I understand that most travellers to Namibia travel around within the country a lot - hopping from destination to destination, usually staying just one or two nights at one destination (maybe three in Etosha).

If you could, where would you stay for five days? Which places offer enough for five days or are simply so beautiful that you would like to stay there for a couple of days?

Thank you very much!

The Erongo mountains, Karabib & Usakos, Damaraland would be my choice :0)

Thanks, bs. What would you do there during the five days?

Damaraland - just take a 4 wheel drive and explore

I'd visit rock art sites, wildlife sanctuary's, track desert elephants/rhino's, climb the Spitzkoppe mountain, seek out the rare welwitschia plant, I love mountains so would also visit Brandberg, Erongo & Rossing.

If you have been on safaris elsewhere I would suggest Sossuvlei instead - the desert is absolutely stunning - pics from our blog here

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/africa/g-namibia/

Oh Liz - thank you so much for the link to your blog. I am speechless, it is that fantastic. Exactly what I need. We are looking forward to our trip!!

Wolwedans, either their private chalet at the Dune Lodge, which we've visited twice, once in 2001 and again in 2004 (for 4 nights, I think it was).

Or maybe their new boulder lodge, which looks wonderful.

I love the NamibRand, it's a living desert and stunningly beautiful as well as remote, few other visitors.

And Wolwedans offer beautiful properties, great guiding, good food...

BTW we drove from Wolwedans up to Sossusvlei (well, we were driven) and it took maybe an hour or two, so you could visit the large dunes and dead vlei there on a day trip, if you fancied.

Here's more on Wolwedans:

http://www.wolwedans-namibia.com/

We love wildlife and spent our time between Etosha National Park ( http://www.nwr.com.na ) and Erindi Game Reserve ( http://www.erindi-game-reserve.com ). Both are spectacular.

Wish I had seen this thread earlier. This is exactly the thing DH and I are talking about.

We want to spend a long weekend (arriving either on Thur or Fri and leaving Mon) in Namibia and are trying to figure out what to do.

The idea is for a relaxing, low key (but still somewhat high-end) time. Want to chill out, enjoy some scenery, maybe do a game drive or two, and see some of the country - but don't need to see everything at once. This "should" be the first of several trips.

Any thoughts?

Grcxx3 - for your short period the areas I've suggested above would be a good start & as mentioned by 1960sNomad Erindi GR is in this vicinity.

I loved the Skeleton Coast Camp---I think we stayed three nights but I wanted more---such a fascinating area...pics from our entire trip to Namibia---we stayed at Sossusvlei Lodge, Skeleton COast Camp; Palm Wag Rhino Camp in Damaraland; Serra Cafema and Ongava Camp...but if I were to choose one for five days I might go with Skeleton Coast Camp...

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...1&l=8cdcc58b97

2 nights at Sossusvlei, followed by 3 nights at Wolwedans. The best combo for 5 nights hat I can think of. If money is no object then I would consider Serra Cafema and Sossusvlei.

I don't mean to sound ignorant - if we stayed in both Sossusviel and Wolvedans what would we expect to experience differently? That did not come out right. What is the difference between the two areas?
Thanks so much.
Keri

Fair question. They are quite different.

Wolwedans is isolated. Although you are surrounded by dunes, they are not as immense as the ones at Sossusvlei, you spend your days driving through them, there are stunning landscapes, you are really within the dunes, the focus is on the flora and fauna, of which there is a surprising amount for a desert - it's often called the living desert as much life has adapted to it. You'll see fairy circles in the grass, sociable weaver nests, oryx, aardwolf (if you're lucky), snakes, lizards, insects and more.

At Sossusvlei, you have the dramatic giant dunes and you can also access the dead vleis - these are where the river used to reach, and hence trees would grow, but then, over time, dunes from each side met in the middle and closed that area off to the river. The trees died and left their ghostlike trunks and branches in place. There is wildlife, but the focus is more on the landscape, I'd say.

There are lodges in the Sossusvlei area that will allow you to explore the surrounding landscape and also visit the famous large dunes/ dead vleis.

Whilst in the sossusvlei area itself, there are many many other visitors. In the surrounds, far less. In Wolwedans, very few others.

Kavey,
Thank you so much for your explanation. Our plan is to spend 3 nights in Sossusvlei and a couple of nights at Naankuse before heading to Zambia. Maybe we will rethink it a little. We want to see the Dunes & Victoria Falls on this trip but also get some big cats in as well. When reading about Namibia it really seems it should be a trip upon itself. So many wonderful area to see. Hopefully in the future we'll get back for a longer visit.
Thanks
Keri

Personally I would split the time between Sossus Dune Lodge and Etosha (Okaukuejo).

I think a good approach would be to decide if you are looking for 100% landscapes or perhaps a blend of some wildlife with landscapes. In my opinion, since I have been all throughout Africa, I would go for what makes Namibia so beautiful and unique, which are its landscapes.

In June we are going to Namibia for landscapes and Zambia for the wildlife. Andy will you be in either country early June 2012?