Go Epic

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 Epic 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 two nights at Kalahari Anib Lodge, set among red dunes 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.

West 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.

Down 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-east into Damaraland, a region of dramatic, ancient geology. Two nights at 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.

Visit the Twyfelfontein rock engravings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site rich in San artistry, and watch the sun set over the Petrified Forest, where giant fossilised trees lie scattered across the plain.

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 music and good cheer.

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 Epic 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 Epic 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 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, coast, rock art and wildlife keeps every age group interested.

The red dunes of the Kalahari, the towering dunes of Sossusvlei and the white pan of Deadvlei, the Atlantic coast at Swakopmund, the ancient rock art of Twyfelfontein, and classic big-game viewing in Etosha National Park.