This loop takes the south from our two-week route and adds the north. For ten days you head south on the B1 to the Fish River Canyon, on to Lüderitz and via Aus to the dunes. Then come Swakopmund, the rock engravings of Twyfelfontein and Etosha. In all it is about 3,250 kilometres, almost 1,900 on tar and a little over 1,300 on gravel. Almost half of that gravel lies between Aus and Swakopmund.
Most driving days take two and a half to six hours. Two are longer. Day six runs from the canyon via Seeheim and Aus to Lüderitz, about 415 kilometres in five and a half to six and a half hours. The longest is day twenty: 531 kilometres of tar from Namutoni back to Windhoek, six to seven hours at the wheel. You then spend one more night in Windhoek before flying home.
On eight days you stay put. Three of them are in Swakopmund, right in the middle of the trip. The south makes a case for a 4x4: the D707 between Aus and Sesriem is sandy in places, and after the floods in April 2026 the C12 to the canyon was passable only with four-wheel drive. In August 2026 no camp in Etosha had fuel, so fill up at the Etosha Trading Post outside Andersson Gate. Since April 2026 the Fish River Canyon, Namib-Naukluft and Etosha each charge N$ 280 per adult per day (as of October 2026).
Our tipAccording to the German Foreign Office, Etosha has a seasonally high malaria risk from September to May, while the south and the coast are malaria-free. If you travel in those months, get advice on prophylaxis before you go.
Day by day
| Day | Stage | km | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Windhoek | Windhoek, 1 night | |
| 2 | Windhoek to Mariental | 267 | Mariental and Kalahari, 1 night |
| 3 | Mariental to Keetmanshoop | 229 | Keetmanshoop, 1 night |
| 4 | Keetmanshoop to Fish River Canyon | 159 | Fish River Canyon, 2 nights |
| 6 | Fish River Canyon to Aus Aus to Lüderitz | 415 | Lüderitz and Kolmanskop, 2 nights |
| 8 | Lüderitz to Aus | 124 | Aus, 1 night |
| 9 | Aus to Sesriem | 342 | Sesriem and Sossusvlei, 2 nights |
| 11 | Sesriem to Swakopmund | 350 | Swakopmund, 3 nights |
| 14 | Swakopmund to Twyfelfontein | 336 | Twyfelfontein, 2 nights |
| 16 | Twyfelfontein to Etosha (Andersson Gate) | 330 | Etosha South (Andersson Gate), 2 nights |
| 18 | Okaukuejo to Namutoni | 155 | Etosha East (Von Lindequist Gate), 2 nights |
| 20 | Etosha (Von Lindequist Gate) to Windhoek | 531 | Windhoek, 1 night |
| 21 days, 3,238 km, 44.5 to 52.5 hours at the wheel | |||
Distances and times as of October 2026, driving time without stops or detours.
The grand loop in 21 days: frequently asked questions
What can I do in three weeks in Namibia with a rental car?
Three weeks are enough for a loop from Windhoek via the Fish River Canyon, Lüderitz, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Twyfelfontein to Etosha and back. That is about 3,250 kilometres, and on eight days you do not change base.
Which is the longest driving day on a three-week Namibia loop?
On the grand loop the drive from Namutoni in Etosha back to Windhoek, 531 kilometres on tar, is the longest day at six to seven hours. The longest gravel day is Aus to Sesriem, 342 kilometres.
Do I need a 4x4 for the grand Namibia loop?
For the south a 4x4 is the safe choice: the D707 between Aus and Sesriem is sandy in places, and after the floods in April 2026 the C12 to the Fish River Canyon was passable only with four-wheel drive.
Why does the grand Namibia loop start in the south?
Starting in the south gives you three days on the tarred B1, time to get used to the car and to driving on the left before the long gravel stretches between Aus and Twyfelfontein.