Windhoek Travel Forum

Hi all,

I'm planning to do a self-drive trip from Cape Town to Victoria Falls in June and I have most of it worked out. However, I'm still on the fence about the first eight days of the trip. Below are two itineraries between Cape Town and Windhoek: Can you tell me which one would be preferable? (I don't mind driving, so the longer drive in itinerary #1 isn't a major issue to me.) Itinerary #2 costs about US$300 more (the car is only slightly cheaper; the CPT-WDH flight is about $175 per person.)

Itinerary #1

Day 1: Arrive Cape Town 11AM. Table Mountain
Day 2: Robben Island, V&A Waterfront
Day 3: Daytrippers Tour to Cape Point
Day 4: Wandering around Cape Town
Day 5: Drive to Springbok, SA
Day 6: Drive to Fish River Canyon
Day 7: Fish River Canyon
Day 8: Drive to Sossusvlei

Itinerary #2

Days 1-4 as above.
Day 5-6: More Cape Town wandering (maybe a Great White breaching tour and/or a visit to the townships?)
Day 7: Fly to Windhoek
Day 8: Drive to Sossusvlei

Any information would be useful!
Thanks!

Hi,

What happens on day 9? Sossusvlei is a real pain to get to and the best time to see it is before sunrise. You need 2 days to get there and back. The roads are really challenging.

All the best,

DAO

(looks good, but you need a road map, I may be able to lend you one).

Hi there.

We'll be staying at Sossusvlei for the entirety of day nine and then driving to Swakopmund on Day 10 (i.e. two full days there).

I'd be grateful if you could share a good road map with me, or at least the type of road map that would be preferable to buy.

Thanks so much for your help!

Sossusvlei to Swakopmund is a nightmare. Its a long hard day on the gravel. You can do it with a 2wd but need new tyres!

Will arrange the map...

Hy there

I was on an Overland Tour from Cape to Vic in November 06. The itinerary was almost exactly as your #1. And it was definitely worth all the driving. Fish River Canyon is marvellous, like Grand Canyon but minus the gazillions of tourist. Our group of 20 was there for sunset, we were the only people at the sunset point.

As for Soussusvlei: it's a really long drive through Namib desert, but the dunes are unbelievable spectacular, for me it was one of the best parts about this whole trip. My advice for day 9: drive to dune 45 for sunrise (the only dune you're actually allowed to climb). The gate at Sesriem opens 1 hour prior to sunrise, dune 45 is 45 kilometers away from the gate, it takes at least 30 minutes to climb to the top. So try to be one of the first cars in front of the gate, and forget about the speed limit of 60 Kilometers per hour. You can't spend too much time ontop of the dune, because it get's freaking hot within minutes after the sun has risen. I would recommend you do a walking tour into Sossusvlei afterwards. There's a local guy who calls himself Bushman, he doesn't wear shoes on the hot sand. I'm usually not into guided tours, but his walking tour from Sossusvlei to Dead Vlei is simply amazing. Bushman shows you the desert in a way it becomes very much alive (and don't forget to have a glimpse at Bushman's feet ;-))

Enjoy your trip, it's going to be the adventure of a lifetime!

Andrea

Thanks so much for your advice!
(It's no surprise that this trip resembles a planned trip - I've been in touch with all of the operators and planned my trip according to their itineraries!)

Since you feel that I should go to Sossusvlei at dawn on Day 9, and that it gets incredibly hot incredibly quickly, do you think I should leave there towards Swakopmund at midday on Day 9 (since DAO mentioned that the trip is a rough one, perhaps we should only go halfway?) or is there enough to do at Sossusvlei and the surrounding area that we should stick around until early on Day 10.

Thanks again!

If you get to Dune 45 or the end of the road for sunrise, you complete the walking circuit by 11am approx. Then its time to go. There is actually not that many places to explore as many areas are off limits and there is nothing to do at night or hotels close by. I slept in my car and my friends in a tent. It was worth it, but after you do the walking in the heat you will want to move on. Its a hard trek there, around and back. Your pictures will be great, but you will be very tired. Swakopmund will give you a good rest after Sossusvlei.