The Ultimate Namibia Safari

Depending on your flight's arrival time, you can either stay one night in Windhoek or drive the three hours on mostly paved roads to the Kalahari.

On the way: Hardap Dam Nature Reserve has nature trails and game drives with black rhino among the wildlife.

When you're there: The lodges offer scenic drives, game viewing activities and nature trails. The sunsets are spectacular and a good excuse for a gin and tonic.

Accommodation options: Windhoek Accommodation or Kalahari Accommodation

Drive the 500km south on paved roads to the Fish River Canyon. At 160km long, 27km wide and 550m deep it is one of world's major canyons.

On the way: Brukkaros is an extinct volcanic crater on a scenic ring road; the Quivertree Forest is a short diversion just before Keetmanshoop.

When you're there: Guided excursions to the Fish River Canyon; scenic flights over the canyon; hiking trails; horse trails; scenic drives; game viewing

Accommodation options: Fish River Canyon Accommodation

The three-hour drive to Aus, on the south-eastern corner of the Namib-Naukluft Park, is half paved, half good gravel road. Arrive in time for a refreshing lunch.

On the way: Stop at the northern viewpoint for an excellent early-morning picture of the canyon; the drive spans the transition from the Kalahari to the Namib Desert.

When you're there: Exclusive trips into the Southern Namib-Naukluft Park to see the feral horses; hiking trails; scenic drives. Visit Luderitz on your second day: Kolmanskop ghost town; Diaz point; boat trip to Halifax Island; Bogenfels rock arch; bird watching; coastal and historical tours

Accommodation options: Luderitz Accommodation

With the Namib-Naulkluft Park on your left, and several impressive mountain ranges on your right, the four-hour drive to Sossusvlei is one of the country's most impressive desert drives.

On the way: Armchair-sized sociable weavers' nests; desert-adapted wildlife include gemsbok, springbok and wild ostrich; desert landscapes; Duiwseb Castle is an interesting diversion near Maltahöhe.

When you're there: Enter Sossusvlei at sunrise and remember to take plenty of film or memory, sun cream, a hat, walking shoes and water. Explore the world's highest dunes and a sheltered pan with petrified trees that are hundreds of years old; climb the dunes and look out over a sea of sand. Private reserves in the area reveal fascinating flora, fauna and ancient desert landscapes.

Accommodation options: Sossusvlei Accommodation

A five-hour drive north to Swakopmund and Walvis Bay takes you through the gradual change from mountains and dunes to rolling grass-covered hills with scattered acacia trees. Swakopmund is a quaint resort town by the sea with an obvious German heritage at odds with its bleak surrounds.

On the way: Look out for the endemic Hartmann's mountain zebra as you leave; stop at Solitaire, about 80km from Sesriem for some home-made bread and an ice cold drink; Kuiseb Canyon has some shady picnic spots; you can see springbok and pure-bred wild ostrich across the vast gravel plains of the Namib; the lunar landscape; look out for the welwitschia plant.

When you're there: Visit the Walvis Bay Lagoon - a RAMSAR wetlands site - where thousands of flamingoes, pelicans and numerous waders feed in the nutrient-rich shallows; restaurants, shops and attractions in Swakopmund; spend an extra day making the most of the cool air and refreshing sea.

Among the many organised activities, we recommend a scenic flight over Skeleton Coast; a comfortable and informative boat cruise of Walvis Bay where you meet dolphins, sea lions, pelicans and terns; and quad biking, which is an exciting way to experience the sand dunes.

Accommodation options: Swakopmund Accommodation

Leave the coast and heading inland to Damaraland. Enormous granite outcrops and dolerite dykes have been carved over aeons. Grassy plains, tree-studded riverbeds and endless open skies add to the grandeur and make this area one of the most scenic regions of Namibia. The drive to Damaraland takes up to five hours because there is much to see and do along the way.

On the way: Drive along the Skeleton Coast to Cape Cross - the largest breeding cape fur seal colony in the world. The stench of 100,000 seals can be a tad over-powering: take a handkerchief to cover your nose; lunch at Cape Cross Lodge or picnic at some suitably serene and other-worldly spot; stop at the lichen fields and a salt pan that is an excellent birding spot; visit the Twfylefontein rock paintings, the Petrified Forest and the Organ Pipes.

When you're there: Game drives on private reserves in search of the famed desert-adapted elephant, black rhino and giraffe; among other hardy plains herds look out for Hartmann's mountain zebra; spend more time exploring the Twfylefontein rock paintings, the Petrified Forest, Vingerklip and the Organ Pipes; hike up the Brandberg Mountain, Namibia's highest point at 2,573m.

Accommodation options: Damaraland Accommodation

Follow the scenic back roads for about 100km to either the Etendeka Mountain Camp or Palmwag Rhino Camp - two of Namibia's best private game reserves together spanning hundreds of thousands of hectares in Damaraland.

On the way: The road winds through rocky outcrops and grassy plains typical of Damaraland; the drive is short enough to visit the interesting rock formations and San rock art if you missed them on the way in.

When you're there: Rhino and elephant tracking on foot and 4WD; the Crystal Walk at Etendeka; exceptional Damaraland experience with desert-adapted wildlife, plants and birds; scenic drives; luxury overnight hiking trails.

Accommodation options: Palmwag Lodge or Etendeka Mountain Camp

Leave the wild and rugged Damaraland and make for the even more wild and rugged Kaokoland. The drive is about five hours on the direct route; if you've got a 4WD vehicle the back roads traverse the truly wild country and the drive will take most of the day.

On the way: Pass the western edge of Etosha looking out for wildlife on both sides of the road; Dorsland Trek Monument; the Joubert Mountains; stop for a picnic with some wild and daunting countryside for a backdrop.

When you're there: Meet Himba villagers and discover their fascinating ways; scenic drives through Kaokoland; hikes; birdwatching and game viewing; excursions to the Kunene River with Himba villages along the way

Accommodation options: Kaokoland Accommodation

Retrace your route to Hobatere Lodge - a private game reserve on the western edge of Etosha National Park. The gravel roads are in good condition and the drive will take up to three hours.

On the way: Look out for wildlife on both sides of the road; visit Dorsland Trek Monument if you missed it on the previous day.

When you're there: Steve is one of the leading naturalists in Namibia, his knowledge of birds, plants, animals and, recently, butterflies is astonishing and his enthusiasm is addictive. Go on game drives, bush walks and night drives; day trips to Himba villages and the Kowarib Schlucht Canyon on the Hoanib River

Accommodation options: Hobatere Lodge

Your guide can take you into Etosha National Park at the western gate and the drive through the unvisited section of the park is excellent. If you are on a self-drive tour, drive around the south of Etosha to Anderssen Gate. Both routes take about three hours. If you are staying on the eastern side, spend the day driving through the park to the Von Lindequist Gate.

On the way: On a guided safari, look out for Etosha's wildlife, though the animals are wary of vehicles in the western regions; self-drive safaris can stop at Piet Alberts Koppies and Outjo for a comfort break.

When you're there: Etosha has an estimated 250 lions, 300 rhinos, 2,500 giraffes, 6,000 zebras, 20,000 springbok and 2,000 elephants. This on top of a large number of lesser and common plains herds, and abundant birds makes game viewing in Etosha something special. The surrounding lodges all have private reserves with equally impressive wildlife numbers and they offer private game viewing activities into the park.

Accommodation options: Etosha Accommodation

The drive to the Waterberg is between two and four hours depending on which lodge you stayed at in Etosha.

On the way: Driving from the south is a short two-hour drive and you can stop at Outjo for lunch and dip at Ombinda Country Lodge; from the east, visit the world's largest meteorite; have picnic lunch at Lake Otjikoto or Lake Guinas.

When you're there: the Waterberg Plateau Park has several excellent hiking trails, the wildlife and birdlife and scenery make for a good hike; private game farms in the area offer game viewing and some have active conservation programmes like AfriCat and the Cheetah Conservation Fund. 

Accommodation options: Waterberg Accommodation

The drive to Windhoek is short and comfortable on paved roads. The journey should take about three hours, so you've got time for an early wildlife activity and a leisurely breakfast.

On the way: Traditional craft markets at Okahandja