Route of the day
All points shown were part of the original itinerary. Not all were visited — decisions made along the way are a natural part of any expedition. We kept them on the map in case you wish to explore them yourself.
What we lived
The adventure began at the border. Crossing took close to half an hour — longer than expected, although we were nearly the first in the queue. No complaints, just the first lesson of the trip.
From there, we headed to AfriCar to collect the jeeps. The handover takes one to two hours — that's simply how it works, so plan your day according to that, but the vehicles made it worth the wait. Spacious, well-equipped, built for whatever the road ahead had in store.
The drive into Windhoek opened our eyes to what Namibia actually looks like from the ground. Wide roads, organised neighbourhoods, a city that felt unexpectedly calm and orderly for a southern African capital. And then, just as we pulled in, a baboon appeared at the roadside — completely unbothered, watching us pass. Our first wildlife sighting, zero effort required.
We ended the day at Hotel Thule, where we were warmly received. The restaurant was good, the atmosphere genuinely relaxed, and the pool — cold as it was in the Namibian winter — a welcome sight after a long day of travel. The kind of place that makes you feel settled from the moment you arrive. Namibian winter nights and early mornings are genuinely cold, but Hotel Thule's rooms come with air conditioning that doubles as a heater — a small comfort that made all the difference.
A long first day in Namibia. An excellent one.
Photo of the day
Gallery
Our tips
Rush off the plane — border control queues form fast and the process can take up to 30 minutes even near the front. Travelling with under-18s: always carry a birth certificate or national ID, it may be requested (even if you have the passport with you). AfriCar jeeps come fully equipped: fridge, food storage boxes, folding tables and chairs, axes and shovels — everything you need for camping and bush cooking. At Hotel Thule, go early for breakfast to secure a table with a view of the sunrise.
Tomorrow we head to...
Kalahari Anib Lodge