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We (my wife and I) have decided to go to a dryer, more sunny place next winter for a week or 10 days. Well, at least: start a search. Various destinations are on the list and one of them is Namibia.
Does any of you have experiences traveling to Namibia as a holiday destination? Do's, don'ts, recommendations etc. The usual stuff I would say. Based on input here, we'll decide to keep it on the list or not.
If Wild Dog Safaris are still going they did some great trips about 10 years ago.
Can do a bit of travelling and tick off Botswana, okovango delta, Victoria falls/zimbabwe, some great sand dunes and the coast.
We did a trip there, but it was a while back (22 years, I think).
We landed in Windhoek, then self-drove down to Sossusvlei (which is incredible), staying nearby in a lodge, doing trips out from there.
We then went up to Swakopmund, and spent an afternoon fishing for sharks on the beach there (bronze sharks, I caught a couple weighing about 90-110 kg each, quite an effort to bring in).
From there we took off on a Schoeman safari (the original Skeleton Coast safari company). I think it is now prohibitively expensive, but it was incredible. Really amazing. They flew us to and from their own camps (4 of them dotted up the coast to the Angolan border), with a day and a couple of trips at each camp. It was just us two, our guide (one of the Schoeman brothers) and his wife, and our pilot.
They then dropped us off near the entrance to the Etosha NP, and we stayed in a lodge there doing trips into and around the park.
Home from there.
An incredible holiday, one I will remember for ever.
Most of Namibia's attraction is the mind-boggling differentness of the landscape. The windswept coast, massive dunes, ancient rocks (some of the oldest rock on planet earth) and barren-ness with very few lush (but still dry) valleys. It really does look like a different planet.
Etosha has game, very much concentrated around the chalk waterholes that provide completely white elephants.
None of the towns (that we visited) are anything to write home about.
But as I say, this was a while ago......
edit - a week is not long enough. It is a massive country and you will be spending too high a proportion of your time going between things. It needs 2 weeks minimum I think
I have only been to the Caprivi Strip which is not much like the rest of Namibia as it’s a fair bit greener (still dry though) than most of the country.
But it is a lovely unspoilt place
You can get a direct flight to Windhoek from Frankfurt twice a week now (stops off in Victoria Falls as well which is worth a trip) so no need to go via joburg.
It’s safe but there are areas of Windhoek that you should stay clear of
There is a little political unrest there at the moment, (same for most of Southern Africa) it’s simmering away but every now and again it boils over
I want to see more of the country.
Botswana is also worth a look.
Highlights from my time in Namibia:
- Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei and walking up Dune 45
- Quad-Biking in the Kalahari...other operators are available
- smelly seals at Cape Cross
- Spitzkoppe...if you like climbing (I stuck to taking photos)
And then Etosha National Park for its wildlife.
We did Namibia last year. Absolutely amazing place. Distances are also vast between the key sites and roads generally poor (lots of corrugated washboard roads) so 10 days might be a bit tight to see everything and feel like you’ve had a holiday.
As already said - a fabulous place and self-drivable.
It was 15 years ago or so but we stayed at Sossuvlei, Swakupmond, Cape Cross (I think), a couple of the lodges in Etosha along with the cheetah sanctuary and a couple of private reserves.
A country of incredibly varied landscapes and incredibly crappy roads.
Why not let someone else do the driving...eg Namibia Discovery (other operators and tours are available). Mind you their vehicles are built for the task and can be somewhat basic...link. However, much depends upon the style of the trip that you chose.
Even a Premium tour comes with a couple of warnings:
- This itinerary features some long travel days, which can be exacerbated by bumpy African roads. Please review the approximate durations of travel listed throughout the itinerary.
- As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.
Which is why it may be best to let them do the planning, driving etc.
I knew that I would be knocking on the right doors asking here about Namibia. Thanks for all the info!
My wife is in Paris for a week. She returns next week and I'll show her what's been written here!
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Those dunes are massive. It's also a bit nippy before sunrise too.
The Namib Sky Balloon Safari at dawn in the Sossusvlei area is absolutely magical, particularly if you can time it with a full moon.
The AfriCat Foundation at Okonjima Nature Reserve is a pretty cool place to call in at on the way to Etosha NP.
Or else the Cheetah Conservation Fund.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Curta
You can also visit the Dinosaur Footprints at Waterberg on that route north.
We picked up a nail on that run and stopped at the side of the road to put the spare on until we could find a tyre repairer (which every village seems to have). Within five minutes an audience of baboons had appeared out of nowhere, I have never swapped a wheel over so quickly. Needed a laundry as well as a vulcaniser.
Great place to visit and the lodges are very westernised - no food issues. I’d advise a tailor made self drive with pre booked accommodation. Two weeks with a 4 wheel hire. Plenty of options as mentioned by others. Unforgettable!
Who says Mars is not hospitable?
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My son volunteered for the U.S. Peace Corps several years ago and was assigned to Namibia - - Gobabis mostly, with a few visits to Windhoek. Lovely place, he said. He has gone back to see friends twice since.
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I had an almost identical puncture experience. Remoteness, midday sun and wild animals focussed the mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Curta
It's best not to forget what we Europeans did in SW Africa:
- Herero and Nama
- San people
By the end of the 18th century after the arrival of the Dutch, thousands of San had been killed and forced to work for the colonists. The British tried to "civilize" the San and make them adapt a more agricultural lifestyle, but were not successful. By the 1870s, the last San of the Cape were hunted to extinction, while other San were able to survive. The South African government used to issue licenses for people to hunt the San, with the last one being reportedly issued in Namibia in 1936.
Get a nice camera before you go. It’s stunning.
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Another photo site...KolmanskopQuote:
Originally Posted by bmpf