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Places to visit and things to do in Namibia: the north

10/4/2024

18 Comments

 
Places to visit in Namibia: Etosha National Park
​By Roxanne Reid
Deserts, rivers, wildlife, amazing landscapes. I’ve written elsewhere about the best places and things to do in south and central Namibia. In this companion piece about a country I’ve visited more than 30 times and has crept into my heart, I’m sharing my pick of places to visit and things to do in Namibia: the north. You’ll also find some tips to know before you go.


​As I said my companion post, Places to visit and things to do in Namibia: south and central, I’ve broken the country up into two sections because it’s so huge that you simply can’t see it all during the two short weeks most people devote to holidays in Namibia.

Rather concentrate either on the south or the north but don’t try to do both unless you have four to six weeks to spend uncovering all that Namibia has to offer. Rather indulge in slow travel and enjoy it to the max. If you try to cover the whole country, you’ll exhaust yourself with long hours driving to the next highlight without having time to drink it all in. I can guarantee that you’ll be so in love with Namibia that you’ll want to return, and that’s the time to see the rest of the country.

1. Southern Kunene (formerly Damaraland)
  • Go rock climbing at Spitzkoppe
    Marvel at giant granite boulders erupting from a flat earth, find caves, arches and rock pools. Stay at the community-run campsite to be in the best position to watch the rocks glow pink and gold at sunrise and sunset, to see a sky full of stars after dark. The main draw cards here are hiking and rock climbing, especially to the top of Gross Spitzkoppe, and seeing rock art. You may not hike or climb without hiring a local guide.
    ​Read more about Spitzkoppe
Things to do in Namibia: climb Spitzkoppe
Spitzkoppe
  • Walk among ancient rock engravings
    The Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage Site southwest of Khorixas is famous for one of the largest concentrations of petroglyphs (rock engravings) in Africa. They date back to the Late Stone Age and depict animals like rhino, giraffe and a lion-man. Taking a guide to explore the engravings is compulsory.
    ​Read more about Twyfelfontein
Namibia things to do: visit Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage Site
Twyfelfontein lion-man engraving
  • ​Visit the Organ Pipes
    ​Not far away from the petroglyphs is a collection of dolerite pillars along a riverbed. They formed during a volcanic event when the continent of Gondwana was breaking apart 120 million years ago. The rock split to form vertical, narrow pieces of rock that look just like organ pipes.
Namibia points of interest: the Organ Pipes
Organ Pipes
  • See a Petrified Forest
    Some 50km northeast of Twyfelfontein is a collection of fossilised trees that arrived here from Central Africa during a flood 280 million years ago. Covered in mud that had a high mineral content, they turned to stone and were rediscovered in the 1940s after erosion exposed them.
  • Learn about Damara culture
    Visit the Damara Museum near Twyfelfontein to learn about the lost culture of the hunter-gatherer Damara people and help support the Damara community that built and run the museum.
  • Find ancient welwitschia plants
    The welwitschia is a strange and alien-looking plant, with its two ribbons of leaves. It can survive for more than 1000 years, but the leaves are always the original ones that grow longer and get shredded by the wind. Estimate its age by inspecting the stem base in the middle: each 10cm of diameter means 100 years.
What to see in Namibia: welwitschia plants
Welwitschia
  • ​​See desert-adapted elephants and rhino
    ​Desert-adapted African elephants are unique to north-western Namibia and to Mali. You can find them near the ephemeral Aba Huab and Huab rivers in southern Kunene. To survive in such arid conditions, they drink only every 3-4 days (unlike other African elephants that drink every day). They also have a special pouch behind their tongues where they store water. To see desert-adapted black rhino or elephants, stop over at Twyfelfontein Country Lodge, Desert Rhino Camp, or Palmwag Lodge and sign on for a guided tour in the surrounding conservancy.
Game Namibia: desert-adapted rhino
Desert-adapted rhino
2. Northern Kunene (formerly Kaokoland)
Namibia’s remote far north-western part of Kunene is not for sissies and definitely not recommended for first-time visitors or anyone without experience in driving 4x4 overland through sand. If this is you, I’d advise you to go no further north than Palmwag or Sesfontein.
​
  • See desert-adapted rhino and elephants 
    ​There are desert-adapted elephants in the Hoanib Valley to the north-west of Palmwag, but you would either need to camp rough (no facilities, special permit required) in the Skeleton Coast National Park or book in to one of the luxury camps here (like Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp or Shipwreck Lodge) for a chance to see them. You also have a chance of seeing desert lions.
Places to visit in Namibia: Skeleton Coast
Desert elephants at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp (photo: Wilderness Safaris)
  • Drive the toughest 4x4 pass in Namibia
    Warning: this is not for the faint-hearted. Van Zyl’s Pass is one of Namibia’s most extreme roads. In fact, it’s more of a route than a road and you may need to stop to move boulders to make it passable. You’ll find it between two very steep mountain ranges in the Marienfluss, with its rippling golden grasses. It’s best travelled downhill from east to west, but still keep a lookout for oncoming vehicles. You need a 4x4, lots of patience and some serious driving skills. Definitely for adventurers travelling with more than one vehicle and NO trailers.
  • Visit a Himba village
    There’s something endlessly fascinating about the Himba (or Ovahimba), a tribe of north-western Namibia who still live largely in their age-old traditional way. Learn about the red clay they put on their skin, their elaborate hair extensions, metal, shell and leather jewellery and how they use herbs to perfume their skin in an arid area where there’s no water for bathing. Many lodges in the area offer visits to Himba villages but to be sure your visit is ethical, try visiting the Ovahimba Living Museum near Opuwo.
    ​Read more about the Himba
Namibia culture: Himba village
Himba woman
  • See Epupa Falls
    ​See Epupa Falls on the Kunene River, which forms the border between Namibia and Angola. The river is 0.5km wide and plunges down in a chain of waterfalls that spread over 1.5 km, with the highest being 37m. Enjoy the unspoiled surroundings with their baobab and makalani palm trees.
Holidays in Namibia - see Epupa Falls
Epupa Falls
3. Waterberg Plateau National Park
If you love lichen-covered mountains, history and hiking, you’ll love The Waterberg Plateau National Park south-east of Otjiwarongo. Climb to the top of the rock massif for views of the surrounding flat landscape or take one of the hiking trails through the forested slopes to see what birds you can find. If you’re interested in German colonial history, there’s a small graveyard and the restaurant is a lovely old building from the early 1900s. There’s a swimming pool to cool off after your hikes.
Namibian wildlife resorts and Namibia national parks: Waterberg Plateau National Park
Lichen on the Waterberg Plateau (Photo: dconvertini)
4. Cheetahs near Otjiwarongo
Namibia has the highest density of cheetahs in the world. There are two centres near Otjiwarongo where you can visit either as an overnight guest or a day visitor to find out more about cheetahs and their conservation. One is the Cheetah Conservation Fund, a global leader in the conservation of wild cheetahs and their ecosystems. The other is the cheetah sanctuary of Okonjima and the AfriCat Foundation, where you can learn about their environmental education, research, rehabilitation and community efforts. Discover how well adapted cheetahs are for speed – more than 110km/h in just over 3 seconds – and why at full speed their stride can be as long as 7m.
Read more about Okonjima and AfriCat
Namibia wildlife: cheetah conservation, cheetah sanctuary
Cheetah
5. Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is one of my favourite places in Southern Africa to see wildlife, a dry area open enough for great photos, with many wonderful waterholes. From Dolomite Camp and Olifantsrus in the west, the main route goes via the popular Okaukuejo camp and Halali with its awesome Moringa waterhole to Onkoshi and the fort at Namutoni in the east. As for what you can see, think lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, rhino, hyena, zebra, giraffe and a feast of antelope from the tiny dik-dik to the giant eland. Animals you won’t find at Etosha include hippo, crocodile, buffalo and wild dog.
Don’t miss the energetic township vibe at Etosha Safari Camp about 10km south of Anderson Gate near Okaukuejo.
Namibia wildlife resorts and Namibia national parks: Etosha National Park
Elephants drinking at Okaukuejo waterhole
6. Zambezi region (formerly Caprivi)
Leave the Namibian deserts behind and explore the Kavango, Kwando and Zambezi rivers and floodplains of the far north-east of Namibia. This watery world is almost like another country, more reminiscent of southern Zambia or Botswana’s Okavango Delta than of Namibia’s drylands.
  • Enjoy a river cruise
    ​A must-do in this area is a river cruise on the Kavango or Kwando rivers to see wildlife and watch a golden sunset reflected on the river. Other rivers in the Zambezi region worth cruising are the Chobe (opposite Chobe National Park in Botswana) and the Zambezi, upstream of Victoria Falls.
River cruise in the Zambezi region of Namibia
Sunset along the river in the Zambezi region
  • Go birding
    ​Find an abundance of fish eagles, African jacanas, bee-eaters and African skimmers. There are more than 400 bird species in the area.
Birding in the Zambezi region of Namibia
Pied kingfisher
  • Go for a game drive
    ​Spot wildlife like waterbuck, elephant and hippo along the rivers, and admire rafts of water lilies. The main road from Rundu in the west to Katimo Mulilo in the east goes through the Bwabwata National Park, and you can make detours into sections of it, like the Mahango area. Be sure you’re an experienced 4x4 driver if you decide to go off-road onto Bwabwata’s gravel paths, or choose a guided drive instead. A game drive on the Namibian side of the Chobe River (on the opposite bank to Botswana's Chobe National Park) is also enjoyable.
Game Namibia: waterbuck in the Zambezi region
Waterbuck
  • See Popa Falls
    Popa Falls is on the Kavango (also spelled Okavango) River near Divundu. At 1600km this is the fourth-longest river in Southern Africa. It starts in the Angola highlands, flows south along the border between Angola and Namibia, then drops 4m in a series of rapids known as Popa Falls before it enters Botswana and drains away inland in the Okavango Delta.
  • Experience local culture
    To learn about local culture visit one of the Living Museums in the area, like the Mbunza ​Living Museum near Rundu. 
Namibia culture: Mbunza Living Museum near Rundu
Mbunza Living Museum
Tips to know before you go
  1. When is the best time to visit Namibia? It depends on what you want to do. If you’re keen to experience its wildlife, the dry season is the best time (June to September). Summers (October to February) are very hot, with average temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius. Winter days (May to July) are sunny and warm but it can be very cold at night (average of 7 degrees Celsius), especially in the southern deserts, so come prepared with layers.
  2. As I’ve already hinted above, perhaps the best word of advice is about distances and times of travel. Namibia is a vast country – bigger than France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland combined. Don’t try to see it in a week or even two. At least a month would be best if you want to see it all, but if you only have two weeks rather concentrate on either the south OR the north and come back another time.
  3. Although the roads, even the gravel ones, are fairly good there are some badly corrugated sections. You can’t think of travelling at 120km/h even on the tarred main B1 north-south highway because there’s always a chance a wild animal will bound across the road in front of you, causing a bad accident. Many Europeans underestimate the time it takes to get from point A to point B in Namibia. Speed limit on gravel roads is 80km/h and sometimes we laugh, thinking no fool could possibly go that fast! Nor is it safe to travel fast on gravel roads for fear of skidding and overturning. Adjust your expectations of the distances you can travel in a day accordingly.
  4. Don’t drive at night when wildlife is attracted to your lights. You may run over and kill small creatures like hares and jackals, and if you hit a large antelope at speed you will wreck your car and possibly hurt yourself as well.
  5. Keep your fuel tank filled up whenever you can. Distances are long and you won’t find anywhere to buy fuel for vast stretches. Just because there’s a fuel station marked on your map doesn’t mean it will have fuel stocks when you get there. If your vehicle isn’t fitted with a long-range tank, consider carrying jerry cans of extra fuel.
  6. If you’re driving Namibia in your own vehicle, whatever it is will be fine. If, however, you’re hiring a car go for a 4x4, which will extend your range of options.
  7. Always travel with a spare tyre or even two and some repair and recovery equipment, especially if you’re venturing into Kunene.
  8. Always ensure that you have drinking water in your vehicle in case you break down and have to wait for assistance.
  9. The currency is the Namibian dollar (N$) and has the same value as the South African Rand (ZAR), which is also accepted all over Namibia.
  10. English is fairly widely spoken except in the very rural areas, and German is also spoken in the main tourist centres.
  11. Hats, sunglasses and sunscreen are your friends. Also remember to keep hydrated – you need more water in a hot, dry country.
  12. Is it safe? Namibia is probably one of the safest countries in Africa, but do keep your wits about you in Windhoek and other towns. Don’t flaunt expensive cameras and keep your car doors locked so stuff can’t be nicked off the back seat when you’re not concentrating. Speeding around bends on gravel roads and losing control of the vehicle, or going too fast and hitting a wild animal crossing the road are probably bigger threats to your safety.

    You may also enjoy
    Places to visit and things to do in Namibia: south and central
    Anderssons at Ongava Game Reserve bordering Etosha
    15 Namibia campsites: a guide for camping in Namibia
​
Like it? Pin this image! 
Spending your holidays in Namibia? Discover places to visit and things to do in northern Namibia, including dry desert in the west and rivers in the east. Find out about #Namibia points of interest like Spitzkoppe, Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage Site, Himba culture, ancient welwitschia plants, desert-adapted elephants and rhino, Epupa Falls, Namibia national parks like #Etosha National Park, and the rivers and wildlife of Zambezi (Caprivi). Some road trip tips, best time to go to Namibia.
Spending your holidays in Namibia? Discover places to visit and things to do in northern Namibia, including dry desert in the west and rivers in the east. Find out about #Namibia points of interest like Spitzkoppe, Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage Site, Himba culture, ancient welwitschia plants, desert-adapted elephants and rhino, Epupa Falls, Namibia national parks like #Etosha National Park, and the rivers and wildlife of Zambezi (Caprivi). Some road trip tips, best time to go to Namibia.
You may also enjoy
Places to visit and things to do in Namibia: south and central
Anderssons at Ongava Game Reserve bordering Etosha
15 Namibia campsites: a guide for camping in Namibia

Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
18 Comments
Kevin Speak
3/4/2019 11:36:27 pm

What a lovely review of what's my favorite country for people who prefer independent travel. Your Namibian blog was well written, interesting and very informative.

Reply
Roxanne
4/4/2019 08:33:50 am

Thanks for the compliment, Kevin. Yes, Namibia is my favourite country for independent travel too. So rewarding and so diverse, with adventures around every corner.

Reply
Andy Williams
4/4/2019 11:06:27 pm

Fantastic blog. It is filled with so such useful information.Thanks for the input.

Reply
Roxanne
5/4/2019 09:00:16 am

That's what I'm here for, Andy, to give info people can use :-)

Reply
Judy Salmon
4/4/2019 11:22:43 pm

I thoroughly enjoyed your south and central blog. With this one too there is a world of good advice and information. Lovely blog.

Reply
Roxanne
5/4/2019 08:58:59 am

Thanks for reading, Judy, glad you found it useful.

Reply
Charlene Hewat link
5/4/2019 06:27:37 am

Hi Roxanne

What a fantastic article. Just loved reading it and sounds such an amazing place. Thank you wowowoow

Reply
Roxanne
5/4/2019 08:57:22 am

Thanks for your kind words, Charlene. It is definitely an amazing place and I know you'll have a ball when you visit one day.

Reply
Alina link
6/4/2019 11:18:48 am

I am really impressed by the unusual places mentioned in your guide - having been here 30 times shows, you know all the gems and not just the usual 3 day itinerary places! I haven't been yet, but Namibia is high on my list of places to visit, and now I feel like a year there would not be enough :)

Reply
Roxanne
6/4/2019 12:03:21 pm

Now there's a thought, Alina, how amazing it would be to spend a year in Namibia going from one superb place to the next. Now that's a bucket-list item for someone like me who loves slow travel.

Reply
Valentina Vucicic link
27/6/2020 01:29:02 pm

Now seriously, you made me fall in love with Namibia! I always aim for wild, nature and freedom!

Reply
Roxanne
29/6/2020 12:12:31 pm

Well, Valentina, Namibia certainly has wild, nature and freedom in bucketloads. I know you'll love it if you ever get there.

Reply
Ophelie link
27/6/2020 02:07:41 pm

Namibia seems like a fantastic destination! The places you have shared in the North looks really cool and interesting!

Reply
Roxanne
29/6/2020 12:13:56 pm

Both the north and the south are amazing, Ophelie, with lots of lovely desert landscapes in the south too (where the famous Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei are). Everyone needs to visit Namibia at least twice.

Reply
Kelvin
3/1/2022 01:21:55 pm

Thank you. How can I access info on south? Touring May June 2022.

Reply
Roxanne Reid
3/1/2022 02:32:43 pm

You can find the link in blue at the beginning of the second paragraph of this post.

Reply
Liza Wassenaar
22/7/2023 02:31:39 pm

Hi Roxanne, thanks for all the info. Can you please suggest how we can get a bird guide in the Caprivi area? We do not have a 4x4 but want to go camping - we will check out the ones suggested by you. Any other information will be helpful too. How would one manage to visit the Popa Falls? Thanks so much.

Reply
Roxanne Reid
22/7/2023 04:47:21 pm

Some of the lodges in the area have bird guides so ask when you book or when you're there. Popa Falls is only about 15-20km away from lodges near Divundu like Ngepi or Nunda River Lodge, both with great campsites. You pay an entrance fee to the Popa Falls game reserve and Bob's your uncle.

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    I'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel.
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