7 Day Cape Town to Namibia Safari (Small Group Overland…

Day 1: Cape Town to Cederberg Mountains – South Africa

On the first morning of this Small Group Africa Overland Tour, we set off north from the city of Cape Town, fondly known as the 'Mother City' of South Africa by locals. Heading out of town in our comfortable tour vehicle, we pause at a convenient spot to look back and admire the perfect views of Table Mountain, Cape Town's most famous landmark, across the waters of Table Bay.

After taking some photos of iconic Table Mountain, we continue out of the city through rural Western Cape towards the towering Cederberg Mountains. The area is known for its very distinctive rock formations, and for the rooibos plant, used to make the popular herbal tea known internationally as red bush tea. Rooibos grows wild on the mountain slopes and our overnight destination lies at the heart of the Rooibos industry in South Africa.

The first lodge on our Cape Town to Namibia Safari lies in the lush river valley of the Olifant's River, which flows beneath the mountains close to the town Citrusdal. This evening we with be treated with a hearty South African traditional dinner together at the lodge, after which safari guides will brief you on the overland tour ahead.

• Included Activity: Traditional Dinner
• Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Cederberg to Gariep (Orange) River – Namibia

Today our Africa Overland Tour journeys further north, into ever drier and more sparsely populated landscapes. The drive takes us through Namaqualand, an arid and dusty land of gentle hills and plains covered with sparse vegetation. The area is famous for the springtime miracle that occurs each year after the rains, when the fields burst out with colourful carpets of desert daisies.

We reach the far northern reaches of South Africa where the mighty Gariep (Orange) River forms the northern border of the country as it flows towards the Atlantic Ocean to the west. We make the border crossing into Namibia and then head for tonight’s accommodation, cabanas on the Namibian side the riverbank close to the border. Relax after your long drive and enjoy a cool drink in the restaurant overlooking the great Orange (Gariep) River.

• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3: Orange (Gariep) River to Ais-Ais Hot Springs – Namibia

Enjoy a relaxed morning by the river. You have the chance to join an optional canoe trip paddling down the river to enjoy the rock formations, river life and desert landscapes of the region.

After lunch, we climb back on our overland tour vehicle and head out into the Namibian desert. We make our way to the dramatic Fish River Canyon, second only to the Grand Canyon in the United States in terms of size, formed over 500 million years ago

We will overnight at the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort close to the Fish River Canyon. Here you can relax, take a soothing soak in the hot springs, swim in the pool, and relax at the bar. With the pollution-free skies, the Canyon area is a dream come true for stargazers. At night, the sky comes alive with a dazzling array of stars, galaxies, and planets.

• Included Activities: Ais-Ais Hot Springs
• Optional Activities: Half-day Orange River Canoe Trip
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Fish River Canyon, Quiver Tree Forest & Giants Playground – Namibia

On day 4 of our small group Africa Overland Tour, we get up early to visit the Fish River Canyon and appreciate the dramatic views by morning light. Take a stroll along the canyon rim and see the canyon floor some 550 meters (1,800 ft) below. There is a popular but strenuous 85-kilometer (52 mile) trek that follows the canyon floor and usually takes around 5 days to complete.

After capturing incredible photos of the dramatic scenery, we continue west in our comfortable tour vehicle, through the desert landscapes to the village of Keetmanshoop. We visit the nearby Quiver Tree Forest made up of 250 spiky quiver trees, some over 200 years old, in a desert forest that was declared a national monument in 1995. Next, we head to a bizarre place close by, known as Giants playground because it is strewn with unusual stacks of large round dolerite boulders that look as if they were stacked up by giants 180 million years ago.

We overnight at a comfortable guesthouse.

• Included Activities: Fish River Canyon, Quiver Tree Forest & Giants Playground
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: Keetmanshoop to the Namib Desert - Namibia

This morning we continue our long drive north in our airconditioned vehicle, further into the ancient Namib Desert, from which Namibia got its name. While the desert landscapes are stark, they offer up breathtaking views, amazing sights and curious creatures that have adapted to living in the harsh desert conditions. The mists arising from the freezing Atlantic Ocean to the west, provides a source of water that keeps the desert alive.

Day 5 of our Africa Overland Small Group Tour sees us stay at a comfortable desert lodge just outside the Namib-Naukluft National Park. We fall asleep to the awesome silence of the desert with the dramatic star-studded skies above.

• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6: Sossusvlei Dunes & Namib-Naukluft Park – Namibia

A full day of desert adventures awaits on day 6 of our Cape Town to Namibia Safari. Hop onto our comfortable safari vehicle and head into Namib-Naukluft National Park, one of Africa's largest national parks that incorporates a large slice of the world's oldest desert.

First is a stop at Dune 45, an iconic red sand dune which features in many a photo shoot. Here, you have the chance to climb the dune and enjoy the breathtaking views from the top, of the red dunes rolling off into the distance. Once you’re back down, enjoy a hearty breakfast before we are collected in a 4x4 safari vehicle to transfer to the Sossusvlei and Deadvlei portion of Namib-Naukluft National Park. This dry pan area fills up with water in wet seasons, but most of the time is a dry crusty pan with surreal scenes of skeletal dead trees silhouetted against the pale pan floors, surrounded by orange-hued dunes.

Tonight, we soak up the stars and stillness at our desert lodge after a full day of admiring the beautifully stark landscapes of the Namib Desert.

• Included Activity: Hike up Dune 45, 4x4 Transfer to Sossusvlei & Deadvlei
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7: Namib to Swakopmund - Namibia

This morning we are joined by an expert local guide for a guided desert walk. Exploring on foot, this local guide will share their detailed knowledge of the ancient Namibian Desert area with us. Learn about the special ways that plants, animals, and humans have adapted to living in this very harsh climate.

Then we climb back on the comfortable vehicle and continue our journey. We make a stop at our crossing the Tropic of Capricorn, stopping to take some fun photos as we prepare to say farewell. From there our lodge safari takes us to the coast, to the charming seaside town of Swakopmund, known as the adventure capital of Namibia.

Arriving in the charming town of Swakopmund our affordable South Africa & Namibia Safari comes to an end. We recommend booking an extra night or two in Swakopmund in order to explore this charming seaside town with German colonial influences. There is a host of sightseeing and desert and ocean adventure activities on offer.

• Included Activity: Desert walk with a local guide
• Optional Activity: Quad biking, Sand boarding, Sky Diving, Scenic Flights and more
• Meals: Breakfast

Overland Tour Notes:

To get the most out of your overland tour, we recommend arriving the day before this Cape Town to Namibia Safari departs and only booking flights for the day after the safari ends. We can help arrange accommodation for before and after the safari on request. Simply ask your friendly travel advisor to add pre-tour and post-tour accommodation to your safari booking.

This Small Group Tour is also available as a budget friendly Lodge Overland Tour - 7 Day Cape Town to Namibia Safari (Lodge Africa Overland Tour) which follows the same itinerary but travels in a larger overland vehicle with group size of 20 people.

For more details contact African Budget Safaris

Luxury Overland Safari Vehicle

This small-group South Africa Safari is conducted in a state-of-the-art 4x4 overland vehicle. The custom-built luxury overland tour vehicle comfortably accommodates a maximum of 12 guests. These specially designed overland vehicles provide extra space and amenities, offering a more luxurious safari experience with all the adventure, but in added style and comfort.

Features include an onboard toilet and a water filtration system for purified drinking water throughout the journey. The luxury vehicle has reclining leather seats that rotate 180 degrees and lock into your preferred position (for example, window or front-facing). Each seat has overhead air-conditioning vents that can be independently operated for individual control of airflow and temperature.

Every seat also features a USB port panel for charging your electronic devices and there is a reading light above each seat. Each seat has a safety deposit unit with individual key code access, for storing your passports, phones, and smaller valuables.