Tourist Attractions in Namibia

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Namibia

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Namibia

In the recent past, Namibia has experienced difficult events – colonisation and apartheid, war of independence and extermination of indigenous tribes. It is one of the most resource-rich countries in West Africa, with diamond mines, copper, gold and uranium deposits. Tourism in Namibia is still underdeveloped. People come here for wild African exotics, unearthly landscapes of Namib and Kalahari deserts, beauty and diversity of Namib-Naukluft and Etosha national parks.

The most famous tourist places in Namibia are Sandwich Harbour, Sossusflei, Skeleton Coast. Here travellers are offered photo safari trips, guided tours of nature reserves, flights over the desert by planes, helicopters and hang gliders. In some border areas of the country access is possible only in large groups accompanied by an armed convoy due to the turbulent situation.

Travelling to Namibia cannot be called completely safe, but the authorities are working on attracting foreigners, new hotels are being built and infrastructure is being improved. The country expects to develop more actively the direction of beach tourism, as it has a long and picturesque coastline.

Top-12 Tourist Attractions in Namibia

Swakopmund

A resort town on the Atlantic coast, where the Namibian leadership likes to come for holidays. The influence of German colonisers is clearly felt in the architecture, so the town looks like a cosy European province. There are also healing mineral springs here, which makes Swakopmund a balneological resort.

Kolmanskop

 0/5

Once a thriving diamond mining town in the Namib Desert. In the early 20th century, it was a bustling settlement with beautiful European-style houses, a school, hospital and swimming pool. But the discovery of other, richer deposits forced the inhabitants to leave the town. Gradually, the sands covered all the buildings. Now the territory has been turned into a museum.

Namib Desert

 4.5/5

1456 reviews

It is the oldest desert on the planet, dating back to the time of the dinosaurs. This area is also called “the desert of fog” because of the water vapours constantly swirling above the surface. Here grow plants that can live for 1000 years and do without moisture for decades, and there is an amazing tribe of Himba, living according to primitive laws.

Sossusvlei

 4.8/5

502 reviews

Located in the Namib Desert. The area is popular with tourists due to its tall, picturesque red sand dunes. The best time to see it is at sunset or sunrise, when the landscape is painted in scarlet and purple colours and the area looks like the surface of some distant planet.

Rock paintings in the Twyfelfontein Valley

These images date back to the Neolithic period. The valley was inhabited for centuries by tribes engaged in gathering and hunting, and they left behind a large number of drawings. The oldest of them are more than 5 thousand years old, the newest – about 500 years old. The pictures mostly depict different African animals.

Etosha National Park

 4.5/5

4074 reviews

A large nature reserve in the north of the country on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. It is home to 140 species of birds, 114 species of animals and 112 species of reptiles. Many of them are rare and endangered. Here you can see lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinos and antelopes. At the beginning of the 20th century, the reserve was the largest in the world, but lost 75% of its territory due to political conflicts.

Open time

Monday: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Skeleton Coast National Park

 4.4/5

188 reviews

The coastline from the Ugab River to the Kunene River is about 500 kilometres long. The remains of dozens of wrecked ships rest here. Some wrecks were carried almost a kilometre inland by the winds and the movement of the sands. Almost all crew members died because they were unable to reach settlements.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Waterberg Plateau National Park

 4.3/5

410 reviews

It is located on a rocky plateau 300 kilometres from the capital of the country. Thanks to its subtropical climate, it is covered with lush green vegetation. The foothills of the plateau are dominated by arid savannah typical of Africa, while the uplands are covered with forests and shrubs with rare species of local flora.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Spitzkoppe

 4.7/5

220 reviews

A granite rock more than 100 million years old, around which the reserve of the same name is located. The peak is often visited by climbers, although it is not the highest in the region. At the foot of the rock you can see many Bushman paintings, and zebras, antelope and gazelles roam around.

Fish River Canyon

 4.6/5

67 reviews

The largest canyon in Africa, second only to the American Grand Canyon in size. It is 160 kilometres long, 28 kilometres wide and about 500 metres deep. Here you can admire basalt rocks, aloe bushes, thermal springs. There are viewing platforms for tourists.

Duwisib Castle

 3.9/5

192 reviews

The structure was built by a German baron for his wife. Local red sandstone was used as material, and the interior and furnishings were shipped in by ship from Germany. It now houses a museum with luxury items, paintings and weapons collections.

Open time

Cape Cross

A reserve where harbour seals live in large numbers. There are wooden passageways through the rookery of these funny animals, along which tourists walk and viewing platforms are organised. Locals have set up the sale of souvenirs and various trinkets. Excursions from Swakopmund are regularly organised to the cape.