How we spent 14 days in Namibia
In June 2023, after years of mentioning it every time we were planning a new trip, we finally went to Namibia. While we love exploring and adventurous holidays, a trip that involved driving up to six hours a day was new for us – we don’t even own cars in London so are rarely behind the wheel. But don’t let the idea of a lot of time on the road put you off visiting Namibia. Even from the passenger’s seat it’s one of the most beautiful countries you’ll ever experience.
In this blog I’ll answer common questions we’ve been asked about our trip to Namibia, including:
Why travel to Namibia?
Is Namibia safe?
Is it expensive?
How do you get there?
What’s it like hiring a car in Namibia?
Do you need a Namibian SIM card?
What do you need to pack for a holiday in Namibia?
What’s the food like there?
Why travel to Namibia?
Namibia is an amazing and beautiful country filled with unique and diverse landscapes. From incredible desserts to breathtaking sand dunes and some world-class national parks, a trip to Namibia is a true adventure of a lifetime.
We planned an itinerary to drive a loop around Namibia over two weeks. We travelled to:
Day 1: Windhoek to Sesriem, Spreetshoogte Pass, and Solitaire
Day 2: Sossusvlei, Deadvlei, Big Daddy dune, and Dune 45
Day 3: Swakopmund via the Tropic of Capricorn and Kuiseb Pass
Day 4: Walvis Bay and Sandwich Harbour
Day 5: Spitzkoppe and Brandberg
Day 6: Skeleton Coast to Terrace Bay
Day 7-8: Grootberg Lodge
Day 9-11: Okaukuejo and Halali, Etosha National Park
Day 12: Mushara
Day 13: Cheetah Conservation Fund, Otjiwarongo
Day 14: Drive back to Windhoek
For our full travel itinerary, read our blog here.
Is Namibia safe?
In general, Namibia is a safe country to travel in but due to the long distances you’re likely to travel it’s safer not to travel alone. It’s best to explore the country with at least one other person who can drive so that you don’t need to face such long stints alone and, if the inevitable happens and you need to change a tyre on the side of a desert road, you won’t be alone for that either. (For more info on driving in Namibia, read our blog here.)
Namibia is the second-least populated country in the world after Mongolia. You can easily drive for hours outside of the cities without seeing another person. And while this might sound eerie, we never once felt unsafe during our trip. Crime is more common in cities like Windhoek, but this is mostly limited to opportunistic robberies from cars that are left unattended.
Is Namibia expensive?
While buying food and drink and other items in Namibia isn’t too expensive, the trip itself will be. From hiring the right car and getting adequate insurance, to staying in authentic lodges and experiencing some of the must-see sights, our trip cost around £5,000-6,000.
However, for a one-off trip that you’ll never forget, it was well worth the money. You could also do this cheaper by camping – we opted to stay in fairly nice (though not top-of-the-range) accommodation for every night of our holiday.
How to get to Namibia
The best way to get to Namibia from the UK is via Frankfurt. We flew from Heathrow at 5.30pm which takes one hour. From Frankfurt, there are daily flights to Windhoek, with Eurowings, at 10pm. This takes about 9.5-10 hours, so you land at 8am local time. You can take less direct routes, but this was the fastest way to travel from London.
Hiring a car in Namibia
We hired a Toyota Hilux from Africar for our drive around Namibia. This cost around £1,000 but since we would be travelling in it for most of every day it was worth the money. After extensive research, we realised that a smaller car would be likely to cause more issues, and I’m glad we went with a Hilux. It was comfy and mostly smooth, even on the bumpiest West African roads.
Collecting our car was the most detailed and informative I’ve ever experienced from a hire company. We were fully briefed on how and when to change a tire vs when to fill it with air and continue driving on it, and everything else we needed to know about driving a Hilux. Africar also offers coffee while you wait to sign your contract, which was much needed after our overnight flight.
Before you book any hire car in Namibia, make sure you’re well aware of the insurance requirements. This ended up being one of the most time-consuming parts of our planning for this holiday.
To find out more about our experience self-driving around Namibia, read our blog here.
Do I need a Namibian SIM card?
Unless you want to incur a very high phone bill (or not use the internet at all), you should get a Namibian SIM card for at least one phone on your trip. You’re likely to only have wifi at your hotel and even then it might be patchy and not extend outside of communal areas.
Having no access to your phone might seem freeing, but realistically it’s not safe when you’re driving long distances, and if anything happens while you’re on one of the long, remote drives you’ll be glad to have phone signal.
In June 2023, 18GB of data cost us 297 NAD (about £13) each for a monthly plan. They also set the SIM card up for you so it’s ready to go when you leave the airport.
What to pack for a trip to Namibia
Though Namibia is hot (we were there in June, which is their winter, and it was around 26oC), you’re likely to spend a lot of time in an air conditioned car. It’s also very cold at night, and in some areas you might be advised to keep covered due to mosquitoes and other animals.
For two weeks in Namibia I packed:
Four sleeveless tops
Four t-shirts
Two long-sleeved tops
Three pairs of shorts
Two pairs of loose, light trousers
One pair of leggings
One over shirt
One hoodie
One light jacket
One pair of walking boots
One pair of trainers
One pair of Birkenstocks
One pair of big socks for walking up sand dunes
Enough underwear and socks for two weeks
Sunglasses
A hat and cap
You’ll also need:
Plenty of chargers and battery packs
Torches
Bug spray
SPF
Swimwear if you’re staying in lodges with pools (though they are not heated!)
Your regular toiletries, including lip balm and hand cream as it gets very dry
A snood for windy areas
Cards, books, and other entertainment
A backpack to use each day
A water bottle
You won’t need:
Nicer clothing like dresses
Heeled shoes, or anything uncomfortable or hard to move in
Jewellery
Make up
Anything expensive that could get lost or stolen
Due to the nature of the landscape in Namibia and the fact that you’re likely to be hauling your luggage in and out of lodges every couple of days, it’s best to bring a large 50-65L backpack rather than a suitcase.
What is the food like in Namibia?
As a vegetarian I was nervous about the food in Namibia, as they’re big on Braai, which is basically a big BBQ with local meats like springbok and kudu. However, in each place we stayed I had no trouble finding veggie options and ate some delicious veggie curries and salads.