Top Things to See and Do in Namibia

Namibia is home to some of the most stunning and unique landscape in Africa.  With only 2.4 million people, Namibia is the second least densely populated country in the world, which is perfect for enjoying its unspoiled natural beauty.

The Namib Desert, which means “vast”, is the oldest desert in the world at 55 million years old.  It’s also the only coastal desert in the world, which stretches 2,000km along Namibia’s coast and into South Africa and Angola.  The Namib Desert has some of the highest sand dunes in the world, as well as many other unique sights to see.

Namibia is like the Utah of Africa because they’re both largely made up of desert, along with crazy and unique landscape and rock formations, and no one is there!  This winning combination is perfect for nature lovers.

 

TOP THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN NAMIBIA

 

SOSSUSVLEI

Located in the southern part of the Namib Desert, Sossusvlei is a salt and clay pan surrounded by red sand dunes.

Some of the sand dunes are over 300m high, like Big Daddy.

Dune 45 is one of Namibia’s most famous dunes.  While it’s not the tallest in the Namib desert, it is one of the most popular because you are allowed to climb it.  The towering sand dunes change colour as the sun rises and sets.

Get up early to climb Dune 45 and watch the sunrise.  It’s not that high up, but keep in mind that climbing sand is NOT easy and it’ll take longer than you’d expect (think one step forward and two steps back).  When you’re done, run down as fast as you can!  Or roll down 🙂  But no matter what you do, you will find sand in everything you own for weeks after leaving Namibia.

DEADVLEI

Near Sossusvlei, Deadvlei is a white clay pan that is characterized by 900+ year old fossilized trees and surrounded by red sand dunes.  It’s completely unique as there is nowhere else like it in the world.

It can get VERY hot during the day.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

Etosha is one of the best game reserves in Africa with 20,000 km² of nature, elephants, lions, giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs, zebras, springboks, oryx and more.

My safaris in Etosha were very successful, even during the wet season.  Etosha is in a dry, barren desert, so there is very little vegetation to obstruct the viewings of the animals and even during the wet season, it’s still very dry so animals must congregate around the few waterholes.  You can hang out at the waterhole at dusk and watch the animal action all night.

Zebras

Zebras and wildebeest

The two are often seen together.  They make friends in order to try mitigate lion attacks.

Lions

Everyone’s favorite.

I was on safari during their mating season, during which lions mate 50+ per day, every 30 minutes, but only lasting a few seconds each time.

Elephants are always so much fun to watch.

But the baby elephants are the best to watch.  They’re always running around and they’re so excitable, clumsy and cute.

Giraffes

White rhino

This guy is extremely rare.  My safari was very lucky to see him munching away on the side of the road.

Ostriches

Etosha, where “there are more Springbok than there are stars in the Milky Way” said my safari guide.  This may not be an official fact, but I’m willing to bet that it’s true.  You’ll get tired of seeing antelope pretty quick.  Sunset on Etosha

SPITZKOPPE

Located in south Damaraland, Spitzkoppe is also known as the Matterhorn of the south because the mountain stands out against its flat desert surroundings.

Along with crazy rock formations, you’ll find some friendly meerkats.

He crawled right into my arms!

THE SKELETON COAST

The coast located in northern Namibia earned its name due to the thousands of shipwrecks and whale carcasses that litter its shores.  The climate is harsh on land too, due to a lack of water, which is why the sand is riddled with animal carcasses.

However, many animals, including a massive seal colony, and the people of the Himba tribe thrive here.  Surfing is also popular with hardcore surfers, despite the very cold and shark infested water.

THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN SIGN

This is one of most photographed spots in all of Namibia.   The sign marks the southernmost latitude where the sun can be directly overhead.  It’s a quick and easy photo stop line along the dirt highway.

ORANGE RIVER

This river forms part of the border with South Africa.

PETROGLYPHS AT TWYFELFONTEIN

Twyfelfontein has one of the largest concentrations of ancient Bushman rock engravings in Africa.  Some of the best cave paintings are found in this UNESCO World Heritage site.

STARGAZING

The cool, dry night desert air is perfect for crystal clear stargazing. And if you’re from the northern hemisphere, the southern hemisphere’s constellations will be new and different for you.

THE HIMBA TRIBE

The Himba people are some of the last semi-nomadic people in Namibia.  The women cover themselves in a red mixture of ochre and butter, which protects their skin from the harsh climate.

The women make really beautiful beaded jewelry that you can buy.

FISH RIVER CANYON

It’s one of the largest canyons in the world and it’s the biggest in Africa.  It’s a great place to hike or just enjoy the sunset.

SESRIEM CANYON

The Tsauchab River carved Sesriem Canyon over the last 2 million years.  Now, it flows through the canyon every 5 to 10 years during rare rain fall and causing flash floods, which creates the nearby salt and clay pan of Sossusvlei.

SKYDIVING, SANDBOARDING, QUAD-BIKING IN SWAKOPMUND

Swakopmund is Namibia’s adventure capital, so there is no shortage of fun things to do.  It’s also the cheapest place in the world to skydive.  See more on my skydiving experience here.

 

WHEN TO GO

 

Namibia is one of the sunniest countries in the world, so there really isn’t a bad time to visit, but it depends on what kind of climate and temperature you prefer.

They say the best time to visit Namibia is in the dry season from June to October, when wildlife viewings, especially in Etosha, are best.  The weather will be pleasant at around 20-24C and rain is unlikely.  However, July to October is the high season, so places like Etosha can get very crowded, and the mornings and evenings get very cold at 0-7C, which can be very unpleasant if you’re camping.

I traveled Namibia from early to mid-February in the wet and low season, which is considered the worst time to go because it gets VERY hot at 30-40C and animals are supposedly harder to spot at Etosha.  However, I certainly didn’t have any issues spotting animals on my safari at Etosha.  My group even saw a rhino, which is very rare, on the side of the road.

Some other pros of visiting Namibia in the wet season are that it’ll be far less crowded and a little cheaper, you’ll see baby animals, rains are short (if they happen- Namibia has the least rainfall of any country in sub-Saharan Africa) so they likely won’t spoil your plans, and it won’t get as cold at night (which is important if you’re camping, like I was).  Nights will cool down to around 16C.

 

BEFORE YOU GO

 

YOU LIKELY WON’T NEED A VISA

But be sure to double check.

ANTI-MALARIALS ARE A GOOD IDEA

Depending on when and where you go.  Aside from the Skeleton Coast, the north of Namibia (which includes Etosha) does have some malaria, especially in the wet season.  But the rest of Namibia is no to low risk.

 

THE COUNTRY, THE PEOPLE AND THE CULTURE

 

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ISN’T REALLY A THING IN NAMIBIA

So you either have to rent a vehicle or take a tour (which is what I did) to explore Namibia.

YOU CAN DRINK THE TAP WATER

NAMIBIA WAS ORIGINALLY COLONIZED BY THE GERMANS

So there’s still a lot of German influence, despite the South African takeover.

NAMIBIA IS STILL RECOVERING FROM THE APARTHEID HANGOVER

Due to South Africa’s rule, Namibia also suffered from Apartheid, so the black population still continues to suffer from systematic racism and it will make you sad.  Namibia only obtained full independence from South Africa in 1990.  See more about that and my experience here.

NAMIBIAN CUISINE IS A FUSION OF GERMAN, SOUTH AFRICAN AND TRADITIONAL AFRICAN CUISINE

If you’re a meat eater you’ll be in heaven because Namibians love BBQ and exotic game meat.  At the famous Joe’s Beer House in the capital city of Windhoek, you can try warthog, kudu, impala, oryx, zebra, ostrich and more.  I tried crocodile which is like a strange combo of chicken and fish.

THE CAMPSITES ARE PRETTY NICE

They often have pools, bars and wi-fi.

NAMIBIA HAS THE LARGEST CHEETAH POPULATION

Which is one of Africa’s most endangered cats.  And it’s the fastest land animal in the world, reaching speeds of up to 120km/h.

SAND WILL GET EVERYWHERE

Take care of your electronics.

 

MONEY AND COSTS

 

THE SOUTH AFRICAN RAND IS WIDELY ACCEPTED.

And at the exact same rate as the Namibian dollar.

FUEL IS EXPENSIVE AND DISTANCES BETWEEN SIGHTS ARE VAST

Which you need to know if you’re self-driving.

PRICES SKYROCKET ONCE YOU GET TO THE DESERT

But food, drinks and accommodation are inexpensive in the cities and towns.  If you’re on a budget, you should consider camping.

TRAVEL IN THE WET SEASON IS CHEAPER AND LESS CROWDED

And you don’t need to book your accommodation so far in advance.

 

COMMUNICATION 

 

NAMIBIANS COMMONLY SPEAK 2-3+ LANGUAGES

English (the official language), a native tongue like Oshiwambo (spoken by 49% of the population), and either German or Afrikaans.

OUTSIDE OF THE CITIES AND TOWNS, WI-FI IS RARE AND SLOW

But a SIM card is also near useless, due to a lack of service.

 

SAFETY

 

NAMIBIA IS ONE OF THE SAFEST COUNTRIES IN AFRICA

But you still must practice regular precautions, especially at night in the city/towns.

IF YOU’RE SELF-DRIVING, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE

The roads are rough and there is nothing and no one around.

THE LBGT COMMUNITY LACKS LEGAL RIGHTS

However, despite the lack of legal rights, acceptance and tolerance of LGBT people is much higher than in most African countries.  And in a near empty country, it’s easier to be discreet.

 

MY EXPERIENCE

 

I traveled Namibia for 9 days on the Ultimate Africa 54 day tour with G Adventures, which is a participation camping overland tour.  Aside from South Africa, Southern and East Africa lack the infrastructure to travel independently via public transportation, which means it lacks the easy, independent and solo traveler circuit like Europe, Southeast Asia or South America.  As a solo female traveler who typically travels via public transportation, I found that while an overland tour wasn’t preferable, it was the easiest, safest, most organized, time efficient and practical option.

See my overland tour experience here.

 

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