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Namibia has long been held as the gold standard in conservation with numerous successes to its name. Not only has the country wrested many local populations of animals from extinction, but its conservancy initiatives ensure far-reaching benefits for everyone involved.

As a result of these efforts, game viewing in Namibia is one of the country’s top attractions, and one that you should embrace wholeheartedly if you’re serious about safaris. Here’s why:

1. Namibia Offers Numerous Bucket List Experiences

In a country of extremes, it’s not surprising that Namibia offers a host of unique experiences and sightings to enjoy. Most of them include game viewing as a matter of course.

These are some of the Namibian features that belong on your bucket list:

Namib Desert

The Namib is the world’s oldest desert, with a history spanning 55 million years and is the only coastal desert that has large dune fields influenced by fog, so that’s a bucket list item right there. It’s also part of Africa’s largest national park, the Namib-Naukluft, and home to some of the world’s most unique creatures, some of which don’t occur anywhere else.

Here, the focus is on the Little Five, rather than their larger counterparts, with travellers aiming to spot the following desert denizens:

• Namaqua Chameleon – one of the world’s fastest chameleons
• Peringuey’s adder – the second-smallest species of adder on earth
• Shovel-snouted lizard – endemic to the sand dunes of the Namib
• Wheel spiders – which cartwheel across the desert sands
• Palmato gecko – a web-footed endemic species

These small creatures are difficult to see on your own, but you can embark on desert tours with guides who know just how to find them.

Etosha National Park

Centred around a salt pan that’s so vast it’s visible from outer space, Etosha National Park is one of the world’s premier game viewing destinations, comparable with the globally acclaimed Kruger National Park.

While traversing these vast savannah woodlands, you could come across the full range of African wildlife, excluding hippos, but including the black-faced impala and Hartmann’s mountain zebra which are endemic to Namibia.

Additionally, there are 412 species of birds to be found here, of which eight are Namibian specials, i.e. the bare-cheeked babbler, Carp’s tit, violet wood-hope, Monterio’s hornbill, rockrunner and Rüppel’s parrot.

Damaraland

In Damaraland, you’ll get to see some of Namibia’s most unique creatures. Although Damaraland isn’t as desolate as the Namib, it’s still an incredibly arid environment.

This makes it all the more surprising that it’s home to creatures like arid-adapted lions, elephants, and rhinos. You can also see Namibia’s famous wild horses, which are in truth feral animals.

2. Lap Up Incredible Landscapes and Vistas

During your game viewing excursions in Namibia, you’ll come across some of the world’s most dramatically beautiful scenery. In the Namib, towering dunes sweep toward a rugged coastline lapped by a tempestuous ocean.

Waving grasslands and arid scrub dominate the interior, showcasing scenes of tranquil beauty punctuated by huge inselbergs and craggy cliffs. Along the ‘strip’ lush forest ramble along the banks of the powerful Kavango River overlooking waterfalls and rapids in spots.

The Fish River Canyon slices across the south-western portion of the country where you can immerse yourself in a silence and breathtaking views so typical of these geological features.

The fossilized trees and pale earth of the Deadvlei are one of Namibia’s most striking and best-known features, that you simply must see in person.

All the while, sunny skies overhead and bright, clear light make Namibia one of the world’s top wildlife photography areas.

3. The Sheer Abundance of Wildlife

Namibia boasts a surprising variety of wild species considering its arid climate. The country’s inventory of living creatures comprises:

• 114 mammal species (8 endemic)
• 685 bird species (15 endemic)
• 4 300 different types of plants Including ancient welwitschias
• 240 reptile species (48 endemic)
• 115 species of fish (5 endemic)
• Over 10 000 types of insects (2 859 endemic)
• 1 331 arachnid species (68 endemic)

During your visit, there’s a high likelihood you’ll get to tick off the famous Big 5 species from your list, but you’ll also get to see a diverse array of other fascinating species such as whales, dolphins, and seals along the shoreline.

Protected spaces occupy 40% of Namibia’s territory, so you’ll have plenty of destinations to choose from for game viewing in Namibia. Don’t miss out on these top spots:

• Etosha National Park
• Zambezi Region (Caprivi Strip)
• Namib-Naukluft National Park
• Waterberg National Park
• Kunene region
• Skeleton coast
• Khaudum National Park

Plus, you’ll find a host of conservancies and private game reserves during your search for the ultimate safari.

4. Crowd-Free Enjoyments

One of the best features of Namibia is its low population density and comparatively undiscovered status as a wildlife destination. This means you’ll hardly ever experience crowds cramping your style while on safari, especially if you visit some of the country’s out-of-the-way destinations, like:

• Skeleton Coast National Park
• Kavango area (Caprivi)
• Damaraland
• Kaokoland

Wherever you go in Namibia, you’ll find the crowds are far sparser than in other mainstream countries, but the wildlife experiences are just as amazing.

5. Blazing Skies

Low rainfall goes hand in hand with cloudless skies and a low population density to add up to incredible stargazing opportunities. The NamibRand Reserve is a private conservation area in southwestern Namibia that has the distinction of being a Gold Tier Dark Sky Reserve.

This area has one of the darkest skies on earth, no light pollution, and a dry environment contribute to this lofty status. Here you will discover constellations and stellar attractions that you never knew existed.

While the NamibRand offers the pinnacle of stargazing in Namibia, you can enjoy unforgettable cosmic displays whenever you gaze upward outside of the city environment.

6. Delightful Add-Ons

While game viewing in Namibia, it makes sense to maximize your trip by embarking on some of the activities and adventures close to major safari destinations.

Some classic Namibian activities include:

• Dune boarding
• Desert quad bike rides
• Sky diving
• Historical tours
• Rock climbing
• Rhino tracking
• Cave diving
• Kite surfing
• Boat tours
• Fishing

Go Game Viewing in Namibia

During the summer, temperatures can soar in Namibia, making travel challenging. It’s best to plan your safari during the cooler times of the year from May to August.

Get started by browsing our travel guide for inspiration or get in touch to begin your Namibian adventure at Windhoek’s favourite rest camp.

Disclaimer
Please Note: The details shared herein were correct at the time of publishing. However, with time some of this information may change. We recommend confirming information with suppliers prior to making final travel arrangements. If you do happen to find an issue with any information we’ve shared here, please feel free to contact us so that we can make the relevant changes.