Grand Tour of Namibia: Canyons, Dunes, Coast & Wildlife

This morning you set off south into the red-sand country of the Kalahari, a gentle and beautiful start to your grand tour. The drive leads out of the highlands and into the semi-desert, the landscape opening into rolling red dunes dotted with golden grass, camelthorn trees and grazing oryx and springbok. You arrive in the afternoon at your lodge, set among the red dunes, and settle in. This afternoon you can take a guided nature drive across the Kalahari, watching for oryx, springbok, hartebeest, ostrich, meerkats and rich birdlife, and learning about this distinctive desert ecosystem, or take a guided walk with San trackers to learn about their ancient bushcraft and survival skills. As the sun lowers, enjoy sundowners atop a red dune as the sands glow crimson and the sky turns to fire. This evening, dine under a brilliant blaze of stars. Rest well amid the beautiful red dunes of the Kalahari.

Today you drive south across the vast, empty landscapes of southern Namibia to the mighty Fish River Canyon, one of the great natural wonders of Africa. The long, scenic road runs through desert plains, rugged mountains and tiny settlements beneath enormous skies, and you may break the journey near Keetmanshoop to visit the remarkable quiver-tree forest, where hundreds of these strange, ancient aloes stand against the sky, and the tumbled boulders of the Giant's Playground. The sense of scale and emptiness grows as you travel deeper south. You arrive in the afternoon at your lodge near the Fish River Canyon and settle in, then head out to a rim viewpoint for sunset, gazing into the immense, rugged chasm, the second-largest canyon on Earth, as the layered walls glow gold and purple and the river snakes far below. As night falls, the silence is profound and the stars blaze overhead. This evening, dine amid the desert quiet. Rest well near the great canyon.

This morning you take in more of the Fish River Canyon, visiting further dramatic viewpoints along the rim in the beautiful early light, gazing into the vast chasm with the river looping far below and taking in its extraordinary scale and ancient geology. Then you set off north on the long, spectacular drive towards Sossusvlei, crossing the great southern desert, with its endless plains, rugged ranges and empty gravel roads beneath enormous skies, one of the most remote and beautiful drives of the tour. The ever-changing scenery and profound emptiness are mesmerising. You arrive in the late afternoon at your lodge near Sesriem, the gateway to Sossusvlei, where the first towering dunes rise on the horizon, and settle in as the desert turns to gold. This evening, dine under a dazzling canopy of stars in the silence of the Namib. Rest well, for tomorrow you rise before dawn for the great dunes of Sossusvlei.

You rise in the dark to reach the park gate at first light, driving into the heart of the Namib as the rising sun sets the towering dunes ablaze in burning orange and crimson, one of the most beautiful sights on Earth. You can climb a great dune such as Dune 45 or Big Daddy for sweeping views over the sand sea, then walk out across the cracked white clay of Deadvlei, where blackened, ancient camelthorn trees stand petrified against burning dunes and a deep blue sky, a scene of surreal, otherworldly beauty. After exploring Sossusvlei, you escape the midday heat, then in the afternoon visit the shaded gorge of Sesriem Canyon, carved by the Tsauchab River. Return to your lodge for a sundowner as the light turns golden and the dunes glow. As night falls, the desert silence is total. This evening, dine beneath a blaze of stars. Rest well amid the profound beauty of the Namib.

Today you drive northwest across the desert to the Atlantic coast, a mesmerising journey through constantly changing scenery. You cross vast gravel plains dotted with peculiar quiver trees and ancient welwitschia plants, pass through moonscape country and perhaps the Kuiseb Canyon, and may stop at the lonely settlement of Solitaire for its famous apple pie and rusting old cars. As you near the coast, a cool sea fog often rolls in and the temperature drops sharply, the desert running right down to the wild grey ocean. You may pass Walvis Bay, with its flamingo-filled lagoon, before arriving in Swakopmund, the charming, quirky German colonial seaside town. Settle into your hotel and stroll the palm-lined streets, the jetty and the beachfront, savouring the bracing sea air after the desert heat. This evening, enjoy fresh Atlantic seafood in one of the town's excellent restaurants. Rest well in this delightful coastal town.

Today is yours to enjoy the adventure capital of Namibia at your own pace. Thrill seekers can go quad biking and sandboarding on the towering dunes just outside town, take a tandem skydive over the surreal desert-meets-sea landscape, or ride a scenic light-aircraft flight up the eerie Skeleton Coast. For a gentler day, join a living-desert tour that reveals the hidden life of the dunes, chameleons, geckos and sidewinder snakes, or cruise from nearby Walvis Bay to see pelicans, flamingos, Cape fur seals and playful dolphins, often with oysters and sparkling wine on deck. Back in town, browse the shops and galleries, visit the museum and aquarium, and relax in the cafes and bakeries. Swakopmund's mix of adrenaline, sea air and comfort is a welcome change midway through the tour. This evening, enjoy another superb seafood dinner. Rest well, for tomorrow you head north into ancient Damaraland.

This morning you leave the coast and drive north and inland into Damaraland, one of the most ancient and dramatic regions in Namibia. The road runs up the desert edge, and you may detour to Cape Cross to see one of the largest Cape fur seal colonies in the world, tens of thousands of seals crowding the shore in a noisy, pungent spectacle, before turning inland. The scenery becomes vast and elemental, rust-red mountains, open plains scattered with boulders, and dry riverbeds lined with tall trees where desert-adapted wildlife roams. You may pass the towering granite dome of Spitzkoppe on the way. You arrive in the afternoon at your lodge in Damaraland, beautifully set among the rocks and river valleys, and settle in as the low sun turns the mountains crimson. Perhaps take a short guided nature drive before dinner. As night falls, the silence and stars are extraordinary. Rest well amid the ancient beauty of Damaraland.

Today you explore the ancient wonders and cultures of Damaraland. In the morning you can join a desert-elephant tracking excursion, driving along the ephemeral riverbeds in search of the region's remarkable desert-adapted elephants, which travel huge distances to survive, and you may also encounter giraffe, oryx and springbok. You visit Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, walking among thousands of ancient rock engravings of elephant, rhino and giraffe chipped into the sandstone by hunter-gatherers thousands of years ago, and you can explore the strange Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain. You also have the chance to visit a community of the semi-nomadic Himba people, near the edge of remote Kaokoland, learning respectfully, with a local guide, about their striking traditions, ochre-adorned appearance and enduring cattle-herding way of life. The sense of deep time, wilderness and living culture is profound. This evening, dine under the stars. Rest well amid the ancient beauty of Damaraland.

Today you drive north and east to the fabled Etosha National Park, Namibia's greatest wildlife destination and the climax of your grand tour. The road runs through open country and past the towns of the north, and you arrive at Etosha in time to enter the park and enjoy your first game drive as you make your way to your camp. Even the drive in can be thrilling, with elephant, giraffe, zebra and antelope appearing among the thin bush, and lion or cheetah possible near the road. Etosha is built around a vast white salt pan so large it can be seen from space, and its magic lies in its waterholes, where wildlife gathers to drink. You settle into your rest camp or lodge, ideally one with a floodlit waterhole, where you can sit after dark and watch rhino, elephant and other animals materialise from the night. This evening, dine as the bush comes alive. Rest well, for two full days of superb safari lie ahead.

Today you have a full day to explore Etosha at your own pace, driving between its famous waterholes and along the edge of the shimmering salt pan. In the dry season the game viewing is superb and wonderfully easy: you simply drive to a waterhole, switch off the engine and wait as an astonishing procession of animals comes to drink, herds of elephant, zebra, springbok, oryx, wildebeest and giraffe, with lion, leopard and cheetah lured by the concentration of prey. Etosha protects the endangered black rhino in exceptional numbers, and sightings, especially at floodlit waterholes after dark, are a real highlight. The vast, glaring white pan stretches to the horizon, shimmering with mirages, an unearthly backdrop to the abundant life at its edges. You pause for a picnic lunch at a rest camp, then continue your safari into the golden afternoon light. Return to camp for a sundowner and dinner. Rest well amid the wildlife of Etosha.

You have another full day to enjoy the extraordinary wildlife of Etosha, exploring a different area of the park and its network of waterholes. Early morning and late afternoon are the most active times, when the light is beautiful and predators are on the move, so you set out at first light in search of lion on the hunt, and return for golden-hour sightings before sunset. You may explore the eastern or western reaches, each with its own character and waterholes, watching the endless drama of the waterhole, tense standoffs between elephant and rhino, jackals and hyenas skirting the edges, and huge flocks of birds coming to drink. Every waterhole offers something different, and the sense of abundance is thrilling. Between drives, relax at your camp, watching the resident waterhole. This evening, enjoy a final dinner in the park under a blaze of stars. Rest well, for tomorrow you begin the journey south.

This morning you enjoy a final game drive as you make your way out of Etosha, then drive south into greener, gentler country towards the Waterberg Plateau, a dramatic red sandstone massif rising abruptly from the surrounding plains. The change of scenery is striking after the dry north, with wooded hills, grasslands and a sense of lushness. You arrive at your lodge at the foot of the plateau in the afternoon and settle in. The Waterberg is a haven for wildlife and birdlife and a sanctuary for rare and endangered species, and you can take a guided nature drive or walk, or simply relax and soak up the peaceful setting and beautiful views of the red cliffs glowing in the evening light. This evening, enjoy dinner and reflect on the epic circuit you have made across the whole of Namibia. Rest well in this tranquil, green corner of the country, a gentle finale before your return to Windhoek tomorrow.

This morning, after breakfast and perhaps an early walk at the Waterberg, you set off south on the easy tarred road back to Windhoek, retracing your route across the high central plateau through rolling grasslands, cattle country and distant blue hills, a chance to reflect on the vast and varied land you have crossed from south to north. Depending on your flight, you may have time in the capital to return the vehicle and do some last-minute shopping for Namibian crafts, gemstones and souvenirs, or enjoy a relaxed final lunch, before being transferred to Hosea Kutako International Airport for your onward departure. You leave having experienced the complete Namibia, the Kalahari and Fish River Canyon, the dunes of Sossusvlei, the wild coast, the desert elephants and rock art of Damaraland, the Himba people, and the wildlife of Etosha, all in one epic overland circuit. The images stay vivid for a lifetime, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this extraordinary land.