mid-range tour uses lodges and guest houses.
Drive a vehicle yourself and travel without a tour guide. Rental vehicle is included.
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
You can request minor changes to the accommodations and destinations of this tour.
Solo travelers cannot book this private tour.
The minimum age for this tour is 1 year.
Day 1
Mid-range guest house in Windhoek (City, Namibia) – Breakfast Included
Breakfast Included
Day 2
Mid-range lodge 1-2hr drive from Sossusvlei (Sand Dunes, Namibia) – Breakfast & Dinner Included
Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day 3
Mid-range lodge less than 1hr drive from Namib-Naukluft NP (Namib Desert, Namibia) – Breakfast & Dinner Included
Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day 4-5
Mid-range guest house in Swakopmund (City, Namibia)
Day 4: Breakfast Included; Day 5: Breakfast & Lunch Included
Day 6
Luxury lodge inside Okonjima NR (Namibia) – Breakfast & Dinner Included
Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day 7-8
Luxury lodge inside Onguma GR (Namibia) – Breakfast & Dinner Included
Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day 9
Luxury lodge outside Zambezi Region (Namibia) – Breakfast & Dinner Included
Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day 10-11
Mid-range lodge just outside Bwabwata NP (Zambezi Region, Namibia) – Breakfast & Dinner Included
Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day 12-13
Mid-range lodge less than 1hr drive from Chobe NP (Botswana) – Breakfast & Dinner Included
Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day 14-15
Mid-range lodge at Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) – Breakfast Included
Breakfast Included
Day 16
(No accommodation)
Breakfast Included
Tour step
You'll be collected from the airport. Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.
Day 1
On arrival at Windhoek's International Airport proceed through immigration and customs, collect your luggage and enter the arrivals hall. A representative of your car rental supplier will be waiting for you in the arrival’s halls. Please look for a signboard with your name on it. It can take some time to get through immigration. Your journey begins in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, set in a basin surrounded by rolling hills. Mid-range guest house in Windhoek (City, Namibia) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinks not included
Day 2
After a hearty breakfast you begin your journey to the Namib Desert. Its a fairly long drive of 4-5 hours, depending on which route you take. We suggest the Spreetshoogte Pass. With gradients between 1:4 and 1:6 it is the steepest pass in Namibia, as well as the one with the biggest elevation difference, descending almost 1,000 metres within 4 kilometres. It offers spectacular views down the escarpment to the desert plains below. Continue via the small settlement of Solitaire and on to your overnight stop on the edge of the Namib dune sea. Mid-range lodge1-2hr drive from Sossusvlei (Sand Dunes, Namibia) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 3
You have a full day to explore the dune fields and pans of Sossusvlei. The park gates open at sunrise and close at sunset. We recommend an early start to experience the beautiful early morning light on the dunes. Spend the morning exploring Sossusvlei & Dead Vlei then return to your lodge for lunch and a siesta. In the afternoon you can explore Sesriem Canyon and enjoy the late afternoon light on the escarpment mountains. Mid-range lodge less than 1hr drive from Namib-Naukluft NP (Namib Desert, Namibia) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 4
From the desert, your safari continues to the coastal town of Swakopmund, where you will stay for two nights at Namib Guesthouse in a standard double room on a bed and breakfast basis. This quaint seaside town offers a unique blend of German colonial charm and adventure activities. During your stay, you will enjoy a full-day Marine Dune excursion, combining a boat cruise in Walvis Bay lagoon—where you may encounter dolphins, seals, and pelicans—with an exciting 4x4 dune drive along the Skeleton Coast. Mid-range guest house in Swakopmund (City, Namibia) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinks not included
Day 5
The Full Day Marine Dune Day Safari combines a scenic marine cruise in Walvis Bay with an exciting 4x4 dune adventure along the Skeleton Coast. The day starts with a boat trip where you may see dolphins, seals, pelicans, and flamingos, often accompanied by light refreshments. It then continues into the desert, where expert guides drive along towering dunes meeting the Atlantic Ocean, offering stunning views and chances to spot desert-adapted wildlife such as oryx and jackals. Mid-range guest house in Swakopmund (City, Namibia) Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included) Drinks not included
Day 6
Leaving the coast behind, you travel inland to the Otjiwarongo region, where you will spend one night at Okonjima Plains Camp, home of the AfriCat Foundation. Accommodation is in a classic double room on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. In the afternoon, you will participate in a leopard tracking excursion, offering a rare opportunity to observe these elusive predators in their natural habitat while learning about vital conservation efforts. Luxury lodge located inside Okonjima NR (Namibia) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 7
Your safari then continues to the renowned Etosha National Park, where you will stay for two nights at Onguma Bush Camp on the eastern side of the park. Accommodation is in a double loft room on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. Etosha is one of Africa’s premier wildlife destinations, centered around a vast salt pan and dotted with waterholes that attract large concentrations of game, including elephants, lions, giraffes, and a variety of antelope species. Game drives in and around the park provide excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Luxury lodge located inside Onguma GR (Namibia) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 8
Undoubtedly one of the great parks of Africa, Etosha covers more than 22,300 square kilometres and is synonymous with big game and wide open spaces. The name Etosha means “great white place” referring to the massive (130km long and 50km wide) dry saline pan in the middle of the park, believed to have been formed over 100 million years ago. Etosha is home to a staggering amount of wildlife, both common and rare, including several threatened and endangered species. The mammal list is at over 110 species, including four of Africa’s Big Five, cheetah, giraffe, spotted hyaena, zebra, greater kudu, springbok, gemsbok/oryx (Namibia’s national animal), warthog, honey badger and many more. Etosha also has a bird list of more than 350 species. The park is also home to smaller mammals like banded and yellow mongoose, scrub hare and springhare, as well as rare ones like pangolin, aardvark, aardwolf and Cape porcupine. Luxury lodge located inside Onguma GR (Namibia) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 9
From Etosha, you travel northeast to Rundu, where you will overnight at Hakusembe River Lodge in a unique Camping2Go tented unit on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. Situated along the Okavango River, this lodge offers a tranquil setting with beautiful river views, abundant birdlife, and a chance to experience Namibia’s lush Kavango region. Welcome to the real Africa! Luxury lodge located outside Zambezi Region (Namibia) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 10
The journey continues into the Zambezi (Caprivi) region, a stark contrast to the desert landscapes you have previously explored. You will spend two nights at Namushasha River Lodge near Kongola, staying in a double room on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. This area is rich in waterways and wildlife, and during your stay you will enjoy a guided half-day excursion into Bwabwata National Park, where you may encounter elephants, buffalo, and a variety of bird species in a more tropical environment. Mid-range lodge just outside Bwabwata NP (Zambezi Region, Namibia) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 11
Spending a day at Namushasha River Lodge allows you to experience the lush beauty of Namibia’s Zambezi region. Set along the Kwando River, the lodge offers a tranquil setting surrounded by waterways and rich birdlife. In the afternoon, you will head out on a guided excursion into Bwabwata National Park, where you may encounter elephants, buffalo, antelope, and a variety of bird species. This lesser-visited park provides a more remote and intimate safari experience, with diverse landscapes ranging from riverine forests to open floodplains. Mid-range lodge just outside Bwabwata NP (Zambezi Region, Namibia) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 12
You have a fairly long day today with a relatively long drive plus a border crossing. You have good tar roads across what used to be called the Caprivi Strip, now known as Zambezi Region. Caprivi, or the Caprivi Strip, was named after German Chancellor Leo von Caprivi, who negotiated the acquisition of the land in an 1890 exchange with the United Kingdom. The river later proved unnavigable and inaccessible to the Indian Ocean due to the largest waterfall in the world, the Victoria Falls, being in the way! Katima Mulilo is a bustling town on the banks of the Zambezi River. There's a busy food market and a lovely woodcarver’s market. Kavango's and Caprivians are talented wood carvers and make beautiful bowls, walking sticks, giraffe, elephant mostly in a striking two-toned wood called Kiaat. Leaving the town behind you head towards the border post at Ngoma. This must be one of the prettiest border posts, nestled beneath shady trees on a ridge overlooking the flood plains of the Chobe. Mid-range lodge located less than 1hr drive from Chobe NP (Botswana) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 13
Spending a day at River View Lodge in Kasane offers a perfect introduction to the wildlife-rich Chobe region. Your day begins with an early morning game drive in Chobe National Park, when animals are most active and the soft light creates ideal viewing conditions. You may encounter large herds of elephants, buffalo, giraffe, and a variety of predators such as lions and hyenas. After the drive, return to the lodge to relax and enjoy the peaceful riverfront setting, with views over the Chobe River and opportunities to spot wildlife and birdlife from the comfort of the lodge. Mid-range lodge located less than 1hr drive from Chobe NP (Botswana) Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included) Drinks not included
Day 14
You will transfer by road from Kasane to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. You will stay for two nights at Pamarah Guest Lodge in a double room on a bed and breakfast basis. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a relaxing sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River, where you can take in the spectacular African sunset while spotting wildlife along the riverbanks. Mid-range lodge located at Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinks not included
Day 15
Today is dedicated to exploring the magnificent Victoria Falls, known locally as “The Smoke that Thunders.” A guided tour of the Falls will allow you to experience this breathtaking natural wonder from various viewpoints. You will also enjoy lunch at the Rainforest Café, located within the lush surroundings of the falls. Mid-range lodge located at Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinks not included
Day 16
Your unforgettable safari concludes on Day 16, leaving you with lasting memories of Namibia’s dramatic landscapes, abundant wildlife, and the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls. You will be dropped off at the Airport on time. Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinks not included
Tour step
Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. You'll be dropped off at the airport.
Rental vehicle
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All Taxes/VAT
Roundtrip airport transfer
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
International flights (From/to home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Some meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinks
Offered by
Great Explorations Namibia will help you plan & book your self-drive accommodation in Namibia & Botswana, organize the rental car you require, and generally take all the hassle out of the planning process. Planning self-drive itineraries is the favorite part of our job, as it gives us an outlet for all the knowledge we have accumulated. Our services range from booking a single nights accommodation to complex itineraries for Namibian self-drives.
Office In
Namibia
Size
1-5 employees (Founded in 2021)
Tour Types
Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
Destinations
Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Traveler feedback
Overall
5.0/5Communication
5.0/5Accuracy
5.0/5Value
5.0/5Safety clarity
5.0/5Cultural value
5.0/5Family of 4 travelling around Namibia with a quick stop to Victoria falls and Botswana for 32 days. I didn’t know where to start!! I am glad Great Explorations Namibia was there and did all the planning + we were very last minute and they make it happen. Anja was so helpful and so patient with all my questions and respect our budget. She reply quickly to all my requests. Lili was also very helpful and Peter at the car rental. Anja met us on the 1st day and went through the itinerary with us. We had 2 roof top tents and we camped every night. Namibia is now our number 1 country (for it’s beautiful scenery, for the people, for the experience and amazing campsite/lodge). Highly recommended!!!
Tildesley/Dorval family · Australia
We found Great Explorations after receiving several answers that indicated that it was too late to plan the trip (2 months before). The team not only answered positively but inmediately understood our expectations, type of experience we wanted and respected our budget. Replies were quick and detailed and the first programme was complete and very well explained. We requested to make slight adjustments that were inmediatly done. The accommodation proposed throughout the trip was excellent and most of the lodges were simply exceptional. Upon arrival, the staff took to time to personally welcome us, review the programme day by day and gave valuable advice. We felt that we had a reliable support for anything we might need along a road trip of many kilometers often in remote areas, Overall a perfect partner for a unique experience. Special thanks to Anja who was extremely professional, available and helpful.
Sandrine · Spain
The precision and professionalism of Anja allowed the creation of a perfect trip. Thanks to her help and patient everything was organized in an amazing way, starting from the car rental to the choice of the lodges and the interlocking of activities that allowed us to not miss anything of what this incredible country has to offer. We highly recommend them!
Carolina Testa · Netherlands
my assistant Anja was fantastic, in everything. Very quick in contact, already during the planning she gave me advice but also followed my instructions on what I wanted. And she's nice as well as competent. But above all, during the trip he solved various problems for me (not regarding reservations, we didn't have any problems with this!) that I would not have been able to handle alone. This was very important. I will never thank her enough. I would recommend Great Exploration Namibia to everyone.
Teresa · Italy
Practical answers
Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour is offered in Namibian dollars (NAD).
This tour accepts children who are 1 year and older.
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
You can request minor changes to the accommodations and destinations of this tour.
Olive Grove Guesthouse - Mid-range guest house in Windhoek (City, Namibia) – Breakfast Included. Meals: Breakfast Included
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
We advise requesting quotes from 3 operators () Requests are sent directly to the tour operator If preferred, you can contact the tour operator directly
Operator policy
This tour is offered by Great Explorations Namibia, not SafariBookings.
This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings.
If you request changes to this tour, the advertised rates will likely change.
The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability.
If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will suggest a comparable alternative.
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