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Namibia rarely gets the attention it deserves. But whether you’re looking for extraordinary wildlife encounters or self-drive adventures, here’s a country which seems to have it all. And in bucket loads, with 44% of its land in some form of conservation or protection. Having explored from north to south and east to west, I bring you my pick of the best 9 things to do in Namibia!
1. Let the wildlife come to you at Etosha National Park
An undoubted star of any trip to Namibia, Etosha National Park is one of the largest in Africa. In fact, if it was a country, it would be roughly the size of Switzerland.
But that doesn’t mean hours (or days) driving around in search of those quintessential safari species. Instead, all you need to do is pull up beside one of the park’s permanent waterholes. You can do this either as part of a tour or as an independent traveller with your own vehicle.
Etosha pan takes up more than a fifth of the park’s area, while various other shallow pools appear and disappear depending on the time of year.
For more on the top months to explore Etosha, check out my guide to the best time to visit.
Because of Namibia’s predominately arid climate, these ‘pans’ attract wildlife from far and wide. So while antelope and zebra may be uncomfortable sharing the waterfront with lions, these magical encounters still occur daily.
Other regular visitors include large herds of elephant, noted as being some of the tallest on the continent. There are also celebrated populations of both white and black rhinos.
Etosha boasts one of the largest black rhino populations anywhere on the continent. This makes a rhino sighting here more likely than almost anywhere else.
2. Capture the sunrise from one of the world’s tallest sand dunes
Deep within the desert sands of Namibia’s dry-as-a-bone coastline lies another unmissable series of salt pans.
Accessed via the tiny hamlet of Sesriem, the best-known is Sossusvlei. While it rarely contains any water, it’s red dunes must be the most photographed sight in the whole country.
An ephemeral ambience seems to blanket it. Especially during sunrise and sunset, when the light constantly changes, and the colours of the sands along with it.
It’s the 125-metre-high Dune 45 which tends to take the headlines, since it lies directly on the Sossusvlei road. However, take the four-wheel drive track all the way to Sossusvlei pan and you’ll encounter dunes almost three times taller.
Although it’s a bit of a slog, climbing one of the dunes offers an unrivalled view across the landscape.
Even more impressive is the nearby Deadvlei, whose dunes are married with the sight of baked, apparently dead trees.
Despite this, don’t be surprised if you come across ostrich, gemsbok (oryx), and other desert dwellers.
To reach the dunes for the cool of sunrise, you’ll need to stay overnight within Namib-Naukluft National Park. (The gates don’t open until dawn). There are various campsites and lodges to choose between.
3. Discover Namibia’s modern history at Alte Feste
The Alte Feste (Old Fortress) sits just a stone’s throw from the three-legged parliament building in the capital, Windhoek.
It houses the history collections of the National Museum of Namibia. Its taxidermy collection is located within the Owela Display Centre in the Public Library on Lüderitz Street.
The building’s bright whitewash was first splashed across the newly-built structure in 1890. It was constructed as the headquarters for German colonial forces during their conquest of the country.
In more recent times, it became a boarding house for school children, before becoming part of the national museum.
It’s creaking wooden floors and succession of galleries covers the country’s history in depth. It begins with the origins of the San Bushmen and ends with an emotive display detailing the fight for independence from South Africa.
Although Namibia contains some of the oldest landscapes on Earth, its people only became free in February 1990.
4. Gasp at the seals of Cape Cross Nature Reserve
I use the word gasp with reason, since even lovers of these sea mammals would acknowledge they absolutely stink!
If you can endure the distinctly fishy (at best) smell, the colony of Cape fur seals at Cape Cross Nature Reserve is really something to behold.
The world’s largest breeding colony, they number somewhere in the region of 100,000 individuals. It developed thanks to the rich pickings to be found offshore.
Impressive at any time of year, the colony is at it’s largest and most active during the breeding season. This lasts between November and December.
Come at this time, and you’ll see males weighing up to 350 kg fighting it out for the right to mate with smaller females. They give birth approximately six weeks later.
Brown hyenas then scour the colony for unsuspecting pups, while sharks and killer whales wait in the depths for their next meal.
Nearby, you’ll find a replica of the stone pillar placed by Portuguese explorer Diego Câo in 1486. Topped with a cross, this simple structure gave the spot its name.
5. Explore the Caprivi Strip
A long but easy journey north from Windhoek will eventually see you arrive into Rundu, gateway to the Caprivi Strip.
Though it doesn’t really have a focal point to speak of, it’s well worth a day of your time. This is especially true if you’ve had a few hard days of travel like I invariably have.
I’d recommend one of the lodges clinging to the southern bank of the Okavango River offering views across the border to Angola.
Heading east, further into this thin finger of land, takes travellers into a sparsely populated area of tiny villages and big game.
The strip is dotted with national parks. Largely dominated by native mopane woodland, elephants are the main attraction. They can often be seen crossing the road leading to Katima Mulilo too.
My favourite spot in the region is Popa Falls Game Park just outside of Divundu. Part of Bwabwata National Park, its location on the Cubango River is as alluring as any in the country.
But at the same time, it’s possible to indulge the senses in game drives, boat trips, and fishing expeditions before bedding down in some excellent value accommodation.
I’ve got more ideas of what to do in the Caprivi Strip in my dedicated guide.
6. Hike the Fish River Canyon Trail
Snaking its way through southern Namibia is Fish River Canyon. Given Namibia’s limited rainfall, this is impressive enough. But when it comes to its size and beauty, there’s literally nowhere else like it.
Totalling 100 miles (160 km) in length, up to 17 miles (27 km) wide and a third of a mile (0.5 km) deep, Fish River Canyon is the biggest canyon in Africa.
The trail is a five-day trek which shouldn’t be underestimated. Covering 50 miles (85 km), it stretches between the hot springs of /Ai-/Ais in the south and Hobas to the north.
Because conditions are so extreme, the trail can only be trod between mid-April and mid-September. Roughly equivalent with Namibia’s winter, these months see the lowest rainfall and temperatures.
Changing from year to year, and using the same trails as the area’s wildlife, the trail leads across sand, boulders and rocks. Exhausting at times, most hikers manage to recover overnight thanks to the relatively comfortable camp grounds.
If stretching your legs isn’t the tempting proposition it is for some, the spectacle can still be enjoyed at the Hell’s Corner viewpoint. It takes in a sudden change in the river’s direction.
7. Admire Twyfelfontein’s rock art
Namibia is a country that doesn’t do things by halves. If you want further evidence of this, you only need to look at the rock engravings located in and around Twyfelfontein.
Edging the Skeleton Coast, around 2,500 petroglyphs have been discovered in Twyfelfontein (or /Ui-//aes). This makes it home to one of the largest concentrations of ancient rock art in Africa.
Thought to have been carved by the San, the oldest date back around 6,000 years. The depictions of rhino, elephant, giraffe, and ostrich hint at a more verdant past.
Popular examples include the Lion Man rock and Dancing Kudu rock, which guides at the site will be happy to point out (for a tip).
Most fascinating though are the images said to depict sea lions. That’s because the closest populations would have been several days walk away across scorching desert.
8. Get your fill of coffee, cake and adventure sports
Many of Namibia’s major attractions have some link to the country’s sometimes windy coastline, and my next is no different.
Wake up in a daze after the ride from Windhoek and you might think you’re still dreaming on taking in central Swakopmund.
A short distance north of the Tropic of Cancer, the town wears its German heritage as a badge of pride.
Founded in the 1890s, it’s not just the turn of the century European architecture that has you feeling like you’ve disappeared through a wormhole and reappeared in Bavaria.
The culture of the town also oozes deutschtum (German-ness) with a range of visitor-friendly curio stores, bookshops and cafes serving up sachertorte.
Meanwhile, the renovated gardens around the red and white striped lighthouse make for a pleasant spot to send a postcard (or tweet) home.
Head to the National Maritime Museum to delve beneath the Atlantic waves without the need for a wetsuit. Then pop into the knickknack-packed city museum for more on what makes Swakopmund such a fascinating place to visit.
Beyond the city limits, there are plenty of ways to get the adrenaline flowing too. Organising pleasure flights, sandboarding, desert horse treks and cycle tours is also incredibly easy.
9. Enter the Forbidden Zone!
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be absolutely fascinated by the idea of the Sperrgebiet.
It’s an area covering 10,000 square miles (26,000 square km) of southwest Namibia. It’s a place where uncut diamonds used to be picked straight off the ground. And it’s a zone that it had been forbidden to enter for roughly a century.
Now though, there are a couple of ways to enter the Sperrgebiet without risking bullets whistling overhead.
The most popular way is to take a tour from charmingly dour Lüderitz to the ghost town of Kolmanskop.
Here, a cluster of around 30 abandoned buildings are slowly being swallowed up by the desert sands from what was once a thriving mining community.
Alternatively, you might visit the very-much alive town of Oranjemund, sitting on the banks of the Oranje River on the border with South Africa.
Though mining remains the town’s main employer, there are serious efforts to attract tourists to its mix of public artworks and wild oryx population.
Intrigued? Check out my recommended ways to visit the Sperrgebiet.
The best 9 things to do in Namibia
The great and the good of southern Africa’s wildlife. Landscapes as vast as European nations and as stunning as the diamonds they have produced. Choosing the best 9 things to do in Namibia has been no easy task!
