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Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia
Namibia

Immerse yourself in spectacular scenery

Soar over the world's oldest desert in a hot air balloon

Namibia is home to world's largest cheetah population

Enjoy a bird's eye view of Namibia's vastness

Escape to the Skeleton Coast

Etosha is full of photographic opportunities

Find solitude beside the Kunene River

Etosha has a healthy lion population

Enjoy excellent for hiking, both guided & self-guided

Track desert-adapted elephants in damaraland

Enjoy a front row seat to the wildlife action

Visit colonies of Cape fur seals along the Namibian coast.

Namibia

Namibia: In depth

A guide to visiting Namibia

Take a Namibia holiday; this is African travel at its most varied! Flying in, driving yourself, or being guided: the choice is yours. A classic Namibian holiday might include sunrise on top of the world's highest dunes; a day relaxing in a hot mineral spring at the foot of the world's second-deepest canyon; a wildlife safari watching lion stalk huge herds of antelope – and an evening observing wild black rhino by moonlight.

You can meet a cheetah at close quarters, stroll through a petrified forest, marvel at ancient rock paintings and see footprints as old as a dinosaur – or as fresh and close as a leopard outside your tent. Namibia is a real travel adventure, like nowhere else on earth.

Where to go on holiday in Namibia

Namibia’s range of climate and tiny population make it an easy place to get away from it all. Even its key attractions are relatively undervisited, so you’re unlikely to encounter more than a handful of like-minded people as you seek out the dense herds of big game in Etosha National Park, or take in the show-stopping scenery of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. For something more offbeat, consider Damaraland, home to black rhino, elephant and other fascinating, desert-adapted wildlife. Then there are the vast, coastal wilderness of the Skeleton Coast, the rugged mountains of semi-desert Kaokoland, and Bushmanland – which are Namibia at its most remote.

If you can’t resist the thrill of adventure, then head for Namibia’s adrenalin capital, Swakopmund – where adventure activities abound, along with some exceptional excursions into the surrounding desert. Or combine adventure with the wilderness that is Fish River Canyon, a 500m-deep gouge in the landscape that makes a spectacular backdrop for hiking.

And if – like many Expert Africa clients – you are drawn back time and again to explore Namibia further, consider the more verdant Caprivi Strip, where you can combine a classic safari with boat trips on narrow waterways and perhaps add on a visit to Victoria Falls.

How to travel on a Namibian holiday

Travel in Namibia is very easy – although how you travel around Namibia is at least as crucial as where you travel.

There's a choice of different ways to travel around Namibia, and you should address the various options early when you're planning a holiday. Whilst styles can be 'mixed and matched', the choice boils down to driving yourself between different areas; being driven around everywhere by a guide; or being flown around.

Self-drive holidays in Namibia

Driving yourself is by far the most popular way to visit Namibia on holiday. This isn't intrepid exploration; we'll arrange normal 2WD car hire for you (4WD is available, but is mostly unnecessary), with a full itinerary, detailed route maps, and all the information that you'll need to drive yourself around. Driving yourself is the most economical way to travel, giving you complete freedom to create your own Namibian adventure at your own pace.

Distances might appear daunting, but Namibian roads are usually good, straight and empty. Driving is a joy in Namibia; it's far easier than a self-drive trip around Europe. We will advise you from first-hand knowledge and pre-arrange your trip – you simply hop into your hire car and drive away! In more remote areas, you'll often stay at small camps and lodges. From there we'll arrange for specialist naturalist guides to walk with you, or guide you around difficult 4WD terrain in their vehicles.

Our self-drive trips are totally flexible, but it's best not to rush them; you'll enjoy them most if you stay at least 2–3 nights at most places. (See a typical self-drive safari, or a full list of ideas for Namibia holidays.)

Fly-in safaris to Namibia

For those with limited time, or who don't want to drive themselves, flying around Namibia can be magical – albeit not the cheapest way to visit. Flying over Namibia's dramatic landscapes gives you a completely different perspective. You'll marvel at the size of the great Namib Desert, fly low over seal colonies and land at grass airstrips only a few miles from your camp.

Flying times vary from 30 minutes to a maximum of a few hours, and these trips can be almost as flexible as fly-drives. Choose where you stay from a selection of Namibia's top lodges, decide how long you stay at each, and then hop between them. (See a typical fly-in safari, or a full list of ideas for holidays to Namibia.)

Guided safaris around Namibia

If you don't want a self-drive holiday, but like the idea of travelling around Namibia by road, then you can opt to be driven around by an expert guide. The choice then is to join a small-group guided trip, or to have us organise a privately guided trip.

Guided camping and lodge safaris in Namibia

Guided trips are a great way to be travel around with a professional guide and other like-minded travellers. Many people are attracted to small-group safaris to Namibia because they're particularly good value and offer a simple, easy way to see the country. Many of these safaris don't charge an additional single supplement so they're also ideal for solo travellers. Our Wild about Africa programme has the widest range of safaris that you'll find anywhere; some taking trips using smart lodges, whilst others include time camping. (See example of guided Namibia safaris… )

Private guided safaris in Namibia

These are the ultimate in small-group guided trips: they're organised just for you. Families or friends often join together with us to design their own guided itinerary for a safari around Namibia. These can be as adventurous as you like; you choose they style: from simple camping trips to luxurious guided safaris. Again, you'll find the widest choice under the banner of our Wild about Africa programme. (See examples of private guided safaris in Africa… )

Namibia in context: background information

One of Africa’s newest countries, Namibia gained its independence from South Africa as late as 1990. Formerly known as South-West Africa, the country experienced a peaceful transition from years of foreign rule, first by Germany, then – after World War I – by South Africa. Today Namibia is a constitutional democracy with an entrenched Bill of Rights that provides for freedom of speech, press, assembly, association and religion. This is particularly important given the country’s diverse population, which includes the dominant Ovambo – who traditionally live in the fertile north – as well as the Damara, Herero, Himba and Bushmen people, and a considerable number of white Namibians.

Despite this diversity, Namibia’s population is tiny – only a little over two million people in a country that is larger than the UK and Germany combined, or twice the size of California. The reason is water – or lack of it. With permanent rivers only on its northern and southern boundaries, Namibia is exceedingly arid. For the most part, rain puts in a regular appearance only in the country’s more northerly regions, around December to March; further south and along the Namib coast, rain is increasingly rare, and may not fall from one year to the next. Temperatures, although similarly extreme in the desert, are more temperate elsewhere, with daytime averages around 25–35°C in the rainy season, cooling to 15–25°C in the winter months – and sometimes plummeting below zero at night. (To understand more about the weather, see Namibia’s climate statistics)

Namibia’s landscape is dominated by a central plateau, which is home to rolling hills and rich farmland. To the west, the land falls off in a dramatic escarpment down to the Namib Desert, which runs for 1,600km alongside the Atlantic Ocean, and is best known for the spectacular apricot-coloured dunes of Sossusvlei. To the east, the plateau slopes off more gradually, merging into the great sand sheet of the Kalahari Desert.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings in Namibia

This is their success in sighting key species on our trips in Namibia. Click on a species for more detail. How we work this out.


Hippo

81% success

Oryx

81% success

Elephant

79% success

Giraffe

68% success

Zebra

67% success

Buffalo

61% success

Wildebeest

56% success

Lion

52% success

Black Rhino

49% success

White Rhino

48% success

Eland

45% success

Sable antelope

24% success

Sitatunga

19% success

Roan antelope

19% success

Leopard

17% success

Brown Hyena

17% success

Spotted Hyena

16% success

Cheetah

16% success

Meerkat

13% success

Wild dog

8% success

Pangolin

3% success

Aardvark

2% success

Namibia holiday styles & special interests

From family adventures to romantic breaks, find ideas here for your perfect Namibia trip


Birdwatching

Birdwatching

Diverse habitats, discreet hides and superb guiding.

Cultural experiences

Cultural experiences

Get an insight into Africa's cultures and history.

Family holidays

Family holidays

Hand-picked camps for an incredible family safari.

Honeymoons

Honeymoons

Romantic safaris and castaway island retreats.

Luxury

Luxury

First-class service, scenic vistas and unparalleled comfort await you during these carefully selected luxury holidays. 

Photography holidays

Photography holidays

Great holidays to suit the keen photographer.

Private villas & houses

Private villas & houses

Enjoy Africa with just your friends & family

Riding holidays

Riding holidays

Explore Africa's wilderness on horseback.

Solo Travel

Solo Travel

Trip ideas ideally suited for a solo traveller.

Walking

Walking

Explore Africa's most scenic trails on foot.

Walking safaris

Walking safaris

Explore Africa's untouched wildernesses on foot.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing

Wellness escapes in stunning locations

Wildlife safaris

Wildlife safaris

These trips include hard-hitting game and fascinatingly elusive species alike, as well as superb guiding and a variety of diverse ecosystems.

Inspire me

Need inspiration?

Let our trip chooser narrow down the options for you

Inspire me

Our top trips in Namibia

Here are 24 great Namibia trips to inspire you.


Itinerary image

Chongololo Self-drive Safari

21 days • 11 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

This self-drive safari focuses on the best walking experiences in Namibia. Get your boots ready for the apricot dunes of the Namib Desert and the ancient hills of Damaraland.

US$5,580 - US$6,800 per person

Itinerary image

Hartebeest Self-drive Safari

16 days • 8 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

This self-drive safari focuses on the best cultural experiences in Namibia. Visit a Himba village and enjoy three days living with the San Bushmen interspersed with some excellent wildlife watching.

US$3,260 - US$3,920 per person

Itinerary image

Rock Hare Self-drive Safari

20 days • 12 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT

An in-depth look at Namibia from the Namib Desert to the Caprivi, with additional stops in Botswana and Victoria Falls. This three-week adventure includes an unrivalled mix of environments and is great value.

US$4,950 - US$6,940 per person

Itinerary image

Caracal Self-drive Safari

14 days • 8 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

The quintessential Namibian self-drive adventure exploring the highlights from Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert to Damaraland’s wilderness and a safari in Etosha. A great mix of accommodation and excellent value.

US$2,210 - US$3,670 per person

Itinerary image

Dune Lark Fly & Drive Safari

14 days • 8 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

A combination fly-in self-drive exploration of Namibia, with quick, easy and scenic flights in and out of Sossusvlei before a classic road trip adventure of the country’s rugged north.

US$4,480 - US$5,270 per person

Itinerary image

Brown Hyena Self-drive

14 days • 8 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

The perfect trip for those who want to mix the adventure and freedom of a self-drive with some of our favourite luxury camps in Namibia and a great mix of activities.

US$5,720 - US$7,190 per person

Itinerary image

Quiver Tree Self-drive Safari

14 days • 7 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

An offbeat Namibian self-drive adventure exploring the epic Fish River Canyon and fascinating Kolmanskop ghost town in the south, before turning north via the classic highlights of Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Damaraland.

US$2,020 - US$2,280 per person

Itinerary image

Black Wildebeest Self-drive Safari

19 days • 10 locations
CAPE TOWN AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

Journey from South Africa’s cosmopolitan Cape Town to central Namibia’s Okonjima Nature Reserve during this self-driven safari. The route passes through a stunning variety of landscapes, offering access to this beautiful continent’s rich diversity.

US$3,060 - US$3,450 per person

Itinerary image

Cape Fox Guided Safari

13 days • 7 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

A classic clockwise circuit around Namibia’s northern highlights with a private guide and vehicle. We can’t think of a better way to see more in this timeframe.

US$7,390 - US$8,960 per person

Itinerary image

Black-faced Impala Guided Safari

13 days • 6 locations
WINDHOEK AIRPORT TO WINDHOEK AIRPORT

A unique mix of luxury and adventure in our original, and perhaps most varied, destination on a privately guided Namibian overland safari. Perfect for families, friends or couples travelling together.

US$6,580 - US$8,610 per person

View all holidays in Namibia

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