Go Big

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 south. Namibia keeps much the same time as Europe in season, so jet lag is rarely a problem.

Go Big includes a 4x4 with Premium Cover insurance - zero excess and no deposit held - so you're well equipped for the desert and gravel sections of the route. The handover covers everything you need to know about the vehicle and the road 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.

Head south into the Kalahari for a night at Kalahari Anib Lodge, set among red sand and golden grass. It's a gentle, beautiful start to the journey.

Take a sunset drive among oryx, springbok and wildebeest, watch the dunes glow as the light fades, and round off the day under one of the clearest, most star-filled skies you'll ever see.

Further south to the Fish River Canyon - the second-largest canyon in the world - for two nights at the characterful Canyon Roadhouse, where vintage cars and quirky memorabilia fill the restaurant.

Stand at the main viewpoints as the canyon walls shift colour through the day, walk a stretch of the rim, and watch the sun set over one of Africa's great geological wonders. There's time too for a soak in the pool after the drive.

West to Aus and two nights at Klein-Aus Vista Desert Horse Inn, tucked among granite koppies on the edge of the Namib. The lodge is a wonderful base for exploring this stark, beautiful corner of the country.

See the famous feral horses of the Namib at the Garub waterhole, then drive on to Luderitz to wander Kolmanskop, the diamond-rush ghost town slowly being swallowed by the dunes - one of the most photographed places in Namibia.

North into the silence of the Namib - the world's oldest desert - for two nights at Namib Desert Lodge, tucked beneath ancient fossilised dunes. This is Namibia's most famous landscape, and it's every bit as extraordinary as the photographs suggest.

Rise early to enter the park at Sesriem and drive to Sossusvlei, where you can climb the great dunes, walk out to the surreal white pan of Deadvlei with its blackened trees, and explore Sesriem Canyon. Watch the towering dunes turn from gold to deep red as the sun moves across the sky.

On to the coast and Swakopmund, Namibia's seaside town, built around handsome old German architecture and wrapped in cool Atlantic air. The Delight is your home for two nights - a welcome change of pace after the desert.

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.

North into Damaraland, a region of dramatic, ancient geology. Tonight's stop is Damara Mopane Lodge - an oasis of a place laid out as a labyrinth among the mopane trees, each chalet with its own little garden of vegetables and herbs.

There's time to settle in and enjoy the setting; if you'd like to add the Twyfelfontein rock engravings or the Petrified Forest along the way, just ask and we'll help you plan it in.

On to Etosha - one of Africa's great wildlife sanctuaries, built around a vast white salt pan - for two nights at the lively, characterful Etosha Safari Camp. Spend your days on the gravel roads between waterholes, where elephant, lion, giraffe, black rhino, oryx and springbok come to drink.

By night, Etosha Safari Camp is famous for its authentic shebeen culture, where the resident "Etosha Boys" band keeps the evenings full of live music and good cheer - a true taste of Namibian festiveness to round off the trip.

The road south brings you back towards Windhoek and Okapuka Safari Lodge, set on a game reserve just outside the city - a relaxed final night after the grand loop.

There's a chance for one last game sighting on the reserve and time to reflect on everything you've seen.

This morning you drive the short distance back into Windhoek, return your 4x4 and transfer to Hosea Kutako International Airport for your flight home.

Namibia's grand spaces, deserts and wildlife have a way of staying with you - 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.

Go Big includes a 4x4 with Premium Cover insurance (zero excess, no deposit). The extra clearance and capability are ideal for the desert and gravel sections, so you're well equipped for the whole route.

Go Big runs all year. The dry winter (May to October) is best for game viewing in Etosha, while clear skies and cooler days make the Kalahari, Fish River Canyon and Sossusvlei a pleasure for much of the year. Summer brings dramatic skies, warmer temperatures and the occasional desert downpour.

Yes. The lodges are comfortable and welcoming, the two-night stops keep the pace relaxed, and the mix of dunes, canyon, coast and wildlife keeps every age group interested.

The red dunes of the Kalahari, the Fish River Canyon, the wild horses of Aus and the ghost town of Kolmanskop, the towering dunes of Sossusvlei and the white pan of Deadvlei, the Atlantic coast at Swakopmund, the wilds of Damaraland and classic big-game viewing in Etosha National Park.