5 Extraordinary Places to Visit in Namibia

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In case you missed our introductory blog post, we’re Cameron and Natasha and we’re currently driving across the African continent in our Land Cruiser.

As we travel through Africa we’re going to be writing here on yTravel highlighting destinations across the continent as part of our HashtagAfrica campaign.

We spent this past month driving all around Namibia visiting just about every sight to see. Namibia can leave you speechless with its sheer beauty and although photos of Namibia are incredible, it is hard to do these places justice through the lens.

However, there are a few locations that stand out the most, and these are the five best places to visit in Namibia.

5 places to visit in Namibia

1. Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei is the one place in Namibia everyone has likely seen a photo of. The name “Sossusvlei” refers to a salt and clay pan that is surrounded by some of the tallest sand dunes on the planet.

It is Namibia’s number one tourist attraction; however, due to the sheer size of the dunes and desert here one can still find complete solitude. The dunes tower over visitors at 325m tall and seem to shift around slightly as high winds lead to a constantly changing landscape.

One must wake up way before the crack of dawn and catch the dunes at sunrise as the whole park takes on a unworldly feel.

2. Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park is arguably one of the best national parks in Africa for spotting wildlife. The real draw of the park is not in its animal density or natural beauty, but instead the game-viewing venue.

A massive salt pan dominates the Etosha landscape with a number of watering holes dotting the southern edge.

Simply sit at one of these watering holes and watch the Namibia wildlife come from kilometres away to have a much-needed drink as they try to escape the Namibian heat.

Over the course of just one afternoon, we saw lions, hyena, jackals, vultures, zebra, wildebeest, giraffes, and springbok. That’s some serious game viewing for not having to even move.

It helps to blend in though, so make sure to wear the right safari clothes.

3. Fish River Canyon

Fish River Canyon by some accounts is the second largest canyon on earth. The size of the canyon is awe-inspiring and a stop that beckons many when they travel to Namibia.

It is a place that is difficult to convey or conceive in photos. The adventurous can descend down the 550m to the canyon floor, but that hiking option is only available a few months out of the year due to heat and flash flooding.

The hike takes roughly five days and covers 88km of the canyon floor. Our tip for visiting the canyon is to get there in the evening with some cold Windhoeks, the local beer, in hand and watch the sunset. You can learn more about the park here.

4. Kalahari

A sunset in the Kalahari Desert is one to behold. The vast expanse of deep red sand stretches across all of Southern Africa and occupies 1.2 million-square-kilometers.

Despite its desert environment there are many animals that have adapted to the conditions and are on display. Lions, gemsbok, meerkats, zebra, and cheetah can all be found here.

The Kalahari is a land of contrasts as the deep red sand draw out the thorn bushes and acacia trees that dot the horizon.

5. Skeleton Coast

The coast of Namibia was once referred to by the Portuguese as “As Areias do Inferno,” or the sands of hell. It is little wonder where the phrase originated from when traveling the Skeleton Coast of Namibia.

This part of Namibia is one of the least hospitable places on earth. On the coast, the colossal sand dunes of the Namib Desert meet the Atlantic in violent fashion.

Strong winds and heavy fog create a treacherous coast that has shipwrecked many seamen leaving them to an almost certain death. Still, marine life along the coast flourishes and a massive colony of seals call the Cape Cross Seal Colony home.

Need more tips on what to see in Namibia?

This only touches on a few places in Namibia. It is quite a large country, but one of the least sparsely populated in the world.

Most tourists, including us, self-drive through the country as the roads are smooth gravel and offer interesting sights along the way.

If you’re looking for help to plan out your route, read about our journey through Southern Namibia. Catch us in Botswana next month!

Plan Your Trip to Namibia

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Can you recommend any places to visit in Namibia? Share in the comments.