It's home to Africa’s largest canyon, its oldest desert and some of its highest dunes. It has a 1,500km (932mi) coastline and a network of languid waterways, yet it is one of Africa’s driest countries. Sun-baked tracts of desert are nourished by fog that rolls in from the icy Atlantic, enabling seemingly empty expanses to support a variety of mega- and microfauna.
Exploring Namibia is a delight, thanks to its good infrastructure and well-developed tourism industry. For a taste of the country's highlights, here are the best places to visit.
Best safari destination
Etosha is Namibia’s safari destination, famed for large herds of zebras, wildebeests, impalas and other wildlife that gather around its many water holes during the dry season, as well as the huge flocks of flamingoes that make their way to Etosha pan for breeding during the rainy season. Etosha is also notable for being home to one of Africa’s largest populations of the critically endangered black rhino. One of the best places to spot these is the floodlit water hole at Okakuejo.
Planning tip: Etosha is ideally set up for self-drive exploration, with a well-spaced network of camps and a good road network.
Best place for solitude and desolate, raw beauty
Stretching 500km (310mi) along Namibia’s northwestern shoreline is Skeleton Coast National Park, splendid in its desolation with barren, wave-pounded sands that were once littered with the bones of whales, seals and hapless humans.
Permits are required for exploring the park’s northern section, although you can get a good feel for the area in the lower portion between the Ugab River entrance and the fishing outpost of Terrace Bay. The exception to this is the December–January high season, when it is a favored destination for anglers.
Best spot for adrenaline activities
Dune boarding, skydiving and surfing are just some of the many activities that are possible in Namibia’s adventure capital of Swakopmund. With its chill vibe, German-influenced architecture, array of adventure sport operators and good range of restaurants and accommodations, the town has become a favorite stop on the Namibian travel circuit.
Just 35km south is Walvis Bay, known for its flamingoes and wetlands, and the nearby 383m-high (1,256ft) Dune 7, Namibia’s highest. Further along, don’t miss Sandwich Harbour with its bird-filled lagoon dramatically set against a backdrop of towering sand dunes.
Distances between attractions along the central coast aren’t too prohibitive. Even if you have time for just a week here, you’ll be able to get a good introduction to many of Namibia’s highlights.
Detour: Don’t miss at least a day excursion from Swakopmund north to Cape Cross seal reserve,
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