If planning your honeymoon has you dusting off your travel wishlist and daydreaming about voyaging through epic dunes, soaring over surreal landscapes (and spotting their startling inhabitants) and magical moments in the wildest of places, Namibia may be calling your name. Taking the crown as one of Africa’s most dramatic countries, Namibia has it all – rare wildlife, inspiring conservation, photo-worthy landscapes from the crashing coast to fossilised desert forests, and lodges that are just as breathtaking. Take a peek at all the possibilities with our guide to Namibia and read on to find our tips for creating the most fabulous Namibia honeymoon.
A see-it-all self driving journey
After touching down in Windhoek, set off to explore Namibia on your own terms on this self-driving trip planned to hit all the highlights. Your journey begins in Sossusvlei, a dreamy land of towering, rust-coloured dunes, just made for sunrise hikes, the astonishing and very photogenic petrified forest, and hot air balloon flights. Find your way down to sunny Swakopmund for a taste of German patisseries and action-packed days, featuring anything from skydiving to sandboarding – or just sunbathing! The mountainous Damaraland is your next stop, where you could track desert-adapted black rhino and elephant on horseback and marvel at the ancient rock art hidden in the foothills. For a taste of Namibia’s impressive collection of wildlife, Etosha and its shimmering waterholes provide a classic safari experience – simply park, sit back, and watch as a parade of creatures arrives. And as for those conservation efforts we mentioned, your honeymoon ends in Otjiwarongo, for the chance to see cheetah and leopard conservation in action, and get closer to the big cats than you thought possible.
Top spots to stay
The lovely but pocket-friendly Olive Grove makes a comfortable starting point in Windhoek. As for Sossusvlei, the private chalets (with a rooftop star bed) and exclusive entrance to the Namib-Naukluft makes Kulala Desert Lodge a firm favourite. In Swakopmund, the Strand offers gorgeous suites and a plethora of dining choices from its location right on the shore. Damaraland is chock-full of amazing lodges, but it’s the intimate, eco-friendly Camp Kipwe that we love – enjoy sunset drinks on the boulders and showers under the stars. In Etosha, take advantage of the private waterhole views and simple style of Onguma Bush Camp and in Otjiwarongo, Okonjima Plains Camp offers mountain views from your private terrace and easy access to the AfriCat Foundation.
Safaris, dunes & shipwrecks
True to its moniker, ‘the land of many faces’, Namibia is a medley of sizzling deserts, pockets of wildlife to marvel at, and a coastline as rugged as it is beautiful. So why should you have to choose? On this trip, you’ll travel the length and breadth of Namibia, beginning in the safari capital, Etosha. Pick a waterhole (or the salt-pan-turned-lagoon in season) and watch as animals big and bigger arrive to drink. Then, track desert-adapted elephant and black rhino in the peaks and sun-baked landscapes of Damaraland, before departing for the dreamlike Skeleton Coast to see the ghostly shipwrecks and beaches, and wildlife that appears to live on luck alone. If you haven’t had enough adventure, enjoy the many action-packed outings in Swakopmund – skydiving, paragliding, quad biking and sandboarding. Your honeymoon reaches a grand finale in NamibRand, where you’ll hike to the crests of dunes as tall as skyscrapers, go wildlife-spotting with no one else around (glorious!), and experience stillness quieter than a whisper.
Top spots to stay
In Etosha, it’s an easy choice – Little Ongava is set on a private reserve and offers personal guides, an intimate three suites and state-of-the-art photographic hide. With its stunning interiors and king bed under the stars, the simply gorgeous Onduli Ridge is a firm favourite in Damaraland, whilst the show-stopping Shipwreck Lodge is a dream for honeymooners on the Skeleton Coast. Built on Swakopmund’s historic Mole (literally steps from the sea), the Strand Hotel is a village on its own with plenty of activities both in and out of house. In NamibRand, the Wolwedans Dunes Lodge has exceptional views (the cabins have roll-up sides) and for that added pizzazz, we’d go for the Mountain View Suite, which has a private vehicle, chef and plunge pool.
Namibia from the air: North to South
Utter the words, ‘Namibian honeymoon’ and you’re bound to be met with a chorus urging you to see its fantastical landscapes and logic-defying wildlife from the air. This trip does it all in style. Before taking flight, your adventure begins in Sossusvlei, the land of great apricot dunes. Explore by horseback, quad bike or hot air balloon (get a taste of those lofty views), and bask in the stark beauty and romance of the world’s oldest desert. Swap your khakis for swimwear as you fly down to the coast of Swakopmund for a few days of seaside R&R, fine dining and frolicking in the water – or keep the heart-pumping activities going. Take in suitably epic vistas as you soar over the breathtaking peaks and valleys of Damaraland, before touching down to track black rhino and desert-adapted elephant. Your flying safari makes a final stop in the green lung of Namibia, Etosha. Spy the wildlife that arrive like clockwork to drink at the limited waterholes. Flying off into the sunset with your beloved? Sounds good to us.
Top spots to stay
Make the most of your desert stay at Little Kulala Lodge, a glamorous spot with private access to Namib-Naukluft and Sossusvlei – and a private pool to cool off in. Enjoy real privacy at Pelican Point, a secluded and unique hotel in Swakopmund’s peninsula (our favourite suite is the Captain’s Cave, which has a raised bathtub overlooking the Atlantic). Damaraland Camp is a top choice with impeccable service and gorgeous views from bed. Last up, Ongava Lodge offers funky, African-inspired rooms and a hide for those memorable encounters with the wildlife – seeing a lion drinking only a few feet away is something to behold.
The hidden gems of Namibia
We know, we know, all of Namibia appears to be a hidden gem, but this trip really takes you off the more explored trails and into Namibia’s (almost) untouched north. Start off with a dose of traditional safari in the wildly beautiful Etosha, where you’ll pick a waterhole and watch as scenes from a National Geographic doc unfold in front of you. Head for the plains of Damaraland, where herds of desert-adapted elephant and solitary rhino navigate mountainous terrain and the ancient rock art paints a picture dating back millions of years. Next up is the Skeleton Coast. Awash with bleached whale bones, historic shipwrecks and barely-believable wildlife, it’s seclusion personified and guarantees some incredible snaps for the scrapbook. Your final destination is in the furthest reaches of Namibia – the dry, dusty and seemingly uninhabitable Kaokoland. Here, you’ll be amazed by the desert wildlife, meet the Himba people, and store up some pretty remarkable memories.
Top spots to stay
In Etosha, enjoy private wildlife-watching from the hide at Ongava Lodge and recline in the well-stocked library in between real-deal safari moments. In Damaraland, Onduli Ridge swiftly captures your heart with a secluded pool amongst the boulders and open-air (should you choose it) bedrooms. With a showstopping design and chalets perched along a ridge of dunes, the Skeleton Coast Shipwreck Lodge is not to be missed. In far-flung Kaokoland, we’d classify Serra Cafema Camp as one of the most remote in Namibia – and it comes with lovely river views, sunset cruises and unmatched privacy.
Soar over the highlights of Namibia
In the home of the flying safari, it would be remiss of us to skip this journey by air above the most epic of Namibia’s landscapes. After trekking the mammoth dunes, snapping all the photos you can and sleeping under pristine, star-spangled skies in Sossusvlei, take off for perhaps the most scenic flight of your life. Soar above the tumbling waves as they meet the deserted and unblemished Skeleton Coast, all while hearing of the legends of shipwrecks scattered along the beach and spotting solitary wildlife amongst the dunes. Touch down at the very edges of Namibia’s map and explore to your heart’s content by foot or 4×4. Your last flight takes you northwards to Etosha, where the wildlife travels in droves to shimmering waterholes and you’ll see some of the biggest names of the animal kingdom.
Top spots to stay
Take your Sossusvlei safari with a side of luxury at &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, which offers picnics under the stars, gorgeous suites and a private runway for you to land on. On the coast, the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is the picture of desert style with airy Bedouin tents and a chic design. In Etosha, Andersson’s at Ongava is an easy choice with its alfresco showers and swanky sunken lounge from which you can watch the passing wildlife.
