Who, when, how long?
Our trip lasted from May 7th to 27th, 2025 , a total of 21 days . There were four of us traveling – two adults and two children , ages 6 and 8 (first and second grade).
We wrote a request to the principal for a longer absence and received approval without any problems .
We took some school notebooks with us and actually did something along the way – writing, calculating, reading. But we learned the most right there: on safari, in contact with other people, among the stars and under the open sky.
If you ask me, the kids were just the right age for such an adventure .
Flight tickets and the first "must do"
We bought the tickets a few months in advance, wanting to take advantage of the best price. The first step I recommend is to book your flight in time and have an approximate itinerary in mind (Chat GPT can help you). Why? Because you will need to submit at least one accommodation reservation for your visa. We also went to a travel clinic for a doctor's consultation. There are no mandatory vaccinations for Namibia, but we decided to take antimalarials . We also traveled to the north of the country, where malaria can be present, and therefore took Malarone and Malarone Bambini for the child (the tablets are not available in Slovenia, we ordered and bought them in neighboring Italy). Taking antimalarials had no side effects, but there were quite a few mosquitoes.
The car – our home on four wheels
It is almost impossible to imagine Namibia without an SUV. We rented a 4x4 vehicle with two roof tents for 19 days from Savannah Car Hire . The pick-up was organized, friendly and relaxed. They came to pick us up at the airport and took us to their premises. There, the almost two-hour pick-up followed, which also included an explanation of how to change a tire, how the refrigerator works, counting equipment, etc. All camping equipment was also included in the car rental - from stoves, tables, chairs, to plates, pots and even dishes.
Although the equipment is almost complete, today I would still recommend:
– take tea towels and a tablecloth with you, and if possible – a set of lightweight cookware (like the ones you get at Decathlon, for example). You get cast-iron pots that heat up very slowly. For breakfast on a cold morning? Well, it's not exactly ideal to wait half an hour for warm milk.
Packaging – less is more
We packed everything for 4 people into one large backpack + one travel bag and two smaller suitcases (hand luggage). The reason? More space in the car.
Clothes? 5 sets , some long sleeves , fleece shirts and each of us a windbreaker . It's autumn in Namibia at the end of May, in the morning and at night it was often below 10 degrees, but during the day it was a sunny 25.
The most important thing? A warm sleeping bag . Not the kind you'd use for camping by the sea, but the kind that won't let you freeze at night.
Documents, visas and imminent "fail"
Visa . A visa that we didn't arrange. I take full responsibility for this mistake. We simply didn't inform ourselves enough. Not me. Not my husband.
Even though we had our tickets, car, and at least one accommodation arranged, we didn't arrange our visas in time . And that almost ended with our trip being canceled.
We were incredibly lucky to get our visa approved in less than 24 hours, through the embassy in Vienna, late in the afternoon on the same day as our flight. But you don't want that stress. Get your visa in advance (approval takes approx. 5 days). Most European countries have the option of a visa on arrival , but Slovenia is not on that list! The visa procedure is long and complicated, you have to submit a lot of documentation (bank statements, reservations, scanned photos, passports, etc.)
Important : if you are traveling with children, be sure to bring the original birth certificate with you.
And one more thing – you need an international driving permit to drive. Without it, they may refuse to take possession of the car.
Food and supplies
I took a few basic things with me: instant soups , rice pudding , soup balls ... We bought the rest there - Spar , OK Foods , Pick n Pay have almost everything, even more remote stores offer a pretty good supply. Still, it's not bad to have some of your own for the first few days.
3-week road trip through Namibia with a 4x4 and a roof tent - our route:
Our focus was on natural attractions, a hike in between, and wildlife. We only visited towns to buy food.
Accommodation : campsites.
Arrival in Windhoek & vehicle pick-up
Pick up of a 4x4 vehicle with two roof tents (rent from Savannah Car Hire ).
Buying food and basic equipment (Spar).
Driving south towards the Naukluft Mountains.
Campsite : Capricorn Restcamp
Olive Trail hike (Naukluft NP)
A circular 10-km hiking trail through a picturesque canyon.
Natural pools, a beautiful gorge, encounters with numerous crickets and even kudu, and beautiful views.
Driving to Solitaire, which was our base for exploring Sossusvlei
Camp : Solitaire.
Solitaire & Sossusvlei
Driving towards the Namib Desert.
Visit the legendary Dune 45 and the white basin of Deadvlei.
Camp : Camp in Solitaire (2 nights).
Driving to Walvis Bay
Moving Day: A scenic drive along the edge of the desert.
Afternoon shopping in the city and a walk along the coast.
Campsite : Lagoon Chalets & Camp (by the sea, with WiFi and washing machine).
Off-road driving where the desert meets the ocean (Sandwich Harbour)
Morning tour of the sand dunes (entry to Sandwich Harbour is only possible with an organized tour, we booked the ride right at the campsite and went with MC Tours - we recommend it!).
Afternoon drive to Spitzkoppe.
Camp : Spitzkoppe Rest Camp.
Spitzkoppe
Granite formations, ideal for exploring and climbing, a walk to the caves, a view of 4,000-year-old wall drawings.
Taking photos at sunset.
Camp : Spitzkoppe Rest Camp (simple but unique experience).
Damaraland
Drive to the foot of Namibia's highest mountain, the Brandberg, and take a 5 km guided walk to the White Lady wall paintings (only guided tours available).
Drive and visit the Damara Living Museum - a display of the life of the Damara people
Campsite : Desert Elephant Camp or Abu Huab Campsite
Drive to Opuwo & meet the Himba people
A long drive north to the town of Opuwa, which took us almost the whole day.
Camp/accommodation : Opuwo Country Lodge.
The next day (morning) we visited the Himba people. We took a guide at the Kaoko Info Center, who was actually a translator. We got a really authentic experience.
Afternoon visit to the Ruancana waterfalls.
Camp/accommodation : Okapika Campsite.
Talking with cheetahs
Drive to Otjitotongwe Cheetah Guestfarm
Afternoon tour of the farm and meeting a cheetah and sleeping near the cheetahs.
Camp/accommodation : Cheetah Guestfarm.
Safari in Etosha National Park
Multi-day exploration of the park with your own vehicle, self-drive safari
Observation of giraffes, rhinos, elephants, zebras, wildebeests, ostriches, impalas...
Camps in Etosha :
Okaukuejo Camp (lots of zebras and springboks in the area)
Halali Camp (met rhinos and lots of giraffes)
Namutoni Camp (met lots of elephants)
+ campsite outside Etosha, where we had a free afternoon by the Saschsenheim Guest Farm pool.
Ghaub Nature Reserve
Food shopping in Tsumbeg.
Visit an open-air museum that displays villages of different tribes.
Helvi Mpingana Kondombolo Cultural Village.
Drive to the Ghaub Private Reserve, afternoon walk around the estate and the next morning hike and observation of white rhinos.
Campsite : Ghaub Farm & Reserve.
Waterberg Plateau
Hikes along the red rock cliffs (to the top of the plateau and around the area, cemetery).
Lots of wild animals. Even warthogs and baboons in the camp.
Campsite : Waterberg Plateau Campsite (maintained, with WiFi and toilets).
Return to Windhoek
Morning drive to the vicinity of Windhoek. We spent the last night at Monte-Christo Riverside Camping. In the afternoon we rented bows and went for a walk in the countryside , aiming at targets while walking.
The last day was dedicated to returning the vehicle and leaving for the airport.
✏️ What would you do differently today?
We would stop at Cape Cross , home to one of the largest sea lion colonies in the world.
We would go on a drive to Damaraland and look for desert elephants – a guided trip with your own car through less dry riverbeds.
I would also like to add that we completely skipped the south of Namibia. The country is big, there is a lot of driving and the itinerary described above was enough for a family trip, otherwise the pace would have been too fast.