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Bucket list ideas:

26 Best things to see & do in Namibia

  • Namibia

Last updated: 22 September, 2024
Expert travel writer: Richard Holmes
  • Namib-Naukluft National Park, Erongo Region, Namibia

Sand dunes of Sossusvlei

Bucket List Experience

Sand dunes of Sossusvlei

The ancient dunes of Sossusvlei are amongst the highest in the world. These towering mountains of shifting ochre sand attract adventurous travellers from the world over, keen to climb the dunes – notably the lofty heights of ‘Big Daddy’ or Dune 45.

It’s worth the climb to admire the eye-watering views of this sandy sea stretching away to the Atlantic.

Good for age: 13+

Duration: 1-4 hours

  • Namib-Naukluft National Park, Erongo, Namibia

There are few more enjoyable ways to soak up Namibia‘s serene landscapes than from the silence of a hot-air balloon. Coasting on the airwaves doesn’t come cheap though, so if you’re going to splash out make sure the scenery’s worth the splurge.

In Sossusvlei, home to the world’s most beautiful dunes, that means dawn take-offs that have you soaring over the ochre sands for an hour, before a gentle touchdown and Champagne breakfast on the sands of one of the world’s oldest deserts.

Adult price: £450

Min age 7

Good for age: 10+

Duration: 4 hours

  • Etosha National Park, Oshikoto Region, Namibia

Safari in Etosha National Park

Bucket List Experience

Safari in Etosha National Park

‘The Great White Place of Dry Water’ is easily Namibia’s most popular safari destination, and one of the finest game reserves in Africa. Established in 1907, the highlight of the 20,000 sq km park is its namesake: a vast pan that – according to legend – was formed by the tears of a grieving widow.

Heavy rains can briefly fill the pan, transforming it into a haven of birdlife, but throughout the year waterholes and springs along its fringes attract the 114 species of mammal that call the park home.

Camps and lodges will offer daily game drives – usually at dawn and sunset when the animals are more active, and the temperature more amenable. Some camps will also be built around to close to waterholes, which brings the game to you.

It’s Namibia’s top safari destination and one of the best in Africa, good for both self-drive and guided safaris. A multi-day safari here is a must for any visit to Namibia.

Good for age: 8+

Duration: 2-3 days

  • Kunene Region, Namibia

Ugabmund gate at Skeleton Coast National Park

Bucket List Experience

Skeleton Coast National Park

This deserted corner of north-western Namibia hides myriad charms beneath a façade of sun-baked desolation. Running for 500-kilometres south from the border with Angola, the coastline is named for the metal ribs of ships that have fallen foul of this treacherous coast and its enveloping fog.

Today, these wrecks are but one of the sights worth discovering: from a handful of eco-minded lodges in the region, visitors can also encounter raucous seal colonies and spot unique desert-adapted wildlife including elephant, rhino, lion and hyena. But the highlight is, quite simply, the enigmatic landscape of lonely beaches and shifting sands.

Adult price: £200

Good for age: 8+

  • Swakopmund, Erongo Region, Namibia

Stretching away from the town, is the glorious, sand-filled wilderness of the Namib desert. ‘Namib’ in the local dialect means ‘vast and empty’, and the visitor’s initial impression is one of dune-filled isolation. But there is life here, and fascinating wildlife tours offer the opportunity to go out and discover the incredible and unusual endemic wildlife that somehow manages to survive here.

Expert guides, driving 4WDs, will take you deep into the dunes to discover ancient rock formations, dune geckos and sidewinder snakes. As you go, they’ll explain the unique geology and ecology of this exceptional landscape.

Full-day tours will also include a visit to the famous ‘Moon Landscape’ outside of Swakopmund, where you’ll encounter welwitschia mirabilis plants, famous for their long, strap-like leaves.

Adult price: £45

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 4-8 hours

  • Walvis Bay, Erongo Region, Namibia

The Sossusvlei desert meeting Walvis Bay

Bucket List Experience

Walvis Bay [boating & kayaking]

The region that earned its keep – and name – from whaling is now somewhat ironically better known for abundant wildlife and biodiversity than harpoons in the surprisingly rich waters offshore.

Boating and kayaking ecotours are top draw. Birdlife is prolific, and close-up encounters with pelicans, flamingos and petrels are all but assured.

The same goes for the ubiquitous Cape Fur seals, while dolphins, penguins and even sunfish are occasionally seen. Tours end with Champagne and a platter of fresh local oysters.

Adult price: £40

Good for age: 8+

Duration: Half-day

  • Namib-Naukluft National Park, Erongo Region, Namibia

Sandwich Harbour

Bucket List Experience

Sandwich Harbour

The natural lagoon at Sandwich Harbour – 55kms south of Walvis Bay and within the Namib-Naukluft National Park – is renowned as one of the best birding locations on the African coast, attracting thousands of migratory fowl in early summer (October-November).

Designated a Ramsar ‘wetland of global importance’, the combination of dunes and lagoon is breathtaking, while the dramatic 4WD drive along the coast – with the chance to sight springbok and brown hyena – make this one of the Atlantic coastline’s natural wonders.

Adult price: £75

Good for age: 8+

  • Swakopmund, Erongo Region, Namibia

Man and instructor in tandem

Bucket List Experience

Skydive over the Namib Desert

As Namibia’s adventure capital, skydives are a popular option for adrenalin-charged travellers in Swakopmund. Unless you’re a qualified ‘jumper’, you’ll need to sign up for a tandem skydive, which offers a scenic flight, then half a minute of jaw-dropping freefall and a leisurely float back to terra firma. Panoramic views come as standard.

No, it’s not unlike skydiving anywhere else in the world, but those desert vistas from 10,000 feet are unbeatable.

Adult price: £150

Min age 16

Good for age: 16+

Duration: 2 hours

  • Swakopmund, Erongo Region, Namibia

Swakopmund has become one of Africa’s adventure playgrounds, and the low-key holiday town of Swakopmund is the best place to score sandy thrills in Namibia. The setting is the nearby, sand-covered dune-filled wilderness of the Namib desert.

Quad bike adventures through the oversized dunes (some of which have enticing names like ‘Big Billy’ or ‘Devils’ Dip’) are top of the list for most visitors and a thrilling way to experience the desert’s unlimited expanse. Tours range from 45 minutes to two hours and cover up to 55kms of desert.

It’s also a great place to try sandboarding, with half-day trips to giant sand dunes that even beginners can be slaloming down in no time.

You can also mountain bike on the dunes and ride on a camel.

Adult price: £20

Good for age: 8+

Duration: 45mins - 2 hours

  • Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia

the front of the train with steam rising

Bucket List Experience

Desert Express

There are few better ways to travel from the capital to the coast – or back again – than this overnight, low-key-luxury train service. Wide picture windows from each of the train’s 24 compartments provide panoramic views as bushveld and lonely farmlands give way to coastal dunes, while the spacious lounge and restaurant carriages offer comfortable corners to while away the 22-hour journey that includes a safari or sundowner stop.

The on-board restaurant serves up hearty Namibian cuisine, and has a decent wine list.

 

Adult price: £200

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 22 hours

  • Kunene , Namibia

a close up portrait of a himba woman pitctured with long hair and two necklaces

Bucket List Experience

Epupa Falls & Himba Tribes

The remote far-northern regions of Namibia are not easy to access, but reward the tenacious traveller with enigmatic desert landscapes cut through by a splash of green on the banks of the Kunene River, the highlight of which is the Epupa Falls.

In the Herero language of northern Namibia, Epupa translates as ‘falling water’, and the series of glittering cataracts that make up the Epupa Falls – as the Kunene River tumbles some 50-metres through a series of gorges – is certainly a highlight of this remote corner of the country. It’s no Victoria Falls, but what makes the falls a stand-out is their very presence in such a stark and arid landscape.

Lodges nearby can arrange activities on the river, from guided hikes and birding boat trips to seasonal river-rafting and kayaking trips in the high-water season between May and November.

Beyond the river, cultural excursions to meet the region’s Himba people are a further highlight. Famed for their ochre body paint and semi-nomadic lifestyle, a visit to Himba villages offers a unique insight into an ancient way of life

Good for age: 13+

Twyfelfontein

  • Kunene Region, Namibia

Bushman prehistoric rock engravings in orange and blue

Experience

One of just two World Heritage Sites in Namibia, Twyfelfontein in Damaraland is home to a remarkable collection of cave paintings and etchings dating back 10,000 years.

Good for age: 18+

Cape Cross Seal Colony

  • Cape Cross, Erongo Region, Namibia

A large group of seals looking at the camera at Cape cross

Experience

One of the largest seal colonies in the world, Cape Cross is a worthwhile day out from Swakopmund, and the lonely 200km round-trip offers fantastic sea and desert panoramas.

Good for age: 4+

Duration: 1 day

Independence Memorial Museum

  • Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia

Independence Memorial Museum

Experience

Locals dub this unusual building ‘The Coffee Machine’, but within the Independence Memorial Museum you’ll find stirring exhibitions and archives covering Namibia’s journey from colonialism through liberation struggle to independence. Entrance is free, and the top-floor café has excellent views of the city.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: 1-2 hours

Kolmanskop

  • Karas Region, Namibia

The deserted Kolmanskop in the Namib desert

Experience

This enigmatic ghost town near Luderitz echoes the heyday of Namibia’s early 20th-century diamond boom. Today the desert is slowly, hauntingly, reclaiming what was one of the wealthiest towns in the world.

Good for age: 10+

Wild horses of Aus

  • Aus, Karas Region, Namibia

Wild horses on their hind legs fighting in the desert

Experience

Mysterious herds of wild horses roam the sandy grasslands of the Namib Desert, rumoured to be descended from German army horses stationed here in World War I. Dozens gather each day at the waterhole near the settlement of Aus.

Good for age: 8+

Duration: 1-2 hours

Namibia Craft Centre

  • Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia

Namibia Craft Centre

Experience

Set in the Old Breweries Complex in central Windhoek, the Namibia Craft Centre offers souvenirs and handicrafts from across Namibia. Home to more than 40 craft enterprises – largely community- or women-owned – you’ll find everything from Himba jewellery to hand-woven Zambezi baskets. Look out for the excellent collection of Namibian art and music too.

Good for age: 8+

Duration: 1-2 hours

Spitzkoppe

  • Spitzkoppe, Erongo Region, Namibia

Spitzkoppe Mountain in an orange and yellow light, the mountain glowing red

Experience

This group of dramatic granite peaks soar 1728m above the rocky deserts of Damaraland in the Namib Desert, creating a wild, starkly beautiful paradise for hikers and climbers. There’s a campsite at the foot of the main peak, but you’ll need to be self-sufficient or book into nearby lodges.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: 3-4 hours

National Botanic Garden of Namibia

  • Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia

National Botanic Garden of Namibia

Experience

More inner-city nature reserve than manicured garden, the 12-hectare National Botanic Garden of Namibia offers a selection of walking trails to explore. Useful information boards highlight key species, from endemic succulents to the enigmatic quiver tree. Open Monday to Friday. Free entrance.

Good for age: 8+

Duration: 1-2 hours

Fish River Canyon

  • Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Karas Region, Namibia

an aerial shot of the landscape of the canyon

Experience

The world’s second-largest canyon is a dramatic natural wonder in the south of the country. Tackle the 5-day, 85-kilometre hiking trail, or admire the canyon from viewpoints near Hobas.

Good for age: 18+

Joe’s Beerhouse

  • Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia

the interior of Joe's Beerhouse

Experience

No visit to Windhoek is complete without a stop at this offbeat eatery where the Windhoek lager is always cold and the enormous portions of grillhaxe (pork knuckle) fly out of the kitchen. Take a wander to admire the quirky décor between courses.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: 2-3 hours

Desert golf at Rossmund

  • Swakopmund, Erongo Region, Namibia

The green gold course at Roosmund

Experience

Set in the dry Swakop River, with the Namib Desert as a backdrop, the Rossmund Golf Resort offers an 18-hole par-72 layout with striking views, grassy fairways and wildlife to keep players on their toes.

Adult price: £12

Good for age: 8+

Duration: 2+ hours

Hilton Skybar

  • Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia

Hilton Skybar

Experience

The rooftop Skybar at the Hilton Windhoek is the city’s finest sundowner spot, with glorious views and a particularly impressive gin menu, with a collection of Namibian craft gins infused with local botanicals.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: 1-2 hours

Tiger Reef Beach Bar

  • Swakopmund, Erongo Region, Namibia

Tiger Reef Beach Bar

Experience

With Adirondack chairs set just metres from the sea, this rustic beach bar in the mouth of the Swakop River is the best place in Swakopmund for sundowners. Make like the locals and drink beer, not Bellinis.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: 1-2 hours

McGregor’s Bakery & Solitaire Lodge

  • Solitaire, Khomas Region, Namibia

McGregor’s Bakery & Solitaire Lodge

Experience

Break the long journey from Sossusvlei to Swakopmund in Solitaire, a middle-of-nowhere settlement famous for the apple pie at McGregor’s Bakery. The Solitaire Lodge also offers 25 en-suite rooms and wonderful desert views.

Good for age: 18+

The Tug

  • Swakopmund, Erongo Region, Namibia

The Tug

Experience

If you’re not devouring your weight in eisbein at the Brauhaus, beachfront seafood eatery The Tug is the best place to eat in Swakopmund. Phone ahead for a window seat.

Good for age: 18+

Duration: 1-2 hours