THE GREAT NAMIBIAN ROADTRIP

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Duration: The more time, the better. We met travelers roadtripping around the country from anywhere from one week to over a month. If you can make it work, we'd recommend at least 2 weeks. Regardless of how much time you can take, just don't trust the times on Google Maps. It usually doesn't account for the fact that much of the driving is on dirt roads, so travel times will likely be slower than what it says. 

When to go: Namibia is known to be a great destination year-round, with good temperatures and sunny weather. We took our monthlong roadtrip in September.

Accommodations + facilities: There are two ways to house (or home) yourself in Namibia if you're exploring its natural sites: 1) lodge/safari tent or 2) your own tent. Of course, lodges and safari tents are more comfortable, but the price reflects what you're paying for. Often, campsites have bathrooms and nice enough shared facilities. Regardless of where you stay, book at least a few weeks out, especially for the country's most popular destinations (e.g., Etosha, the dunes at Namib-Naukluft National Park).

We opted to camp, and there are essentially two styles of driving/camping, based on your budget:

1. Renting a 4x4 with a built-in rooftop tent: more expensive but easier and sturdier than your average tent

2. Renting a normal 4x4 car with a freestanding tent: less expensive but let us know if you figure out a better way than we did to camp in a sandstorm

Note that, almost all campsites are paid, and in a few places, there were little to no camping options, such as in Skeleton Coast National Park.

Food + water: ALWAYS carry extra food and water, and stock up on groceries in Windhoek and when you pass through cities and towns. Many campsites/lodges have restaurants, cafés, and provisions stores on site, but it's not a guarantee. We cooked a lot using our camp stove, and note you can find camping fuel at a few stores in Windhoek. We picked ours up at Outdoor Warehouse in the Grove Mall and Bushwhackers Windhoek (though we recommend calling before to make sure they have it).

Guide or no guide: It is not uncommon to hire a driver/guide around Namibia, but given the routes are pretty straightforward, it isn't necessary if you're comfortable driving.

Make sure you have: an extra jerry (gas) can, spare tire, water, and food.

Primary costs: Namibia is not the cheapest of destinations, but that being said, there is also a ton of variability in costs (think: camping vs. lodges, cooking vs. eating out, etc.). Below are the big line items you should expect to spend on:

• Car rental: we booked our car through Namibia Car Rental and had a great experience. We booked a 4x4 Suzuki Jimny without camping equipment since we brought out own tent. The going rate starts at N$ 736/day, or about US$44.

• Gas: besides a car, the primary costs for a roadtrip will be, of course, gas. You can check the current gas prices here.

• Park entrance fees: as far as we saw, all national parks and protected areas charged an entry fee, per person and per vehicle. Prices vary per park, so we recommend doing a quick search before you arrive to find the most up-to-date costs for where you’re going.

• Campsites and accommodations:

• We camped using our own tent throughout our trip. Almost all campsites are paid in Namibia, and almost all the ones we stayed at we booked through Namibia Wildlife Resorts, the government entity that runs tourism facilities throughout Namibia's national parks and reserves. To see all current rates for campsites or rooms, go to their resorts page (and notes prices change throughout the season). Currently, campsites run anywhere from N$150-N$700 per person per day, or about US$8-$US40. Note that nearly all the campsites are part of a lodge with room options for those who don't want camp.

• When we weren't camping at an NWR site, we stayed at a few private campsites, lodges, or Airbnbs (specifically, in the cities like Windhoek, Swakopmund, Keetmanshoop, and in the Erongo Mountains). You can see all our accommodations with relevant links in our itinerary.

• Food and drink: This is really what you make it. We stocked up on groceries and camping fuel at the start of our trip, and had an occasional meal at a campsite restaurant. If you're trying to budget, we recommend doing big grocery runs in the big cities (Windhoek, Walvis Bay, etc.) and picking things up at corner stores along the way, then treating yourself to a lodge meal every so often!