The 7 Best National Parks in Namibia for Nature Lovers

Undoubtedly Namibia is a-one-of- a-kind country with unspoiled, untamed and relatively untouched by development.

The 7 Best National Parks in Namibia for Nature Lovers where the sandy dunes are way tall than the buildings and where going on a road trips means you will not see any other soul the entire day. With just two millions people in a territory that exceeds 300,000 square miles, Namibia is one of the world’s least populated countries and as you travel around the country, you will get to know why.

Namibia is almost entirely covered by some of the world’s largest deserts including Namib – after which the country gets its name and runs the entire length of the country’s coastline. There is also the world famous Kalahari Desert which covers the Eastern half of the country extending into Botswana.

Most visitors are go to Namibia for its vast space, extensive wildlife and dramatic scenery. With 12 national parks and a number nature reserve and protected areas, there is plenty of natural beauty to explore.

The blog lists the 7 Best National Parks in Namibia perfect for nature lovers to visit as well their individual detailed information including history, size, main attractions and everything you may expect.

AI|AIS/RICHTERVELDS TRANSFRONTIER PARK

ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a Transfrontier park comprising of the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park in Namibia and the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa, the park was established in 2003 covering 6,045 square kilometers and named after Ai-ǀAis Hot Springs.

A large portion of the park forms a buffer to the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape World Heritage Site, this rich and diverse botanical landscape is shaped by the pastoral grazing traditions of the indigenous Nama Community.

The Fish River Canyon is the most notable feature in this park, the canyon is the largest canyon in Africa at about 100 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and over 1500 feet deep. Hiking the Fish River Canyon is one of the great adventures in Namibia, but it is something you shouldn’t under look as it normally takes four to five days.

If you choose to go on this adventure, make sure to plan according and have all the necessary hiking essentials.

NATIONAL PARKS IN NAMIBIA FOR NATURE LOVERS -BWABWATA NATIONAL PARK

Bwabwata National Park is one of the few places in Namibia where landscape is not dominated by desert, the park is situated in the northwestern region of Namibia which serves as a migratory corridor for wildlife.

The Caprivi Strip is a narrow strip of land heading eastwards towards Zambia and Zimbabwe from mainland Namibia, this region is far wetter and more fertile compared to what you will see further south, thanks largely to the proximity of the Okavango Delta and the Kwando River.

Bwabwata National Park forms part of the migration route of Elephants moving between Zambia, Botswana and Angola.

The Mahango Reserve which is found within the park is widely regarded as one of the best places in Namibia to see birds, some of the birds to lookout for include African barred owlet, African pygmy-goose, African skimmer, African wood owl, Allen’s gallinule, Bennett’s woodpecker, Black-faced babbler, Black-winged pratincole, collared palm-thrush, Coppery-tailed coucal, Dickinson’s kestrel among others

CAPE CROSS SEAL RESERVE

Cape Cross Seal Reserve is a small headland not situated far from the coastal city of Swakopmund, the reserve is best known for its historic and naturalistic significance and also best known breeding colony for the Cape fur Seals.

In terms of history, Cape Cross Seal Reserve was the place where Portuguese Explorer Diogo Cao first landed during his expedition in attempts to discover a passage to the East. He erected a small stone across there, a replica of which stands to this day.

With a huge population of Cape Fur Seal exceeding 500,000 at some times, the reserve is home to one of the largest Cape Fur Seal colonies in the world. The shores are literally littered with seals lounging, sleeping, mating, dying, fishing and eating among others.

There are seals as far as the eye can see.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

Etosha National Park is the best place to go to see the Africa’s four of Big 5 (there are no cape buffaloes)and other wildlife in Namibia, the park is regarded as one of Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve by safari goes and is one of the easiest, safest and most rewarding big game destinations in Southern Africa.

Etosha National Park gets its name from the gigantic Salt pan that covers a quarter of the park, it is so large that it can actually be seen from space.

The name “Etosha” means “Great White Place” in Ovambo – the language of the largest indigenous Namibian tribe in clear reference to the pan.

Because of the sparse shrubs and no vegetation at all in and around the park, it is very easy to spot wildlife in Etosha National Park. Also, the scarcity of water means that the animals often gather around the watering holes to drink water.

KHAUDUM NATIONAL PARK

Described as “Khaudum National Park was established with conservation in mind, not for cash generation. This simple guiding characteristic gave birth to the true wilderness feel that embraces one’s soul when visiting the park. It is wild, and we want to keep it like that.” By Warden Dries Alberts.

Khaudum National Park is the most remote national parks in Namibia and its forgotten wilderness attracts a large number of tourists thanks to its remote location and relative lack of tourist facilities.

Getting to Khaudum National Park is fun and adventurous, with some poorly maintained tracks that should only be tackled by confident drivers. But when you finally reach the park, you will be treated to excellent wildlife sightings. Some of the animals to lookout for include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, roan antelopes and huge elephant herds.

NAMIB-NAUKLUFT NATIONAL PARK

Stretching approximately 20,000 square miles, Namib – Naukluft National Park is the largest national park in Namibia and one of the largest protected areas in the world. The park is situated between the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and the edge of the Great Escarpment.

Namib – Naukluft National Park was created purposely to protect the salt and clay pans, the world’s oldest desert and the wildlife in the area.

The park includes the striking red dunes of Sossusvlei such as Big Daddy – the highest dune in the national parka at about 1000 ft. high, the Deadvlei with its skeleton trees set against the huge red dunes and the famous Dune 45, a stunning place to watch the sunrise over the desert.

While on a tour in Namib – Naukluft National Park make sure you visit the Sesriem Canyon, a 98-foot deep canyon that is often overlooked by most tourists.

Every 10 years or so, the ephemeral Tsauchab River starts flowing, flooding parts of the Deadvlei and Sossusvlei area. In case you are lucky to catch it, don’t miss the giant mirrors this creat, which reflect the stellar dunes.

SKELETON COAST NATIONAL PARK

The Skeleton Coast is one of the most treacherous coasts in Africa with unpredictable currents and a dense sea mist coming from the Atlantic Ocean, the mist caused many unexperienced captains to lose their bearing and run their ships aground here.

The park “Skeleton Coast National Park” is probably the coastline in the world that is entirely protected.

The Skeleton Coast remains one of the most inaccessible places in the world and with no 4×4 vehicle which is sturdy enough to navigate the sandy tracks.

South Africa Packages

12 Days Exclusive Safari and Cape Splendor

10 Days Kruger Private Reserves & Cape Town

12 Days Kruger Reserves and Gorilla Trekking Safari

6 Days Panorama Route Tour

4 Days Tremisana Lodge Kruger Park Safari

3 Days Kruger and Swaziland Cultural Tour

3 Days Kruger National Park Camping Safari

10 Days Kruger Private Reserves & Cape Town

Namibia Packages

9 Days Luxury Namibia and Gorilla Trekking Safari

6 Days Etosha, Swakopmund & Sossusvlei (Camping)