Towering orange-red dune at Sossusvlei under a deep blue sky

Aerial view of Windhoek's Christuskirche church in the city centre

Dead camelthorn trees of Deadvlei before a red Sossusvlei dune

Sand-filled abandoned house in Kolmanskop ghost town near Lüderitz

Horseshoe bend of the Fish River Canyon under a blue sky

Photos: Dimitri Simon, Grant Durr, Bernd Dittrich, Francesco Ungaro, Dalindyebo Miso-Mbele

Itinerary · Namibia

Namibia Van Trip: 2-week itinerary through the desert

Sossusvlei dunes, Etosha and the Skeleton Coast

Namibia is best travelled in a 4x4 with a rooftop tent: gravel roads, 300m dunes, skies without light pollution and national parks home to elephants, lions and rhinos. A country where you can drive 100 km without meeting anyone.

Duration: 14 days
Distance: 3 200 km
Level: Difficult
Season: May to October
Budget: €2,310 to €3,690rental, fuel, nights

The route

Indicative route, in straight lines between the stops, in travel order.

View on Google Maps →

The 8 stops

Good to know before you go

The real budget for 14 days

Allow around €2,310 to €3,690 for 14 days, for two, in a 4x4 with a rooftop tent. This budget covers three items only: rental, fuel and nights (one campsite night each evening). Flights, food, national park entry fees and sightseeing are extra. Prices checked in October 2026. The Namibian dollar is worth one rand (Bank of Namibia); converted at €1 = R18.6438 on 30/10/2026 (Pound Sterling Live).

4x4 rental: at Africamper, a double-cab 4x4 with a rooftop tent costs €104 per day in June and €144 per day in July-August for a 14 to 21-day rental, comprehensive insurance included with a €500 excess (Africamper, 2026-2027 rates). For 14 days: €1,456 to €2,016. Tyre and windscreen cover is extra (€16 per day) and worth having on gravel roads.
Fuel: N$27.86 per litre of diesel in Walvis Bay in October 2026; inland it costs slightly more (Windhoek Post). For 3,200 km at 12 to 14 litres per 100 km (our estimate for a 4x4 on gravel), so 384 to 448 litres: N$10,698 to N$12,481, €574 to €669.
Nights: private campsites start at about €10 per person (Namibia by Nomadays, updated 07/08/2026). Inside the parks, the state-run NWR campsites cost more: N$560 per person at Okaukuejo (Etosha) from July to October 2026, N$460 after that (NWR); N$670 per person at Sesriem (Sossusvlei) in 2026 (NWR booking agent). For 14 nights for two, from €20 a night to N$1,340 a night: €280 to €1,006.
Total: around €2,310 to €3,690.

Where to sleep in your 4x4

In national parks (Etosha, Namib-Naukluft): only at the designated campsites, booked ahead with Namibia Wildlife Resorts (nwr.com.na). Gates close at sunset.
On private land (most farms are fenced): only with the owner's permission; without it, it is trespassing (Kalahari Car Hire).
On communal land (Damaraland, Kaokoveld): ask the village head or the community for permission first (same source).
The simple option: a campsite every night. This is what our budget counts. Kalahari Car Hire advises against wild camping unless you know the country well and travel with a second vehicle.

Updated 31 October 2026