Need help planning Namibia Trip!
 

Hello! My boyfriend and I are going to Namibia at the beginning of January and I'm having a hard time planning it. I'm looking for some help with reccomeding places to stay, how long to stay in which places, or if there's any other places on my route you think I should check out!
We will be there for 14 nights total. So far the only accommodation we have booked is Windhoek for 2 nights at the start of our trip. So I'm open to suggestions!
My idea so far is to go on this route:
Windhoek-2 nights
Etosha - 4 nights
Somewhere in Damaraland (don't know a lot about this)- 1-3 nights
Swakopmund- 3 nights (check out cape cross also)
Sossusvlei- 2 nights
Back to Windhoek.

We were going to do fish river canyon but I think it would be nice to have less driving time and more time in other places.


Just so you know a bit about us, we are a young couple who likes adventure but also likes to relax as well. Our main purpose of this trip is to see wildlife and experience the beautiful land formations Namibia has to offer. This will be our first time in Africa so if you have any other tips that would be great!
If possible we would like a little more budget friendly accommodations but are open to all ideas.

I did Namibia a couple of years ago. The same routing you are planning. Click on my name and do a search for....Namibia- It's just dawned on me. I did exactly as I've mentioned,along with some great suggestion/ideas from members. Read through it. Will be glad to answer any of your queries.

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...wned-on-me.cfm

Ok. Here it is.

Im writing from my smartphone and I'm not smart enough. More comfy on the laptop. So search and copy URL was a bit of a problem :)

Do get back for your queries.

Thank you, I read through it and it was very helpful! Do you have any advice from the trip you took? Places to stay/not to stay?

No more advise than that is already given to me by fodorites,also
in the thread link provided.Dos and don'ts absolutely bang on.Just ensure you start early in the day to reach your destination before dark,avoid driving after 6 pm.Some stretches are desolate. A break-down, means time (normally there is 24hrs help),till then you are on your own. Food and water to be stacked up.Be prepared to spend a night in the vehicle(animals often move around in the cool of the night).Elephants,hyenas,rhinos and lions are to watch for, in and around the Etosha pan and frequent parts of adjoining Damaraland.

Secondly, I've listed out the places I've stayed in, along the way.Each one,uniquely better than the other,would recommend them.I'm not aware (nor can advise) of places 'not to stay'.The details,like distances between places and time taken is in the itinerary.

I also drove along the Skeleton Coast from Damaraland
(and happened to get caught in a sand storm for over 2 hrs) and stopped by Cape Cross for the Fur Seals.

Further, its important to get a good vehicle from a reputed Car hire company. 4x4 not required if you plan to stick to the gravel roads (little or no off-roading can be done ),except for the short of stretch of deep sand in Soussvlei.