Namibia is massive with an easily navigated and well maintained network of tarmac and gravel roads. It is by far one the best country we have ever taken a road trip, enhanced by the fact that the whole journey was a self drive safari. It is a country that is ideal for a touring, whether you want your stops to be luxury or rustic camping. Here are 10 essential tips to make the most out of you trip.
1-Select the Right Vehicle
A 4×4 is essential for a road trip in Namibia. Whether you are planning a short trip or a longer route, you are bound to come across some roads which are a little tricky to drive. Having 4×4 will make you feel far more confident on the dirt roads, even if you only need it a couple of times
There are plenty of rental car companies, including the some big names such as Hertz. We opted to go for a smaller agency- Berg4x4. The vehicles they had available at the time were far better outfitted then the ones hertz had. Amongst other things, we wanted a roof top tent and an extended gas tank (recommended wherever you are in Namibia). Berg 4×4 were also conveniently based out of Walvis Bay, where we flew in to.
Check out our article on Renting a Vehicle in Namibia and the right questions to ask!
2- Purchase a SIM card
Some form of communication is important when considering the long, desolate roads. We had a satellite phone for emergencies but were also pleasantly surprised at the coverage our MTC SIM cards gave us. We purchased the card and 4 data bundles in the the Dunes Mall before setting off.
Almost everywhere we went we had enough signal for whatsapp and it is used by many different businesses. If you don’t generally use it, download it before you go . We also have the Numero apps on our phones which is an eSim giving us a constant phone number anytime we are on wifi.
3- Download your Entertainment and Maps
With stunning scenery you may be asking why this would be important. A great way to pass the time when drives can be upwards of 4 hours is listening to music or audio books. We used audible to download books by Wilbur Smith to keep with the African theme. Although Wi-Fi or cellular data is available almost everywhere, many times it was not strong enough for streaming or downloading.
All of our navigation was downloaded ahead of time too on both Sygic and google maps. We also used tracks for Africa on a dash mounted Garmin in addition to google maps. Tracks for Africa was definetly a better tool for driving some of the remoter parts for Namibia as well as for Botswana, and was a huge part in planning our Bostwana trip.
4- Mix up your Accommodations
One of the beautiful things about Namibia is that you can happily stay in 10 very geographically different places in 10 nights. There is a vast range of accommodation styles from basic campsites to amazing all inclusive lodges. Each area we went to we had our pick and planned to stay in an overall budget rather then a nightly budget. We used a combination of booking.com for our lodge stays and booking direct through websites for the campsites. There is so much to cover so check out the post dedicated to the different accommodation types.
5- Fuel up often and be prepared to change a tire
There is an abundance of petrol stations in the main towns and cities. The attendants will start energetically waving when they see rental trucks approaching. Our extended gas tanks meant that our needle didn’t move until the extra gas extra tank was empty. We would fill up as soon as the needle started moving and only had to back track once to avoid a disaster.
6- Keep your car stocked with food and water (and wine and beer)
If you have the option, ask for a plug in fridge/freezer for your rental vehicle. Ours was a perfect size with a small freezer compartment. Our first stop after picking up our rental vehicle was to stock up on water, snacks for the car (including copious amounts of biltong and dryworst), wines and beers, all non-perishable food that we thought we might need for 9 days, and enough campfire food for a couple of nights camping.
In most of the large towns we stopped for a quick supermarket stop. Although many of the NWR campsites have small convivence stores, you won’t find many fresh vegetables and the general range of product is slim. You may also want to pick up a cooler to keep inside your car for cold drinks and snacks on the go. At less then 10GBP in the supermarket with ice blocks it is worth it!
7- Pack clothes for all weather
Temperatures fluctuate significantly in the various areas in Namibia and between day and night. One morning we were in coats and hats and under a blanket doing a safari drive. A couple hours later we drove away from the safari lodge in shorts and flips flops. Having a hat and a down-jacket that folds up to a packable size are essential. (My Uniglo down jacket is in urgent need of replacement after 6 years of world wide travel as I get cold everywhere. I am about to order this jacket from amazon).Check out our packing tips for safari and how to travel with hand luggage only.
8- Namibia is a fairly safe country
We never felt unsafe even though driving along very quiet roads in daunting. Petty crime is not unknown in Namibia, but common sense can help you avoid being a target. Don’t leave valuables obviously visible in the car or count massive amounts of cash in the open. We have a small bag with our passport, the majority of cash and phones which we took out the car at every stop.
9-Plan you drive times
Driving around Namibia requires a lot of preplanning. Part of the planning process should be calculating your route and drive times. Make sure your schedule takes into consideration that most park gates will close ay sunset so if you accommodation is inside a park such as the Namib-Nakluft leave in plenty of time to get there.
Bear in mind that google maps greatly underestimated the amount of time which leads us to the next point. Tracks for Africa will give more detailed drive times on gravel roads.
10- Most Importantly – drive carefully
Although road conditions are generally great, they are still gravel road. The speedometer can creep up unexpectedly. If you hit a bump, pothole or your tire blows at high speed, you can be in trouble with help a long way away. Stick to speeds you are comfortable with and don’t push your limits.
