Namibia

by Chris McIntyre, Liz Bazin, Chris Leggatt

This new, thoroughly updated seventh edition of Bradt’s Namibia remains the longest and most detailed guidebook to this vast African country – more than twice the size of Germany but with less than 3% of the population. With sweeping landscapes, empty roads and wildlife reserves, Namibia has long captured the imagination of photographers, independent travellers and nature enthusiasts.

Namibia’s immense emptiness offers majestic sand dunes along the Skeleton Coast, seemingly endless gravel plains, vast tracts of farmland and rugged mountains hiding galleries of ancient Bushman San rock art. Throw in exhilarating wildlife encounters and the unexpected beauty of the rivers that define the country’s northern and southern boundaries, and it’s easy to see why Namibia attracts lovers of the great outdoors. Moreover, the country is extraordinarily diverse in human terms. Alongside the increasingly cosmopolitan feel of its capital, Windhoek, and the coastal town of Swakopmund, Namibia is home to many different cultures, among them the Himba in the Kunene region, and the Bushmen San on the fringes of the Kalahari.

Written by expert author and long-standing Africa tour specialist Chris McIntyre, and updated by two outdoor-adventure experts from South Africa, this new edition incorporates all key recent changes to this comparatively inexpensive safari destination. It provides unrivalled coverage of places to stay and eat, from small, personal guesthouses to classy hotels and upmarket game lodges, and detailed information for self-drivers (including personally researched and checked GPS coordinates) as well as for fly-in and guided safaris. Indeed, getting around Namibia is part of its the well-maintained road network, punctuated by independent lodges, makes light of long distances.

Helping you to discover Namibia in detail, 13 chapters offer a regional breakdown, from Windhoek to the Southern Kalahari, Namib dDesert, Swakopmund, Skeleton Coast, the world-renowned wildlife-watching destination of Etosha National Park, and the Kavango and Zambezi regions in the extreme northeast, including excursions into neighbouring Botswana. There’s also in-depth coverage of wildlife and where to see it, including a full-colour field guide encompassing mammals, reptiles and amphibians, marine life and birds. In sum, Bradt’s Namibia guidebook remains the essential travel companion for this thrilling country.

Genres: Travel

1199 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 1998

Reviews

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read most of this one in conjunction with a four-week road trip in Namibia earlier this year. We relied heavily on it and while it was very well-organized (super important for a travel guide), well-written, and blessedly free of politics and snark, it really was quite out of date. This isn't really the book's or author's fault as I'm sure there will be an updated version released within the next year or two. But this edition was published in 2019, which means that the information was gathered in 2018. Many restaurants and some accommodations were out of business, and prices for everything had in most cases more than doubled. Obviously covid changed much about travel and tourism and again, none of this is the book's fault, but in 2023 and going forward this one just won't be of much practical use to folks traveling to Namibia. Still, we were glad to have it on this trip - we found the driving advice (types of rental cars, possible routes, hazards to watch out for, points of interest, scenic drives, etc.) particularly helpful.

[David Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Namibia ** Digital version read and referred to before and while traveling in Namibia (May 2022)

[Mojca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - 4 ½ stars

[Diana Theobald · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as travel guides to Namibia go, Bradt was my favorite. The others were fine, but this one was the most comprehensive. Version 6 dropped in September 2019.

[Barbora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent guide for Namibia - but do keep in mind that the 6th edition was published before the pandemic, so some of the more detailed recommendations are a little out of date, and so are the suggested prices. That said, it’s still perfectly usable for planning, as all the major sites haven’t changed. It was also great on the go, as it is quite descriptive about road conditions. The book is divided by regions, and there are plenty of recommendations for food, accommodations and activities. I loved the wildlife guide, with full-colour images and detailed descriptions, which was very useful on safari and saved us from long hours of searching and arguing about what we saw. It also includes a bit on identifying animal prints! The bird section could be a little bigger. Would absolutely recommend as a great guide to Namibia.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was by travel guide prior to moving to Namibia for two years. It served me well.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

2015 edition 5