Namibia's vast landscapes include the towering dunes of Sossusvlei, the Skeleton Coast, Swakopmund's adventure sports and wildlife at Etosha's floodlit waterholes. It is safe, uncrowded and ideal for a self-drive trip from May to October.
Good to know
- Roads are long and mostly gravel; rent a 4x4 and carry a spare tire.
- Fill up with fuel whenever you can; stations are far apart.
- Book Etosha rest camps and Sossusvlei lodges months ahead.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Local history, natural history and ethnography in a seaside colonial building.
Dune adventures near a German-colonial coastal town.
German-style beer, game meats and local dishes in the capital.
Colonial-era church and independence memorial in the capital.
Climb the red dunes at sunrise and walk to the white clay pan of Deadvlei.
Skeletal camel thorn trees against orange dunes, a landscape photographer's dream.
Narrow canyon carved by the Tsauchab River, a short cool walk.
Self-drive between waterholes to spot lions, elephants, giraffes and rhinos.
Sit by a floodlit pool as black rhinos and elephants come to drink after dark.
Catamaran trips with seals, dolphins and oysters, plus lagoon flamingos.
Fog-bound shoreline with a Cape fur seal colony of thousands.
UNESCO site with thousands of ancient rock carvings.
The second largest canyon in the world, at its best in the evening light.