It'll be a LOT hotter, and there may be the odd bit of rain.

See Klein Aus Vista, Kolmanskop, desert feral horses, Namib Rand reserve, Naukluft Mts......

Game viewing in Etosha is still pretty good at the end of December, it is still only really the start of our rainy season so there isn't the standing water lying in the park that you get later on. It will be very hot though and can hit the 40's sometimes so it is really important that you keep hydrated and drink lots of water and don't forget the sunscreen and a hat when you are walking about.
How far north do you want to go? there are some super lodges on the Kunene River worth staying at.

I’d broadly agree with the above, although would be a little nervous of the game in Etosha; it just depends on what the rains have been like.

I’d also comment that if you want to see the Fish River canyon and go to the north … then you’re either in for a solid 2-day drive on the tar, or a very long trip indeed. Personally, I’d be inclined to think of splitting your ideas into two different trips which I think would hang together better.

Maybe firstly, consider your second trip, this Dec, to be a one-way self-drive between Namibia and Cape Town, encompassing the Namib-Naukluft, Fish River, South-western Namibia – plus the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which should be starting to come into its best if there’s been much rain – plus Cape Town, which will then be at its best weather-wise. (Of course … this assumes that you’d like a few days in the city, at the start or end, and don’t want a purely bush trip?)

Then leave the north for a third trip, at a later date. That could maybe start with a different corner of Damaraland, Etosha, up to Rundu, and then head east, one-way trip across the Caprivi (with options to taste bits of the Okavango). You can stop into northern Chobe if you wish, and maybe end with a few days in the Falls. That makes a great and very varied trip.

This third trip really makes a natural precursor to exploring more of Botswana and/or Zambia on yet another trip … as you’re bound to be addicted to Africa by this point if you’re not already now!

Of course, these ideas depend on what you’ve done previously, and what kind of thing you really like … so feel free to elaborate and I’m sure forum members will do their best to suggest …


Chris McIntyre
Author: Bradt guidebooks to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia & Zanzibar
MD: Expert Africa & Wild about Africa
(offices in London & New Zealand)

I should also have added that mid/end December is high season in Namibia and certain locations, primarily Etosha and especially Swakopmund can be extremely busy. It is the main school holidays plus Xmas hols and half of Namibia swamps Swakop, so you really need to not leave booking accommodation there until the last minute or you could very well end up stuck!

I also recommend booking things like dolphin cruises and scenic flights in advance during this time to avoid disappointment if you leave booking until the day before.

We have been running Etosha safaris every Xmas and New Year for the last 8 years and the game viewing has always still been very good, even last year when we had a lot of early rain. I find that the game viewing deteriorates into January and February.

I agree with Chris though about the Kgalgadi, it should be a good time to go and the lions there just look magnificent if you are lucky enough to find some. It is a different type of national park to Etosha, some of the roads are a bit rough, but it will be less busy.

We have found that people are generally rather disappointed with Luderitz. The ghost town at Kolmankoppe is interesting, but it is nicer to stay at Klein Aus Vista and you can easily visit Kolmanskoppe from there. Luderitz has a tendency to be very windy!

As Chris says you are going to need at least one stop off between Sossusvlei and the North otherwise you are in for a very long drive indeed. Swakopmund would be the first obvious choice, then I would also break up the journey with an overnight in the southern part of Damaraland, Khorixas/Twyfelfontein or somewhere similar before heading up to Kaokoland.

Gemma Dry - Owner - Discover Namibia Safaris
(formerly Truly Africa Tours)

This is pretty intimidating company that you are receiving input from, but I will throw caution to the wind and add my two cents.

The trip that Chris suggests - a self-drive from Cape Town to Windhoek is a favourite of ours - we have done it twice, most recently in 2008, and we will repeat it in 2011 with a group of friends. On the second occasion, after a break for a conference in Swakopmund, we added on Botswana - spending another 10 days driving through the Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe NP. From CT to Windhoek and even with adding on Botswana is an easy drive with lots of wonderful game viewing and scenery.

The self-drive route (between CT and Windhoek) that I would recommend is:
Cape Town to Karoo National Park, a beautiful park with lovely scenery and very nice accommodation www.sanparks.org - there is a drop-down menu of the parks near the top

Karoo National Park to Upington - stay at La Boheme www.labohem.com (our favourite) or Brown's Manor www.brownsmanor.co.za in Upington

Upington into Kgalagadi NP (same website as Karoo NP) via the gate at Twee Rivieren - stay at the wilderness camps, which are fabulous - Bitterpan, Kieliekrankie, Gharagab, Grootkolk and Kalahari Tented Camp - we usually stay around 10 nights - depending on the camps you choose, you may need a 4x4 for this part of the trip.

From Kgalagadi to Aus, Namibia - stay at Eagle's Nest Lodge - part of Klein Aus Vista that Gemma mentions - one of favourite places in southern Africa. www.namibhorses.com

You could add a night at Fish River Canyon before Aus if you wish - we had a fabulous dinner at Cañon Lodge and it is very convenient to the canyon - we have always stayed at the affiliated Cañon Mountain Camp, but it was looking a little on the far side of prime on our most recent visit. www.gondwana-collection.com.

From Aus to the dunes at Sesriem - we have stayed at Kulala Desert Lodge and Kulala Wilderness Camp www.wilderness-safaris.com - I would recommend either, although I would also look at Sossus Dune Lodge www.nwr.com.na which has the advantage of being inside the park, so you can be in the dunes at sunrise and sunset. You must hike Big Daddy (a dune) and then visit Dead Vlei - truly a breath-takingly beautiful place. You will want to do this very early in the morning because it will be stinking hot. I would also recommend the balloon ride, although it isn't cheap!

From Sesriem to Swakopmund across the Namib Desert - one of our favourite drives - you'll have the desert to yourselves! We like Beach Lodge in Swakopmund - we stayed there for five nights during the conference. Their dining room is popular with the locals and the rooms are a stones-throw from the beach. www.beachlodge.com.na

From Swakopmund into Windhoek via the scenic C28 (not the B2, a dangerous stretch of narrow, very busy highway, with suicidal warthogs that like to run out in front of vehicles), where you could either head home or carry on into Botswana via Ghanzi (Edo's Camp: www.edoscamp.com) and Maun (Royal Tree Lodge www.royaltreelodge.com), although that (CT to Windhoek to Maun to Kasane) would be a very long trip - we did it in 5 weeks, with a week off for the conference.

Regarding the weather and viewing: We have visited Kgalagadi in July/August and November, and found November very hot, but then we are (western) Canadians, so 25C seems hot to us - we rarely hit 30 in our part of the world. In Kgalagadi in November, we hit 40C on several days - I believe 43 was the hottest we endured. The game viewing was very good, but the rains hadn't started, so the animals were congregating at the waterholes.

For all of our self-drives (in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania), we have used Safari Drive (www.safaridrive.com), a UK-based company that we learned of from Chris' Botswana book - I would highly recommend you get a copy of his Namibia guide, if you don't already have it. Just about all of these places I recommend we learned of from Chris' guides - we owe him a debt of thanks for many wonderful holidays. Safari Drive has an excellent website, which should give you many more ideas.

Here is the link to our photos and trip report from our trip from Cape Town to Windhoek in 2008 - the Botswana portion is a separate report. It is lengthy, but you can skip to the relevant parts. Happy reading and researching! Robin

http://bert-and-bin.smugmug.com/Travel/South-Africa-Namibia-2008-1/7172232_XrT3Y/1/461053054_KcDbR

Sorry - I should have added that if you are determined to go north, it is a relatively easy drive from Swakopmund to Etosha NP with an overnight at Vingerklip Lodge www.vingerklip.com.na. Robin

Just wanted to get back to you quickly - been working on visit to MD Anderson Hospital in Houston and will leave day after tomorrow. I haven't been ignoring you - and thinking about this proposed trip has been a great distraction - and I will probably get back on it once we get to Houston. Thanks all and keep posts coming and I will get back to this either once we're settled in Houston or once I get back home, ok?