jason8612

I'm heading back to Namibia, but this tome with the parents. So far we land into WDH Sept 10th and I have 2 rooms booked in a lodge next to Etosha. (Sept 10-14). We have our flight out of WDH to South Africa on the 16th at 3PM.
I need to fill the 14-16th. Last time I drove to Sossusvlei, but I do not think it's possible this time (Etosha - Sossusvlei is about 8hr drive, and even if I drove that all the 14th, it's just too far I think.)
I was thinking of Khorixas/Damaraland. From the Etosha Lodge, it is about a 2hr drive and from Khorixas it is about a 5hr drive to the Airport. Either we could do 1 night there and then just drive in the evening to Windhoek and overnight there or leave early the 16th (around 7am or so) and head to the airport.
Another option is Damaraland on the 14th-15th and then the 15th-16th at Okonjima Cheetah Park (about 2.5hrs drive from Khorixas and then about 2.5hrs drive to WDH airport)
Are there any places that one can recommend between Etosha and Windhoek for the 1 to 2 days?

johan rebel

Waterberg Plateau.

Johan

wijibintheair

I agree with johan rebel the Waterberg Plateau makes a great stop over between Etosha and Windhoek. From there you are a 3 and a half hour drive to the airport + some extra time for filling up the rental vehicle, and maybe a quick stop at Okahandja to buy some last minute presents - so leaving from the Waterberg around 08h00 should give you plenty of time (always add in a buffer - and stop in Windhoek for lunch if the journey goes smoothly). Fortunately it is tar road nearly all the way. The Waterberg is scenicall a very beautiful area and the trees will be a great contrast to the almost bleakness of Etosha at the time (and that is not meant to be negative, Etosha in September is nothing short of awesome).

If you do head to Damaraland, it is stunningly beautiful, probably my favourite area of Namibia. It will just mean more driving, and a lot of your extra 2.5 days spent behind the wheel rather than relaxing (although through Damaraland often the journey is spectacular). Maybe think of staying at Camp Kipwe if you do go - great little property.

jason8612

Thanks for the recommendations.
Would it be better to do Waterberg Plateau for 2 nights and then head to WDH for a afternoon flight or do Damaraland for 1 night and then Okonjima for the 2nd night? We could do Waterberg Plateau on the 2nd night but from what I see, it is about a 3.5hr drive from Damaraland to Waterberg Plateau (and Okonjima seems to be somewhere in between Damaraland and Waterberg Plateau). With the family, I know there won't be much hiking and that's why I kinda excluded Sossusvlei from the start and I'm not sure of the other sites.
I guess it also depends on how many days we spend in Etosha. 10th is a lost day (flying in plus driving). 11,12, and 13th are full days for Etosha. 14th and 15th are the "free days". We could also do Okonjima on the 14th, heading then to Waterberg Plateau for the evening and then Waterberg Plateau all day on the 15th.

I guess the choices are:
1. 14th and 15th in Waterberg Plateau
2. 14th Okonjima and then drive to Waterberg Plateau in the evening. Overnight Waterberg Plateau 14th and 15th (site-seeing Waterberg Plateau on the 15th).
3. 14th Damaraland and 15th Okonjima
4. 14th Damaraland and 15th Waterberg Plateau

wijibintheair

At the end of the day I think you need to decide what you want from the two days. If you were to do 1 day Damaraland and then 1 day Waterberg or Okonjima and then Windhoek you would be spending a lot of time driving. You say you are with family - not sure if it is kids? How are they with hours in a car?

With the time constraints, if it was me, I would either do 2 nights in Waterberg or if there really is something you want at Okonjima then 1 night Waterberg and 1 night Okonjima (in that order). Okonjima is closer to Windhoek so to go there first you would be heading away from Windhoek for the second night.

Sossusvlei, although spectacular really is not doable from Etosha.

However, if you wanted something different and you could do it all on tar roads would be to go to Swakopmund for 2 nights. Give yourself 6 hours from Etosha, but then have a full day in Swakopmund with a lot of things to do there. Drive time from Swakopmund to Windhoek airport is about 30 minutes more than from Waterberg Plateau and about an hour more than from Okonjima.

Lastly for something completely different, you could get the drive out of the way almost completely the day you leave Etosha and drive to N/a'an ku se lodge - where you could easily spend 2 nights, their activities are varied but especially the work they do showcasing the Bushman way of life is interesting - https://www.naankuselodge.com/activities-for-you.html

jason8612

I've checked with the lodges around Waterberg Plateau but none have any availability on the 14-16 Sept. I think it would either need to be Damaraland/Okonjima or Okonjima for 2 nights with a day trip to Waterberg Plateau.

No kids - just adults. And long(ish) drives don't really matter.

N/a'an ku se lodge only has 1 room on the 15th, which won't work for us.

Right now, given that I can't find any lodges with space for the 14-16 Sept, I'm leaning for Damaraland and/or something else in between..