Namibia
Namibia is a stunning desert country worth at least 2 weeks of adventure. However, I only had 5 days (so far!) on a long weekend from South Africa.
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Arriving in Namibia
There are two main airports in Namibia. We flew into Hosea Kutako International Airport as it was the best option from Joburg at the time. However, we heard wonderful things about the towns near Walvis Bay (Swakopmund, especially). Walvis Bay and Windhoek are a 4-hour drive apart but if you follow my 5-day Namibia road tip, then it won’t make much of a difference to your driving time.
- Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) is about 40 kilometers east of the capital city, Windhoek. You can also choose to fly into Walvis Bay International Airport (WVB). This
- Walvis Bay International Airport is Namibia’s second-largest airport and a transportation hub for the central coastal region.
Renting a Car or Camping Van
Namibia offers fantastic opportunities for exploration by road. To make the most of your adventure rent a car or camping van, depending on your vibe. We opted to rent a car and stay in hotels. However, there are several camping sites across the country.
Unless you plan to only visit Windhoek, you should rent an SUV (or even a 4×4). These vehicles provide better ground clearance, enhanced traction, and stability, allowing you to tackle rough gravel roads and sandy tracks. There are limited paved roads outside of cities and most of the highway is gravel. If you know how to drive in the sand and are going super off-road, you’ll need a 4×4. We opted to just get an SUV via Discover Cars to pick up at the airport. We were automatically upgraded to a 4×4 anyway but didn’t use it.
Some car rental companies in Namibia offer camping-equipped vehicles that are specially designed for self-drive camping adventures. These vehicles typically come with rooftop tents, camping gear, and necessary equipment for cooking and sleeping. The company I noticed the most on the road was Namibia2Go.
Tips for driving in Namibia
- Please download a video on how to change a tire if you don’t know how! The only cars we passed on our first day were all cars with flat tires. As neither Wilhelm nor I know how to change a tire, I drove pretty slow.
- Stop at a gas station before changing between paved and gravel roads and ask the attendants to reduce your tire pressure so that you can drive faster on the gravel road. It makes such a difference. Our car’s normal tire pressure is supposed to be 21, but locals told us to reduce it to 18. I was able to go from driving 40km to almost 80km. We didn’t do this the first day, but I regret it. Learn from my mistake and don’t skip this gas station.
- For your own sanity on the first day if you’re not familiar with driving on gravel, plan an extra hour of driving time to whatever Google Maps says.
- Fill up on gas whenever you can.
The road looks flat and smooth, but it’s all gravel.
Money in Namibia
The Namibian dollar is pegged at the South African Rand. You can mostly use credit cards (visa and MasterCard but not American Express). You may need some cash if the card machine’s signal connection is not working out in the desert. You can also use the rand to make cash purchases.
