Travel Tips for Southern Namibia

Having just spent a magical few days exploring southern Namibia we learnt a couple of things we thought were worth sharing - from how to drive, where to stay and what to see. Here's our top 8 tips: 

Draw cash before you cross the border from SA, or before you head south from Windhoek.  There are ATMs in most towns but they often seem to have run dry!  The first working ATM we found was in Keetmanshoop, and you’re likely to need fuel before then.  Petrol stations accept garage cards but not credit cards for fuel purchases.    

     
 Refuel regularly.  The distances are vast, and most of southern Namibia has a landscape that looks like the surface of Mars – desolate, rocky and searingly hot – the sort of place you really don’t want to run out of fuel in.  The people are exceptionally helpful, friendly and welcoming, but there are very few of them around.  Pick up a couple of five litre water bottles and keep them full, just in case.

     Take regular stops or change drivers frequently.  The roads are in very good condition, even the dirt tracks, but they are so long and straight and the landscape can get monotonous, making it much easier for the driver to lose concentration.  After 200km without a single village or even a bend in the road, a goat or gemsbok can appear out of nowhere and catch you completely off guard.

        Ideally, find a place to rest up around lunchtime when the heat is fiercest.  One of the best places to do this is the Canon Roadhouse, at the northern edge of the Fish River Canyon.  After miles of dusty nothing you stumble upon an oasis of retro quirkiness – a restaurant filled with beautiful old cars, classic old signs, good food, cold drinks and excellent hospitality.  Hippies must enter through the side door, as per the sign:)  You can spend the night if you like, or just take a couple of hours to absorb the ambience, refresh and recharge before pushing on.

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The other great place to stay in the Canyon area is the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort.  It is well serviced and well run and the starting point for some great hikes up the canyon.  There is a large swimming pool which is incredibly inviting after a long day through the desert, but you’ll get a bit of a shock when you jump in and find its actually a warm spa pool fed by the Ai-Ais hot spring nearby!  Getting out is the refreshing part, but the water is great for tired and sore muscles.  The restaurant is excellent.  Secure your tent/room well – the baboons are a bit of a nuisance.  It is a much better bet than the Hobas camp further north (near the Fish River Canyon viewsite) which is near this spectacular location but not as well run as Ai-Ais.

      As you get further north, Namibia begins to get busier.  Rehoboth, a town about an hour south of Windhoek, is the first place that shows signs of recent development.  Its quite a bustling little place and has a fascinating history.  Rehoboth was founded in the 19^th century by a group of Griqua trekkers from the Cape Colony.  They founded a de facto independent state, much like Stellaland near where Kimberley is today, and became known as the Rehoboth Basters.  Their descendants still live there today, but it has also become something of a commuter town for people working in Windhoek.  Watch out for the sudden increase in traffic between Rehoboth and Windhoek, especially in the evenings.

        Always stop at the police roadblocks, even if it doesn't seem like there is anyone around. The police just want to check your driver’s licence and ask if you’re carrying any drugs.  It also seems to be illegal to transport fresh meat from the south to the north (probably to control livestock diseases), so finish your stock before you head out or you might have it confiscated.

        Enjoy!  The landscape may be empty but it is hauntingly beautiful, and it will help you appreciate the relatively lush terrain further north.

Words by Matt Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Matt) & photos by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)