A Guide to Beautiful Namibia
Best time of year to visit Namibia is from May to October. This is the dry season.
Where Exactly is Namibia?
Namibia is a wonderful hidden gem on the South West coast of Africa. Having been brought up in Africa I may be biased but it is truly a magnificent country.
If you weren’t exactly sure where it was in Africa, you would not be alone. It is not as well known as its neighbours South Africa and Botswana yet it offers so much to those seeking an African adventure.
The iconic Tropic of Capricorn passes through its land. With this it marks the most southerly latitude at which the sun can appear directly overhead at noon.
Why is Namibia so Special?
One of the reasons I love Namibia is that it is still off the main tourist routes. It remains authentic and unspoilt. Yet it is a country that offers so much.
Whilst Namibia is vast and sparsely populated, it possesses wonderfully diverse landscapes. It boasts a wild ocean coastline, mountains, national parks filled with wildlife and not just one desert but two.
The Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world lies here. And on the eastern side of the country, the Kalahari Desert stretches across from Botswana and South Africa.
Who Are the Namibians?
A Brief History…
In the 1884, Namibia was a German Colony and known as German South West Africa. The discovery of diamonds in 1908 prompted an influx of Europeans.
German rule ended during the First World War with a defeat by South Africa. Under South African administration, Namibia became known as South West Africa. Until finally, in 1990 and after a 25yr war, Namibia gained its independence.
Namibia Today …
Namibia’s population is 2.6 million with just 3.1 persons per square kilometre. Its very mixed population is formed from tribal ancestry, Damara minorities, nomadic San Bushmen and German colonisation. This in itself makes up for a country full of diverse cultures.
The Namibia of today is a peaceful and happy country to visit. It is very safe to travel around. Namibians are an extremely friendly and welcoming nation. All the hosts at our lodgings were more than happy to chat and regail stories of their local area.
The official language is English making it extremely easy for all us Anglophones too!
In Namibia, you will wake up to stunning sunrises and close your day with spectacular sunsets. All this, before going to bed with a sky so dark that the sky is filled with endless twinkling stars. You can see the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon.
What is there not to like?
Travelling Through Namibia
Please consider travelling to Namibia without an organised tour. You can quite easily navigate this country independently. If you like driving, this is surely one of the epic self-driving destinations.
Look at my Itineraries page to see the route I took. Apart from most of the roads being made up of never ending gravel, it really is a breeze. Get yourself a good 4WD and you’ll enjoy every moment.
I’m pleased to say I felt very safe travelling around Namibia. If you stay outside its capital, Windhoek, which you would probably want to do anyway, you will feel very secure. Otherwise, just exercise precaution here as you would in any major city.
One of the reasons for this is that it is so sparsely populated. Namibia is in fact one of the least densely populated countries in the world, Admittedly , desert does take up a lot of the country making it quite inhospitable but it also adds to its attraction.
Self-Driving is So Rewarding in Namibia
I literally drove for hours without coming across other cars and when they approached I would see this wonderful dust ball on the horizon getting closer and closer. It was quite incredible marvelling at the huge open spaces around.
Due to the large expanse of empty spaces, you do need to plan your trip with regards to petrol and accommodation. This is highlighted in my Itineraries page.
Be prepared for roads made up of gravel, sand, rocks and more. Download your music or podcasts and get used to 5-6 hrs a day of driving as you marvel at your surrounds.
Just please remember to do all your driving during the day. The distances will no doubt be long between each of your overnight stays. Combined with the poor road conditions means slow progress is often inevitable.
At night, there is no lighting on the roads and more importantly the wildlife comes out and strays onto these roads. I once mistimed my driving to my next accommodation and found myself in the dark for 15 minutes. I literally had to zigzag around zebras in front of my vehicle as I crawled along in first gear.
Namibia for the Non-Drivers
If you would really prefer not to drive in Namibia, do not worry and definitely do not rule out Namibia as a destination. There are options for you to discover this beautiful country.
You could quite easily base yourself in Swakopmund or Walvis Bay and take short tours out from there. Equally, if you don’t mind being in a bustling city, you could stay in Windhoek and tour from there.
Alternatives to Self Driving include
- Take an organised tour from your own country. There are a range of different types of tours on offer.
- Fly to Namibia and independently arrange your private tours with local companies.
Vegetarians Take Note…Namibians Like Meat!
Meat is very much on the menu in Namibia. Apart from the coastal areas, you will find that meat is on offer everywhere.
You will find zebra, impala, oryx, kudo and more local wildlife on your menus. Game is the natural source of food for Namibians, particularly away from the coast, so this should come as no surprise.
By the coast, however, you will be spoiled with their wonderful seafood and shellfish. The very rich coastline and marine life offers true delights for fish lovers. The oysters are up there with the best oysters I’ve ever tasted.
Top Places to Visit in Namibia
I’m sure as you’re reading this that you are getting the message that Namibia is BIG. Therefore, depending on how much time you have, you may well have to pick out certain locations over others.
Therefore, I’m going to give you a list of key places to visit in Namibia and hopefully you can decide which locations are a must for you!
Going North from Windhoek
Damaraland – wild and rugged. Home to Gross Spitzkoppe and Brandberg Mountain and famous for its wealth of rock art.
Etosha National Park – drive alongside elephants, leopards, giraffes, lions, black rhinos and more. The size and moon-like landscape is magical. (July-Sept good months for wildlife spotting)
Skeleton Coast – stunning, formidable coastline stretching up to Angola. A graveyard for ships and animals dot the golden beaches.
Going East from Windhoek
Both Walvis Bay and Swakopmund are quite similar in that they both serve as excellent bases for adventurers and thrill seekers. They are only 30 minutes apart from one another.
Adventures include quad bike riding; sand boarding; desert biking; hot air ballooning; kite surfing; windsurfing; catamaran trips; dolphin, seal and whale watching; deep sea fishing amongst others. Equally, for those that don’t wish to self-drive, they are also excellent bases to take organised tours out to such locations as Sesriem, Skeleton Coast or Etosha National Park.
Swakopmund – livelier than Walvis Bay. Popular beach resort. German architecture
Walvis Bay -Harbour town. Good base to explore the surrounding area. Good for bird watching, particularly flamingoes. Has an airport. The huge Dune 7 is nearby offering amazing views from the top.
Going South from Windhoek
This route is a definite must if you are visiting Namibia. It showcases some of the most iconic Namibian sights. You will find these in the magnificent Namib-Naukluft National Park.
Sesriem – small settlement in the Namib-Naukluft National Park BUT the gateway to Sossusvlei. An a spectacular area filled with incredible dunes, rocks and clay pans.
Sossusvlei – is often used to refer to the large area in the park that includes all the famous sites such as Dune 45, Hiddenvlei, Big Daddy and Deadvlei.
- Dune 45 – iconic shaped dune
- Deadvlei – claypan with dead camel thorn trees
- Big Daddy – highest dune in the park over 1,000ft tall
- Sesriem Canyon – gorge offering some well needed shade whilst visiting Sossusvlei
Fish River Canyon – largest canyon in Africa and second largest in the world after Grand Canyon. The Fish River is the longest river in Namibia.
Kolmanskop – Ghost town in the desert. A former diamond mining town. In 1956, this German settlement was abandoned when the richest diamond fields ever were found further south.
Luderitz – colonial diamond mining town. A desert and seaside town at the same time. German architecture mixed with art nouveau.
Places to Stay in Namibia
Damaraland
Etosha National Park
Sossusvlei
Swakopmund
Walvis Bay
Please look out for my future posts about my time exploring this wonderful land.
In Summary
If you are attracted to Africa and all that this magnificent continent has to offer, I urge you to consider Namibia. As I detailed above, it has much of what visitors seek out from Africa but without the big fancy cities of South Africa or the well honed safari tours of Botswana. It really is authentic Africa.
It really is a land of excitement and adventure for all ages.
