Everyone knows nights are cold in the desert, but when it's 35 degrees C in the shade at lunchtime, it's hard to remember what cold means.

What it means, we discovered, is that if you try to camp out without proper equipment, you'll wake up at 5am with a thin layer of frost on your car, and you'll seriously consider trying to drive while still wrapped up in a sleeping bag.

This was ten years ago. I was 19 and travelling through Namibia with three friends I'd met while working in Tanzania. We'd ended up in Namibia more or less by accident, on our way from Victoria Falls to Cape Town.

When we got there we realised two things: first, that it was a country like no other, and second, it was considerably more expensive than Tanzania. Hence the uncomfortable decision to sleep in the car rather than pay £12 to stay in a guesthouse.

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We were running out of time and money, and unprepared for the distances that separate Namibia's astonishing attractions. Eventually we cut short our visit after the prospect of another thousand miles on gravel roads led to a collective decision to return the car and jump on a bus to Cape Town.

Despite the shortcomings of our curtailed, disorganised trip, I had seen enough of Namibia to know that I had to go back. Memories of the epic landscapes, endless sunshine and incomparable sense of emptiness worked away at me, and soon I was plotting my return. This time, though, I was determined to make the most of the time and budget I had.

The plan

Unlike most of Africa, where public transport is plentiful if chaotic, Namibia has an extensive, well-maintained network of tar and gravel roads, and almost no public transport at all. Renting a car is therefore a necessity, and not a cheap one.

Expect to pay about £250 per week for a basic 2WD car, including insurance (and since stone chips and punctures are common on gravel roads, taking the zero-excess option is probably sensible).

A 4WD will cost three to four times as much to hire and about twice as much to fuel. The extra money will buy you more comfort and security on rougher roads, but you'd be surprised what can be achieved with a standard family hatchback.

Although this time round my budget wouldn't be busted by a £12 hotel room, I was happy to stay in basic accommodation where possible, saving up money for the few places where more expensive lodges were the only option.

Most of the places I stayed have websites and email addresses, although paying a deposit usually involved a fax or phone call. A surprising number of hotels were happy for me to pay on arrival (or even departure).

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