Namibia is a country full of surprises and a wide range of activities. Make sure you organize your trip before you leave and discover my top 10 things to do in Namibia.
During our trip to Namibia, we discovered some great things to do once we got there, unfortunately. It was too late to book as everything was fully booked so to avoid disappointment, discover 10 must-do activities in Namibia. I recommend some of the sites and companies I work with. You can check availability directly and book by clicking on the affiliate links. For you, the price doesn’t change and remains exactly the same, but some of the tours I propose below pay me a small commission for the work I’ve done.
I invite you to read our various articles to prepare your trip to Namibia:
- Where and how to see the Himbas
- The cheetah conservation center
- The practical guide to planning your trip to Namibia
- 7 reasons to visit Namibia
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| A hot-air balloon flight over the desert
Unique and incredible, these are the words that are often used to describe this magical experience. Flying over the desert in a hot-air balloon at sunrise was one of the most spectacular memories of the trip. Back on land, the king’s champagne breakfast in the middle of the desert is quite exceptional. Lunar landscapes, arid expanses and golden dunes await you at the top. The balloon skims the ground regularly to get close to the few animals galloping through the bush, then gently heads back up into the sky. You’ll need to get up very early for this hour-long flight.
➡️ The flight isn’t cheap, but if you’ve got a little present for your sweetheart or a marriage proposal, now’s the time! It’s a great experience that you won’t regret.
➡️ We booked with Namib Sky Balloon Safaris.
| Visit the video of the hot-air balloon flight here and all our travel videos on our Youtube channel
| Kayak or catamaran excursion on Pelican Point
This is one of the activities we missed during our stay in Namibia, and we regret it. From Walvis Bay, just 30 minutes from Swakopmund by 4×4, you’ll travel to Pelican Point, a lagoon full of wild animals. It’s aboard a kayak that you can spot if all conditions are right, fur seals, mola mola, leatherback turtles, Benguella or Heaviside dolphins, pink pelicans, pink flamingos and sometimes whales if you’re lucky! Allow a full morning and around 2 hours kayaking in this beautiful setting. A unique opportunity to meet these incredible animals. Remember to take a change of clothes with you, as some sea lions are very curious!
➡️ Check kayak availability and book here
If you’re less into kayaking, you can still take a catamaran trip for a morning to observe these animals.
➡️ Check catamaran availability and book here
| An unforgettable parachute jump or a flight in a small plane
Looking for adrenaline and thrills? Enjoy a unique opportunity to skydive over the incredible landscapes of the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world. Your jump will be unforgettable:
- Tandem skydiving in one of the world’s most popular destinations
- The scenery is spectacular and unique
- Enjoy incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean and the dunes of the Namib Desert.
➡️ Check availability and book here
If there’s one activity I’d have loved to do, it’s fly over the dunes in a small plane! There are few places in the world where you can fly over immense coastlines, deserts and dunes! I find this activity unique and romantic at the same time.
➡️ Check availability and book here
| Dune surfing
We surfed the dunes in Swakopmund, 20 minutes from the city center. Swakop is best known for its extreme sports: parachute jumping and sandboarding! We didn’t come to Swaokopmund to swim in 14-degree water, but to ride the 120-meter-high sand dunes, surfing and windsurfing. Half a day of riding down sandy slopes without the need for a ski lift.
You can choose the« Stand Up » i.e. standing on the board or the option « Lie down boarding » namely lying on a wooden plank. It’s a great feeling, going downhill at 72 km/h at sand’s level!
→ Please note that only people with a certain level of physical fitness will be able to climb the dune on foot.
→ The climb is really tough, while the descent is very fast.
Other interesting activities are also available in the dunes:
➡️ 2-hour combo with 1-hour stretch sandboarding and 1-hour quad bike ride. Check availability and book here
➡️ A panoramic bike tour of the desert.Check availability and book here
| Visit surf video hereand all our travel videos on our Youtube channel
| Explore the Sandwich Harbour dunes in a 4X4
Don’t ask me why this place is so named, it’s quite funny but it’s above all a protected natural site, magnificent and unique: huge golden-colored sand dunes flowing into the sea. We wanted to go, but everything was fully booked. We had to give up the excursion and were really disgusted!
An early start in Walvis Bay. The tour includes animal watching, salt marshes and sand dunes. Lunch at the Sandwich Lagoon, offering snacks, sparkling wine, local beer and fresh Namibian oysters. An activity not to be missed in Namibia.
➡️ Check availability and book here
| Watching felines on a game drive
This safari takes you from Windhoek to Durstenbrook Guest Farm for an afternoon of fun and adventure big game viewing. You can see cheetahs and leopards up close, as well as wildebeest, springbok, kudu, oryx, giraffe and more. There’s also a roadblock on site to watch the resident herd of hippos wallow in the mud. Two safaris to Durstenbrook Farm offer the chance to see wild animals in their natural habitat. All the animals are in very good shape and have plenty of space.
Our tailor-made tours also include walking or 4×4 safaris in the Damaraland region, to observe rare desert elephants or black rhinos. This is a step you’ll need to plan in advance, as you’ll need an experienced guide.
| Hiking in the country’s various parks
Namibia has some very unique spots for great hiking. I suggest:
- Day or 2-day hike to Spitzkoppe: located in the Namib Desert, the Spitzkoppe are a group of bald granite peaks forming one of Namibia’s most recognizable and spectacular monuments. These huge, imposing domes are a paradise for hikers and mountaineers, whether beginners or experienced, who want to climb challenging slopes.
➡️ Check here availability for 2 days and book
➡️ Check here availability for 1 day and book
- Discover the « Water Gorge Trail » : a 17-kilometer hike (approx. 6 hours’ walk) on a well-marked trail in Naukluft Park, east of Sesriem. You’ll leave early for this hike up to 1900 meters altitude. This park is renowned for its great diversity of flora and fauna, as well as its natural swimming pools. Please note that this outing must be accompanied by a guide.
| 3-day Fish River Canyon Safari
If you like hiking and safaris, this 3-day extension to southern Namibia is just what you need in this magnificent location. It’s a place like no other you’ll find in Africa, the second largest canyon in the world after the one in the USA. You’ll explore the Fish River Canyon and discover the best sites to visit.
| Visit Swakopmund in a different way with local guides
It’s not widely known, but there are many different ways to discover and enjoy Swakopmund. I’ve selected a few unusual places for you to visit, so that you can soak up the warmth, friendliness and humanity of the city’s inhabitants.
- Explore a township outside Swakopmund accompanied by a local guide: you’ll visit the schools and homes of the Nama, Damara and Herero peoples. You’ll meet the locals, learn about the community, see children at play, smell the barbecues on the sidewalk, and sample local Namibian cuisine in a family home for a complete cultural experience.
➡️ Check availability for this cultural tour and book here
- One-day Segway excursion to discover Swakopmund: we love segways and try them out whenever we can in a city. This allows you to get a good overview of the city while enjoying the scenery. Accompanied by your local private guide, you’ll spend 2h30 exploring Swakopmund, the jetty, the old railroad line and the Swakopmund Bridge.
- Take a food tour of the city: Avoid the touristy restaurants and discover local flavors on this walking tour of Swakopmund’s authentic spots. On a tour designed for foodies and history buffs alike, your guide will give you context for the city’s unusual palace, revealing the fascinating history and culture of the former German colony.
| Discover a Himbas village
Namibia is an absolutely incredible, multi-ethnic country. We took the time to meet several ethnic groups such as the Zimbas, Hereros and Himbas – an unforgettable encounter. Let me tell you more our experience and feelings in this article.
It will be very difficult to meet them on your own. You’ll need a guide as the Himbas speak their own dialect and live in remote villages. You can’t just turn up unannounced. On this excursion, your experienced guides will organize your meeting with the Himbas and explain the basic rules to be followed. They will also act as English/Herero interpreters. This first approach will enable you to discover their way of life, how they dress, wash and feed themselves.
I invite you to read our various articles to prepare your trip to Namibia:
