How long should a luxury Namibia safari be?

About 10 days works well for a first circuit: Windhoek, three nights at Sossusvlei, two on the Skeleton Coast, then Damaraland and Etosha.

What is the best way to get around Namibia?

By fly-in safari. The distances are enormous, and the views from the light aircraft are half the experience.

Where should I stay on a luxury Namibia safari?

Little Kulala near Sossusvlei, Shipwreck Lodge on the Skeleton Coast, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp for desert elephants, and Ongava Lodge next to Etosha.

Does Caviar in the Air have a Namibia trip?

Yes. The Namibia Flying Safari Experience is a private 7-day trip by private airplane across Kwessi Dunes, the Hoanib Valley and the Skeleton Coast.

Namibia Luxury Safari Guide | Caviar in the Air

Namibia is where the earth strips itself bare. Vast deserts, ancient dunes, a coast full of shipwrecks, and some of Africa's most exclusive safari lodges, all in one country.

What makes a luxury Namibia safari special? Space. You fly between Sossusvlei's red dunes, the fog-wrapped Skeleton Coast, Damaraland's desert elephants and Etosha's waterholes in a light aircraft, then settle into lodges like Little Kulala or Shipwreck Lodge, where the only crowd is the stars. Ten days is a lovely length for a first circuit.

Key facts

Getting around: fly-in safari by light aircraft. The distances are enormous, and the views from the air are half the experience.
Highlights: Sossusvlei dunes at dawn, Skeleton Coast shipwrecks and seal colonies, desert-adapted elephants in Damaraland, game viewing at Etosha's waterholes.
Where to stay: Little Kulala (Sossusvlei), Shipwreck Lodge (Skeleton Coast), Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp (Kaokoveld) and Ongava Lodge (next to Etosha). These are my general picks if you plan your own route.
Caviar trip:The Namibia Flying Safari Experience, a private 7-day trip with two nights each at Kwessi Dunes (NamibRand Nature Reserve), Hoanib Valley Camp and Shipwreck Lodge on the Skeleton Coast.

Why Namibia

Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries on earth, with about 3 million people in an area roughly twice the size of California. That emptiness is the luxury. You can drive for hours and see only light, sand and sky.

A towering orange and shadowed sand dune under blue sky near Sossusvlei, Namibia Photo: Taylor Wright / Unsplash

The experiences

Sossusvlei: climbing some of the world's tallest sand dunes at dawn (my full Sossusvlei guide)
Skeleton Coast: fly-in safaris over shipwrecks and seal colonies (more on the Skeleton Coast)
Etosha National Park: game viewing at the waterholes
Damaraland: tracking desert-adapted elephants

A desert-adapted elephant and her calf walking across a dry riverbed in Namibia Photo: Alan J. Hendry / Unsplash

Where to stay

Little Kulala near Sossusvlei, Shipwreck Lodge on the Skeleton Coast, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in the Kaokoveld for desert elephants, and Ongava Lodge on its private reserve bordering Etosha. Namibia is also known for its communal conservancies, where local communities manage wildlife and share in tourism income.

Two elephants splashing at a waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia Photo: m_oros / Unsplash

Claire's Namibia advice

Namibia is best by fly-in safari. A lovely 10-day circuit goes Windhoek, then Sossusvlei (3 nights at Little Kulala), then the Skeleton Coast (2 nights), then Damaraland for desert elephants, then Etosha.

Zebras gathering at a wide waterhole in Etosha National Park under a big sky Photo: Ria Truter / Unsplash

At Little Kulala you can sleep on your private rooftop under the Milky Way, and you deserve a night like that. If you'd rather we plan everything for you, our Namibia Flying Safari Experience is a shorter, different route: two nights at Kwessi Dunes in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, two at Hoanib Valley Camp with the desert elephants, and two at Shipwreck Lodge on the Skeleton Coast, with bubbles at sunset in the desert.

Explore Namibia with Caviar in the Air, where emptiness is the greatest luxury.

6X Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist with 65+ countries visited across all 7 continents.