For the record, Namibia ranks very high among my favorite countries in Africa — only South Africa and maybe Morocco tops this country for me. The natural highlights of Namibia are surreal… endless sand dunes, giant canyons, towering rock monuments, and an outstanding variety of wildlife. The US Dollar goes far here. If you’ve never thought about visiting Namibia, it deserves to be on your radar. Below I’ve linked to every post I’ve written about this country so click away if you missed one or want to plan your own trip here.
My 30-day tour officially concludes in Johannesburg. First order of business: get to Namibia and travel there before it’s too hot. I’m delighted to reunite with my Uganda tour guides Riaan and Juliana!
Etosha National Park has the best variety of wildlife in Namibia. We spot gemsbok antelope — their horns are nearly three feet long! — and spy an elephant taking a mud bath.
Party Animals at the Watering Hole
This watering hole at Etosha National Park is THE hottest late night party in Namibia. Everyone shows up — giraffes, gemsbok, and of course bachelor elephants. Don’t mind the rhinos, they’re always horny. Click through for more of these party animals.
Our full day game drive in Etosha is sprinkled with close wildlife encounters — with rhinos, elephants, zebras, cheetahs, giraffes, ostriches, and most notably a pair of lions.
We return to the watering hole for an encore performance — but instead of wildlife, the sunset is the (literal) star of tonight’s show. I will never get tired of African sunsets.
If a photo is worth a thousand words and there are 29.97 frames per second of video (#TVmajor), then this video recap of our time in Etosha National Park, Namibia is worth 5,214,780 words.
We spend the night at Cheetah Park which is as awesome as it sounds. They’re so friendly to cuddle with… until the donkey meat comes out. And did you know that cheetahs have Boston accents?
Details of our poolside fun at Cheetah Park, followed by a peaceful night of camping under the stars. It’s only day four but I am already in love with Namibia.
Spitzkoppe is a majestic part of Namibia — monumental rock formations tower above our campsite and boulders spill over the landscape. It’s a sight to behold.
Bushman Paradise in Spitzkoppe
Our afternoon walk at Spitzkoppe leads us to Bushman’s Paradise — a cave of ancient rock art, featuring painted rhinos and other creatures. But the trek there and back is the real highlight.
African Christmas Under the Stars
We spontaneously decide to celebrate Christmas in the middle of August, then set up our sleeping bags outside (no tents!) to camp under the stars. It’s a glorious evening.
I wake up before dawn to watch the colors change over Spitzkoppe, Namibia as the sun comes up. This is a remarkable place to catch sunrise.
Is this Namibia or Germany? Swakopmund has strong ties to its colonial roots — the language and architecture here make it feel like a European village. With sand dunes.
Quad Biking on Namibia’s Dunes
Hey, remember that time I went quad biking over sand dunes in Namibia? No? Let me tell you all about it.
Check out this video footage of my quad bike experience over the sand dunes in Swakopmund, Namibia. Epic is not an overstatement!
The motto for overland travel should be, “It’s all about the journey.” Today’s post is about the quirky and unexpected sights we encounter on a day of driving through Namibia — the Tropic of Capricorn, a junkyard of classic cars, and a desert bakery that makes THE BEST apple crumble.
This part of Namibia — called Sossusvlei — ranks among the most fascinating landscapes I’ve ever encountered. Check out this dead lake that dried up centuries ago, leaving behind tree trunks that look like scorched skeletons.
We get up early to climb Dune 45 at sunrise — it’s the only sand dune open to the public at Sossusvlei, and it’s the size of a skyscraper. Views from the top are extraordinary.
Here’s a recap of two neat campgrounds we stay at in Namibia — one has impressive hot springs and a swimming pool where we lounge all afternoon. Then we cook homemade pizzas for dinner. This is the life!
Breathtaking Fish River Canyon
Fish River Canyon is the largest canyon in Africa — it’s actually a double canyon, with two levels of plateaus and a scenic river that cuts through the heart of it. The expanse is breathtaking.
Chillaxing on the Orange River
We lounge by the Orange River that marks the border between Namibia and South Africa. It’s our final day in this spectacular country and the views couldn’t be better!
Check out my video highlights from Namibia — the best of our wildlife and nature encounters over 10+ days in this stunning country.
