A Two Week Long Road Trip in Namibia

I spent two weeks traveling through Namibia with my partner covering parts of both the north and south of the country. We built our trip around Kolmanskop, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Swakopmund and Etosha National Park.

This post contains my best trip planning advice, as well as an overview of my itinerary and budget. To start reading the travel journal posts, please scroll to the bottom of the page for links.

The first seeds of my Namibia road trip were planted years ago when I saw photographs of Deadvlei in National Geographic magazine. To me, the black tree skeletons standing in cracked earth surrounded by towering orange dunes looked like an exotic dreamscape – something so far beyond my own experience and so beautiful that it was almost impossible to accept that it was a real place.

Then, in 2016 I came across this article in the New York Times about a group of South African women road-tripping through Namibia. This started a new obsession with planning my own road trip here. I spent hours researching in the Trip Advisor and Thorn Tree forums, reading blogs and poring over maps. Finally, in late August 2018 I left for Namibia.

First, here is an overview of my trip:

Day	Lodging	Hotel Cost	Basic Itinerary	Driving Time & Distance
-2	En route		Depart from JFK
-1	En route		Layover in Doha Qatar; Doha City Tour
1	Kalahari Anib Lodge	$195	Pick up truck rental and drive to our lodge.	281 km, 3.5 hrs, all on B1
2	Aus, Orange House Cottage	$158	Quiver Tree Forest, Cole Lithoparium, Aus horse blind.	475 km, 6 hrs
3	Aus, Orange House Cottage	$158	Kolmanskopp, Luderitz Peninsula.	125 k to Luderitz, 1 hr 20 mins
4	Duwisib Castle	$163	Explore abandoned house near Aus, Elizabeth Bay Tour, scenic drive to Duwisib Castle.	350 km, 6-7 hrs
5	Sossus Dune Lodge	$500	Sunrise walk at Duwisib, Drive to Sossusvlei via Namibrand Nature Reserve, Dune 40, Sunset hike to Hidden Vlei.	164 km, 3.5 hrs
6	Tsauchab River Lodge	$98	Sunrise at Deadvlei, exploring the park, sunset 4x4 drive at Tsauchab River Lodge.	56 km, 1 hr 10 mins
7	Swakopmund, Meerkat Guesthouse	$121	Picnic en route to Swakopmund, Zeila shipwreck.	356 km, 6-7 hrs
8	Swakopmund, Meerkat Guesthouse	$121	Sandwich Bay tour, scenic flight.
9	Damaraland (Uis), Daureb Isib B&B	$85	Spitzkoppe, drive to Uis.	253 km, 5 hrs
10	Etosha Safari Camp	$165	Drive to Etosha, sunset at Okakuejo water hole.	325 km, 6.5 hrs
11	Etosha, Halali Camp	$229	Self drive safari.	Approx 150 km
12	Windhoek, Immanuel Wilderness Lodge	$125	Morning self drive safari, drive to Windhoek for last night.	481 km, 5-6 hrs
13	En route.		Depart from Windhoek.	47 km, 45 mins
14	Home

And here are my total costs:

Item	Per Person Cost
Flight	$1260
Half of truck rental	$600
Half of hotels	$1059
Half of gas	$200
Food	$420
Entrance Fees	$70
Elizabeth Bay Tour	$54
Sandwich Harbour Tour	$125
Flightseeing Tour	$280
Misc Expenses	$150
Total	$4218

When to Go

I chose late August/early September to visit Namibia because this is the coolest and driest time to visit. It was about 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and 40-60 degrees at night, depending on the location. No bug problems during this time. This is the high season, so it’s also the most expensive and busy time to be in Namibia. Even so, I found Namibia to be uncrowded and affordable.

Itinerary

In my own research, the advice I found often suggested focusing on either the north or the south of Namibia. This is generally good advice but I ultimately created an itinerary that included sites in both parts of the country.

When researching I assumed this trip would be my only visit to Namibia, so I made a list of everything I wanted to see and prioritized them from first to last. Then I planned my trip around that list, excluding lower-priority places as needed.

The four main pillars of my trip were Kolmanskop (south), Deadvlei (central), Sandwich Harbour near Swakopmund (central), and Etosha National Park (north). Everything else we visited I was able to fit in because it was along the route.

I can recommend that if you do not prioritize seeing big game animals, then you can do away with Etosha and spend more time in the Kalahari and Damaraland.

I would also drop the flightseeing tour that we did from Swakopmund- the cost of this tour did not justify the experience in my opinion.

Flights

You’ll need to fly in and out of the capital of Namibia, Windhoek, which is located in central Namibia. I flew Qatar Airways from JFK because they are one of the few airlines that has a flight from the east coast with only one stop en route to Windhoek. We had a 10 hour layover in Doha and were able to book an inexpensive city tour while there. I wrote about this in another post.

Lodging

Before booking any lodging I worked out my basic itinerary and then booked our overnights around that. I went for a combination of B&Bs, vacation rentals and lodges. I booked the Sossus Dune Lodge, the Etosha Halali Camp, and Duwisib Castle directly on the NWR website. Be careful that you book through NWR directly. There are a few companies out there that look like the official places to book but are not. They are not necessarily scams – they are just third parties that will charge you a premium for them to book the hotel for you. Examples are Madbookings, Sossusdunelodge.com, and Namibianwildliferesorts.com. Only use the official NWR website which has the address of https://www.nwr.com.na/

Most of the other hotels I booked via Expedia or Booking.com. I tried to keep our hotel nights under $200 where possible. My only splurge was the Sossus Dune Lodge inside the national park for one night. Staying at this lodge allows you early and late access to the park. As a photographer, this was well worth it to me.

Here are links to all the hotels I stayed at. These links lead to the exact site I booked through:

Day 1- Kalahari Anib Lodge
Days 2-3 – Orange House Self Catering Unit, Aus (Expedia link)
Day 4 – Duwisib Castle
Day 5 – Sossus Dune Lodge
Day 6 – Tsauchab River Lodge (Expedia Link)
Days 7-8 – Meerkat Guesthouse, Swakopmund (Expedia Link)
Day 9 – Daureb Isib B&B, Uis (Booking.com Link)
Day 10 – Etosha Safari Camp
Day 11 – Halali Resort, Etosha National Park
Day 12 – Immanuel Wilderness Lodge, Windhoek

The view from our chalet at the Sossus Dune Lodge

Arrival

The Windhoek airport is small so it doesn’t take too long to go through immigration formalities. The immigration officer will ask you about your itinerary and where you will be staying during your trip. I saw a lot of people fumble around in their bags to find their itineraries and hotel info, so if you have this readily available, or a picture of your reservations on your phone, that will help speed things up.

Vehicle Rental & Pickup

I knew that I wanted a 4×4 vehicle with heavy-duty tires for driving on the sand and the many gravel roads in Namibia. Most vehicles in Namibia have manual transmissions – expect to pay more and have limited choice if you can’t drive a stick. I ended up renting a 2013 manual Toyota Hilux from Namvic Tours & Safaris. They had the least expensive offer and were generally well-reviewed, and were always responsive when I emailed them. I did run across a few negative reviews after booking my car detailing problems with the vehicles and issues with insurance, so I was nervous before traveling. Ultimately my experience with them ended up being very positive. Our truck was in great condition and had brand-new tires. We did not experience any issues at all for the duration of our tour. During my research I also saw the most positive feedback about Advanced Car Hire if you are looking for another reputable company.

It is possible to rent a 2 wheel drive car and make it work, but I would not recommend it. The only benefit you will get out of this is the lower cost, but it may end up costing you valuable time. The tires on cars are small, making them more prone to flats and getting stuck in sand or gravel. You may need to wait a long time for help if you need it.

If you are not renting from one of the international companies like Avis or Europcar located in the terminal, you’ll probably have an airport transfer included in your rental cost. Make sure you confirm this when you rent your vehicle. They’ll need your flight information at some point before you arrive and will send a driver to collect you and take you to their office.

When we entered the arrivals hall at Windoek airport, we were approached by other drivers looking for their customers. When we told them we were with Namvic they were able to look around and tell us that they did not see a Namvic representative. This place is small and most people seem to know each other if they’re in the same business. I overheard a woman speaking to the Information Desk staff about Namvic so I went over to tell her we were waiting for them too. The Info desk staff called them and confirmed that our ride was on the way. A few minutes later a guy comes in wearing a Namvic uniform and apologizes for the delay.

Three groups of renters follow him out to a safari vehicle pulling a trailer. He loads our luggage in the trailer and it’s an easy drive to their office. Upon arrival, they sit us down at a picnic table and hand us clipboards with the rental agreement to review. A rep goes through it very carefully with us and answers questions. It’s important to pay attention to what is and what is not covered. None of these car rental companies will cover lost or damaged camping equipment, for example. Driving over the speed limit, as well as driving after dark between towns will void your insurance policy. Most of the complaints I came across online were about people being charged for vehicle damage that occurred while violating the rental policy. I’d noticed that the agreement said we were not permitted to drive after dark and he clarified that this means driving between towns on highways – I wanted to make sure that I was permitted to leave my hotel in the dark while in Sossusvlei in order to catch the sunrise at Deadvlei so it was important to me to confirm this with them (It was OK!).

With Namvic, I took their Safari Package which included extra insurance to reduce my liability, two spare tires, an electric air pump, a satellite phone, and a refrigerator in the truck bed. The total bill for my 14 day rental in August 2017 was $1200. As far as security, the bed of the truck was covered in a lockable steel cap which gave us a lot of peace of mind. Many people choose to camp while traveling Namibia so you can also add camping equipment to the rental for an additional fee. While on the road, just use your basic common sense – don’t keep any valuables in the cab, lock the doors, know how to change a tire, and fill up on gas whenever you see a gas station.

Our Namvic rental truck, a 2013 Toyota Hilux

Sunrise & Sunset

Knowing the sunrise and sunset time in Namibia is essential because you are not permitted to drive after dark between towns. The sun set fast when I was there so you really don’t want to be on the road more than 30 minutes after sunset. I traveled in late August and early September so the sun rose around 7 am and set around 6:40 pm every day. The early morning and late afternoon light are ideal for almost anything you want to photograph in Namibia so time your visits appropriately. Check TimeandDate.com for sunrise and sunset information.

Driving & Gas

Driving is on the left-hand side of the road in Namibia so that means the driver sits on the right side of the cab. The gear box will still be oriented like you are used to with first gear on the left. Most of the roads in Namibia are pretty deserted so I did not find driving there to require a lot of additional mental effort (as an American). But I recommend that the passenger always remind the driver about driving on the left when you pull onto the road. It may seem like overkill but I found it to be very helpful a couple of times.

I carefully researched our routing and estimated driving times for this trip as noted on my chart. You should estimate that you can drive 50-60 kph on C and D roads (mostly gravel but some are paved) and 80-90 kph on B roads (paved). This includes some time for photo stops. F roads varied a lot in my experience – some were as good as C roads and some were much more rustic. Sometimes you’ll be able to drive 100-120 kph on certain highways (B and A roads). Roads are named with their letter designations so you know what to expect – for example you’ll likely drive the B1 south out of Windhoek.

Namibia in general is easy to navigate with just a paper map, but a GPS will be helpful in towns and cities. I bought this National Geographic map for my trip which was helpful. If you rent a 4×4 truck it will have low and high gears. Don’t use low gear unless you are driving on sand or on very steep gravel roads. Most vehicles are outfitted with speedometer alarms that go off when you exceed the maximum speed limit by a certain amount. Ours went off at 130 kph when we were driving in high gear, and 50 kph when driving in low gear.

If you plan on driving through sand at Sossusvlei to get to the Big Daddy Dune and Deadvlei parking lot, you’ll need to let air out of your tires first. The air pump provided will allow you to both remove air and put it back in your tires. The tires themselves will say what air pressure should be used when driving on paved roads. You might want to go a little lower when driving on gravel to smooth out your ride. When driving in sand, you want to reduce the tire pressure by about two thirds. This means you should aim for about 15 psi in your tires. You should drive steadily and slowly in sand and avoid stopping. If you get stuck, find something you can wedge under your tires to give it purchase. If that doesn’t work, flag someone down down for help. Refill your tires as soon as you get back on gravel or paved road. I was nervous about driving in sand myself but in the end I followed my own advice here and had a good experience.

As of April 2019 gas costs about 3 US Dollars per gallon in Namibia. Check here for current pricing. Gas is sold in liters so you’ll need to make the conversion in your head at the pump if you aren’t used to that. All gas stations are full service – just tell them to fill your tank. There are gas stations in all major towns and most small towns too. We never had an issue with running too low on fuel, but you should follow the general good advice of filling up whenever you see a gas station if you are below half a tank.

Food

The refrigerator in the truck bed ended up being a great resource for us even though we were not camping. We always had cold drinks and were able to carry around picnic food, which kept our overall food expenses low.

Most towns had little shops that we replenished our stores from. In Aus, we spent two nights at a self-catering house that had a kitchen and we had a lot of fun cooking our own meals there. At countryside lodges, you’re pretty much confined to eating at their restaurants. We found the food in Namibia to be excellent though – we had lots of delicious game meats like springbok, kudu and zebra. In Swakopmund, the seafood is suberb. Even if you’re not an adventurous eater or vegetarian, there are plenty of options for you.

Before departing Windhoek we went to the Superspar on Centaurus Street and bought stuff like bread, cheese, fruit and drinks. (After checking out we mistakenly took somebody else’s cart out to the parking lot and got chased down by the cashier. Great way to start our trip!)

Money

Namibia’s currency is the Namibian Dollar and they also freely accept South African Rand. Currently, one US dollar is about 14 Namibian dollars. Most hotels and places catering to tourists will also take dollars and Euros. I read that credit cards were not accepted in many places in Namibia, but I found this to be untrue during my trip. Yes, there were some shops and gas stations that only accepted cash.

My main problem was that my bank would not allow me to use my cards at all in Namibia, even though I had called to advise them of the trip. I then called my bank from Namibia to ask them to open the card but they basically told me that they have no control over it – sometimes Visa simply rejects transactions from certain places. Luckily Earl’s cards were working so we made it through the trip fine, but I would highly recommend that you bring at least two cards from two different companies to avoid a bad situation.

You are going to want to have some cash on hand at all times, at least two thousand Namibian dollars at any given time. Try your best to get small bills for tips and small purchases.

Safety, Manners, Important Tips

Namibia is generally very safe. Most of the crime against foreign visitors consists of car break-ins. We did not experience this or see/meet anyone who had their car broken into during our trip. In larger towns and in Windhoek, there’s a whole local business around babysitting vehicles. You’ll see men in safety vests in parking lots who will come up to you and ask to watch your car while you shop or dine (for a tip of course). Some of these guys are actually paid security but most are independent. You really can’t avoid them so you might as well throw them a buck or two to watch your car. In my experience all of these guys, even if not official security guards, were providing a legitimate service.

We did not experience many solicitations for money from locals without an offer of a good or service. We were often asked to buy a craft or a cool rock in exchange for cash, and lots of people were also super happy to receive food and water, which can be expensive in Namibia. If you want to take photographs of people, you should always ask for permission and then offer them a tip, water or food in exchange for the photo. You might want to buy a case of bottled water so you can hand out bottles throughout your trip. We bought a little case of bananas and people were surprisingly happy to receive one when I offered.

There are very few public bathrooms in Namibia. Expect to drive long distances without a place to stop. Bring tissues, wet wipes and hand sanitizer.

The primary language spoken in Namibia is English, but most locals we met spoke several languages – usually a local dialect, English, sometimes German, and occasionally Afrikaans. Really impressive. Talk to as many locals as you can. We met lots of people with interesting stories about growing up and living in Namibia.

For tips on visiting Sossusvlei/Naimb-Naukluft National Park, check out this post I wrote about planning your trip to Namib-Naukluft National Park.

Namibian History & Culture; Our Place as Tourists.

I can’t claim to know the ins and outs of Namibian society and cultures so I don’t want to speak too much on something I know little of, but it’s important to understand that there is a long history here of racial oppression and colonial occupation.

Contact with the Western world led to colonial occupation, most notably by Germany starting in 1883. Namibia was known as German South West Africa until after World War I. Then, under South African rule, Namibia (then known as South West Africa) was overseen by a white minority apartheid government.

In 1990 Namibia won its independence and transitioned to a democratic government. Just like South Africa, the colonial and apartheid periods resulted in wildly imbalanced society and land ownership, with about 75% of all property being owned by the white minority. Land reform and redistribution is ongoing and problematic on many levels.

Race and Namibia’s specific social history are important parts of the modern cultural landscape here, and as visitors, we need to be aware of that, especially since we are a part of that landscape when we are traveling through the country.

Very simply, we owe Namibian people and their land our awareness and respect. If you are white, be aware that you are afforded a level of privilege when visiting Namibia. You will see and learn a lot when you visit. Some of what you see may be hard to look at. This is the teaching part of travel that is so valuable.