namibia photos travel

15 Beautiful Places in Namibia: Epic Photo Journey

February 12, 2024

Paula Martinelli

Namibia is Dream Destination , and you are about to find out the most beautiful places in Namibia that you should add to your bucket list. Namibia is one of those places that will leave you in AWE doesn’t matter if you are traveling around the desert, or doing a safari, and you cannot go wrong whichever you choose to visit.

Here you can find the opportunity for you to virtually visit and explore the top places to visit in Namibia through these amazing Namibia photography journeys, that I took during my road trip in Namibia .

Namibia is a destination with epic beauty and has some of the planet’s most astonishing landscapes, making the photos you see in books or on the internet inspire you to want to jump on the first plane and travel to see and explore Namibia for yourself! Without any further ado, let’s check the most beautiful places in Namibia.

Beautiful Places in Namibia Overview

Because of the vast landscape and habitats, the animals of Namibia are able to roam freely without too much human interference Namibia has very diverse wildlife, including the big five, and a very rich marine life.

From driving in the vast desert, climbing some of the tallest dunes on the planet, going on an amazing safari in Etosha, and immersing with some of the fascinating tribes – I hope that these top 15 places to visit in Namibia will just make it to the bucket list.

Check this breath-taking 3-minute of the most beautiful places in Namibia:

15 Beautiful Places in Namibia

1. sossusvlei: overall the most beautiful place in namibia.

One of the most beautiful places in Namibia desert, Sossuvlei is located in the Namib-Naukluft National Park .

It is almost impossible to describe the epic Namibian desert landscapes, even illustrated through photos. The diversity of the landscapes, makes you wonder if the next stop will be as beautiful as the last, but it just continues to get more and more beautiful as you drive and explore different parts of the country.

There are no words to describe the feeling of standing in front of one of the highest orange dunes on the planet such as the Big Daddy , the tallest one in the Park, and climbing the spectacular Dune 45 .

The best time to visit Sossusvlei is early in the morning, when the temperatures are still cooler, and the shadows on the dunes look pretty amazing too.

TIPS TO VISIT: The best way to visit the Sossusvlei and Deadsvlie is on self-drive with a 4×4 rental car or you can go on a private tour . I recommend spending at least 2-days visiting this incredible national park, there is plenty to see and to do, and staying overnight gives your the chance to sleep under the stars in the middle of the desert. A great lodge to stay in the Desert Quiver Camp .

2. DEADSVLEI

Deadsvlei is also situated in the Namib-Naukluft National Park and you can visit it on the same day you visit Sossusvlei.

Walk in the vast clay pan of  Deadvlei,  and wonder how the petrified Acacia trees survived to 900-year-old of transformation, or just watch the wind shifting and shaping the oldest desert in the world.

The Namib Naukluft National park is one of the best places to visit in Namibia. It is just stunning, surreal, and absolutely inspiring.

TIPS TO VISIT: I recommend watching a sunset and a sunrise at Deadsvlei, as the sun uncovers outstanding shadows of the trees on the claypan ground. You can also climb one of the dunes around to get a different view of this surreal landscape. If you want to watch the sunset and sunrise, you will need to have accommodation inside the park since the gates open at 6:30 am until sunset. The Sossus Oasis Campsite is located inside the park and it gives you the freedom to drive around and watch the sunset and sunrise.

3. NAMIB DESERT

The name of the country derives from Namib, which translates as “ vast place”. Namibia is one of the least populated countries in the world with just over 2 million citizens – that is equivalent to 3 inhabitants per square kilometer, with hundreds of kilometers devoid of humans.

Imagine losing yourself in the vast and remote terrain, enjoying the beauty of the landscapes and nature, and finding in each stop a perfect opportunity for an amazing photo. You can drive for hours on the  long and straight roads  without seeing another car along the gravel roads that criss-cross the country.

The Namib Desert extends from 1,200 miles (1,900 km) along the Atlantic Coast of Africa from Angola all the way to outward across Namibia, all the way to South Africa. The southern portion merges with the Kalahari on the plateau atop the escarpment.

The landscape of the Namib desert will surprise you, and you can constantly see the scenery changing, you will see animals crossing the road, and once in a while, you can see people walking their sheep on the side of the road.

TIPS TO VISIT: During a Namibia Road Trip , you will probably be driving in the Namib Desert. You may drive for long distances without seeing another person, or another town so loads on gas, snacks, and plenty of water. Halfway through Sossusvlei and Swakopmund, you will pass by the famous “Tropic of Capricorn” sign, so make sure you don’t miss this photo!

4. ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

A road trip in Namibia is not complete without including Etosha National Park – one of the most beautiful places in Namibia!

Etosha National Park is one of the top tourist destinations in Namibia and also one of the most significant safari destinations in Africa, with more than 100 mammals and 340 different species of birds.

The wildlife here is simply fabulous and spotting animals is as easy as parking your car at one of the waterholes and waiting for large numbers of zebras, elephants, springbok, oryx, giraffes, and many other animals to arrive to drink water. Namibia safari is another must-do when you visit Namibia.

TIPS TO VISIT: Driving on a self-drive safari in Etosha National Park is relatively easy, the gravel roads have good conditions and there are have secured pic-nic and toilets areas you can visit Etosha National Park by driving your 4×4 Rental Car. Another option is to join a Guided 4×4 Game Drive – I recommend spending at least 2 days doing a safari at Etosha, and stay at one of the lodges inside or close to the gate – One of the best accommodations options in Etosha is Toshari Lodge , and they also offer guided game drives.

5. QUIVER TREE FOREST

This is another fascinating place in Namibia – the Quiver Tree Forest. Even if we call them “trees” they are actually species of Aloe capable of growing over 30 feet tall and the oldest trees in the forest are estimated to be between 200 to 300 years old.

The quiver trees are regarded as a national symbol of Namibia and are featured on the currency and in popular imagery.

The Quiver Tree Forest is located only 10 km from Keetmanshoop, and a large number of them grow in uncharacteristically close proximity, creating a forest-like landscape. It’s one of the only known naturally occurring such sites in the world.

There are about 250 quiver trees in the forest, and the tallest trees in the forest are about 8 feet (2,50 meters). To visit the forest you pay a small admission fee.

TIPS TO VISIT: The best time to visit is between June and July when the trees are flowering – and the best time of the day to visit is during sunset when you can take stunning photos. Be aware of the intense daytime heat and sun exposure. Wear sunscreen, a hat, and bring a water bottle to stave off heatstroke and sunburn. If you are looking to explore this region, the best option for accommodation is the Keetmanshoop Self-Catering .

6. KOLMANSHOP

Kolmanskop is located only 8 miles (13 km) outside Luderitz, near the Forbidden Zone, an area controlled by the Namdeb Diamond Corporation, a joint venture owned by De Beers and the Namibian Government.

What was once a very rich mining town, was abandoned in 1936 and today sand dunes fill the town and the houses. A town filled with fortune and dreams turned into an intriguing place to visit and also, a paradise for photographers.

100 years ago Kolmanskop was home to a very busy diamond mine, but because diamonds are not forever, the resources got to an end, and the people abandoned the city, which today is covered by the desert.

Kolmanskop is definitely one of the places to visit in Namibia that will just fascinate you with its history and landscape.

TIPS TO VISIT: If you are visiting Kolmanskop, the gate closes at 1:00 pm every day. You will need to reserve at least 2 hours to explore the whole town. Kolsmanskop is on the way to Luderitz, so plan to visit it if you are driving in the area. A good hotel to stay in is the Alte Villa Gasthaus , in the town of Luderitz.

7. LUDERITZ

Luderitz is a coastal town in Southwestern Namibia, known for its German colonial buildings. The bay also hosts a bounty of wildlife including seals, flamingoes, and wales.

This cool and often foggy coastal town by the Atlantic coastline where the ocean meets the Namib Desert is a great stop for a fresh seafood lunch, and to visit the colorful German architecture buildings.

Here you can have not only the stunning views of the coast but also, try some of the best seafood in Namibia, as Luderitz is the center of rock lobster, as well as oysters.

On the way to the coastal town of  Luderitz , you can see some of the only  Wild Horses  in Africa. These horses were brought by European colonials and found a new home in the Namib desert in an area known as the  Garub .

TIPS TO VISIT: The best accommodation option is the Alte Villa Gastehaus , with an excellent location and an amazing on-site restaurant serving fresh local food. Plan to have lunch here, and get delighted with their cuisine.

8. SANDWICH HARBOR IS A MUST-VISIT PLACE IN NAMIBIA

Sandwich Harbor is my top-pick for the most beautiful places in Namibia. It is “Where the desert meets the ocean” and it is just an unreal experience to be able to drive over golden dunes nestled beside the Atlantic Ocean, and the highlight of the Skeleton Bay Namibia.

It is one of the best places to visit in Namibia, and my favorite place, hands down!

While driving over golden dunes nestled beside the Atlantic Ocean, I passed some seals, jackals, and jackals eating seals. From Walvis Bay to  Swakopmund  is less than 30 minutes drive.

TIPS TO VISIT: If you decide to self-drive to Sandwich-Harbor, note that a minimum of preparation is required. Have a proper 4×4, have great driving skills off-road, buy your permit to enter, and know the tide table before you go. I recommend booking the tour with a professional local tour company. A great place to stay if you are in the area is Walvis Bay, and the Iris Boutique Hotel is a great option, with an excellent location and a wonderful breakfast included.

9. SKELETON COAST

The  Skeleton Coas t should also be on your bucket list of the most beautiful places in Namibia – Located in the Northern part of the Namib Desert and starts in the city of Swakopmund.

It is littered with the wrecks of many ships, and the shipwreck The Zelia is the easiest one to see near Swakopmund.

The Skeleton Coast earned its marine reputation as “The Gates of Hell.” Skeleton Bay in Namibia is prone to dense fogs with heavy surf, which helped to cause so many ships to sink in this area.

The best activity while here is to drive this very wild and desolate area and to admire the sandy beaches along the highway on one side, and the desert on the other side making this place extremely unique.

TIPS TO VISIT: If you desire to visit the shipwrecks, I recommend having the areas marked in advance as while you are driving on the road, the mist makes it hard to see anything from the road. A great accommodation option is you are going to explore the Skeleton Coast is the First Group Desert Rose in Henties Bay.

10. SWAKOPMUND

One of the top places to visit in Namibia is the city of Swakopmund. The largest coastal town in the country and the perfect stopover between the desert and the Skeleton Coast.

The city is located in such a unique location – with a long coastline and also, some incredible miles of sand dunes. It was established by the Germans in the 18th century, which you can see in the architecture of the buildings, and it is located nearby the harbor of Walvis Bay

Swakopmund is an adventure hotspot and offers many activities, such as driving on the dunes , the very popular quad biking , sandboarding , and going on an amazing Scenic desert bike tour , for the adventure lover you can go sk y diving , and also Kayaking for a great wildlife experience.

Swakopmund is also a very popular destination to fish in the ocean or to go on a catamaran around the coast to watch the sunset!

TIPS TO VISIT: I recommend spending at least 2-days here. There is a lot to do in the area, from outdoor adventure sports to diving into the Sandwich Harbour, and is a great stopover to explore some really good restaurants. Eat some good German food at  Swakopmund Brauhaus and have some beer in a boot! A phenomenal accommodation option is the Desert Breeze Lodge , with a private sun deck and views of the dune.

11. CAPE CROSS SEAL RESERVE

Another beautiful place to visit in Namibia, while you are on Skeleton Coast is Cape Cross , as it is home to thousands of Cape fur seals and is considered the largest aggregation in the world – Just North of Hentisbaai or about 80 miles (130 km) north of Swakopmund.

In the peninsula you can spot more than 20,000 seals – the view of thousands of seals, the loud noise, and the smell makes it an amazing experience. If you are sensitive to the smell, I recommend bringing a mask, and you will be just fine!

If you get to visit the colony during the breeding time (Dec-Feb) is even more fascinating, to be able to observe the curious cubs with their protected mothers, and learn how to walk and swim – it is truly magical.

During your visit, you pay a small fee at the entrance and walk on the wood platform and do not touch or get too close to the animals. You will be really close to the colony and be able to observe and take amazing pictures from your designated area.

TIPS TO VISIT: You can see the seal colony all year round, but the best time to visit to see the breeding time is between December and February. A great accommodation option is you are going to explore the Skeleton Coast is the First Group Desert Rose in Henties Bay. Another option to observe the incredible seal colony from a different angle is to go on a half-day eco-friendly kayak tour

12. THE FLAMINGO COLONY IN WALVIZ BAY

The flamingos’ colony is one of the best things to see in Namibia – They are concentrated in the lagoon by the Pelican Point, in Walvis Bay. This shallow and sheltered 45,000-hectare lagoon, southwest of Walvis Bay and west of the Kuiseb River mouth, attracts a range of coastal waterbirds in addition to enormous flocks of lesser and greater flamingos.

Not only the flamingo colony is stunning to see and photograph, but it is also very easy to visit and see them. The flamingos congregate by the lagoon and you can just park your car and easily find them. The flamingos are excellent fliers, and watching them flying in big groups is just incredible!

They have been known to migrate up to 500km overnight in search of the proliferation of algae and crustaceans.

While visiting Walvis Bay you can also go on Humpback whale watching , especially between July and September is very easy to spot the gentle giants in the area. Another great thing to do is to go on a half-day eco-friendly kayak tour to see some wildlife like dolphins and also, the seal colony peninsula.

TIPS TO VISIT: The best time of the year to see the flamingos is between December and March – it is when the migration season starts. A great place to stay and also, try some of the amazing seafood dishes is at the Pelican Point Lodge , located on an extraordinary spot on the peninsula.

13. DAMARALAND

Another amazing place to visit in Namibia is the rocky outcrops of Twyfelfontein, featuring exceptional Bushmen engravings that are considered to be some of the best-preserved etchings on the African continent.

This is a UNESCO World, Heritage Site, located in the Kunene region, in the western region of Namibia. The site is considered to be home to the most intense collection of rock art on the continent, with some 2,500 distinctive rock carving and painting on 212 slabs of rock, some estimated to be around 6000 years old!!!

It is easy to visit and to see the engravings, from raised platforms that lead you out to the stone pathways. The engravings from the Stone Age illustrate pieces that depict symbolic terraces, untamed wildlife, and mythical beasts.

In Damaraland, you can also visit the Organ Pipes , a fascinating geological formation over 150 million years old, with rich rust-colored columns that tower over 5 meters above the ground, and resemble a church organ. Also, in this region, you can visit The Brandberg Mountain, Namibia’s highest mountain, and houses the famous ‘White Lady’ Bushmen painting.

TIPS TO VISIT: Visits to the art sites are best viewed in the late afternoons on guided walks with a stop at the visitors center, and you can arrange a visit upon your arrival. If you are planning to explore this rich area of Damaraland, the best place to stay in the Etendeka Mountain Camp , this rustic and eco-friendly camp, is one of the best places for stars’ gazings. They also offer guided walks and game drives in the desert of Damaraland.

14. HIMBA VILLAGE

Namibia is home to 13 indigenous tribes and you can (and should) experience the diversity of these people and cultures. The Namibia people I encountered were very friendly and open.

They encourage you to engage with them and share a moment of learning about each other. I got the chance to spend some time at a Himba Village and get to learn so much more about Namibia people and their beautiful culture.

They are semi-nomadic people recognized for their bare chest, red ochre-paste-covered skin and hair, and clothes made from cow skin.

If you are interested in visiting a Himba Village I truly recommend contacting my friend Rimunikavi and he can arrange your visit – he is a Himba and speaks fluent English, and he does an amazing job hosting visitors

TIPS TO VISIT: If you want to have an authentic experience with the Himba Villages, you can drive to Khorixas and you will start to see villages along eh road where the women and children selling some handmade souvenirs. If you are visiting the area, a great accommodation option is the Twyfelfontein Adventure Camp

15. BUSHMEN VILLAGE IN GRASHOEK REGION

Last, but not least, one of the most amazing places to visit in Namibia is one of the Bushmen Villages.

They are the oldest inhabitants of Southern Africa, having lived there for at least 20,000 years. One of the most amazing things is their ability to survive in nature and in the harshest climates, and they are renowned for their hunting and tracking skills.

The Living Museum is an ethical and cultural highlight in Namibia as well as a good example of sustainable development, as the visitors give back to the local community and support the preservation of their culture.

The San people provide an opportunity to learn about their culture and traditional way of life. You can participate in many activities in a visit as short as a half-day or as long as 3 days.

Activities range from a visit to their village, participation in a bushwalk, learning how they gather and hunt, making their own bow and jewelry, and watching their traditional dancing and songs.

TIPS TO VISIT: I truly recommend this activity and I booked in advance with the Ju/’Hoansi-San Living Museum they also offer the opportunity to camp at the village with the  San People . After I visit the Bushmen, I continued my journey in Africa on my Botswana Self-Drive Itinerary and I went on the Best Safaris in Botswana .

My Photography Gear for the beautiful places in Namibia

There are so many amazing opportunities for photos and videos, so it is impossible not to capture the amazing moments while traveling around. Therefore, do not forget to bring your camera equipment with you:

• This is the camera I use and love – Sony Mirrorless a7III
• Bring a couple of good lenses for different pictures – I always carry this lens with me
• Extra memory cards 
• I recommend bringing some filters
• Tripod to photograph the waterfalls and depending on the time of the year, the Aurora Borealis. 
• If you want to capture amazing videos, I use and recommend a Gimble Smartphone Stabilizer
• I also recommend a GoPro HERO9 for some action images videos and pictures.
• You can also capture incredible Drone images in Jalapao I use DJI Mavic Air 2
• If you are looking to take photos underwater this Underwater camera (with accessories) is a great option

Beautiful Places in Namibia Conclusion

Namibia has certainly many more amazing places to visit than this list. it is hard to choose only 15 Top most beautiful places in Namibia. But this is a great start for your first visit, that I recommend in order to have the best experience.

Namibia is a destination with epic beauty and has some of the planet’s most astonishing landscapes, making the photos you see in books or on the internet inspire you to want to jump on the first plane and travel to see and explore Namibia for yourself!

I hope you enjoyed this guide and if you have any questions, just leave me a comment below.

Here is some further information I think you might need to plan your  trip:

• Ultimate Road Trip in Namibia Itinerary
• Botswana & Namibia Road trip Itinerary
• A complete guide on How to drive in Namibia
• Everything you need to know to rent a car in Namibia

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Plan your Trip

You can plan your trip with this easy guide and have access to the best services I recommend and you can get discounted prices.

Self-Driving in Namibia: 22 Essential Tips to Drive in Namibia

Namibia Self Drive Itinerary: Ultimate Namibia Road Trip + Map

Namibia & Botswana Itinerary: Ultimate 3-Week road trip from the Dunes to Safaris

41 thoughts on “15 beautiful places in namibia: epic photo journey”.

What a stunning landscape!!! Great work with the pictures.

Supporting our dear friend and her amazing talent!! Stunning pictures and would love to go there some day!! Thanks for sharing Paula!! ??

Awesome!!! Thank you for sharing these experiences!

Seu blog é simplesmente fantástico, neste cenário surreal que mais parece saídos de uma pintura, são de tirar o fôlego. A beleza natural da Namibia e incrível e vi que coisas que desconhecia. Parabéns pelo seu trabalho!!!

I thought the flamingo pictures were my favorite… but Kolmanshop looks so surreal!!!! All that sand inside that house?!!! Its amazing! The bushman people look so kind and open hearted!!! I can only imagine the experience of being there in person!!! What a wonderful article!!! Keep it up! Looking forward to seeing more!

Incredible pictures! Love the random bath tub ? South Africa and Namibia are pretty high on my post covid list!

What a beautiful place to visit! You do a great job inspiring us all with your photos. I am adding Namibia to my bucket list 🙂

WOW! That first photo just took my breath away. Then you hit me with the flamingos and the incredible safari. I am so inspired! Thanks for sharing about Namibia Paula. It is officially on my list now!

WOW these pictures are just INCREDIBLE!!! That first pic with the sand dune literally left me speechless. I can’t imagine actually seeing these in person!

I am so glad you liked the pictures Kylie

I hope you get to visit Namibia Viola, it is an incredible country with so much beauty to explore

Thank you so much Patri, I am really happy you like my photos 🙂

Hi Katy, I cannot wait to travel again. I hope you get to visit Africa, it is my next destination after the lockdown also.

Thank you Ju for your kind and genuine feedback. This trip to Namibia was really incredible!

Muito obrigada Patricia, fico muito feliz que tenha gostado das fotos

Thanks for checking my blog Fer, cannot wait to continue traveling and discover the beauty of our Planet!

Thank you so much dear Sandra

Thanks a lot, Cathia, I am so happy you enjoyed the pictures

Amazing photos!!

Thank you so much!

Eye-popping images Paula. Amazing how much Namibia looks like something from outer space. I definitely will make it there eventually. The people look beautiful too. What culture. What a trip! Great job buddy!

Your photos are stunning! I love travelling in Africa but I haven’t yet made it to Namibia! It’s on my list now! Thanks so much for sharing!

Namibia is stunning! Love your photos – we’ve wanted to go to Namibia forever and experience sunrise at the dunes. It would be a bucket list experience for sure! Also would love to see the seals. Great post!

I hadn’t considered visiting Namibia before but it looks absolutely stunning so I might add it to my list now! It would be difficult for me to choose just a couple of places to visit from your list.

I lived in Naminia for 4 years and still get homesick for it’s beauty, ipeople and lifestyle. Your descriptions and photos brought back so many great memories. Thank you for sharing.

I travelled through Namibia way back n 2006. It was such a whirlwind of 10 days and I have vowed to return. Your photos make me remember why I fell in love with the country!

Wowowowow I have never once considered visiting Nambia but thank you for this post you have thoroughly convinced me that I should go at least once in my life – if not more often to try everything suggested here ! What an amazing post ! This was an incredible read with a lot of amazing photos too !

Namibia looks absolutely amazing! All of your photos are wonderful making me feel as if I’m there. The dunes, petrified trees, and visiting villages to see how bushmen live is incredible! Love all the great tips as it is super helpful in planning a trip there!

Wow, what a comprehensive article! Namibia is such a gem. I’ve lived in South Africa for 6 months a couple of years ago and traveled around Swaziland, Mozambique, and Tanzania. I wish I had visited Namibia as well. Your pictures are outstanding!

I absolutely love your photos of the ghost town and the Himda tribe and Bushmen Village. What an incredible trip! I felt like I was right there tagging along with you as I was reading it. (Totally wish I had been!) Keep it up…I love reading about your journeys.

Namibia is also one of the most stunning places I’ve visited. I appreciate how thorough and detailed this article. It brings back so many memories from my own trip 🙂 I spent time in Windhoek and Swakopmund and being able to see where the desert meets the ocean was insanely beautiful. I’m so excited to go back and visit other parts of the nation.

HI Tiffany – Yes, Namibia should be on everyone’s bucket list, right? It is so incredible and so unique. The part where the desert meets the ocean is also my favorite, I had tears of happiness when I saw that for the first time, it is really powerful

YOu are so kind Erin, thank you so much for your feedback, and hearing that my pictures could help you travel to Namibia, it is amazing.

Thank you so much, Stefanie, glad to hear you enjoyed my pictures. WOW! You lived in Africa before…I would love to live for a few years too and just explore around the whole continent, very slowly. I am fascinated by Africa, its history, the people, and nature.

Thank you so much Vanessa, and hearing that my photos were able to transport you to Namibia, puts a big smile on my face. Thank you for your kind words and for visiting my blog.

I am so glad to hear you are considering visiting Namibia, Maria. YOu will absolutely fall in love too, the way I did. Thanks for your kind words

I know right? There is no way to visit Namibia and not fall in love with it. WOW! you visited in 2006, I am sure it was very different back then, I found Namibia so safe and relatively easy to explore by a road trip.

YOu are so lucky Joanna, you lived in Namibia before – what an amazing country, kind people and incredible nature.

HI Kirsta – I am glad to hear you enjoyed this post and that you are considering visiting Namibia now. Namibia was on my bucket list for many years, and I am so glad I got to visit it, it is surely an amazing destination.

Thanks so much, I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this post and the pictures. Oh yeah, the sunrise and sunset at the dunes is something even hard to describe or show in pictures, it is something you have to be there and feel the energy and appreciate the miracle of this moment.

Hi Linda, I am with you, I love Africa too and I cannot wait to continue exploring it. I hope you get to visit Namibia, you will fall in love with it.

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35 Photos to inspire you to visit Namibia

by Sabine | Dec 8, 2020 | Namibia | 44 comments

Before visiting the country of Namibia, I had no idea what to expect. The only thing I knew was that most of Namibia is covered in desert. I had travelled through deserts before and they always intrigued me. What I discovered in Namibia however was truly breathtaking and definitely unexpected. Without a doubt, Namibia can be described with such superlatives as ‘surreal’, ‘awe-inspiring’, ‘stunning’ and ‘out of this world.’

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Post last updated on December 2020

Have you ever asked yourself ‘Is Namibia worth visiting?’, I would say have a look at photos of Namibia. Photos can often say more than words and this is certainly true for Namibia. It is hard to make a selection of the most special pictures of Namibia, especially if you have travelled to a destination very often. I have so many images of Namibia, but I managed to make a selection of my favourite Namibia pictures that will for sure inspire you to book your flights and discover the pristine beauty of the Namibian desert. Any trip to Namibia should come with a bit of advance planning. Make sure to also read these 13 great things to know before visiting Namibia as well as our Namibia travel guide . Here are my favourite 35 Photos that will inspire you to travel to Namibia

Table of Contents

The vast open and colourful landscapes of Namibia

It is very difficult to make a bad photo while travelling in Namibia. The desert unravels its colours during the golden hour of sunrise and sunset when the whole area gets a deep orange glow. For miles around there is open space, there is silence, there is a lot of sand and in the distance you might hear the call of a jackal.

Did you know the fact that Namibia is the 2nd least densely populated country in the world?

The Fish River Canyon is the worlds 2nd largest canyon and is located in the southern part of Namibia. It’s a stunning place to visit, without large crowds and definitely a hidden gem in the Namibian desert that is well worth making a detour for.

Wildlife of Namibia

Namibia is renowned for its diverse wildlife. Etosha National Park in northern Namibia is one of Africa’s premier safari parks. A visit to Etosha National Park is highly recommended for any safari lover . I could spend hours by the various waterholes in the park to watch and observe wildlife in its natural surroundings. What makes Namibia so unique is that you can also see lots of wildlife while driving through the country. This does not mean that there will be lions, elephants and leopards lurking behind every bush. There are some desert elephants in the northern regions of Namibia, lots of antelopes and ostriches in the southern parts and what most people do not know a lot about is all the smaller wildlife living in the desert. The Namib desert is a living desert, with lots of geckos, snakes, spiders, little rodents, smaller predators like jackals and so much more.

The People of Namibia

Namibia has a very small population but nonetheless has in total 13 different ethnic groups. The most well known of the Namibian tribes are the Himba, famous for the women who cover their body in red ochre. The Himba tribe have a very interesting culture and if you would love to know more, you can find more information in this post about the Himba people of Namibia . One cannot deny that the women of the Himba tribe are very photogenic and should be part of any Namibia photography post.

The closest relatives of the Himba are the Herero . They are very recognisable by the large victorian dresses worn by the women. You can often find both the Himba and the Herero together at the side of the road selling their home made crafts.

What many people do not know is that the first inhabitants of Namibia were the Bushman or the San people . They have roamed the area of Southern Africa for tens of thousands of years as hunter gatherers. Nowadays, there are still the descendants of the San people, but they have more or less integrated into the modern African and Western worlds. It is worthwhile taking a tour where Bushman explain all about their culture.

The Nama is another tribe that is closely related to the Bushmen, they share the same linguistic family and have very similar features. Especially in the Southern part of Namibia, in most of the villages and towns you can meet people from the Nama tribe.

The Nature of Namibia

What makes Namibia so surreal is not only the bizarre and special landscapes, but also the diverse nature. Most of the plants and trees are entirely adjusted to the harsh and barren climate of the Namibian desert. Did you know that the Namib desert is the oldest desert in the world?

The things you see in the Namibian desert

Not all the things you see in Namibia are what you would expect to see in a desert. You have the vast open spaces and the contrasting nature, with some wildlife. But here are some things we discovered while road tripping through Namibia:

Read here for more information about the vintage cars in the desert and why they are there.

Namibia is not only inland desert, but also has around 1500 kilometres of coast line. Now don’t expect tropical beaches with palm trees, as a large part of the coastline is named the Skeleton Coast for a reason. Basically the Namibian desert and the Atlantic ocean meets on the beach.

It’s not all about the desert

There are some green areas in Namibia, like the north western region around Epupa falls as well as the south along the Orange or Gariep river. The Gariep river marks the border between South Africa and Namibia. The landscape is just stunning, with the desert mountains on the South African side and the lush green vegetation along the river banks. Canoeing on the river is one of the more popular activities and one of the things to do in Namibia that should be on your bucket list.

The Namibian Sunset and Sunrise

And last but not least, to see the sunset and the sunrise in Namibia is a unique experience. In this case, a photo will speak a thousand words but nothing beats sitting in the Namibian desert and experiencing this event first hand.

You may also be interested in following related posts:

Namibia travel guide : Prepare your trip with this information about Namibia, tips & tricks and places to go.

Best time to visit Namibia : Find out the best season to visit Namibia + tips per season

All you need to know before visiting Namibia : All information you need to know before starting your trip to Namibia

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44 Comments

Gorgeous! This one’s definitely going on the bucket list. Those sand dunes are otherworldly!

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We're Sean and Sabine. Life partners, world nomads & food lovers. It is with The Travelling Chilli that we'd love to inspire anyone to pack their bags and to go explore the world, but particularly Africa!

For the record: Unless explicitly stated otherwise, we have in fact personally visited all the places written about.

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​Images & Pictures of Namibia

Photos, images & pictures of namibia.

Desert elephants in Damaraland

Gemsbok crossing the sand dunes in Skeleton Coast National Park

Cape fur seal colony in Skeleton Coast National Park

Cape fur seal in Skeleton Coast National Park

Eland, zebra, giraffe, kudu and gemsbok at a waterhole in Etosha National Park

Lion cub resting in Etosha National Park

Gemsbok traveling through the dunes in Skeleton Coast National Park

Herd of elephants in Etosha Pan in Etosha National Park

Black-backed jackal on a small sandbank in Etosha National Park

Greater kudu running in Etosha National Park

Black-backed jackal and zebras at the water in Etosha National Park

Plains zebras drinking in Etosha National Park

Black-backed jackals playing in Etosha National Park

Gemsbok in Etosha National Park

Black rhinoceros eating in Etosha National Park

Southern giraffe crossing the field in Etosha National Park

Springbok fighting in Etosha National Park

Cheetah in Etosha National Park

Bat-eared fox looking at camera in Etosha National Park

Springbok on a field of yellow flowers in Etosha National Park

Zebra kicking up dust in a forested area in Etosha National Park

Plane flying over sandy desert in General

Dune in General

Sand dunes in Namib-Naukluft National Park

An ostrich in the dunes in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Wind- and rain-carved sand dunes in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Winding and curving sand dunes in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Gemsbok running in the desert in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Desert tree at the base of a dune in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Oryx in the dunes in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Green grass, mountains and sand dunes in the desert in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Man viewing the vast, open desert in Kaokoland

Desert road in Kaokoland

Safari vehicle on a dirt road in Kaokoland

Wispy clouds over the land in Kaokoland

Ripples in the dunes in Kaokoland

Elephants in the vast desert landscape in Damaraland

Elephants casting shadows in Damaraland

Desert elephants with calf in Damaraland

A single giraffe eating from treetops in Damaraland

Springbok kicking up the dust in Damaraland

Black rhino at sunset in Damaraland

Springbok gathering around a waterhole in Damaraland

Mountainous landscape of Namibia in Damaraland

A greener side of the desert in Damaraland

Southern Damaraland scenery in Damaraland

Gemsbok in tall grass in General

Namaqua chameleon in Tsau //Khaeb National Park

Stormy sky in the desert in General

Safari Tours to Namibia

14-Day Namibia Flying Safari

$18,677 to $27,452 pp (USD)

Namibia: Private tour Luxury Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Windhoek (Start) , N/a'an ku sê (Wildlife Sanctuary) , Kulala, Skeleton Coast NP, Kaokoland, Etosha NP, Windhoek (End)

Wayfairer Travel

4.9 /5  –  149 Reviews

3-Day Etosha Guided Camping Safari Experience

$651 pp (USD)

Namibia: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle) Budget Camping

You Visit: Windhoek (Start) , Etosha NP, Windhoek (End)

People Tours And Safari

5.0 /5  –  26 Reviews

13-Day Dunes, Desert and Wildlife Self-Drive Safari

$4,626 to $4,932 pp (USD)

Namibia: Self-drive Mid-range Lodge & Hotel

You Visit: Windhoek (Start) , Namib-Naukluft NP (Namib Desert) , Skeleton Coast NP, Damaraland, Etosha NP, Okonjima NR, Windhoek (End)

Secret Namibia

5.0 /5  –  16 Reviews

• AI Generator

Best photographic hotspots in Namibia

Namibia has been featuring on the MUST-SEE list of every renowned and passionate nature photographer. And for a good reason. Wide-open landscapes, untouched wilderness and rich fauna, including the Big 5, make it a dream destination for anyone with an itch for capturing wild nature at its best.

However, there are several important factors that play a major role in whether you’ll be able to take out-of-this-world amazing images or bring home just mediocre shots. One of them is knowing where the top Namibian photo hotspots are.

Namibia is a huge country, with many photographic hotspots. If you plan to visit all photo hotspots in ONE ‘Speedy Gonzales’ visit style, perish the thought. It would take months, or even years, to visit all of Namibia’s magnificent photo destinations, especially if you plan to spend an adequate amount of time at one place to do its beauty and photographic potential justice.

We recommend that you pick a few of your favourite ‘hotspots’ (and return for more later), schedule three weeks for your Namibia photo trip and stay at least three nights at each destination.

This will allow for repeat excursions into the area and therefore increase your chances of discovering magical photo spots, a variety of moods and other hidden treasures.

A note of caution: Plan your travel time between overnight destinations generously, as Namibia’s gravel roads are often quite corrugated and require slow driving. You’d rather arrive relaxed and in time for your first sunset photoshoot at your new overnight place, than spend the magical sunset hour rushing the last few kilometres to your accommodation, or checking into your room.

QUIVER TREE FOREST

Quiver trees love Namibia’s heat, dry air and rocky terrain. In the far south near Keetmanshoop, at the Quiver Tree Forest, they seem to have found ideal living conditions. These extraordinary aloes are very photogenic, with beautiful golden-brown bark and their unusual and unique shape. They light up beautifully in the golden hours of the day and make for great silhouettes against an orange sunrise and sunset sky.

FISH RIVER CANYON

The Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world and a nature lover and hiker’s paradise. Its size, rugged features and remoteness are impressive. It is best to visit in the cooler months of the year to avoid the extreme heat.

The canyon is most beautiful when the soft light of the setting sun illuminates the glowing canyon walls.

NAMIBRAND NATURE RESERVE

One of the largest privately-owned game reserves in Namibia, NamibRand Nature Reserve enchants with its mixture of grass-filled gravel plains, rich red vegetated dunes, impressive desert mountains and occasional large herds of gemsbok, mountain zebra, springbok and ostrich.

Sossusvlei, the world-famous desert pan, is indescribably picturesque – the surrounding dunes are nothing short of breathtaking. The best time for photography is around sunrise and sunset, when rich colours, soft shapes and contrasting light and shade on the dunes make for unforgettable images.

Sossusvlei is especially beautiful and unique when filled with floodwater, but this unfortunately only happens every four to eight years and is impossible to predict.

Once the best-kept secret, Deadvlei now seems to have taken the winner podium of the top photo destinations in the Namib Desert. Dried out dead acacia trees, both bizarre and hauntingly beautiful at the same time, offer magnificent photo opportunities throughout the day, but especially during the early morning and late afternoon.

For accommodation options at the best prices visit our collection of camps and lodges:  private travel & conservation club . If you are not yet a member, see how to JOIN below this story.

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC:

• Travel with us . Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early / late and a few kilometres off course and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity? Browse our ready-made packages or answer a few questions to start planning your dream safari .
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Professional nature photographers Claudia & Wynand du Plessis have lived and photographed for more than 25 years in Namibia. Their heart and photographic passion belongs to the African wilderness, especially the wildlife of Etosha and the Namib Desert of Namibia. They offer a FREE eBook “Feel Namibia – a travel guide for the soul” . It provides 50 ways to feel and experience the magic of Namibia with all your senses. Claudia & Wynand designed an online photographic course, Take Better Photos in Namibia , where they share their insider knowledge and valuable photography tips, so that passionate photographers like you can take your dream images in Namibia too. They offer a 50% discount to readers of Africa Geographic here .

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If Namibia is 'Africa for beginners', as is often said, what a wonderful place to start.

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What to Do on a Trip to Namibia — One of the Most Beautiful Countries in Africa

Namibia is a feast for the senses, with otherworldly landscapes, jaw-dropping wildlife, and beautiful luxury lodges.

Only in Namibia can watching a single elephant be far more powerful than witnessing an entire herd, and can staring out at a sea of sand feel like a religious experience. That's partially thanks to the otherworldly landscapes, which elevate every wildlife sighting and outing to supernatural status. On my recent trip to the sparsely populated African nation, I was awed by the simple act of a sole bull elephant strolling on an arrow-straight path across the sandy, dried Huab River in Damaraland, jagged mountains rising purple and blue behind his approaching and growing silhouette, slow footsteps eventually audible.

There's beauty in the minuscule and mighty alike in Namibia — a photographer's paradise, even for amateurs. While it's not undiscovered, wildlife-rich destinations such as South Africa, Tanzania, and Botswana typically seduce those seeking quantity. Wildlife here might be fewer in prolific numbers (though there's a healthy population of rhinoceros), but Namibia is arguably about quality over quantity, and colors so wild you almost don't believe your eyes.

The last few years have been huge for tourism in Namibia, evidenced by dozens of new luxury lodges and camps like Zannier Hotels Omaanda , Zannier Hotels Sonop , Shipwreck Lodge , Hoanib Valley Camp , the fantastical four-bedroom villa at the Sossus , a total rebuild of and Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge , and Wilderness Safaris' Little Kulala renovation.

While adventurous road trip lovers can take on Namibia independently, the custom travel creators of Extraordinary Journeys are qualified to put together an epic itinerary and coordinate the logistics of charter flights. Leaving the details to them leads to exciting surprises, like a jaw-dropping Scenic Air flight from Swakopmund to Sossusvlei. From the air, you'll see where the dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean, colonies of seals frolicking in the scalloped surf, shipwrecks looming, and thousands of flamingos flying in a synchronized fashion. It feels like soaring above an entirely different planet.

"There needs to be some art and beauty in your world to really appreciate it," said Scenic Air pilot, Anthony, on our first flight from Windhoek. We were heading north to Onduli Ridge , but it felt like we'd landed on Mars. In reality, it was Damaraland's Doro Nawas Conservancy, which in some places looks like Joshua Tree on steroids.

"The roads are bumpy, but they say bumpy roads lead to beautiful destinations," said our guide, William, as we approached a futuristic circular lodge perched among massive boulders. He was right: Namibian conservation travel company Ultimate Safaris opened Onduli Ridge in April 2021, and it's a fantastical semi-arid oasis that's most striking as the sun begins its daily descent and illuminates the granite in bright orange.

From that wraparound deck, restaurant, and bar spreads a limitless, sublime expanse that's exciting yet calming. In the distance lies Twyfelfontein, a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of evocative sandstone engravings done by the San people some 4,000 to 8,000 years ago. We searched for vulnerable Angolan giraffes one day, and desert-adapted elephants another, tracking sizable footprints before discovering a mama and baby nursing, playing and bathing in ethereal sand. I felt like a superhero riding an e-bike through the super-flat, highly textured landscape, and learning about impressive anti-poaching efforts, fairy circles, and local fauna and flora, like the euphorbia damarana bush (dangerous to everyone but rhinos). "Those [rhinos] are being protected like presidents," said William. The desert-adapted rhinos are another worthwhile goal requiring a dedicated, purposeful pursuit.

It's not all high adventure: Namibian-made gin and tonics are a must during jaw-dropping sunsets, which precede creative dinners. The gorgeous free-form pool might just be the most serene place in Africa, and the six luxury huts are wholly original structures, with bathrooms built around behemoth boulders. Turndown service takes full advantage of the suite's 180 degrees of louvered doors, and staff rolls the plush king bed out onto the panoramic wooden deck for nights spent under the stars .

The remote NamibRand Nature Reserve's landscapes are equally endless, nuanced, and vivid. Kwessi Dunes sits astride a wavy pink dune that provides ample opportunity for relaxed days watching iconic oryx (Namibia's national animal), dazzling zebras, a lone ostrich, and even black-backed jackals drinking in the watering holes by the elevated turquoise pool. The Natural Selection lodge of 12 thatched-roof canvas chalets is prone to unbelievable hourly changes, with the color palette stretching to include neon oranges, cotton-candy pinks, and eerie purples that get more saturated as the days wear on.

Quad bike outings, slow scenic drives, bird-watching, sundowner jaunts, and stargazing (from your outdoor shower-equipped chalet's second bed in Africa's first International Dark Sky Reserve) all lead to special, surreal moments. But a day trip to Sossusvlei in the UNESCO-protected Namib Sand Sea should be a part of every itinerary, too.

Spending time amid this natural wonder — a panorama of colossal coral dunes and salt and clay pans — is far more compelling than even photos suggest. The garland of sculpted sand is breathtaking in the truest sense, especially on the breathless hour-long clamber up a 1,066-foot tall dune called Big Daddy, which is like walking a tightrope made of the finest particles. Up I wobbled, placing my boots in my husband's disappearing footprints like a stair climber melting away. The black diamond-grade descent was even harder, like what I imagine walking in space to feel like. At the bottom, we saw the sun-baked white clay pan of Deadvlei, where ancient camel thorn trees rise like skeletons.

Less than an hour from Windhoek, the physically and spiritually unique Habitas Namibia , which opened in 2021 and marries the concepts of safari and wellness. Arrival involves warm hugs and intention setting around a clay pot of Himba myrrh. The vibe throughout the 15 tented accommodations as well as the bohemian main tent, restaurant, and pool is celebratory, wrapping art, culture, and music into an all-embracing sensory hug.

On this vast lowveld savanna, which is also a commercial farm being rehabilitated and rewilded, guides share knowledge — such as the fun springbok fact that they jump as a sign of happiness and fitness — while navigating roads cautiously. "You can't preach about conservation if you're going to forget about the little animals and their burrows to go see something big," our guide, Shaanika, told us as we gawked at two white rhinoceros through binoculars.

Some days at Habitas begin with hilltop yoga timed to the golden rising sun, while others wrap with meditation in the bush, followed by artisanal sundowners. Johannes, a San guide, tells stories over bonfires and enlightens guests on the tribe's hunter-gatherer practices during nature walks that are like mini survival lessons. Spa therapies incorporate calabash gourds, Eastern modalities, and red hematite body masks à la the iconic Himba women. Creative and local meals are each as nourishing and beautiful as the black wildebeests, giraffes, and elephants down the hill. At this lodge, elements of surprise are integral, joyful, and meditative all at once. Take, for instance, a thrilling music and dance performance by artists who drummed, stomped, chanted, and hip-shook their way against purple skies, melting our inhibitions and raising the energy level of the whole camp. This was the most liberating gift, a way to foster true connection — not just to Namibia's wilderness, but to the wild within us all.

My 10 Favourite Photos from Namibia

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: December 10, 2020

Namibia is one of the most beautiful African countries. It is world-famous for its red sand dune landscapes and Etosha National Park, but has much more to offer than that! It’s not easy to choose just 10 photos from a 4-week trip, but I’ll try anyway.

Here are some of our favorite pictures from Namibia:

1. Deadvlei at sunrise

If you go to Namibia, Sossusvlei will certainly be on your top 3 of the places to visit list in Namibia . And the best time to be there is at sunrise!

The only way to reach Deadvlei and Sossusvlei before sunrise is if you actually stay in the park. We did that, got the kids out of bed before 4 am, and drove on a 4×4 sand road in order to get to Deadvlei in time.

We were prepared for the cold, but it was freezing cold at night in July. So despite all the layers of warm clothing, the kids were so cold and they just refused to climb the dunes. There was no way we could carry them up the hill, so we walked to the Deadvlei instead.

Sunrise was still spectacular in the valley and I was able to take some beautiful pictures as the sand dunes colored bright red with the first rays of the rising sun. We were the only people out there and it was an experience of a lifetime being part of this majestic nature spectacle.

2. Kolmanskop Ghost Town

Kolmanskop Ghost Town near Luderitz town in Southern Namibia is a real photographer’s paradise!

This long-abandoned diamond miners’ town is now only visited by snakes, scorpions, and tourists.

You find old buildings filled with sand and colorful rooms lit by beautiful sunlight… I think I took at least a hundred pictures, so the choice for this selection was tough.

3. Children rolling down the dunes in Sossusvlei

I chose this picture not for the way it looks, but because it puts a smile on my face every time I see it.

It’s the emotions and the laughter of the kids that I remember when I look at it. And the great time we had as a family when we were all five of us running down that dune.

4. Namibian sky at night

African nights cannot be easily described or compared to anything else. Complete darkness, an occasional sound of a wild animal in the distance, and millions and millions of stars…

This was my first try at night photography and I couldn’t have wished for a better place for that. Isn’t that sky amazing?!

5. Spitzkoppe

Could you choose any better location for a picnic lunch than this natural arch at Spitzkoppe?!

That’s what I love about road trips: you can drive to the most remote areas, spend hours exploring the place and not meet a single human being, then find a perfect spot with the most magnificent view for your picnic.

No restaurant with the finest food and a nice view can even try to compare to this! Spitzkoppe is a fascinating place. Absolute silence and the beauty of nature.

6. Elephants in the desert

We saw a herd of desert elephants in the distance when visiting a Himba village near Palmwag in Northern Namibia. But by the time we left the village, they were gone.

It’s amazing how a group of such big animals can just disappear into the landscape…. They were nowhere to be found.

That day, we were on a private tour with a local guide who knew the area pretty well. He left the main road and we crossed the river and drove at a pace of a turtle over a very rough terrain trying to find where the elephants went. Then all of a sudden our oldest son said ‘Look, here they are’! And indeed, the whole group appeared out of nowhere from over a hill just steps away from our jeep.

7. Okaukuejo waterhole in Etosha National Park

I could have chosen any of the few hundred photos I took at Okaukuejo waterhole in Etosha National Park and they would fit well in this selection of our favorite photos from Namibia…

There were 27 elephants drinking there at the same time, three lions just before sunrise, hundreds of zebras running away in panic, some black rhinos drinking at night…

But somehow this picture of our boys watching the elephants captures what Okaukejo waterhole in Etosha is all about.

It’s a great place to see wild animals. No, Okaukuejo is the best place to see safari animals in Etosha. You can just sit at the waterhole day and night and there is always something happening. We spent hours and hours sitting on a bench, we would read a book, have a picnic, go and get some ice cream from a camp store, come back…

It’s unbelievable how much wildlife you can experience at such close proximity with no effort whatsoever.

READ ALSO: Best Places to Stay in Etosha National Park

8. Giraffes at sunset

This is a picture of two giraffes at Okaukuejo waterhole. Yes, it’s a second picture from the same place, but  I just couldn’t leave it.

As I was photographing giraffes and elephants at sunset, I realized that there were the most amazing reflections visible in the water.

African sunsets and the bright colors of the sky cannot be easily compared to anywhere else in the world. This is definitely one of my personal favorite pictures from Namibia.

9. The San people

There are lots of different indigenous tribes living in Namibia , and the San people are one of them. I was allowed to take some beautiful portrait pictures of the villagers and especially the children.

This image of a mother with her baby is one of my favorites.

10. The San hunter on a lookout for wildlife

One evening, I went on the sundowner safari ride organized by our hotel. Two San hunters from a nearby village accompanied us to help search for wild animals.

I took this picture when the man jumped out of the jeep and went to look for a pangolin he saw from afar. It’s this combination that captures real San lifestyle, beautiful African savannah, and the perfect lighting at sunset that makes this my absolute favorite of all our Namibian pictures.

READ ALSO: Our Top Tips & Tricks for Better Travel Photos

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and the stories behind them just as much as I enjoyed writing this. Maybe I could inspire you to put Namibia on your ‘places to visit’ list.

If you are looking for more inspiration, take a look at our small selection of favorite pictures from South Africa . For more information about visiting Namibia, take a look at the selection of some of our articles below.

More inspiration and information for visiting Namibia:

• Practical info: Namibia travel tips
• Itinerary: Namibia road trip itinerary
• Safari: Africa safari tips
• What to wear: Namibia packing list
• For families: Namibia with kids

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Thursday 15th of August 2019

Is it ok to rent a motorhome?

Sunday 22nd of November 2020

I am a Namibian tour guide and always suggest to go in a small Safari group when you first come to Namibia. The info you get from your guide you cannot get in any guide book.

Saturday 17th of August 2019

Hi Carmen, you can rent a motorhome, but it's better to rent a 4x4 with a tent on the roof. Most roads in Namibia aren't really ideal with a motorhome and it will take you ages to get anywhere. Here you can find some practical information about traveling to Namibia.

Tuesday 12th of December 2017

Thank you so much Jurga! I will check on the tour groups that you suggested. :)

Sunday 10th of December 2017

How was your experience when you joined the tour? I'm planning to go there in July (i think I'm already a bit late in planning). I'm interested for see Etosha, Sossusvlei and different tribes and we are not comfortable in driving so I think joining the tour group is better for us. Do you have tour agencies to recommend?

By the way, you have a great blog. It makes me more eager to see Namibia.

Hi Sheena, first of all, thank you. Appreciate your kind words. As for Namibia, we rented a car and traveled on our own. With three kids joining a tour is not ideal :) Often, a tour will be cheaper though, especially if you are just with one or two people. There are also tours with camping rather than expensive lodges, or a combination of both... Indeed, you are a bit late in your planning, but if you join an organized tour, it's not really a problem, since they usually have everything pre-booked and arranged in advance. There are so many tour agencies, I cannot really recommend any. I think budget-wise it's best to fly to Namibia individually and join a small group international tour there.

Friday 13th of October 2017

love all you pictures and stories! :-) you should try Tokyo with the kids one day!! i have 3 kids and we spent 2 weeks there it was so fun :-)

Thank you Valerie. Two weeks in a city with kids! It has to be really good then ;) Maybe will get there one day.

Tuesday 19th of April 2016

Nog iets vergeten vragen ;)! Mocht je tips hebben voor overnachtingsplekken, mag je dit gerust delen. We waren wat aan het uitzoeken en merkten dat overnachtingen vaak heel duur zijn...daarom dat we op de idee kwamen om een auto met daktent te huren... En, welke auto hebben jullie gehuurd? En via welke maatschappij? Groetjes, Elisa

And to answer your question in regards to accommodation in Namibia. Yes, it can be very expensive and a tented 4x4 vehicle is indeed a very good option if you are on a tighter budget and like the freedom. As you can see, we travelled with three young children and we didn't camp, so I cannot help you in regards to campings or a car choice. We rented a 4x4 Toyota Hilux from Europcar. If I remember well they had exact same cars with a tent on the roof as well. I think that a tented 4x4 is a very good option to explore Namibia and in any case it's a bit late to look for accommodation for this summer, unless you are traveling with only 2 people and are very flexible. You can also book one or two lodges/hotels during your trip, that way you can combine the two - camping and a few days of luxury like a warm shower and a good bed. Swakopmund is a good place to stay at a hotel as there is much more choice and the prices are lower. I had a link to a guesthouse we stayed at in one of my posts, you can check it out.

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Namibia Photography and Travel Guide

Image Credit: Justin Black

Namibia isn’t referred to as “Africa’s desert gem” for nothing.

It is a country of breathtaking beauty with awe-inspiring deserts with soaring dunes, plentiful wildlife, and abandoned ghost towns that serve as a reminder of how harsh desert life can be.

Namibia is home to some of the most incredible landscapes on earth as well, including the Skeleton Coast and Etosha National Park, both of which are must-sees for landscape photography enthusiasts. 

Namibia is a place that can capture your heart, mind, and spirit, and when you travel there with your camera, you very well might not want to come back!

In this Namibia photography and travel guide learn about a few must-see locations and how to plan your Namibia trip to maximize your photographic opportunities.

Let’s get started! 

What to Photograph in Namibia - Sossusvlei’s Thousand-Foot Dunes

Image Credit: Eddie Soloway

The Sossusvlei region of Namibia is an interesting one, to say the least. 

Located in Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft National Park , Sossusvlei is a salt and clay pan famous for its massive sand dunes.

The most interesting aspect of the dunes isn’t their height - some reach over 1,000 feet high - but instead it’s the colors of the sand that are the most fascinating. 

You’ll find dunes that range from bright pink to dark orange, a variation that occurs because of oxidation (the sand has a very high iron content).

The longer the dunes have had to oxidize, the darker their coloring - old dunes are intensely red.

But the Sossusvlei region is much more than massive dunes...

Near the coast, the dunes give way to a completely different ecological zone, one with wetlands, lagoons, and mudflats.

Where the dunes harbor comparatively little life, their coastal neighbor is home to hundreds of thousands of birds and other animals that seek water, food, and shelter in the lagoons.

Quick Tip: Sidelighting is ideal for photographing dunes. As shown above, with the light entering the scene from the left, the right side of the dunes are cast in shadow to give the shot incredible contrast. What’s more, the sidelighting highlights the ripples in the sand created by the wind. The result is a photograph with incredible dimension!

What to Photograph in Namibia - The Wildlife of Etosha National Park

Considered the greatest wildlife sanctuary in Namibia, Etosha National Park is a must-see location if wildlife photography is on your agenda.

Though the majority of the park is a salt pan (which is so large it can be seen from space), wildlife from around Southern Africa migrates to the park’s many watering holes to satisfy their thirst.

To say that wildlife here is abundant is an understatement - you’re all but guaranteed to see game each time you venture out into the park, both because of the sheer number of animals and because the park is one of the most accessible reserves in all of Southern Africa.

Image Credit: Eddie Soloway 

The park offers a glimpse at both common and elusive wildlife species.

For example, elephants are found in large numbers, particularly in the areas of the park with thick vegetation. Lions, giraffes, and many common kinds of birds (all 340 species of them!) are easily spotted in many locations in the park. 

At the same time, you can spot elusive leopards and the endangered black rhinos in the park, as well as the world’s largest bird, the ostrich, and the heaviest flying bird, the kori bustard. 

Of course, the best time to visit this area is in the heat of the summer, when animals come from far and wide to find replenishment during the dry season.

Quick Tip: At 8,598 square miles, Etosha National Park isn’t exactly small. As a result, plan for several days to explore its beauty. There are three main camps inside the park ( Okaukuejo , Halali and Namutoni ) that offer sleeping accommodations, restaurants, shops, and recreational opportunities. Deeper in the park are three more camps, Olifantsrus , which offers camping only, and Dolomite and Onkoshi , both of which offer safari-like experiences.

What to Photograph in Namibia  Abandoned Ghost Towns

One of the most haunting scenes you’ll find in Namibia are its abandoned ghost towns that are slowly being reclaimed by the desert sands.

Kolmanskop , a once-bustling mining town, is a must-see. Its buildings still stand, but since the diamond mine there collapsed and its residents left, sand is overwhelming the buildings with dunes forming against their sides (and entering their doors and windows).

The town’s buildings bear the architectural style associated with German towns, thanks to the German control of the area in the early 20th Century after diamonds were discovered.

The dry climate has preserved the buildings, which are in shockingly good condition, apart from the knee-deep sand that now covers their floors.

Quick Tip: Elizabeth Bay is another abandoned mining town worth your time. Remains of the original town and mine still stand, though in the shadow of the new Elizabeth Bay Mine that opened in 1991 and is still in operation today.

How to Make the Most of Photographing Namibia

A photography trip to Namibia is on many people’s bucket list. So why don’t more people make the trek?

The primary difficulty with planning a photography trip to Namibia is simply determining where to go. With so many breathtaking sights and photo opportunities throughout the country, one could easily spend months there with a camera, yet most of us do not have that kind of time to do so!

It then becomes a difficult process of choosing the few locations you’ll get to see - a task that becomes doubly difficult after seeing photos of this impressive area. It’s simply so hard to decide.

That’s why traveling to Namibia as part of a photography tour makes so much sense…

If you think about it, the hard parts are taken care of for you - creating an itinerary, determining when and where to go (and for how long), and arranging travel and accommodations in-country.

And, when you travel to Namibia with the likes of Visionary Wild , you’re led by world-renowned photographers Michael Melford and Eddie Soloway, both of whom have spent their fair share of time in Namibia.

That means that you get to learn from some of the best photographers in the world, but you also get to rely on their expertise to take you to iconic places and off-the-beaten-path areas that few tourists get to see.

Visionary Wild’s Namibia expedition puts you in-country for two weeks (June 21-July 4, 2020). During that time, you’ll get to explore each of the locations described above, as well as many other photography hot spots in Namibia, including:

•  The Quiver Tree Forest , where centuries-old trees and dolerite rock formations comprise the Giants Playground.
•   Lüderitz , a mining ghost town that serves as an interesting relic of 19th and 20th Century German imperial aspirations.
•  Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, two bustling cities on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast , which is named as such due to the large number of whales that have been stranded there, their skeletons still dotting the shore (which you can see from your private scenic airplane flight over the coast).
•   Damaraland , a stunning landscape that’s home to the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain, a millions-year-old petrified forest, and Twyfelfontein, a rocky outcropping that features thousands of engravings by Namibian bushmen.

It’s an itinerary chock-full of adventure, but in amongst all that adventure, you get plenty of opportunities to learn more about photography and hone your skills behind the lens.

And since the expedition is limited to just six participants, the instructor-to-student ratio is just 3:1. That gives you ample time to get one-on-one instruction that will truly help you achieve your potential as a photographer.

There is truly no better way to experience Namibia and learn how to become a more skilled photographer than a small group photography expedition.

To learn more about Visionary Wild’s Namibia expedition, click here .

Other Tips for Planning a Namibia Photography Trip

• Where to fly into : Most international flights arrive at  Hosea Kutako International Airport . 
• Best luggage : For a trip of this length, the Nomatic Check-In roller bag is the ideal choice. It offers polycarbonate construction that stands up to the rigors of travel, silent wheels, low-profile handles, and a three-stage aluminum handle to fit your height. With space for 78 liters of gear, this bag has plenty of room for a 5-day trip or longer.
• Attractions & Things to Do : Take time out to explore the wildlife in Namibia's sand dunes . A stop in the coastal town of Swakopmund should be on your list of things to do as well. There, you can enjoy cool ocean breezes and visits with the friendly locals.
• Best Time of Year to Visit : Summer to early fall is the prime travel season to Namibia. Wildlife is extremely active during this time and the chances of rain are low.
• Check the weather in Namibia  right now .

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In-Depth Namibia Travel Guide: What’s it Like to Travel in Namibia?

My road trip around Namibia is the best travel experience I’ve ever had.

Hands down.

I can’t even find the words to describe how fantastic my time in the country was. Namibia has everything. It’s easy to explore independently, it’s safe, it’s beautiful, the locals are lovely, the landscapes are diverse, the wildlife is exciting, and there are so. few. tourists.

I’ve got a dozen posts planned about my time in this amazing country, so brace yourself for an onslaught of information! By the end of the month, you’ll have everything you need to book a trip to this kickass country. And hopefully you’ll decide to do exactly that.

This is what it’s like to travel in Namibia.

Where is Namibia?

Let’s start off with a little bit of context. Where even is Namibia?

Namibia is a Southern African country on the west coast of the continent. It’s located above South Africa , below Angola, and to the west of Botswana.

Interestingly, Namibia is where you’ll find the world’s only quadripoint, which is defined as the place where the corners of four different countries meet. Yes, in the far north-eastern reaches of this country, Namibia nestles up against Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. There are over 150 tripoints in the world, but only one quadripoint, making this a very special place on the planet.

Unfortunately, it’s in a part of the country that few tourists choose to visit, at the eastern end of the Caprivi Strip, which is isolated from many of the main tourist activities. Somewhere that’s much easier to visit, however, is the Tropic of Capricorn! Most visitors end up driving past the iconic Tropic of Capricorn sign while driving around Namibia, and fortunately, it’s marked on Google Maps, so you won’t have to worry about missing it.

Namibia is the Perfect Introduction to Africa Travel

If you’re dreaming of travelling in Africa but have no idea where to go first, head to Namibia. It’s one of the safest and least intimidating countries I’ve travelled through.

One of my aims with my recent Africa travels has been to prove you can easily travel around much of the continent independently. So many people opt to jump on overland truck tours in this part of the world, but what I’ve found so far is that it’s really not necessary. And in Namibia you definitely don’t need to join a tour in order to visit.

With the exception of the bad roads, I found it no more difficult or dangerous to travel in than the U.S., Europe, or Australia. And when you’re traveling independently, you’re in control of your schedule and where you stay and what you do.

On top of that, the official language of Namibia is English, which makes independent travel even easier. You can ask questions, you can get directions, you don’t have to mime all the time… it’s all so easy .

Namibia also felt like the safest country in Africa I’ve been to so far. Outside of Windhoek, you really don’t need to worry about much at all. The locals are friendly and welcoming, theft is rare, and your only real concern will be how many flat tyres you’ll end up with on the seemingly-endless gravel roads.

Not only is Namibia safe and easy to travel through, but it also has just as much to offer as other countries in Africa. Head to Etosha National Park and you’ll get to drive alongside elephants, giraffes, lions, black rhinos, and more. You can hit up the Namibian desert for sand dune climbing at sunrise. There are beaches and coastlines full of shipwrecks to explore. The darkest skies in the world are in Namibia, so the Milky Way is always shining brightly above your head at night. Oh, and there’s a ghost town in the middle of the desert. Badass.

In other words: Namibia is the best!

Not Many People Will Know Where You’re Going

I couldn’t believe it: after six years of travel, Namibia was the first country nobody seemed able to locate on a map. In my digital nomad community here in Portugal — so, y’know, people who have travelled full-time for many years — a surprisingly number of people had never even heard of Namibia.

I get it: it’s a country that isn’t often spoken about outside of travel blogging circles, but it was still surprising to be met with blank faces when I spoke about where I was visiting next.

The bonus of this? Hardly anybody decides to visit the country, so there are hardly any tourists around!

It’s Ridiculously Sparsely Populated

Namibia is the second-least-densely populated country in the world, with an average of just five people for every square mile. And it’s easy to see why: desert takes up the bulk of the country and so outside of its short rainy season, it’s a very arid place.

This was one of my favourite aspects of travelling around Namibia, though: you could drive for four hours straight and not see a single human, car, or building over that time. As an introvert with a love of wide, open spaces, I couldn’t get enough of the isolation.

Planning Where to Stay Is… Interesting

Because the country is so sparsely populated, the majority of places you’ll stay at will be lodges that feel as though they’re in the middle of nowhere. Because they kind of are.

There aren’t many major towns and cities in the country — and honestly, the best parts of Namibia are outside of them — so that makes finding accommodation tricky. The best places to stay at are often hours from the nearest signs of civilisation and miles down a tiny gravel path.

I found booking.com  best for finding places to stay. First, decide on which major destinations you want to hit in Namibia. For us, this was: Windhoek – Etosha National Park – Swakopmund – Sesriem – Luderitz – Windhoek. Most of these destinations are so far from each other that you’ll have to break up the drive into two days.

Next, on Booking, search for all hotels in Namibia, and once you’re on the search page, click on view on map. Once you’ve got a map view of every hotel listing in Namibia, zoom in on the route you’re planning to take and see which lodges pop up close to the midpoint between two distances. We did this for almost everywhere we stayed in Namibia and found some incredible lodges as a result. In fact, some of the highlights from my time in the country were getting to stay outside of the main tourist trail.

And if you can’t find anything suitable or affordable on the drive, just googling “where to stay between Swakopmund and Sesriem”, for example, will bring up a ton of forum threads with recommendations from other people. Not everywhere is listed online, so there were a few places we had to book through email.

Frustratingly, It’s Tough to Visit on a Budget

In Namibia you have two options: expensive or camping.

I’m all about that budget travel life, but in Namibia I had to give up my aim of spending $50 a night on accommodation and quadruple it for much of our trip. Yep, almost every lodge we stayed at in Namibia was well over $100 a night, and we were nearly always booking the cheapest option we could find. And we were visiting in low season, where accommodation prices are around half what they’d be in high season!

Unfortunately, if you want to save as much money as possible on your trip, your only real option in Namibia is to camp. Most lodges will offer a camping option for around $30 a night, so if you’ve got your own gear, this is an easy way to save money on accommodation.

The only exceptions to the crazy prices are the cities: Windhoek has cheaper options  ($50 a night), and so did Swakopmund  ($40 a night) and Luderitz  ($50 a night).

Everything else wasn’t too bad when it came to price. Our rental car — a Toyota Corolla — had us up for $30-a-day, which is pretty standard for most countries around the world. Activities and entrance fees (around $6) were also affordable. Food could get a little pricey at the camps and lodges, which made sense because they were so isolated, but nothing was over-the-top extreme. We’d usually pay around $10-15 for dinner each night.

But the Lodges are Amazing

Some of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed in are in Namibia. And while you’ll pay a lot for them, they’re worth every penny.

At Ovita Wildlife Restcamp , we fell asleep listening to hippos in the lake outside our room. At Vingerklip Lodge  (pictured above), we ate dinner on a towering cliff top, looking over Namibia’s version of Monument Valley. At Sesriem Desert Camp  (pictured above Vingerklip Lodge), we slept in luxury tents in the desert with wild oryx roaming outside.

I loved every single place we stayed in in Namibia, and even though they were ridiculously expensive, it felt as though we were still receiving fantastic value for money.

You Will Need Your Own Transport

Public transport doesn’t really exist in Namibia, so if you’re not going to take a tour, you’ll most likely need to hire a car. As for what type of car, it depends a lot on the time of year you’ll be visiting and how confident you are on gravel roads.

My Kiwi boyfriend grew up racing falling-apart cars on gravel roads in New Zealand, so he had the driving skills of a Namibian and we were happy opting for a tiny Toyota Corolla to make the trip for us. Guesthouse owners were always shocked to see us rocking up in it, but honestly, we had next to no problems with it. If you’ve got the cash, opting for a two wheel drive with higher ground clearance would be a smart idea, as part of the bottom of our car fell off on our second day of driving, thanks to all the rocks that had been flicked up into the undercarriage.

People advise to go with a 4×4, and especially if you’ll be visiting in the rainy season, but we decided against it for several reasons. First, it’s over double the price for a 4×4 (around $100 a day), second, being so high up makes the car easier to roll, and third, um, did I mention it’s expensive?

If you can’t drive? You won’t be able to visit Namibia without taking a tour or hiring a driver. You could take a bus between major destinations, but I believe you’d miss out on a lot of the wonderful lodges that make travelling in Namibia so wonderful. There are also reports of travellers rocking up in a hostel, getting together with a group of travellers, and car-sharing their way around the country, so this could be an option if you’re willing to take the risk of potentially finding nobody to travel with.

The Roads are So Bad

We drove 4000 kilometers in Namibia and probably only several hundred of them were sealed.

Yes, in Namibia, get used to urging your car over gravel, sand, rocks, and more. Because of this, travel days are long and bumpy — we rarely drove for less than six hours each day, and even listening to podcasts was a struggle over the crunching noises of driving over gravel while rocks pinged into our car

Get Yourself a SIM Card, But Expect to Rarely Use It

Getting connected is tough in Namibia, so if you work online like I do, resolve to spend most of your time on vacation.

Wi-Fi was sometimes around, was always slow, and often expensive. It’s worth getting a SIM card, though, as although we rarely got more than an EDGE signal, leaving our phones on while we were driving around usually meant we’d pick up a signal here and there to download emails.

We picked up a SIM card at Windhoek Airport upon arrival and it was super simple to do. The SIM card costs 50 US cents and 1 GB of data is a whopping $2.50. Too Many Adapters has a comprehensive guide for buying a SIM card in Namibia  if you need any extra information. When it’s that cheap, there’s no reason not to get one.

You’ll Get to Try Some Interesting Game Meat

One of my favourite aspects of eating in Namibia was getting to try so many of the delicious game meats on offer. The biggest surprise was warthog, which was delicious, but I also loved kudu, impala, oryx, zebra, and more. Most of the lodges will have some kind of unusual game meat on offer each evening, so it’ll be easy to access and you’ll soon grow used to it.

If you’re vegetarian, you’ll most likely struggle to eat super well in Namibia. Everything was very meat based at the lodges although bizarrely, Greek salads were available in basically every single restaurant, so you won’t have to go hungry. Just prepare yourself for a hell of a lot of feta cheese!

Namibia Has the Best Road Signs Ever

One of the highlights from our time in Namibia was the kickass road signs we came across while driving. The giraffe one above was one of my favourites. In addition to that, we saw signs for zebras, elephants, warthogs, and more. And even better: we actually saw some of those animals wandering around in the wild! There’s nothing quite like seeing a desert-adapted giraffe wandering through the sand.

The Bradt Namibia Guide is Invaluable

If you’re planning a trip to Namibia, you need this guidebook .

Not only was it essential for planning our trip, but we used it on an hourly basis while we were in country. When it comes to Africa, Bradt guidebooks are king, so don’t even consider picking up a Lonely Planet for this part of the world; almost all of them have terrible reviews as well as outdated and too-condensed information.

Because you’ll be unlikely to have data coverage while you’re driving, and sometime even in lodges, the guidebook made our trip so much less stressful. When we wanted to figure out which animal we’d just spotted by the side of the road, the wildlife section had a photo to help us out; when we decided to stop for a lunch break in a tiny village, we could look up if there was anywhere to eat, and if so, which place was best; when we were planning our driving for the day, we could look up route recommendations and find out which attractions we might want to stop at along the way.

I don’t often recommend using guidebooks (I think I’ve only done it twice before!) because I believe you can get a lot of the information online for free, but in Namibia, this guidebook definitely helps. We struggled to find detailed information about the country both before we arrived and while we were there, so our Bradt book was 100% invaluable.

Two Weeks is the Perfect Amount of Time to Spend in the Country

I spent just under two weeks in Namibia, and feel as though I saw almost all of the highlights. If I’d had three weeks, I would have spent time at Fish River Canyon in the south, a few extra days in Damaraland, and some time exploring the Caprivi Strip in the northeast .  Still, I feel as though two weeks is a good amount of time to dedicate to the country, which is refreshing as most places I visit have me feeling as though I need to explore for a minimum of three months just to start scratching at the surface.

I wanted to share my two-week itinerary here, because I feel as though I got it pretty close to perfect.

Day 1: Landed in Windhoek, picked up our rental car, and drove straight to peaceful  Ovita Wildlife Restcamp . You can read about my first day in Namibia in my article, The Perfect First Day in Namibia . Day 2: Time for wildlife! We drove north to Etosha National Park and stayed within the park at Halali . We spent the afternoon sitting at the camp’s waterhole to see if any animals emerged. You can read about my experience in Etosha National Park in the dry season: Desperately Seeking Elephants at Etosha National Park . Day 3:  For our first full day at Etosha, we drove around the eastern region of the park for almost 12 hours. We saw dozens of giraffes, zebras, and a rare black rhino, then spent the night back at Halali. It was magical. Day 4:  On day four, we opted to drive around the central parts of Etosha for the entirety of daylight hours, then switched up our accommodation to spend the night at Okaukuejo . Day 5:  For our final morning in Etosha, we decided to explore the western region of the park, then at lunchtime, drove to beautiful Vingerklip Lodge to spend the night. You can read about how incredible Vingerklip was in my article, Finding Paradise in Vingerklip: Africa’s Monument Valley . Day 6:  Day 6 brought a long drive to Swakopmund, where we spent much of the day on terrible roads. Still, getting to drive part of the Skeleton Coast was amazing, and we even got to see a shipwreck stranded off the coast. We spent the night in an Airbnb apartment. Day 7:  For day 7, we took a day trip out to nearby to Walvis Bay to see its seal colony, which is one of the largest in the world. You can read about this wonderful experience in the article, Seals, Swakopmund, and the Skeleton Coast . Again, we spent the night in our Airbnb apartment. Day 8:  We spent this day relaxing and exploring Swakopmund. You could use this day to get your adventure on if you wanted, as Swakopmund is the adventure capital of the world. You could try your hand at quad biking on the nearby sand dunes , for example. Once more, we spent the night in an Airbnb apartment. Day 9:  The following day, we drove to Sesriem and spent our afternoon climbing Dune 45. I highly recommend doing this, as we practically had the entire park all to ourselves. We slept at Sesriem Desert Camp , which was magnificent. Day 10:  We got up at sunrise to enter the park, climb Big Daddy sand dune, and explore Deadvlei. This day was spectacular and you can read about the experience in the article, Climbing Big Daddy: An African Travel Highlight . That afternoon, we drove south to Betta Camp to spend the night. Day 11:  The following morning, we drove down to Luderitz. We spent the afternoon exploring this adorable town and spotting pelicans as we drove around the areas just outside of Luderitz. It was a fairly relaxed day after all of the movement, and we spent the night at Kairos B&B . Day 12:  We saved the best for last, because for day 12, we drove to Kolmanskop at sunrise and and had the entire place to ourselves. Kolmanskop is an old mining town that has since been abandoned and is now being taken over by the desert. It was incredible and we spent a full three hours taking photos. I wrote about it in-depth in the article, Exploring Kolmanskop: Namibia’s Ghost Town in the Desert . In the afternoon, we drove to Maltahohe Hotel  to break up the long journey back to Windhoek. Day 13: Final day! Sad face. We spent this day driving from Maltahohe to Windhoek and left Namibia in awe of how much the country has to offer.

This was one of the best trips of my life and I highly recommend putting together a similar itinerary if you’re planning a trip to Namibia.

Yeah, You Should Definitely Get a Zoom Lens

The biggest regret of my trip? Not splashing out on a zoom lens for my camera and then getting uniformly awful photos in Etosha.

I ventured into Namibia with my Sony 28-70mm  lens and while it was absolutely fantastic for landscape photos, it was nowhere near good enough for the wildlife. Had my boyfriend not packed his 80-300mm lens, I would have had close to zero photos of any animals. Because we were in Namibia in the rainy season (more on that below), the animals at Etosha were hiding in dense grass and hard to spot, so it was rare for us to get up close to them.

If you’re going to Namibia and will be hitting up Etosha while you’re there, make sure you’ve got a decent zoom lens for the trip.

Get Yourself Some Excellent Travel Insurance

You know I’ll always yell at you if you’re dumb enough to skip out on travel insurance , but in Namibia, it’s an essential.

Why? Because Namibia has the highest car-accident death rate in the world, with 45 people killed on the road for every 100,000 citizens. On top of that, malaria hangs out in the northern parts of the country, and there are several other awful-sounding tropical diseases you definitely don’t want to contract. 

Travel insurance  will cover you if your flight is cancelled and you need to book a new one, if your luggage gets lost and you need to replace your belongings, if you suddenly get struck down by appendicitis and have to be hospitalised, or discover a family member has died and you need to get home immediately. If you fall seriously ill, your insurance will cover the costs to fly you home to receive medical treatment.

I use  SafetyWing  as my travel insurance provider, and recommend them for trips to Namibia. Firstly, they’re one of the few companies out there who will actually cover you if you contract COVID-19. On top of that, they provide worldwide coverage, don’t require you to have a return ticket, and even allow you to buy coverage after you’ve left home. If you’re on a long-term trip, you can pay monthly instead of up-front, and can cancel at any time. Finally, they’re way cheaper than the competition, and have a clear, easy-to-understand pricing structure, which is always appreciated.

With SafetyWing, you’ll pay  $1.50 a day  for travel insurance.

On top of standard travel insurance, you’ll also want to make sure you get some of the best car insurance money can buy. Most tourists get a flat tyre in Namibia at some point at a minimum (we got one roughly an hour from the airport on our final day) and replacing them/repairing the rental car can be pricey. We rented our car through  rentalcars.com , bought their insurance, and they refunded us for all of our car disaster expenses in Namibia.

You’ll Never Have Seen This Many Stars Before

Namibia is home to some of the darkest skies in the world , and I couldn’t believe how magical the night sky was. With the exception of the cities we stayed in, we fell asleep every night with the Milky Way twinkling above our heads. And with the lack of light pollution in the country, you didn’t even need to wait for your eyes to adjust.

If you’re all about stars, this is one destination not to miss.

I Loved Visiting During the Low Season

Well, low-ish season. We hit up Namibia in March, which is typically the final month of the rainy season.

We experienced just one hour of rain and the rest of our trip was full of gloriously blue skies. There were fewer tourists, prices for accommodation were almost half what they’d be in high season, and the weather wasn’t bad at all. I highly recommend considering a shoulder-season visit because of this.

Surely there has to be a downside? Yep. We struggled to see anything at Etosha. There are thirty-odd waterholes inside the park and during the dry season, they usually look like this:

Well, over three whole days of 12-hour drives, Dave and I saw literally nothing at any of the waterholes. Our waterholes looked like this:

We didn’t even see a bird.

The problem is: during the rainy season, there’s no reason for the animals to go to the waterholes because there’s water everywhere. And being on the tail end of that meant that instead we had to drive around in search of animals in the bushes. We didn’t come up empty handed, though: while we didn’t see a single elephant, we managed to see three black rhinos (super rare) and countless giraffes (my favourite animal).

It was funny, though, to have seen so many spectacular photos of Etosha before arriving, then to end up spending 90% of our time driving from deserted waterhole to deserted waterhole.

Have I Convinced You to Visit Yet?

I’m not exaggerating when I say travelling in Namibia is one of the best experiences of my life, and I can’t wait to start sharing every incredible minute of my time there. Next up: a detailed itinerary guide followed by dozens of stories to convince you to add Namibia to your bucket list! :-)

Have you been to Namibia before? Would you like to visit?

Related Articles on Namibia 💰 The Cost of Travel in Namibia: My Detailed Budget Breakdown 🦛 The Perfect First Day in Namibia 🐘 Desperately Seeking Elephants in Etosha National Park 🏜 Finding Paradise in Vingerklip: Africa’s Monument Valley 🦭 Seals, Swakopmund, and the Skeleton Coast 🥾 Climbing Big Daddy: An African Travel Highlight 🏚 Exploring Kolmanskop: Namibia’s Ghost Town in the Desert

Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

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100 comments.

I have never heard a bad thing about Namibia, and though we haven’t hit Sub-Saharan Africa, it would definitely be atop our list – maybe alongside Botswana? And on top of all you’ve listed, I’ve also heard that they have some decent German beer there since it was a German colony for a while. Any truth to that rumor?

There was *amazing* beer in Namibia! I’ve heard Botswana is pretty expensive and really tough to visit independently, but it’s very high on my list nonetheless. I know you guys would definitely love Namibia though!

Windhoek Lager (best beer in Africa)

Have you convinced me? Actually you have, I would have never thought of visiting there but it looks super amazing and peaceful! It sort of reminds me of Arizona. It sounds like heaven compared to NYC where I am currently at!

-Rachel @ Backcountry Petite

Score! I actually commented several times to Dave that I felt as though we were driving through the U.S. Southwest a lot of the time.

Great post, Lauren! I love all your pictures – especially the one of the night sky and the doors with the sand. It looks SO different than the places I’ve visited in Africa (Uganda and Zanzibar) that I’m very intrigued.

I think you’d love Namibia, Ashley! It’s very different to the other African countries I’ve been to, as well — so arid and empty!

Wow your pictures are absolutely stunning! Namibia has been calling my name lately but as you said it’s so darn expensive. Hopefully one of these days I’ll save up enough to see it. Did you find the food expensive even at local restaurants?

The problem was there often wasn’t any local restaurants. You’ll stay at lodges where the nearest town is several hours away, so you usually have to eat where you’re staying. In Swakopmund and Luderitz, food was slightly cheaper at around $8-10 per meal.

Wow Namibia looks wonderful! Thanks for writing this complete guide. Good to know it is safe. x

It really is the perfect introduction to travel in Africa :-)

Yep! I’m convinced! All I knew of Namibia was the rockin’ sand dunes. But with all this extra awesomeness (aside from the lodging prices) sound right up my alley! What city do you fly into?

I’ve heard of Namibia before, I’m surprised so many others haven’t. It looks wonderful! You have 100% convinced me!

I was there in march and I loved it. I highly recommend it to every one. It’s very safe!

Best regards!

Glad to hear you enjoyed it as well, Rui! :-)

You have definitely convinced me to go to Namibia. I had never thought of it before, but I think I will have to look into a bit now. Look forward to reading more posts about your trip.

I’m so happy to hear that! It’s definitely worth the visit :-)

I enjoyed the read! Amazing photos. Thanks for the tips <3

Glad you enjoyed it, Nadia!

I’ve been to Namibia on honey moon in 1995. Afraid to go back and see it changed. Apart from the occasion, it has been the most fabulous trip I have made. Did you miss the Skeleton coast?

We saw a small part of it while we were driving down to Swakopmund. Managed to see one shipwreck on the beach, but didn’t have enough time to get anywhere else. I would be interested to know if it has changed — it didn’t feel like the type of place that was changing quickly, but that’s totally just me guessing!

Namibia was my first ever solo trip abroad (around 8 years ago) and it was incredible. Yes the driving days are long but it is definitely worth it. The landscapes and hiking are fantastic, like nowhere else I’ve been, and the wildlife is so diverse. Other than South Africa I don’t know what country you can see penguins at one end and all the traditional safari animals at the other end. Looking forward to reading more posts to relive my trip/see how it’s changed.

Totally agree with you, Laura! I was surprised by how diverse the landscapes and wildlife were, and how empty the country the feels.

Looks and sounds like a great trip. Thanks!

It was amazing :-)

Wow, it really looks amazing. Must have been an incredible experience visiting the country.

As I said, the best trip I’ve ever taken. I loved every second I spent in the country :-)

I have to say Namibia looks amazing – it’s never particularly been on my radar, but it definitely is now! Looking forward to more posts on your time there. :)

I’m so happy to hear that, Clazz! It’s one of the coolest countries I’ve ever been to.

And great for children too. The number of ‘cute’ animals identified for airlifting to a proposed zoo in our back garden was extensive! Animals are everywhere: on the beach, by the side of the road, wandering around your lodge or tent. The whole family loved every bit of the holiday.

Ooh, I can imagine! I was filled with childlike excitement over every animal I spotted in Namibia.

I haven’t been before but you have me just about convinced! I’ve heard that the oysters from Namibia are something else as well.

Yes! Oh my god, I had the best oysters of my LIFE in Namibia!

Yep, I’m convinced! Everything looked amazing! Where did you flew from and how much did it cost you?

I flew from Portugal for $250 return with TAAG.

To be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard of Namibia. Probably because I’m from the other side of the globe.. or maybe I need to travel more! Nevertheless, thank you for this post! Very inspiring!

Well, you’re definitely not alone! But hopefully it convinced you to try to make it there one day :-)

Awesome photography. Thank you for sharing these amazing pictures and your experience in Namibia. I can’t wait to visit.

This place looks so stunning. I am one of those who had never heard of Namibia…..glad you shared this post. Thanks!

Glad you enjoyed it, Alex!

Namibia is terrific. I have been there only once but I still remember its beauty…yes it does gives you a lot of pocket pinch but then it’s worth it.

100% worth it!

I’m really excited to delve into the rest of your blog posts about Namibia. I have to confess I knew nothing about it before you visited but it looks like such an incredible country. Loved this introduction into what it’s like the travel there.

Happy to hear you enjoyed the post! Namibia is so underrated!

Namibia has been on my bucket list since I first set foot in Africa, After seeing your images and reading your blog I need to get there! Perhaps it will be the destination booked when I visit Africa again rather than the Safaris I did in 2010 or the Gorilla trekking in Rwanda! Great post!

I highly recommend it! :-)

Good to know, where would you suggest other than sousevlei and kolmanscop?

Walvis Bay, Vingerklip, and Etosha!

Honestly I don’t think it’s that expensive in the grand scheme of things. Sure, it’s not backpacking on a tight budget, but the prices aren’t that bad compared to the rest of the world. And if you compare what you get for the money with what you’d pay in somewhere like Australia, it seems like you definitely got your moneys worth.

That’s true. I guess the only problem is that there isn’t a super easy way to visit on a budget without missing out on a ton of awesome stuff. Most countries around the world will have hostels in most destinations. In Namibia, there isn’t really that option if you want to get outside of the cities and towns. But I agree: if you usually spend this amount of money in other countries as you travel, you’d feel as though you got a lot for your money in Namibia.

If Namibia is ‘Africa for beginners’, as is often said, what a wonderful place to start. Stunning photos, especially the view from the Sesriem Desert Camp. It’s perfect.

Absolutely! It was so easy to visit, and probably my favourite country I’ve now been to in Africa.

Fantastic post about a country I don’t know a lot about. Do they have a dress code in Namibia at all? Do women have to cover up while travelling in the country?

Not really. I would cover up my shoulders sometimes, but usually wandered around in a t-shirt and shorts. Almost all of the tourists I saw in the country were wearing shorts and t-shirts.

Wow it does sound amazing, how many days was this trip? My hubby turns 60 in October, after much nagging he has chosen Namibia.

Great decision! We spent 12 days in the country. Ovita for 1 night – Etosha for three nights – Vingerklip for a night – Swakopmund for 3 nights – Betta Camp for 1 night – Sesriem for 1 night – Luderitz for 1 night – Maltahohe for 1 night – drive to Windhoek and out!

Dear Lauren I am a Namibian, who often enjoys reading visitor’s blogs about my beloved country. It is always interesting to see Namibia through the eyes of other’s…..your photos and posts have been great fun to read. Thanks for the free advertisement……..might I add, Namibia is quite clean, it helps to have a small population density. Nonetheless, we do take pride in keeping it clean, hope you noticed that! Enjoy your travels, hope you make your way back here for an extended journey and with many other wide-eyed visitors in tow! P.S. the dust gets to me too!!! Regards Indileni

Yes, I definitely noticed that! I’m so glad to hear you’ve been enjoying my posts — it’s been a fun country to write about :-)

Hi! Looks like it was a great trip to Namibia. In search of things about this country I found your article. I am interested to go this year there. Can you tell me if you took pills for malaria or vaccine for yellow fever. Thank you

I took malaria pills for my time in Etosha. No yellow fever vaccine — they don’t have it in Namibia.

Hi Lauren, I’m currently finding out as much as I can about Namibia from books and the net, which is where I stumbled on your blog, which I’ve got to say, is excellent. I’d really like to hire a car and go camping, probably with a roof top tent, and only in campsites. My main concern is waking up in the middle of the night, wandering out to go to the toilet and having a close encounter with wild animals. Any advice? Thanks, Tony

It’s not my area of expertise, as I didn’t camp when I was in Namibia, but I’d imagine that you’d be okay in campsites. The animals are very spread out across the country, so it was extremely rare to see them while we were staying anywhere.

Your pictures are so amazing that I want to cry. This is on my list of possibilities for next summer. Thanks for the information!

Ah, thank you! It was easy to take great photos of such a beautiful country :-)

Thanks for a great blog series on Namibia! Great information and very helpful. I’m planning on doing a big road trip in the fall of 2018 and am really looking forward to it!

Sweet! You’ll have an amazing time, Rand :-)

I would like to drive myself through Namibia as I like the independence. However, I know nothing about mechanics and shamefully I’ve never been able to change a flat tire (I’ve tried but I’ve never had the strength to get the bolts off.). So is a tour package the only way to go for me?

You could look into hiring a guide to drive you. That’ll be cheaper than a tour and then you won’t have to worry about tackling the bad roads yourself.

Greetings for Oranjemund,Namibia Lauren,

Thanks so much for highlighting our beautiful country, I see you made Luderitz. Next visit head down to the deep South , Oranjemund was a forbidden town since 1936 due to the vast diamond deposits and only opened to the public towards the end of 2017. We walk amongst the Gemsboks in our streets down here. On the way to the beach last night, I had to stop and shout out the window at all the wild springboks hogging the road. They did not even scatter, but rather stood there giving me the evil eye…. Anyhow, Next time if you make it down here, give us a shout! Thanks again.

Ooooh, I would love to go! Sounds amazing :-)

Awesome read! Namibia is really one of the those countries people don’t seem to know about unless they’ve travelled to Southern Africa, or actually come from the area, like myself. ;) Well, South Africa, but I spent a good few years in that amazing country. Atleast South Africa gives you an idea of where it is directly in the name!

The endless nothingness on the roads is amazing, especially when you drive for hours without seeing a soul.

The amount of wildlife is another incredible thing about Namibia, unfortunate time to travel there in March, whilst you got to experience Nam at its greenest (or there abouts), the animals had plenty of watering holes to choose from, which is a pain when you want to see them ;)

For travelling during the low season, guided tours really are worth it, as the guides all communicate with one another and give each other live information about animal sightings etc. They can be rather pricey though :/

For anyone making a short trip, Erindi Private Game Reserve is a good stop, especially during the low season, the park is one of the largest privately owned reserves, but it is also tiny compared to Etosha, with a lot of the animals you could see in Etosha, the guides are very informed and make a real effort to get you to the animals you want to see (and the tours aren’t too expensive), it’s probably the most worthwhile 1 or 2 nights stay for anyone looking into some wildlife during the low season.

Otherwise, October/November is probably the best time to visit Etosha.

So I think the real question is, when are you visiting again? ;)

Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing! I’d love to get back within the next couple of years — especially because I need to have a better Etosha experience!

Awesome pictures that reminds me of my journey to Namibia although it’s been almost 6 years meanwhile… would go there again any time.

I’ve also published some of my black & white pictures in a Blurb photo book.

Maybe that would be an option for you as well? :)

For all the would-be tourists out there: I am a Namibian and love my country with all my heart! The reasons for my addiction to Namibia`s wild open spaces, spectacular scenery and incredible wildlife are numerous, but the ones standing out for me is the silence (you hear yourself breathe), the fact that you can stop anywhere alongside the road for a cuppa or to pitch your tent without fear of any danger (be it human or nature) and above all….the solitude! Take your 4×4 for an excursion into Damaraland and the Kaokoveld and have your soul completely rejuvenated! The friendly and helpful locals are just the icing on the cake – Namibia for ever. Hope to host you guys soon in our beatyfull paradise – so peacefull, quiet and serene.

Thank you for this post, Lauren! My grandparents lived in Namibia and I was lucky enough to visit them when I was 16. We stayed for 2 months and did a little bit of traveling. Now, 20 years later, I’ve been dreaming of a trip to Namibia with my 14 & 15 yr old daughters and decided to do a little research to see if it was still as empty and beautiful as I remember… From your post it looks like it’s still the perfect place to visit and I’m looking forward to planning a visit next summer. Thanks again.

I just came back from South Africa and that has made me want to visit Namibia. Your blog has now convinced me, although it seems like the dry season is best for animals. What’s the best way to get to Namibia? Is it best to fly to Cape Town and then catch a flight to Windhoek?

Either that or via Angola with TAAG Angola Air — they have some seriously cheap flight deals from Lisbon.

So glad to have come across this overview…

I nabbed a cheap ticket to Cape Town for May of 2019 and am planning on a 3-week Namibia road trip as the focus of my visit.

Looking forward to digging into the accompanying posts soon!

You’re going to have the best trip ever, Chris! Namibia is one of my favourite countries in the world :-)

I recall learning about the Welwitschia plant of Namibia while in school. Recently, an opportunity to travel to Namibia came up and I actually might be able to visit this intriguing country. This post got me even more excited. And the photos are crazy beautiful. thank you!

Oh, wow! I hope you do get to visit, Misael! It’s such a beautiful country :-)

I’m a bit worried that we haven’t booked enough in between stops for our upcoming trip! I have only allowed one day to get from Walvis Bay to Sesriem and one day between all our other destinations. Hopefully our experience of travelling in the Australian outback will help us in Namibia – we have driven over 1,000 sand dunes in our Simpson Desert and tackled corrugated roads like the Gibb River in the Kimberley. We have hired a 4×4 and will be camping – my only fear is meeting a lion in the shower when we do a side trip to Rooiputs in Botswana. I might just use baby wipes for those 2 days!

I have just come across this blog – and just WOW! Namibia looks amazing and the thorough description and itinerary is superb. I’ve recently watched Romesh Ranganathan’s Misadventures where he went to Ethiopia which is another astounding yet non touristic place that people would not think of visiting. I have travelled around the majority of Morocco in a 4×4 over a month and that wasn’t enough time. I’ve travelled all around Australia and NZ over a year – in the outback, NT and WA which have some similarities in terms of plenty of driving and not seeing anyone else for miles and plenty of unsealed road. Both in Aus and Morocco we didn’t seem to have problems with flat tyres but we were deflating / inflating when appropriate. Crazy how you did the trip in a Toyota Corolla.

Sorry for waffling on, I get excited with planning new trips – especially when you say you only need 2 weeks! Anyway just a few questions if you still remember from your time there – How much did you roughly spend during the two weeks, excluding flights, travel insurance, vaccinations. Although these details would be handy to know. – What was the heat like, was it still cool (ish) after rainy season? And were there places to buy / stock up on bottled water or did you kind of need to ration to make it to the next lodge or gas station. – What was the price of gas roughly? – Apart from flat tyres, did you have any major problems or was there anything you were worried out before you went or whilst you were travelling through the country – malaria, insects, the heat etc?

Maybe I need to check out your travel anxiety course again and stop asking questions and just dive right in. It’s been almost a year since I got back from Aus, so I’m gagging to travel properly again but still anxious about Africa. Thank you!

Your website/blog is a true gift. I stumbled on it while planning my trip to hike Hadrians wall and went exploring to see if you had been to Namibia. BINGO. You have an itinerary and everything I need to know for both trips. I can’t tell you how excited and fortunate I feel to have found this site. Thank you!!!

Hi Lauren…We are starting our “Journey Down That Path” yearlong family trip around the world July 1st. Our first month we are renting a 4×4 and touring Namibia.. It’s been on my bucket list since I gave up an opportunity to do Peace Corps work there in the early 90s. We can’t wait to experience all these sites. Thanks for your inspiration!

Hi Lauren. We are travelling to Namibia for the first time in October. I’m just wondering about travel injections. We will be getting Typhoid, Hepatitis A and advised to take Malarone anti malaria tablets as we are visiting Etosha National Park and staying outside of it at El Dorado Guest Farm. Is it necessary to get the rabies vaccine? There are a lot of dogs at this farm. Maybe I’m just being over cautious. Any advice would be greatly appreciated for first timers. Itinerary is arrive in Windhoek, drive to El Dorado Guest Farm in the morning, spend two nights there and then head southwards. Many thanks

I wouldn’t bother with the rabies vaccine. It’s highly unlikely you’ll even be bitten by a dog, and I can’t imagine the owners would be keeping rabid dogs on their property, either! You can tell when a dog has rabies, so the owners wouldn’t just let them hang around their other animals and endanger them and themselves :-)

I don’t see how you would get bitten because I doubt anyone would allow wild dogs roam free on commercial property. You would be fine, don’t just overthink it.

Great tips! In retrospect, would you have splurged on a bigger car better suited for the roads, are was the struggle with the bad roads in your little car worth it? And did you get any flats or have other car troubles?

There are definite pros and cons for each option. If we’d had a bigger car, there’d have been a greater chance of it rolling on the bad roads, for example, and they can be much more expensive to rent while also using more fuel. We really didn’t have too many problems with our car, so would stick with what we drove. We had one flat tyre, right at the end of our trip (on the first bit of paved road we’d had in a fortnight, haha), but it was no big deal. A local actually pulled over within two minutes of us stopping and changed the tyre for us!

If you don’t have much experience on gravel roads, maybe go for the 4WD option, but we didn’t really have any major problems with our Corolla. And the rental cars are definitely well-equipped for any flats you might have, with a spare tyre and a jack.

It just looks like the most beautiful country in the world! I can see why you loved it so much. I bet they’re probably doing ok with COVID with their population all spread out!

I spent 4 months in this beautiful country; 25 years ago. I would highly recommend Waterberg plateau, you would struggle to find a more stunning place on the planet. I will never ever forget this country, I have travelled around the world and visited some fantastic countries, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt, Namibia is by far the country that I will never forget. The stars, the sunset and sunrise, the scenery and the tranquility are my cherished memories.

Namibia has been on my wishlist for several years. You don’t mention renting the jeeps with tents attached. Are you familiar with this option?

Greetings from Canada, perhaps i missed this ,but what would you pack? i see you in jeans in pictures, certainly I dont need safari attire? off to Namibia in September.

Nope, no need for safari attire; I just wore my normal clothes that I wear at home! Jeans and a t-shirt, shorts and a t-shirt, a hoodie in the evening, etc. Everybody else that I saw was just wearing typical clothes, too — very casual. There’s no need to try to camouflage yourself from the animals in Etosha as it’s usually a dusty plain so everything stands out against it!

Hi Lauren, Great article, thanks so much. I was wondering if you booked your hotels before you left for Namibia or just booked as you went during your trip. I’ll probably just follow your itinerary, but I wasn’t sure if I should book ahead. Planning to go in May or June. Thanks, Peter.

I booked in advance. I don’t think any of the places I stayed in were fully booked but I was there during the low season. If at all possible I would recommend booking in advance, though! In some parts of Namibia, the accommodation is spread so sparsely across the country that if you turned up somewhere and couldn’t get a room, you might have to drive for an hour or two to get to the nearest property!

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Meet Lauren Juliff

Photos: Namibia’s Wild Places

Journey through Namibia’s beautiful landscapes with these photos submitted by our readers

Erin Corneliussen

Whether you love beautiful scenery or wildlife, Namibia may be the location to plan your next vacation. It is home to the Namib Desert , considered the oldest desert in the world, and is filled with national parks and reserves. Some, including Etosha National Park, are dedicated to wildlife; others focus on beautiful landscapes. Namib-Naukluft Park, the largest conservation area in Africa and the fourth largest in the world, features the country's most famous and photogenic natural wonders: towering, 300-meter-tall red sand dunes, the largest in the world. Namibia, one of the first countries in the world to incorporate environmental protection into its constitution, received the Gift to the Earth Award from the World Wildlife Fund this past October for conservation acheivements.

Photos submitted by our readers to our annual  photo contest .

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Erin Corneliussen | READ MORE

Erin Corneliussen is a multimedia intern at Smithsonian.com.

Namibia Photography Trip Packing Guide

I’ve now been to Namibia on photo trips over a dozen times now.  It’s one of my favourite places on the planet for photography.  But, as is the case on any photo adventure, it’s a little bit hard to know what to pack.  So, I thought I’d put together a pretty complete guide on what you should pack for your Namibia photography trip.  And, I think it should be stated that less is usually more.  I don’t want you to think that you need everything I list in this guide.

Camera Bodies to Pack for Namibia

I’m a big believer that whatever camera equipment you bring to your destination will likely be good enough.  However, when there’s wildlife involved – like there is in Namibia – that changes a little bit.   But, I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed either.

I will say, though, that when you’re packing a camera body for Namibia, you might actually want to consider having two. 

Why?  Well, because in the dust of the desert it can sometimes be a mission to change lenses.  Thus, it almost makes sense to have one camera body attached to something wide, and another to a longer telephoto lens.

So, what kind of body should you bring?  Obviously that depends on your brand. But, I’d look to bring 2 bodies – one with a fast frame rate like the Canon 7d mark ii, and one more suited for landscape photography like the Canon EOS R .

Dust/Sand Resistant Camera Gear

One point I should make here is that just because it doesn’t rain a lot in Namibia doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bring weather-sealed gear.  The sands of Namibia have destroyed thousands of point and shoot cameras over the years.  So prosumer cameras with those retractable lenses are kind of at risk here.  Most DSLRs and weather-sealed mirrorless cameras with detachable lenses will be fine.

Camera Lenses for a Namibia Photography Trip

The truth is that you could do a Namibia photography trip with just 2 lenses.  You could easily get away with just packing one wide angle lens and one tele-photo lens.  I think, without issue, you could use just a 24-70mm f/2.8 and a 100-400mm lens and be totally happy.

But, we’re photographers, aren’t we. We’re never happy.

These are the lenses I’d pack for a Namibia photo tour if I were you.  And, note, the examples I give you are Canon simply because that’s the brand I use.  Not because they’re somehow superior.

• An Ultra-Wide Angle : I used the Canon 16-35mm f/4 . But, honestly, this is probably the lens I used least in Namibia.  Most of the landscapes lens best to longer focal length. Still, for some of the canyons, it’s definitely helpful.
• A Standard Zoom : If you’ve been following my work for a while, you might know that I never really liked the 24-70mm focal range.  However, my Namibia trip really made me fall in love with it. I felt like it was a good “walk around” range.  A 24-105mm would also do the trick.  However, I think that if you can take an f/2.8 version so you can also use it for astro-photography
• A Telephoto Zoom : In Namibia, you’ll likely use your tele-photo zoom more than any other lens in your bag.  The telephoto side of your lens will make the landscape look more dramatic.  I’d definitely pack either a 70-200mm or a 100-400mm lens .
• Super Telephoto Lens : If you’re spending a lot of time with wildlife, you’re going to want some range.  While 400mm (or even 200mm) can get you some good images having a 600mm will make sure you get some dramatic images.  On one trip to Namibia I used the Canon 200-400mm f/4 + 1.4x extender.  On another trip I rented a 600mm f/4.  These are crazy expensive lenses, so consider renting one for the trip.  There is actually even a lens rental company in Windhoek now.
• Prime Lens(?) : I have both 35mm and 50mm prime lenses.  I’ve never used them in Namibia. But, if you’re photographing a lot of people, you might want to consider one.  I do think, though, that most people could get by with just the 24-70mm if you’re looking to save space in your camera bag.

Other Photography Gear

The beauty of photography in Namibia is that there’s so much variety.  But, that also means that you might end up packing around a lot of camera gear that you’ll use only once or twice on the trip.

I’ve made a little list below of some of the extra gear that I ended up using.  Obviously what you end up packing will depend a lot on what your skill level is, and what you normally photograph.

• Tripod : I use a 3 Legged Thing travel tripod and it’s actually pretty perfect for Namibia. It’s not too big to lug around, but also durable enough to stand up to the occasionally wild Kalahari winds.
• Monopod(?) : The only time I ever use a monopod is when I’m on safari. It’s just nice to be able to balance the camera. And, honestly, sometimes it’s not even about balancing or stabilizing the camera, but just giving you a break.  Cameras can get heavy after a while.
• ND Filters : If you’re into landscape photography , you’re going to want a couple ND filters .  I think you can probably get away with just a 6-stop ND, a 3-stop medium grad ND, and a Polarizer.  You’ll be surprised how often you use a polarizer in Namibia.  It really helps bring out the red in the dunes.
• Bean Bag : While on a photo safari in Namibia, bean bags are really helpful.  You can lay them down on the windowsill of your car, and then set your camera lens on it.  It helps stabilize the camera, it gives your arms a break, and it protects the car’s windowsill from damage.

Charging in Namibia: Some Accessories

For the most part, keeping your camera gear charged in Namibia isn’t that much of an issue. All the lodges, and most of the campsites have electricity to keep your camera batteries charged.  

However, there are sometimes power cuts.  And, of course, some of you will be heading out on some more wild photo outings to places that are more remote.  So, if you are off the grid in your photography a bit, maybe consider the following products.

• GoalZero Sherpa 100AC : This is the mother of all power banks.  It holds over 25,000 MaH of power whic means that on a full charge it can power up about 5-6 camera batteries.  Moreover, it can be charged with the following product.
• GoalZero Nomad 28 : I talked about this in my videos in Mongolia, as they really saved me.  But, these solar panels will draw about 18-20 Watts of power when it’s sunny.  And in Namibia it’s almost always sunny.  They’ll charge the Sherpa AC100 in about 4 hours in ideal conditions.

Type of Plug Sockets in Namibia

I should also probably mention that Namibia uses UK style plugs.  So, if you don’t use that type of power back home, be sure to pick up an adapter.

Camping vs. Lodges

There’s a lot of debate about whether you should camp or stay at lodges in Namibia.  I say “why not both?”.

When you have a lot of camera equipment, you don’t want it laying around in tents when you’re not around.  So, if you’re planning on spending a long time in one place, be sure you keep your camera gear locked up or with you at all times.  And, no, leaving it in your locked car isn’t always safe.  

That being said, in Namibia – aside from Windhoek – is fairly safe for you to have your camera equipment out and displayed.

If your concern about camping is charging, have no fear. Most camp sites have places for you to charge.

The Advantages to Camping

There are two big advantages to camping in Namibia as a photographer.  The first is that in certain places you’ll have earlier/later access to photo locations inside parks. The best example of this is Sossusvlei where if you stay at Sesriem camp you’ll be able to photograph sunrise and sunset in the park.

The second reason is for price. The psrice per person for a hotel in Ethosha National Park is about $130 a night.  Camping is as low as $25 per person.

Rental Cars: Do You Need a 4×4 in Namibia?

The other big debate in Namibia is do you need a 4×4.  The answer is no.  In fact, I’ve never had a 4×4 and I’ve managed to get by. Almost all of the roads are accessible by 2×4, and most roads don’t even require a lot of clearance.

That being said, having a 4×4 will definitely make your life easier. There are locations like the Skeleton Coast where you need one.  And, having a 4×4 definitely makes it easier to photograph Deadvlei.

So, no, you don’t need a 4×4, but if you can afford one, get one.

Camera Gear Safety in Namibia

I touched on this a bit earlier.  But, I want to add to this section.  For the most part, Namibia is extremely safe.  The cases of crimes against tourists are extremely low.  

That being said, you do have to be careful in Windhoek, especially at night.  I wouldn’t travel around the city with a camera gear out or large sums of money.  And if you have a car don’t leave valuables visible.

Outside of Windhoek, theft is rare. But, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen.  Again, don’t leave valuables visible and be sure to keep camera equipment out of sight and locked up.  Outside the capital, you’ll be totally fine basically everywhere you go having your camera gear out. Just be sure to read the vibe, especially in some of the townships of smaller towns.

Detailed Guide to Photo Locations in Namibia

If you’re looking for a detailed guide of all the best photo locations in Namibia, I’ve made on that you can see here .  I’ll be updating that post as I visit more locations around the country.

Namibia Photography Tours?

Every year I operate one trip in Namibia. It’s absolutely one of my favourite places in the world to photograph and I love sharing my knowledge and locations with others.

For information on the latest Namibia photography tour click here.

Or for information on upcoming tours and workshops sign up to the list below.

Just amazing. It looks like an environment from another planet. I am in love with those photos.

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NAMIBIA – Africa’s Arid Eden

During our Sandwich Harbour adventure we will search for unique wildlife behaviour including Black-backed Jackals preying on fur seal pups (image by Inger Vandyke)

Springboks drinking at a waterhole in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Feather on Sand Dunes at Swakopmund, Namibia

Exploring patterns in the iconic pan of Deadvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

A laughing Himba woman draws water from her well to sustain her goats and sheep (image by Inger Vandyke)

Rhino Reflections (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba Women running the petrol station in remote Kaokoland (image by Inger Vandyke)

Namibia's mysterious Fairy Circles dot the landscape at Sossusvlei. Image by Inger Vandyke.

Aerial view of the salt pans at Walvis Bay (image by Inger Vandyke)

Dune grasses at sunset on Elim Dune in Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

The comical Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills of southern Africa are sometimes called 'Flying Bananas' (image by Inger Vandyke)

Lioness drinking at Charitsaub Waterhole in Etosha, Namibia, after devouring her hunted zebra (image by Inger Vandyke)

A wild desert horse roams the plains of Tsau Khaeb in southern Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Springbok with a twitchy ear (image by Inger Vandyke)

Stunning Sossusvlei - everywhere you turn there are beautiful images! (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Sociable Weaver struggles to hold on to nesting material in a stiff breeze (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a married Himba girl in Opuwo, Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba bracelets (image by Inger Vandyke)

Pearl-spotted Owlet in Okaukuejo, Etosha. They always look angry! (image by Inger Vandyke)

Quiver Tree sun burst (Image by Inger Vandyke)

An Oryx wanders the plains at the start of Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

Oryx running on the dunes at Sandwich Harbour (image by Inger Vandyke)

A beautiful Himba woman in remote Kaokoland (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba head man in remote Kaokoland (image by Inger Vandyke)

Herero women giggling next to their roadside stalls in Damaraland (image by Inger Vandyke)

Namibia features many different colours of sand dunes including the spectacular garnet sand dunes of Dorob National Park near Swakopmund (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Young Himba boy in contemplation (image by Inger Vandyke)

The incredible birdlife of Walvis Bay's lagoons feature Glossy Ibis, flamingos and thousands of migratory birds (image by Inger Vandyke)

Backlit Double-banded Coursers in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a stunningly beautiful Himba girl (image by Inger Vandyke)

An African Scops Owl peeps out from its hiding place in a mopane tree in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sometimes the dust and light create incredible silhouette photography opportunities in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

An Eland braces itself for the dust of a sudden whirlwind in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

A dust bathing desert elephant in remote Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Explore Namibia's German colonial past at the abandoned Garub Train Station in southern Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Close up of an elephant's foot in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Rainbows adorning the stunning landscapes of Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Springbok takes to the water to cool off in Etosha, Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Who knew? A Namaqua Chameleon actually 'grabs' its meals using the end of its tongue! (image by Inger Vandyke)

A pair of Burchell's Zebras wait out a dust storm in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Secretarybird cooling off in the waterhole at Klein Otavi in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba women wear the most beautiful metal braces (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a Cheetah (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a stunning Himba woman in remote northern Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Zebras gather in the dust to wait their turn for a drink at the water hole (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a Damara Dik Dik in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Kopje sunrise in remote Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Aerial detail of Deadvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sociable Weavers build such large nest communities that the weight of them can sometimes topple the tree that supports them! They really do make better architects than builders! (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Greater Flamingo in the surf at Walvis Bay (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Black Rhino decides to lie down behind a piece of wood after his drink at Rietfontein waterhole in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Exploring the jewel-like lichens in Namibia's coastal plains (image by Inger Vandyke)

A cluster of Sociable Weaver nests in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A beautiful Horned Adder on the top of the dunes in Dorrob National Park near Swakopmund (image by Inger Vandyke)

A female Black Hairy-tailed Scorpion on the move in Dorob National Park, Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Deadvlei from the air (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba children playing in remote Kaokoland, Namibia (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Short-toed Rock Thrushes are a common bird of Namibia's stony deserts (image by Inger Vandyke)

Beautiful sunlit Oryx in remote Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a young Himba boy (image by Inger Vandyke)

A pair of Oryx in the red landscapes of Sossusvlei at dusk (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba woman are as beautiful from behind as they are from the front (image by Inger Vandyke)

Rock Hyraxes can look quite buck-teethed when they look at you (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A Namib Sand-diving Lizard in threat display (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a prominent Himba Head Man in remote Kaokoland, Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A pack of Black-backed Jackals argue over a dead seal carcass at Cape Cross (image by Inger Vandyke)

African Pied Crow calling from his road sign (image by Inger Vandyke)

The Himba children of Namibia are often tasked with herding and tending to the family's goats (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a Pale Chanting Goshawk in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Ancient (dating back to 9th century) rock petroglyphs in Damaraland (image by Inger Vandyke)

Flamingos take flight in front of the dunes at Sandwich Harbour. There is nowhere in Africa where you can photograph them like this, other than Namibia. (image by Inger Vandyke)

The demure smile of a Himba head man (image by Inger Vandyke)

Aerial view of elephants and oryx in remote north-western Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

At first light in Etosha, a mother giraffe nurtures her baby (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sun shines through the encroaching fog over the Skeleton Coast in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A herd of female Kudus take a drink in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

A stunning herd of Oryx in the dunes of Sandwich Harbour (image by Inger Vandyke)

Quiver Tree in the Giant's Playground at Keetmanshoop, Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sunrise at the Quiver Tree Forest, Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Last light in Namibia's incredible landscapes. The colours take your breath away. (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sossusvlei is never an unattractive office. Our expedition cars lie waiting for us to finish our landscape photography there. (mage by Inger Vandyke)

Burchell's Zebras fight it out in the dust of Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sunset walkers on Dune 45 (image by Inger Vandyke)

The Cloud Room in Kolmanskop, Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

An elderly Black Rhino male in the western end of Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

The tiny eyes of a Peringuey's Adder in the dune sands of Dorob (image by Inger Vandyke)

A stunning male Kudu in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

An elderly Himba woman smoking a pipe outside her hut (image by Inger Vandyke)

Profile of a beautiful Himba woman in her hut (image by Inger Vandyke)

Three Oryx on a dune taking from our aerial flight in a helicopter with no doors! (image by Inger Vandyke)

A herd of oryx runs across the grasslands of Sossusvlei at sunset (image by Inger Vandyke)

The setting moon at the Quiver Tree Forest in Keetmanshoop (image by Inger Vandyke)

A pretty Herero girl smiles in the protection of her mother (image by Inger Vandyke)

The iconic Devil's Fork in Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba children grow surrounded by so much beauty (image by Inger Vandyke)

Can you ever photograph too many African sunsets? (image by Inger Vandyke)

Peak hour at M'bari water hole in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

A rare image of Etosha's Charitsaub pride hunting a zebra before our eyes (image by Inger Vandyke)

Storm clouds in Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

A pair of Rosy-faced Lovebirds enjoy the early morning sun at the Quiver Tree Forest (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Oryx are truly the ballerinas of Namibia's dunes. They are so graceful and beautiful. (image by Inger Vandyke)

Burchell's Zebras in the grasslands near Salvadora in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

The beautiful Himba people of Kaokoland in Namibia (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A flock of Red-billed Queleas take off from their bushy perch in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

"Shall I take that zebra while you take the other?" Etosha's cheetahs contemplate a hunt (image by Inger Vandyke)

The next generation of Etosha's lions keeps safe in the rushes at Charitsaub water hole (image by Inger Vandyke)

Ripples in the sand (image by Inger Vandyke)

Pink clouds at dusk in the beautiful Tsau Khaeb National Park of southern Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Eye to eye with Namibia's beautiful desert elephants (image by Inger Vandyke)

Desert Elephants are forced to share their drinking holes with other creatures including Oryx (image by Inger Vandyke)

Springbok in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

The unbearable lightness of trees (image by Inger Vandyke)

When elephants fight it sometimes looks like affection (image by Inger Vandyke)

A colony of Rosy-faced Lovebirds using the nests of Sociable Weavers in the Quiver Tree Forest (image by Inger Vandyke)

A group of Oryx on the dunes in Sossusvlei taken from our scenic helicopter flight at sunrise (image by Inger Vandyke)

The ruined mining town of Kolmanskop, Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A young Himba girl holds a newly made Erembe, or the crown made of goat skin that is worn by married Himba women (Image by Inger Vandyke)

First light over Fish River Canyon's Quiver Trees (image by Inger Vandyke)

Lilac-breasted Rollers are always a highlight of any trip in Africa (image by Inger Vandyke)

Quiver Trees take on an ethereal glow at sunset in Fish River Canyon (image by Inger Vandyke)

Namibia's iconic Deadvlei is a paradise for landscape photographers (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Cheetah ambles towards us (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Springbok enjoying a sunrise breakfast in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

The quiet, dreamlike landscapes of Sossusvlei at sunset (image by Inger Vandyke)

Aerial shot of an Oryx running through the dunes at Sossusvlei (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Cape Glossy Starling are beautiful but they love raiding picnic sites! (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Namaqua Chameleon catches its breakfast on our Living Desert trip, the ultimate Sandbox Safari (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Dazzle of Zebras at Chudob Water Hole near Namutoni in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Marico Sunbird feeding on an agave flower (image by Inger Vandyke)

The beautiful wife of a Himba head man in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Zebra Portrait in black and white (image by Inger Vandyke)

Burchell's Zebras in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Looking back towards Sesriem Canyon on a sunrise scenic flight over Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

A mother desert elephant makes her way down the Hoanib Riverbed with her tiny baby (image by Inger Vandyke)

The mesmerising dunescapes of Namibia's Sandwich Harbour (image by Inger Vandyke)

A solitary tree survives at the bottom of one of Sossusvlei's massive red dunes in Namibia (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Sunset with the Quiver Trees on the edge of the world at Fish River Canyon (image by Inger Vandyke)

Namibia's iconic Quiver Trees are always photogenic (image by Inger Vandyke)

One of the many spectacular sunsets we witnessed on our tours (image by Inger Vandyke)

The simple beauty of landscape photography in Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

Layered dunes at Sandwich Harbour (image by Inger Vandyke)

Dorob National Park from a scenic plane flight. Look at that fantastic geological formation! (image by Inger Vandyke)

Quiver Trees in the Giant's Playground at dusk (image by Inger Vandyke)

Exploring the 'slat room' in the deserted mining town of Kolmanskop in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba woman and child in Kaokoland (image by Inger Vandyke)

A desert horse in the glow of dusk (image by Inger Vandyke)

Two Burchell's Zebras drinking at a water hole surrounded by a flock of Sand Grouse in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Tawny Eagle enjoys his dinner of a Crested Francolin in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Adorable Rock Hyraxes are universally loved by the guests of our Namibia photography tours (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sunburst photography with Quiver Trees at Fish River Canyon (image by Inger Vandyke)

An aerial view of the coastline at Walvis Bay (image by Inger Vandyke)

Line of giants in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Typical Himba village scene (image by Inger Vandyke)

A pair of Burchell's Zebras rest on the grasslands of Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

"Are you guys following me?" An Oryx checks on his herd mates in the dunes of Sandwich Harbour (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a Speckled Pigeon (image by Inger Vandyke)

The beautiful hair extensions adorning Himba women in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A perky Kalahari Scrub Robin calls to his mate in Ethosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

The Road to Nowhere in remote Kaokoland (image by Inger Vandyke)

The wave. Viewing the red dunes of Sossusvlei from the air is a feast of light, shape and colour (image by Inger Vandyke)

The multilayered cliffs surrounding Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon on earth after the Grand Canyon (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a beautiful Himba girl in remote Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Quiver Trees in blue hour (image by Inger Vandyke)

Baby elephant playing in the herd at Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba woman nursing her baby (image by Inger Vandyke)

By September Etosha's water holes teem with life (image by Inger Vandyke)

Stunning sunset in Tsau Khaeb National Park, southern Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A sleepy Etosha lioness wakes up and goes to hunt (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Chacma Baboon seeks shade in a tree of the Hoanib ephemeral river (image by Inger Vandyke)

A rare sighting of a Porcupine in Etosha close to sunset. He even drummed his quills to display near the guests on our tour! (image by Inger Vandyke)

Dunes invade a room inside the ruined mining town of Kolmanskop in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A flock of almost adult Ostrich chicks stick together for safety in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Giraffes imitating trees in the Hoarasib ephemeral river (image by Inger Vandyke)

Giraffe reflections in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

A pretty Orange River White Eye in the city gardens of Swakopmund (image by Inger Vandyke)

The journey (image by Inger Vandyke)

Suffering from too much milk, one of Namibia's desert elephant babies takes a nap at its mother's feet (image by Inger Vandyke)

As the sun sets in Sossusvlei, a tree pierces the shadows (image by Inger Vandyke)

Swakopmund is arguably Namibia's prettiest coastal town and is marked by many beautiful German colonial buildings (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a Black-backed Jackal in the Cape Fur Seal colony at Cape Cross (image by Inger Vandyke)

Ripples and dune details in Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

Himba women look as beautiful from behind as they do from the front (image by Inger Vandyke)

Beauty in simplicity. Sossusvlei at sunrise (image by Inger Vandyke)

Namibia's desert elephants enjoy grazing after the deserts bloom in an ephemeral river (image by Inger Vandyke)

A young male lion in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sociable Weaver nest in a Quiver Tree (image by Inger Vandyke)

Desert-adapted elephants roam the wild landscapes of Namibia's extraordinary ephemeral rivers (image by Inger Vandyke)

Where the deserts of Namibia kiss the Atlantic Ocean at Sandwich Harbour (image by Inger Vandyke)

The hauntingly beautiful dead Camel Thorn Trees of Deadvlei in Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

When activity at a waterhole gets tough, the tough Oryx get going. Even the birds get scared! (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A pretty Tractrac Chat in the dunes of Dorob National Park (image by Inger Vandyke)

Portrait of a Rockrunner in the remote mountains of northern Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A cheeky Wedge-snouted Lizard runs around at our feet on Elim Dune in Sossusvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

Last light in remote Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

A solitary acacia greets the rising sun in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Springbok just about to scratch an itch in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Deadvlei aerial detail shows ancient paths of water through the clay pan (image by Inger Vandyke)

Cape Fur Seal at Cape Cross, Namibia

Close encounters of the White Rhino kind in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Looking into the eye of a baby Burchell's Zebra in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

A shy Rosy-faced Lovebird peers out of its nest built by Sociable Weavers in the Quiver Tree Forest (image by Inger Vandyke)

The remote outpost of Orupembe in north-western Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Adorable Namib Web-footed Geckos on the Living Desert excursion of our Namibia photo tour (image by Inger Vandyke)

Exploring a ruined oil rig in a remote stretch of Namibia's Skeleton Coast (image by Inger Vandyke)

Deadvlei at dawn (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Gemsbok oryx takes off into the grasslands of Sossusvlei, Namibia. This image was taken on an aerial safari by helicopter from Sesriem (Image by Inger Vandyke)

Aerial photography in Sossusvlei is one of the most sublime experiences in all of Africa (image by Inger Vandyke)

A Black Rhinoceros takes charge of the scene at a waterhole in Etosha (image by Inger Vandyke)

Sunrise in the spectacular Quiver Tree Forest (image by Inger Vandyke)

There is only one thing cuter than Rock Hyraxes and that is the adorable Dassie Rat (image by Inger Vandyke)

Namibia's pale scorpions fluoresce at night, making them wonderful photographic subjects (image by Inger Vandyke)

'The Twins' - two of the iconic camel thorn trees in Namibia's Deadvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

The stunning simplicity of the red dunes at Sossusvlei, Namibia (Image by Inger Vandyke)

A wild desert lioness finds shade near the mouth of the Hoanib ephemeral river (image by Inger Vandyke)

A rare morning where coastal fog descended on Deadvlei (image by Inger Vandyke)

A desert everlasting on the dunes in southern Namibia (image by Inger Vandyke)

Ruppell's Korhaans calling to attract a mate (image by Inger Vandyke)

In Namibia's Dorob National Park, the dunes are gorgeous in the early light (image by Inger Vandyke)

NAMIBIA PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS WITH WILD IMAGES

Namibia offers such a rich feast of landscapes, peoples and wildlife that it is not surprising that Namibia photography tours are now considered some of the finest in Africa.

As one of the most sparsely populated countries on earth, Namibia is home to a kaleidoscope of landscapes that are home to some of Africa’s most beautiful wildlife and people.

Our Namibia photography tour is the most comprehensive trip on offer in the country, taking you from the far south to the far north, close to the border of Angola.

A Breathtaking Landscape Steeped in History

Namibia’s landscapes are dominated by a geological kaleidoscope rivalled by very few countries on earth.  Almost around every corner, the colours of the countryside change dramatically, robbing even the most jaded photographer of breath.  In Namibia, some of the world’s oldest deserts are breathed into life by beautiful ephemeral rivers, snaking like veins from rocky mesas to the sea, where the cooling Benguela creates a coastal fog unique only to its coast and, oddly, coastal South America.

We explore two of the most spectacular expanses of desert dunes in Africa on our tour.  The extraordinary sand sea at Sossusvlei is famous for its endless gigantic red sand dunes hiding clay pans dotted with ancient camel thorn trees. Then we will take an adventurous drive over the huge yellow coastal dunes of southern Namibia to Sandwich Harbour, where we will search for herds of Oryx, migratory birds and the elusive brown hyena while driving the beach where the wild Atlantic kisses Namibia’s coastline.

During our stay in Sossusvlei we will offer an optional one-hour scenic flight by helicopter for aerial photography of the region’s dunes, wildlife and clay pans.

Further north, we will drive into the remote Skeleton Coast region searching for incredibly unique wildlife, including desert-adapted elephants, lions and rhinoceros.

Finally, Etosha, the great white place that is home to a myriad of safari wildlife species, awaits us as a grand finale to our tour.

It is in this myriad of landscapes that we will learn about Namibia’s rich history through our photography visits to the ruined mining town of Kolmanskop and the deserted train station of Garub, lying like a phoenix in the lunar-like landscapes of the Tsau Khaeb National Park, where the country’s wild desert horses run free.

We will also visit shipwrecks and ruined oil rigs on remote parts of the desert coast as we journey north on our tour.

Namibia’s rich cultural history is ancient and spans centuries before the country was colonised by Germany.  During our tour we will visit a site of extremely isolated rock carvings that have been viewed by only a few outside visitors to the country.  Dating back to the 9 th century, these beautiful arts were created by the country’s Damara people, whose long existence in Namibia is rivalled only by that of the San Bushmen.

Optional Scenic Flight Over Sossusvlei

One of the highlights of visiting the astonishing sand sea of Sossusvlei in the Namib Naukluft National Park is actually seeing this incredible landscape from the air.  We offer a one-hour scenic flight in a helicopter with no doors over Sossusvlei, where we search for beautiful Oryx on the dunes and other wildlife. Taking place at sunrise or sunset, this is a perfect chance to gain an unfettered view of the crescent and star dunes of Sossusvlei while the light is soft and the shadows are long. With space for only three guests in each of two helicopters (a total of six guests), the costs of this expensive flight drop considerably if we can fill each helicopter.  Due to the sublime photographic opportunities these flights offer, they are very popular with our guests, and we would suggest you register your interest in joining one of these scenic flights at the time of booking.

Africa’s Arid Wildlife

Guided by some of the leading naturalist photographers in the country, our tour will not only take you to see Namibia’s most iconic safari and desert wildlife; we will explore the southern dunes for flocks of wild flamingos and birds while looking for shy brown hyenas.

Namibia’s coastal dune systems might appear lifeless to some, but we will take you on the ultimate ‘sandbox safari’ in search of Africa’s little five – Namaqua chameleon, Peringuey’s Adder, Namib Web-footed Gecko, Namib Sand-diving Lizard and Toktokkie beetles. This fascinating part of the trip gives you the chance to photograph feeding chameleons and tame Tractrac Chats while learning about the geography of Namibia’s coastal dunes first-hand.

We will also visit the world’s largest colony of Cape Fur Seals in the rugged coastal region of Cape Cross.  Teeming with life, Cape Cross is thought to be the first place where Europeans set foot in Namibia in 1486.  Now it is a wildlife reserve that is home to almost 200,000 seals who spend their days lounging, arguing, fishing, swimming and breeding along rocky headlands and beaches.

It is close to Cape Cross that we will make a brief stop to view the jewel-like lichen fields that are unique to Namibia. These orange landscapes feature over 120 species of lichens that exist here and nowhere else.  Each plant is like a tiny desert jewel and they are wonderful for macro photography.

Supported by local experts, we will explore two of the country’s most remote and fascinating ephemeral rivers, the Hoanib and Hoarusib, searching for Namibia’s unique desert-adapted elephants, lions and rhinos. Driving through these ethereally beautiful places, we may see troupes of Chacma Baboons, flocks of ostriches, journeys of giraffes and other desert wildlife wandering between the dunes and these elongated oases of the Skeleton Coast deserts.

In southern Africa’s oldest national park of Etosha, our tour spends four days on safari in open-topped vehicles, waterhole hopping at the peak time of the year when thirsty animals teem around any sources of water to drink.  During our safaris, we will search for Africa’s largest wild elephants, prides of lions, black and white rhinoceros, and numerous species of ungulates, including Hartmann’s Mountain Zebras, listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.

The Himba – Namibia’s Red Ochre People of the Desert

Wild Images is proud to have an extremely long relationship with Namibia’s Himba, the iconic red ochre people of the Kaokoland deserts in the north of the country near Angola.

When we first created our Namibia tour, we carefully sought out a non-tourist experience for our guests that provided not only unrivalled photographic experiences through cultural immersion but also benefitted Himba communities directly at the same time.

For two incredible nights and one day of our tour, we will take you to visit several remote communities of Himba people that are hidden in a valley they deem sacred.  Staying at a secluded lodge that is run by Himba people for the communities in the valley, your room will share part of a 270 degree vista that has moved some of our previous guests to tears.  Up there, the only sounds you will hear are of the wind, the birds and the occasional cry of Himba children herding their livestock deep in the valley below.

Over one incredible day, you will learn how Himba people find water by walking with them to wells. You will be shown medicinal and perfume plants on an easy walk through the foothills before visiting ancient burial sites and traditional villages that are more or less untouched by the outside world.  Our expert guide and translator will be on hand to answer any questions you might have about these fascinating people, while our photography guides show you how to best capture portraits and village life in these remote, friendly communities.

What makes our Namibia Photography Tour different?

Given the warm, friendly nature of Namibia and its incredible diversity of photographic subjects, it is hardly surprising that many photography tour companies offer trips of various lengths in this superb country.

Our tour travels the length of this spectacular country at the absolute best time to photograph wildlife.  The main rain season in Namibia usually falls between December and April.  During this time, water is widely available across the country and the vegetation is lush.  During the rainy season and up until the end of May, wildlife photography can be difficult in these conditions.  The peak wildlife viewing in Namibia is during the months of September and October, when the waterholes are drying up and the vegetation has been grazed.  It is this time you can experience the magical golden light with less obstructed views of an abundance of wildlife congregating at waterholes.

Our tour has also been meticulously planned to take place during the new moon when Namibia’s dark night skies are at their best for celestial photography while we traverse the southern part of the country.

Through numerous visits to Namibia, we have an unparalleled level of expertise in locating the best photographic locations.  We don’t just focus on the main tour circuit with all of its iconic destinations; we go deeper into the country to find some of its most precious and hidden wildlife while showing you how to best capture it all in photos.

Our guides stem from the country’s leading natural history family and from extensive photographic visual storytelling backgrounds.  While travelling with us, we not only show you the unseen, but we help you to tell a story through your portfolio of the trip.

Accommodation and Road Transport

Accommodation during our Namibia photography tour is a mix of mid-range standard lodges and hotels.

Our itinerary in Namibia involves long distances. Transport is by custom-built, extended Landcruisers.  The vehicle configuration is that each participant will have a window seat. Each vehicle has a pop-top roof in the vehicle that can be opened in Etosha and the ephemeral rivers.

There is very little walking on this Namibia photography tour as most of it is conducted by driving.  A short walk over undulating dunes is required to reach Dead Vlei.  A boardwalk is available to view the seals at Cape Cross, and the visits to the Himba communities will also involve short walks across the sand.

Namibia and South Africa are both extremely dry, arid landscapes with very few mosquitoes.  During the day we suggest you wear neutral coloured clothing while on safari, a broad-brimmed hat and light, long-sleeved clothes to protect you from the sun.  At night and on early morning drives a warm fleece is recommended as the night-time desert temperatures can drop to below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit).

Photographic Equipment

For wildlife photography of the larger mammals and birds, a 200-300mm lens will often be the most useful lens, but we also recommend a focal length of 400-600mm for other bird shots, mammal close-ups etc. (If your budget does not run to prime lenses, high quality 100-400mm or similar zoom lenses can be a great alternative.) For landscape and night photography, we suggest you bring a wide-angle lens from 10mm upwards.

Alternatively, you can get wonderful photography results with a high-quality digital bridge camera with an 18-20x or higher optical zoom and a good wide-angle capacity (equivalent to 24-28mm).

For photography with the Himba people you may wish to have either a wide-angle lens or a travel lens similar to a 24-105 or 70-200mm.

iPhones and iPads are useful on this trip for photographing macro subjects like Peringuey’s adders and also for the tiny lichens we will view in the desert.  You may find mobile devices are also great for taking small videos of the wildlife we will encounter during our tour.

If you have questions about what equipment you ought to bring, please contact us.

Photographic Highlights

• A true adventure spanning the entire country from Fish River Canyon in the south to the remote Kaokoland region near the border of Angola
• Our tour is timed to make the most of Namibia's incredible night skies for celestial photography
• The otherworldly Quiver Tree Forest and dolerite stacks of the Giant’s Playground for sunrise and sunset photography
• The incredible red dune landscapes of the Sossusvlei including golden hour photography in Namibia’s most iconic destination, Dead Vlei
• The world’s oldest plants, Welwitschia mirabilis in the stunning red granite landscapes of northern Namibia
• A search for Africa’s “Little Five” in the dunes of Swakopmund (Namib Web-footed Gecko, Namaqua Chameleon, Peringuey's Adder, Shovel-snouted Lizard and Toktokkie Beetle)
• Look for prowling Black-backed Jackals in the largest African Fur Seal colony in the world at Cape Cross
• A search for prides of desert adapted lions and other creatures of the red granite desert system of Damaraland, including Black Rhinoceros, giraffes, zebra and the rare desert elephants of Namibia
• Meet the Himba, Namibia’s red ochre people of the desert and some of the most beautiful people in southern Africa
• Explore the second largest canyon on earth, Fish River Canyon, a paradise for landscape and night photography
• Learn about Namibia's rich history while photographing the famous ruined mining town Kolmanskop and the abandoned train station at Garub.
• Optional scenic helicopter flight over the red dune sand sea of Sossusvlei in search of Oryx and other desert wildlife
• Photograph the stunning, wild desert-adapted horses of Namibia in their beautiful landscapes of Tsau Khaeb National Park
• Explore the wreck of the Zeila and other ruined structures on Namibia's famous Skeleton Coast
• A thrilling 4WD journey through the desert landscapes of Sandwich Harbour, searcing for elusive Brown Hyena and other desert wildlife
• Visit ancient and unexplained petroglyphs painted by the Damara people, some dating back to the 9th century!
• Etosha's incredible waterholes attract a huge variety of wildlife including Elephants, Giraffes, Zebra, Hartebeest, Springbok, Black and White Rhinoceros, Kori Bustards, Wildebeest, Lions and Cheetah plus so much more

OUTLINE ITINERARY

• Day 1: Arrive in Windhoek and overnight
• Day 2: We will drive south to the provincial town of Keetmanshoop, home to the famous Quiver Tree Forest
• Day 3: After a sunrise photography session with the Quiver Trees we will drive to the second largest canyon on earth, Fish River canyon
• Day 4: Sunrises in Fish River are breathtaking and we will enjoy a morning here before driving to Aus where we will enjoy our first sunset photography at Tsau Khaeb National Park
• Day 5: An early start to Kolmanskop and a full day of photography in the region of Luderitz, Aus and Tsau Khaeb
• Day 6: Drive a spectacular scenic route from Aus to Sossusvlei and arrive in time for sunset photos in the sand sea
• Day 7: Dawn photography in the iconic Deadvlei and the rest of the day visiting the otherworldly dunescapes of Sossusvlei
• Day 8: Final photography of Sossusvlei before driving to Walvis Bay for sunset
• Day 9: Full day sand dune adventure exploring Sandwich Harbour for Brown Hyenas and other desert wildlife
• Day 10: Namibia's Living Desert search for Africa's "Little Five" before an afternoon at rest in the pretty coastal town of Swakopmund
• Day 11: Travel north to the Cape Fur Seal colony at Cape Cross and then into the rugged basalt landscapes of southern Kaokoland
• Day 12: A full day on safari in the Hoanib ephemeral river searching for desert adapted rhinos, elephant, lions and other wildlife
• Day 13: Drive north along the remote Skeleton Coast to a hidden, remote valley to meet Namibia's Himba people
• Day 14: Full day with Himba people walking to wells, learning about medicinal plants, visiting villages and ancient burial sites
• Day 15: Early start to drive southwards towards the beautiful Hoarusib ephemeral river where we will enjoy an afternoon of photography in sublimely beautiful landscapes
• Day 16: Morning drive into Etosha, arriving to enjoy our first afternoon on safari in southern Africa's oldest wildlife reserve
• Days 17, 18 and 19: Full days on safari in Etosha
• Day 20: After a final safari in Etosha, drive back to Windhoek for a final dinner and farewell
• Day 21: Our tour will end with a transfer to Windhoek airport

To see a larger map, click on the square-like ‘enlarge’ icon in the upper right of the map box.

To see (or hide) the ‘map legend’, click on the icon with an arrow in the upper left of the map box.

To change to a satellite view, which is great for seeing the physical terrain (and for seeing really fine details by repetitive use of the + button), click on the square ‘map view’ icon in the lower left corner of the ‘map legend’.

PRICE INFORMATION

Wild Images Inclusions: Our tour prices include surface transportation, accommodations, meals and entrance fees.

Our tour prices also include all tips for local guides, drivers, camp staff and accommodation/restaurant staff. We also include payments/gifts-in-kind to local people who are willing to be photographed.

Deposit: 20% of the total tour price. Our office will let you know what deposit amount is due, in order to confirm your booking, following receipt of your online booking form.

TO BOOK THIS TOUR: Click here (you will need the tour dates)

There is a limited number of rooms at the small but wonderfully-situated lodge at Etaambura where we spend two nights. Depending on rooming needs, some participants may need to share rooms there. Anyone opting for single accommodation who has to share will receive a refund of the relevant part of the supplement.

If you are travelling alone, the single supplement will not apply if you are willing to share a room/tent and there is a room-mate of the same sex available.

This tour is priced in US Dollars. Amounts shown in other currencies are indicative.

Air Travel To & From The Tour: Our in-house IATA ticket agency will be pleased to arrange your air travel on request, or you may arrange this yourself if you prefer.

NAMIBIA PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR: DETAILED ITINERARY

Our Namibia photography tour begins this evening at Windhoek, where we will stay overnight. Home to a population of around 300,000 people, Windhoek feels more like a large town than a capital city. It is a modern city whose architecture is sprinkled with colonial buildings that hark back to the time when Namibia was a German colony.

On the first night of our expedition we will enjoy a welcome dinner at the iconic restaurant ‘Joe’s’, the traditional start and end point for many a memorable photography expedition in the Kalahari and the Namib.

Today we will drive south to the provincial town of Keetmanshoop in southern Namibia where we will spend the afternoon enjoying photography in the otherworldly Quiver Tree Forest and Giant’s Playground at sunset and at night while staying in our lodge next to the forest.

The Keetmanshoop area is home to the otherworldly Quiver Tree Forest, a stand of  Aloe dichotoma trees that are scattered amongst dolerite rocks.

The quiver tree gets its name from the habit of the indigenous San Bushmen who made quivers from the branches of the plant as containers for their (poisonous) arrows.

Botanists have been unable to determine the age of the trees in this forest, and carbon dating in South Africa shows that the quiver tree does not live exceptionally long. Claims that they can attain an age of thousands of years are pure speculation and unfounded, but it is believed that large trees up to 5m in height could be some 200 years old.

We will spend the sunset wandering through this forest doing photography of both the Quiver Trees and the native African Rock Hyraxes or ‘Dassies’ that call the forest home.

The Quiver Trees of Keetmanshoop are also an ideal subject for night time photography as they rarely shiver, even in a stronger breeze, making them ideal subjects for long exposure photographs.  It is also blessed with low levels of light pollution and is an incredible place to watch the Namibian night sky. If the weather and time permits we will return to the forest after dinner to enjoy a night time photography session where our targets will be the Milky Way and doing star trail photography.

After a sunrise photography session in the Quiver Tree Forest we will drive south to visit Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon on earth.  Our stunning lodge is perched high on the canyon rim with breathtaking views and it is from here we will enjoy desert and night photography of the lodge’s Quiver Trees and other plants including native euphorbias.

Experiencing sunrise at our lodge is a breathtaking experience.  We will be up early to capture some golden hour images of this incredible scenery before driving westwards to the tiny town of Aus, on the edge of Namibia’s Tsau Khaeb National Park.  We will arrive in time to enjoy some sunset photography in this vast desert wilderness as we search for Namibia’s iconic desert-adapted wild horses.

Today we will spend a full day doing photography in the historic ruined mining town of Kolmanskop, the abandoned train station at Garub and the scenery around Luderitz.  As the sun gets lower we will embark on another search for desert horses to photograph before returning to our lodge at the edge of the desert.

Today we will drive the ‘scenic route’ from Aus to Sossusvlei searching for desert wildlife en-route.  This is our first afternoon to enjoy photography in Namibia’s stunning sand sea, the red dunes of Sossusvlei.  We stay at a lodge inside the park allowing us to extend our time for photography until sunset.

This morning we will get up early to photograph the iconic Deadvlei at sunrise.  This famous clay pan is dotted with ancient camel thorn trees and is probably one of the most photographed locations in Africa, if not the world.  We will be there very early in order to capture it in the best light, before the crowds.  During the day we will take a break before heading into some more remote dune areas of the park when the afternoon light cast shadows on the dunes.

We will also see our first of the unexplained “Fairy Circles” in Namibia at Sossusvlei.

This morning we will have an optional aerial flight at Sossusvlei for our guests.  Photographers not wishing to take the flight will enjoy a last morning of landscape photography in this stunning region.  We will then drive towards the bustling coastal city of Walvis Bay and visit some of the lagoons that are homes to flocks of thousands of flamingos and other migratory birds.  Our beautiful hotel is on the coast away from the noise of the city.

Adventure beckons as we undertake a full day sand dune safari across Namibia’s coastal desert to Sandwich Harbour.  It is here we will go in search of the elusive Brown Hyena while exploring these gigantic dunes that fall into the wild Atlantic Ocean.  It is here that we will also search for other desert wildlife including Oryx, Springbok, Ostrich and Black-backed Jackals, alongside migratory birds, Cape Fur Seals and reptiles.  The drives to Sandwich Harbour are thrilling and the way the light falls on these dunes is mesmerising.  Upon our return from Sandwich Harbour we will drive north to Swakopmund for two night’s stay at our comfortable hotel.

After breakfast, we will embark on a brilliant journey through the coastal dune systems of the Dorob National Park just south of Swakopmund. Namibia is one of two places in the world where the cold waters of the Benguela current running along the coast cool down the heat of the desert to create a coastal fog that supports an entire ecosystem of its own. The other place this occurs is the Atacama Desert of northern Chile and southern Peru in South America.

The coastal fogs of the Skeleton Coast support such a tremendous amount of life that Namibia’s dune systems are, quite literally, some of the most alive deserts on earth. We will be searching for some incredible reptiles during this excursion like Shovel-nosed Lizards, Namibian Web-footed Gecko, Namaqua Chameleons, legless lizards, and Horned Vipers. Photography opportunities should be excellent. Dorob is also a fantastic place to explore the dunes for uniquely desert adapted plants like Dollarbush and birds such as the Tractrac Chat.

We will also learn more about the origin of Namibia’s shifting sands in the reserve and the mineral make up of the different coloured sands of the dunes.

Stopping in Swakopmund for lunch, we will then enjoy an afternoon at rest in this lovely town.  It’s a great place to charge batteries, go shopping, explore some beautiful colonial architecture and even enjoy some photography on foot in the town’s gardens.

This morning we will make a sightseeing drive north of Swakopmund to visit the town’s saltworks in search of birds to photograph.  We will then drive to the wrecked fishing trawler of the ‘Zeila’, stopping there for some scenic photography before driving north to Cape Cross.

Nearly a quarter of a million Cape Fur Seals call Cape Cross home during their peak breeding months of October and November. In the lead up to the season, well over 200,000 are present in this gargantuan coastal colony. To see Cape Cross is a visual spectacular of seals, seabirds and if we are lucky, predatory animals like Brown Hyena which take advantage of young, elderly or unwell seals as prey.  It is a seething mass of wildlife that is unrivalled anywhere in southern Africa.  It is here we will also stop to photograph the pretty lichens in the coastal rock deserts of the region.

Leaving Cape Cross, we will drive north to Torra before we travel inland to escape the fog of the Skeleton Coast.  When the dunes subside, they give way to the incredible red granite landscapes of Damaraland, one of Namibia’s most untouched and spectacular wilderness areas, and a wonderful place for landscape photography..

Our adventure inland begins here as we traverse a rugged 4WD, unmarked trail to reach our destination of Khowarib, near the headwaters of Namibia’s Hoanib ephemeral river, where we overnight at a comfortable lodge. On our drive we will see massive outcrops of Euphorbia Damarana and red mesa type mountains as we search for this region’s uniquely adapted desert wildlife that includes Black Rhinos, Elephants, zebra, giraffe, Klippspringe, Steinbok and a myriad of birds.

Damaraland is when we get our first taste of the real Africa.  It is home to two wonderful tribes of people that are distantly related – the Herero and the Himba – and on our journey into Damaraland we will begin to see the beautiful Herero women in their Victorian dresses and unique cow-horn shaped head dress.  We will also begin to see the red-ochre-coloured women of the Himba.

Today we will spend a full day searching for the extremely rare and wild ‘Desert Lions’ of Namibia.  Under the advice of local guides we will spend a full day attempting to find prides of desert lions around the Hoanib.  While lions roam all of Africa, Namibia’s desert adapted lions are unique in that they have learned to survive in one of the harshest landscapes on earth.  There are several prides known to researchers working in this region and we will be attempting to locate one or more in their spectacular desert terrain to photograph them.

It is important to remember that the desert lions of Namibia are completely wild and not living within reserves as the lions we will see elsewhere on our trip will be. If we find a pride, to see them in this landscape will be one of the wildlife highlights of our photography expedition through Namibia.

It is today that the expedition style of our tour begins as we drive north along a remote stretch of the Skeleton Coast to reach an extremely isolated valley of Himba communities.  Our lodge is specifically design for and run by Himba people to directly benefit the local communities.  From a distance it is barely visible but when you arrive,  you are surrounded by 270 degree views of Kaokolands incredible landscapes.  We will arrive in time to enjoy sundowners overlooking this incredible place.

Today we will spend a full day with the famous Himba people of Namibia, visiting them in their villages, exploring ancient burial grounds, walking with them to wells and learning how these fascinating people survive in this remote desert.  These holy plains are steeped in mystery, with several different stories of why the area was consecrated by the semi-nomadic Himba herders who live here. But one thing is sure, hunting is strictly forbidden.  Tradition has it that animals on the plains are protected by the ancestral spirits.

Our lodge is the ideal place to relax and there is even some local wildlife.  You might see a Klippspringer at dusk or a Jameson’s Rock Rabbit. Tiny footprints are evidence of genets and African Wild Cats. The calls of a diversity of birds, the whispery rustle of paper-bark and other C ommiphora  trees, bottle trees in bloom, the rich hues of purple-pod Terminalia  with unimpeded 360 degree views make this unique spot unforgettable. After a wildlife photography drive where you might be fortunate enough to see Black Rhinoceros, enjoy a stroll and explore the hill, a botanical treasure trove with its many endemic species of plants and shrubs.

Wild Images specifically chose our lodge to base our experience with the Himba because all of the profits made by the lodge are directed back to the communities it supports.

This morning we will embark on our journey south to visit another of Namibia’s beautiful ephemeral rivers, the Hoarusib, which is home to a kaleidoscope of geology that creates stunning landscapes.  It is here we will explore the river on safari in search of more desert wildlife including giraffes, elephants and antelope, before returning to our simple guest house run by a small local community.

Leaving the Hoarusib early, we will drive towards Etosha, arriving in time to enjoy our first afternoon on safari in southern Africa’s oldest game reserve.

Days 17 to 19

Etosha, meaning ‘Great White Place’, is dominated by a massive mineral pan. The pan is part of the Kalahari Basin, the floor of which was formed around 1000 million years ago. The Etosha Pan covers around 25% of the National Park. The pan was originally a lake fed by the Kunene River. However the course of the river changed thousands of years ago and the lake dried up. The pan now is a large dusty depression of salt and dusty clay which fills only if the rains are heavy and even then only holds water for a short time. This temporary water in the Etosha Pan attracts thousands of wading birds including impressive flocks of flamingos. The perennial springs along the edges of the Etosha Pan draw large concentrations of wildlife and birds.

A San legend about the formation of the Etosha Pan tells of how a village was raided and everyone but the women slaughtered. One woman was so upset about the death of her family she cried until her tears formed a massive lake. When the lake dried up nothing was left apart from a huge white pan.

The wildlife viewing and photography in Etosha National Park is excellent, the best time being from May to September – the cooler months in Namibia. Visitors to Etosha Game Reserve can expect to see many antelope species, African Elephant, Giraffe, White Rhinocereos and Lions. More fortunate visitors will see Leopard and Cheetah. There is a network of roads linking the five camps and subsidiary roads lead to various waterholes.

These three days will be spent on photosafari in Etosha National Park, where we will search for the largest elephants in Africa and a myriad of mammal and bird species. Stopping briefly (where allowed) to hop out for photographs, our vehicle-based exploration of Etosha will traverse many of the park’s side tracks and visit many water holes, the epicentres of Etosha’s wildlife activity. Wildlife photography opportunities simply abound here and you are sure to come away with a large number of satisfying images.

Leaving Etosha behind, we will drive back to Windhoek for our farewell dinner at the stunning Riverview Lodge, located within its own wildlife reserve.

Our Namibia & The Kalahari photography tour will end this morning at Windhoek.

Namibia 2022 Photography Tour Report

by Sean Braine

On this, our final tour that combines both Namibia and South Africa, our group assembled in Windhoek for a fabulous night out at Joe’s Beerhouse, the famous start and end point to many intrepid and historical expeditions in Southern Africa.  Secreted away in a quiet Windhoek suburb, Joe’s is not only well known for its […]

Namibia 2020 Photography Tour Report

by Inger Vandyke

Namibia would have to be one of the most sublimely beautiful destinations for photography on the African continent. Visiting it shortly after the country opened its borders to tourists recently was an incredible experience. As a seasoned leader in Namibia, I have visited and led tours there many, many times but to see it with […]

Namibia and South Africa Tour Report 2019

Our group for the 2019 Namibia and South Africa tour assembled in Windhoek at the lovely Villa Vista hotel which enjoys wonderful views over the city. A few guests had arrived early to overcome jetlag and had already bagged a few lovely photographs of the wildlife in suburban Windhoek including Grey Go-away-bird and Rosy-faced Lovebirds. […]

Namibia and South Africa Tour Report 2017

The Kalahari On the first day of the tour we packed up our custom built vehicles and departed Windhoek early to drive south east towards the border of Namibia and South Africa. Leaving the city on bitumen roads we had a wonderful, bump-free ride until we stopped for fuel at Stampriet. From there we were […]

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ZANSKAR: A REMOTE BUDDHIST WORLD – Exploring the most isolated valley of the Indian Himalayas

August-September 2024

CHILE: WALKING WITH PUMAS – An Extraordinary Photographic Adventure at Torres del Paine

September 2024

EAGLE HUNTERS OF WESTERN MONGOLIA: Including the Altai Kazakh Eagle Festival at Sagsai

September-October 2024

MONGOLIA’S FORGOTTEN REINDEER HERDERS: The Tsaatan Nomads of Hovsgol

October 2024

MADAGASCAR: A WORLD APART – The Natural Curiosities of the ‘Eighth Continent’

ANGOLA: Hidden Tribes of the South

November-December 2024

ANTARCTICA, FALKLAND ISLANDS & SOUTH GEORGIA: Photography on a different planet

SNOW LEOPARDS & WILDLIFE OF LADAKH, INDIA – In Search of the Grey Ghost of the Mountains

March-April 2025

INDIA: TIGER & WILDLIFE SPECTACULAR – Central India, Agra, the Chambal River and Gujarat

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: Extraordinary wildlife photography in the footsteps of Darwin

December 2025

NEW MEXICO: CRANES, GEESE & LANDSCAPES – Bosque del Apache and White Sands

January 2026

ETHIOPIA’S EXTRAORDINARY WILDLIFE: Geladas, Ethiopian Wolves, Ibexes, Hyenas, Birds & Much More

Namibia is a land of mesmerizing contrasts, with its arid deserts being among the most captivating natural wonders. The country’s sweeping landscapes, vast open spaces, and dramatic sand dunes make it a photographer’s paradise and an adventurer’s dream. The Namib Desert, one of the oldest and driest deserts in the world, is a prime example of Namibia’s unique beauty. Its towering red dunes, shaped by the relentless winds, stand out in stark contrast against the deep blue sky, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that is truly awe-inspiring.

Visiting Namibia’s deserts is a humbling experience, as one realizes the immense power of nature and the strength of the human spirit. It’s a place where one can disconnect from the hustle and bustle of modern life and reconnect with the essence of existence. It’s a place of solitude, beauty, and contemplation, where the sand, sun, and sky merge into a sublime symphony of colors and shapes. Namibia’s deserts are truly a wonder of the world, and a testament to the raw beauty of our planet.

Day 1 : Erindi Private Game Reserve

After your arrival in Windhoek, Namibia, and a short introduction of your photo guide to the special features of Namibia, the first adventure is not long in coming. After only two hours of driving in north-western direction we find ourselves in the middle of untouched, South African nature.

Welcome to the Erindi Game Reserve – the most biodiverse region north of Windhoek. A breathtaking wilderness awaits you on an area of 70,719 hectares, which is roughly the size of Hamburg. This makes the reserve one of the largest private game reserves in Africa.

We move into the idyllic “Old Traders Lodge”, furnished in elegant safari style, where we not only recover from the long flight over the next two days, but also gradually immerse ourselves in South African culture together.

The luxurious lodge is located in a beautiful, protected nature reserve and is therefore a true paradise to come to rest and at the same time be part of exciting safari experiences. The game reserve is known for implementing numerous conservation projects in the spirit of environmentally friendly tourism, while supporting local communities and hosting the most extensive population of endemic wildlife in the country. According to its own data, the area is home to more than 10,000 large animals. Who knows? You may already be greeted with a loud trumpeting from afar or even up close: The probability is very high.

After we have sufficiently recovered at our lodge, we set out for our first evening wildlife safari. For the next three hours, our expert and trained local guide will drive with us in an open 4×4 vehicle through the impressive bush landscape, reading animal tracks on the ground to safely guide us to Namibian wildlife. Look forward to experiencing the incredible biodiversity of the reserve up close and capturing it photographically.

Not only four of the “Big Five” of African wildlife – elephants, rhinos, lions, and leopards – live in the game reserve, but also more than 130 other mammal species such as giraffes, zebras, hippos, various monkey species, antelopes, wildebeests, hyenas or wild dogs. 

After our tour we spend a cozy evening in our lodge, enjoy delicious Namibian food and get in the mood for the next days with soothing sounds (from) nature.

Day 2 : Erindi Private Game Reserve

The dawn of the second day signals the beginning of an exhilarating sunrise game drive at the Erindi Game Reserve, where the pristine wilderness wakes to greet the new day. As we embark on this thrilling journey in our open 4×4, the African horizon starts to break into hues of pink and orange, casting a gentle, warming glow on the vast lands. Our trained local guide navigates us through the stirring landscape, now coming to life with the distinctive sounds of the African wilderness.

Afterwards, we will spend the rest of the day talking all things photography as we rest on the deck of the Old Traders Lodge, which overlooks a bustling waterhole, watching the african life unfolding like a living theater. 

The knowledge gained can be directly applied in the evening during our third guided game drive. Again we will approach – together with a trained guide – the animals of the reserve with pointed ears and binoculars and photographically stage impressive wildlife scenes from our car.

During dinner we will review the experiences of the first two days and listen to the unique sounds of South African nature until bedtime.

Day 3-4 : Swakopmund

Our day today begins with a delightful breakfast. Afterward, we leave our lodge and embark on a roughly two-hour journey towards Swakopmund, Namibia’s second-largest city with 44,000 inhabitants. This popular coastal town is situated in the west of the country, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the endless expanses of the Namib Desert.

Swakopmund was once a German colony. Hence, German influences are omnipresent in this cozy coastal town: whether in the architecture, the food in the restaurants and beer houses, or the beach promenades. Even the German language is still frequently encountered here. Our first tour takes us to the tiny coastal village of “Walvis Bay,” just 30 kilometers from Swakopmund. It’s known for the seal banks at Pelican Point and its over 5000-year-old lagoon on the southern edge of the town. This tidal area, a bird sanctuary, is home to countless seabirds, flamingos, and pelicans.

We conclude the day with a sunset session with the famous flamingos of Walvis Bay. This area is a haven for birdwatchers and photographers alike, with its vibrant flamingo population adding a splash of color to the landscape. As the sun sets, we’ll capture the flamingos against the backdrop of the golden sky.

On the next day we have our first taste of the massive Namib-Naukluft National Park, as we embark on a unique, guided tour amidst the massive dune landscape of the Namib Desert. Large, sturdy 4×4 vehicles drive us through the sand masses, stopping with us for photo breaks, and eventually take us to “Sandwich Harbor.” We enjoy the unique panoramic view of the meter-high dunes that spill into the Atlantic Ocean. Simultaneously, we capture the interplay of light and shadow in the dunes with our cameras during the spectacular sunset – until the sun slowly disappears behind the Atlantic. Now it’s time to return to our hotel. 

Day 5: Namib Desert

After leaving the charm of Swakopmund we head towards the real adventure by crossing the Tropic of Capricorn and heading towards the legendary Namib-Naukluft National Park. 

The night will be spent in a cozy resort nested on top of a petrified dune, with stunning views over the landscape and the valley, surrounded by a surreal silence and overwhelmed by countless stars. In addition, all rooms come with the option of sliding the bedroom onto the balcony to fully enjoy the beauty of the Southern night sky. 

Another unmissable opportunity for photography from sunset to sunrise.

Day 6-7 : Namib Desert - Sossusvlei & Deadvlei

Our journey through the Namib desert continues as we enter the gate to Sossusvlei, possibly Namia’s most spectacular and best-known attraction.

Arriving at our stunning “Sossus Dune Lodge” in Africa’s largest nature reserve, we anticipate two days of exploring Sossusvlei’s towering dunes and the surreal Deadvlei salt pan with its iconic dead camel thorn trees.

Sossusvlei, located in the Namib-Naukluft Park, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our lodge’s unique location allows us to enjoy the first and last light of the day, a privilege over other tourists.

After settling into our luxurious tent chalets, we dive into our desert adventure, exploring the Namib Desert, the oldest desert on Earth. This rare fog desert often forms extensive fog fields in the early morning hours due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, a fantastic natural phenomenon that we will incorporate into our photo scenes.

We journey through the desert park on a beautiful panoramic road, watching the glowing dunes of Sossusvlei grow larger on the horizon. In the midst of the vast dune landscape is the “Big Daddy,” a 380-meter high dune. 

During our stay in Sossusvlei it’s possible to book an optional exciting helicopter scenic flight* at sunrise or sunset, offering a unique aerial perspective of the impressive sand landscape. 

(*) Note: The helicopter flight is optional and can be booked for an additional charge, subject to availability at the time of travel booking.

Day 8-9 : Luderiz & Kolmanskop

After a final glance at the Sossusvlei dunes, we embark on a six-hour drive south to the Namibian fishing village of Lüderitz. Nestled on stormy South Atlantic granite rocks, this town of 19,000 inhabitants boasts a rugged, diverse coastline. After the long journey and checking into our elegant “Lüderitz Nest” hotel, we immerse ourselves in the relaxed atmosphere of this dreamy port town. We stroll through the colorful streets and enjoy delicious local food in the evening before returning to our seaside hotel.

Before sunrise, we head to the abandoned and mysterious diamond settlement of Kolmannskuppe, also known as “the ghost town of the desert.” After diamonds were found in the Lüderitz area in 1909, a luxurious small town was built to house the diamond company’s employees and their families. However, when larger diamonds were discovered in the southern part of the region years later, Kolmanskuppe was abandoned in the 1950s.

After a short drive, we arrive in the famous mining town just in time to capture the first light of the day illuminating the small rooms and warming the sand. With a special day-long permit, we explore the enchanted corners of the houses until sunset. The strong winds from the sea have piled up sand within the small accommodations, providing unique opportunities for fascinating image compositions. 

Day 10 : Quivertree Forest

The following day, our tour takes us to another Namibian natural phenomenon: the Quiver Tree Forest, a protected national monument located northeast of Keetmanshoop. We have approximately a three-and-a-half-hour drive ahead of us before we arrive at our accommodation, the “Quivertree Forest Rest Camp”. After an extended lunch break, we set off on our joint tour into the unique Quiver Tree Forest, with a brief detour to the adjacent “Giant’s Playground” – a small area with numerous rock formations.

Interestingly, the Quiver Tree is not a tree but a species of aloe plant that grows about five to eight meters high. They can survive particularly well in Namibia’s extreme conditions because they can store a lot of water in their fibrous trunks and branches. This is also where their name comes from: the branches are easy to hollow out and were used by the locals as so-called quivers (long storage bags) for their arrows. Usually solitary, they have sought the immediate vicinity of about 250 to 300 other Quiver Trees at this location: a very special phenomenon worldwide. Some specimens are already over 200 years old.

Even in daylight, the Quiver Trees offer an extraordinary sight. However, as the glowing sun gradually sets, the forest transforms into a magical place with indescribable charm, with the trees illuminated in red-orange. We will collectively use this changing light mood, which offers us new perspectives on the photogenic Quiver Trees almost every minute, for our shots. As a grand finale, thanks to a special permit, we get to enjoy photographing the forest against the backdrop of the dark night or starry sky and the impressive Milky Way: an unparalleled natural spectacle. After this unforgettable night, we drive back to the nearby camp and catch up on our well-deserved sleep.

Day 11 : Windhoek

After many eventful days amidst Namibia’s impressive desert nature, we now commence our return journey to Windhoek. The approximately five-hour drive runs along the western border of the seemingly endless Kalahari Desert. As we gradually approach the country’s capital, we have ample time to reflect on the highlights of the trip and mentally prepare to transition from the days-long silence and tranquility of the Namibian desert back to city life. Upon arrival at our accommodation, there’s an opportunity to edit our photos within the group one last time before we recover from the long drive and look forward to our final communal dinner in Africa.

Day 12 : Departure

We transfer to the airport in time to catch the international flights back home.

As the journey comes to a close, memories of the breathtaking sunsets and sunrises, star-filled night skies, will stay with us long after we have left this incredible land.

Dates: 27.05.2024

Price € : 6600, single room surcharge: 700 €, language: english, tour leader: marco bottigelli.

To book this tour send an email to [email protected] or fill the form below

Tour Operator: Brockmann Photo & Travel

https://www.brockmann-phototravel.de/fotoreise-namibia-landschaftsfotografie

Included in the price

• Constant assistance and tutoring by professional photographer 
• Comfortable accommodations in quality hotels and resorts (double room shared)
• 4×4 cars and fuel
• Permits and entrance fees
• Basic travel insurance

Excluded from the price

• International flights
• Visa, fees and flight taxes, excess baggage costs
• Meals not included in the itinerary
• Optional excursions and activities 
• Single room occupancy
• Personal expenses 
• Optional insurances 
• Whatever not listed in “Included in the price”

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Photo Tours FAQ

Here, you'll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about our photo tours. our tours are designed to cater to photographers of all skill levels, and are led by experienced photographers with profound knowledge of the locations we visit. read on to learn more about our tours and how to book..

Photo tours are an ideal way to enhance your photography skills and capture stunning photographs in breathtaking locations. As an experienced tour leader with profound knowledge of the destinations we visit, we can provide you with the expertise you need to take your photography to the next level.

Our photo tours are designed to offer unique opportunities for photographers of all skill levels to take breathtaking shots in picturesque locations. By joining our tours, you’ll have access to top-quality photography gear, as well as expert guidance and invaluable tips and techniques from experienced photographers.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, our photo tours are an excellent way to explore new locations, meet like-minded individuals, and create lasting memories.

Our photo tours take you to some of the most spectacular locations in the world, carefully selected by our experienced photographers who are location specialists. Our tours include destinations such as Patagonia, Namibia, Japan, Iceland, Madeira, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and many others.

Each of these destinations has been chosen for its stunning and unique landscape, perfect for capturing breathtaking photos. Our experienced photographers have profound knowledge of these locations, and will guide you through the best photography spots, provide tips and techniques, and help you capture unforgettable memories.

Yes, beginners are welcome on our photo tours! Our tours are designed to cater to photographers of all skill levels, and we provide expert guidance and tips to help beginners improve their skills and capture stunning photographs.

Our experienced photographers will be with you every step of the way, providing guidance on camera settings, composition, and other techniques to help you capture amazing shots. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, our photo tours offer a unique opportunity to learn from the best and capture stunning photographs.

Join us on one of our tours and let us help you take your photography skills to the next level, regardless of your skill leve

We recommend using a DSLR or mirrorless camera for our photo tours, as they offer greater flexibility and control for capturing stunning photographs. While the specific equipment required can vary depending on the destination, we generally recommend bringing a range of lenses from wide-angle to telephoto to capture a variety of perspectives.

In addition to your camera and lenses, we also recommend bringing filters to enhance your shots, such as polarizers or neutral density filters, as well as a sturdy tripod to ensure stability and sharpness in your shots. Our experienced photographers can provide guidance on equipment and settings, so don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have.

Ultimately, the equipment you bring will depend on your personal preferences and the specific destination. We recommend checking our website or contacting us for more information on the equipment needed for each tour.

Our photo tours are designed to provide a personalized and exclusive experience, so we limit the group size to a maximum of seven participants. This ensures that our experienced photographers can provide individual attention and guidance to each participant, helping them to capture the best possible shots and improve their photography skills.

With a smaller group size, we can also explore more off-the-beaten-path locations and provide a more intimate and immersive experience. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, our small group sizes ensure that you get the most out of your photography tour.

Join us on one of our photo tours and discover the benefits of exclusive, small group travel. With our experienced photographers as your guide, you’ll capture stunning photographs and create unforgettable memories.

When preparing for a photo tour, it’s important to bring the right gear and accessories to help you capture the best possible shots. Beyond your camera and lenses, we recommend bringing comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear suitable for outdoor activities and adventure travel.

We also suggest bringing a sense of adventure and a willingness to chase the best possible conditions for photography. Our tours are designed to take you to the most picturesque locations, often in remote or hard-to-reach areas, so a spirit of adventure and flexibility is key.

In addition, we recommend bringing any accessories that may be useful for your specific destination, such as a rain cover for your camera or hiking poles for challenging terrain. Our experienced photographers can provide additional guidance on what to bring for each tour, so don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have.

Our photo tours are designed to provide a comprehensive and immersive experience of each destination, while also allowing ample time for photography and exploration. The duration of each tour varies depending on the destination, but our tours typically range from 8 to 13 days, providing ample time to explore and capture stunning photographs.

Our experienced photographers will guide you through each location, providing expert advice on composition, lighting, and technique to help you capture the best possible shots. We also provide opportunities for image reviews and feedback sessions to help you improve your skills and techniques.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, our tours provide a unique and rewarding experience that combines photography, adventure, and cultural immersion.

Yes, we offer private photo tours for individuals or small groups who are looking for a more personalized and exclusive experience. Our private tours provide a flexible itinerary that can be customized to your specific interests and needs, allowing you to explore your preferred destinations at your own pace.

Our experienced photographers will work closely with you to create a tailored itinerary that matches your photography goals and preferences, providing expert guidance and support throughout the tour. You’ll have exclusive access to our photographers’ knowledge and expertise, ensuring that you capture stunning photographs and create lasting memories.

Our private tours are available for individuals or groups of up to 7 people, and can be scheduled at your convenience. Join us on a private photo tour and discover the beauty of the world’s most spectacular destinations in a personalized and exclusive way.

Our photo tours are unique in that we not only provide an immersive experience in some of the world’s most stunning destinations, but we also prioritize teaching our participants how to improve their photography skills.

What sets our tours apart is our focus on small group sizes, with a maximum of 7 participants per tour. This allows us to provide a more personalized and exclusive experience, ensuring that each participant receives ample guidance and attention from our experienced photographers.

Our photo tours are designed to help participants improve their photography skills in a supportive and immersive environment, allowing them to grow as photographers and capture unforgettable images. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, we welcome you to join us on one of our photo tours and discover the beauty of the world’s most spectacular destinations while enhancing your photography skills.

Booking a photo tour with us is easy! Simply fill out the contact form on our website to get in touch with Marco. Alternatively, you can follow the link provided on the tour page to reach out to the agency handling the ground services for the tour you’re interested in.

Our team will be happy to provide you with additional information on tour availability, itinerary details, pricing, and any other questions you may have. Once you’ve decided on a tour and are ready to book, we’ll guide you through the booking process and ensure that you have all the information you need to prepare for your adventure.

Join us on a photo tour and capture breathtaking images of some of the world’s most spectacular destinations while learning new photography skills and making unforgettable memories. Contact us today to book your next adventure!

We partner with trusted tour agencies that specialize in each of our destinations to handle the logistics of our photo tours. These agencies are carefully selected for their expertise and experience in providing high-quality travel services, including transportation, accommodations, and activities.

Our team of experienced photographers lead the tours and provide photography guidance and instruction throughout the tour. We work closely with our tour agency partners to create a flexible itinerary that allows for plenty of time for photography while also experiencing the culture and natural beauty of each destination.

Our tour agency partners also provide important services such as travel insurance and emergency assistance, so you can rest assured that you are well taken care of during your trip. If you have any additional questions about how our tours are organized, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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African Safaris

• Wild Namibia Photo Expedition

Trip Highlights

Expert Photography Coaching

Diverse Landscape & Wildlife Subjects

Sunrise Sand Dune Photography

Photo Expedition

What Makes This Namibia Photo Safari So Special?

• Maximum Group Size Just 8 Travelers—4 Per Safari Truck! An authentic encounter with nature is hard to achieve outside of a small group. While Namibia's tarmac road system in developed areas encourages a more “bus-like” safari approach, we limit our groups to just eight guests, with  only four travelers per vehicle , facilitating access to remote areas that mini buses can’t get to…as well as a more personalized safari experience with limited impact on fragile environments.
• Chartered Flights for More Time on Safari We arrange light aircraft transfers to maximize your time on safari with wildlife, rather than negotiating rough and dusty roads between destinations. Furthermore, from the air, you’ll gain a whole different scenic perspective on Namibia’s vast and dramatic landscapes.
• Private Reserves Offer Seclusion & Special Activities Private reserves are essential to an optimal Namibia safari. From the remote and rarely visited Skeleton Coast to the Ongava and Kulala wilderness reserves (both are private concessions adjacent to national parks), we are able to explore in solitude and view an abundance of wildlife without the presence of other visitors. When we do visit the national parks, we can quickly enter prime wildlife-viewing areas and return to our private enclaves for a much quieter and more remote experience. We also enjoy exclusive activities not permitted in the national parks, such as safari walks, a wildlife hide and night drives in search of nocturnal animals.
• Exclusive Opportunities to Explore on Foot Guided bush walks are available on private reserves—rare opportunities to stretch your legs while on safari. An optional climb up the sand dunes at Sossusvlei offers for a whole different perspective on this dramatic landscape that most safari-goers confined to vehicles miss.
• Two Sunrise Excursions to Photograph the Sossusvlei Dunes Most Namibia safaris spend just one day at the magnificent dunes of Sossusvlei, the tallest sand dunes in the world. We have built in two full excursions here, for double the opportunity to photograph this iconic landscape by the day's first, best light.
• A Rare Visit to the Skeleton Coast Few Namibia safaris include this exceptionally wild and remote destination, one of the longest, loneliest and wildest stretches of ocean coastline on Earth. From Hoanib Skeleton Coast camp, we have unusual access to this region, with multiple possibilities (weather permitting, since fog frequently is present here ) to photograph wildlife, including large colonies of Cape fur seals, jackals and hyenas that roam the shore; misty dunes that front the beach; and shipwrecks and relics left behind by ill-fated crews.
• Remote Luxury Accommodations in Harmony with the Land The isolated luxury camps we’ve chosen for this safari are truly exceptional. Each is seamlessly integrated into the natural environment in a way that allows you to be fully absorbed into the stunning and diverse landscapes we visit. Each tent or chalet also has a private veranda, to maximize personal wildlife viewing opportunities. And from Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, you’ll be able to explore the wild and rugged terrain of Namibia’s notorious northwest coast, and the wildlife that inhabits it, in superb comfort.
• Africa's Most Outstanding Safari Photography Guides We are proud to provide the personalized service of some of Namibia’s most outstanding naturalist guides. We employ only the most highly trained and experienced Expedition Leaders, who will accompany your group from start to finish. Furthermore, your safari guide is also an accomplished photographer, whose expertise and tips will help you get superlative photos. Our NHA Expedition Leaders average 15 years' experience, with additional resources provided by WWF’s leading researchers. See Expedition Leader bios and traveler comments regarding the quality of our leaders.
• Our Quality-Value Guarantee Ensures Your Superior Namibia Safari With Natural Habitat Adventures, you receive our exclusive guarantee, which clearly states that we will meet the lofty expectations we set in our promotional materials. To our knowledge, this is the most ambitious guarantee made by any adventure travel company. Read our important promise.
• Feel Good About Your Carbon-Neutral Journey We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you travel with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset—including your round-trip flights from home. Natural Habitat Adventures has been the world’s first carbon-neutral travel company since 2007.

Read what travelers are saying about our Wild Namibia Photo Safari:

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They de-nude-ed the landscape.

Another day, another instance of tourists disrespecting a landmark.

This time, foreign sightseers angered Namibian authorities after posing naked atop the legendary Big Daddy Dune in the Namib Desert, as seen in photos circulating on social media .

“It is very sickening and it really [creates] a bad image for Namibia,” Kenneth Nependa, vice-chairperson of the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations, told the Namibian Sun, the BBC reported.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Namibian (@thenamibian)

He added that these antics risked attracting tourists who think that “anything goes” in the southern African nation.

Accompanying footage and video, snapped by an unknown source, shows the unnamed trio strutting about in their birthday suits atop the over 1,000-foot-tall sand mound, which is reportedly popular with families.

Visitors didn’t appreciate the tourists treating the scenic site like a nude beach and called on tourism officials to take action against the crass culprits.

Authorities haven’t yet publicly identified the sandy stripteasers, who allegedly left Namibia by the time authorities received the reports.

However, the nudists could be banned from entering the country’s parks, according to tourism ministers, who added that the “extremely shocking” act was public indecency and therefore punishable by local law.

In light of the indecent incident, officials are calling on visitors to report violators to authorities so they can deal with them accordingly.

“We appeal to that section of tourists to summon the conscience so that they do the right things,” declared Romeo Muyunda, a spokesperson for the ministry of environment, forestry and tourism.

However, many social media users disagreed that the incident was problematic.

“Why are they in trouble? They bothered no one,” an X user declared, according to the BBC, while another claimed that there is “nothing wrong with sunbathing.”

Big Daddy is one of the three largest dunes in Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft National Park and is a popular destination among sightseers looking to get a picturesque view from its crest.

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