One-month road trip in Namibia

Awesome, a new travel journal and in Namibia too! [:)]

June 26th, after a good breakfast, we met up with Michaël at 10 AM for the handover of a travel journal with everything inside (vouchers, reservations, activities, map, phone numbers, country history...), plus an oral debrief of the itinerary with tips and a few explanations about the car. Then, he took us to the rental agency where he stayed with us for the walkthrough of the vehicle. Once we had our ride, we headed into town to grab lunch, do a week's worth of grocery shopping, pick up local SIM cards, and withdraw some cash. We spent another night at Londiningi BB.

On June 27th, we hit the road for our road trip. First stop: the Waterberg Plateau. At its base, there’s a Rest Camp run by the state where we spent the night. We parked the car in a large lot, set up the tents for the first time, and had a quick bite.

There are some animals around, and it’s such a delight for us. After the meal, we set off for a walk and take the trail to reach the plateau. Well, I think we got a little lost, but we made it eventually [;)] The path to get there is stunning, with all the colors, and the view from up there is magnificent.

We're spoiled for this first day! [:)]

Yep, I figured I had to do it [:P] Hope you'll like it

Hi Mathilde, Namibia, Mickael, Londiningi BB—sounds like Tourmaline agency vibes!!

I’m in, of course!

Quick tips: watch out for photos—they’re now limited to 300 per travel journal. And don’t forget to click the “insert into text” button once they’re uploaded; it’s easier to view them that way.

Hi Bruno, Welcome to our car. Yep, that’s it… Tourmaline :) I thought I couldn’t mention their name. They were great in every way and very responsive. Thanks for letting me know about the max number of photos. I’d read 10 per post, but I hadn’t seen there was an overall limit. I’ll keep it in check because without you, I definitely would’ve gone over, given all the beauty we saw I’ll try to weave them into the text like you suggested. I’m not used to it, so all tips are welcome. Thanks

June 28: On the way to Etosha National Park, but first, we stopped at the CCF (Cheetah Conservation Fund). My English isn’t great, so I didn’t catch all the explanations, but it was really interesting, and we learned quite a bit.

Hi Bruno, Welcome to our car. Yep, that’s it… Tourmaline :) I thought I couldn’t mention their name. They were great in every way and very responsive. Thanks for letting me know about the max number of photos. I’d read 10 per post but I hadn’t seen there was a maximum total. I’ll limit them because without you, I definitely would’ve gone over given all the beauty we saw I’ll try to insert them into the text like you suggested. I’m not used to it, so all tips are welcome. Thanks

I clicked the green button under the uploaded photo labeled "insert into text," but it doesn’t add it. Any other tips?

We have lunch on the spot and then head towards Etosha Park, trying not to arrive too late. We’ll spend the night at Namutoni campsite.

June 29: We pick up a park map and start navigating from waterhole to waterhole. The morning was filled with lots of herbivores, but no carnivores in sight. The afternoon was stunning, both for the landscapes and the discoveries. But let’s start with the birds we spotted:

Hi Mathilde,

There are several posts on this topic in the forum: you can type "insert a photo" in the search bar to find them.

From what I remember, you must click in the text with your mouse where you want to insert the photo, otherwise it won’t work—maybe that’s all it is!

The photos are really lovely, by the way! !

Oops, sorry—I’m a bit all over the place with this travel journal start It’ll get better now!

Here are some herbivores now:











Two styles, two vibes for drinking:

Hi Mathilde

Namibia, I’m in too! [:)]

I’d planned a trip back in … 2011 (already!) with Tourmaline, but that year flight prices skyrocketed, 100 NAD went over 10 €, and in the end we switched to a cheaper destination [:/] Since then, there’s always been another spot picked for vacations, but those first photos are making me want to rethink my plans

Hello, Advertising is not allowed on the forum. But in this case, it’s just information—you traveled with this agency. And if they ticked all the boxes, it’s important to mention them! I’m happy to know that Mickael is still working at this agency!

Thanks for the photos in the text—it’s much smoother to look at ;)

Hi Muriel,

Namibia, which I had the chance to explore for a month during the height of Covid, remains one of my most beautiful trips to date 😊.

That said, it’s definitely not a destination I’d call a “great deal.”

Hi Pascale, Yes, that’s exactly it. I needed to get into the post to be able to insert the photos. Thanks! :)

Hi Muriel, Welcome to the car too. There’s room for everyone True, it’s not a "budget" trip, but wow, what an experience for me. We’d done Botswana in 2017 and I was enchanted by all the animals we saw and the trip itself, but Namibia had been on our minds since 2015. Ten years later, we finally did it and didn’t regret a thing. It was love at first sight for me—it’s absolutely stunning, so don’t hesitate to go!

And here we go, carnivore lovers!

A cheetah was napping in the shade (this one was in the wild)



And I was hoping to see some because we didn’t spot any in Botswana: hyenas. And even a baby... What a joy! It’s so cute.





After all that, we could head back to Camp Namutoni with images filling our heads. It was wonderful.

June 30th: we’re back in the car, heading to Camp Halali where we’ll spend the night. There are 70 km between the two camps, so we’re taking it easy. We decided to stop at every waterhole along the way. Some are dried up and empty, but others are stunning. We’ll have a picnic on the road. Don’t worry—we’re not allowed to get out of the car in Etosha National Park, and we didn’t break that rule. But the Namibians did a great job: there are fenced rest areas. For once, we humans are the ones locked in ;)





That was our little break.



Lions were there, lying in the tall grass. We didn’t see them much, but there were two males and one female.

And you know what? We saw a cheetah again that day... definitely. If we had known, we would’ve gone to see the leopards instead of the cheetahs on the 2nd day of our trip.



The landscapes are stunning.



And the waterholes are teeming with herbivores.

Halali is famous for its illuminated waterhole, which is incredibly scenic. We saw rhinos—three of them, including one baby. Photos just don’t do this encounter justice. This little ground squirrel was at our campsite



And this one, which isn’t a ground squirrel, was waiting with us at the waterhole for the animals









On July 1st, we head to Camp Okaukuejo. This is the largest camp, and it’s quite busy. It has a well-known waterhole because lots of animals come to drink, and it’s very well set up. The two camps are 80 km apart, and the road between them is stunning.









We decided to arrive at the camp in the late morning so we could relax at the waterhole in the afternoon without having to get back in the car.

We settle in quietly at our new spot, take possession of the place by exploring the surroundings, and have lunch. The squirrels are curious. They come up really close to see if they can find anything to eat and keep us company during the meal. They’re adorable. Then we head to the watering hole for the afternoon. At first, the animals arrived one after another: a group of zebras, then some antelopes, a few kudus, birds, a jackal, and then a large herd of elephants of all sizes, an oryx, giraffes... and then, at one point, there was "one of each" animal all at once. It was such a joy to see all these creatures together.







In the evening, we’re lucky enough to spot a rhino.

July 2nd: Since we’re sleeping at Camp Okaukuejo again tonight, we spend the day driving around the area looking for beautiful sights. We came across some lions... lying down. So all we saw were the cars waiting for them to get up. After half an hour of waiting, we decide to move on. We’d already been spoiled so far, so why not keep going? We spotted lots of animals: jackals, wildebeest, ostriches, zebras, giraffes... and more. Another really rich day.

Mathilde, the photos are gorgeous! I think you guys were lucky because it looks like you saw at least one black rhino (you can’t tell the species as well in the other photos), and they’re rare (in Namibia, I’m not sure, but it’s an endangered species).

Hi Pascale, Thanks! We only saw black rhinos, and yes, we were really lucky [:)]

July 3: We're hitting the road for Camp Olifantsrus. It's 130 km away, and it's really small and basic. This part of the park is wilder, and the animals are more skittish. Before breakfast and leaving, I head back to the waterhole to see what's around. After 5 minutes of watching, I spot an animal I didn’t know, appearing in the distance. I wait, and then I realize—it's a brown hyena!! I didn’t even think we’d see one during our trip. What luck! I just have time to call my husband before it disappears again.



We finish breakfast, pack up the tents, and set off for our last full day in Etosha National Park. The waterholes are still packed with herbivores—it’s really amazing.









At the campsite, there’s a wooden "hide." It’s nice with a small waterhole right below, but unfortunately, we didn’t see any animals.

July 4th: And just like that, Etosha is behind us. We have to leave the park before 10 AM. We stop at the gate to pay for our days. The police officers present ask if there’s anything to report and check the car trunk. All good, and we can continue our long journey to Epupa Falls—450 km to go. We stop in Opuwo to fill up on gas and grab supplies for two days. Immediately, women and children ask us for water and food. They’re very insistent. We’ll buy oil, rice, and water to give them, but since there are so many asking and we can’t help everyone, it creates jealousy, and we feel a bit unsettled by it. Luckily, they end up sharing a bit of everything. Between Opuwo and Epupa Falls, there are many children along the road asking for water. It’s tough not to stop, but there are just too many of them.

The road to our future campsite is absolutely stunning. A real feast for the eyes, and I’d love to stop every 30 seconds to take photos. My husband won’t have it, though—the drive is long, and we need to arrive before dark. Since we can’t drive fast, I get it, but I’m still bummed [:/]

At Epupa Falls, our campsite is huge. We’re right by the water and have a private toilet and bathroom. Fancy.

July 5th: If we came to Epupa Falls, it's obviously for the waterfalls I'd read such great things about, but also for the Himba people. I was hesitant about visiting a village, but we figured we'd only know what it was really like by doing the "activity" ourselves.

In the morning, we set off with a guide to visit a village. It was just the four of us with the guide, and the visit was booked through the lodge that manages the campsite.

Okay, let’s be honest—I didn’t like it. It felt way too touristy and like a "factory" to me, so I didn’t talk much or ask questions (or very few). It didn’t feel natural, so I didn’t enjoy it. That said, I still learned a ton of interesting things about this people, and that’s not nothing ;) It’s just that there was no real interaction.









The village is very poor and dry. The houses are simple. It’s when you see how these people live that you realize how lucky we are to have everything in our society. It really puts things into perspective.

In the afternoon, we decided to visit the falls without a guide. We were approached several times, but we wanted to take things easy at our own pace. So we crossed the village and followed the Kunene River until we reached the falls. They aren’t huge, but they’re still impressive because the flow is strong. Plus, it’s so surprising to see so much water in such a dry region. A real oasis. To get a better view, we climbed to the top of the hill where there’s a paid viewpoint. It’s stunning. My son wanted to go river rafting, but there weren’t enough people, so it was canceled. So he just followed us.







View from the top



Front view



On our way back to the campsite, there were vervet monkeys. Don’t leave anything lying around because they’re thieves. We were careful, but one still managed to snatch a pack of sliced bread. I tried to get it back because it’s not good for my health, but it bared its teeth. Yikes, I didn’t mess with it. The person watching the campsite made it drop the stolen goods by threatening it with a stick.

The photos are stunning... and they’re making me want to go to Namibia even more [;)]

Don’t hesitate to go. It’s a stunning country, and you’ve barely scratched the surface. Photos don’t do justice to the vastness and beauty of this place.

July 6th: we hit the road again to start our journey south. A long drive awaits us to reach the Khowareb Lodge campsite. 350 km. We plan to stop in Opuwo to refuel and stock up on groceries. Before reaching the town, we still encounter many children on the road asking for water or other things. We stay cautious. At one point, there’s a boy around ten years old making his goats cross the road. We slow down, he asks for something, and we refuse. He’s not happy, picks up a rock, and throws it at the car. We drive away and stop further on to check the damage. The car door took a hit. Obviously, we’re not happy about such behavior, even if we can understand his frustration. We had to call Michaël to find out what to do with the rental company—take photos, send everything... When we arrive in Opuwo, we realize nothing is open. It’s Sunday, and all the shops are closed. We didn’t pay attention to that, otherwise we would’ve done a proper grocery run two days earlier. Women and children hassle us like on the way there, but this time we don’t give anything. We fill up on gas and manage to find a few bits and pieces to buy at the station (luckily). Outside, people are selling fresh fruits and vegetables. We grab enough to cook for a few days, hoping we’ll find more to buy further on.

I wonder how they manage to live in those houses when it’s scorching hot. Tin roofs must be unbearable, even if I imagine they spend most of their time outside... [:/]





The road is still just as beautiful.







We won’t do much today except drive and make stops, and we’re pretty upset about how the day went

July 7th: we don’t have much driving today. Palmwag is 80 km from our current location and it’s our destination for the day. The road is still just as beautiful and varied.





This concession is a nature reserve on the edge of the Skeleton Coast National Park, home to desert elephants, among other wildlife. We’ll be staying at the campsite attached to the lodge. When we arrive, it’s pure "class"—partly because of the location and partly because we have 4 showers and 4 toilets. One each!!! The place is stunning. It’s an oasis in the middle of the desert, complete with palm trees, a lodge, campsite, and pools. On arrival, we sign a charter agreeing to leave any elephants alone if we see them around the lodge. Apparently, they often come to drink from the pools. Will we be lucky enough to see one? We book an afternoon drive to look for them. The landscapes are gorgeous.











We spot zebras and antelopes but no elephants [:(] Still, we don’t regret the drive!

July 8: 120 km to cover today to reach the Mowani Mountain Camp campsite in Twyfelfontein. Shortly after leaving Palmwag, we’ll pass through a sanitary checkpoint. The staff will check that we’re not carrying any raw milk, meat, or cheese. We do have meat, but it’s cooked, so all good. We can continue on our way. The road is incredibly diverse: the landscapes keep changing and are all so different. It’s stunningly beautiful, and no one gets tired of it.







Along the way, we’ll stop to see the Petrified Forest. The visit is short but really interesting.





Then we head to our campsite.



Wow, I was completely blown away. Total love at first sight for me and this super natural spot. There are very few sites, and they’re all blended into the environment. The shower and toilets are open-air, set among the rocks. I can’t show too many photos because of the limit, but you’ll still get a general view.

I’m loving it. And we have some visitors!

Oh my goodness, so many memories following your journey!!

In Palmwag, we were at the same spot, but I had booked a tent2Go, which let us take a break from the roof tent for a modest price compared to the lodge. And the elephants were definitely there!!!



Mowani stayed in our top 3 accommodations too! I had asked the lodge if we could use the hotel’s pool, and since it was almost empty (remember, Covid year), they let us in for free!





PS: I checked, my photos don’t affect your counter [;)]

The view is pretty amazing, right?







We decided to take a little walk around the area and head up to the viewpoint to catch the sunset. The person managing the campsite will bring us some cushions so we can get comfy. Such a sweet touch! [:)] It’s breathtaking, indescribable.

Ah! Namibia... I'm joining you on this adventure! 😊 Personally, it's the destination that left the biggest impression on me. We went in 2019 and then again in 2024—nothing but pure joy 😍, and what a pleasure to rediscover these places through your travel journal! 😊.

And knowing all the amazing trips you’ve had the chance to take, being number one on your list is no small feat.

I’ll say it again—what luck!!! A brown hyena! Great sighting! [:)] For those interested who are heading to Namibia, Okonjima has a dedicated brown hyena tracking experience.

I’m going to Namibia at All Saints’ Day, including one night at the Mowani campsite—I’m even more excited now after reading your travel journal!

Ah, you were luckier than me with the elephants at Palmwag [:P] Two days before, there were some, and after we left, there were some too. No big deal—we saw so many animals and the landscapes are so incredible that it didn’t traumatize me [;)]. We enjoyed the campsite pool on the second day at Mowani Well, when I say *we*... my son was the one who enjoyed it

Hi Isabelle, Welcome to the car! [:)] It’s true, it’s a wonderful country.

Oh, I’m sure you’ll love the Mowani campsite. It’s absolutely fabulous, and the landscapes are stunning. I’d totally stow away in your suitcase!

July 9th: In the morning, we left for the Twyfelfontein site. This site is primarily made up of rock engravings over 1,500 years old. A guide is mandatory for the visit. The place is stunning.







In the afternoon, we decided to go for a short hike. A ranger told us there was one marked after the barriers. Well, we had a hard time finding the start of the hike, and along the way, we managed to get lost. Total goofballs when you see that



It’s breathtaking.





Really great hike. We ended the afternoon by the pool with a nice cold drink since it was hot, and then headed back to our favorite campsite

July 10th: We left Mowani with a bit of sadness on my part, heading towards Brandberg (180 km) to see the White Lady. We’ll be staying at the campsite of Brandberg White Lady Lodge. We arrived at the lodge late in the morning, had lunch there, and set off immediately afterward for the site. We knew there was a 2–3 hour hike to reach the engraving with a mandatory guide. We also wanted to see other engravings, knowing they were nearby, but the woman who sold us the tickets strongly insisted we shouldn’t go, saying it would take another hour of walking and that it was already 2 p.m. You get it... They just didn’t feel like it. We didn’t push it—it wouldn’t have changed anything that day.



The "rock" with these paintings is, in my opinion, more beautiful than the engravings from the day before, and I can confirm you need a guide to get there because the path is tricky. Too bad we couldn’t see the others.



A little meerkat lives at the lodge. It’s adorable.

Gorgeous landscapes [:)] How much time should we allow for the hike? Thanks!

The hike at Mowani? We took our time, got a bit lost, and I think it took us between 2 and 3 hours. The hike itself isn’t very long, but we enjoyed the scenery If it’s the White Lady one, we must’ve taken 3 hours total with the guide (explanations included)

Thanks Mathilde! I saw that you loved the petrified forest, so I’m adding it back to the list of things to see (not many positive reviews so far).

July 11th: 150 km separates us from our next stop, Spitzkoppe. What's great from the Khowareb Lodge campsite is that the distance between two points is quite short. This lets us set off early in the morning, arrive early at the next spot, and enjoy the whole afternoon doing whatever we want. That day, we’ll arrive early enough to choose the campsite at Rock Pools (no reservations here: first come, first served). We’ll be right near the arch. After the meal, we head out for a walk. We check out Little Bushman (another painting). It doesn’t take long, and the walk is nice. Then we head toward the arch, which is really stunning. My kids also have fun climbing. In short, we make the most of the place because it’s absolutely gorgeous.

I was talking about the hike at Mowani. This reinforces my idea that you shouldn’t overload your days in the itinerary to really enjoy these amazing sites. Reading the travel journal, I mistakenly thought you had hiked in the afternoon at the Twyfelfontein site.

Hi Mathilde,

How lucky to have spotted a brown hyena! 😮👀