Overlanding Namibia: wild, free and christmas in the bush

Overlanding Namibia is an experience you won’t forget quickly. From the first meters after the border crossing to wild camping at the Hoanib river and Christmas in Bwabwata National Park this is our story of weeks on the road in one of the most beautiful overlanding destinations in Africa.

What does it feel like to drive into Namibia?

The moment we cross the border into Namibia, everything shifts. Quieter, more spacious as if the whole country breathes at a slower pace. A long queue had formed at the border post, but the wait took on a life of its own when Raimundo struck up a conversation with a truck driver. After clearing customs, we pulled into the petrol station just across the border and sat down to a fantastic boerewors roll. A little further along, we fell into conversation with a Frenchman in a Land Cruiser. His English wasn’t perfect and neither was ours in French, but with a mix of gestures and enthusiasm we exchanged our first road stories of the trip.

Keetmanshoop and Kalkrand: where do you sleep along the way?

With Donkey we head toward Keetmanshoop, where we stock up on supplies and find a spot to camp. The place feels strangely familiar, as if certain spots on the road have been waiting for us. That night, a handful of dogs circle the car watchful, almost protective. The next morning we have breakfast at the old railway station in Kalkrand. A special setting, good coffee, a fine way to start the day.

Etosha National Park: what do you see at the waterholes?

Our friends from the Netherlands fly into Windhoek their first time in Namibia and in Africa. We’ll spend the opening weeks of the trip exploring together. Etosha National Park is our first major stop, and it delivers immediately: lions with cubs, rhinos, giraffes, elephants, zebras the animals show themselves at the waterholes and all around us. Early starts for game drives are absolutely worth it: cool air, quiet roads, wildlife on the move. Every morning is different; every waterhole is its own small spectacle.

Opuwo and the Marienfluss: how wild is the Hartmann Valley?

From Etosha we push on toward Opuwo and the Marienfluss, cutting through the Hartmann Valley. The landscape becomes rawer and more intense almost overwhelming in its scale. Along the way we stop at small villages, hand a bag of sugar to Himba children, and leave messages in the logbooks at green drum. Small gestures, but exactly the kind that give a journey like this its meaning. Near Puros and the Hoanib River we find spots to wild camp: cooking on the gas burner, attempting to bake bread (with limited success), improvising solutions for water and power. This is life on the road. After three weeks together, we say our goodbyes and they fly home to the Netherlands.

Christmas in Bwabwata: what happens in the wilderness?

We spend Christmas with friends from Windhoek in Bwabwata National Park, deep in the bush. On Christmas morning, a wild dog past and then a whole pack, mid-hunt, taking down an impala. Fast, breathtaking, and utterly raw. Christmas like you will never forget. The days that follow are slow and easy: gifts, open skies, and quiet preparation for the border crossing into Zambia.

What does travelling through Namibia teach you?

Namibia is a journey of small encounters, wild animals, and practical improvisation from border queues to dawn game drives. Every moment has its own character, its own rhythm. The country doesn’t shout for attention; it just keeps revealing itself, one waterhole, one campfire, one conversation at a time.