Go Great

Welcome to Namibia. You land at Hosea Kutako International Airport, about 46 km east of Windhoek, the capital. It's a calm, easy airport to navigate - through passport control and immigration, collect your luggage, and out into the arrivals hall.

Tonight you stay at The Weinberg, a stylish base on the edge of the city, the perfect place to shake off the flight before the road north. Namibia keeps much the same time as Europe in season, so jet lag is rarely a problem.

Your vehicle comes with Premium Cover insurance - zero excess and no deposit held - so you can simply enjoy the drive. The handover covers everything you need to know about the car and the route ahead.

Namibia is one of the easiest countries in Africa to self-drive: roads are quiet, well signposted and a pleasure to travel. Stock up on water and a few snacks in Windhoek, and the open road is yours. Prefer not to drive? The same trip is available as a guided small-group tour of up to seven guests.

The route leads straight into Etosha - one of Africa's great wildlife sanctuaries, built around a vast, shimmering white salt pan. Your first two nights are at Etosha King Nehale, a stylish lodge on the Andoni Plains just north of the park, followed by a night at Etosha Safari Lodge near the central area for easy gate access.

Spend your days on Etosha's network of gravel roads, moving between waterholes that draw elephant, lion, giraffe, rhino, oryx, springbok and a great deal more. The sparse vegetation and the animals' reliance on water make game viewing here wonderfully rewarding for self-drivers and photographers alike. Back at the lodge there's time for a siesta, a dip in the pool and a sundowner as the day cools off.

West now to Palmwag Lodge & Camp, set in a stand of makalani palms and overlooking flat-topped mountains and plains of red basalt dotted with green euphorbias. It's one of the wildest and most striking stretches of the whole journey.

Wake early to track free-roaming desert-adapted black rhino across the concession - a rare privilege - or join a guided walk and a sunset drive to soak up the landscape. This is remote, ancient country, and the silence here is something you'll remember.

En route towards Khorixas you visit the Twyfelfontein rock engravings - a UNESCO World Heritage Site with thousands of petroglyphs left by San hunter-gatherers - and the Petrified Forest, where giant fossilised trees lie scattered across the plain. Along the way, the roadside stalls of Herero women offer their beautifully made traditional dolls.

Tonight's stop is Damara Mopane Lodge, an oasis of a place laid out as a semi-circular labyrinth among the mopane trees, each chalet with its own little garden of vegetables and herbs. Stroll up to the sunset deck in the evening to watch the light fade over the woodland.

The road south crosses the ephemeral Ugab River and passes Brandberg Mountain and the little town of Uis before reaching the coast at Henties Bay, then it's a short hop to Swakopmund. The Delight is your home for the next two nights - don't miss the oysters and champagne at the breakfast spread.

Swakopmund is Namibia's seaside town, built around handsome old German architecture and wrapped in cool Atlantic air. Choose from dolphin cruises, living-desert tours, sandboarding, quad biking, kayaking and scenic flights, or simply explore the cafes, bakeries and fine seafood restaurants. Watch the sun sink into the sea from the jetty to round off the day.

An easy few hours inland brings you to Okapuka Safari Lodge, set on a game reserve just outside Windhoek - giving you plenty of time to reflect on the road behind you.

There's a chance for a last game sighting on the reserve and a quiet final evening before the journey home.

This morning you drive the short distance back into Windhoek, return your rental vehicle and transfer to Hosea Kutako International Airport for your flight home.

Namibia's nature, wildness and dramatic scenery have a way of capturing a little of your soul - we look forward to your return.

It's a self-drive safari - you drive yourself from lodge to lodge at your own pace. A guided small-group option (up to seven guests) is also available if you'd rather leave the driving to someone else.

No. The route runs on good tar and well-maintained gravel roads and is comfortable in a 2x4. A 4x4 simply adds extra clearance and flexibility if you prefer it.

Go Great runs all year. The dry winter months (roughly May to October) are best for concentrated game viewing at Etosha's waterholes, while the green season (November to April) brings lush scenery and excellent birding.

Yes. The lodges are comfortable and welcoming, the driving days are relaxed, and the mix of wildlife, desert and coast keeps every age group interested.

Easy and scenic. Distances look long on the map but the roads are quiet, so the kilometres pass quickly and you'll generally reach each lodge with time to settle in and explore.