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Namibia is Safe for Normal Tourists Again

Now that the terrible two-headed monster, Brangelina, has finished spawning and finally migrated back to its home territory – incredible, the lengths to which these things will go just to breed, rather like the penguins of the Antarctic – Namibia is once again safe for normal tourists, and there are some great ways to get there from Cape Town.

The quickest, of course, is to fly. Air Namibia has several departures from CPT International each day, which visit all the major Namibian centers – Windhoek, Swakopmund, Oranjemund (right across the border from SA’s Alexander Bay and its Diamond Coast), Luderitz, etc. The airline also sells its own holiday packages, which include desert safaris, Atlantic coast fishing, and hikes through the gorgeous Fish River Canyon. See Air Namibia Holidays for more. (Note: some of the packages are for SA residents only.)

You can also self-drive up to Namibia via South Africa’s long and lonely N7 highway, which becomes Namibia’s main B1 road across the border. This is especially rewarding during the August-October wildflower season, when vast tracts of Namaqualand and the Richtersveld are blanketed in daisies of all colors. The road is generally quite good, and you can break up the drive with stays in the Cederberg Wilderness Area and the small town of Springbok.

The easiest – and many would say best – way to see Namibia from your base in Cape Town, though, is on an overland tour. Grab your backpack and get ready to spend a week or two with fellow explorers from around the world! The three most popular overland tours to Namibia, according to the helpful folk at The Backpack & Africa Travel Centre, are 6-, 12-, and 19-day excursions, which offer everything from white-water rafting on the Orange River to Caprivi Strip and Okavango Delta game park excursions which end at the spectacular Victoria Falls!

The two best overland tour companies for Namibia are:

  • Nomad (based in Cape Town; 2 departures to Namibia per week)
  • Acacia (based in London; 2 departures to Namibia per month)

All their tours can be booked through The Backpack, whose staff will also be able to elaborate on the various adventures and activites you’ll have on your trip.