4x4 campers for the Kalahari and the road to Botswana
Compare campervan and motorhome rental companies in Gobabis to find the best price, and book at the price shown, mandatory fees included.
Hiring a campervan in Gobabis means setting off from the last Namibian town before Botswana, capital of the Omaheke, a cattle-ranching region spread over the sands of the Kalahari. Here, a campervan almost always takes the form of a 4x4 with a rooftop tent, kitchen and water supply: the right tool for the Trans-Kalahari Highway to Ghanzi, the tracks of San country up to Tsumkwe or the red dunes stretching towards Mariental. Our partner company, Africa on Wheels, has a depot here.
Windhoek and its international airport lie to the west, a little over two hours' drive away on the tarred B6.
Public ratings collected on November 7, 2026 from independent review sites.
| Vehicle | Winter July | Spring October | Summer January | Autumn April |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campervan | from €168/day median €201/day | from €168/day median €201/day | from €136/day median €171/day | from €171/day median €204/day |
| Car and SUV | from €159/day median €202/day | from €159/day median €202/day | from €126/day median €172/day | from €161/day median €205/day |
Daily prices observed on October 29, 2026 for a 15-day rental: CoolDrive selling price, mandatory fees included, 1 rental companies compared. 100% of offers with unlimited mileage.
The B6 runs east to the Buitepos border post, opposite Mamuno, then the Trans-Kalahari Highway crosses flat, fenced bush to Ghanzi, a ranching town in Botswana. North-east of town, D'Kar is home to a renowned San art centre. The sandy tracks that then lead into the Central Kalahari call for a genuine 4x4, water and fuel for several days, and campsites booked inside the reserve.
South of Gobabis, the Omaheke roads reach Leonardville and then Aranos, where the long parallel red dunes of the Kalahari begin, held in place by grass and acacias. The Auob valley leads to Stampriet, then to Kalahari Anib, a private reserve near Mariental famous for its sunsets over the sand. Hardap Dam comes before the drive north on the B1 to Windhoek.
Heading north, the road crosses Herero communal lands via Otjinene and Okakarara to the Waterberg Plateau, a red sandstone escarpment where you camp at the foot of the cliffs. After Grootfontein and the Hoba meteorite, a long track runs east to Tsumkwe and the Nyae Nyae community conservancy: giant baobabs, seasonal pans and Ju/'hoansi villages that welcome visitors in an organised setting.
The ideal time to set off from Gobabis: clear skies, no rain and mild days on the Kalahari plateau. The dry bush makes animals easier to spot around waterholes. Nights, however, are cold, sometimes close to freezing out in the bush: bring warm sleeping bags and warm clothes for evenings at camp.
The most sought-after months for safaris in Namibia and Botswana: the heat builds quickly, dust settles in and wildlife gathers around water. Book your nights at the Waterberg and in the Central Kalahari early, and drive in the cool morning hours.
The rainy season: late-afternoon thunderstorms, especially from December to February, strong heat and a green Kalahari, covered in tall grass and flowers. The sand on the tracks becomes firmer, but the Nyae Nyae pans and some clay tracks can flood. Campsites are quiet and the landscapes unrecognisable.
Most pleasant months: January to September.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32 °C | 19 °C | 76 mm | 12 h/day |
| Feb | 31 °C | 19 °C | 71 mm | 11 h/day |
| Mar | 30 °C | 17 °C | 40 mm | 11 h/day |
| Apr | 28 °C | 14 °C | 20 mm | 11 h/day |
| May | 25 °C | 10 °C | 1 mm | 11 h/day |
| Jun | 22 °C | 7 °C | 1 mm | 11 h/day |
| Jul | 23 °C | 7 °C | 1 mm | 10 h/day |
| Aug | 27 °C | 9 °C | 1 mm | 11 h/day |
| Sep | 30 °C | 13 °C | 1 mm | 11 h/day |
| Oct | 32 °C | 16 °C | 11 mm | 12 h/day |
| Nov | 33 °C | 18 °C | 21 mm | 12 h/day |
| Dec | 33 °C | 19 °C | 58 mm | 12 h/day |
Averages 2016–2025 computed from Open-Meteo data (ERA5 reanalysis).
Africa on Wheels is the only one of our partner companies handing over vehicles in Gobabis. Your confirmation gives the exact place and time of the handover. Let the company know when you will arrive, especially if you are coming from Windhoek airport, and allow time for the vehicle briefing before nightfall.
Gobabis has supermarkets, fuel stations and cash machines: it is the last real supply stop before the border as well as before the tracks to the north and south. Fill up with fuel, water and dry food, and withdraw Namibian dollars, as fuel stations are scarce beyond here until Ghanzi, Aranos or Tsumkwe.
Botswana strictly controls the import of raw meat and dairy products, sometimes fruit and vegetables too, to protect itself from foot-and-mouth disease: at Mamuno, these goods may be confiscated. Buy your fresh food in Ghanzi rather than in Gobabis, and check the rules in force before crossing.
The Omaheke is big-ranch country: cows, goats and horses cross the B6 and the tracks, by day as well as at dusk. Farm roads go over cattle grids and through gates that must be closed behind you. Slow down near villages and waterholes, where herds gather.
Our partner company Africa on Wheels has a depot in Gobabis, the only departure point of our partners in eastern Namibia: a convenient start for heading to Botswana or the Kalahari without going back through the capital. The search shows the vehicles available for your dates, with their equipment and the conditions of each offer.
The price depends on the season, the length of hire and the type of 4x4: September and October, in high demand, are often the most expensive months, and a trip into Botswana may involve an extra charge. Run a search with your dates to get real prices, mandatory fees included, which you can book straight away.
Only if the rental company agrees: ask when booking, as crossing requires written authorisation and the vehicle documents, checked at the Buitepos-Mamuno border post, a little over an hour's drive east. A road tax and insurance are generally payable on entering Botswana; check the rules and the border post's opening hours before setting off.
A 4x4 camper with real off-road capability: the B6 and the Trans-Kalahari Highway are tarred, but the tracks to Tsumkwe, Aranos or the Central Kalahari are gravel or deep sand. Check in the offer the number of berths, the capacity of the water and fuel tanks, and whether there is a fridge, invaluable far from towns.
Windhoek, 185 km away as the crow flies, is also a departure city of our partners: a one-way trip lets you finish, for example, with the Kalahari dunes and Mariental without returning to Gobabis. Enter Windhoek as your return city when searching; any one-way fees are then included in the displayed price.
Everything was quick and quite simple. Just a small downside upon arrival, we waited a good amount of time before being taken care of.
Easy communication, in French
impeccable service with good responsiveness
Your valid national licence, together with an international driving permit if it is written in a language other than English; if you plan to cross into Botswana, take an international permit in any case. In both countries, you drive on the left. Minimum age and years of driving required vary by company: they are shown in the offer conditions.
The Omaheke has many guest farms, cattle ranches and hunting farms that open a campsite to visitors, with showers, a braai and a shady pitch. At Buitepos, a rest camp welcomes travellers just before the border. Almost every hectare belongs to a fenced farm: you do not set up for the night without the owner's permission.
Hosea Kutako, the international airport, lies on the B6, the tarred road linking Windhoek to Gobabis: allow about 160 km and a little under two hours. The simplest option is a private transfer, arranged before you arrive; also ask the rental company, when booking, whether it offers a solution.
As early as possible: with only one partner company on site, the number of vehicles available in Gobabis is limited. For a departure from July to October, peak safari season in southern Africa, allow several months' notice, especially for a family vehicle. During the southern summer, a few weeks are often enough to find a vehicle.
Yes, through community projects: the Nyae Nyae conservancy around Tsumkwe and a living museum on the road from Grootfontein offer gathering walks, tracking and crafts, run by local people. In Botswana, several lodges around Ghanzi also work with San guides. Avoid improvised visits to villages.
Botswana uses the pula: the Namibian dollar and the rand are generally not accepted once you have crossed the border. Bank cards work in supermarkets and fuel stations in Ghanzi, where cash machines let you withdraw pula. Keep some cash for remote campsites in the Kalahari, which often have no card terminal.
Gobabis is the most direct starting point for crossing the Kalahari from west to east: the Trans-Kalahari Highway leads straight to Botswana, towards Ghanzi and the Central Kalahari, while the Omaheke tracks head north to the San country of Nyae Nyae and south to the red dunes of Mariental. Far from the classic Sossusvlei and Etosha circuits, you discover a Namibia of ranchers, guest farms and vast open spaces.
Our partner company Africa on Wheels hands over its vehicles here, and Windhoek, 185 km away as the crow flies, offers another option for departure or return. The climate is pleasant from January to September, and the southern winter, dry and bright, is particularly well suited to long days on the tracks.
