After the Windhoek Marathon: A Night at Okapuka

The Route: Windhoek hotel → Okapuka lodge (1 night) → One guided drive → Hosea Kutako Airport Logistics: Ask the lodge for one quote covering the room and the drive, with the transfers listed. Marathon Month: May Duration: 1 night

Windhoek hotel ──(transfer, about 30 min)──> Okapuka lodge (night)
                                                    │
        Hosea Kutako Airport <──(airport transfer)── Guided drive <──┘

A lodge night gives the legs a proper rest without a long drive. Okapuka is close enough to Windhoek that nothing about the journey is a gamble.

May in Windhoek: the dry season is beginning. Nights are cold, with an average May low of 9.8 degrees in the city, and the days warm up. Pack layers for a dawn drive.

Night One: The Lodge

Okapuka is about 30 km north of town, roughly 30 minutes by road. The operator says rooms and airport transfers are available on request. This is an assembled itinerary and not a race package, so get a written quote that lists everything included, from the room to the transfers. Ask about steps and the distance from your room to the dining area, because a marathon turns a short path into a long one.

Day Two: One Drive

The operator runs a guided drive at 10:00 that lasts about 2.5 hours. Book it when you book the room. After that, leave the day empty and sit by the pool or on the veranda.

Getting Home

Hosea Kutako International Airport is 45 km east of Windhoek, beyond the Khomas hills, and is not the same as the city's Eros airport. Ask the lodge for a transfer that names the airport, the pick-up time and the waiting policy. The drive from Okapuka to the airport is not given by the operator, so allow a generous margin.