Ostrich Self-drive Safari: Summary
Ostrich Self-drive in a nutshell
Following a relaxed evening in Windhoek, set off on your self-drive adventure, heading into Namibia’s arid south and the expanses of the Kalahari Desert. The first stop is at a family owned former ranch where you may spot cheetah, meerkat and perhaps aardvark among other desert specialties.
Continue across the arrow-straight border with South Africa and the sprawling Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, spending four nights split between two rustic camps on its edge. Remote and wild, visitors here tend to be fellow intrepid overlanders who are rewarded with red sands and dry savannah, home to wildebeest, oryx, eland, hyena, leopard and black-maned lion. The rainy season sees the desert turn green and burst into life and is a great time of year for birders.
Back in Namibia, after a stopover in a small oasis town, the next highlight is the incredible 500m depths of Fish River Canyon. The area has some great hiking trails which you often have to yourself and the canyon, Africa’s largest, is particularly photogenic at sunset.
Onward and west through rocky mountains towards the Atlantic coast brings you to the Eagle’s Nest lodge. There are some scenic walks and mountain bike routes here, but we see it as more of a base for day trips to Kolmanskop, a once-booming diamond mining outpost that’s now an atmospheric ghost town, and the colonial port town of Lüderitz from where you can take a boat trip to see African penguins, flamingos, dolphins and whales.
Turning north, drive to the only lodge inside the Naukluft National Park – Sossus Dune Lodge. It's comfortable and well-run, but the real USP here is that guests are the first to see Sossusvlei’s towering red dunes as the sun rises and are able to stay later for golden-hour photography. There’s one final night to relax back in the Kalahari before your flight home from Windhoek.
At a glance
| Starts: | Windhoek International Airport | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 night | Galton House - Windhoek, Namibia | Bed & Breakfast |
| 1 night | Bagatelle Game Ranch - Southern Namibia, Namibia | Half Board |
| 2 nights | Kalahari Tented Camp - Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa | Room Only |
| 2 nights | Twee Rivieren - Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa | Room Only |
| 1 night | Central Lodge - Southern Namibia, Namibia | Bed & Breakfast |
| 2 nights | Canyon Lodge - Fish River Canyon, Namibia | Half Board |
| 2 nights | Eagle's Nest - Luderitz, Namibia | Half Board |
| 2 nights | Sossus Dune Lodge - Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia | Bed & Breakfast |
| 1 night | Eningu Clayhouse - Southern Namibia, Namibia | Half Board |
| Ends: | Windhoek International Airport |
Galton House
Windhoek, Namibia
Bagatelle Game Ranch
Southern Namibia, Namibia
Kalahari Tented Camp
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa
Twee Rivieren
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa
Central Lodge
Southern Namibia, Namibia
Canyon Lodge
Fish River Canyon, Namibia
Eagle's Nest
Luderitz, Namibia
Sossus Dune Lodge
Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Eningu Clayhouse
Southern Namibia, Namibia
Highlights
Our thoughts on five of the top experiences of this Ostrich Self-drive Safari.
- Spotting meerkats and lion in the Kgalagadi
- Sundowners overlooking Fish River Canyon
- See a ghost town reclaimed by the desert
- Access the dunes around Sossusvlei before the heat & crowds
- A chance to visit African penguins on Halifax Island
Activities
Some activities which can be included in the Ostrich Self-drive Safari: talk to us about those which interest you.
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Cultural excursion
Guided walking safari
Helicopter
Horse-riding
Hot air ballooning
Mountain biking
Night drive
Quad-biking
Self-guided walking
Key species to see on the Ostrich Self-drive Safari
Based on our travellers' observations, we’ve estimated the likelihood of seeing these species during the Ostrich Self-drive Safari. Click on the animals and our wildlife surveys page for more info.
100% chance
100% chance
100% chance
99% chance
94% chance
83% chance
82% chance
79% chance
50% chance
33% chance
15% chance
12% chance
0% chance
0% chance
0% chance
0% chance
Side-trips whilst on this trip
We may be able to build in some of these optional excursions from the Ostrich Self-drive Safari. Talk to us: they’re usually best arranged when you book.
Ballooning in the Namib Desert
Half day, including breakfast
Ballooning over the world’s oldest desert is an experience you shouldn’t miss. Enjoy spectacular views as the sun rises over the dune-covered plains and rocky mountains of the Namib Desert. You may even spot the occasional oryx or black-backed jackal punctuating the landscape below.
More about Ballooning
Halifax Island boat trip
2 hours
Climb aboard the comfortable catamaran Zeepaard in search of the marine life of Namibia’s wild coastline – among them Cape fur seals, Heaviside dolphins, African penguins and perhaps even humpback whales.
More about Halifax Island trip
Scenic flights in Namibia
Variable, depending on the flight
Namibia is famed for its stark beauty and boundless desert vistas and there is no better way to soak these in than from the air. A scenic flight gives you a unique perspective on this stunning and varied country, and may even provide a bird’s-eye view of areas that are out of reach to those restricted to terra firma.
More about Scenic flights
Sperrgebiet tour
Full day, including lunch
Discover the hidden gems of the Sperrgebiet National Park on this exceptional all-day trip. There may no longer be diamonds for the taking, but in their place you’ll find ghost towns, the rusting relics of the diamond industry, geological formations, and extraordinary desert flora, largely untouched for generations.
More about Sperrgebiet tourLet us help you customise your trip
All of our holidays on this site are just ideas; none are fixed. All of our trips are tailor-made, so we'll always adapt them to suit you. Talk to an Expert and let us help you to work out your perfect trip.
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