Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Windhoek - Okonjima - Etosha - Rundu - Divundu - Bwabwata - Victoria Falls
100% customisable for you
Depart from London on an overnight flight to Windhoek, Namibia's capital. This is an indirect flight, with most flights routing via South Africa or the Middle East. Total travel time will be somewhere in the region of 14 to 16 hours.
On arrival into Windhoek, you'll be met at the airport and transferred to your accommodation. Your rental car will be delivered to your hotel or guesthouse, though the centre of the Namibian capital is compact and you may wish to explore on foot. Make sure you don't miss the city's many German colonial buildings, including the old fort, the Lutheran Christuskirche and the Tintenpalast (Ink Palace), seat of the Namibian parliament. In the evening, locals and visitors alike converge on Joe's Beerhouse, a renowned eatery serving up the best steaks in town in a convivial atmosphere.
Your destination today is the delightful Mushara Lodge, (not to be confused with the separate Mushara Outpost and Mushara Bush Camp). Etosha is one of Namibia's premier wildlife spotting destinations and translates as 'Great White Place' - a nod to the enormous mineral pan which takes up about a quarter of its area. Once a lake filled by the Kunene River, these days it's seasonal. When there's water, animals flock to its shores to drink from the springs and pools that are formed. Watch out for huge flocks of wading birds and stands of pink flamingos. The comfortable and elegant Mushara Lodge is only five miles from the park entrance so you'll have time to visit this afternoon if you just can't wait until morning.
Your road trip continues as you drive the 240 miles from Etosha to Rundu and on to your base, the Hakusembe River Lodge. In a country as arid as Namibia, it's a delight to find yourself in such a lush setting. Set on the verdant banks of the Okavango River, this lodge invites you to put your feet up and let rural Africa come to you. Swap the sound of the car's engine for the rhythmic flapping wings of fish eagles, the plop of a crocodile entering the water or the gentle motion of a dugout canoe slipping almost silently along the river's calm shallows. Nature's melodies will help refresh you after a long drive, working their magic so you'll feel ready to move on in the morning.
Today's drive is a relatively short 110-mile hop to RiverDance, located at Divundu on the famous Caprivi Strip. This narrow panhandle separates Namibia from its northern neighbour Angola. German Chancellor Leo von Caprivi brokered it in the 1890s in a futile attempt to link Namibia with Tanzania and form a valuable trade link with the Indian Ocean. Alas, Victoria Falls got in the way. RiverDance's secluded location on the banks of the Okavango River is perfectly placed to explore the nearby sights of Mahango Game Reserve and Bwabwata National Park, each within an hour's drive of your accommodation.
Travelling east along the Caprivi Strip, today's destination is Nambwa Tented Lodge near Kongola. The final leg of the journey is exciting; it requires a 4x4 to travel over soft sand, all the while giving way to herds of elephant and other wildlife that command the road. Be patient and don't honk the horn or rev your engine. The luxury suites are glamping at its finest. Located in the midst of Mashi Conservancy inside Bwabwata National Park, this is an important wildlife corridor and part of the Peace Park initiative. Nambwa is the only lodge that has been approved for night drives, giving you unrivalled access to the many species of wildlife that call the area home. Among the species commonly seen are hippos, wildebeest, zebras, giraffes and lions.
This morning you'll enter Botswana, entering the country via the Ngoma border crossing. After you complete formalities, the road leads through Chobe National Park so reduce your speed and wind down the windows to get a better look at the park's wildlife. Once through, you'll drop off the rental car at Kasane Airport. A driver will be waiting to meet you and from there it's another two hours by road to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. You'll check into the Victoria Falls Hotel in time to squeeze into the iconic Stanley's Bar for a well-earned G&T. If you're looking for a memorable dining location, why not eat aboard a vintage steam train, crossing the iconic Victoria Falls Bridge.
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
