Rhino 10 Day Self-Drive

10 Days

This 10 day self drive safari uses comfortable, well-positioned accommodation allowing you to enjoy your vacation in Namibia to the maximum. Roads vary from tarred to gravel, the condition depending on the time of year. So allow more time each day if you are travelling in the wetter summer months, especially off road. There are 2 species of rhino in Namibia, the black (Diceros bicornis) and the white (Ceratotherium simum). They are almost the same bluish-grey colour and also known as hook-lipped for the black and square-lipped or wide for the white.

Your first destination is to Waterberg Plateau Park, a 50km long, 200m high, extensive ridge. This characteristic brick-red sandstone formation can be seen as far away as outside Okahandja. Apart from some interesting hiking trails of varying lengths, the park is home to around 25 game and over 200 bird species.

The real wildlife action is at Etosha National Park though. Several of the 114 mammal species found in the park are endangered including cheetah and black-faced impala. Huge conservation efforts are on-going at Etosha and the park proudly boasts one of the largest growing populations of black rhino in the world, also an endangered species.

The broad, open spaces of Damaraland offers self-drivers more options to explore the beautiful and rugged countryside that other destinations on this tour cannot match. This region can still be termed as an 'unofficial' wildlife area with opportunities to observe desert-adapted elephant, giraffe, zebra and black rhino. There are many natural attractions as well, including Namibia's highest mountain, the Brandberg massif, Spitzkoppe and the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein.

Inland Damaraland changes to coastal with the drive to Cape Cross Seal Reserve and it's legendary Cape fur seal colony. The surrounding area consists of 60km² of gravel plains as well as the actual rock outcrop where the seals gather. Literally hundreds and thousands of them appear in the November to December breeding season.

The drive south heads to what many Namibians consider as the country's adventure playground. Somehow, the city of Swakopmund seems to have remained in the early part of the last century. The grand German architecture, immaculately restored or maintained, is still here. But gradually over the years, action and excitement have moved in. Swakopmund is now the adrenalin capital of Namibia, with endless day trips and activities to be found on sand, sea or the air.

The drive from the sea into the desert is somewhat taxing, although not over difficult. You will be well rewarded though for no part of the Namib Desert is more memorable than Sossusvlei. One of it's gigantic star-shaped dunes was measured from the base to be 325m high. Another pan worth the walk is Dead Pan. This normally dried white clay is scattered with the skeletons of ancient camel-thorn trees, aged as being between 500 and 600 years old. From the dunes you take a scenic drive back to Windhoek.

Although it is possible to book this itinerary 'as is', as with all our self drive trips this is entirely customisable. We can add or delete days, change the accommodation used and generally design the tour to suit your individual requirements. Visitors who might prefer a break from driving themselves can arrange a guided safari.