After the Windhoek Marathon: A Guided Game Drive at Okapuka

The Route: Windhoek hotel → Okapuka (about 30 minutes) → Guided drive → Windhoek hotel Logistics: Book the drive and the return transfer in advance. Day visitors need confirmation before arriving at the gate. Marathon Month: May Duration: Day trip

Windhoek hotel ──(road transfer, about 30 min)──> Okapuka
                                                      │
                  Windhoek hotel <──(transfer)── Guided drive (about 2.5 hrs)

The race is on a Saturday, so Sunday morning is the obvious time for a seat in a vehicle. You will be sitting for most of it, which is the point.

May in Windhoek: the cool, dry season is starting. A city table for May gives an average low of 9.8 degrees and a high of 23.4, with very little rain. Mornings are cold in an open vehicle, so bring a fleece and a hat.

The Drive

Okapuka is about 30 km north of town, and the operator estimates 30 minutes by road. It runs a guided drive at 10:00 that takes about 2.5 hours. Book it in advance, because day visitors need confirmation, and do not turn up at the gate on spec. Roads inside the property can be rough, so a sore back is a reason to ask about the seating before you commit. Wildlife is never guaranteed on any drive.

Lunch

Eat at the lodge if it offers a meal, and confirm that when you book. Otherwise De Luca's Pizzeria at the Mercure serves pizza from noon, and Drift at the Mövenpick opens from 07:00 to 14:30 at weekends.

Getting Back

The transfer returns you to your hotel. FCDO warns of violent mugging in Windhoek and recommends reputable hotel-arranged taxis, so keep the same driver and agree a pick-up time before you leave.