This route follows our 2005 travelogue (in German): Cape Town to Springbok, across the Orange River to the hot springs of Ai-Ais, the Fish River Canyon, via Aus to Lüderitz and Kolmanskop, through the Namib to Sossusvlei and Swakopmund, then Windhoek, Keetmanshoop and over the border to Upington. Back then it took ten days. Here it takes three weeks. As far as Upington you drive about 3,430 kilometres, some 2,500 on tar and about 900 on gravel.
The longest day comes straight away: day two, 559 kilometres on the N7 to Springbok, six and a half to seven and a half hours. In Namibia it is day sixteen, just under 500 kilometres of tar from Windhoek to Keetmanshoop. Lüderitz is a dead end, so you spend two nights in Aus, one on the way in and one before the 342 kilometres of gravel to Sesriem. The D707 on that stretch is sandy in places, and after the floods in April 2026 the C12 between the canyon and Aus was passable only with four-wheel drive. The Ai-Ais resort was fully open again from 25 June 2026 after high water. On six days you do not change base.
Augrabies and the drive back are not separate stages. Augrabies Falls lies 120 kilometres west of Upington on a tarred road, an easy day trip on your rest day. To return to Cape Town you go via Springbok as in 2005, about 380 kilometres on the N14 and then the 559 kilometres on the N7, so two driving days. Okapuka is still there: Okapuka Safari Lodge lies half an hour north of Windhoek on the B1 and is now run by Gondwana.
Our tipA lot has changed since 2005. Namibia has required a visa since 1 April 2025, and for both border crossings you need your rental company's permission, the cross-border permit (N$ 1,000 per rental with Britz, as of October 2026). You pay the road levy in cash at the border. Since April 2026 the Fish River Canyon and Namib-Naukluft each charge N$ 280 per adult per day.
Day by day
| Day | Stage | km | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Cape Town | Cape Town, 1 night | |
| 2 | Cape Town to Springbok | 559 | Springbok (South Africa), 1 night |
| 3 | Springbok to Ai-Ais | 242 | Ai-Ais, 2 nights |
| 5 | Ai-Ais to Fish River Canyon | 65 | Fish River Canyon, 1 night |
| 6 | Fish River Canyon to Aus | 291 | Aus, 1 night |
| 7 | Aus to Lüderitz | 124 | Lüderitz and Kolmanskop, 2 nights |
| 9 | Lüderitz to Aus | 124 | Aus, 1 night |
| 10 | Aus to Sesriem | 342 | Sesriem and Sossusvlei, 2 nights |
| 12 | Sesriem to Swakopmund | 350 | Swakopmund, 2 nights |
| 14 | Swakopmund to Windhoek | 360 | Windhoek, 2 nights |
| 16 | Windhoek to Keetmanshoop | 496 | Keetmanshoop, 1 night |
| 17 | Keetmanshoop to Upington | 475 | Upington (South Africa), 2 nights |
| 19 days, 3,428 km, 43.5 to 51 hours at the wheel | |||
Distances and times as of October 2026, driving time without stops or detours.
From Cape Town through Namibia, as in 2005: frequently asked questions
Can I drive a rental car from Cape Town to Namibia?
Driving a rental car from Cape Town to Namibia requires your rental company's cross-border permit. You pay a road levy in cash at the border, and since 1 April 2025 you need a visa for Namibia.
How long does it take to drive from Cape Town to the Fish River Canyon?
From Cape Town it is 559 kilometres on the N7 to Springbok and then 242 kilometres across the border at Noordoewer to Ai-Ais. Hobas at the Fish River Canyon is another 65 kilometres of gravel; this route spreads it over three driving days.
How far is Augrabies Falls from Upington?
Augrabies Falls lies 120 kilometres west of Upington on a tarred road. From Upington it makes a day trip.
Is there malaria on the route from Cape Town through Namibia to Upington?
The Namibian part of the route runs through the south, the Namib, the coast and Windhoek. The German Foreign Office lists these areas as malaria-free, as of October 2026.