The Ultimate Guide To A Namibia Safari: Major Attractions, Top Destinations, Things To Do, And More

With a land area of 824,292 sq. km (318,261 sq. mi) and a human population of just 2.5 million people, Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Africa. It is also one of Sub-Saharan Africa's driest countries, as vast swathes of the country are dominated by two major deserts: the Namib and the Kalahari.

The Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world and it stretches along the entire Namibian coastline, extending north into Angola and south into South Africa. Namibia is also home to the largest canyon in Africa - the Fish River Canyon.

These extreme landscapes coupled with the unique desert-adapted wildlife found in the country makes Namibia a very interesting and unique safari destination. For those who love adventure travel and landscape photography, Namibia is a must-visit.

Self-drive safaris are very popular in Namibia. You can rent a 4x4 vehicle and choose to travel with or without a tour guide. There are also several tour operators who offer fantastic regular guided tours exploring this beautiful country. Many tour operators also operate private fly-in safaris to the most remote parts of the country.

Here we have provided an overview of Namibia as a safari destination in order to give you some insights that will help you plan your trip.

If you'd like to request a free Namibia safari recommendation that fits your specific needs, click here.

Major Attractions In Namibia

Some of the biggest attractions for safari-goers in Namibia include:

  • The Big 5 - Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino (both black rhino and white rhino) are all present in Namibia.
  • Desert-adapted Wildlife - Namibia is home to unique desert-adapted populations of various savanna animals including elephant, lion, and giraffe. These populations have learned to maximize the scarce resources available in order to survive in extremely dry landscapes. These animals behave very differently from their counterparts in lusher parts of the continent.
  • Southwest Africa specialist species - There are also several unique species that are only found in southwestern Africa's Namib-Kalahari-Karoo arid zone. These include the brown hyena, meerkat (suricate), Cape fox, gemsbok, and springbok. Safari-goers in Namibia have the chance to see these fascinating creatures.
  • Extreme landscapes - Namibia is a land of extremes. It contains the world's largest desert (the Namib Desert) as well as part of another major African desert (the Kalahari). The Namib Desert dominates the coastline, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Africa's largest canyon - the Fish River Canyon - is also found in Namibia. These interesting and extreme landscapes make Namibia a heaven for landscape photographers.
  • Fascinating cultures - The indigenous people of Namibia such as the Himba, Herero, and the San have developed unique ways of life that have helped them survive in this challenging arid landscape for millennia. Visitors to Namibia have the opportunity to interact with these local communities and learn about their interesting cultures and traditions.
  • Prehistoric rock art - The largest concentration of prehistoric rock engravings in Southern Africa is found in Namibia, giving visitors a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the people who lived here thousands of years ago.

Top Safari Destinations In Namibia

Etosha National Park

This is Namibia's premier wildlife safari destination. A massive salt pan covers a large chunk of the park and is visible from space. The park's waterholes draw wildlife in from miles around during the dry season. 4 of the Big 5 are present in the park, with buffalo being absent. Etosha is one of the best places to see black rhinos in Southern Africa.

There are also healthy numbers of lion and elephant along with plenty of other wildlife including zebra, wildebeest, springbok, and gemsbok. The Anderssons at Ongava wildlife photography hide gives visitors the opportunity to take stunning eye-level photos of wildlife as they come to drink at a waterhole.

Namib-Naukluft National Park

Located in the heart of the Namib Desert, this park offers visitors a chance to experience the wonders of the world's most ancient desert. The clay-and-salt pans of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei feature 900-year old dead trees in stark bone-dry pans encircled by towering red sand dunes. The trees have not decomposed due to the extremely dry climate. The striking contrast between the bleached-white pans, pitch-black trees, rusty-red dunes, and deep blue sky make for incredible landscape photography.

Hiking up various sand dunes in the early morning or late afternoon is also a popular activity for visitors to Namib-Naukluft National Park.

Skeleton Coast, Damaraland, Kaokoveld, and the Hoanib Valley

This remote part of northwestern Namibia is home to fascinating populations of desert-adapted wildlife including desert lions, desert elephants, and desert giraffes. These are not different species but simply lions, elephants, and giraffes that have adapted their behavior in order to survive in the desert. Visitors can also tour the windswept coastline for a chance to witness brown hyenas hunting Cape fur seals on the beach.

The Skeleton Coast also has some eerie post-apocalyptic scenes of shipwrecks and a collapsed abandoned oil drilling rig from a bygone era. Cape Cross, along the Skeleton Coast, is the world's largest Cape fur seal breeding colony, with over 100,000 Cape fur seals breeding here. Note, however, that the smell at the colony is quite bad, so be prepared for that if you choose to visit.

Twyfelfontein and Brandberg Mountain

Twyfelfontein is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Kunene region of northwestern Namibia that preserves a wealth of rock art made between 2,000 and 10,000 years ago. It has the largest concentration of rock engravings in Southern Africa and provides deep insights into the lives of the people who inhabited this region during prehistoric times.

Brandberg Mountain is not far from Twyfelfontein and also has some ancient rock art. It is the tallest mountain in Namibia, standing at 2,573 m (8,442 ft) high.

Okonjima Nature Reserve

22,000-hectare private nature reserve located about halfway between Windhoek and Etosha National Park, on Namibia's Central Plateau. Okonjima is known for regular sightings of pangolin, brown hyena, and leopard.

The Big 5 are all present as well as other interesting wildlife such as Hartmann's mountain zebra, black-faced impala, Damara dik-dik, honey badger, caracal, African wild dog, and cheetah.

It is also the home base of the AfriCat Foundation. Guests can go leopard tracking, rhino tracking, and pangolin tracking, as well as visit the AfriCat Carnivore Care Centre. Night game drives are also done here.

Erindi Private Game Reserve

This 70,719-hectare reserve is also located on the Central Plateau, not very far south of Okonjima. Like Okonjima, Erindi is home to all the Big Five along with a plethora of other wildlife.

They also run several research and conservation projects focused on a range of different species. Some of the focus animals for their projects include aardvark. honey badger, pangolin, serval, African wild dog, cheetah, leopard, lion, spotted hyena, and elephant.

Fish River Canyon 

At 160 km (100 mi) long, 27 km (17 mi) wide, and up to 550 meters (1,804 feet) deep, this is the largest canyon in Africa and one of the largest in the world. It is a very dramatic landscape that leaves anyone who visits it in pure awe.

Visitors can hike down into the depths of the canyon or admire its scenic beauty from various viewpoints. The nearby Quiver Tree Forest is another incredibly beautiful landscape worth a visit if you have an extra day.

    Things To Do On Safari In Namibia

    The following are just some of the activities available to safari-goers in Namibia. The list is not exhaustive. Availability of specific activities depends on the destination you visit and/or the tour operator you travel with.

    • Standard game drives - includes morning game drives, afternoon game drives, and full-day game drives
    • Night game drives
    • Walking safaris
    • Sand dune hikes
    • Horseback riding
    • Cycling through the desert
    • Hot air balloon ride over the Namib Desert
    • Birding safaris
    • Hide photography
    • Dolphin and whale watching at Swakopmund
    • Remote camping safaris - including mobile camping and fly camping
    • Bush breakfasts, bush lunches, bush dinners
    • Sundowners
    • Visit Walvis Bay - Sandwich Harbour, Pink Lake, Desert Moon Valley
    • Visit Kolmanskop Ghost Town
    • Visit the Caprivi Strip
    • Visit Epupa Falls
    • Cultural tours

    Best Times Of Year To Visit Namibia

    Namibia can be visited year-round but the best time of year for safaris is June to October, which is the dry winter season. The temperatures are cooler and more pleasant than the summer months and the animals are more concentrated around water sources, making wildlife easier to spot.

    November to March are the wettest and hottest months. The wildlife is more scattered across the landscape during this period, making wildlife viewing more challenging. Note, however, that the rains in Namibia are usually brief showers/storms in the afternoon, so they won't affect your trip too much if rainy weather is your main concern.

    For those keen on birding, you may want to visit in the November-March period as this is when most resident birds are breeding and the Palearctic migrants are around as well, which makes for excellent birding.

    July to October is the tourism high season, although parks in Namibia never get as crowded as those in more popular destinations like Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. December to April is the low season.

    What To Carry On Your Namibia Safari

    Here are some of the key things to pack for your Namibia safari.

    • Sunscreen
    • Hat and sunglasses
    • Pack light clothing for the warm weather, but it gets very cold in the evenings and early mornings so don't forget to pack some warm layers too. In the desert regions, temperatures can drop to as low as freezing at night.
    • Comfortable walking shoes and open shoes. Carry hiking boots if you plan to do a walking safari or a challenging hike, but try to avoid very heavy boots as they can be uncomfortable in the warm weather.
    • Insect repellent can also come in handy (although lodges, hotels, and tented camps have mosquito nets in the rooms).
    • Some people like to take anti-malaria drugs too. Please consult your doctor. Malaria risk is highest in the northern regions (Caprivi Strip, Kavango, Kunene) and low in the rest of Namibia.
    • Any other medication you may need depending on your specific medical situation (please consult your doctor).
    • You'll have plenty of great photographic opportunities so a camera is always great to have.
    • Binoculars can help spot distant wildlife, and if you're a birder you already know these are a must-have for you.

    Other Basic Facts About Namibia

    • Size - 824,292 sq. km (318,261 sq. mi) 
    • National/Official Language - English
    • Official Currency - Namibian Dollar (NAD/N$)
    • Capital City - Windhoek
    • No. of Ethnic Groups - 11
    • Rainy Season - November to March

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