CAMPING SAFARI: Travelling from the capital Windhoek, experience the very best of Namibia including wildlife rich Etosha National Park, the towering dunes of Sossusvlei and colonial Swakopmund. Discover massive Fish River canyon, quaff wines in Cederberg and end in fantastic Cape Town!
Trip Highlights
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
Windhoek
Sunday. Welcome to Namibia! Upon arrival at Windhoek airport, you'll be met and transferred to our campsite in the town centre. At 17:00, there will be a welcome meeting at the campsite with fellow travellers and tour crew.
Overnight: Windhoek
Etosha National Park
Windhoek - Etosha. Leaving Windhoek, we head to Etosha National Park. This 20,000 km2 desert nature reserve is home to many species of wildlife, including the oryx and springbok, and is easily explored on the gravel roads stretching across the park. After dinner, sit by the waterhole and watch the animals quench their thirst as the evening approaches.
Overnight: Etosha National Park | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Etosha NP
Today we embark on a long game drive through the park, keeping an eye out for the many game options. The varying vegetation creates changing habitats, and so we will see different animals in each section of the park. At the end of the day, we head to our nearby campsite, with time for a dip in the pool and a leisurely dinner. The next day, we continue driving south through Etosha to our second campsite.
Overnight: Etosha National Park area | Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 2, Dinner x 2
Brandberg
Etosha - Brandberg. We depart south to the Brandberg desert area, where Namibia's tallest mountain can be found. We may have a chance to explore depending on arrival time.
Overnight: Brandberg | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Swakopmund
Brandberg - Spitzkoppe - Swakopmund. Leaving Brandberg, we travel to Swakopmund today, with a brief stop at the Spitzkoppe peak. Swakopmund was established by the Germans in 1892, and the colonial influence can still be seen in the city's elegant architecture. Enjoy some free time to explore the restaurants & cafes, arts & crafts shops, and of course the coastal beach.
Spend the following day at leisure, relaxing or partaking in one of many optional excursions available. Some of our fellow passengers may leave us here, to be replaced by new passengers joining us for the final leg of our trip.
Overnight: Swakopmund | Breakfast x 2
Sossusvlei
Swakopmund - Sesriem. Leaving Swakopmund, we head south to the industrial Walvis Bay before turning inland and toward the desert. Continuing our journey, we enter the Namib-Naukluft Park in one of the oldest deserts in the world. We base ourselves at Sesriem, a great place to experience the Namib and its many moods. A short distance away is Sossusvlei, surrounded by a dramatic sea of sand dunes reputed to be the highest in the world. Magnificent views of the desert can be seen from the top of the dunes, some over 300 m high. We spend the afternoon exploring this amazing area.
Overnight: Sesriem | Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 2, Dinner x 2
Fish River Canyon
Sesriem - Fish River Canyon. Heading out early, we see the sunrise over this beautiful area and we leave the serenity of the dunes to head south to the Fish River Canyon. At 161 km long, 27 km wide and about 550 m deep, it’s the second largest canyon in the world. The outer canyon was formed by tectonic activity, while the erosion of the Fish River formed the inner canyon. A road follows the eastern rim, giving us access to several viewing points from where we can take in the spectacular vistas.
Overnight: Fish River Canyon | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Gariep River
Fish River Canyon - Gariep River (South Africa). This morning we continue south, where, after a short drive, we reach the Gariep River - the natural land border between Namibia and South Africa. We camp at a beautiful campsite on the South African bank of the river. This afternoon we have the opportunity to take a half-day canoe trip on the beautiful Gariep River, affording us the opportunity of some bird watching or just a scenic and relaxing paddle. Tonight there’s a chance for some fun at the wonderful camp bar overlooking the river!
Overnight: Gariep River | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cederberg
Gariep River - Cederberg. We depart our pretty riverside setting this morning for the mining town of Springbok. We continue through the Namaqua region and spend our last night camping near the Cederberg mountains. Our campsite tonight is surrounded by wine farms and we get the opportunity to sample some.
Overnight: Cederberg | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cape Town
Saturday. Our journey ends this morning. We suggest you extend your stay by a few days to see all that Cape Town and the South African coast have to offer.
Breakfast
Prices & Dates
Departure dates are guaranteed with a minimum of 4 persons. Prices are per person when there are 2 people sharing a tent. Solo travellers will be matched up and share a tent with another solo traveller of the same gender.
Read MoreLocal payment - $550pp paid in USD.
Please note that this is payable locally on day 1 of your trip in the currency specified.
Hotels
The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.
Urban Camp (campsite), Windhoek
Centrally located in Windhoek (a short walk from the legendary Joe's Beerhouse restaurant), Urban Camp is a comfortable campground combining city convenience with a quiet getaway. Free Wi-Fi, and a sparkling pool contribute to an oasis of calm in campsites housing up to 18 people with shared bathroom facilities. Nearby is a small shopping centre for amenities, and for sightseers looking to explore the history and architecture of Windhoek, the city centre is less than 2km away.
Sossus Oasis Campsite, Sesriem
This luxury campsite at the gates of Sossusvlei features 12 individually shaded camps, each with its own bathroom facilities, kitchen basin, barbecue, and electricity points. The campsite has a sparkling pool, and is within walking distance of a fully stocked shop, Internet café, and service station. The adjacent Sossusvlei Lodge offers a restaurant and Adventure Centre, where exciting desert activities such as quad biking, sunset drives, and scenic flights over the dunes can be arranged.
Highlanders Campsite, Cederberg
Nestled among the wine farms at the foot of the Cederberg mountains, this campsite is a perfect stopover in the Namaqualand region. Highlanders is set on 3 levels, giving campers plenty of space between each of the 5 individual camp areas, and a 12-room ensuite lodge has recently been added to the site. Each camp has a 'braai' pit, sink unit & power. There are stunning mountain views from the solar-powered hot showers, and a locally-sourced wine bar by the scenic swimming pool.
Ashanti Lodge Gardens Backpackers, Cape Town
Situated in a Victorian mansion at the foot of Table Mountain, within walking distance of the city centre, Ashanti Lodge offers a range of 6 to 8 bed dormitories, in addition to private rooms with shared bathroom facilities. After a long day of sightseeing, travellers can unwind with a cocktail at the café-bar, take a dip in the outdoor pool, or relax in the landscaped garden. Kitchen/BBQ facilities and complimentary Wi-Fi are also available.
PLEASE NOTE: Our Overland Camping Safaris starting/ending in Cape Town after 22 April 2023 will stay at [email protected] Greenpoint hostel with the exception of safaris starting or ending in Cape Town on 29 July 2023 which will stay at [email protected] Kloof Street hostel.
Reviews
Travellers have rated this tour as 4.83 out of 5 based on 6 recent reviews
Fantastic tour that gives a real insight into the wildlife of Namibia. The game drives in Etosha were fabulous and we had great sights and sounds of hyenas feeding and elephants protecting a baby in their group. Our guide, John, worked incredibly hard liaising with the head office in order to allow 4 members of our group to stay in Etosha Park itself for a second night and take part in the night safari.
The tents and meals were of a good standard and the roll mats a lot more comfier than last time I did over landing 15 years ago. Remarkably, I recognised our driver on this trip as he was my tour leader on that overland trip such a long time ago. All the crew were great and good humoured and worked exceptionally hard.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable trip that I've already been recommending to my friends.”
I would have preferred to have more time at the activity centres such as Swakopmund. With an extra day I would have taken part in more activities. The ones that I participated in were fantastic: 3-hour horse riding (11 out of 10), quad biking and sandboarding, camel riding (rather a short trip but otherwise fine).
At the tribal markets (Herero and Himba) I would like to have had a lot more time. This was not the fault of the tour guide. He gave us a time by which to be back on the truck and everyone was on it about 10 minutes before that time. I felt obliged to follow suit and missed out on talking to the locals and also I would have bought more souvenirs. This was especially disappointing since when we got to the camp site we had the rest of the afternoon and evening free. Perhaps a visit to a tribal village would be good but I understand that this might be too intrusive and not welcomed.
The visit to the township in Cape Town was superb. Again, I would have preferred more time and freedom but can understand that this may be impractical.”
Absolutely amazing trip, met and exceeded all expectations. Our tour leader, McKenzie, and crew of Peter the cook and Cyrus our driver were a great team and looked after us superbly. The trip covers a lot of ground but I knew that would be the case and each destination made the long travelling days worthwhile. Great to have 2 full days in Etosha, although the only disappointment was that our campsite wasn't actually in the park, meaning that we weren't able to take part in nighttime game drives or waterhole viewing even though the trip notes implied we would. All in all though a fantastic tour which is great value for money and highly recommended. I look forward to travelling with On The Go again!”
Everything went very well.
A great trip. Great value for money.
To repeat. ”
It was a perfect mix of original, adventurous, intrepid, and organised, reassuringly experienced and safety-in-a-group”
This tour was exceptionally well organized and managed by Chris, the tour guide. He was professional, personable and a great leader who also answered all our questions about local fauna, wildlife and history throughout the tour itinerary. He was also funny and tough, when needed (it is needed at times with 20 or more participants to keep everyone on schedule). I highly recommend him and would love to go on another tour with him as leader.
The tour itinerary was well paced, some long travel days followed by a few quieter days to sightsee and relax, I especially enjoyed Etosha Game Park, climbing Dune 45, Swakopmund and the activities available there, and the canoe trip on the Orange River. The wine tasting at Cederberg was also memorable. The truck was in good condition and the cook (Malinga) and driver (Steven) were also exceptionally professional, competent and kind. My husband is gluten intolerant and Malinga always managed to accommodate him during meals, which took extra effort on his part and was much appreciated. The campsites varied in their amenities, some had decent showers and hot water while several others did not. Given that this was a camping tour this was not unexpected, but a hot shower after a long day on the road would have been a treat. Lack of wifi in many locations was a disappointment but also not unexpected. All in all, my husband and I had a wonderful, memorable trip that we will never forget. We will plan another On-the-Go tour in the future.”
At a Glance
Fantastic tour that gives a real insight into the wildlife of Namibia. The game drives in Etosha were fabulous and we had great sights and sounds of hyenas feeding and elephants protecting a baby in their group. Our guide, John, worked incredibly hard liaising with the head office in order to allow 4 members of our group to stay in Etosha Park itself for a second night and take part in the night safari.
The tents and meals were of a good standard and the roll mats a lot more comfier than last time I did over landing 15 years ago. Remarkably, I recognised our driver on this trip as he was my tour leader on that overland trip such a long time ago. All the crew were great and good humoured and worked exceptionally hard.
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable trip that I've already been recommending to my friends.”
