Half the fun of doing an over landing trip is the planning of your route and deciding where you want to stop over. The Happy Campers is planning a self drive trip for the first quarter of 2017 into the southern parts of Namibia #Namibia2017 and the route has been set.
Having completed three trips to Botswana already, we’re very excited to see the desert and everything else on offer from Namibia. Preparations are already underway with our planning, we’ve completed a DIY installation of an AL-KO braking system on our Venter trailer and then I’m eyeing a nice kitchen set-up built onto the outside of the trailer….
After reading up on a lot of travel blogs and forums, we’ve decided on a set travel plan, as we’ll be travelling in peak holiday season and we don’t want to risk the possibility of not getting into the parks and resorts where we want to spend some time. Have look at our travel plan below, we start off in the Kgalagadi and we end our trip at the Augrabies National Park…
Day 1 & 2
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Rooiputs campsite
We’ve camped at Rooiputs before, in 2014 and we’re crazy excited to go back there. It will be the first our friends will be camping in an unfenced Botswana camp site and we can wait to show them the beauty of the Kgalagadi. We’re looking forward to having lunch at the Melkvlei picnic site and to visiting the museum next to Auchterlonie. We’ll have sundowners on the deck of the Ta Shebube Lodge’s deck and listen to the lions calling to their partners at night. Can’t wait!!!
Bookings were made via Botswana Footprints – book at least a year in advance, camp sites are fully booked shortly after bookings open.
Day 3 & 4
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Mata-Mata campsite
After Rooiputs, we move up towards the Namibian border and we’ll spend two nights at Mata-Mata. We haven’t been to this camp site before so we’re looking forward to seeing the hide at Mata-Mata as well as try and spot the giraffes and hyena dens that the area is famous for. We’ll finally get to see 13th and 14th Borehole as well as Craig Lockhart and Dalkeith. This is one of the highlights of the trip, for sure.
Bookings were made via the SANParks website. Word of advice – you have to book these sites a year in advance. They are fully booked within an hour after the bookings open so plan your trip in advance and make sure that you can phone them bright and early when the bookings open.
Mata-Mata Campsite **
Day 5
Mesosaurus Fossil Site – Keetmanshoop
Another highlight will be our one night stopover at the Mesosaurus Fossil Site. We’ll be staying at their bush camp which is situated within a quiver tree forest. We’re hoping to see Giants Playground and the fossils that this farm is famous for.
Booked via the Mesosaurus website
Day 6 & 7
Sossusvlei – Sesriem campsite
No need to tell you how excited we are to be able to camp inside the Sossusvlei desert area. Not only do you get an hour’s head start on the other tourists but you get to spend your night in a desert and underneath the stars. We’ll keep an eye out for baboons and monkeys at this one, as we’ve read that they can be quite the nuisance.
Booked via the NWR Namibia website
Day 8 & 9
Aus – Klein-Aus Vista – Desert Horse Campsite
The main attractions in this area will be seeing the famous Aus desert horses, visiting Kolmanskop and Lüderitz. They’ve been experiencing severe drought conditions and we’re hoping that the horses will still be in a good enough shape to come out so that we can see them. Nature can be very harsh, especially in this, the harshest of conditions.
Bookings via the Klein-Aus Vista website
Day 10 & 11
Fish River Canyon – Canyon Road Campsite
Our last two days in Namibia will be spent sightseeing at the famous Fish River Canyon. We’ll be staying at the Canyon Road Campsite which is only 14 kms away from the canyon itself. Maybe one day we’ll plan a walking tour of the canyon……
Bookings via the Gondwana website
Day 12 & 13
Augrabies National Park – Kakamas
Rounding off our epic tour of Southern Namibia will be our two-night stay at the Augrabies National Park. The most obvious highlight here will be seeing the Augrabies Falls up close and then exploring the park with its semi-desert and rocky landscape. We’ll be camping for one last time so we’ll keep a look out for the notorious monkeys and baboons. Perfect park to finish off our trip.
Booked via the SANParks website
**These pictures were found from Google and various sites ie Tripadvisor and Tracks4Africa. They do not belong to us so please leave us a comment if you would like us to add credit.
Happy Campers SA 
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