A trip to Namibia is something hard to forget.
The colors
The smells.
The pace of life.
The country is known for its wildlife and breathtaking landscapes, and they say it is a good introduction to the vast continent of Africa. But beyond its natural beauty, we also fell in love with the people: Namibia has a population of only 2.6 people (2022), and everyone we met made us feel truly welcome in their country.
If you’re reading this post, you already have Namibia under your sight – we couldn’t be more excited about it, and we want to share with you everything we can to help you plan a trip of a lifetime!
Why should you travel to Namibia?
- SAFARI EXPERIENCE: While choosing our next travel destination, the only thing we knew was that we wanted to go on a Safari – and we’re assuming that’s one of the main reasons you’re heading to Africa as well. It was an experience that we had on our bucket list for way too long, and the time was just right. If you’re picturing a waterhole surrounded by hundreds of animals, that’s what you’ll get in Namibia. Etosha National Park is situated in the North part of the country, and it was once the largest game reserve in the world, with around 80,000km². It gathers 4 of the Big 5, only lacking the presence of buffalo.
- LANDSCAPES: We also knew we didn’t want to spend 1 or 2 weeks going on Safaris every day. Namibia seemed an excellent option because it offers a variety of different landscapes and activities to fill your days. Think about the highest dunes you’ve ever seen, large rock formations in the middle of an empty desert, or even a dramatic coast with shipwrecks and wildlife encounters.
- SAFETY: If you’re looking for a place in Africa that combines high-class safaris and stunning landscapes, that won’t be hard. But if you want to go on that journey all by yourself, that are more things to consider – safety being one of them. In Namibia, you can easily travel around independently, and you won’t need to join any kind of tour. It is a peaceful country, not involved in any wars. Of course, you need to take precautions like everywhere else, but we felt very safe during our entire trip.
What's the best time to visit Namibia?
The peak season is from June to October, the driest months. This is when the wildlife is easier to spot since the animals gather around the waterholes. The days are sunny, and the temperatures are mild, with chilly nights requiring an extra jacket. Like everywhere else, the high season also means you must book your trip in advance, especially the accommodations that tend to fill quickly.
If you can’t make it during these months, keep in mind that Namibia is a good year-round destination, with an average of 300 days of sunshine. It is very arid, and even when it rains, it’s nothing compared to its neighboring countries. Nevertheless, during the wet season ( November – April), expect very high temperatures and be aware that the weather can be unpredictable. Some roads might get flooded, be extra careful about it.
How many days should you spend in Namibia?
Our trip to Namibia lasted 13 days, and we covered a good part of it. We believe that two weeks is the perfect amount of time if you want to do a road trip combining some safari days with other parts of the country – you can go ten days if you’re short on time and don’t mind skipping some places, or maybe stretch it to three weeks if you have the budget. Check out our itinerary where we help you make some smart choices.
Health and Safety in namibia
One of the reasons we chose Namibia for our first safari trip was being a relatively safe country. We wanted to travel on our own, rent a car, and drive freely without the need to have a guide or join a tour every time we left the hotel. We did our research, and unfortunately, many African countries still face political instability, high crime rates, and terrorism. Namibia was an easy choice since it gathers all the wildlife experience without compromising our peace of mind.
Don’t get us wrong: it’s definitely a trip that requires a lot of preparation, and there can be dangerous situations. Petty crime or even muggings and robberies do exist – especially in big cities like Windhoek or Swakopmund. Nature can also prove to be a risk to your safety. However, if you take precautions is unlikely you’ll experience any problems, and you will end up having an EPIC trip.
Here are some useful tips:
- Don’t drive at night;
- Keep your doors locked while driving;
- Don’t speed – road accidents are a common problem in Namibia. You might feel like you’re the only one on the road, but don’t let it go to your head and stick with the rules;
- Never leave anything valuable in visible sight in your car;
- Bring covered shoes – for obvious reasons… do you need us to say it? Ok, snakes and scorpions (now you wish we hadn’t, right?). Don’t worry as they will probably want to avoid you. Nevertheless, leave your sandals at home;
- Pack food, water, and emergency supplies – Again, remember that because Namibia feels so untouched and remote means that if something happens while on the road, it might take some time until helps arrives. Better safe than sorry;
How much it costs to Travel in Namibia?
The official currency of Namibia is the Namibian dollar (N$). It is still pegged to the South African Rand (ZAD), and both are accepted in the country. If you’re exchanging money and you don’t have many days left on your trip, it might be a good idea to buy ZAD since they’re easier to exchange in other countries.
As per usual, we used our Revolut card during the entire trip and had no problems whatsoever. Credit cards are widely accepted, especially in lodges and tourist venues. Nevertheless, it’s always good to have some cash in hand to pay in petrol stations and other small stores in rural areas. Just be wise when withdrawing money – be aware of scams, check your surroundings, and watch out for card cloning.
It’s normal to associate a safari with something really expensive. It is. We were prepared to pay a significant amount to get this once-in-a-lifetime experience, and if you do a quick research you’ll understand what we mean. However, turns out you have many options to customize your safari, and it doesn’t have to break the bank.
The best tip we can give you is to check this website. It was really helpful to us, as you get a picture of what to expect in terms of costs according to basic choices you need to make:
- Do you want to rent a car and self drive, or hire a driver/guide?
- If you opt for the driver, do you want a private tour or you can only afford a shared one?
- How many days do you want to spend?
- Do you want to camp or prefer to stay in lodges?
- Do you want basic lodges or luxurious ones?
Even though we opted for a self drive, we booked the whole trip through an agency called Wild Dogs Safaris ( updated: as of 2022 the company seems to be permanently closed), and they were outstanding. It gave us more confidence to have someone helping us with the itinerary and not have to deal with the rent-a-car nightmare. Everything could be customized to fit our needs. Actually, we found some lodges we really wanted to stay in, and they had no problem with us booking them separately.
With that said, the cost of your trip will highly depend on how many days you want to spend and how comfortable you want it to be. The price of a shared camping tour is very different from a luxury private one.
must see in Namibia
The best part about a trip to Namibia is that you’ll get your Safari experience, but you’ll also get to see some of the country’s beautiful landscapes. Namibia is a large country with stunning and diverse places, making it a great and complete destination for a road trip adventure. You will have the opportunity to soak in the culture in small villages, explore the desert, hike in the mountains, and even drive along a coastal and remote stretch. Here’s a list of our absolute favorite places during our road trip to Namibia:
- Etosha National Park
- Sossusvlei
- Spitzkoppe
- Damaraland
- Okonjima Nature Reserve
- Fish River Canyon
- Skeleton Coast
Make sure you explore the posts of each city and our complete itinerary to find out more.
tips when traveling to Namibia
Book in advance
Traveling in Namibia generally requires that you book in advance (sorry spontaneous people!). You’ll need to arrange for your transportation and lodging ahead of time, as there are not a lot of options available. The good thing is that you might find discounts and special offers that you can take advantage of.
Plan it
While driving in Namibia, you can spend hours without seeing a soul. This is not an ideal place to go loosely, with no plans or not knowing where you’ll sleep the next night. Also, it is very important to keep in mind that as soon as the sun sets, you shouldn’t be on the road. Driving at night in Namibia can be dangerous because the roads are not lit and there are often animals on the road. Most car rental companies don’t even allow you to do so, meaning the car insurance won’t cover you in case something happens.
If you are planning on traveling to Namibia, be sure to get travel insurance. This should be true for every country you travel to, but in Namibia, you will often find yourself in remote areas, and there are specific risks that need to be taken into account, like wildlife or road accidents. Please, don’t underestimate the peace of mind that travel insurance can give you. If you can afford your trip, you certainly can afford to protect yourself against unforeseen risks.
Gas! Fill up whenever you can
Rule of thumb for every road trip – especially in countries like Namibia. Don’t rely on online information that tells you a gas station is close by. That might not be updated and you might end up running out of gas unexpectedly. Trust us: you don’t want to be in that situation.
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