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

97% chance

92% chance

91% chance

88% chance

70% chance

50% chance

15% chance

12% chance

0% 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.
Let us help you customise your trip
Like all of our holidays on this site, this is just an idea. All of our trips are tailor-made, so we'll always adapt them to suit you.

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Set up your itinerary
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Prepare for your trip
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When you return
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Other ideas for Namibia trips
Look at these ideas in Namibia: then talk to us. Will will design a trip that's perfect for you.
Other trip ideas across Africa
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