A straight comparison of prices between a self-drive tour and a fly-in might appear as a no-brainer. But it's not that simple. There’s more to consider in order to truly cost compare and then there’s deciding what type of experience you really want to have.
Namibia is an exhilarating and memorable place to visit, offering a variety of captivating and enchanting attractions, with something for everyone.
When deciding on your Namibian travel itinerary, one of your first choices is whether to opt for driving (self-drive or guided) or fly-in. Your preference will usually depend on time and cost factors, but there are other elements which should be considered when deciding on your holiday in Namibia, most importantly of course, is which parts of the country you want to visit.
Namibia is 825,400 km² in size and has many attractions, such as Etosha National Park, Fish River Canyon, the Skeleton Coast, the Sossusvlei dunes, the Namib Desert (known as the oldest and most extreme on earth) and more.
Namibia has an excellent road network, making a self-drive safari ideal for adventurous travellers. The distances between attractions are vast, but the breathtaking scenery along the way makes the journey just as rewarding as the destinations themselves. To fully enjoy this mode of travel, it’s important to allow plenty of time and plan accordingly.
You’ll have the freedom to explore at your own pace, driving along mostly empty roads with complete flexibility over your itinerary. While most routes consist of well-graded gravel roads, it’s essential to drive slowly and carefully, as travel times can be longer than expected. Driving at night is not recommended due to limited visibility and the increased risk of wildlife crossing the road.
The roads in Namibia are well signposted, and excellent maps are readily available. With careful planning, you can confidently navigate and enjoy a seamless, rewarding self-drive adventure through the country.
Fly-in safaris are generally more expensive, but you don't need as much travelling time, which allows you to spend more time at each destination, or if you do have time-constraints, short overnight stays. You are treated to magnificent aerial views, with rapid transfers between your chosen highlights, and interesting adventures on the ground.
It's worth keeping in mind that a fly-in safari is usually booked on a fully inclusive basis to include all meals, local branded drinks and scheduled camp activities with park entry fees. This in itself adds to the overall cost of the fly-in when comparing the costs to that of a self-drive safari, where in most cases, only specified meals are included, drinks are additional as well as activities (if you opt to do these with the lodge guides) and your park fees will be paid direct at the entrance gates.
You have a variety of options and destinations to choose from on a fly-in safari, and the landscapes are equally spectacular from the air, although quite different to what you would see on a self-drive tour.
A minimum of seven days should be factored in when considering a fly-in tour of Namibia or Botswana, so that you get to see a good selection of the highlights the country has to offer. Your overnight stays will be dependent on the number of attractions in each particular area, which makes this option more about each place and less about the journey.
There are also fly-in camping safari options, rather than staying at lodges, and if your budget is limited, you usually have the option of replacing some of the flights with land transfers.
Adventures on the ground include guided nature walks, game drives and game viewing, excursions to various highlights at each overnight stop, quad bike trails where applicable, picnic lunches, exploring historical towns, and more.
Fly-in safaris operate on a scheduled basis, with a minimum of two passengers, and usually a maximum of four or sometimes six passengers. This is a truly unique way of experiencing Namibia.
Note: It is worth remembering that a fly-in safari will have some luggage restrictions that will apply. This is due to the size of the luggage cabin and according to weight restrictions overall on the aircraft.
Scheduled Seat Rate Flights:
• STRICTLY not more than 20kg in small soft bags only.
• Inclusive of hand luggage per person.
• Provided that the pax all have an average weight of 80kg each.
Private Charter Flights:
2 Pax: STRICTLY not more than 25kg in small soft bags only.
3 Pax: STRICTLY not more than 15kg in small soft bags only.
4 Pax: STRICTLY not more than 10kg in small soft bags only.
• Inclusive of hand luggage per person.
• Provided that the pax all have an average weight of 80kg each.
• Ideal bag - soft with dimensions: 700mm x 300mm x 360mm
"We can't wait to return"
I can't thank you enough for helping to put together this trip. It exceeded all our expectations and we fell in love with your country.
"We loved our experience with NTS"
We loved Namibia and its unique landscapes and kind people. It was certainly an adventure and a privilege to get to spend time there.
"We had a wonderful time in Namibia"
All in all we had a wonderful time and appreciate the effort made to ensure all aspects of our tour ran smoothly with prompt email support where needed.
"What a wonderful journey we had in beautiful and friendly Namibia!"
Namibia has stolen our travel-heart and you can consider us as new ambassadors of this spectacular country.