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Namibia

The main thing to do in Namibia as a tourist is a road trip around the Namibian desert.

Last minute 8-day itinerary

  • Day 1: Arrive in Windhoek – Stay at Protea Hotel by Marriott Windhoek Fürstenhof
  • Day 2: Drive from Windhoek to Sesriem – 8-9 hours – Stay at Desert Quiver Camp
  • Day 3: Visit Sossusvlei – Stay at Desert Quiver Camp
  • Day 4: Drive from Sesriem to Swakopmund – 8-9 hours – Stay at A La Mer Hotel
  • Day 5: Drive up the coast – Stay at A La Mer Hotel
  • Day 6: Explore Swakopmund – Stay at A La Mer Hotel
  • Day 7: Drive from Swakopmund to Windhoek – Stay at Tenbergen Pension
  • Day 8: Leave Windhoek

Things to see

  • Sossusvlei: Desert area surrounded by sand dunes and my personal highlight
    • Deadvlei: Beautiful ancient dead trees
    • Dune 45: Climbable dune
    • Big Daddy Dune: Another climbable dune
  • Swakopmund: Coastal town by the sea
    • Walvis Bay: A flamingo lagoon
  • Solitaire: a great fuel stop between Sossusvlei and Windhoek/Swakopmund, well known for apple pies
  • Food: The Stellenbosch in Windhoek, Village Cafe and The Tug Restaurant in Swakopmund

Okay to miss:

  • Zeila Shipwreck: Local hustlers will try to sell you stones
  • Cape Cross: The sheer number of seals is amazing and a memorable experience, but the smell, cries and corpses make it unpleasant

Tips

  • Rent a car at Windhoek airport and book well in advance to get an automatic 4WD because most cars are manual transmission. We booked last minute and could only get a manual 2WD.
  • Majority of roads are very gravelly, so get a 4WD and additional insurance for tyres, rims and underneath the car for peace of mind
  • “B” roads are tar roads while “C” and “D” roads are mostly gravel
  • Fill up your petrol tank when you can, because you don’t pass another petrol station for hours. Petrol stations are full-service, so an attendant will fill your vehicle and offer to clean your windscreen. It’s customary to give a small tip (we would give around N$10-15)
  • Don’t forget to purchase snacks and water for the long car trip
  • Don’t rely purely on Google Maps – make sure you do some research on the routes beforehand. We made a couple of wrong turns and ended up in some scary places
  • Punctures are relatively common so know to how to change a tyre
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