Is Namibia on your radar? If not, it’s about to be. Explorer Julia has treated us with her favourite memories from the African country.

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All it took was one Google search to convince me to visit Namibia. I’ll admit, I hardly knew much about the African nation tucked on the southwest side of the continent, shouldering South Africa. But after seeing a collage of its stark landscapes, both bold and bizarre, I knew I had to see it, feel it beyond pixels under thumbs.

 

The more I researched Namibia adventures, the more I realised it’s unlike anywhere I‘ve ever ventured to. Around 80% of the country is a mix of savannah and dry vegetation bordering the frigid Atlantic Ocean. It’s a country of contrasts – lofty sand dunes millions of years in the making; living dead (trees) in the desert; safari animals including the mighty Big Five; moonscapes; and a canyon to rival the grandest of them all. 

Yet, journeying through Namibia isn’t smooth; it’s filled with long, bumpy rides along unsealed roads. As the country isn’t the easiest place to get around solo, I jumped at the chance to join a G Adventures overland tour, slow-travelling from South Africa to Namibia onboard a ‘Lando’ adventure vehicle – just don’t dare call it a bus!

I figured, if I came all this way to see the gradual transition of these otherworldly sceneries, why not get really intimate with them by camping under the stars? And after you see my personal mood board of Namibia adventures, I’m sure you’ll be convinced to do the same.

 

6 Namibia Adventures & Landscapes I Can’t Get Out of My Head

1. Kayaking Down Orange River

Technically, I was in South Africa when I laid my first sights on Namibia. Orange River – one of Africa’s longest rivers, winding 2,200km in the continent’s south – snakes between the two countries.

Originating in Lesotho’s Drakensberg mountains, the river flows west along South Africa and Namibia’s borders and drains into the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also the region’s only permanent water source.

I was 200m from the water’s edge at South Africa’s Fiddlers Creek Campsite in |Ai- |Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park. The 6,045 km² mountain desert park straddles both countries and is speckled with the world’s biggest collection of desert flora.

At the campground, tents are dwarfed by chocolate-brown lava mountains flanking both sides of the river. And what better way to cross the border than to float through it?

Read more: 14 Best Gifts For Kayakers & Paddlers

 

 

Bushwhacked Outdoor Adventures offers one-way, half-day to four-day kayak trips that journey the natural border. I went on a half-day tour, with a few hours proving enough for my modest biceps.

As I visited in late February, there wasn’t much of a current, so we really had to paddle. Plus, it was summer, so kayaking felt like a hardcore workout under a blazing sun. The reward, of course, was the views. This part of the world is so serene with birds, and our floating parade was the only disturbance.

There’s a stop midway to stretch the legs (in South Africa) and cool off, with the guide encouraging people to readjust their life jackets upside down, legs through armholes and wear them as diapers to float through a section of small rapids. Who knew? It works! But I highly recommend wearing reef shoes. From here, it was roughly another hour kayaking before we arrived back at the campsite.

What better way to cap off a day of kayaking than with a beer in an outdoor shower, looking out at Namibia’s mountains. Just incredible.

 

2. Walking the Rim of Fish River Canyon

Heading two hours north across the border (Hello Namibia!) I found Fish River Canyon. Located within |Ai- |Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, the canyon is the world’s second-largest after the USA’s Grand Canyon. Stretching a whopping 160km, the canyon is up to 550m deep and 27km wide. It’s named after Namibia’s longest river, which extends 650km and has carved the canyon over millions of years.

One of the must-do adventures is the five-day hiking trail spanning 80km (if following shortcuts!) during winter when the canyon is dry. It starts from Hiker’s Point in Hobas (near the sunset viewpoint) and concludes at the park’s other famed natural wonder (and muscle relaxer), Ai-Ais Hot Springs.

If time and endurance are not on your side, visit the sunset viewpoint, offering a bird’s eye view of the canyon. From here, you can walk the canyon’s rim (30 minutes one way) to Hiker’s Point, passing eye-catching quiver trees along the way while taking in the canyon’s enormity. Feeling so small in the world was such a humbling experience. Mind you, be warned not to stand too close to the rim as it sure is windy up there!

3. Exploring the Bold and the Bizarre in a Day at Namib-Naukluft National Park

Think of Namibia’s biggest national park like a mixed lolly jar. While it contains the Namib Desert, considered the world’s oldest desert dating back some 55 million years, the sprawling 49,768 km² park is loaded with colour.

First up is Sossusvlei. Seeing images of this region is why I was more than happy to travel across borders and endure long, bumpy bus rides to experience it.

 

 

Translating to ‘dead-end marsh’, Sossusvlei is best known for its ochre star-shaped dunes – some of the world’s tallest – rising from pastel sands. Although there are countless dunes, tourists are permitted to climb less than a handful.

The most famous is Dune 45. The 5-million-year-old dune got its name from being located 45km from the park entrance, Serium. It’s best to beat the heat and start climbing at the break of dawn. It’s a gruelling 85m hike in soft sands, never mind new desert dunes slowly mounting in each shoe, but it’s worth the endurance test.

Read more: How To Survive Hiking in Hot Weather

I was blown away by the panoramic views of Dune Valley, the sun slowly changing the colour of the mounting desert waves of sand blown from the Kalahari Desert. It’s mind-blowing up there. The best bit? Running down the dune, almost skipping in the air – marvellous!

A short drive away from Dune 45 is Deadvlei. Namibia’s most iconic image could easily be mistaken for a painting by renowned surrealist Salvador Dali. Secreted by dunes is an unusual oasis: scorched skeleton trees in white clay pans.

It’s strange, setting a striking contrast. But how did this landscape, as if frozen in time, come to be? Roughly 900 years ago, Deadvlei was cut off from the river due to rising temperatures and became an arid pocket too dry for trees to grow.

It felt dreamlike wandering the UNESCO World Heritage site, observing the Dead camel thorn trees up close along barren plains. A scene that deserves to be framed.

4. Conquering Sand Dunes in a 4WD in Sandwich Harbour

It was quite a shock to finally be where the desert meets the sea, Swakopmund. Namibia’s adventure capital offers all kinds of thrills, from skydiving to fat bike tours along dunes. The most popular – and, in my humble opinion, badass – way to soak up the coastal scenery is on a half-day 4WD adventure along Sandwich Harbour.

 

 

Forget it being the stuff of carb-filled dreams; instead, the au naturel harbour within Namib-Naukluft National Park is jam-packed with some of the world’s tallest sand dunes, Walvis Bay wetlands populated with birdlife, including flamingos (a personal fave), lagoons, and pink salt lakes all along the Atlantic Ocean coastline.

Joining a guided 4WD tour with Sand Waves allows me to experience all of the above. Talk about getting a sandwich with the lot!

Read more: How to Drive on the Beach: Safety Tips for You, Your Car, & Nature

5. Sleep Under the Stars at Spitzkoppe

Heading two hours northeast of Swakopmund is Spitzkoppe. Often described as the ‘Matterhorn of Namibia’ (well, minus the snow), Spitzkoppe mountain range rises from barren lands; its granite-toothed peaks, gnarly rock formations, Godzilla-sized boulders, and natural rock arch is a playground for all adventure enthusiasts (hey, that’s you!).

This section of the Namib Desert offers so much; hike, mountaineer, and admire ancient rock art. It’s the place to forgo the tent, opting to sleep under a starry sky along mountain foothills instead – just exercise caution; it could rain!

6. Wildlife Spotting at Etosha National Park

Breathing life into Namibia’s landscapes are its residents at large; safari animals. Etosha National Park is the country’s most popular game reserve, a four-hour drive from the capital, Windhoek.

Spanning 22,270 km², the park is a mixed bag of scenery: woodlands, savannah, grasslands, and saline pans, the latter accounting for almost a quarter of the park. When rains fall hard, the pan becomes a lake, attracting all kinds of birdlife.

Animals that stick around all year are safari’s Big Five: lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalo. It’s best to make the most of visiting the national park with an all-day safari adventure in an open-air jeep for less than $150 – when in Rome….or safari country, right?

 

 

I couldn’t help but take photos of anything that moved: a rhino just metres from our vehicle or numerous impala parties across low grasses. I’m only too happy to add more images of Namibia to Google search.

 

Julia D’Orazio was a guest of G Adventures on her Namibia adventures and all thoughts and opinions are her own. Cape & Dunes Northbound: Wildlife & Starry Night Skies 13-day tour is from $2799. See gadventures.com.

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