Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Namibia – Windhoek – Kalkrand – Sesriem – Swakopmund – Twyfelfontein – Etosha – Otiwarongo
100% customisable for you
Calling all explorers, your family adventure in Namibia begins today. Head to the airport, whizz through security and usher everyone into the lounge for some peace and quiet before take-off. Flights to Windhoek connect via Johannesburg, in South Africa, and take around 13 hours – plenty of time for each member of your troupe to create a bucket list of must-see animals.
When you arrive in Windhoek, grab your bags and meet your private driver to be whisked away into the heart of the city, where you’ll check in for one night in the cultural hub of Namibia.
After all that travelling, treat yourselves with a leisurely lunch, followed by some downtime and a hearty dinner – our trusty Concierge will be clued up on all the best spots. Then, return to your hotel to rest up for the adventures of tomorrow.
After breakfast this morning, grab your bags, collect your hire car and hit the road. Make sure to stock up on plenty of snacks, because you’re setting off on a two-hour drive into the Kalahari Desert. Cue the first of many family sing-a-longs...
When you pull into the village of Kalkrand this afternoon, check into your hotel and enjoy a delicious lunch before hopping in a 4x4 to explore the desert at sunset. Spanning 24,700 acres and home to an abundance of amazing animals, these picturesque plains are bursting with the promise of wildlife encounters.
Led by an expert local guide, this is your chance to spot some spectacular local legends, including giraffes, kudus, zebras, oryx and wildebeest. Dare we say: the ideal setup for a family game of I-Spy?
Gather the troops bright and early this morning for a spectacular sunrise hike through the Kalahari Desert, which – in our humble opinion – is even more photogenic in the morning light.
Once you’ve been suitably wowed, return to camp for breakfast and a comparison of everyone’s photos. Then, grab your bags, load up the car and strap in for the journey to Sesriem, a three-and-a-half-hour drive away.
When you arrive, check in for two nights, drop your bags and divvy up the beds. Then, head out for a tour of the nearby Sesriem Canyon, a 100ft-wide gorge that stretches almost a mile in length.
As awe-inducing as it is ancient, the rock here dates back 15 million years, and the river that runs through it (the Tsauchub) is roughly five million years old. Be sure to glance at the youngsters while your guide delivers these fascinating facts.
Return to camp this evening for dinner on the veranda after a sundowner cocktail – mocktails for the children, of course – before sinking into bed.
Another day, another early start. Head out at sunrise this morning for a trek from your lodge to the Sossusvlei Dunes – among the highest in the world. The landscape takes on a beautiful apricot colour at this time of day, so keep your eyes peeled and your cameras close.
During the trek, you’ll visit Deadvlei, a red dune amphitheatre filled with petrified (which, in this context, means fossilised) trees. Look out for native lizards and beetles here. The more sharp-eyed among you might even spot the famous dune lark – an endemic bird species with a particularly perfect palette for blending into its surroundings.
Afterwards, use up even more of the children’s energy by climbing ‘Big Mama’ and ‘Dune 45’, two of the largest dunes in Sossusvlei. The reward for all your hard work? A magnificent panorama of the desert.
Hear that? The coast is calling. Wave goodbye to Sossusvlei today as you drive five hours north to the pint-sized city of Swakopmund. Time to blast some more road trip tunes (check out our destination-specific playlist if you’re in need of a refresh).
When you pull into your next home away from home, check in for two nights, unpack and settle in. We've left the afternoon free for you to do as you – or really, your children – please.
If the youngsters are raring to go, head out to explore the city. Or, if everyone’s tired after your journey, unwind in the hotel before treating yourselves to dinner in one of Swakopmund’s many great restaurants. Our Concierge will be on hand to nab you a table at the most family-friendly (and delicious) one.
Tuck into a tasty breakfast this morning before hopping in a 4x4 and setting your sights on Sandwich Harbour, a stunning stretch of coast where 330ft-high desert dunes plunge directly into the Atlantic Ocean.
Now a protected nature reserve, Sandwich Harbour is a paradise for budding wildlife photographers, thanks to the pretty pink flamingos lining its shore. This is sure to be one for the photo albums.
Relax after your bucket-list worthy adventure on the Atlantic Coast this afternoon with some downtime in your hotel. Then head out in search of another delicious dinner tonight. Kapana (grilled beef strips), anyone?
After a bountiful breakfast this morning, head north to Twyfelfontein, a four-hour drive away. Here, tucked away in the boulder-strewn landscape, settle in for the next two nights in another seriously scenic camp.
Translating to either the ‘Hesitant Fountain’ or the ‘Valley of Doubt’, Twyfelfontein is one of the most important sites in southern Africa. A UNESCO-listed gem, it’s home to some of the oldest paintings on the continent, dating back roughly 10,000 years.
Once you’ve unpacked and divvied up the beds in your rooms, work up an appetite for dinner with an afternoon exploring your new surroundings – golden hour never looked so good.
After a slow start this morning, set off with an expert local guide to step back in time and gaze at ancient Bushmen rock art. Twyfelfontein houses over 2,500 paintings, depicting everything from animals grazing to dramatic hunting scenes. Word to the wise: make some room on your camera roll before heading out today.
Once everyone’s oohed and aahed their way around the site, return to camp for an afternoon of whatever takes your fancy. If the youngsters are raring to go, lace up your walking shoes to explore the surrounding trails on a self-guided nature walk. Along the way, you can try to spot some indigenous plants and trees, using the handy information boards beside the path for some extra intel.
Alternatively, treat yourselves to a lazy afternoon in and around camp with plenty of chill time for the children – and cocktails for the adults.
After one last breakfast among the splendour of Twyfelfontein, pack up the car and embark on the three-hour-and-15-minute drive to Etosha National Park, one of the country's greatest wildlife sanctuaries.
Along the way, stop at the (brilliantly named) Petrified Forest, where a series of ancient pines and Welwitschia mirabilis plants have fossilised over millions of years to create a stunning spectacle. If the youngsters are feeling peckish, you could also stop at the tiny town of Outjo to enjoy a milk tart at the Outjo Bakery.
When you arrive in Etosha, check in for the night in another cosy camp to enjoy a relaxing afternoon, before heading to the restaurant for sundowners and a fantastic fireside dinner.
Today is guaranteed to be one of the highlights of your trip as you set off on an unforgettable wildlife safari through the Ongava Private Game Reserve in Etosha National Park. Time to step into your very own nature documentary...
With an expert local guide at the helm, set off on a thrilling game drive from the savannah to the woodlands, keeping your eyes peeled for the big hitters – we're talking lions, elephants and rhinos.
Come evening, return to camp ready to tuck into another delicious dinner and crack on with a post-safari family debrief. It doesn’t come much better than this.
Buckle up for the drive to the Okonjima Nature Reserve this morning, a journey which takes around three hours. Famed for its frequent cheetah and leopard sightings, Okonjima is a forerunner in carnivore conservation as well as pangolin (scaly anteater) and brown hyena research.
After checking in, unpack, unwind and enjoy a leisurely late-afternoon lunch. Then, SPF up and set off to explore the sweeping savannah on a game drive with an expert local guide.
As you venture into the wilderness, you'll be in with the chance of seeing everything from bat-eared foxes and aardwolves to leopards, hyenas and owls. Let’s see how many more animals everyone can tick off their safari bucket lists today...
This evening, return to camp in time for a candlelit dinner before drifting off to the sounds of another magical Namibian night.
Sadly, your epic family adventure in Namibia comes to an end today, but not before one final wildlife encounter (hooray).
Rally the family bright and early this morning to venture back into the Okonjima Nature Reserve with a local guide. This time, you’ll jump right in, collecting scientific data before setting off to track leopards and brown hyenas.
Having snapped a few more photos of the youngsters oohing and aahing at Namibia’s animal inhabitants, bundle back in the car to embark on the three-hour-and-30-minute drive back to Windhoek.
When you arrive, return your hire car and head to the airport. After enjoying some peace and quiet in the lounge, board your flight back to the UK, via Cape Town. You’ll be in the air for a total of 14 hours, so you'll touchdown in the UK the following morning, just in time to start planning your next family adventure over lunch…
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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Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
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 checking you in for your flights to our network of local Concierges
