Namibia trip combined with Okavango Delta

Hi Manny6. First you have to ask yourself what you want to see and experience because Namibia is a BIG country and distances between points are great. Set yourself a time table to visit each of the places e.g.
Day 1: Fly-in from Europe to Windhoek, collect car visit Windhoek, overnight Windhoek
Day 2: Drive to Sossusvlei, arrive late afternoon, setup camp or chalet.
Day 3: Early drive to the vlei watch the change of sand colours during the day; visit Sesfontein, overnight Sossusvlei…….
Doing this you then work out with the help of a map the distances between points of interest, work out the travel duration at 80 km/h (this speed is slow due to many gravel roads as well as to experience the sights along the route)
You will notice that it will nearly take you a full days drive from Etosha to Kasane in Botswana (Chobe Riverfront is the best for a short holiday) This road is mainly tar and you can drive at 100 km/h but keep in mind that there are little fences along the road so domesticated animals and free roaming wildlife can reduce your travel time.
My advice is: Stay in Namibia and visit Botswana at a later stage.

What if I were to skip Chobe and Kasane and only visit the delta in Botswana? Will Etosha be comparable/better/worse than Chobe in mid April? I really wish I could make multiple trips to Southern Africa like many of you here seem to be able to, but unfortunately I don't enjoy that luxury. I would hate to go to the area, miss the delta, and find out I may not return again. I do understand that Namibia and Botswana collectively are large, but I am willing to drive, rush a little, skip some sites that are repetitive/similar, take flights if needed, extend my trip by a few days perhaps. How about this for a rough plan:

Saturday- Arrive Windhoek, Stay in Windhoek
Sunday- Drive to Sossusvlei(300km), Stay in Sousulvlei
Monday- Sossusvlei, Stay in Sousulvlei
Tuesday- Drive to Swakopmund via Walvis Bay(250km), Stay in Swakopmund
Wednesday- Swakopmund, Stay in Swakopmund
Thursday- Drive to Cape Cross Lodge/Skeleton Coast(120km), Stay in Cape Cross Lodge
Friday- Skeleton Coast, Stay in Cape Cross Lodge
Saturday- Drive to Etosha(400km), Stay in Okaukuejo lodge
Sunday- Etosha, Stay in Okaukuejo lodge
Monday- Etosha, Stay in Etosha Aoba Lodge
Tuesday- Drive to Okavango(400km), Stay in Stay somewhere along the way
Wednesday- Drive to Okavango(400km), Stay in Okavango
Thursday- Okavango, Stay in Okavango
Friday- Okavango, Stay in Okavango
Saturday- Okavango, Stay in Okavango
Sunday- Fly out of Maun

Also, instead of Etosha-Okavango, I could drive back to Windhoek and fly to Maun.

Edited by: Manny6

• OK Saturday- Arrive Windhoek, Stay in Windhoek
• OK Sunday- Drive to Sossusvlei(300km), Stay in Sossusvlei
• OK Monday- Sossusvlei, Stay in Sousulvlei
• OK Tuesday- Drive to Swakopmund via Walvis Bay(250km), Stay in Swakopmund
• OK Wednesday- Swakopmund, Stay in Swakopmund
• OK BUT: Thursday- Drive to Cape Cross Lodge/Skeleton Coast(120km), Stay in Cape Cross Lodge
If you depart from Swakopmund early for Cape Cross, then backtrack to Hentiesbay and then to Uis. From Uis you can then visit the famous “White Lady” of Brandberg. Close to this rock painting is a new lodge where you can stay over. OR miss the “White Lady” and continue towards Twyfelfontein – great and many rock engravings – there are lodges close to Twyfelfontein. From Twyfelfontein via Otavi to Okauakuejo Lodge. The Skeleton Coast you mentioned is not the National Park section and it is not very interesting, however, it is possible to travel through the Skeleton NP towards Twyfelfontein as an alternative for via Uis. This can be done in one day.
• GIVE A 2nd DAY A MISS – SEE ABOVE Friday- Skeleton Coast, Stay in Cape Cross Lodge
• OK Saturday- Drive to Etosha(400km), Stay in Okaukuejo lodge
• OK Sunday- Etosha, Stay in Okaukuejo lodge
• OK Monday- Etosha, Stay in Etosha Aoba Lodge
• OK BUT Tuesday- Drive to Okavango(400km), Stay in Stay somewhere along the way
Define Okavango – where do you want to go? Crossing the border at Mohembo, stay over at Drotskys Cabin. They offer trips into the Delta as well. Due to time, skip the Mokorro and go into the Delta via motorboat, you will see more. Just remember, the Delta is BIG! If you can not reach the border on time, there is a lodge close to the border called Ngepi Lodge. The following morning as you drive from Ngepi towards the main road where you make a left turn for the border post, shortly after this turn you will find a road from the left. Follow this road that will lead you closer to the Okavango River (it is in a National Park – sorry forgot the name). This road goes to the border as well. Great sightings as well. Then head for Drotsky Cabin.
• OK BUT WHERE? DAY 2 DROTSKY? Wednesday- Drive to Okavango(400km), Stay in Okavango
• OK BUT HEAD FOR MAUN – AUDI CAMP AND GO INTO THE DELTA FOR A NIGHT OR TWO. AUDI CAMP CAN ARRANGE IT BUT BOOK AHEAD Thursday- Okavango, Stay in Okavango
• OK (AUDI CAMP)Friday- Okavango, Stay in Okavango
• OK (AUDI CAMP) Saturday- Okavango, Stay in Okavango
• OK Sunday- Fly out of Maun

Great - thanks a lot! On the Skeleton Coast - what is most interesting? Do I have time in my itinerary to visit on the way to Etosha?
Okavango - I know its big. What do you suggest? I did have Aaudi camp in mind like you mentioned, but I don't know if I have time for something else as well. I understand in Botswana I cannot self-drive, I will have to take a tour correct? Which is better anyway? How about in Etosha?

Hi!
First of all, I know you're short in time and want to see as much as possible, but the self-drive trips suggested by Cardbox are very good - but minimal in terms on time! So trying to squeeze in a 16days tour AND chobe and Okavango is a bit too much. Again, you want to see as much as possible, but if you end up driving, being tired, and not spending time in the places you will be disapointed. What if there's a problem on the road? then you're whole itinerary is messed up. Do not overestimate distances in NAmibia! Roads are often gravel - in Botswana you will encoutered tarred road, but there's so much people/animals/pot-wholes, you won'T go as fast as you would have thought. Trying to rush to some place, driving a lot to be able to do that, getting tired, is the perfect equation to have an accident with some random donkey on the road. (I tried to rush in my last trip to get to namibia from Jo'burg. We ended up having a car accident. stupid from us!!)
80km/h is highly ambitious for gravel road in a sedan car in Namibia (you will encouter gravel roads mainly to get to Sossusvlei). I would say 50km/h for gravel road, and around 100km/h for tared road (even if the speed limit is 120km/h, you always enter in the villages and have to go slower)

You don'T need a 4x4 for Sossuvlei, Etosha, but for some part of the Skeleton coast and Damaraland you will (search other post on this forum about this...
Flying out of Botswana will indeed save you some time - but the one-way drop charge for the rental car might be high!

It nearly take you a full days drive from Etosha to Kasane in Botswana Nearly? I don't agree with that! It would be two very long day of driving minimum if you go through Caprivi strip. The Delta is big and beautiful, but in terms of wildlife viewing, Etosha and Chobe are way mush better. Experiencing the Delta in a mokoro is very nice, and I would recommend it but you don't get to see that many animals, and not as close, since you're on foot or in a mokoro (you stay further away!!!)
I would also skip Swakopmund in Namibia, but that's just personal preference. If it's to see the dunes, Sossuvlei is good (better?). I personnaly really liked Luderitz, but it's a littel bit out of your way... You could concentrate on Sossusvlei, Etosha and Maun (the delta). From Maun to Kasane it's a long day of driving too.

hope I was of some help!!

Edited by: catherine_couturier

Thanks Catherine. It doesn't look like I can go to Botswana anyway. I have to stick on of Namibia or Botswana due to visa problems. The rental car drop charges in Botswana are significant, but small compared to the entire cost of the trip including my air tickets. Also, I had no plans to go as far as Kasane, just Maun. So back to planning the drive again, but in Namibia only. Which lodges should I book ahead of time beside Etosha? Is the wildlife in Etosha good or is it better to just go to Botswana only?

Etosha wildlife is excellent. It is one of my favourite parks and I could spend weeks there. It is very different from Botswana parks which are 'wilder' with a lot less infrastructure. The Botswana experience can be a lot more of a 'being in the bush' type thing - of course the vegetation and landscape is totally different in Moremi and Chobe than Etosha.

Etosha is excellent for wildlife! The infrastructure are great too, and probably easier for a first timer in this region. Besides, you will be easier to self-drive yourself around even in a saloon car, which you couldn't do in Botswana unless you have a 4x4. Otherwise you would need to take game drive which can be good, but in Estosha you would be able to spend more time in the park going at your own pace. The waterwhole at night are also excellent

When were you planning going? You will need to book around for Sossusvlei as well as for Etosha. For other places it will depend of when you'Re going...
Enjoy!