15 DAY CAPE TOWN & SOUTHERN NAMIBIA

Our staff will receive you at Cape Town International Airport. We will then do a City Tour which also serves as an introduction to the Mother City, pointing out Historical Landmarks, shopping hot spots and recommended restaurants. On arrival at the Hotel we will go over the itinerary with you.

We combine two of Cape Town’s most iconic landmarks in a Full Day experience that will be both spectacular and also emotional as well! When you visit the cell that Nelson Mandela lived in for 18 years of his 27 year incarceration, tears have been known to flow. The day is divided into two parts, Table Mountain in the morning and then Robben Island in the afternoon. This is because weather can be a factor, normally the conditions are more favourable for the mountain in the mornings! Lunch will be at the V & A Waterfront.

With its breath-taking scenic beauty and rugged coastline it is one of the Cape’s most popular day Tours. You will enjoy many attractions from African Penguins, historical towns and unique flora & fauna at the mighty Cape of Good Hope with a walk to the Cape Point Lighthouse. A stop at the most South Westerly tip of the African continent is also quite stunning. This day Tour must rank amongst the best in the world when it comes to variety. Other highlights are Baboons, coastal towns, Mountain Passes and much more. Lunch can be at Seaforth Restaurant or along the route as there is plenty to choose from.

Without a doubt one of the most alluring activities in Cape Town is a visit to the wine country with its vast and verdant beauty, historical wine estates and towns and world famous wines! On this day tour you will experience the art of wine making as well as learning a little about the colourful history of the region. The Cape Wine route was the first commercial wine route in the world and today it is regarded as one of the best! This is the perfect opportunity to purchases wine for the overland Namibia part of your holiday.

Depart your hotel in Stellenbosch and proceed along the West Coast road before arriving at Clan William and Bushman’s Kloof which is located a relatively short distance out of Town. Stellenbosch to Clan William is approximately 230 km which should not be more than a three and a half hour drive so you will have time to savour the surrounding countryside en route to Bushman’s Kloof.

Relax and enjoy Bushman’s Kloof as well as explore some of the interesting things in the immediate area. The Sevilla Rock Art Trail is highly recommended and is a 4 kilometre self-guided walk with some magnificent ancient rock paintings that are more than three times older than the Egyptian Pyramids.

An early morning departure from Bushman’s Kloof is recommended as this leg of your self-drive tour of Cape Town & Namibia is the longest by far covering no less than 580 kilometres as well as border crossing into Namibia. The earlier you are on the road the better as the drive will be in the region of 8 hours with stops. Your destination is the Richtersveld Transfrontier Park where you will overnight at the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa Resort. This location is very close to the Fish River Canyon.

After your relatively long drive the day before you are able to enjoy a slightly later breakfast and enjoy the morning at this unique place, Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa. The next destination is the desert town of AUS which is about 350 kilometres from Ais Ais and therefore a much easier drive than the previous day. There are a few route options that can be decided closer the time. We recommend that you start your trip to Aus directly after lunch! You will arrive at Aus in the late afternoon where you will overnight.

Once again today you are able to enjoy a slightly later start as you are overnighting at the same destination. Just over an hour’s drive (one way) you have the Ghost Town of Kolmanskop which is a famous attraction in the region and well worth a visit. On this day you can visit this unique place as well as the harbour town of Lüderitz with it’s interesting colonial architecture and wildlife. This is just another opportunity to experience a unique and remote destination. You have the whole day to explore the Ghost Town and visit Lüderitz before returning to Aus.

After breakfast an early departure is recommended as you head deeper into the Namib Desert which is the oldest in the world. Your destination is the town of Solitaire in the Khomas region of central Namibia and close to the Namib-Naukluft National Park and the Sossusvlei Dunes which are the highest in the world. The journey from Aus is approximately 450 kilometres which could take up to 7 hours with stops and you will travel through some ever changing landscapes with impressive mountain ranges. You arrive at Solitaire Guest Ranch in the afternoon where you can enjoy a Namibian sunset over the desert.

After an early morning breakfast you venture out into the desert in the direction of Sassusvlei to see the awesome and magical red shimmering sand dunes some of which are three hundred meters high! If you dare you have the opportunity to climb to the top of these dunes where you will be rewarded with a view that will stay with you for ever! The day should also include “Dead Vlei” with its 500 year old dead trees which are not unlike a scene from a Salvador Dali painting. The later part of the day can include a stop at Sesriem where you will see first-hand how a unique landscape can be created by millions of years of exposure to the river Tsauchab . You arrive back at Moon Mountain Lodge in the late afternoon or early evening where you can enjoy a relaxing dinner after a very full and absorbing day!

Depart Moon Mountain Lodge and follow route C14 to Walvis Bay and then route B2 to Swakopmund, this is approximately a 380 kilometre relatively easy scenic drive which first takes you to Walvis Bay where you could stop for lunch and even explore the seaside town a little. From Walvis Bay to Swakopmund is just a short drive of 35 kilometres on a tar road. You arrive at Swakopmund in the afternoon and check in at the Swakopmund Hotel before enjoying dinner at a recommended local restaurant.

Explore Swakopmund at your leisure, enjoy some of the excellent restaurants that the town has to offer of which “The Tug” is really good if you enjoy seafood. A day trip to Sandwich Harbour is also highly recommended. Once you are in Swakopmund you will find that there are plenty of things to do and see.

Depart from Swakopmund after breakfast and proceed on the scenic C28 route to Windhoek. What we suggest is that you take a packed picnic lunch with you on this trip and you can enjoy it along the route! The road follows a completely new route through the Khomas with lots of stunning Namibian landscapes. Depending on your driving time you arrive at Windhoek in the late afternoon. The distance from Swakopmund to Windhoek along the C28 is approximately 340 kilometres which should not take more than 5 hours. In the evening we recommend that you visit Joe’s Beer House for dinner which is an institution in Windhoek and world famous for its Namibian and German cuisine, not to mention the beer!

After breakfast you depart your Hotel for Eros Airport to drop the hire car and board your flight to Cape Town International. Depending on confirmation of flights you will arrive in Cape Town in the afternoon for your homeward bound flight.
DEPART: CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT