Namibia is one of the least populated countries on Earth due to the Namib Desert, which is our planet’s oldest desert. Its massive sand dunes, some of which are the highest in the world, as well as its arid gravel plains and mountainous terrain make for some of the most breathtaking scenery and landscapes you will ever see; in fact, in some parts of this captivating country, you will think you have landed on Mars.
While Namibia’s infrastructure and well usable roads make it the ideal destination for wildlife enthusiasts on safari, it also provides great self-drive vacations for more independent tourists. Namibia’s safe, practical, and friendly atmosphere will appeal to families with kids, while honeymooners will adore the secluded, luxurious, and private lodgings.
Sossusvlei
The captivating Sossusvlei sand dunes in the Namib Desert are frequently called the world’s tallest dunes. One of Namibia’s most breathtaking vistas, Sossusvlei offers amazing picture opportunity, especially at sunrise and sunset. It is located in the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the largest conservation area in Africa.
Damaraland
Damaraland is a vast, wild, and untamed area that is arguably one of Namibia’s most picturesque regions. This amazing hinterland offers a journey that cannot be matched if you’re the adventurous type. Damaraland is characterized by prehistoric water streams, granite rocks, deep gorges, and broad plains and grasslands. To the west, the terrain drastically shifts: the Skeleton Coast is where unending sandy wastelands finally meet the raging Atlantic Ocean.
Small populations of desert-adapted elephants, black rhinos, giraffes, ostriches, oryx, and springboks (gazelle) can be found in Damaraland. These animals have adapted their lifestyles to survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth. They can travel up to 70 kilometers (40 miles) per day through the desert in search of food and water, and unlike their savannah cousins, they don’t destroy any trees in the process.
Etosha National Park
Etosha, located in northern Namibia and regarded by many safari enthusiasts as one of Africa’s best wildlife reserves, is a self-driver’s dream come true because of its excellent roads. Covering 22,270 square kilometers (8,600 square miles), it is home to giraffes, cheetahs, and a variety of plains game in addition to four of the Big Five (elephant, rhino, lion, and leopard).
With a massive mineral pan four times the size of Los Angeles, Etosha is properly named the “Great White Place.” The greatest time to go on a safari in Namibia is definitely during the dry season, which runs from May to October. The temporary water holes surrounding Etosha Pan are home to biblically large numbers of animals.
Kaokoveld
With a population density of only one person per two square kilometers (0.8 square miles), the Himba, a semi-nomadic and pastoral people known for their ability to survive in an arid and harsh environment, make up around one-third of the region’s population. The Kaokoveld is thought to be one of the last remaining wilderness areas in Southern Africa. Like Etosha, the area is home to rare desert-adapted elephant, black rhino, giraffe, oryx, and even lion. It is quiet, vast, and, for the most part, desert.
Skeleton Coast National Park
The Skeleton Coast is a mysterious location where the dunes of the oldest desert in the world meet the raging Atlantic Ocean to form one of the most dramatic coastlines on our planet. It is typically linked to well-known shipwrecks and stories of sailors walking hundreds of miles in search of food and water. It is thought to have been named after all the bones that lined the beaches from former whaling operations and seal hunts, although the San Bushmen dubbed it “The Land God Made in Anger,” and the Portuguese explorers termed it “The Gates of Hell.”
The only establishment in Skeleton Coast National Park is the unique Shipwreck Lodge. Here, you may embark on 4×4 excursions to track creatures that live in the desert or take guided beach walks to see the wreckage of ancient ships that were destroyed by the dangerous currents, shifting sandbanks, and heavy fog along the Skeleton Coast.
Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi Strip)
The Caprivi, which is widely regarded as Namibia’s equivalent of the Okavango Delta, provides an amazing water-based safari experience amid its expansive wetlands and riverine woodlands. The main attraction of the area is that it is encircled by four perennial rivers: the Chobe, Kwando, Linyanti, and Zambezi. This makes it a sanctuary for crocodiles, elephants, buffalo, and hippopotamuses. With almost 600 species documented in the area, birding is also excellent. Numerous small wildlife reserves with first-rate lodges that provide boat safaris and breathtaking sunset cruises can be found in Caprivi.
Swakopmund
One of Namibia’s most bizarre and unusual vacation spots is the charming beach town of Swakopmund, which combines its German colonial past with a distinctly African personality. Swakop is an excellent destination for self-drivers to rest and refuel during a Namibian safari because of its palm-lined streets, beachfront promenades, and nice summer environment.
With a variety of activities like quad biking, sandboarding, and 4×4 driving in the dunes, Swakopmund has emerged as Namibia’s top adrenaline destination. If you don’t like that, you may also go on boat trips to see seals and dolphins or just stroll around Swakop’s cafes, restaurants, museums, and art galleries.
The Fish River Canyon
The second-largest canyon in the world, the Fish River Canyon is situated in southern Namibia and has a massive gorge that is over 160 km (100 miles) long, up to 27 km (17 miles) broad, and nearly 550 meters (1,805 feet) deep at its deepest point. A flat plateau that abruptly plunges half a vertical kilometer into a winding kaleidoscope of colors created over millions of years by erosion is just one example of the breathtaking size of this magnificent landscape.
Mammals, as well as a variety of reptiles, insects, and fish, find sanctuary in this amazing habitat. Pools of water created by natural hot springs on the canyon bottom draw a variety of water birds. Predators including leopards, jackals, brown hyenas, and bat-eared foxes are drawn to the canyon by the presence of mountain zebra, kudu, oryx, and gazelle.
Kolmanskop
The Sperrgebiet, or “forbidden territory,” in southern Namibia is home to the most well-known ghost town in the nation. Following the discovery of a diamond in the region in the early 1900s, Kolmanskop saw a massive and chaotic diamond rush as wealth seekers relocated there. The tiny town quickly grew into a thriving hub with a hospital, a ballroom, a school, a casino, an ice cream plant, and exquisite homes. The town’s development peaked in the 1920s, but when diamond prices plummeted during World War One, it began to decline.
Over the course of 40 years, Kolmanskop flourished before dying. This ghost town’s crumbling ruins, which barely resemble its former opulent glory, are gradually being engulfed by the Namib Desert. Kolmanskop is a well-liked location for film shoots and offers hauntingly gorgeous photo opportunities these days.
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Okonjima is a good place to stop between Etosha National Park and Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, as it is situated halfway between the two. The AfriCat Foundation, a non-profit organization that significantly contributes to the long-term conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores like leopard, cheetah, and brown hyena in their natural habitat, is based in the reserve, which is well-known for its amazing cheetah and leopard sightings.