In fourteen days this loop links the three names on almost every Namibia wish list: Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Etosha, with the rock engravings of Twyfelfontein in between. In all you drive about 2,050 kilometres, about 1,000 of them on gravel and a little over 1,000 on tar. The gravel comes first. Between Windhoek and Twyfelfontein the dirt roads dominate, and only from Khorixas onwards does the surface get smoother.
The driving days up to Etosha take four and a half to six hours. Windhoek to Sesriem: five to five and a half. Fill up in Rehoboth and Solitaire, and for Etosha at the Etosha Trading Post outside Andersson Gate: in August 2026 none of the camps inside the park had fuel. Okaukuejo to Namutoni is a game drive: 155 kilometres, four to five hours. The main road is due to be tarred, and in October 2026 travellers reported detours with rough sections. The longest day is the second to last: 531 kilometres of tar from Namutoni back to Windhoek, six to seven hours.
Why three nights in Swakopmund? After two long gravel days a town with cafés and cool air does you good before Damaraland. In Sesriem, Twyfelfontein, Okaukuejo and Namutoni you stay two nights each. That makes six days without a move. Since April 2026 Etosha and the Namib-Naukluft Park charge the top tier of park fees, N$ 280 per adult per day (as of October 2026). With a 4x4 you may drive all the way to the 4x4 car park at Sossusvlei, as the environment ministry confirmed on 2 May 2026.
Our tipAccording to the German Foreign Office, Etosha has a seasonally high malaria risk from September to May. If you travel in those months, see a doctor about prophylaxis or standby treatment before you go.
Day by day
| Day | Stage | km | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Windhoek | Windhoek, 1 night | |
| 2 | Windhoek to Sesriem | 342 | Sesriem and Sossusvlei, 2 nights |
| 4 | Sesriem to Swakopmund | 350 | Swakopmund, 3 nights |
| 7 | Swakopmund to Twyfelfontein | 336 | Twyfelfontein, 2 nights |
| 9 | Twyfelfontein to Etosha (Andersson Gate) | 330 | Etosha South (Andersson Gate), 2 nights |
| 11 | Okaukuejo to Namutoni | 155 | Etosha East (Von Lindequist Gate), 2 nights |
| 13 | Etosha (Von Lindequist Gate) to Windhoek | 531 | Windhoek, 1 night |
| 14 days, 2,044 km, 29 to 34 hours at the wheel | |||
Distances and times as of October 2026, driving time without stops or detours.
Sossusvlei, the coast and Etosha in 14 days: frequently asked questions
Is 14 days enough for Sossusvlei and Etosha?
Fourteen days are enough for a loop from Windhoek via Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Twyfelfontein to Etosha and back. The route is about 2,050 kilometres long, and on six days you stay put.
Where can I get fuel in Etosha?
The camps inside Etosha had no fuel in August 2026. Fill up before you enter at the Etosha Trading Post by Andersson Gate or in Outjo, and in Tsumeb on the way out.
How long is the drive from Etosha back to Windhoek?
Namutoni in Etosha to Windhoek is 531 kilometres of tar via Tsumeb and Otjiwarongo. Allow six to seven hours of actual driving and spend one more night in Windhoek before your flight home.
How much gravel is there on a loop via Sossusvlei and Etosha?
On the loop via Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Twyfelfontein and Etosha you drive about 1,000 of about 2,050 kilometres on gravel, mostly between Windhoek and Twyfelfontein.