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Namibia Trip Itinerary

Last month I was lucky enough to take a second trip to Namibia, almost two years to the day after my first. You can read about that trip here if you’re interested in the more poetic descriptions of this beautiful country. This time around I’m taking a pragmatic approach, giving you our day by day itinerary and recommendations in the hopes that it could be useful for planning your own trip to one of the most environmentally impressive destinations in the region.

Flights: Air Namibia from Lusaka to Windhoek (highly recommend flying in as opposed to driving; you’ll be spending enough time in the car as it is)

Car Rental: I’ve used 2 different companies: Advanced Car Hire and Camping Car Hire. Both are reputable companies which gave similar, high quality services, but I would recommend Advance Car Hire based on the size of the vehicle they rent and the quality and organization of the camping supplies they provide. Booking a car should be the one thing you do well in advance, at least one or two months ahead, especially at holiday times.

Money: the Namibian dollar is pegged to the South African rand, and they accept both interchangeably. Everyone I’ve traveled with has been able to withdraw from ATMs, which is probably the easiest way, but not a bad idea to bring some USD to exchange too.

Day 1

Windhoek

Accommodation: Carboard Box Backpackers: well-known hostel with both dorm and room options, a kitchen and a pool. It can fill up with young loud travelers, which you may or may not be into. While I’ve been happy with my experiences in their private rooms, I have heard negative feedback about the dorms. Private rooms cost around 35 USD a night. Here's their other site with some useful info for planning trips.

We arrived on a morning flight and were picked up by the car hire company airport shuttle. We weren’t able to, but I suggest doing the paperwork on the afternoon of arrival or early morning the next day to save time, since it takes a couple hours to get everything explained and signed. Since we didn’t have the car rented until the next day, we used taxis to do some non-perishable grocery shopping in town. It was a good idea to do the majority of shopping that day to save time the next morning. Good wine is very cheap in Namibia (5-10 USD a bottle); stock up!

For dinner we ate at O Portuga, a Portuguese restaurant with a great menu of both game and seafood. Delicious meal, not too expensive, highly recommend it.  After dinner we investigated the local nightlife at Vibe, actually a surprisingly nice club.

Day 2

Windhoek to Sossusvlei

Accommodation: Sesriem Campsite: a NWR run campsite within the gates of the Sossusvlei park. Highly recommend staying here (and making an advance booking) for the sole reason that you can enter the park at 5 am. People staying elsewhere can only enter at 6 am. If you’re planning to hike Dune 45 at sunrise, staying here will make the difference between seeing sunrise from the dune or not.

We got an early start with the car hire place, but still didn’t make it to the grocery store to buy perishables until 11 so we had to hurry. If possible, it’s good to leave Windhoek before 12 so you don’t have to rush to hike Elin Dune at sunset, and also so you have plenty of time to stop in Solitaire on the way, where you can get excellent pies and desserts from Moose's and check out a bunch of old cars half-buried in sand.

At Sesriem we bought our park permit and drove right into Elin Dune, which is not far into the park, basically the first turn on your right (unmarked). You can get a map from the desk. Afterwards we came back to set up camp and broke in our cooking equipment with some tasty cheeseburgers. There’s an industrial sink by the bathrooms for easier dishwashing.

(View from Elin Dune)

Day 3

Sossuvlei to Naukluft Mountains

Accommodation: Agama River Camp: probably the nicest place I’ve stayed in Namibia. It boasts great, roomy sites for the cars, a pool, dogs, and a patio up at the main house offering beautiful views of sunrise and sunset over the Naukluft Mountains.

In the morning we were up very early and going by about 5 am. Dune 45 is named for being 45 km in the park, so it takes about 30 min to get there and another 10 or so to hike up. We made it near the top for sunrise, which is incredible over this stunningly barren plain dotted with magnificently red sand dunes. Afterwards, we had a quick breakfast by the car before driving into the park where the eponymous Sossusvlei dune is located, as well as Deadvlei, the site of the iconic petrified trees. To get there you have to drive on sand. You can either pay to ride in 4x4s or utilize your own vehicle’s capability, just be sure to deflate your tires and put it in 4 low. We got stuck for a bit on this trip, and friends of ours got stuck for over 2 hours, so proceed with some caution.

It was so hot by 10 am we skipped hiking Sossusvlei dune, but we did hike into Deadvlei to see the trees. After beating a retreat to shade, we headed back in the direction of Windhoek for about an hour to reach Agama River Camp. This is a beautifully situated place, right at the foot of the Naukluft Mountains. We decided to spend two nights here on this trip because of the setting and the proximity to full-day hikes nearby. The highlight of this place may be the showers, with earthen floors that retain the sun’s heat and open roofs giving you a fantastic view of sunset.

(Dune sunrise)

 (Deadvlei)

(Sunset at Agama)

Day 4

Naukluft Mountains

Accomodation: Agama River Camp

We got an early start this morning to make it to the Namib-Naufluft Park before it got too hot. It’s a little over an hour away. You drive through Bullsport (really just a lodge and garage on the left side of the road), and at the junction immediately after you take a right. Keep an eye out for the park entrance (an old gate you open for yourself) on your right about 11 km later. Then drive another 11 km to the office where you pay your park fee and receive a map. There are a few hikes here to choose from, we did the Olive Trail which took us about 4 hours and was fairly easy; only moderate elevation climbs and some rock scrambling in the canyon.

It’s a great hike because it offers diverse scenery, from views over the hills and plains to impressive sheer rock walls and acrobatic vegetation within the canyon. There is a section where you pass rock pools by holding onto chains bolted into the walls, but the easy route on the right is not very challenging. We had a fantastic lunch near the end of our trip, with cheese, salami, chicken salad, and of course, olives. As you exit the canyon, look for the 4x4 track which crosses over the dry river bed, you can follow that back to the trail head.

(View from the trail)

Day 5

Naukluft Mountains to Swakopmund

Accommodation: Alte Brucke: Rooms and campsites on the south end of the city. Campsites are designed for car campers, a small patch of grass next to personal high quality bathroom/kitchen area. Amenities are good quality, but the campsite feels densely packed with people, and it’s definitely a family place, quiet before 10 pm.

As we were only a few hours from Swakopmund we got a leisurely start this morning, packing up our car and saying goodbye to the Agama resident dogs. Within about 3.5 hours we rolled into Swakopmund, between white sand dunes and the ocean. We set up at Alte Brucke which may not have been the most exciting campsite of our trip but we didn’t end up spending much time there anyway. We explored the town on foot, a strangely Germanic place with plenty of cafes and beergardens. That night we ate at Napolitana, an Italian place which was decent but not outstanding.

Day 6

Swakopmund

Accomodation: Alte Brucke

This was a big morning for us, up early for skydiving with Ground Rush Adventures. Their shuttle brought us from our place to the office where we signed our lives away, and then we proceeded to their desert airstrip. The plane was tiny, only big enough for about 6 people huddled together in the back, so I ended up being separated from the others and sent up first. The plane climbed and climbed and climbed, as the horizon expanded over the ocean on one side and desert and mountains on the other. At 10,000 feet, when the ground and ocean below were uniform and devoid of any details save the massive mountains and little city, the sliding door on the plane was quickly and abruptly opened and I was suddenly there on the edge. Then I gently slipped out into the air, a feeling I’ll never forget. We quickly reached terminal velocity, and the feeling of falling was gone, replaced with the sense of being suspended in the air by a giant fan. The rush of air was so powerful my face and hands flapped helplessly, and gaping at the giant expanses of blue and red all I could do was laugh and drool. Once the parachute opened, my guide put us into tight, g-force pressing spins, and stalls that made my stomach lift, but the feeling was almost equally as incredible as the free fall. Overall, this was a highlight of the trip and I would certainly do it again, hopefully somewhere just as beautiful.

Once we were back on the ground we went back to town, giddy with adrenaline. We had lunch at Stadtmitte Café, a pseudo-Starbucks with great eggs florentine and low prices. We then got our permit from the NWR office (walking distance away) for the Welwitschia Drive the next day. Our big day ended with drinks on the patio of The Tug restaurant on the pier. For dinner we had an excellent meal at Kucki’s Pub, with great seafood, oysters, and spaetzle for reasonable prices. Make a reservation because it’s the place to be in this quiet town.

(Angus, Sandy and Emily on their way down)

Day 7

Swakopmund to Welwitschia/ Moonscape Drive

Accommodation: Sophia Dale: a very nice campsite run by a friendly German couple (not as crazy as they look on the website) just off the B2, not far from Swakopmund or the Drive.

In the morning we took an ATV tour with Desert Explorers through the dunes, which was very nice despite a persistent fog. We rode in a line on a marked path through the dunes, so it’s not an ecologically disastrous free-for-all. It was fun riding up the sides of dunes, and the views over the desert were really impressive. It’s a cool activity if you’ve got some free hours in Swakopmund, but for $45 I would also consider doing lie-down sandboarding instead. It’s more of an adrenaline rush, though a shorter experience involving lots of dune hiking (check out Alter-Action for that).

In the afternoon we left town to seek out the Welwitschia Drive. It’s named for the 1,500 year old giant welwitschia plant at the end of it, which is pretty cool, but the real highlight is the drive itself which takes you through what looks like a moonscape. It took us a while to figure out if we were on the right road, but once we reached the 4^th road beacon we knew it for sure; the land opened up into smooth canyons and peaks of rocks that really did look like they could be on the moon. There were many great spots to stop for cool views and pictures. We started the drive around 2 pm and it took us about 4 hours to complete, giving us some of the best sunset lighting. We made it to Sophia Dale before it got dark, and cooked some of the fresh fish we’d bought from The Fish Deli in Swakopmund over the fire.

(Not how you ride ATVs)

(Moonscape)

Day 8

Welwitschia / Moonscape Drive to Spitzkoppe

Accommodation: Spitzkoppe Campsites: The most famous, if not only, campsite at Spitzkoppe; definitely the most bare-bones of the trip (just a fire pit, trash can and outhouse) but also the most beautiful.

We drove back into town in the morning then started up the coast towards Henties Bay. Along the way there’s a recent shipwreck just off to the left. It’s now marked with a sign, Shipwreck Zeila, and you should be able to see it from the road, definitely worth a stop.

We turned off the coast and headed inland to Spitzkoppe, an impressive pair of mountains rising up from the scrub with piles of giant, yellow-red rocks at their base. There’s about 20 campsites nestled among the giant rocks that make up the Spitzkoppe formations. It’s a good idea to get there earlier in the day because they seem to fill up. The showers and sink are located near the entrance, but it’s worth it to go further in (to the left) to find a well-placed campsite. The views here at sunrise, sunset and at night are stunningly spectacular. It does get very hot during the day though, so make sure you’ve got lots of water and sunscreen if you plan on hiking any time after 10 am.

We arrived a few hours before sunset and luckily snagged seemingly the only remaining empty campsite, well positioned between the two mountains. That evening we cooked the remaining fish over a fire and enjoyed the moonrise. Good idea to bring some firewood with you, no guarantees the reception will have it.

(Shipwreck Zeila)

 

(Spitzkoppe)

Day 9

Spitzoppe

Accommodation: Spitzkoppe Campsites

Early on this day, in the gentle sun of this morning, we made an ambitious plan to hike up the two main mountains. Upon reaching the first, and realizing the actual size of the boulders, we scaled back our goals a bit. While we enjoyed a short climb up its first level, our companions made a valiant attempt for the top, but were stopped halfway by treacherous rocks, heat, and a dead end. We retreated to the only shade in the area, offered by our raised car tents, for a nice lunch and re-hydration session. After, we explored the rock pools, which are a substantially easier climb. That evening we were treated to a wonderful farewell, a practically cloudless sky boasting an endless infinitude of stars.

(Our truck under a starry sky)

Day 10

Spitzkoppe to Windhoek

Accommodation: Cardboard Box Backpackers

On our final full day in the country we said goodbye to the wilderness and headed back to the capital. On the nice tarred highways it didn't take long, and we were back at the Cardboard Box by the early afternoon and had returned our truck by 4. That evening we ate at Joe’s Beerhouse, a locally famous restaurant specializing in game meat with a fun atmosphere. If you want to check it out I recommend making a reservation the day before, however it is something of a tourist trap and there are plenty of other good restaurants worth trying in Whindhoek, like The Namibia Institute of Culinary Education (NICE), for example.

A very early flight the next morning makes this effectively our last day of the trip. It was a great time; lots of cool activities in beautiful settings with a fun group of people. Namibia is still my favorite trip of all time, and I highly recommend it, especially for anyone already in the region.

Other destinations worth looking into not included in this trip:

- Twyfelfontein: ancient rock carvings, sacred place, beautiful at sunset

- Camping in Damaraland

- Fish River Canyon: supposedly the 2nd largest canyon in the world, open during the dry season

- Etosha Park: largest game park in the country centered around a large salt pan. Best during dry season when the animals come further south