There’s a lot to love about Nambia, and it’s one of our favourite countries to visit. This guide covers the top areas to visit along with information to help you make the most of your epic Namibia trip
Namibia feels like a new country.
With independence only achieved in 1990, it has a youthful vigour in an ancient land. A nation discovering its own identity, establishing the rules, and only just starting to realise its potential.
It makes Namibia a sheer pleasure to travel around – a place that’s just beginning.
When people ask us what our favourite country on our travels has been, it’s always tricky to answer. But Namibia always springs to mind.
The expansive horizons, dramatic scenery, bumpy roads, incredible wildlife, and friendly locals make it a joy to visit.
There’s so much more of this beautiful country we’d love to see, but if you are heading to Namibia for the first time, here are a few places you shouldn’t miss.
WHY GO TO NAMIBIA?
Namibia is a fantastic introduction to Africa. It’s a safe, politically stable country that is a joy to travel around.
There are some obvious reasons why it’s such a great place to visit: incredible scenery, some of the best wildlife in the world, excellent beaches and remote excursions.
But we also loved experiencing the traditional cultures and how Namibia challenged our thinking, such as how they tackle the issue of trophy hunting.
Additionally, it’s easy. English is the official language, driving in Namibia is straightforward (although extremely bumpy), and it’s well set up for tourism without being inundated with tour groups.
WHEN TO GO?
Etosha has two seasons. The wet season runs from November to May, and the dry season from June to October.
Namibia is fiercely hot in the summer months of November to February and walking in the Namib desert or Damaraland is much more comfortable in winter (June to September).
In the wet season, the roads can be muddy, and animals are more difficult to spot as they spread out over the wide plains.
The dry season forces animals to congregate around the waterholes creating the perfect environment for great game viewing.
Later in the dry season is generally the best time to go. We were there in September, which was a great time to visit.
HOW TO GET TO NAMIBIA?
Most international flights arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport, a 40-minute drive from Windhoek.
Some African airlines also fly into Walvis Bay. However, most people from the US or Europe will find it easier to connect from South Africa and then arrive in Windhoek.
HOW TO GET AROUND?
Namibia has very limited public transport. The only real option for getting around is to drive yourself or take a tour.
Only a few of the roads in Namibia are paved with speed limits of up to 120 km/h.
The rest are different levels of gravel roads. Some you can fly along at 90km/h, others you are slowly bouncing over ruts for hours.
Apart from the dismal state of the roads, driving yourself is easy. There are few roads, so it’s difficult to make a wrong turn and it’s mostly wide open spaces, so there are no mountain passes or hairpin turns.
We have a few more important tips in our guide to driving in Namibia that would be a good idea to read before planning your trip.
BOOKING ACCOMMODATION
Namibia is one destination where you really need to be organised with booking accommodation.
Accommodation options outside the capital of Windhoek are limited, and they book out quickly.
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When we were planning our trip, the camps in Etosha were all booked out 7 months ahead because tour groups book lots of rooms in advance, then cancel the ones they don’t need.
So, it’s always worth checking regularly in case availability opens up. We checked our Etosha accommodation every day, and eventually, we were able to book. Our post on where to stay in Etosha has more tips.
We’d suggest booking accommodation in Etosha, Okonjima, Sossusvlei and Damaraland at least 9 months to a year before your trip.
PLACES TO VISIT IN NAMIBIA
So that’s all our planning tips, now for the fun part. Here are the top places we think you should visit in Namibia. For help putting it all together, read our 2-week Namibia itinerary.
1. SOSSUSVLEI
Sossusvlei is a white salt pan surrounded by towering red sand dunes.
The sand originated in the Kalahari Desert, where it was carried out to sea by the Orange River and pushed north by strong currents before being dumped back on land.
Over the years, the wind has created folds of beautiful sweeping dunes.
The area is accessed along a road that follows a riverbed – dry for many years. Driving along this road and cutting through the dunes is a breathtaking experience.
At Sossusvlei, we climbed Big Daddy, which, at 325m, is the highest of the dunes. From its summit, you can see nearby Deadvlei, a parched white salt and clay pan scattered with fossilised trees. This is one of the iconic images of Namibia.
From the top of Big Daddy, it’s an easy walk down to Deadvlei. But you can also get the shuttle bus from the Sossusvlei car park.
We have more information on our guide to Sossusvlei, including where to stay and what else to do in the area.
Getting there – The road through the dunes to Sossusvlei begins at Sesriem, which is around a 4-5 hour drive from Windhoek. You can buy a permit from the Main Park Gate at Sesriem, which costs N$80. The gate is open from dawn to dusk.
Where to stay – We stayed at Agama River Camp, which is between Solitaire and Sasriem. There’s a wonderful bakery in Solitaire that is worth stopping by to pick up some snacks for the day.
2. ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK
Spending 4 days in Etosha National Park gave us a chance to see some fantastic wildlife.
Our days were spent searching for an elusive lion as it hid in the shade or a giraffe as it sauntered across the plains searching for food. But one of our top moments in Namibia was at Ozonjuitji m’Bari.
Ozonjuitji m’Bari is an artificial waterhole that sits midway between Dolomite Camp and Okaukuejo Camp.
This vital source of water attracts wildlife from near and far.
Springbok, zebra and oryx in their hundreds squabble over the best spot to stand, dozens of ostriches elegantly respect the perimeter, wildebeest lumber around aimlessly, elephants muscle their way in, and giraffes stand tall overlooking the scene.
It was the highlight of our trip.
We have lots more information in our separate post about visiting Etosha National Park which includes where to stay, game spotting tips and self-drive advice.
3. PELICAN POINT
Pelican Point, 30 kilometres outside Walvis Bay, is home to one of the largest colonies of Cape Fur seals in Namibia.
We took a kayaking tour to see the seals, which was one of our favourite days in Namibia.
Organised tours drive you out to Pelican Point from Walvis Bay, stopping at the vast salt plains on the way. The plains have a large colony of pelicans, giving the area its name.
The road is made of local salt and gypsum, which softens when wet and then gets compacted by the weight of cars. This effectively fixes its own potholes.
With no predators in the area, the seals haven’t developed any sense of danger around other animals, tourists included.
On the kayaking tour, the seals will generally come to you as close as 5 metres from the shore. Engage with them as much as possible, and you’ll soon find them nibbling on oars and nudging up against the kayaks.
The tour guides will give you a debrief on what to do and not to do around the seals to keep them comfortable with the experience.
We have put all the information together on a separate blog post about visiting Pelican Point, this also includes Sandwich Harbour which is next on this list.
4. SANDWICH HARBOUR
Sandwich Harbour is the iconic image of Namibia where the sand dunes of the Namib Desert meet the ocean. It’s a must-visit destination for anyone going to Namibia.
The harbour is only accessible on a 4×4 tour under the expert navigation of a skilled driver. It’s an exciting, entertaining and educational all-in-one roller-coaster adventure.
Tours start on the salt flats with the ocean surf on one side; dunes, shrubs and salt pan on the other.
After a couple of hours of twisting and turning, sliding and slipping over the dunes, the jeep stopped at the lookout point, where you can enjoy champagne and local oysters while taking in the views.
Our guide Joost, was part tour guide, part comedian, showing off his driving skill while dropping puns.
Sandwich Harbour Tours – You can either do the Sandwich Harbour tour by itself or you can combine it with the Pelican Bay Kayaking tour on the one day.
5. DAMARALAND
Damaraland is Namibia at its most desolate, and intriguing.
It’s a dramatic and challenging environment where you can learn about the relationship between rural farmers and wildlife.
The Namibian government is working with locals to build conservancies which encourage people to live in harmony with the animals that surround them.
Grootberg Lodge is part of one of these conservancies. Here you can have remarkable wildlife experiences, such as tracking black rhinos, searching for desert elephants, or relaxing on evening game drives.
But it also supports the local peoples transition to tourism-based employment as all the money is ploughed back into the community support and wildlife preservation.
It’s a great place to stay. The setting is dramatic, the food is excellent, the service is delightfully un-polished, and your tourist dollar goes directly into the pockets of locals.
Book your stay – Grootberg Lodge, Northern Damaraland
6. OKONJIMA
One of the challenges facing Namibia is the balance between ensuring a decent livelihood for farmers while embracing tourism.
Big popular game – the ones tourists flood into the country to see – regularly kill the local farming livestock.
Okonjima Lodge, the home of AfriCat Foundation, is rising to this challenge by fencing off the wildlife in a massive park (22,000 sq km), thereby protecting other farmers’ livestock and creating revenue for the local community from tourism.
They take baby cheetahs, whose parents have been killed by farmers protecting their cattle, and offer them sanctuary in the park.
All are geotagged in Okonjima, but this doesn’t make them easy to find. Our guide was tracking them with what looked like an old-school TV antenna.
Eventually, when the beeping from the TV antenna was just right, we left the vehicle and quietly progressed towards our target.
With instructions to respect them as wild animals and keep some distance, we crept to within 20 feet of the cheetah and walked with him as he went about stalking his territory.
Read more in our piece about the Okonjimia AfriCat Foundation.
7. SWAKOPMUND
Swakopmund is steadily growing as a tourist destination and getting a name for itself as the adventure capital of Namibia.
We were in the area to do both the Sandwich Harbour tour and the Seal Kayaking tour, both of which were excellent. But we were also impressed with the town.
It was a German Colony which is evident today in the architecture, the people and the food.
Here are a few things to do.
- Swakopmund Museum – The largest private museum in Namibia has an exhibition about geology, zoology and archaeology.
- National Marine Aquarium – If you are travelling with kids, they’ll love the aquarium.
- Living Desert Snake Park – Another great attraction for families, there are lots of different snakes plus other creepy critters.
- Bar Zonder Naam – This sleek, modern African bar has a large selection of local beers and gins.
8. DOLOMITE CAMP
It’s only 172 kilometres from Okaukuejo Camp to Dolomite Camp in Etosha National Park.
But it took us 9 hours to drive because the quality of game viewing on our way was out of this world.
Lions hiding from the midday sun, zebra and giraffes grazing on what little plant life exists, and rhinos slowly ambling towards water.
It’s a fantastic trip and the camp itself makes the long drive worth it. Dolomite Camp, an expertly designed camp on one of the few hills in Etosha.
There are only 20 chalets, all of which have great views. The food is also some of the best
As we mentioned above, it’s absolutely important to book as far in advance as possible. Book on the official Etosha website.
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