Namibia travel guide
Huge and wonderfully empty, Namibia is the lesser-known star of southern Africa, offering wilderness, wildlife and the world's biggest sand dunes
Namibia is vast – yet, at times, it seems as if nobody else is there. Namibia, a huge nation in southern Africa, has sweeping desert, deep canyons and 1,572km of coastline, but a tiny population to fill it all. This makes a trip to Namibia truly wild – you might not see people, but you will see long-horned oryx amid the dunes, springbok sprinting by the roadside and baboons on the kerb.
The wildlife in Namibia is spectacular – from the famed pans of Etosha National Park (where you can self-drive around waterholes to spot lion, giraffe, elephant and more), to the less well-known spots such as the rocky expanses of Damaraland, the immense Kalahari or the verdant Caprivi Strip.
But there’s more to Namibia than wildlife: float above the ancient Namib desert in a hot-air balloon, careen down it on a sandboard, trot out to a sundown spot on the back of a trusty stead or simply enjoy the view as you drive by.
Wanderlust recommends
- Climb the dunes and search for oryx amid the mighty dunes of Sossusvlei, in the Namib Desert
- Trek with mules into the twisting Fish River Canyon, the world’s second-biggest gorge
- Head out into the wilderness with Namibia’s Kalahari Bushmen
- Drive Namibia’s highlights – plan a circuit to take in Namibia’s best bits, including Etosha National Park, whale-watching off Swakopmund and the desert elephants of Damaraland
- Walk with wildlife in little-known Mundulea Wildlife Reserve
- Explore the German colonial town of Lüderitz and nearby Kolmanskop, an eerily deserted diamond-mining ghost town
Wanderlust tips
Hire a care with air-conditioning in Namibia – opening the windows not only lets in fresh air but a lot of dust. Don’t drive too fast – Namibia’s roads are often deceptively smooth and it’s tempting to speed, but you can easily lose control on the gravel.
Many local people get around Namibia by hitchhiking: if you feel comfortable doing so, offer someone a lift.