Namibia is home to a plethora of one-of-a-kind natural wonders. A one-week drive through the southern part of the country will take you through much of it. Here's my recommended itinerary, with photos! Plus, details at the end on how to visit.
Swakopmund
Your first stop? A coastal town due west of Windhoek known for being the main tourist hub of Namibia. You can do touristy things here like sandboard or quadbike the dunes, or even skydive. I took a scenic flight over the desert with a friend of a friend who is a pilot, and then we drove into the "Moon Landscape" to see the welwitschia, the national plant of Namibia.
Known as the moon landscape, not much plant life grows in Namibia's desert on the outskirts of Swakopmund. Proof of resilience to the harsh conditions? The welwitschia (middle) is actually only two leaves, separated into what appears to be more by wind. The oldest welwitschia thought to be more than 2,000 years old. Below, a dune lark, endemic only to this small region in Namibia. | Click any image to view larger.
Kuiseb Pass and the Tropic of Capricorn
On the way to arguably the most famous tourist sight in Namibia, you'll drive the scenic Kuiseb Pass and cross over the Tropic of Capricorn. It marks the end of what is known as the tropical zone of earth, or where the sun can be seen directly overhead on the summer solstice for the southern hemisphere. Here's a more in-depth article about the significance of these lines of latitude.
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Sossusvlei
After camping for the night at Sesriem – the gateway to the dunes – you can stop for sunrise at Dune 45 (which is 45km from Sesriem).
The main dunes of Sossusvlei are further up the road, along with Dead Vlei, the pan with striking dead camel thorn trees that is often photographed. I actually met a photographer from the U.S. who did a photoshoot in Dead Vlei with dancers.
Sossusvlei, Namibia's Dune 45 at sunrise. | Click any image to view larger.
A long, hot, sweaty hike will take you to the top of the Sossusvlei sand dunes in Namibia. I followed behind my guide, taking endless photos of the ethereal landscape. | Click any image to view larger.
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Top right corner, a view of Dead Vlei from the top of Sossusvlei. Posing for pictures before gliding down the sand to the basin. | Click any image to view larger.
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Red sand dunes near Sesriem at sunset. The ripples on the sand are caused by wind. | Click any image to view larger.
Klein Aus Vista
Continuing south after Sossusvlei, I recommend camping for the night at Klein Aus Vista. You'll see wild desert horses and stunning sunsets. Interestingly, the desert horses are not indigenous to the Namibian desert, and were likely brought over by colonizers before they escaped and became wild.
Kolmanskop
An abandoned German diamond mining town, Kolmanskop was featured on the cover of Tame Impala's album The Slow Rush. You can learn more about the history of the town while exploring the buildings that are slowly being reclaimed by the sand.
Namibia was first colonized by the Germans. After World War 1, South Africa took over. But as you might have noticed by now, the German influence persists in Namibia in the architecture and nomenclature. Germans make up a high percentage of tourists to Namibia.
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Fish River Canyon
This is the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. If you have more time, and you come in the right season, you can hike the canyon.
Quiver Tree Forest and Giant's Playground
The last stop before a long drive back to Windhoek is a visit to Kokerboomwood, which is home to a significant population of quiver trees, Namibia's national tree.
Nearby is Giants Playground, which is named because the square boulders make the maze look like a playground for giants.
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How To Visit
I booked a two-week camping tour with Chameleon Safaris departing from Windhoek, which included travel to the north to safari through Etosha National Park.
Our guides decided to try a game of getting back to the van by only touching rocks at Giant's Playground. 😂
You could book just this southern itinerary with them, or rent a 4x4 Toyota Hilux with a rooftop tent and drive it yourself in a week. However, the roads in Namibia are notorious for flat tires and few passersby. I don't recommend a self-drive Namibia trip for solo travelers.
While I did love the safari in Etosha, I thought that the southern portion of the trip included more of the iconic Namibia stops. You might consider doing the southern route and tacking on a separate trip to Etosha.
Also, I loved the camping aspect of the trip, and really felt immersed in the nature we were visiting. Whether you are self-driving or booking a tour, I recommend sleeping in a tent!
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