Epic Southern Namibia Road Trip: Your Guide for 2025 (with map)

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Are you finally planning that Namibia road trip?

That’s amazing! By road is definitely the best way to explore Namibia. I spent a month driving through this beautiful country, and I had the time of my life. Below I share what I learned on my trip.

But first, is Namibia safe? This is a question I’m asked a lot, and I’m happy to say, Yes! It’s one of the safest places in Africa.

It’s the place I recommend to people who are new to Africa and wondering where to start.

It’s also a stark and stunningly beautiful country. It’s my absolute favourite place for an epic road trip. You’re going to love it!

In fact, there is so much to see, and so much road to cover in Namibia that it just wouldn’t all fit in one guide. Here we’ll explore the fantastic Southern Namibia road trip.

Head down to the bottom of the page for Fish Creek, Central Namibia, Northern Namibia, and Caprivi Strip guides.

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Considerations When Planning Your Self-Drive Route

• Distances between Namibia’s most popular sights are long. Even if you choose to only visit Southern Namibia instead of the entire country, make sure you give yourself enough time to see what you want.
  
  To give you a little perspective, the most visited spots in Namibia are Fish River Canyon and Etosha National Park. If you decide to drive from one to the other without stopping to sightsee, it will take about 11.5 hours.
  
  If you also dream of seeing the Caprivi Strip, reaching it is an additional 6.5 hours or so from Etosha.

• When renting a car in Namibia, it’ll be hard to find an automatic transmission. If this is a deal breaker for you, start contacting rental companies far in advance of your trip and hope they can find one for you.
  
  If they are able to, it will cost more than a standard. Driving a stick shift is a skill worth learning if you like to travel, as this is the case in many places outside North America.

• These long distances mean fuel stations are not plentiful. Be sure you plan to fill up wherever you can.

• It’s possible to have a great Southern Namibia road trip with a 2WD sedan. However, renting a 4×4 means that you don’t have to miss out on anything you want to see because you’re not sure if your car will make it.

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Do you love the beach? Read:  Nambia’s Best Beaches for a Blissful Summer!

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Your Southern Namibia Road Trip

Namibia is the perfect place for a road trip. With great infrastructure and kilometre after kilometre of beautiful scenery and uncrowded roads, you’re going to love it.

Let’s dive into all the amazing things to see on your Southern Namibia road trip!

Located in the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park, it’s also home to one of the most popular hikes in all of southern Africa.

There’s so much to see and do around this area that it has its own guide! Find out all you need to know about Fish River Canyon and |Ai-|Ais by perusing it.

2. Canyon Nature Park

Travelling north of Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park and Gondwana Canyon Park, you’ll come to the private nature reserve Canyon Nature Park.

While technically a separate entity, Canyon Nature Park is a continuation of Fish River Canyon.

It was created when the Vergeleë and the Soitkuil farms were joined in order to preserve the plants and animals.

Even honey badgers have been seen here, along with a Cape clawless otter.

You can also see more than 1600 plant species, including more than 100 succulents that are endemic to the area.

One of these succulents is the Quiver tree. These can grow anywhere from 3-8 metres tall, with a base of 1 metre across.

Fact: Brown hyenas are the dominant carnivore in the most arid parts of Namibia. They’ll even scavenge seal colonies and beach areas. This has earned them the nicknames strandwolf and beach-wolf among the locals.

The park joined up with the |Ai-|Ais – Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, and other agencies and private land owners in southern Namibia.

Their goal is wildlife conservation and preservation of the area’s natural resources. So far they’ve done an amazing job. This is a place of particular interest to anyone with a fascination with geology.

Visitors can see evidence from millions of years ago, of the separation of the continents. See, too, evidence of the movement of the tectonic plates which ended in the creation of Fish River Canyon.

Canyon Nature Park gives hikers the opportunity to go down into the canyon unguided. This isn’t permitted further south in |Ai-|Ais.

This way you can hike until you feel like you’ve seen enough, turn around and go back. You aren’t committed to the entire 5-day hike.

Hiking is still restricted to May 1-September 15. Outside of these times, temperatures soar, and hiking just isn’t a good idea.

Do remember to carry enough water! River water can certainly be used, but purify first. A LifeStraw or Steri-pen is a great idea, as are water purification tablets. Boiling is best if you can.

3. *Vogelstrausskluft Private Nature Reserve

Continuing north from Canyon Nature Reserve you’ll find this small nature reserve. Occupying only 260 km², this reserve is also former farmland.

In 2001, Namibian and European investors began the project of re-naturalizing the land of 3 farms. The goal was to re-establish native wildlife populations and preserve the local flora.

There are a lot of nice places to visit in the south. This reserve is definitely one of them. Light tourism is permitted here to finance conservation efforts.

* Please note that the Vogelstrausskluft Lodge, formerly in the nature preserve, has since closed as of publication date. This post will be updated if/when it reopens.

4. Keetmanshoop

That is aside from the excellent German cuisine you’ll find around town.

The Rhenish Missionary Church, built in 1895, is a popular place to visit. It was declared an historical landmark in 1978, and has a small museum inside.

You’ll see a selection of religious relics, as well as an interesting glimpse into the culture and history of the local Nama people.

The museum also has a display depicting local plant life and different traditional uses of them.

Outside in the gardens, you’ll find examples of some of these plants. As well, there’s a scale mock-up of a traditional Nama hut.

Aside from the mission, there are a few other interesting buildings in town. These are the Schützenhaus, a marksman’s clubhouse, and the Imperial Post Office.

Both of these date back to the very early 1900s. The Post Office building now houses Keetmanshoop’s Tourist Information Office.

These sights are interesting to see if you happen to be in the area. However, I wouldn’t suggest you go out of your way for them.

5. Quiver Tree Forest

There are a few attractions near Keetmanshoop that I think are worth driving a few extra miles. The Quiver Tree Forest is one of them.

The quiver tree is known as the national plant of Namibia, and is actually depicted on their 50 cent coin.

Quiver trees, also known by the Afrikaans name kokerboom, are actually not trees at all. Like the baobab trees seen elsewhere in Africa, quiver trees are giant branching succulents.

I think giant is an appropriate term for a succulent that can grow up to 9 metres tall. Once it gets to be 2 or 3 decades old, bright yellow winter flowers appear.

June and July are the best times to visit if you hope to see the quiver trees bloom. The oldest of the trees have been around for at least 200 or 300 years.

Traditionally, the roots of the quiver tree have been used to treat asthma and tuberculosis. These days, though, they’re mainly decorative, so don’t get any ideas.

I’m not going to get too science-y, but I thought it was interesting that the quiver tree used to be a member of the aloe family.

But, in 2013 the species was moved from the genus Aloe to the genus Aloidendron, for any avid botanists out there.

A few other interesting facts: the “bark” of the quiver tree produces a white powder that reflects sunlight. This protects the plant from the worst of the sun’s damaging heat.

It is also able to drop diseased branches to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of the plant.

The quiver tree got its name from the way the indigenous San people once used them. They would hollow out the tube-shaped branches and use them as quivers – containers to hold their arrows.

The Afrikaans name for these trees, “kokerboom”, has the same meaning.

Quiver trees’ favourite place to grow is on top of the fairly large rock formations found in the area. Since these sorts of rocks are usually spaced some distance apart, it’s more common to see individual trees.

They tend to be quite spread out from each other. This rocky area near Keetmanshoop, though, has formed the perfect spot for this eerie-looking forest.

Hiking through the forest is a great way to get a closer look at the quiver trees. You might also see rock hyraxes, as well, aka dassies or rock rabbits.

Aside from these fuzzy little elephant cousins, you may also come across the occasional snake. Closed-toe shoes are recommended.

The Quiver Tree Forest is located on privately owned land. The owners also operate a family farm, Gariganus 157, nearby. They’ve got guesthouses and campsites for visitors.

The Quivertree Forest Rest Camp offers accommodation at a rate of *NAD$1285 for a single with breakfast and dinner. Unfortunately, this is a single supplement price. Camping will cost *NAD$165.

There is no restaurant at the rest camp. Breakfast and dinner are provided if pre-booked.

The rest camp also collects a Namibia park fee for the Forest and nearby Giant’s Playground for *NAD$100/both, payable in Namibian dollars, African rand, or credit card.

They also offer nighttime photography activities for an additional cost. Have a look at their webpage for current info on prices.

*These prices are for reference only, and are subject to change.

6. Giant’s Playground

Just 5 minutes from Quiver Tree Park is another unique natural phenomenon. The Giant’s Playground is also on many maps as ‘Spielplatz der Riesen’.

What you’ll see when you arrive is a maze of stones. Stacks of stones. Piles of enormous, massive boulders. This mass of stacks and piles of dolerite boulders covers an unbelievable area of 180,000 km².

If you’re wondering what dolerite is? To put it simply, about 180 million years ago, molten magma (basically hot liquid rock) pushed up through cracks in the existing rock.

As those millions of years went by, weathering and erosion wore away the softer bits of stone. We are left with these massive boulders, stacked and strewn around haphazardly.

These boulders used to be molten magma, and are now called dolerite.

And they do look for all the world like a group of giants with nothing better to do were stacking them up, then let them all fall, and didn’t bother to tidy them up.

It’s fascinating, a little overwhelming, and very easy to lose your way. Definitely one of the highlights of Southern Namibia.

But do pay close attention to what’s around you to avoid getting lost.

There are several walking paths through the maze of stones. Late afternoon, as the sun is setting, is a magical time to be in this area. The mellowing sunlight sets the rocks on fire.

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Pictures of Namibia that will make you wish you were there: 20 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Namibia

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7. Mesosaurus Fossil Site

Right in this same area is the Mesosaurus Fossil Site. There is also a Quiver Tree Dolerite Park here, with apparently more than 5000 quiver trees.

These are only about 15 minutes down the road from the Giant’s Playground.

These are found on a private farm, where the owners have 4 chalets and a handful of campsites.

They’re cozy, reasonably priced, and include breakfast.

An evening braai can also be arranged if requested in advance.

If you like, you can hike among the trees and boulders on your own.

Or you can take advantage of a 2-hour guided trip out to look at the excellent mesosaurus fossils.

Mesosaur means “middle lizard”, and were critters that existed some 250 million years ago.

The fossils are of these small crocodile-looking ancient aquatic lizards. They were discovered by the 10-year-old son of the farm’s owner.

The only other similar fossils known so far are in South America.

The tour will also include a visit to the graves of two 19th-century colonial troops, or German Schutztruppers. Both were killed in the battle fought between the local Nama people and German forces.

8. A Singular Southern Namibia Highlight

Remember, when visiting any of these places after dark, to look up. Because of the low population, there is very little light pollution, resulting in spectacular stargazing.

Those of you who have never seen the Milky Way won’t believe your eyes.

9. The Alte Kalkofen Lodge

Located in Goageb, between Keetmanshoop and Aus, this lodge is truly an oasis in the desert.

The town of Goageb has little else going for it, but if you’ve had a long day of driving, or are a particular fan of Lithops, you’re sure to enjoy a stay here.

It’s also a great lunch stop, and very worthy of a look around. If you’re an aspiring botanist, or just love plants, you’ll enjoy seeing the large collection of Flowering Stones.

These fascinating little succulents are native to Namibia and South Africa. However, they’re difficult to spot in the desert, especially when not flowering.

They look like stones, and they grow among stones. Enough said. I love these little plants, and I do recommend stopping in for a look, at least.

The lodge boasts the largest registered collection of Lithops in the country.

Even apart from the Lithoparium, the lodge is a treat. Constructed from an old farmhouse, it offers accommodation in the way of 10 bungalows, as well as 3 separate campsites.

Guests have access to a pool and a deck that looks over a waterhole. This is visited by oryx, springboks, and a variety of other animals, mainly antelope.

The lodge has offers activities such as nature drives and guided hikes. And again, the stargazing is phenomenal.

It’s enough to make you want to ask for a ban on all street lights when you get home.

10. The Wild Horses of Garub Pan

Along the B4 heading toward Luderitz lies the very small, mountainous town of Aus.

While there are a few lodges and camping facilities in and around Aus, it’s the horses that are the attraction here.

Anywhere from 80-250 live just outside of Aus, in the Garub Pan. The origin of these horses has been the source of much speculation over the last century or so.

One theory is that they come from a shipload of horses that were aboard a German vessel. That vessel became stranded near the mouth of the Orange River at the end of the 19th century.

Another is that they originated from the horses belonging to the German army. They were lost or released in 1915, when the Schutztruppe retreated from the South African Army.

Regardless of their origin story, these horses have adapted remarkably well to the harsh conditions of the Namibian desert.

They’re now known as their own breed, and are called the Namib.

Contributing to the survival of these horses may have been the restrictions imposed on the area when diamonds were discovered in 1908.

The Garub area that was home to most of these animals was restricted even to horse traders and hunters.

Nobody was allowed to enter the area.

These restrictions were in place for some 80 years. This was a time when the horses were undisturbed, with no choice but to adapt to the unforgiving conditions.

This Garub area was also the location of a borehole that had been dug to supply water for the railway that ran close by. The resulting water hole helped sustain the feral population.

The Namib has become symbolic to the Namibian people and to the visitors who admire the horses. They’ve come to stand for the wildness of Namibia, and the strength it takes to survive and thrive there.

Today there is a hide set up from which to observe the herd. The horses’ range is about 450 km², but they congregate around the waterhole there, making sightings very likely.

To reach the hide, travel west on the B4 highway for 20 km before turning onto the narrow gravel road that leads to the water hole.

Since 2015, the Namibia Wild Horse Foundation has taken responsibility for making sure that they have enough to eat.

If you feel that you’d like to contribute to this cause, you can visit their website here.

11. The Tiras Mountains & the Tirasberg Conservancy

Just to the north, between Aus and Helmeringhousen, sprout the Tiras Mountains.

As you come up from the scrubby savannah you’ll suddenly enter a flat grassland, with the mountains looming behind them. It might come as a bit of a surprise!

Since 1998 this little part of southern Namibia has been home to the Tirasberg Conservancy. Four adjacent farms donated a total of 125 km² for the purpose.

To give you a little background – Namibia is quite progressive in its views on the importance of protecting our ecosystems.

In 1996, the government of Namibia gave local communities the power to set up their own conservancies. These allow the communities to manage their own wildlife and tourism markets.

You can stop in at the Tirasberg Conservancy Information Centre. Find it on one of the 4 farms participating in the conservancy project, the Gunsbewys.

Here you can learn about the plants and animals of the area, and the ecology specific to this environment.

There are several accommodation options if you decide to stay, and a lot of wildness to explore. Try sliding down the dunes and sleeping under the stars!

12. Lüderitz

The lovely port town of Lüderitz has several ways to hold your attention for a few days. You’ll find it pushed right up against the ocean by the desert sand, about 125 km west of Aus.

If you look at the map above, you’ll see that Lüderitz sits right in between Sperrgebiet, which is German for “prohibited area”, and the NamibRand Nature Reserve.

Sperrgebiet has been the location of the Tsau || Khaeb National Park for many years. In spite of this, however, the public is not permitted to enter much of it.

This is to protect the 5% of the Sperrgebiet where diamond mining takes place.

So Lüderitz really is just out here on its own in the wind.

While not a large town, home to only 15,000 people, Lüderitz is a pretty interesting one. It was built on Robert Harbour and was developed around Shark Island.

What to do in Luderitz

There are plenty of things to see in this little town. Here are a few of my favourites:

• Shark Island

Shark Island – built up into a peninsula in 1906 – has quite a reprehensible claim to fame. It began as Namibia’s first large death camp.

Even before Hitler’s time, over 3000 Namib people were brought here by German forces between 1904 and 1908.

Their fate was horrifyingly similar to what we know of Holocaust victims.

Fortunately, current times are brighter. Today the area is known for its colonial architecture, natural surroundings, and the Lüderitzbucht Museum in Lüderitz.

And Shark Island is now a great place to see wildlife in Namibia. There is also a lighthouse that may or may not be closed for repairs.

The museum focuses on the histories of the local diamond mine industry and the indigenous population. The natural history of the area is explored in the displays as well.

It’s an interesting little museum but won’t take long to get through. You might spend the rest of an afternoon strolling through town, browsing the architecture.

The Felsenkirche, or Church of the Rock, is worth a look, and the Woermann Haus.

Also, take a stroll along the streets down by the water, and poke your head into a few of the little shops there. Unless there’s a cruise ship in town. If that’s the case, you might want to wait on that.

• Marine Life and Other Wildlife

The marine and other wildlife around Lüderitz is a highlight for many people. Penguins and seals, oryx, jackals, flamingos and ostriches are just a few of the animals you might see.

The northern end of the Tsau ||Kaen National Park is accessible to the public south of town.

It’s a great place to tour, where you can view the salt pans, look for wildlife, and discover hidden coves.

It’s more often known locally as the Lüderitz Peninsula.

There are a lot of great spots on the peninsula, and many of them can be driven in a sedan. There are some off-road tracks, though.

Attractions are marked by concrete blocks, so keep an eye out for these as you drive.

Halifax Island, on the northwest corner of the Lüderitz Peninsula, has an amazing colony of little African penguins.

In fact, it’s one of the top 3 breeding sites for these penguins in Namibia.

In addition, you may see southern right whales, minke whales, fin whales, or pygmy whales. If you happen to be here between June and October, your odds are good.

Rare Haviside dolphins are spotted in these Lüderitz Bay waters, too.

If you feel like sitting back for a while and letting someone else drive, check out Namib Off-Road Excursions. They’ll make sure you don’t miss a thing.

13. Near Lüderitz

There’s a bit more to see around the Lüderitz area.

A quick trip, just 7 km from Lüderitz, is Agate Beach. One of many such beaches in the area, visitors enjoy searching for crystals in the sand, especially agate.

Nowadays you do need permission Nature Conservation Office Ranger to remove these from the beach, though. Also keep an eye out for sand roses on the beach.

You may even see flamingos or ostriches on the way.

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It is interesting to see how the desert is reclaiming its structures.

In its heyday, Kolmanskop had its own hospital and casino. There was even a skittles alley.

However, the end of WWI saw the decline of the local diamond trade. Eventually, mining was moved to Oranjemund. The town was abandoned in 1956.

To enter the town ruins you do need to purchase a NAD$100 permit. These can be purchased at the gate when you arrive, or in advance at Lüderitz Safari and Tours in town.

Your visit doesn’t need to be arranged in advance, you’re welcome to just show up at the gate.

This permit lets you enter Kolmanskop between 9 am and 1 pm, and includes a 45-minute walking tour. This can be taken at 9:30 or 11 am Mon-Sat, or at 10 am on Sundays.

Or instead, you could buy a Photo Permit for NAD$ 320. The ONLY differences between these 2 permits, are that the Photo Permit allows you to enter just before the sun rises, and stay until it sets.

As well, you can take only the 9:30 am tour.

The way the light plays off the sand and the remaining structures can be really sensational at sunrise and sunset.

If you’re hoping to get some epic photos, or would just like to enjoy the experience, this permit is highly recommended.

• Elizabeth Bay is much larger than Kolmanskop and actually sits very near an operating mine.

It’s currently owned by Sperrgebiet Diamond and operates under the same name.

To tour Elizabeth Bay, you will need to arrange an organized tour. Again, Namib Off-Road Excursions can take care of you. This is a half-day tour.

Apart from seeing the town, you may also have the opportunity to see rare brown hyenas in the area. Also, Elizabeth Bay is home to 40% of the world’s Cape fur seals!

• Bogenfels Town is much smaller than the other 2 ghost towns, and quite a bit farther from Lüderitz. It’s about a 2-hour drive south.

The name Bogenfels translates from German to arch rock. The town is also known for its natural rock formations. One of these is a 55-metre rock near the water.

An organized tour is required if you’d like to tour Bogenfels Town, and it will take a full day. But there is a little more to see along the way.

On the 2-hour drive, you’ll see pristine desert views that might even include seals and brown hyenas.

Bonus: If you’re a fan of windsurfing, you might enjoy watching – or participating in – the Lüderitz Speed Challenge. This annual event is held every spring at the south end of the lagoon west of Lüderitz.

Check it out on the Lüderitz Speed website!

14. Duwisib Castle

Just over 100 km north of Helmeringhausen, in the middle of nothing but sand, you’ll find Duwisib Castle. The most fascinating thing about it is its very presence.

Stop if you’d like a rest. Otherwise, it’s just interesting to know that it was built by a German Baron/Captain after the Nama-German war.

It was meant to express his commitment to the German military cause.

Unfortunately, shortly after the castle was completed – not a small task – WWI was declared. The Baron joined up, and was killed 2 weeks later.

Just another of the beautiful places in Namibia. The castle and its property are now overseen by the NWR.

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Southern Namibia Map

Summing It Up: Your Guide to an Epic Southern Namibia Road Trip

There’s so much to see, even in this small part of Namibia. I hope you’re able to take your time and enjoy every bit of it.

For some of the most interesting facts about this fascinating place, have a look at 25 Fun Facts About Namibia. These will make you want to explore the whole country.

There’s nothing like setting out on your own, with no schedule and a little time on your hands. And when it comes to open road, it doesn’t get much more open than southern Namibia.

If you need help deciding what to take to Namibia, check out this Namibia packing list.

Happy travels!

More Namibia Guides for you:
• Namibia Trip Planner: A Guide for 2025
• Ai-Ais Namibia and Fish River Canyon Guide for 2025
• Central Namibia Guide for 2025: From Sossusvlei to Windhoek
• Northern Namibia: Your Epic In-Depth Travel Guide
• Caprivi Strip: Your Best Namibia Travel Guide
• Find Your Dream Destination in Africa

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