Black Wildebeest Self-drive Safari: Day-by-day

The Vineyard Hotel is located in the leafy suburb of Newlands and has spectacular views dominated by Table Mountain. It's a very well-known landmark in Cape Town, and over the years has built up a good reputation and a loyal following of return visitors.

"... it has a lot of charm and an amazing garden to wander around,..."

Mrs H fromLondon

Arrived 31 Dec 2023, 5 nights

The Vineyard Hotel is a good-value, upmarket hotel in a beautiful green setting, which works well for families, couples or single travellers. It's fairly large, which perhaps helps it to run very smoothly and professionally, and has a central location, close to many of Cape Town's sights. The Vineyard remains independent and family-run; it's not part of any chain. What's perhaps most impressive about it is that it continues to reinvent itself – by updating and upgrading its rooms and facilities. So whilst generally the Expert Africa team aren't keen on larger hotels, the Vineyard ranks as a very honourable exception. See our full report on Vineyard Hotel

Ndedema Lodge is an elegant Victorian House in the heart of Clanwilliam, only about a 2 hour drive from Cape Town.

"Comfortable enough,..."

Mr & Mrs RfromSyderstone

Arrived 4 Sep 2022, 2 nights

Wilma and Johan are fantastic hosts and travellers here are made feel at home. Ndedema Lodge is an affordable guesthouse with lots of character and a great base to explore the nearby Cedarberg mountains and a good halfway stop en-route to Namibia. See our full report on Ndedema Lodge

Annie's Cottage is situated in the residential area in the heart of Springbok and is a good base from where you can explore the Namaqua National Park, especially in spring (the end of August/beginning of September) when the beautiful wild flowers bloom.

"Nice property, a bit tired perhaps."

Ms L.fromMonmouth

Arrived 9 Sep 2022, 1 night

This small, individual guesthouse offers a friendly atmosphere and a good place to stay for visits to the nearby Namaqua National Park. It is quite quirky but we thought it a fine guesthouse when we last visited in May 2011. See our full report on Annie's Cottage

Canyon Lodge (formerly Cañon Lodge, or even Canon Lodge) lies in the 1,270km² Gondwana Canyon Park, just 20km from Namibia’s iconic Fish River Canyon. Tucked away from the canyon edge among deep-red granite boulders, or kopjes, the lodge’s lush lawns are an oasis of green in this arid environment.

"Very warm welcome from the staff"

JDfromHarrogate

Arrived 6 Nov 2023, 2 nights

Canyon Lodge is probably our first choice on the southern side of Fish River Canyon for most travellers. The chalets are designed to fit among and between huge granite rocks, and the lodge's main area has quite a “cosy farmhouse” atmosphere. We think that it's a lovely place to stay for exploring the canyon, either driving yourself or on one of the lodge's guided trips. If you’re visiting in winter, just be aware that this area can get quite cold. See our full report on Canyon Lodge

Namtib Desert Lodge is located just off the D707 – one of southern Namibia’s most scenic roads. It is part of the Namtib Biosphere Reserve – a farm covering about 16,400 hectares on the edge of the Namib Desert.

" hosts were friendly, welcoming and informative, great to be able to walk"

Mr & Mrs H fromVictoria

Arrived 7 Sep 2024, 1 night

Namtib Desert Lodge is a really great way to break the journey from Aus or Luderitz up to Sossusvlei. If time allows then we think two nights here would allow you to really take in the beautiful scenery and enjoy some of the peaceful walks in this little-visited area of the country. See our full report on Namtib Desert Lodge

Dwarfed by the majesty of the Namib-Naukluft Mountains, Hoodia Desert Lodge is both welcoming and stylish. It’s a winning combination at this owner-managed lodge, where Thomas and Henreza Becker are often on hand to greet their guests with a cool drink after a dusty journey through the desert.

Freshening up is next on the agenda, perhaps in the small pool sculpted into natural rock, perhaps in the privacy of your spacious air-conditioned chalet, where a powerful shower awaits. Or take indulgence to another level and luxuriate in the decadence of your own open-air bath.

Then relax on your shaded veranda and take in the views – whether of the ephemeral Tsauchab River or across the plains to the mountains.

If the setting is special, so is the restaurant, where delicious traditional and international cuisine is accompanied by a selection of South African wines, matched by attentive service. Tables are set around a large fireplace, which in summer morphs into a barbecue, while centre stage are the views, best seen from the outside terrace which doubles as a good spot for birdwatching, and a superb sundowner spot.

"Both evening meals and breakfasts were excellent"

Mr & Mrs H fromLeicester

Arrived 14 Sep 2024, 2 nights

Explore the immediate surroundings on foot, but to make the most of the iconic desert surroundings, look at the full-day excursion. With excellent interpretive guides and a superb picnic lunch, it’s a real highlight of your Namib experience. See our full report on Hoodia Desert Lodge

Small, friendly and particularly personable, Cornerstone has a welcoming feel that makes you feel instantly at home. It’s also in a near-perfect location: close to the heart of Swakopmund, yet just a short walk to the ocean, and barely more than that to the fringing sands of the Namib Desert. After a long drive or a busy safari, this owner-run bed and breakfast is an ideal spot to catch your breath.

Set yourself up for the day in the large, bright breakfast room, where a substantial buffet is matched by home-cooked bacon and eggs. Enjoy a freshly brewed coffee or tea against a background of soft music, or rummage through the selection of books about Namibia before setting off to explore.

Swakopmund itself has cafés, shops, museums and restaurants aplenty – all within easy walking distance of Cornerstone. Just a little further afield you could take a guided trip into the desert, head south to the lagoon at Walvis Bay, or challenge yourself to one of the local adrenalin activities.

"Excellent breakfast."

Mr & Mrs BfromWraysbury

Arrived 13 Sep 2024, 2 nights

Returning to your comfortable room in the afternoon, a powerful shower awaits, as does a private patio set with a table and chairs – or you could wander round the attractive gardens. Then all you need to do is decide where to have dinner – perhaps over a refreshing cool drink. See our full report on Cornerstone Guesthouse

To stay at Ai Aiba is to be immersed in an extraordinary gallery of ancient rock art. It's no accident that the place is also known as The Rock Painting Lodge, for here – amidst the rugged terrain of the remote Erongo Mountains – the San people were recording their way of life in art more than 2,000 years ago.

It’s fitting, then, that Ai Aiba is a simple lodge, its deeply thatched roofs and small windows keeping the extremes of weather at bay.

That’s not to say it goes without creature comforts: air conditioning in the 20 en-suite rooms is welcome in the summer heat, while enjoying a coffee in your own living area or veranda is the perfect way to unwind in privacy.

The main area is comfortable, too, with tables laid for good, home-cooked meals, a warming fire for winter evenings and a bar on hand for cooling drinks.

But it’s the great outdoors that is at the heart of the lodge’s appeal. Even without leaving the grounds you can bask by the palm-shaded pool or settle down in the peace of the lush gardens.

"Another great place in a fantastic setting."

Mr & Mrs BfromWraysbury

Arrived 23 Sep 2024, 1 night

Explore on foot, with or without a guide; you just choose the distance. Or venture further by 4WD and discover more of Erongo’s secrets. And to learn more, take in a visit to one of Namibia’s “living museums”, where San people depict their traditional way of life. See our full report on Ai Aiba Lodge

For most visitors, Okaukuejo is about just one thing: a wonderful floodlit waterhole that's a magnet for wildlife. Right in the heart of Etosha, the waterhole is – for humans and animals alike – the focal point of the Okaukuejo Resort. Despite changes over the years, the camp remains true to its roots: a place where visitors can get up close and personal with the park's fabled wildlife.

The rambling range of accommodation remains, too, making it work for solo travellers, couples, families, or groups of friends. It may not be luxury, but it is relatively affordable, with self-catering options for those on a budget, and a small convenience shop on site.

A rather old-fashioned bar makes a good place to start the evening, before dining inside or out at the buffet restaurant (which is open for breakfast and lunch and dinner). Three swimming pools vie for family attention, and a fuel station looks after the basics.

"Brilliant waterhole, clean and tidy accommodation - restaurant was abysmal, "

Mr & Mrs SfromE Sussex

Arrived 2 Oct 2024, 3 nights

But all this is to Etosha as popcorn is to the cinema: a sideshow to the main event. By day or by night, find a ringside seat by the waterhole, then sit back and watch. Or explore by vehicle – your own wheels or an organised game drive – and discover why Etosha is Namibia's flagship national park. See our full report on Okaukuejo Camp

Underpinning almost every stay at Okonjima is the chance to track – and photograph – wildlife, and especially leopard. Even for the most casual visitor, the plains, rocks and riverine thickets of the huge Okonjima private reserve make an enticing setting for a game drive or a walk through the bush; for the keen photographer, it's close to leopard heaven.

To an extent, Plains Camp mirrors the size of the reserve in its sheer scale. Whether they're after a drink or a substantial meal, a curio or to book a game drive, guests gather in The Barn, a spacious yet contemporary take on a traditional farm building, complete with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the plains. Murals depict the cattle-farming origins of the camp, while an old farm dam is the influence behind the swimming pool.

Echoing the sense of space are the bedrooms, where splashes of colour and African artwork offset the light décor, and views from the beds could be an incentive for a lie-in.

"large... comfortable... primarily about leopards"

H familyfromSurrey

Arrived 2 Oct 2024, 1 night

And in case you need a further incentive, a stay at Okonjima also contributes to the work of the AfriCat Foundation, which is committed to further wildlife conservation through education and research. See our full report on Okonjima Plains Camp