Namibia Self-Drive Birding Special

Welcome to Namibia, an enchanting country where the landscapes and cultures are as diverse as the wildlife that abounds here. Having arrived independently to Hosea Kutako airport in Windhoek, the charming capital of Namibia, you will be met at arrivals for your private transfer to the Galton Guest House for your overnight stay. Later that afternoon you will receive your rental vehicle (a 4x4 Toyota Hilux or similar).

An afternoon birding tour is included to a nearby park for an introduction to Namibian birding with a local birding expert before enjoying a great night’s sleep in preparation for the adventures that lie ahead.

1-night accommodation in an en-suite room at Galton Guest House. Breakfast Included.

Possible bird sightings include sunbirds (Dusky Sunbird), as well as the African Fish Eagle, Green-winged Pytilia, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Mountain Wheatear etc.

After a great night’s sleep and a tasty breakfast, this morning your self-drive Namibian adventure will truly begin as you make an approximately 5-hour drive from Windhoek to the beautiful Hoodia Desert Lodge located close to the Namib-Naukluft National Park. (Driving directions for all routes on the itinerary will be provided.) This welcoming lodge is perfectly located for exploring the incredible National Park and the renowned red dunes of Sossusvlei. Your stay includes dinner, breakfast and a morning Sossusvlei excursion with their local expert guides, including an Out of Africa brunch in the desert. Activity is on a sharing basis and included in your stay.

The nearby Namib-Naukluft Park is one of the least populated areas in all of Namibia, and we recommend taking day 3 as your opportunity to discover this vast wilderness in all its glory. If you are self-driving into this magical area, you could choose to wake early and drive to the Sesriem gate and onwards towards Sossusvlei, around 70km from the Park entrance. Sossusvlei, with its monumental dunes, up to 325m when measured from their base, is one of the most famous destinations in all of Namibia. The entrance opens at sunrise and this is the best time of day to see the dunes. National Park entry fees of N$250 per person are applicable (children under 16 are charged N$100) and N$50 per vehicle per day. The last section of the road into Sossusvlei is 4x4 area only and you can either leave your vehicle at the car park and proceed either on foot or take the shuttle which usually runs between here and Sossusvlei which is 5km away.

Possible bird sightings include raptors such as Martial Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Pale Chanting Goshawk, and Rock Kestrels. There are also a number of impressively large social weavers’ nests visible along the way. 

This morning you will leave Sesriem behind and take a 5-hour drive to the beautiful coastal area of Walvis Bay, close to Swakopmund on Namibia’s western coastline. Walvis Bay is home to a famous RAMSAR Heritage Site lagoon and is a wetland of international importance, home to many bird species including the greater and lesser flamingo. The delightful Oyster Box Guesthouse, your accommodation for the next 2 nights, is located right on the lagoon so is the perfect spot from which to enjoy some relaxing aquatic birdwatching. The most notable bird in Walvis is the Dune Lark which is endemic to Namibia. Other larks to be found in the desert include Gray's Lark and Stark's Lark. Numerous pelagic birds can be seen from boat cruises , including a number of sub-Antarctic species. The parks and gardens can also be a good place to spot birds, with species such as Orange River White-eye often present.

Upon arrival here the rest of the day will be at your leisure and you can choose to simply relax on the open deck soaking up the sun and the views, enjoy dinner in one of the 3 nearby restaurants or take the 5 minute drive into town. Should you wish to venture further afield, the fascinating German-inspired town on Swakopmund is less than an hour’s drive away. At the end of the day you can indulge in a customary "sundowner" in the sheltered lounge and bar before retiring to your comfortable air-conditioned en-suite bedroom.

On the morning of day 5 you can enjoy your included full-day Dune Lark / Kuiseb Dunes and Walvis Lagoon Birding & Eco Tour. Accompanied by professional and knowledgeable birding guides this will offer you a first-class interpretive tour of the natural wonders of Namibia, with a focus on the varied species of birds found in this area. You will be collected from the guesthouse at 8am this morning to be transported to the unique lands of the Kuiseb Delta to search for sightings of the only true endemic of the country, the arid adapted Dune Lark. Out of the 16 near endemic birds of Namibia the Dune Lark is the only true endemic, and this little lark is one of the most arid-adapted birds in the world. In the Kuiseb you can find it running rapidly over the bare sand between patches of vegetation and dune grass. It scurries between the dunes searching for seeds and small insects on which it feeds.

On this full day excursion we will spend a short time at the sewerage works near Walvis Bay where large numbers of Common Moorhen, Hottentot Teal, Red-knobbed Coot and other wetland species may be found, before travelling to the Salt Pans near Swakopmund to look for any specials that may be around at the time. We will then travail through the surrounding desert plains to search for Gray’s Lark, Rufous-eared Warbler and Tractrac Chat. If time allows we can spend some time around the vegetated Swakop river and may encounter Orange River White-eye, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Red-faced and White-backed Mousebird, Rufous vented Tit Babbler, Rock Kestrel, Dusky Sunbird, Bokmakierie, Fiscal Shrike, Common Waxbill, Cape Sparrow, Black-Chested Prinia and with luck Peregrine Falcon. The Key species for this trip are the Dune Lark, Gray’s Lark, Orange River White-eye, and the Tractrac Chat. Drinks and a light picnic lunch will be provided during the day and you will be transferred back to the guesthouse around 4pm.

2 nights’ accommodation at Oyster Box Guesthouse in a standard room with breakfast and full-day birding tour included.

This morning you will take an approximately 3.5 hour drive to Ai Aiba Rock Lodge. Birding is one of the main attractions here, with 48 different species having been sighted in the immediate vicinity, including Black Eagle, Rosy Faced Lovebird & Ruppell’s Parrot. Raptor present in the surrounding mountains include Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Booted Eagle, and Verreaux's Eagle. An early morning drive is likely to produce Hartlaub's Francolin and Rockrunner.

1 night’s accommodation at Ai Aiba Rock Lodge Wilderness Lodge with breakfast and guided walks included.

After breakfast self-drive to the Damaraland region.  Overnight at Onduli Ridge on fully inclusive basis. Your stay includes all meals, local drinks and camp activities, which include morning drives looking for desert adapted wildlife, guided ebike and guided walking excursions and scenic drives.

After breakfast self-drive to southern Etosha. Overnight at Ongava Lodge on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. Afternoon game drives can be arranged on request and paid for locally if you arrive early enough.

The birding list for Etosha is extensive, but some of the specialty birds are Black-faced Babbler, Violet Woodhoopoe, Carp's Tit, and Bare-cheeked Babbler, Monteiro's Hornbill , Rueppell's Parrot, Hartlaub's Francolin, White-tailed Shrike and Rockrunner. We can provide full information on the best areas for birdwatching, including Fisher’s Pan where flamingos and other water birds can be seen, Springtontein where the open flats feature Double-banded Courser and Temminck's Courser, and Andoni Plains which is very good for Blue Crane, Burchell's Sandgrouse, several larks, and other grassland birds. 

Driving through this magnificent park on a constant lookout for wildlife, surrounded by enchanting scenery at every turn…without doubt this will be a day that will live long in the memory

Today you depart for the Zambezi region and self-drive to Rundu as an overnight stop. Situated on the banks of the Okavango River it is a great location for birdwatching enthusiasts as the lodge is surrounded by riverine forest and wetlands, which provide a rich and diverse habitat for birds.

Some of the bird species that you may encounter while birdwatching at Hakusembe Lodge include the African Fish Eagle, Pel's Fishing Owl, African Darter, Goliath Heron, Pied Kingfisher, and many more. We recommend joining a sundowner boat trip for the possibility of spotting Kingfishers in action.

Overnight at Hakusembe Lodge including dinner and breakfast.

Possible bird sightings include riverine birds such as Herons, Bee-eaters and Kingfishers.

Depart after breakfast and self-drive to Nambwa Island Lodge located in the Bwabwata National Park, which is known for its diverse birdlife, staying overnight on a fully inclusive basis for 2 nights. Birdwatching at Nambwa Island Lodge is a popular activity among guests as they get to explore the island's unique ecosystem and observe a variety of bird species in their natural habitat.

Some of the bird species that you may encounter while birdwatching at Nambwa Island Lodge include the African Fish Eagle, Pel's Fishing Owl, African Skimmer, African Openbill, Saddle-billed Stork, and many more. The lodge also offers guided bird-watching tours led by experienced guides who are knowledgeable about the local birdlife.

Nambwa activities include game drives, bush walks, and boat cruise (2 activities per day).

Self-drive to Nkasa Lupala Lodge on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. Included in your stay is a Linyanti Combo Experience of a Boat Cruise + Game drive in the National Park.

Nkasa Lupala Lodge is located in the Wuparo Conservancy and is known for its incredible birdwatching opportunities. The lodge is situated on the banks of the Kwando River and is surrounded by mopane woodlands, floodplains, and wetlands, providing a rich and diverse habitat for birds.

Some of the bird species that you may encounter while birdwatching at Nkasa Lupala Lodge include the African Fish Eagle, Slaty Egret, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Bradfield's Hornbill, and many more. The area is also home to several raptor species, such as the African Harrier Hawk, Bateleur Eagle, and African Hawk Eagle.