Explore Namibia on Foot: 14-Day Hiking Experience
Stretch your legs and discover the grandeur of Namibia on this 14-day hiking tour. Accompanied by a trained guide, you explore pristine landscapes on foot, crossing desert dunes and winding through dramatic river gorges that reveal a unique and intimate perspective of Namibia’s natural beauty.
Price
from 3,500 USD pp sharing
Starting price per person
Highlights of the Tour
Day 1 - 14
Waterberg Area
Panoramic Hikes
Etosha National Park
Etosha Game Drives: Where Wildlife Meets Vast Salt Flats
Ugab Valley
Explore Vingerklip & Ugab with Stunning Vistas
Who Should Go
This Namibia hiking journey is ideal for travelers who want to stay active and spend as much time as possible exploring on foot, without missing the country’s most iconic sights. It perfectly combines rewarding hikes with unforgettable highlights such as the wildlife-rich plains of Etosha and the towering dunes of Sossusvlei. This is not a rugged, no-frills trekking adventure like climbing Kilimanjaro – instead, it offers a balance of adventure and comfort. Along the way, you’ll stay at carefully selected guest farms and camps where you can unwind with a refreshing drink, enjoy a hot shower, savor a great meal, and relax in a comfortable bed at the end of each day.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 | Windhoek – Waterberg Area
Driving distance approx. 260 km; driving time approx. 3 hours
Hiking distance approx. 4 km; hiking time approx. 2 hours and elevation approx. 200 m↑↓
You arrive at Windhoek International Airport by 9am, where your guide welcomes you with a friendly smile. After a brief introduction and overview of the journey ahead, your Namibia hiking adventure gets underway. Leaving Windhoek behind, you travel north, passing through the small town of Okahandja en route. Today’s destination is the inviting Waterberg Guest Farm. Once you’ve had time to settle in and relax, you head out on your first guided hike. Following one of the farm’s scenic nature trails, you ascend the Small Waterberg Mountain, where sweeping views over the Waterberg Plateau reward your efforts. A tasty dinner rounds off the day in the evening.
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Dinner
Day 2 | Waterberg Area – Etosha National Park
Driving distance approx. 250 km; driving time approx. 2.5 hours
Hiking distance approx. 6 km; hiking time approx. 2-3 hours and hardly any elevation
After breakfast, you set out on an easy, guided walk through the nearby Omumborombonga Forest. The Omumborombonga, known in English as the leadwood tree, is the heaviest wood in the world, and local Herero legend tells that the first humans emerged from an Omumborombonga tree. Following your stroll through this atmospheric forest, there is time to freshen up before continuing on to Etosha National Park – the wildlife highlight of your Namibia hiking tour.
Etosha is Namibia’s best-known national park, and its reputation is well deserved. In the afternoon, you head out on a game drive with the chance to encounter a wide variety of wildlife. After the safari, you travel to Etosha Safari Camp, located just outside the park, where you will spend the next two nights.
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Breakfast
Dinner
Day 3 | Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is famous for its spectacular sunrises, and early risers are often rewarded with unforgettable scenes. The cooler morning hours are also when wildlife is most active, making an early start to your game drive especially worthwhile. On today’s full-day safari, you may encounter elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, and a variety of antelope species. With some luck, you might even spot a black rhino, or—if fortune truly smiles—a leopard hidden in the surrounding bush. Every safari is different, and your experienced guide will help you notice wildlife you might otherwise overlook. After a day filled with remarkable sightings, you return to Etosha Safari Camp for another overnight stay.
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Breakfast
Dinner
Day 4 | Etosha Area – Ugab Valley
Driving distance approx. 190 km; driving time approx. 2-3 hours
Hiking distance approx. 3,5 km; hiking time approx. 1 h and elevation approx. 100 m↑↓
Enjoy a slower start this morning – after all, you are on holiday. Take the chance to sleep in and savor a generous breakfast in a calm, unhurried setting. Afterwards, you travel on to Vingerklip Lodge, which will be your home for the next two nights. Following an optional light lunch, you can relax by the pool before setting off on a scenic afternoon hike. Accompanied by your guide, you walk around the Eagles Nest Plateau towards the Vingerklip, a striking rock formation shaped like a finger pointing skyward.
Along the way, you may spot smaller antelope, as well as zebra, kudu, and giraffe. A short climb up to the Vingerklip rewards you with sweeping 360-degree views over the impressive Ugab Valley below. You then return to the lodge via a shorter route and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your own pace. A delicious dinner is served in the evening, after which you can settle into your chalet for another peaceful night.
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Breakfast
Dinner
Day 5 | Ugab Valley
Hiking distance approx. 7 km; hiking time approx. 3-4 hours and elevation approx. 250 m↑↓
Set out on another rewarding hike today, beginning directly from your lodge. The trail leads you up to and around the southern terrace, with several stops along the way at scenic viewpoints that offer superb vistas over the Ugab Valley. As you walk, your knowledgeable guide shares insights into the region’s plant and animal life, as well as the fascinating geological formations that make this area so unique. The hike concludes on top of the Eagles Nest Plateau, where a relaxed lunch is enjoyed with an impressive view.
Afterwards, you can either take time to relax and soak in the scenery or head back down to the lodge for a refreshing swim in the pool. As the afternoon light softens and the shadows lengthen, a visit to the lookout deck overlooking the nearby waterhole is highly recommended. With a cool drink in hand, you can watch the sun set over the landscape before spending another night at Vingerklip Lodge.
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Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6 | Ugab Valley – Brandberg Area
Driving distance approx. 250 km; driving time approx. 3-4 hours
Hiking distance approx. 5 km; hiking time approx. 2 hours and elevation approx. 120 m↑↓
Enjoy a generous breakfast before setting off into the rugged landscapes of Damaraland. Along the way, there is an opportunity to stop at the Herero Women’s Craft Market, where you can browse and purchase handmade souvenirs. Your destination today is the Brandberg region, Namibia’s highest mountain massif, visible from afar. Brandberg takes its name from the reddish granite rock that glows warmly in the evening light and is renowned for the thousands of rock paintings scattered throughout the range.
Accompanied by a local guide, you visit the famous “White Lady” rock painting, reached via a short uphill hike through the Tsisab Gorge. Towering cliffs, massive boulders, and striking rock formations frame the trail. The journey then continues to Uis, where an extraordinary experience awaits, beginning with a late-afternoon sundowner drive. After watching a beautiful sunset in a scenic setting, you arrive at a remote camp set up especially for you in the middle of nowhere.
A cold welcome drink awaits as you settle in by the fire and watch dinner being prepared over open flames. Once dinner is enjoyed, you can relax by the crackling fire, listen to the sounds of the wilderness, and admire the vast, star-filled sky, or retreat to your tent for a truly unforgettable night in one of Namibia’s wildest regions.
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Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7 | Brandberg Area – Erongo Mountains
Driving distance approx. 100 km; pure driving time approx. 1.5 hours
Hiking distance approx. 3-4 km; hiking time approx. 1-2 hours and elevation approx. 50 m↑↓
With the first light of dawn, you begin the day, taking in the magic of your untouched surroundings one final time. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea with a rusk, fully immersed in the stillness of nature. Afterwards, you return to Uis, where a hearty breakfast awaits. Your journey then continues to the edge of the impressive Erongo Mountains and on to the rustic Omandumba Bush Camp, which will be your home for the next two nights.
In the afternoon, you can join another guided hike to stretch your legs and discover more of the surrounding landscape. The day concludes with a sundowner drive to a scenic viewpoint, where you can sip a refreshing drink while watching another spectacular Namibian sunset from a hilltop. Back at camp, a delicious dinner is served to round off the evening.
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Breakfast
Dinner
Day 8 | Erongo Mountains
Hiking distance approx. 6.5 km; hiking time approx. 3-4 hours and elevation approx. 150 m↑↓
Another memorable day lies ahead. After breakfast and a short drive, you set off on a hike through the dramatic granite formations of the Erongo Mountains. This striking landscape was once home to the ancient San people, and along the way your guide will point out well-hidden, remarkably preserved rock art created by these early hunter-gatherers. After completing the hike, you return to camp where a warm lunch awaits.
The afternoon offers time to relax before visiting the nearby Living Museum of the Ju/’Hoansi-San. Here, you join a bush walk led by a San guide, learning about traditional hunting techniques, spiritual beliefs, and the use of local plants for medicinal purposes. As another enriching day in Namibia draws to a close, you settle in for your second night at Omandumba Bush Camp.
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Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 9 | Erongo Mountains – Swakopmund
Driving distance approx. 280 km; driving time approx. 4 hours
Enjoy an unhurried start to the morning before setting off on the next leg of your journey. Before long, the dramatic Spitzkoppe Mountains appear on the horizon, rising prominently from the surrounding plains. After a short photo stop at the Spitzkoppe Bridge, you continue along quiet Namibian backroads until the cool sea breeze and crisp Atlantic air signal your arrival at the coast. This shoreline is known for its many shipwrecks, and en route you stop at one of these haunting remains visible from the beach.
Today’s destination is the picturesque coastal town of Swakopmund. Your guide introduces you to some of the town’s key sights before taking you to your accommodation at Swakopmund Guesthouse. The remainder of the afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. Swakopmund boasts a wide selection of excellent restaurants, and your guide will be happy to recommend the best options for dinner (optional).
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Breakfast
Day 10 | Swakopmund – Moon Landscape - Swakopmund
Driving distance approx. 90 km; driving time approx. 1.5 hours
Hiking distance approx. 5-6 km; hiking time approx. 3-4 hours and elevation approx. 100 m↑↓
Start the day with an early breakfast in preparation for a truly unique hike into the Moon Landscape. This otherworldly terrain offers some of Namibia’s most striking hiking experiences. From a distance, the area may seem barren and lifeless, but on your hike, your guide will reveal the remarkable plants and possibly even some resilient creatures that have adapted to survive in this harsh environment.
Among the flora, the Welwitschia mirabilis stands out—a fascinating plant that can live for over a thousand years and dots the landscape like living monuments. As the midday sun rises, you conclude your hike at the Goanikontes Oasis, where you can reward yourself with an ice cream or a lunch (both optional). Returning to Swakopmund, the afternoon is yours to relax or explore at leisure. You spend another night at Swakopmund Guesthouse, just a short stroll from the coast.
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Breakfast
Day 11 | Swakopmund – Namib Desert
Driving distance approx. 360 km; driving time approx. 5 hours
It’s time to leave the coast behind and head back inland. Your journey takes you through the dramatic Kuiseb and Gaub passes, crossing dry riverbeds along the way. After heavy rains, these rivers occasionally flow for a short time, creating a rare and beautiful sight. You stop at the small settlement of Solitaire for an optional light lunch before continuing deeper into the Namib-Naukluft region. Your destination for the night is the Elegant Desert Lodge, where you can spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool or exploring the surrounding area on foot.
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Breakfast
Dinner
Day 12 | Namib Desert – Namib-Naukluft
Driving distance approx. 260 km; driving time approx. 4 hours;
Hiking distance approx. 4-5 km; hiking time approx. 3 hours and elevation approx. 150 m↑↓
You’ll want to rise early today, even before sunrise, as you’re just a short drive from the gates of Namib-Naukluft Park. Your guide takes you to a secluded dune, away from the crowds, where you can marvel at the stunning morning light illuminating the world’s oldest desert. After a breakfast picnic, you venture further into the desert.
At Sossusvlei, your guided walk begins, taking you over sweeping dunes and through a hidden “vlei” en route to the iconic Deadvlei. The white clay pan, dotted with ancient, dried camelthorn trees under a brilliant blue sky, creates a truly surreal landscape. You also visit Sesriem Canyon, walking along the dried riverbed carved into its dramatic gorge.
With the day’s incredible sights fresh in your mind, you leave the park around midday and continue to Büllsport Lodge & Farm. In the evening, a hearty dinner awaits, followed by a restful night.
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Breakfast
Dinner
Day 13 | Namib-Naukluft
Hiking distance approx. 6 km; hiking time approx. 3-4 hours and elevation approx. 550 m↑↓
By now, early mornings are likely second nature. After breakfast, you climb into an open 4×4 and begin the drive up the nearby mountain plateau. The journey can take up to two hours, offering breathtaking scenery along the way, and you may even spot mountain zebra, kudu, or oryx.
Once at the top, your hike begins as you descend into the Quiver Tree Gorge. This spectacular walk showcases stunning landscapes, and your guide will point out and interpret any animal tracks you come across. Along the trail, you’ll find crystal-clear water pools, perfect for a quick dip if the mood strikes.
Lunch is a picnic under the shade of a tree within the gorge. At the hike’s end, a cold, refreshing drink awaits before you return to your accommodation in another off-road vehicle. The afternoon is yours to relax, perhaps lounging by the pool and soaking in the surroundings.
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Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 14 | Namib-Naukluft – Windhoek
Driving distance approx. 230 km; pure driving time approx. 3 hours
After a leisurely breakfast, you begin the drive back to Windhoek. Along the way, your guide can recommend a great spot for coffee or lunch, should you wish (both optional). You pass through the small town of Rehoboth and arrive in the capital between 1 and 2 pm. Then comes the farewell: your guide will take you to the airport or to a guesthouse of your choice in the city. We wish you safe travels and hope it won’t be long before you lace up your hiking boots again and return to explore the wonders of Namibia.
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Breakfast
Services
Services Included:
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transport in a 4x4 vehicle
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professional, English-speaking guide
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11 nights’ stay in lodges, tented camps or guesthouses
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meals according to the itinerary
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activities and transfers as per itinerary
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all national park fees
Services excluded:
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flights (international and domestic)
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meals not indicated in the itinerary
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alcoholic and soft drinks
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optional activities
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tips
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personal expenses, visa fees, travel insurance
