Traces of millennia-old cultures such as the San can be found in the rock paintings and engravings of Brandberg and Twyfelfontein, while the Waterberg Plateau offers not only impressive landscapes and diverse wildlife, but also encounters with one of the darkest chapters in German colonial history.
Two of the country’s most popular photo motifs – the world’s highest sand dunes in Sossusvlei and the ghost town of Kolmanskop near Lüderitz – characterize southern Namibia from a tourist perspective.
While the dune landscape of the Namib-Naukluft National Park leaves a lasting impression even on non-photographers, you can – at least on your first trip to Namibia – avoid the Wilhelmine buildings of the ill-fated diamond mine slowly sinking into the sand, especially given the long eight-hour drive (from Sossusvlei).
Our trip to Namibia focuses mainly on the most interesting destinations in the heart of the country, but can be extended to more remote parts of the north and south if you are not afraid of long drives.
As overwhelming as Namibia’s landscapes are, the country’s cities are less impressive.
Even the center of the capital, Windhoek, with its population of around 325,000, can be explored in a few hours. Only the attractive town of Swakopmund, with its charm that is both exotic and familiar, offers a welcome change from the otherwise rugged and inhospitable Skeleton Coast.

Sample itinerary: Namibia by rental car