A two to three-week loop by 4x4 from Windhoek: the red dunes of Sossusvlei, the Atlantic coast at Swakopmund, the granite of Spitzkoppe, the rock engravings of Damaraland and the waterholes of Etosha. Nearly half the route is on gravel roads, self-sufficient, with a tent on the roof.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Windhoek | Start |
| Days 3 to 4 | Sesriem (Sossusvlei) | 339 km · 4h |
| Days 5 to 7 | Swakopmund | 346 km · 4h20 |
| Day 8 | Spitzkoppe | 158 km · 2h25 |
| Days 9 to 10 | Twyfelfontein | 232 km · 4h15 |
| Days 11 to 12 | Okaukuejo (Etosha) | 342 km · 4h40 |
| Days 13 to 14 | Namutoni (Etosha) | 116 km · 2h30 |
| Day 15 | Waterberg Plateau | 337 km · 4h45 |
| Day 16 | Back to Windhoek | 281 km · 3h10 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
From May to October, the dry season: the gravel roads are passable and wildlife gathers at Etosha's waterholes, but nights in the rooftop tent are cold in June and July. From November to April, heat and storms in the north: dry riverbeds can flood across the roads.
🚗 339 km · 4h of driving from Windhoek
Tarred B1 to Rehoboth (fill up), then the C24, D854 and C19: nearly 250 km of gravel.
🚗 346 km · 4h20 of driving from Sesriem
Gravel C19 and C14 via Solitaire, the Tropic of Capricorn and the Kuiseb and Gaub passes, then Walvis Bay.
🚗 158 km · 2h25 of driving from Swakopmund
Tarred B2 inland, then the D1918 and D3716 gravel roads; leave Swakopmund with a full tank.
🚗 232 km · 4h15 of driving from Spitzkoppe
D1930 gravel road to Uis, then the C35 along the Brandberg and the D2612; corrugations, slow down at junctions.
🚗 342 km · 4h40 of driving from Twyfelfontein
D2612 then the C39 via Khorixas and Outjo, C38 to the Andersson Gate; entry permit bought at the gate.
🚗 116 km · 2h30 of driving from Okaukuejo
Park roads via Halali, 60 km/h maximum. Roadworks between Okaukuejo and Halali since 2025: follow the diversions.
🚗 337 km · 4h45 of driving from Namutoni
Von Lindequist Gate, tarred B1 towards Tsumeb, C42 towards Grootfontein, then the D2859 and D2512 gravel roads.
🚗 281 km · 3h10 of driving from Waterberg Plateau
In 10 days: Windhoek 1 night, Sesriem 2, Swakopmund 2, Twyfelfontein 1 via Uis and the Brandberg, Okaukuejo 2, then back to Windhoek via Outjo and the B1, nearly 5 hours' drive. Skip Spitzkoppe, Namutoni and the Waterberg.
| 4x4 camper for 2, manual, July to October | ≈ €100 a day (N$1,900, 15 days or more) |
|---|---|
| Same 4x4, February-March, June, December | ≈ €80 a day (N$1,475) |
| Top-of-the-range automatic 4x4, high season | ≈ €195 a day (N$3,655, 16 to 24 days) |
| Zero excess, tyres and windscreen included | ≈ €25 a day (N$460) |
| Vehicle | Diesel 4x4 pick-up (Hilux, Ranger) with rooftop tent, kitchen and fridge; often twin tanks totalling 140 litres. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | In Windhoek or at the airport; it's a loop, so no one-way fee (otherwise N$15,000 at Bushlore). |
| Insurance | N$30,000 excess at Bushlore (≈ €1,600), doubled for a rollover or an animal hit at night. |
| Tyres and glass | Excluded from the basic packages at Savanna and Britz: take the tyre and windscreen option. |
| Contractual speed | GPS tracker: 80 km/h on gravel at Savanna, 60 at Britz. Exceed it and the insurance is void. |
| Age and card | 23 and one year's licence (Namibia2Go), 25 and three years (Britz); Visa or Mastercard. |
⚠️ A rollover with no other vehicle involved, common on gravel, is only covered by the most expensive option: otherwise up to N$165,000 at Savanna.
Or an official English translation of your licence, according to France Diplomatie. Rental companies require it too.
Right-hand drive. At four-way stops, the first to arrive goes first, then in order of arrival.
60 km/h in towns. France Diplomatie advises 80 on gravel; rental companies impose 60 to 80.
The legal limit, but France Diplomatie speaks of zero tolerance: a night in a police cell and a fine.
Animals on the road, no lighting. Arrive before sunset; excess doubled with some rental companies.
Slow down on bends and at junctions: jerking the wheel causes rollovers. Headlights on, even by day.
Blowouts are frequent according to France Diplomatie. Deflate to the pressure in the contract on gravel, reinflate on tarmac.
Etosha's gates open from sunrise to sunset; be at camp before closing time.
Fill up at every station. No mobile signal outside towns: offline GPS, satellite phone recommended.
In front and rear alike, on tarmac and on gravel.
≈ €1.49 per litre of diesel (N$27.86 in Walvis Bay, September 2026); petrol N$25.08
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 2,151 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €220 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
Attendant at every station, a tip is customary. Gaps with no pump: Rehoboth-Sesriem 250 km, Solitaire-Walvis Bay 230 km. Fuel at Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni.
| Roads | No tolls on the route |
|---|---|
| Namib-Naukluft (Sesriem, Sossusvlei) | N$280 per adult per day + N$60 per vehicle |
| Etosha | N$280 per adult per day + N$60 per vehicle, paid at the gate |
| Cape Cross and Waterberg Plateau | N$280 per adult + N$60 per vehicle |
| Under-16s | Free |
| Increase on 1 April 2026 | Foreign adult up from N$150 to N$280 a day |
| Shuttle to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei | Paid, from the car park for 2x4 vehicles |
| Etosha gates | From sunrise to sunset, times adjusted every week |
|---|---|
| Okaukuejo-Halali road | Roadworks since April 2025; diversion via Gemsbokvlakte and Olifantsbad |
| Sossusvlei before dawn | Reserved for Sesriem campers and guests staying inside the park |
| Dry riverbeds | Flash floods after storms; water damage is never insured |
| Terrace Bay (Skeleton Coast) | Entry by reservation only; camping in December and January |
Allow 15 to 21 days for the Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Damaraland and Etosha loop: our version is 15 nights and about 2,200 km from stage to stage, nearly half of it on gravel, plus safaris and excursions. In 10 days, drop Spitzkoppe, Namutoni and the Waterberg, with days of nearly 5 hours at the wheel.
For two in 2026: a 4x4 camper at N$1,900 to N$3,655 a day, i.e. €1,600 to €3,100; about €220 of fuel at September 2026 prices for about 2,150 km from stage to stage, plus excursions; parks N$620 a day for two people and the vehicle, about €230 for 7 days, campsites extra.
Not legally, and a saloon is fine on tarmac. But France Diplomatie recommends a 4x4 as soon as you leave the tarmac; only a 4x4 reaches Sossusvlei (the last 5 km are sand) and it carries the rooftop tent, two spare wheels and often 140 litres of diesel.
The law does not forbid it, but France Diplomatie strongly advises against it: animals are drawn to headlights and there is no lighting. Rental companies ask you to arrive before sunset, and Bushlore doubles the excess (N$60,000) for a rollover or an animal hit at night. In Etosha, the gates close at sunset.
An International Driving Permit, always shown together with your national licence, or an official English translation of your licence (France Diplomatie, September 2026). Rental companies also ask for a Visa or Mastercard credit card in the driver's name and a minimum age of 23 (Namibia2Go) to 25 (Britz).
Yes, as far as Cape Cross and the Ugab on the C34, a salt road. Beyond that begins Skeleton Coast National Park (N$280 per adult per day): Terrace Bay, about 360 km from Swakopmund, only admits visitors with a reservation, then you leave via Springbokwasser towards Palmwag and Damaraland.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/namibia · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
